Bd - The Terrace Standard, Wednasday, April 4, 2001 SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN SKEENA ANGLER. ROB BROWN Heart of the Park 4 he smoke continued to roil listlessly up- i ward and out over the river channel be- fore spreading through the brush and trees like a giant, metastatic fungus. Sharon throttled down then, as the acrid fumes reached our nostrils, she killed the engine. We glided for a stone’s throw and bumped gently against the spongy shore. I jumped out and threw a line around the stump of what appeared to be a re- cently felled cedar. Before us was a roughly maintained corduroy road that was more tunne! than trail. We took it, careful to keep our feet on the rotting boards, which sank anyway and slurped when we took our weight off them. ] went ahead, eager but apprehensive. Sharon was close on my heels. Despite the adhesive ground, we maved quickly until the trail entered a clearing. We froze. Before us was a bizarre encampment, The skuils of animals were every- where; moose, bears, wolves, sheep, goats, and the crania of lesser mammals J couldn’t identi- fy, all peering down at us through the smoke — staring at us through their hollow sockets from atop Jong stakes upon which they’d been crude- ly impaled. Strewn around the base of the poles were empty oi! cans, plastic bottles, rusted tools, en- gine bits, and a couple derelict chain saws. It was as if we’d walked into a thicket of macabre plants rooted in the soils of slaughter. The place reeked: the acrid odour of smoke suffused with the sickeningly sweet smell of rotting garbage commingied with the smell -of human waste. _'Sweet.Jesus!”. gasped Sharon in ‘away. that was more a cry for help than an expletive. ~ “Yon won't find him here,” I said, Sharon nudged me and pointed to our left. There was someone coming at us — not straight toward us but from different angles: flitting from place to place then hesitating momentarily be- fore moving forward. We stood like a pair of im- mobilized deer, fascinated by his odd approach. He was an odd weasel of a man. He wore a ball cap in a way that made it obvious it was silting atop a hair piece. He had thick glasses and had no hint of a beard on his sloping chin. The strap of his rifle was not wide enough ta ob- scure the picture of a wolf.on the front of his dirty T-shirt, or hide his small, protuberant belly. There was an awkward pause in which none of us said anything, then the gnomish little fel- low and ] both tried to speak at once, stopping after we'd uttered af a few words. “O’Doul, I’m looking for O’Doul,” I blurted out finally, “Do you know him? Is he here?” At this he twitched defensively. His beady eyes narrowed. His actions were as good as a “yes” to both my questions. “IE he és here, id like to interview him. It’s for an article ~ an article for Outdoors North America.” , The gnome looked confused, He looked al Sharon then back at me, then pulled his shoul- ders back, either to adjust the weight of the rifle or to draw out attention to the fact he had it, just in case we ftadn’t noticed, “This way,” he said, at last turning and tak- ing a much more direct path thraugh the poles and trash piles than he had earlier, I glanced sideways at Sharon. She shrugged as if ta say, “we've come this far.” We scram- bled to catch up to our guide. There were carcasses and bones everywhere. A tagged Alsatian chewed on one while some of its mangy cousins, sinister and shadowy behind the carcinogenic curtain of smoke haze, prowled the periphery, At the end of our tour a large, slumping cabin sprawled over the ground. The gnome motioned us inside and indicated a trio of plastic lawn chairs scattered around what we tcok to be the kitchen table for no other rea- son than il was covered in dirty plates, demitas- ses of cold coffee, a full ashtray and beer cans. Among the sloppily mounted heads of shaggy beasts hanging from the walls was a ceremonial mask from some African tribe and regalia [ re- cognized as that*of coastal First Nations — maybe Haida or Kwakiutl, I couldn't be sure — and a poster of Bob Dylan. "We got visitars, Red,” squeaked the gnome. A man rose up from where he’d been lying, out of our sight, on the couch. He looked as if he was in a drug induced torpor, which 1 gener- ously and, as I later learned, inaccurately ascribed to the fact he’d been roused from a deep sleep. He stood and composed himself, then took a few steps toward us. I heid out my hand and in- troduced myself then introduced Sharon, The man smiled and clasped my hand. “Gerald Red- may I help your" fo be concluded next week TERRACE STANDARD MIKE CHRISTENSEN revs up same mountain bikers before they take a practice run through the snow. “There were some gnarly crashes," said Christensen about the first event of the biking season. Riders SNOWBOARDERS, skiers and bikers alike flew around bends, negotiated gates and launched off rollers during this year’s ri- dercross at Shames Moun- tain, March 25. The bikercross is the first biking event of the season and loads of riders turned out. The MiniMe competi- tion saw riders under 13 compete and Terrace’s Le- Francois boys clinched first and second place. But it was Kitimat’s ju- :nior riders who ‘tiled the *! course. “Most of them were brand new to the downhill racing scene but they were rippin’! They had the best crashes and no fear at all,” said Mike Christensen of McBike’s racing team. The Ruins Cup boarder- cross and skiercross races saw less wipe-outs, more go big speed and huge air. Terrace’s Danna Ha- worth led the pack in the women’s open division and earned herself $250, She also snagged first in March 24's big air competition. “I hate competing,” she said. “I feel like puking the whole day of and the day before.” Though she’d rather ride just for fun, Haworth is making her mark compe- litively. She also launched her way to the top spot at Smithers’ March 11 ‘Hig-air:!! tediy AB competition. 1°77" The-first place spot in the men's open division for the big air competition went to Brent Larson from Prince George. The big air competition and ridercross events drew competitors from through- out the province and orga- nizers are already petting set for next year’s event. 638-7283 3rd Annual Ruins Cup Men’s Open Snowboard 1. Anze Sparovec 2. Colin Davies 3. Brent Larson Women's Cpen Snowboard 1. Danna Haworth 2. Andrea Spenser 3. Ashley Huard Junior Men’s Snowboard 13-16 Logan Short . Mike Campbell . Brady Stokes oon — Youth Snowboard 12-under 1. Jordan Schilbl 2, Leo Horn 3. Evan Van Dyke Junior Women's Snowboard 13-16 1. Sylvie Giannelia 2, Gassie Murphy Mens Open Skier 1. Chris Barton 2, Geoff Dean 3. Mike Spak Women’s Skier 1. Sarah Graham 2, Laura Pick . Junior Skler 1. Bruce Hamilton 2. Ghase Hamilton Big Air Competition Men's Open Snowboard i. Brent Larson 2. Shawn Buck 3. Tim Dopko Women’s Open . Snowboard 1. Oanna Haworth . 2. Andrea Spenser~ 3. Brianna Vogelhar Junior Men's Snowboard 1. Mike Pederson 2, Jack Haworth 3. Branden Cellac A SKIER launches off the roller at the bottom of the | 7. boardercross course on Panhancler at Shames. 2 Sklers Open Mike Spac Brian Veita 3. Kyle Stamhuis Bikercross Mini Me 13-under . Dave LeFrancois , Jesse LeFrancois Galby Burns an= Cadet 14-15 . Kristian Gough . Tyler Sheaby . Mark Biiley amo Junior 16-18 1. Rory Stevens 2, Andrew Farina 3. Mike Shewchuck Men’s Senior 19-30 1. Natou Kurtz 2. lan Main 3. Craig Hansen Men’s Veteran 30-over 1. Chris Corcts 2. Roger Fehr FOUR SNOWBOARDERS battle it out for the lead position near the top of the boardercross course. The course was designed by local snowboarder Mike Talstra. Bikers, boarders and skiers alike raved about it. man he said in a deep resonant voice. How: Sports Menu Apr. 5 @ Final playoff game for women's Indoor soccer. Cassie Hall 7:30 p.m. Apr. 6 ® The Snow Valley Nordic Ski Club holds its annual general meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Onion Lake trails. Apr. 8 m@ Ski and Putl at Shames. Strap on your skis of your board ard grap your golf clubs for this annual event. Call 635-3773 for datalts. ‘Apr, 15 Valhalla snowshoe races -of the Wesi i p.m. at Shames Mountain. Call: 835- 8773 for details, te Apr. 16 @ Last chance for skilng and snowboarding. Today is Shames Mountain's last day of operation. Apt. 20 gm Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling at the Kitsumkalum Com- munily Centre. 8 p.m. Apr, 22 @ Regular monthly meel- ing of the Terrace drag fa- cing association. Coast Inn Apr. 22 M@ McBike's Glimb and Crash at Shames Moun: tain. Apr. 22 BR The Terrace Skating club year and dessert and awards banquet. 2-5 p.m. at the arena banquet: room. All members Walco- me-don't forget your. favor. ite Casson, a 3. Mike Christensen Bullies rule the rink Rec hockey playoffs go down to the wire REC HOCKEY is over for another season. Both the recreational league and the old- timers league held their playoffs late last month. The men’s recreational hockey league went to a best of three series to determine this year's top team. The Chapter One Arrows: took on the Back Eddy Bullies and the series was in- tense. Game one March 20 saw both teams fighting for the first win of the series. By the end of the third the game was tied at two, But it was the Bullies’ Lawrence Stel-— la who came through with the overtime goal defeating Chapter One 3-2. Game two March 24 was just as hea- ted. This game also went to overtime with -both teams tied at 2. Scott Mulder of the Chapter One Ar- ~ rows came through with the winning over- ' tlme goal forcing the. series to a third game, But the third and final game of the ser- ies belonged entirely to the Back Eddy Bullies, Doug Ritchie scored a hat trick and Scott Mulder slipped the puck between the posts once as well. But that was all the scoring the all im- portant final game saw. Chapter One wasn’t able to get on the board and J.J. Boudreault of the Back Eddy Bullies got the shutout. The Back Eddy Bullies close down the season as league champions. Meanwhile, the oldtimer’s division went to an all or nothing final and it was Canadian Tire pitted against the SRD Bines, This was also a close one, After three - periods the game was tied 2-2 forcing sudden death overtime. -Emil Gagnon of Canadian Tire came through with flying colours putting in the marker just 13 seconds into overtime, clinching the top spot for Canadian Tire. The. rec. hockey s starts UP again in Sep- tember. ;