Musing

written at & published from the lobby Flamingo Inn at High Level (they also have a Stardust, Sahara, Frontier etc a-la- Las Vegas)

10C/50F, clear, a little chilly before sunrise; Gusta pulled frenetically along motel row, much to sniff, one black cat scattered & people watching in the restaurant was entertaining

my friends SS & DB celebrate birthdays today; wishing you each another spectacular year

may years ago Tony & I used to talk about taking a long summer trip to Inuvik & back; we never did it & Tony is long gone but knowing now how the first leg of the trip goes I have a twinge of regret for having not done it; but I suppose I could do that trip with someone else one of these days . . maybe next year . . hmmm; I think I need something bigger than a car, smaller than an 18 wheeler . . both of which are in abundance here

I’ve lived in cities, lived in the country, traveled a bit – but the notion of living & working in a remote area in the north is something I’ve not contemplated; here I can see that up close & get a taste without diving in; a little voyeuristic perhaps, but a great chance to listen & learn & learn & learn

8 hours of spectacular sunshine yesterday; just me, my thoughts, my dog & my George Carlin audio book playing interspersed with Percy Faith & quite a few calls – I was entertained & had plenty of reflection time; riding a long way, but when considering the BIG north to the north of me, it was not so far; driving through Peace Country landscape during harvest season on that very flat plateau, then moving to higher altitude wetlands (a.k.a. moose pasture) in sunshine yesterday – spectacular; in the evening I walked the downtown & drove the residential areas; it seems like a great little town with much evidence of good planning, new development & lots of oil & gas, forestry & development activity in this last business centre (yes they have a golf course) before entering the Northwest Territories

I’ve breakfasted, read Echo – the local weekly, talked to two staff at the restaurant who have not been here long enough to help me with directions (one might think a year would be long enough to know directions to the airport); lots of places to go, people to see . . gotta run, but not so far . . no traffic lights, no traffic jams

Mark
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