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Europe 2014 Day 9

15 Mar

If you read the Day 8 post, you know why this is delayed.

Day nine, our last day in Europe šŸ˜¦ Man, the time has just flown by. I guess as they say that’s what happens when you’re having fun right? We’ll have to make the most of today and enjoy every moment.

So the internet (or as they say here the “wefe”) is still down, so I still cannot post yesterday’s blog. Hopefully it will be working by the time we return today so I can catch up and everyone knows we’re still alive. It’s amazing how we come to depend on it…first world problems right?

Anyway, we will be leaving the hotel at just after 8:00 so we can start a sightseeing tour of Paris. Should be interesting and give us a good sense of the city (well, maybe the kids since I’ve seen it before). Not quite clear on this afternoon’s agenda, but I know a lot of them wanted to go up the Eiffel Tower. Great, more stairs!

Well, I’m sitting here at the north gate of the Hotel des Invalides as the kids work through the museum with Mr. Cappello and Ms. Borgo. Normally I wouldn’t pass up a chance to visit a military museum, but I just wanted to sit for a bit and while I did that I could work on the blog. I figure it’s going to be another late night and I have two blogs to post.

I’m resting in the shade as it is probably well over 20C outside…it is absolutely gorgeous! I’m going to be sad to leave this behind for the snow and cold of Thunder Bay. I do miss the boys though and I guess it is time to head back to realty.

So the day has been great so far. A bus picked us up at the hotel and brought us into the centre of Paris where we met up with our guide for the morning. Corine would take us around the major sites in the city to give us a bit of sense of what Paris is like. We made a few stops along the way, the last of which was at the Place du Trocadero, which gives a good view of the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately there is a lot of pollution in the air, which made the view less than ideal.

Place du Trocadero, March 2014.

Place du Trocadero, March 2014.

Afterwards the bus dropped us off near the Tower. The original plan was for most of the kids to go up the Tower, but the poor visibility and long lines made us change our minds. Instead we would head east toward the Hotel des Invalides, stopping for lunch along the way. Here we would split up, with St. Ignatius remaining at the museum and St. Pats heading toward the Champs des ƉlysĆ©es after a short visit. So here I sit…

Eiffel Tower, March 2014.

Eiffel Tower, March 2014.

Sigh. I’m sitting again, this time outside a perfume museum just north of the Paris Opera. I’m tired…exhausted would probably be a more apt term. It’s been a long day!

So after the Hotel des Invalides, we headed north across the Seine to the Champs des ƉlysĆ©es. The kids had a little time to look around before we were off again, this time to the Opera and a rendezvous with Felicity and the St. Ignatius crew. We walked the short distance to the perfume place and soon we’re off to dinner.

Alexandre III Bridge, March 2014.

Alexandre III Bridge, March 2014.

Paris Flowers, March 2014.

Paris Flowers, March 2014.

I’m beat! My feet are killing me! It has been a very long day. We are waiting for the bus to come and take us back to the hotel. I can’t wait to go there and put my feet up. I’m sad that we leave tomorrow (especially since we have to be on the bus at 7:30), but we’ve had a great trip.

Dinner tonight was at a place called “L’Arlequin Cafe,” which was quite a distance from the Opera. That made for an interesting ride on the Metro in which we were packed into the cars like sardines. Dinner was some sort of beef stew with carrots and potatoes, which was okay. Dessert was fruit salad.

Our night would conclude with a visit to the Louvre, which involved another packed ride on the Metro back in the direction of the Opera. A lot of the kids were excited to visit this fantastic museum. We didn’t have a lot of time, so our little band did the Mona Lisa, Venus di Milo and Hammurabi’s Code.

The Louvre, March 2014.

The Louvre, March 2014.

Hammurabi's Code, March 2014.

Hammurabi’s Code, March 2014.

Anyway, I better go. I need some sleep and morning will come way too soon. The bus leaves at 7:30 for the airport. Until then…

 
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Posted by on March 15, 2014 in History, Travel, Writing

 

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Mother nature sucks, but lunch was epic!

21 May

Cryptic? Of course; you wouldnā€™t expect any less of me! I think the title pretty much sums up the state of affairs around here. It has been a crazy, depressing and frustrating past seven daysā€¦Iā€™ll try to express it all in words!

So I might as well start off with the crappy part, namelyā€¦wait for itā€¦you probably know it alreadyā€¦the weather! Yes, the weather. The stupid freakinā€™ weather. If I talk about it anymore, people will start to think I have some serious issues (maybe I do-I did say Mother Nature sucks). I canā€™t help it though, itā€™s really starting to make me (and everyone else) rather crazy. What is driving most of this angst is that I cannot go out and do what I want to do, which is hike.

So if you read this blog with any regularity youā€™ll know that Iā€™ve been dying to get out hiking for the past month. First it was the cold, then snow, and now rain. Obviously I did not get to do my planned hike in Minnesota for the long weekend; I unfortunately spent it cooped up in the house all 3 days (well, accept for a few hours on Saturday morning). Remember this time last year when we had that biblical flood? Well, let me tell you a story!

So the forecast called for some rain this weekend, which here in Canada is the traditional start of the summer camping/outdoor season. Then the rain was upgraded to a lot of rain; then it was a flood. Talk about dĆ©jĆ  vu! We had a huge deluge last May 28th, and they were talking about rain in the same proportions. So it rained most of Saturday, Sunday and off and on Monday. I thought it was over, but weā€™ve gotten another big dump of rain today. Fortunately there has not been the widespread flooding that we had last year, but are some flooded areas and road closures. Iā€™m not sure of the exact count, but weā€™ve had something like 70-80mm of rain so farā€¦I guess hiking in this area is out for a while.

Backyard flooding, May 2013.

Backyard flooding, May 2013.

Backyard flooding, May 2013.

Backyard flooding, May 2013.

Anyway, now that weā€™ve passed the May long weekend weā€™re on the downward slide toward the end of the school year. Itā€™s going to be a crazy, hectic 23 days. Teaching, football and graduation will make it all interesting. On top of all of that, I have 6.5 days that Iā€™ll be out of the classroom for various workshops; thatā€™s more than a quarter of the remaining time. Insanity! I will do my best to keep my feet firmly planted.

Now one of things that will help is that our crew at work will try to squeeze in one more epic lunch before the end. Yes, you heard it, an epic lunch (hence the title). This is something we came up with last year and we have continued the tradition of excellence. What is it you ask? Well, itā€™s what it says, lunches of epic proportions. It was mostly inspired by the YouTube videos of Epic Mealtime. So we try and find culinary challenges to complete, which are usually not always to healthiest choices, but it makes for good time and company. So far weā€™ve done the 6 foot sub, 3-65ā€ pizzas, Taco Time tacos and burritos, Chinese chicken balls and bonbons, chicken wings and the McDonaldā€™s triple double (double Big Mac, quarter-pounder & cheeseburger). Whatā€™s next? Some dirty bird (aka KFC)?

The challenge revealed, May 2013.

The challenge revealed, May 2013.

About to dig in, May 2013.

About to dig in, May 2013.

Things have been very busy on the railway front, mostly with the historical society. We had a board meeting last week to plot our strategy for the upcoming months. A lot good stuff is coming up for the summer. At the beginning of July there will be a Horseback Riding event with proceeds going to the society. In August, the Silver Mountain Station will be hosting the 2nd Annual History Day, which brings together local historians and writers and allows people to learn more about the history of the area.

Weā€™re also starting our first ever membership drive, which we hope attracts more people to the society. To help publicize our efforts, our website is undergoing a major overhaul, and weā€™re having an advertising poster created (much like the one for the railway). Itā€™s a pretty exciting time, and we hope that society grows and prospers. Be sure to join us if youā€™re interesting in preserving history!

So as I mentioned earlier, my plans to go hiking last weekend were derailed by the weather. I am hoping to try again this weekend. It might be a bit wet, so for the first time ever I may have wear my stylish rubber boots in the bush. Letā€™s hope itā€™s not too bad. I am very glad however that my oldest son, Ethan, has decided to join me. Itā€™s awesome that I can share my love of the outdoors and history with my boys, and teach them to appreciate what we have around us. My youngest, Noah, will soon be six and I imagine he will be joining us on longer hikes soon enough.

Anyway, time to roll; lots of stuff to do in a short week. Hopefully I will have good news to report next week. Until thenā€¦

 
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Posted by on May 21, 2013 in Hiking, History, Miscellaneous, Railway, Writing

 

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You’d think I’d have figured it out!

07 May

So sometimes I astound myself by how dumb I am. Itā€™s really amazing, since Iā€™m a reasonably intelligent, nearly 40 year old guy who graduated from university and has spent the last 15 years educating young people. And itā€™s not as if Iā€™m one of those book smart, common sense dumb people eitherā€¦Iā€™m pretty astute (or Iā€™d like to think so). So why do I do the things I do? Why do I go and jinx things? I guess in this case it was the exuberant optimism born of months of pent-up frustration. Huh, say again? Please, read on.

Last week I made the mistake of raving about how spring had arrived and how I didnā€™t care if we got any more snow since winter was now over. Bad mistake! Yes, a week ago I was in shorts and the weather was gorgeous. Unfortunately it didnā€™t last and we got a lovely dump of 15cm of snow on Thursday. So, again, we had to start all over again with the whole melting thing. The last few days have been very warm (nearly 20C) and weā€™ve recovered and then some. Now, I donā€™t want to go and jinx things again; we are supposed to get some precipitation later in the week, but I imagine that it will be rain. The only downside to this warm weather is that it reminds me that I have a lot to do outside, and everyone knows how much I love yardwork!

Snowfall at work, May 2013.

Snowfall at work, May 2013.

Thursday the 2nd, May 2013.

Thursday the 2nd, May 2013.

Monday the 6th, May 2013.

Monday the 6th, May 2013.

So now that weā€™ve entered the month of May, school is beginning to wind down for another year. Only six weeks left! Surprisingly I do not feel the same burnout that I was experiencing in previous weeksā€¦a weather boost? Could be; Iā€™d venture to say that the sunny, warm weather has made everyone a tad bit happier.

Last Thursday I held the first meeting in quite a while for our Europe 2014 travel group. It was nice to get together with the kids again, and to see their excitement for a trip that is now exactly 10 months away. Working in conjunction with my colleagues at our sister school St. Ignatius, the students will be responsible for a little light research before we leave. We are planning to visit several cemeteries on the trip (Bergen-op-Zoom, Beny-sur-Mer and Bretteville-sur-Laize among others) and they will be honouring a particular soldier interred at that location. Just a little way we can pay our respects to those who fought and died for our country.

As has been the norm for the past little while, things have been very busy with the Silver Mountain (and Area) Historical Society. We have a board meeting coming up on the 16th, and there is so much to do in preparation. I spent a lot of my time trying to make contact with and arrange some partnerships with some other like-minded groups and societies. Through my friend John Schloot I think weā€™ve secured an in with the Gunflint Trail Historical Society (GTHS), who are our neighbouring organization to the south and with whom we share some mutual history. A similar group is the Cook County Historical Society (CCHS) in Grand Marais, but I have yet to hear back from them.

Last week while surfing posts on Facebook, I came across a link that intrigued me. On the Friends of the Boundary Waters page (whom I have followed for some time), there was a post about a conference here in Thunder Bay. The meeting was held by an organization known as the Heart of the Continent (HOCP), which is a bi-national forum that brings together people/groups interested in preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the area. Obviously I missed the conference, but it spurred me to contact both HOCP and the Friends of the Boundary Water. I just received replies from both groups today and I hope this is the start of some important partnerships.

So as I sit here on my deck and write on this beautiful evening (I actually had to retreat inside as I could not see the screen), my attention turns to the warming weather and the prospect of going hiking once again. Next weekend is the Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada, and if the weather holds, I plan to spend at least a day of it travelling to Minnesota to hike the railway. What a way to show my patriotism to the monarchy on the former queenā€™s birthdayā€¦travel to what once was a British territory that rebelled against colonial rule! *Shrugs shoulders* Iā€™m praying the ground will have dried up sufficiently to make my trip worthwhile. Fingers are crossed!

Anyway, I think itā€™s time to wrap up. Hopefully I will not have to come back next week and eat my words againā€¦Iā€™m growing rather full. Until thenā€¦

 
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Posted by on May 7, 2013 in Hiking, History, Miscellaneous, Railway, Writing

 

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It’s a miracle!

30 Apr

Well, I guess thatā€™s maybe a bit of an exaggeration. However, I cannot deny that I certainly feel like it isā€¦and Iā€™m not the only one. Probably everyone in the 807 feels the same way. Confused? Have you read this blog before? If not, you better back track and catch up. Just kidding. Iā€™m obviously referring to the weather, which has been a constant topic of conversation for me in the last little while. So the miracle is that spring has finally arrivedā€¦a month late! Weā€™re finally seeing some double digit temperatures, melting snow and today the precipitation is rain instead of snow (though we may get a little snow later in the week as the temps are supposed to drop). Who cares though, as the end has arrived and it couldnā€™t come soon enough.

Beautiful evening, April 2013.

Beautiful evening, April 2013.

So today is the last day of April. Wow! That means there is only 2 months left of schoolā€¦some days I wonder if Iā€™m going to make it that far. Holy burnout Batman! I am really feeling it now, but that could be the bit of a cold that I am currently nursing. It certainly isnā€™t helping the situation. There are just so many things going on right now itā€™s hard to keep up. Between family, work, football and history stuff, my head is spinning. After 15 years of teaching, I should know that this time of the year is especially crazy. But, it is easy to forget when youā€™re in the moment.

The warmer weather and the end of the school year are making me think of football. Come again? Football? Isnā€™t that a fall thing? Yes, it certainly is, but times they are a changinā€™. Football, like many other sports, is becoming a year-round endeavour. The season ends in November, but soon after Christmas we start with our off-season workout schedule (which I supervise once a week). In a few weeks the coaches from the University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD) will be coming up for a weekend camp which requires us to give out equipment. Finally, Iā€™ve already started planning this yearā€™s edition of our annual spring camp, which takes place in June. Hard to start thinking about xā€™s and oā€™s when thereā€™s still snow on the ground šŸ˜‰

The railway has been very busy as usual, but I was thinking that I havenā€™t done much research in a long time. I did manage to squeeze in a presentation over the weekend. I always love to talk about the railway, and never pass up an opportunity to promote it and my work. About a month ago I was contacted by a gentleman named Dave who asked if I could come and speak to a menā€™s group he belongs to. So I found myself up early on Saturday morning (it was tough to get up at 7) and making my way to St. Paulā€™s Anglican Church. Everything went well, especially since I only had 45 minutes to deliver information that usually takes more than an hour.

As has been the norm lately, most of my time has revolved around the Historical Society. We have a board meeting coming up in a few weeks and thereā€™s a lot to prepare before that happens. Iā€™ve been working with a former student to overhaul our website, and also trying to get the spring edition of the society newsletter ready to send out. Wow, holy craziness! And that is in addition to the work on the North-Gunflint Lakes Historic Corridor (what weā€™re calling it)-hopefully Iā€™ll have some news about that by the end of the week.

My final news this week is in regards to my article on the ghost town of Leeblain. My work is currently being reviewed, while I unsuccessfully attempt to find a mapmaker. Iā€™d love to include a map with the article, but Iā€™ve never created a digital map in my life. Iā€™ve been struggling to find someone who can help me out, but my search so far has come up empty. I may have to bite the bullet, put my geography minor to the test and try my hand at cartography. I fiddled around a bit last night, making some headway but also dealing with a lot of frustration. Why canā€™t anything ever be easy?

Anyway, time to go. Iā€™m tired and need to get some sleepā€¦.lots of work to do! More to say next week as usual. Until thenā€¦

 
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Posted by on April 30, 2013 in Hiking, History, Miscellaneous, Railway, Writing

 

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Okay, now it’s just getting stupid.

16 Apr

That about sums it up. I (and pretty much everyone in the 807 area code for that matter) am tired of the ridiculous weather weā€™ve been experiencing of late. It actually sucks. For every step we take forward, we end up taking two back. Is this a sign of global warming? Well, it has to be something. I can remember as a kid being out at camp (weā€™ve had this discussion before-cottage, the lake, whatever) and getting snow in May. However that was very isolated and it disappeared fairly quickly. This is a completely different animal.

Confused? Well, it is now April 16th, the winter snow still has not disappeared, and every time we get a nice day that melts some of it, weā€™ll get a dump of fresh stuff and have to start all over again. That was the case on the weekend. Then yesterday we got a pile of snow, so much so that they cancelled the rural buses to our school (the day becomes a write off, since many of the ā€œcityā€ kids donā€™t bother to come). Our normal temps should be above 10C, but weā€™re not even close to that. Everyone is wondering when spring will show up; I think there are a lot of cases of SAD out there, myself included.

Melting snow, April 2013.

Melting snow, April 2013.

Blizzard, April 2013.

Blizzard, April 2013.

Forecast, April 2013.

Forecast, April 2013.

Okay, so enough about the weather, though ranting about it makes me feel better. Ya, take that Mother Nature-youā€™re being a real cranky @#&%^! Letā€™s focus on the positive though. Weā€™ve successfully arrived at midterm, which means the end of the school is approaching. Hard to believe exams are only 9 weeks away. Wowā€¦itā€™s going by quick and there is so much to do! Iā€™m not sure if the craziness outdoors is keeping the kids in check or driving them batty like the rest of us. I know Iā€™ll certainly be glad when itā€™s all over.

The railway front has been fairly busy this past week. Once again a lot of the focus has been on the Silver Mountain (and Area) Historical Society. Weā€™ve been trying to plan a board meeting ahead of a society general meeting and itā€™s proving quite an undertaking. We have six directors, spread out over a wide geographic area and with quite different schedules. Trying to find a convenient time for everyone is not very easy to do. We are gathering tomorrow night with a fairly lengthy agenda. Itā€™s going to be both busy and exciting.

Speaking of the society, I did receive a much awaited email yesterday. I spoke last week about a letter that I sent to the Ontario Heritage Trust regarding property for sale along the North-Gunflint Lake Corridor. It was mixed news however; unfortunately the Trust does not manage land outside of southern Ontario. However, the gentleman who emailed me graciously offered to speak with me about other possibilities for land preservation. I will be calling him tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully it will provide some useful leads.

To go back to the topic of this blog, the current weather issues are having a detrimental impact on my planned hiking schedule. Last April 29th I did my first railway hike of the year; at the rate weā€™re going at, Iā€™ll be lucky to get out by the middle of May. I was hoping to walk portions of the grade in Minnesota on the first Saturday of next month, but that seems a bit ambitious. Iā€™m very anxious to take another look at the double trestle near the first switchback located just off Tuscarora Road (County Road 47). Fingers crossed Iā€™ll be able to get there at some point before the trees fully leaf out.

Anyway, I have a thousand and one things to do right now, so I should get rolling. Definitely more to say next week. Until thenā€¦

 
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Posted by on April 16, 2013 in Hiking, History, Miscellaneous, Railway, Research, Writing

 

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Damn you insomnia!

02 Apr

Thatā€™s kinda harsh isnā€™t it Dave? Well maybe, but it sure as hell deserves it. Iā€™m tired! Isnā€™t it always the case that when you need to be up early, you canā€™t sleep? I even went to bed early, 10:20 to be exact. But could I sleep? Nope! The worst part was that I was coming off a four day weekendā€¦I should have been nice and relaxed. It was after midnight and I was still tossing and turning. Then one of the boys woke me up at 4:00 with a bathroom break and the other shortly after with a bad dream. So I tossed and turned until 5:45. So now Iā€™m tired, drained and probably crankyā€¦thanks for nothing!

Anyway, Happy Easter! I should be a bit more excited, but you know. It was nice to have the extended weekend, but as usual it flew by. Itā€™s now a long seven week wait for the May Long, and there is so much to do in the meantime. A ton of things are coming up with work, family, football and the railway; so many that I canā€™t even think straight. Itā€™s going to a crazy month and a half-donā€™t I always say that?

School is as busy as ever, especially since mid-semester is just around the corner. Iā€™m struggling mightily to keep up, particularly with the marking. Doesnā€™t help when you have days like today and your brain is a pile of mush, making concentrating oh so tedious. I know, I know, more complaints. Thatā€™s okay, even though it doesnā€™t feel like spring outside (a rather chilly -4 today), itā€™s coming. The snow is gradually receding and soon everything will be a wonderful shade of blah. But change is in the airā€¦I can smell it (well, besides the usual spring stench of dog poop).

It has been a very busy week again on the railway front (cripes I sound like a broken record don’t I?). Last week I received some really good news from my contact with the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. I donā€™t really want to say anything yet, as things are not set in stone, but there has been some positive movement in our efforts along the Boundary Waters. I spent a good chunk of my free time this weekend working on some stuff related to that, so Iā€™m hopeful that things work out in our favour.

Now speaking of this project, this weekend is the first big public splash for the Silver Mountain (and Area) Historical Society (it just flows so much better without the ā€œand Areaā€). My fellow society co-president Shelley Simon has a booth at the annual Home and Garden Show for the Silver Mountain Station and we will be sharing space. Last week we ordered the display materials for the show such as a banner, brochures and business cards. Letā€™s hope the get here on time! If you have a chance, drop by and visit the display (weā€™re in the Dome).

My last blurb for this week is about an interesting picture I received by email yesterday. During my visit to Gunflint Lodge a few weeks ago, owner Sue Kerfoot showed me a photograph of the old US customs house at the east end of Gunflint. I obviously asked her for a copy and she mentioned that she had other old photos of the area. The one she sent me was of her husband Bruce`s grandmother, Mae Spunner, on a railway speeder in the late 1930`s. The interesting part of the photo is that is shows that there were still rails on Gunflint past the presumed date of their removal (1915). Bruce told me that the rails were finally removed by his parents around 1945. I can`t wait to see more!

Handcar, Gunflint Lake, late 1930's.

Handcar, Gunflint Lake, late 1930’s.

Anyway, enough for now; see you same time next week. Until thenā€¦

 
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Posted by on April 2, 2013 in History, Miscellaneous, Railway, Research, Writing

 

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I can feel it in the air…

05 Feb

Itā€™s coming. It might not be completely discernible right now, but itā€™s on its way. I canā€™t wait. Not that I donā€™t like things right now, but itā€™s a much more preferable scenario. Iā€™m sure Iā€™m not the only one; there are many like me who are waiting. Itā€™s even been foretold that its arrival is imminent.

Confused? If youā€™re not, you know Iā€™m talking about spring. Yes, glorious spring. A time when the weather warms, the snow recedes and my yard smells like dog crap. As I gaze out the window I just know it wonā€™t be long now. Even though it was a balmy -10CĀ today (-19C with the wind), I know that soon enough we will be reaching positive temperatures on a consistent basis. The days are getting longer and the sun is getting warmer. It hasnā€™t been a particularly terrible winter (aside from the -38 a few weeks ago), but I’m just ready for it to be over. Over the last number of years February and March have been very warm, so I hope that trend continues.

So with the beginning of February comes the beginning of a new semester. New classes, new faces and a fresh start; this job is always about change. Itā€™s only day two, but things are looking good so far. My Grade 11ā€™s are a nice bunch and it will be a great way to start the day. My Gr.10 Applied has lots of rambunctious boys, so they will be a handful at times, but Iā€™m sure the content will keep them interested.

I have been spending a lot of time preparing for my Gr.12 World Issues eLearning course in the last few days. I certainly have a much better handle on what I want to do, but it still is a big challenge wrapping my head around this new medium. The course material is all online, but as the teacher I need to decide how much of each unit/topic to cover and what assignments the students will complete. As they say preparation is 90% of the battle, but in this case there is going to be a lot of ā€œon the flyā€ learning.

Even though work is a little less hectic, as usual there are still a ton of things going on. Next Thursday we leave for the Glazier coaching clinic in Minneapolis and there are many things still left to take care of. It will be a nice diversion though, a little football to get my mind off school and railway stuff. Looking forward to it as well; it is a great coaching development opportunity. On the Friday morning there are 3 back-to-back sessions on the 3-5 defence, which is the scheme that our team runs. I should get a lot of good stuff from that. This clinic is also a nice program builder, as we have a chance to learn together as a staff.

Tomorrow I have an executive meeting of the Silver Mountain Historical Society. We will be ratifying the new constitution for the society, which is the next step in the process to becoming officially incorporated. Unfortunately Iā€™ve hit a bit of a slow patch with the whole Leeblain thing, as I am waiting on some action from the Ontario government. Iā€™ve never worked with any type of bureaucracy, so I guess I need to understand that all of this takes time and things donā€™t happen overnight. However my plan is to be persistent, as keeping the pressure on will remind people that this is an important issue.

Now speaking of Leeblain, my biggest railway news of the week is the upcoming presentation at Gunflint Lodge on Saturday. I spent most of my free time in the past week preparing for this event and I really hope I am ready to go. Itā€™s always tough figuring out what to include and what to leave out; I want to stick to one hour so I hope I donā€™t go overboard.

In the morningĀ I have an on-air interview with WTIPĀ radio in Grand MaraisĀ to talk about the presentation. This is the second interview Iā€™ve done with these wonderful folks; the first was this past summer when I did the talk at the Chik-Wauk Museum. Itā€™s such a great way to promote the event and my work, but just like Saturday I will be a bit nervous when the time comes.

I certainly wish I could spend more time at Gunflint than the one night that I will have. I could have stayed Friday as well, but with the trip to Minneapolis the following week I didnā€™t want to be away from the family for two weekends in a row. However I know I will make the most of the time and take in everything that I can. If Iā€™m lucky I will be able to do this again at some point in the future and maybe Iā€™ll be able to stay longer. Iā€™ll be sure to take lots of pictures in any event!

Gunflint Lake, May 2011.

Gunflint Lake, May 2011.

Well, I do need to get rolling. I will definitely have a lot to say next week. Until thenā€¦

 
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Posted by on February 5, 2013 in History, Miscellaneous, Railway, Research, Writing

 

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Shorts in March?

19 Mar

Yes, you read that title right. So, youā€™re probably saying, ā€œitā€™s March, in the northwestern Ontarioā€¦what is he thinking?ā€ Well, Iā€™ve never worn shorts in March, but thereā€™s a first time for everything right? I guess it all started last week when we were in Minneapolis and the mercury climbed to +18C; things only got better from there! Yesterday the temperature rose to +21 and I couldnā€™t help myselfā€¦actually I got too hot in pants. So I broke out the shorts and made history! Needless to say I feel very proud of my accomplishment. I even Tweeted about it šŸ™‚

Today unfortunately it was back to work and boy was I dragging! Teaching is a great profession with some good holiday time, but coming back from vacation is always tough. This is especially difficult when you have to jump right back into the swing of things such as the Battle of Passchendaele and the Enlightenment. Iā€™m certainly going to sleep well tonight!

Now speaking of sleeping, there are only 15 more sleeps until Europe! Can you tell Iā€™m excited? Tomorrow I am having the final meeting with the travellers and their parents, so the reality is really setting in. Last week I picked up a new suitcase and some travel adapters so I think Iā€™m ready roll. I am a little concerned with the current Air Canada labour issues, but fingers crossed everything will be okay.

Iā€™ve been looking at our hotels and where we are heading from those locations. After our two days in Paris, we move to Rouen from which we visit Dieppe and Juno Beach. Then weā€™re on to Amiens which is close to the Beaumont Hamel and Ypres, as well as the culmination of the trip, Vimy. On paper they seem so far away, but they are really only an hour to an hour and half apart. Anyway, enough about that; youā€™ll be reading about it soon.

So, what about the railway? Well, thereā€™s a lot to report on that front. I worked more on the article last week and Iā€™ve almost reached 2800 words. Iā€™ll try to get more writing done tomorrow and hopefully I can wrap things up next week. Since Iā€™m almost done, I need to start thinking about pictures and maps for the article. I think Iā€™ve got the pictures covered, but Iā€™ll need to try and find some decent maps. I might have to make a few phone calls and see what I can dig up.

Last week I also received some good news regarding my presentation at the Chik-Wauk Museum. After the exchanging a few emails with Ada from the museum, Iā€™ve been confirmed for Sunday, August 5th at 2:00 pm CST. I will be talking about the railway and the Paulson Mineā€¦obviously pretty pumped for this event! Itā€™s been a while since I did a public lecture on the railway so Iā€™m great to get back into the saddle so to speak.

I managed to get that Wikipedia article on Leeblain finished as well. Quite proud of myself; it was actually a bit of work to put that together, especially with all the research involved (well, more like digging through my files). Maybe this will lead to more Wikipedia stuff, though I don’t want to get too carried away…I have anough on my plate. Paulson Mine next?

Joseph Fisher Eby

For my closing comments I thought Iā€™d mention the busy week this is going to be in the history of the railway. Hereā€™s the list:

Thursday-Gunflint Lake Iron Company is organized inĀ 1892 by John Paulson, Kristian Kortgaard and Orrin D. Kinney

Friday-Investor Joseph F. Eby is born in Berlin, ON in 1844 and Canadian Northern VP Donald Mann is born in Acton, ON in 1853

Saturday-the last train runs on the Canadian National Railway-North Lake Sub-Division in 1938

Of all the events, the last is probably the most important, but I`ll save my comments for next week.

Until thenā€¦

 
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Posted by on March 19, 2012 in Miscellaneous, Research, Writing

 

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