47 Rides – #35 Random friendlies

So we had to leave Merritt because the guy that was generous enough to let us stay at his motel, Peter, lost his job.  I blame Brian.  It definitely wasn’t my fault ’cause I didn’t sleep in the motel that night.  I woke up in somebody’s backyard.  That’s when I lost my guitar.

The people whose yard it was were concerned for me having somewhere to sleep.  I dazily explained I was staying at the Double D Inn and made my way off their property.  I somehow found my way back to the DoubleD and slept about an hour before Peter came in and told us we had to go.  Apparently his boss was coming back into town and Brian had been knocking on peoples doors the night before.  Peter had two jobs and he lost both of them somehow, if that’s even possible.  Poor Peter.

So now I’m realizing I don’t have my guitar so we retrace our steps from the night before, if that’s even possible.  The bar we were at said I had it with me when they kicked us out.  Hopefully that’s a last call kind of kicking out but I’m afeared it wasn’t.  So now we’re looking for the house I woke up at when a van pulls up asking if I’m Trevor Porter.  I am and I’m reunited with my guitar to my extreme relief.

So today’s ride is a generalization of Merritt locals, Natives, fellow travelers and random friendlies, driving us to the fire camp and back.  But, yeah, the fires don’t need any more volunteers.  So here we are in Merritt with nowhere to stay and nowhere to go.  Both of us barely slept the night before and we’re exhausted.  We even went into the police station and asked if we could sleep in some cells.  Nope, we had to break the law.  We looked around for something illegal to do but everything was too much effort so we continued down the street out of town..

47 Rides – #34 Lady and Mother

It started pouring so Brian and I took shelter under an overpass.  The wind was cold so we made a small fire between the lanes.

A lady and her quiet mother stopped way down the road and reversed back to us, to our relief.  We dashed through the downpour and hopped in.  She recommended the  llama ranch for work if the firefighting didn’t work out.

I wouldn’t recommend going to Merritt but I also wouldn’t miss the mad adventures I was thrust into there.

47 Rides – #33 Me and Brian in the newspaper

After spending some days in the shelter in Kamloops, busking for money in front of liquor stores and supermarkets, I befriended some fellow shelter stayers and we decided to head to Merritt to help out with the forest fires (2003).  The good fight.  Helpin out the people in need.  Money.  It had it all.

Of everyone talking about going only Brian actually did and that was cool ’cause he reminded me of Hunter Thompson.  He had just gotten out of jail for pushing his sister’s asshole boyfriend down some stairs.

We had a sign made from 5 pieces of cardboard strung together the said Merritt Going TO FightFires Please.  A lady picked us up after a long uphill hike out of town and asked if she could take our picture.  She was a journalist in Kamloops and was working on stories about the FireFighters.  So she drove us to around Logan Lake and took our picture from a couple of angles.  So maybe we got our pictures in the paper..

47 Rides – #28 cont’d Dylan The Conclusion

Awake. Blue.

Shit, that’s a lot of smoke! As I pull on my boots the grass right in front of me bursts into flames.  After some good stomping it was back down to the water then back up the mountain again.  Mental note, next time build the fire closer to the water.  What a terrible trip to lay on someone on about an hours sleep in three days, sexually frustrated and full of booze.

We spent the morning in the girls’ truck, getting out of some light rain.  A little too light to ease my mind..

The rain stopped and some sun came out and the girls decided to leave.  We took some pictures together and exchanged emails.  Me and Dylan decided to go for one last hike in the woods.  We made our way back around the the campsite.  There was some smoke..

“Shit!  This dead tree’s about to go right up!” He’s right!

“You watch it, I’ll get water!”  Down I go, back up, find the fire again.  You know the drill.  We both made certain it was out this time, digging up any parts around that looked iffy.  It had been burrowing under the big rock we built it by, spreading through the moss and popping up in unexpected places.  We cut it off at every end and left it for good.  It would be ironic if I started a forest fire when I came out here with the idea of helping out with the forest fires.  Maybe I can put this on my resume?

Dylan hung around ’til 4:20 and left me at the hostel.  I slept.

47 Rides – #28 Dylan Part 2

So I wake up.  Black.  Where am I?  Saskatoon?  Gotta get back to the hostel..  Oh wait, I remember.  I’m camping.

Shouldn’t the fire be inside the circle?  I should do something about that.  Stomp Stomp.  That’s not working.  Water?  No?  This is serious..  Beer?  Tears roll down my cheeks as the heavenly liquid screams and evaporates on the embers.  Still some heaters left..no more liquids…?  Well maybe one.  Zzip.

That should do it..

So I wake up.  Dark blue.  Uh-oh.  That’s spreading.  Water in the car GO.  Up the mountain.  Locked door. Locked door.  Open door!  Sweet.  I tried not to wake up the girls, who were sleeping in their truck next to Dylan’s car, but I couldn’t get the door shut so I had to slam it a few times and eventually leave it which the girls later said they thought was someone trying to break in.  So I’m barrelin down the mountain with empty water bottles to the lake at the bottom.

On my way up I lost track of the campsite.  Can’t find the fire.  Can’t find the fire.  There it is!  With the water and some stomping with a rock – with one to my finger that blood-blistered my fingertip and bruised the nail – it was out.  Pretty much..

47 Rides – #28 Dylan

I awoke to a horn beeping somewhere behind me.  I pulled myself off the tar of the highway and dragged my stuff to the car.

I remember watching the cars go by for a good couple hours before my vision started to blur.  I mulled over the look of the pavement, thinking of lying down but deciding it looked too hot.  After a while I decided “fuck it”

Dylan was a party guy for sure.  After that hour’s sleep I was right back full of energy shootin the shit and smoking some joints.  We drove by this turnoff to somewhere I forget the name of and he was like, “That’s my turnoff but I’m gonna go to Banff with you and we’ll party it up tonight!”

The plan was set:  We’d grab some beers, set up camp, go into town and pick up some hippie chicks, go to the bar then back to camp for beers, campfire and singalong parties.  It was a perfect plan….almost.

We set up a camp in the middle of the woods, on a relatively flat spot on the side of a mountain below where we parked.  We had the beer, a circle of rocks for the campfire and Dylan’s tent setup.  We walked around town for awhile, taking in the sights.  I don’t have to tell you what a beautiful town Banff is.

We were walking through a park and we see these two girls in white with dreadlocks.  Me and Dylan exchange a single nod and stroll on over.  Breanna, blond and pixyish, a real live wire; you could almost see the fairy dust fall off her, and Colby,  reddreads, sweet as hell; we let them in on the plan.

Now the night’s a bit of a blur.  There was beer, Jagermeister (note:  I thought it was spelt with a Y when this was written;-) wings and some dancing to a band.  The band wasn’t very good which didn’t matter at all.  I couldn’t remember if anyone else was dancing or if the band was even playing.  Yes, apparently the band was playing and No, apparently no one else was dancing.

I got everyone to haul back rocks for the fire pit but god knows how we carried them up that mountain as drunk as we were.  We sat around the fire having some drinks; I was playing guitar and we sang songs who know how well.

When the girls announced they were going to bed it was met with protests from Dylan and I that we needed cuddles.  “Cuddle with each other”, was the reply.  I decided I’d sleep by the fire…

This is a long ride so I’ll continue it this Wed.  You’ll wanna check it out ’cause I almost fuckin die!!!!

That got yer attention dinnit

To be continued……