Fazebook or is it Phazebook

Fazebouk is not in my vocabulary and I don't even know how to spell it. It is also something that "I have no energy for", to quote another Brigade member on another matter. If anyone from the Team with lots of time on their hands wants to get involved on the Fazebouk page, here is the link to it:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Voyageur-Brigade-Society/186764651355108 Fill yer boots.

Paddle Song Work Party - Part 2.

On April 15 and 16, Denny and Robert took out the seats, sanded them, oiled them, added some padding, and re-installed them. Some padding was also put on the back rests and another coat of paint was added. Paddle Song is now getting closer.

Paddle Song Work Party - Part 1.

On the weekend of April 9 and 10 Mark and Diane went to Blaine to give Denny and Delores a hand working on Paddle Song. They managed to get some epoxy on the canoe and some on themselves, I think, and got a good start on some of the minor repairs needed.

01 April 2011.

Invermere and the statue of David Thompson and Charlotte Small that was unveiled in July 2003. This is where our Brigade will begin and these two folks are the reason for it all.

Canada / USA Border

01 April 21011.

This is border monument #244 and looking west you can see the cut line of the border heading over the mountain. Lake Koocanusa is in the foreground. Note the secure fence protecting our border.

View From Tiger Campment

31 March 2011

This is the view looking south along Lake Koocanusa from Tiger Campment. One of David Thompson's men killed a cougar (mountain lion) very near here and it is the first recorded killing of one west of the Rocky Mountains. They ate it and thought it to be quite tasty. Thompson may not have known exactly what it was so he called it a "tiger", hence his name of the campment.

Kootenai Crossing

31 March 2011.

The famous Kootenai Crossing near the 'big bend' of the Kootenai River east of Libby, MT.

Commemorative Stone Cairn for David Thompson

This stone cairn was built in 1933 to commemorate David Thompson and his work in constructing Saleesh House near the mouth of the Thompson River just on the south east end of the community of Thompson Falls.

Koo Koo Sint Ridge

30 March 2011

Made it to Thompson Falls, MT, named after David Thompson. I stayed there one night with Carl and Linda Haywood. They were kind enough to drive me around to show me everything 'David Thompson' and there was lots of it. These are photos of Koo Koo Sint Ridge (in the clouds)

David Thompson Commemorative Marker at East Hope

30 March 2011.

This is a commemorative marker for David Thompson near the community of East Hope on Lake Pend Oreille. The lake is reportedly over 350 metres deep and was used for submarine testing at one time.

Pend Oreille River David Thompson Reader Board

30 March 2011.

After spending the next night in Colville, WA, it was off to Thompson Falls, Montana, and I found the first reference of many to David Thompson by 10:00am. This one was on the Pend Oreille River.

Near Fort Okanogan

29 March 2011.

This is near the site of Fort Okanogan - same location as the picture in the website but about one year later.

Recon Trip

28 and 29 March 2011.

I decided to make a quick roadie and check out some of the sights along the first half of the Brigade. The weather wasn't the best for my trip but all we can do about the weather is complain about it. I left Vancouver in the afternoon of March 28th and drove to Monroe, WA, to do a counterclockwise trip. Next morning I am up before daylight and start heading east toward Wenatchee. It was raining when I left and by the time I got to the top of Stevens Pass, it was snowing hard. The speed limit in summer is 60 mph, in winter 50 mph. I was doing 20 mph. There was 2.5 metres (8') of snow on both sides of the road.By the time I got to Wenatchee, on the Columbia River, it was dry and warm.