Friday, August 28, 2009

Let me tell you- if you are a motorcyclist, the Kootenays are the place to be- and Nelson is right smack dab in the middle of them! Nelson is a beautiful town. I remember coming here as a kid when my family would come to visit our cousins. Back then we were all shoved into a station wagon pulling a trailer, this time I rolled in on Silver.

Today I traded my riding leathers for my tourist sandals and spent most of the day exploring the town. If you are ever in the area I recommend it. Founded as a service centre for the surrounding mines, the town changed dramatically when an exodus of draft dodgers from the States came to Nelson in the 60s. The result is a vibrant arts and culture community with a lively downtown. It was refreshing to see the downtown core remain strong, instead of the pattern of big box developments and superstores that seems to common now.

The entire city of Nelson is build on the side of a mountain at the end of the West Arm of Kootenay Lake. Judy and Morris live half way up the mountain, and I decided to walk because I was leery about riding Silver on the steep streets. The only problem was that to get to their home I would have to walk up those steep streets in the 30+ degree heat. No problem, I thought. Well, I underestimated how steep the streets were. After eventually reaching the top I needed about a half hour to catch my breath and cool down. If I lived here, I’d walk up that hill every day and I’d probably be in shape after one week.

Judy and Morris took me for a ride to meet some friends of theirs who live on the lakeshore. We enjoyed a few drinks, great company, and then returned to their home for an amazing dinner. It was really great to visit with Judy and Morris- I hadn’t seen them since our family reunion in Baljennie back in 2003. I am very glad I came through and had the chance to catch up with them.

However, after that huge climb I was exhausted, and I had to pack it in early. I adjourned to bed at 9:30- a record for a Friday night!