Summer Solstice?

Well it's almost June 21st. It reminds me of a solstice two years ago...Three of us were caught in an early morning snowstorm on the summit of Mount Agnes. However, at that time, we had sufferred through an entire month of glorious weather, and we'd grown lax in our preparations. As a result we had three gloves and two hats and one jacket to share amongst three people as we shivered our way through 6 inches of fresh snow on our descent. Soup in Barkerville saved the day.

This year it's been so cold so long, there is no danger of venturing out underdressed। In fact, we'd planned to go skiing today, but the weather was so foggy and windy with a pounding slushy rain, that we slept in instead....Eventually we opted for a bike ride and it was a great trip...

Riding along the old Lowhee Ditch Line to Summit Rock is a great cruising experience, in any weather, and the trail is well drained despite the weather. The photo of the rock is part of the amazing ditch line that you ride on. In this section, the wall of the ditch is carved out of solid rock. No job for a pick and shovel, and it runs for about a half a kilometer like this!

Just like the previous year, we managed to soften the day with a soup and sandwich in Barkerville...and then a nice ride down the highway back to Wells. The mountain biking here is supreme!

In the evening, we went to see Navaz...http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=147093051

I felt so priveleged to be able to listen to music like this, and wondered in how many countries in the world you could be so fortunate as we are। Sufi chants, Jazz fusion, and a fabulous fusion of instruments and sound. Ali Razmi has joined Eric Tompkins and Neda Jalali to create a sound you just can't believe. Ali plays the tar, and setar (both stringed instruments as if they were the deeply traditional Iranian instruments they are(He's solo'd fro the Iranian Philharmonic Orchestra), and then he bends the sound and this same instrument is pumping out Jazz riffs with Sufi overtones!!! Incredible. If you still can, you can hear them at ArtSpace in Prince George on June 19th, and Midsummer Music Fest in Smithers on June 20, 21, 22.

ठाट'स आईटी फॉर नो!

Dave