By Caleb Brown
Free Press Columnist
Having grown up in Fernie, I have a special connection with the town and the people. Through my writing I feel even more connected. Starting now, you will be able to follow me on new adventures every week and read old stories of mine that are of significance in my life.
As I sit, writing in my apartment on 2nd Ave it is hard not to be distracted by the hustle and bustle on the street below. From my window I see so many familiar faces, a large percentage of them with their dogs. When I venture out onto the sidewalk I plan for at least ten minutes of small talk between my apartment and the grocery store, which is just one block away. It is hard not to bump into someone I know. I love that about this place and I have a hard time picturing myself anywhere else. Like the thought of spending a season at a resort where I don’t know the Ski Patrol, it just doesn’t make sense.
I feel I am currently and will be for some time one of those few classic characters you see daily on Main Street. Pete Reizevoort, my old english teacher Al Phillips and the photographer Brian Pollock are just a few of the faces I see everyday, hanging out on the benches, going from coffee shop to coffee shop. Main street living is good living.
It’s important though, to get out of the valley from time to time. It helps me appreciate what we have here – an eight minute drive to the ski hill surrounded by incredible peaks, the Elk River flows right through town, we have an abundance of trails and I cannot forget to mention the delicious drinking water. I am also grateful for the feeling of excitement whenever I come home. Yes, you might not make a lot of money, you and your friends may chase the same women, mail takes forever to get here and most of the time you can’t find a ripe avocado at the grocery store, but those are the sacrifices we make to live in a mountain town. For myself, and most, it is all about the lifestyle. Life is not about money or ripe vegetables; both of those will work themselves out. Life is about enjoying what you are doing, everyday.
To read more about Brown’s adventures, visit his blog.
