I think I need to be a media shut-in more often.
During the past couple of weeks, my family spent five days camping near the Yukon at the exquisite Boya Lake Provincial Park. This was sandwiched between about six-and-a-half butt-numbing days on the road, relieved by brief visits to roadside attractions, bathroom stops and a lovely afternoon in my former hometown of Kamloops.
Throughout the holiday, I think our only exposure to the news of the world, or at least of Canada, was during the drive home courtesy of CBC radio.
While we had Internet access at the park (courtesy of my mother-in-law, the park operator), it received little attention. Instead, our long days there (the sun didn’t set until about 11 p.m.) were spent mostly outdoors, helping gramma with her park duties, boating excursions on the tranquil, turquoise waters of Boya, short hikes, enjoying meals (or at least marshmallows) by campfire and just kicking back, watching the aspens bend as the wind shook their leaves.
One afternoon, while sightseeing on the lake by kayak, I saw family of beavers at play near one of the park’s large beaver dams. The water was so clear I could see the furry critters as they darted back and forth beneath the surface.
During the peaceful paddle back, my former co-worker James Murray came to mind. I considered how he’d enjoy being in my place (though probably in a canoe, not a kayak).
On another lake outing, I watched as a Common Loon slid into the water from vegetation along the shore of one of the small islands. The loon quickly disappeared beneath the surface, resurfacing moments later about 30 feet in front of me. It then began to sing. This process repeated a few times as the bird lured me away from its nest.
We enjoyed spotting numerous black bears on the side of the road between Dease Lake and Boya.
My Hinterland Who’s Who experience was completed during a drive to Watson Lake, when I across a very tall cow moose standing in the middle of Highway 37.
On our last day at Boya, we were on the lakeshore with gramma at the park’s playground. She and my son dug for gold in the sand while my wife I enjoyed the view, appreciating those moments when the cool winds blowing in from the Yukon pushed the clouds out of the sun’s way.
On the drive home, the news seemed to be focused on our scandalous Senators and the more scandalous $24 million audit of their expenses, and on B.C. Premier Christy Clark committing $150,000 in taxpayer dollars to support a privately sponsored International Yoga Day event on June 21, the same date as National Aboriginal Day. While I agreed with some of the backlash that brought a quick end to the yoga event, I failed to get riled up about it as I might have two weeks prior. It all just struck me as more of the same.
It’s Monday now, my first day back in the newsroom, and the reporter in me is slowly returning. There’s some good news coming from the province today regarding the construction of a proposed roundabout on Highway 97A. Hmm, just thinking about the highway makes me wish I was back on it, with family, heading out for another potentially media-free adventure.
