We've had a disappointment this morning. Since signing up last May to tour Utah's national parks and monuments with Road Scholar, we have been looking forward to seeing friends we've not seen in years -- a wonderful couple, Chickie and Pat Harristhal, who used to own and operate Canadian Border Outfitters east of Ely MN, where Tal first met them, and then Shining Falls Lodge in the Atikaka Provincial Wilderness Park north of Bissett Manitoba.
A wrinkle in the plan to visit them came during August with the impending sale of their home and the new house not being ready for occupancy. Not to be discouraged, they (with their two dogs) set out in their travel trailer to enjoy the best part of autumn seeing the western part of the country. Today we were to have rendezvoused with them for breakfast or lunch, perhaps for a trip to the Grand Canyon South Rim.
Pat awoke this morning way under the weather. So, we are preparing to head east. Chickie's email with news of their situation provided the title for this post. We, the four of us, are indeed "near, but yet so far."
Showing posts with label Shining Falls Lodge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shining Falls Lodge. Show all posts
15 October 2010
26 January 2009
Potential travel
It's the last Monday in January. I am tired of being cold and, while I really like damp, grey weather, I have to admit that I am growing weary of it -- even while acknowledging with profound gratitude that we're not living in the northeast any longer. The luxury of silk longjohns in my wardrobe not withstanding, I'm having a hard time keeping my spirits up.
Something that helps us both are conversations about travel possibilities. We have received a letter from the propritators of Shining Falls Lodge in Manitoba about our "penciled in" dates for June and we're researching a train trip across Canada and a Road Scholar jaunt into Alaska. Admittedly, although we need to choose one of the three, it's strengthening just to have the options.
I found, tucked into my journal, a napkin I picked up at a recent party at the Hilton near in the convention center in Columbia. On it are three inspiring sentences.
Something that helps us both are conversations about travel possibilities. We have received a letter from the propritators of Shining Falls Lodge in Manitoba about our "penciled in" dates for June and we're researching a train trip across Canada and a Road Scholar jaunt into Alaska. Admittedly, although we need to choose one of the three, it's strengthening just to have the options.
I found, tucked into my journal, a napkin I picked up at a recent party at the Hilton near in the convention center in Columbia. On it are three inspiring sentences.
Travel is more than just A to B.
Travel should celebrate good times.
Travel should take you places.
At this point, for us, the mere prospect of travel is helping us keep January's gloom in perspective.
04 June 2008
Two bright spots
As I caught up Quicken with the latest in the Democratic presidential nomination process unfolding on BBC America, I opened an e-mail we thought might be coming. As real a possibility as it was, I'd managed to convince myself it would not come to pass. Not yet. Interesting how powerful wishful thinking is!
Our dear friends, Chickie and Pat Harristhal (pictured here on the dock under the wing of a float plane), owners of Shining Falls Lodge in Manitoba, let us know that they had, indeed, sold the lodge after providing hundreds of people four summers of extraordinary fishing and hospitality. Tal met them in the summer of 1988 at Canadian Boarder Outfitters (which Chickie and Pat owned and operated) near Ely MN, when he and his son ventured into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for the first time. He has seen them and enjoyed their company for 18 of the last 19 summers.
People move in and out of our lives. Where the Harristhals are concerned, the moving in has truly been a joy, a long-term joy. And, this season of their moving out -- at least in the Shining Falls venue -- is going to be cause for long-term sweet sadness. We leave next Monday morning for the drive to Bissett for our flight to the lodge on June 13th. Their not being on the dock to greet us is going to be a difficult moment. But, we are going anyway, grateful for their having introduced us to the lodge, to Family Lake and to Manitoba's Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park.
As I make my way to bed tonight, I wish these two bright spots in the life Tal and I share all the very best and hope to bask in their light some wonderful time in the future.
Our dear friends, Chickie and Pat Harristhal (pictured here on the dock under the wing of a float plane), owners of Shining Falls Lodge in Manitoba, let us know that they had, indeed, sold the lodge after providing hundreds of people four summers of extraordinary fishing and hospitality. Tal met them in the summer of 1988 at Canadian Boarder Outfitters (which Chickie and Pat owned and operated) near Ely MN, when he and his son ventured into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for the first time. He has seen them and enjoyed their company for 18 of the last 19 summers.People move in and out of our lives. Where the Harristhals are concerned, the moving in has truly been a joy, a long-term joy. And, this season of their moving out -- at least in the Shining Falls venue -- is going to be cause for long-term sweet sadness. We leave next Monday morning for the drive to Bissett for our flight to the lodge on June 13th. Their not being on the dock to greet us is going to be a difficult moment. But, we are going anyway, grateful for their having introduced us to the lodge, to Family Lake and to Manitoba's Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park.
As I make my way to bed tonight, I wish these two bright spots in the life Tal and I share all the very best and hope to bask in their light some wonderful time in the future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
