Soon my commute home

Last night I rode home on the Columbia and Western Rail grade from Grand Forks via Eholt.  I had just finished meeting with my new employer.  So lucky me I get to work in my profession and I'm so happy about it.  I'd applied for several other jobs and I was always getting the interview but not the job.  In this final interview, I answered all the questions correctly.

And I want to ride my bicycle on the railroad grade home to stay in shape!

This sectionman shed pr for an avalanche inspector for the railway.
It's since been restored and used as a shelter for cyclists and skiers.

It'll be easier to ride home because it's about 35km and I'm not as much of a morning person as I'd like to be to wake up at 6:00 to get to work on time.  Although they do have showers, so it's always a possibility.  My plan right now is to ride at least one day a week home during the bike riding months.

Looking north up the Granby River Valley and North Lynch Creek drainage

There is a struggle to stop logging in the North Lynch Creek drainage because this is forestland that although once logged, it doesn't have roads bisecting it yet.  The Friends and Residents of the North Fork, a citizens’ group based in Grand Forks, received grants to dissuade the Ministry of Energy and Mines from approving a proposed bulk granite sampling project here as well.  The area is one of the last remaining migratory corridors for grizzly bears, and home to several red and blue listed species. In addition, the Friends are concerned because there is documented evidence of elevated uranium levels in the area.

Once I reach here, it's all downhill!

Eholt used to be a town of about 300 people, but now all that's left is some foundations and lilac bushes.  Some farms exist and people live in some houses, but it's all gone back to the forest.

I'm reading a good book called Feral: Rewilding the land, the sea and human life by George Monbiot and it's giving me some additional context of the area where we live now, for this place was full of railroads, mining, smelters, logging, and people, especially when the copper (and mineral) rush was on.   We see black bears pretty regularly (seen 4 but who is counting?) but I really hope that there are grizzly hiding out where there are no roads.  California hasn't seen the rewilding of it's state flag's grizzly bear.

I'll get to meditate on my way home riding my bicycle on this route.  Just watch for the black bear.