I’m not just talking about cell phones. They don’t even have normal telephones out there.
The only way to call anywhere is via sattelite phone. They charge $3.40 per minute for use of their satellite phone.
Internet there is also satellite-only. Fortunately, some of the workers had internet access.
A helicopter pilot named Brian let me use his internet phone in order to make arrangements for a tow truck.
I tried for two days to get my vehicle towed to either Dease Lake or Hyder, but no tow trucks were available. I finally got a hold of a towing company in Terrace, British Columbia.
At the time, I would not have been able to find any of these places on a map. In fact, I’m still not sure where Dease Lake is.
The tow truck arrived from Terrace right before my scheduled helicopter flight.
The tow truck driver helped me load my clothing and damaged equipment into the 4Runner.
I threw away some containers which had been destroyed in the accident.
The 4Runner and possessions were towed to Terrace. The manager of the lodge wanted me to ride to Terrace with the tow truck.
However, I had some compelling reasons to stay an extra night in Bell II. For one thing, I had a helicopter ride scheduled for later that day.
Additionally, I had promised some people that I would show up for the end-of-summer party that night.
The end-of-summer party was held inside a grass-covered bungalow at the center of the Lodge Resort area. As I was walking over I could hear music pounding from inside.
As a side note, I learned that most of the workers at Bell II have strict work contracts which forbid them from drinking alchohol all summer long.
Which is part of the reason there was so much excitement about the end-of-summer party.
It was a good party, especially for being in the middle of the mountains. I was amazed that such a party could be organized without the use of text messaging.
They even had a band.
I kept looking around for the drums. I could definately hear drums.
Where are the drums? I see Ed, on the electric guitar…
There’s Dusty on the acoustic guitar. This still doesn’t explain the loud drum sounds.
Finally I realized that Ed had a drum machine hooked up to his PA system. He additionally had about twenty foot pedals at his constant control.
Notice the little machine with all the cords coming out of it, situated at thigh-level. That is where all the drum sounds were coming from.
You may have also noticed the two cans of Mountain Dew on the table. The rock ‘n roll was fueled by caffeine!
The party was a success. People were hanging out, talking, listening to the music…
Suddenly, someone got the urge to dance.
Pretty soon, everyone got into it!
At one point, even the dog was dancing.
Following are more photos from the party.
Here I am pictured with Dusty. The thing about Dusty, and you wouldn’t guess this by looking at him… his girlfriend is smoking hot!
Not only that, but his ex-girlfriend is also unbelievably hot. Seriously, I saw photos, and I even met the ex. How do you do it Dusty?
Dusty: “It’s all about attitude!”
Well, I’ll wrap up this post with a little video clip.
This is at Bell II. Ed, from Terrace, is playing six instruments all at once. Behold…
Even if you don’t like the Billy Joel song, you still have to admit, that’s a lot of sound coming from one guy!
This Christmas Matt is flying to California to be with his family and on his way back to South Dakota he will be stopping in Salt Lake City to film a video with some friends. These are the dates he will be in both areas:
Thousand Oaks, CA – December 19th thru December 28th
Salt Lake City, UT – December 28th thru January 8th
Matt would really like to catch up with those of you that live in Southern California and Utah but he recently lost his cell phone and doesn’t have most people’s phone numbers. Please give him a call at (801) 633-8811 or send him an e-mail if you would like to see him.
There is a place in Northern British Columbia where rich people go in the winter. They go there to jump out of helicopters and ski on the powdery white snow. They stay at a lodge called Bell II (pronounced “bell too”).
During the summer, Bell II is a hotel, lodge, and RV Park for road travelers.
It is a spectacular piece of real estate, from any perspective.
I had an unplanned visit to Bell II in August ‘06.
I survived a dramatic car accident, half a mile north of Bell II.
I crawled out of the wreckage with a t-shirt tied around my bleeding hand.
I was in shock. Everything was moving in slow motion.
My hands and wrists were numb. I was very emotional.
A man named Ron (pictured above) drove me to Bell II for first aid.
The lady at the front desk was freaking out. She really, really wanted to call an ambulance.
“No ambulance,” I said. “No ambulance, I just need a place to rest for a few hours.”
I knew I didn’t need to be hospitalized, and I didn’t want to abandon my equipment on the side of the road.
They let me rest on a couch in the upstairs lounge. A guy named Nick (pictured above) came in and helped me clean my cuts.
He gave me some ice for my wrist. I soon fell asleep.
I woke up a couple of hours later. The shock was wearing off, and the numbness in my wrist was replaced by pain. I was as miserable as a recovering heroine addict. I was extremely hungry and completely disoriented.
I decided to find some food downstairs.
I was on my way to the dining room when I was cornered by the lady at the front desk. She asked me where the car should be towed to.
I was still having a hard time remembering my own name. I didn’t even know where I was.
Where is Bell II? Was I in heaven? No, it couldn’t be heaven, because Satan was working at the front desk.
Satan was waiting for me to decide where the car should be towed to. I didn’t know what to say, but then I thought of something.
“The next town to the north,” I said.
“Dease Lake?” she said. “But that’s 200 miles from here!”
I later found out that the woman at the front desk was Angelica, the stern manager of the Bell II Lodge. She had recently lost half her help staff, and she was taking her frustration out on everyone she encountered. She had been on a rampage for three days.
I tried to book a room at the hotel, but there were no vacancies. Angelica was doing everything in her power to put me out on the street by nightfall.
Luckily she did not prevent me from buying food in the dining room.
The food at this place was incredible!
.
Men in work clothes started coming into the dining room. Soon the room was full of people.
I asked the workers where I should have my car towed to.
Dusty (pictured above in Tahltan Pride polo shirt) insisted that my car be towed to Terrace.
Terrace, he explained, had several car dealerships, where I could find a replacement vehicle. There were lots of hot women there. And plenty of good places to get food.
Terrace, as described by Dusty, was the greatest place in the world.
I would love Terrace, he told me.
After dinner, Jamie and Jamie (pictured above) drove me to the scene of the accident. They helped me get most of my stuff out of the back of the 4Runner. They let me store my stuff under their trailer.
It was getting late, and the tow truck wouldn’t be coming until the next day, so I started looking around for a place to sleep.
Jamie and Jamie told me there was an RV trailer that wasn’t being used.
There it is. You see that big, long, modern, warm-looking trailer?... Yeah, right behind that, the little trailer…
That’s it right there. The poorly-insulated, old storage trailer with the broken space heater.
Don’t let the yellow color of the floor decieve you. It was freezing in there!
It was late August, in the mountains of Northern British Columbia, and a storm was coming in.
Hey friends. Since I arrived in Rapid City I have primarily been working on editing videos. My first major Video Log entry is nearly ready, but it will still be a few more days before I am ready to post it.
In the meantime, here are two videos. The first was posted by a YouTube user, and the second is my response to that video. I created my video by compiling some of the other responses into one video. I think I made a pretty cool montage, but check it out and decide for yourself.
Here is the original invitation.
Here is the montage of video responses, which I made. Just click the play button in the middle of the screen to watch the video. Or click here to see a bigger version of it.
