1966 Hudson-Hope
Speaking of the beer parlour I happened to be friends with a guy (guess who) who happened to have latched onto one of the few women in camp. So, when we sat down at a table we never had to buy beer. It arrived regularly from moon struck love sick men who just enjoyed being in the same room with a female.
You’re right, Gord, I don’t remember any of these guys surviving.
The Hudson Hope rodeo was augmented for a few years by about 5000 visitors. All those guys who worked in camps and wanted something, anything to do which didn’t involve building a dam. Some of these miners, construction workers, pipefitters, welders, office employees, and surveyors were known to take the odd drink . The perfect place or I should say the only place to get a sit down beer was the Hudson Hope Hotel. On this day a couple of them stumbled out to the rodeo and attempted one of these rides (not this guy). One of them rode in his stocking feet. He lasted about nine-tenths of a second.
They flew us up in those old reliable DC3’s. From Vancouver to Hudson Hope you flew through mountains. No, not over-through. These planes couldn’t fly high enough. Once I looked out the window and saw a bear on the sidehill. God’s Truth.
Leaving Hudson Hope one time the pilot roared down the runway then jammed on the brakes. He sped the opposite way and hit the brakes again! Finally the third run had us lifting into the sky. The guys on the other side of the plane were clapping. I was confused. I asked the flight attendant what that was all about? “Oh,” she said ” the pilot was just trying to get the port engine going.”