Scattered Cloud

Here are a rather random series of updates as I do not perticularly feel like organizing my thoughts:
-I made the CBC Bearcats Soccer team. I play left defence which is something I've never done before. The guys on the team are awesome and our coach plays on the field with us! I thought that was weird, but because we don't play in the CIS league it's fully legite. Yesterday after a 2-2 draw vs. the Walla Walla Wolves (a team from washington) we headed over to my coach's house for some sweet burgers, hot tubbing and pool. It was awesome.
-I have made a good friend in my room mate Sheldon Boodt (some of you may know him *cough* Adrienne *cough*). He's from Rocky Mountain House Alberta and a bonefide farmboy. One of my highlights with him so far have been laughing in our beds for about five minutes straight at non-jokes. It was definitely good times. Today we're going rock climbing in mission... should be good.
-My Nuefeld grandparents came to the CBC campus today and I luckily ran into them. They gave me hugs and invited me and my cousin Chantelle to their house for dinner one evening.
-I got set up to do my service practicum volunteering with the outdoor school program that runs out of WJ Mouat Highschool! I'm so pumped for that, it's like free ministry experience that I get credit for.
-I'm really enjoying most of my classes so far. I think my favourite is my NT Survey class. John Vooys is my style of teacher: all lecture :)
-I definitely am already looking forward to Christmas when I get to see you all again... and because I'm building a wicked sweet Christmas (gear) List :) just kidding.
Remember to pray. I love you all dearly.

Reimer out.

South Chilcotin Range

Last thursday after classes at 1700 hours, I left with my Outdoor Leadership Alpha skills group to the South Chilcotin Mountain Range north of Pemberton and Lilloette by an hour or so. We spent four days in the surrounding alpine focusing on three objectives: Backcountry Cooking, Alpine Navigation and Alpine Travel. Some highlights included calling a Great Horned Owl and having it call back to me for about five minutes or so. I also heard a Cougar for the first time in my life. He was screaming not more than a couple hundred meters from our camp like a woman being butchered. It was very haunting and not the most pleasant sound to fall asleep to. The same night there were also several wolves howling to eachother. The next day we saw wolf tracks in the snow that were about the size of my hand up to the big knuckle. There were mountain horse outfits in the area and the horses traveling the same mountaineering route as us (I have a whole knew appreciation for horses and their versatility... these horses' legs were like tree trunks) would not go anywhere near the Wolf tracks in the snow.
We also had the pleasure of camping in a pristine alpine meadow where I think you could count on one hand the number of groups that roll through there in a year. In this meadow there was a mouse who was completely unconcerned with our human activities. In fact he would nibble the seeds in the grass right next to your foot. He very much liked the shelter of our sleeping area though... Dave claims to have spooned with the mouse during the night :)
Traveling atop an 8000 ft ridge for eight kilometers with dark and threatening clouds pouring over the even higher ridge line right next to ours was a little bit nerve wracking. There were definitely concerns in the group about becoming a lightning rod...
My backcountry cuisine reached its peak with the fantastic apple pie which I baked for the group (thanks to mom for the recipe). Dave and I also cooked a broccoli beef stir-fry although it was at the trail head so we had the advantage of fresh veggies and meat.
Another highlight was the revisitation of the Non-Joke. Check it out with a google search and find some one to laugh your pants off with. It is best when you are tired and creative :)
All in all it was a fantastic trip where we were all left to wonder at the splendour and majesty of the character of our creator in the face of his creation. I've never seen such a panorama or mountain peaks in my life. But better will one day be in His house than a thousand elsewhere, even in the Chilcotin Range.
I love you all.
My dorm's phone number is 604-504-0051 ext 1. it isn't very reliable mainly because I am rarely there but email works :)

Whirlwind

WOW.
I just jumped into the fast lane of life and it doesn't look like it's slowing down any time soon. I barely even had time to say goodbye to my family and friends before I was finished work, out the door, spending lots of money and hiking on the beautiful Olympic Penninsula of Washington State. It was gorgeous but I don't have pictures because I suck. (long story, very frustrating).
So for those new to Stewart's 2006-2007 adventure, I am attending Columbia Bible College enrolled in the Outdoor Leadership Diploma program. This last weekend (as it is demanded that we complete two, three-day trips on our own time during each semester) I summitted the beautiful and terrible Mt. MacFarlane. For those of you in-the-know, this elusive peak has... well, eluded me for the longest of times. I assure you it was sooo so worth it. I treked up there with five of my new found friends Friday night, hung out Saturday at the lake during the rain and then Elena and I were the only people daring enough to set out at 5:30 in the morning to summit the mountain before heading home. Again, pictures will follow. Time is of the essence.
Currently meeting Joel BEEron for some chai tea at my lovely residence in the Montecito Apartment complex (rm. 104). Love you all.

Stewart