Still here in Kelowna. Still in this cursed hostel, and I cannot wait to find a new abode. Once I'm out the door, however, Kelowna seems to slowly bring its charm out. In talking with April, I've learned that the heat wave usually doesn't last this long. The surrounnding wildfires, the worst in 50 years, are costing BC 2.5 million CAD a day to fight, on pace to exceed the annual allotment in about three more days, which is almost a guarantee. I empathize with some of the people who're showing up on the news, not even knowing if their home has burned down or not. That answerless stage is a hard one.

In fact, I had thought that Kelowna was simply a smoggy area, if my first four days were any indicator. Turns out the fires were creating the haze, which was significant enough yesterday that I decided on bypassing the Kettle Valley bike tour since the views would be minimal. Today, it does look to have improved, since apparently the firefighters have gained a bit of a foothold. Fortunately this is all going on well north of here, around Kamloops.

Meanwhile, beeing here in first person has allowed me to discover some subtle details about Ogopogo. First, I've decided that Ogopogo is called Ogopogo because it is a name with four vowels, each the favorite vowel of the Canadian vernacular. I've run into several Canadians who recite the name with a passion - something Irish, something French, something wholly Canadian. It really is an enjoyable experience in itself.

I've also learned that apparently the Ogopogo statue here used to have teeth. John Kirk wrote about how, over the years, pranksters had performed some rude dental work on poor Ogopogo, yanking a few of them out. By the time I walked over to confirm this, there were no teeth left whatsoever. I find this especially fitting considering Ogopogo is more or less a toothless legend; no more are there terror stories, drownings, horse eatings, as in the 19th century. Ogopogo has been transformed into a friendly monster, a symbol of local pride.

To be sure, I was hoping it would be this evident in person, and it really is. I haven't met anyone yet that resents the attention Ogopogo has brought to Kelowna, though I hope to find that point of view eventually.

In fact, there appears to be a bit of competition involved when it comes down to just where Ogopogo considers "home". Arlene Gaal wrote about how the tiny town of Peachland, apparently in a gesture of tourism warfare, declared Peachland the true home of Ogopogo (admittedly with some verifiable reasons) and that all other towns were mere imposters to the coveted throne. Better yet, this happened just a few years after the previous Peachland mayor had declared the whole legend "a bunch of bull."

Then we come to the booty. You see, about ten years ago, the Okanagan Similkameen Tourism Agency offered one milllion dollars to anyone who could definitively prove that Ogopogo existed. In order to guarantee the loot, the city had to get an insurance policy. Apparently, such a policy became rather expensive. Ultimately, they modified the reward so that
it was a million bucks in various coupons and discount coupons donated by local businesses. I would have enjoyed watching the scuffle had someone actually proven Ogopogo, however, the offer is now expired. The Chamber of Commerce did tell me, though, that if someone also finds Nessie in Scotland, they will cover the cost of flying Ogopogo out for purposes of propogation.

Oh, and I tracked down the merchandise store of the Kelowna Rockets, the Western Hockey League's reigning champs, and bought a few trinkets of the Ogopogo mascot. Really well-designed, too.

In other unrelated news, I had a blast standing out in a sudden windstorm this afternoon by the waterfront. Such moments of inexplainable bliss don't come by very often. Picture me, putting on the sea legs of my ancestors and wandering out upon a rickety floating dock as the waves come crashing to shore. And there I rock with the waves, and they splash all over me. Unfortunately I'd forgetten my piratey bandana, but nonetheless I received the incoming whitecaps a few healthy "YAAARRRR"s. Made me wish for some swashbuckling friends.

That's about all for now. I'm getting excited to meet Arlene tomorrow (hopefully).