Day 69 Okamino and Beyond
Knox Extended
Such warm weather associated with this Pineapple Express!  As you can see, the snow is only patchy.  In continuation of my "Humans of Knox", this is Blake who says he grew up around Clifton and spent his childhood riding the trails on this mountain. Now he lives up Selkirk, so he rides down Dilworth and back up Knox and does it all again in reverse. Wheuff, I'm tired just talking about it. He has an awesome bike with suspension he can switch off for the ride up.

 Meet Steve and his border collie Kaitlyn (that's the Scottish spelling, he said). They are daily regulars on Knox and we've met them many times over the years. Kaitlyn is a very well behaved dog, but couldn't quite understand why they weren't on the move yet. Hadn't noticed until I got home and looked at the photos that she's got the longest tongue I've ever witnessed on a dog.

Spent a very enjoyable evening with my friend Suzanne, artiste extraordinaire, visiting from Blind River and her daughter Christianne who is now living in West Kelowna. Suzanne is an extraordinarily sensitive and empathetic woman with the courage of her convictions, a Skookum combination in a person. Christianne will be joining us on further hikes.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Skookum is a Chinook Jargon word that has come into occasional use in the Pacific Northwest.^[1]

The word skookum has three main meanings:

1. (in regional English) an adjective with a variety of positive connotations;
2. a monster; similar to the sasquatch.
3. a souvenir doll once common in the United States in tourist areas.

Principal meaning[edit]

It has a range of positive meanings. The word can mean 'good,' 'strong,'^[2] 'best,' 'powerful,' 'ultimate,' or 'brave.' Something can be skookum meaning 'really good' or 'right on! 'excellent!', or it can be skookum meaning 'tough' or 'durable.' A skookum burger is either a big^[3] or a really tasty hamburger, or both. Homecooked food described as skookum, is delicious and hearty. A person described as skookum, has a purpose and is on solid ground, and in good health and spirits. When used in reference to another person, e.g. "he's skookum," it conveys connotations of trustworthiness, reliability and honesty as well as (possibly but not necessarily) strength and size.

Being called skookum may also mean that someone can be counted on as reliable and hard-working, or is big and strong. Skookum house means jail or prison, cf. the English euphemism "the big house" but here meaning "strong house." Skookum tumtum, lit. "strong heart," is generally translated as "brave" or possibly "good-hearted." In the Chinook language, skookum is a verb auxiliary, used similar to "can" or "to be able." Another compound, though fallen out of use in modern British Columbia English, is skookum lacasset,' or strongbox.