WCLEA Grad 2008

On December 9th, 2008, I graduated from the Western Conservation Law Enforcement Academy in Hinton, Alberta, after 16-weeks of training.

The beginning of the ceremony which began at 2:00 pm. The crests at the bottom are showing what agencies had recruits at the academy; Yukon, B.C., Manitoba, Alberta & Saskatchewan.

The color party.

The badges ready to be handed out; mine is the picture one on the bottom right.

Stu & I leading Troop #5 on the march past.

Waiting for Troops #3 & #4 to file in behind us.

Getting my badge from the Chief. "Glad to have you Jeff.", "Glad to be here sir!"

Back in ranks with my badge in hand.

Troop #5!

The real reason to be here!!!

Badge #353. This is my 4th badge, I know I have to stop when Erinn asks me; since I have a new badge can she have my old police badge!

Officer in Charge Greg Kondas presenting me with my certificate.

The smiles say it all!

Me & some of my brothers; Alex, Shane, Lee & Brock!

Dad's finally coming home!

Mama & papa!

Grad Trip!

On Sunday we left Medicine Hat on our way to Hinton for WCLEA Grad. When we started out the weather was fine, as we got to Brooks it began to rain, after getting our hair cut we left Sherry & Dean's it was snowing, big time! My friends, Terry & Sandra ended up turning back because the roads were getting too bad to continue in their little car.

When we finally arrived in Strathmore to visit Andrew, Amanda & the kids there was a good 6" of fresh snow on the ground. Next stop was Jo, Vaun & Teagan's in Calgary, there was close to 8" of fresh white by then!

That night we spent at Ossi & Riikka's in Airdrie, after a great visit we hit the road the following morning. I decided to take the scenic route up Highway 93 on the Icefields Parkway through Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper.


Kirby snapped some pictures of the mountains as we drove through them.


Lots of glaciers were seen along the way.


We stopped at the top of the pass near Glacier Icefields.

When going through Jasper there was some Bighorn sheep licking the salt off the highway.

Once we all arrived we met Carolyn's parents for supper.

Final Week at WCLEA

Well I suffered through my last final weeks in Hinton at WCLEA. We finished off with two of the funniest courses; Snowmobile & Ice Rescue. I won't mention the other courses we had since they were an absolute waste of time, in my books anyway.

I bought a memory card for my camera phone, hence all the following pictures.

Me and my new best friend having a few drinks.

Wasting away a Saturday afternoon shooting some skeet.

When we arrived in Valemount B.C. for the Snowmobile Course on November 30th, there was no snow! The next morning we woke up to rain and +5, a few hours later the temperature dropped to -5 and the rain turned to snow. Above is a picture of the hotel we stayed at, the Valemount Best Western.

My truck, again doing what it does best, pulling.

The lobby of the hotel was nice and cozy with a huge Christmas tree and a warming fire.

Me on my new machine. The smile says it all!

Clemina Creek Recreation Area, approximately 47 kms south of Valemount. And guess what? We found snow!

An alpine cabin in the valley where we stopped to have lunch and warm up by the fire.

Short stop on our way up to the summit, on my Summit!

This was how we spent most of the day, unstucking snowmobiles! In some places when you stepped off the machine you sunk up to your crotch in the snow.

Heading up the mountain. I love the mountains!

On the mountain, below us is a lake and beyond is Mt. Robson Provincial Park.

Goat Ridge Bowl! Lower left is the rest of the group, my Summit climbed up the side of the mountain just like a mountain goat on steroids!

Heading back off the mountain and out of the bowl it started to snow, big time!

Me on the trail heading off the mountain.

Crossing a river on the way back to the parking lot.

After two days up in the mountains we were back to Hinton for the Ice Rescue Course. This was another touch & go course, with the mild weather we didn't think there would be enough ice, but as luck we have it we ended up with a minimum of 6".

Hanging out in the ice hole.

Ice picking my way out.

You can see I'm hanging on to the edge, my lower half is under the ice which was very clear.

My buddy Lee holding up a sheet of ice, on the second day we had 2" form overnight, over the previous day's hole with the -20 degree drop.

Kelly's Bathtub, where they were conducting the course, which is in William A. Switzer Provincial Park, just 20 klicks North of Hinton, off Highway 40.

Last day in the classroom, can you tell its been a long 16 weeks?

Is Winter Finally Here?

Has winter finally arrived in Southern Alberta? It is still kind of early, its not even January!

The neighbour hauled in a few little ornamental rocks to decorate his front yard.

Look the snow has even drifted across the driveway!

Erinn got to go skating at school the other day, you can tell by her smile she was enjoying herself.

Blair experimenting with a new hair style; a flo-hawk!

I'm guessing Kirby took this self portrait...

The Saskatchewan Embassy in Hinton.

The weekends around here are pretty boring so the guys usually have to create their own excitement...

One of them collected 162 empty Pilsner cans, it only took him a couple of days, in order to have enough to cover the door to Room 204.

As you can see from the sign Room 204 has been designated as the Saskatchewan Embassy. Ever since the first month of training the Saskatchewan recruits have been hanging out in Room 204 and drinking Pilsners, the national drink of Saskatchewan.

Shane & Brock, our loyal ambassadors, checking out their new door.

Inside the embassy on any given night! That would be Ambassador Blair sitting on the throne.

Last night some of the boys enjoyed a challenging game of Risk in front of the fire. I sat and read in my old man chair in the corner while the rest watched Jarhead.