(Caution - LARGE DOWNLOAD)

Historic telegraph lines! A transcontinental railroad! An insulator swap meet!

It didn't take much convincing for me to agree when Linda suggested we travel north to Canada for a vacation adventure this fall. We entered Canada along the Pacific Coast, traveling through Vancouver to Whistler and into the remote interior. The picture below is of Duffey Lake. On the day we visited, there were no boats, no fishermen, no hikers, no vehicles, and apparently no one at all recreating on or near the lake. A few cars sped by on the paved back-country highway, but it seemed like the beautiful scenery was ours and ours alone.

Under clear skies and warm days, lodging for us at the start of the trip was our tent. There weren't any motels in the places we chose to stay anyway. By Friday, September 8th we picked up the pace to travel through Lilooet, Cache Creek, Spence's Bridge and on to Merritt. Antique shops we had visited, which were few and far between, had yielded no insulators of interest. But tomorrow would be different. Saturday promised a swap meet. Needing access to a shower, we rented a motel in Merritt. Turned out to be a lucky decision, as rain was falling the next morning. We headed over to Bob Scafe's first thing, to find a few dozen collectors ignoring the sprinkles and pursuing insulators at Bob's semi-annual "Insulator Ranch Swap Meet".

Insulator collecting spans the continents. Above Jack Harynuk of Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island visits with Zoltan Drinoczi of the country of Hungary.

Below, and on the next two pages, Bob Scafe's yard displays are famous both inside and outside the hobby. Foreign visitors to Canada's country music capitol of Merritt have been known to stop by Bob's to check out his insulators. The sight is such a local attraction that when area retirement homes take their residents on tours, Bob's yard is one of the stops.

To visit Bob Scafe's yard displays in person, plan to attend one of his two swap meets in 2007. They will be held May 25 & 26, and again September 8 & 9. Watch "Coming Events" at the back of Crown Jewels for details.

Above: Lena Braman of Drumheller, Alberta and Daryl Heron of Medicine Hat, Alberta stop to have their picture taken. Below, Linda Banks visits with Doreen Reed. Also in attendance were Lena's husband Dennis, Doreen's husband Gary, Paulette & Dennis Kotan, Jim & Lis Bergman, Brenda & Aidan Morgan, Dave Fleishman, Jim Rogalsky, Dawson Waite, Miles Waite, Reid Ryder, Vi Brown, Robin Harrison, David Bethman, Jim & Marcia Foulkes, Monica & Warren Williams, Paul Hagen, Sher & Dave Rosychuck, Bill Lowe, Shelly & Jack Harynuk, Bill Baker, Mr. & Mrs. Les Berkes, Sr, Les Berkes, Terry Drollinger, Zoltan Drinoczi. Randy & Tess Davis, Yvonne Scotchman, Randy & Terry Moore, Linda & myself, and of course Bob & Bev Scafe. (If I missed a few others, I apologize). One thing is perfectly clear, insulator collecting is alive and well in Canada!