(1:17:23) Oh, of course, I do. (In response to the question, “Do you ever miss being a warden?”) I go back to the backcountry and the horsemanship aspects. I have coffee from time to time where other people ask me, you know they see my pictures and we talk about the job and the backcountry and the horses. I definitely miss it, there is no question or doubt about it! The camaraderie too, to some extent. To be able to go out into the backcountry on a project, clearing the trails in the spring…yes being in the backcountry and just enjoying it. In the evening playing cards or telling stories and being with the horses, those are 10 to 12 hour days. The horses are what I miss the most. People always say, “Well, you can get back into it.” But it’s not that easy. Now that time has passed and we have the grandkids and so forth and other things happening. People “move on” in retirement. I play pickleball as a recreational opportunity and I go hiking a lot. I just hiked the famous Haute Route in France, Italy and ended up in Zermatt, Switzerland (Sept. 2018). I do a bit of biking and all that kind of outdoor stuff. In fact, I just got the book out of the library, as I’m thinking of doing the Mount Blanc route which is out of Chamonix, well it’s actually closer to Switzerland, Italy and France. It’s 180 kilometers, it’s 11,000 meters in elevation gain, it’s long! That’s the kind of activities l like to do while I can physically still do them. I have one bad knee that was operated on in 1977 after a public safety incident in Lake Louise that has now migrated into osteoarthritis. I get knee injections…they use hyaluronic acid and inject it every six months and I wear a knee brace. I can’t skate ski anymore, but I can cross country and downhill ski, ride a bike and I can hike a lot. So that’s my main pleasures and experiences in retirement. I’ve spent many, many long days and miles in a saddle without any problems, but I expect one day that I’ll need a knee replacement. But that’s just who I am, from having been a kid on the farm I guess to experiencing all these extreme things in the backcountry whether its sitting in confined spaces monitoring for surveillance or resource studies, or being on the glacier in all those conditions from whiteouts to clear skies and frosty conditions…you just seem to develop stamina and work through it and get on with it. Like the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger …
(1:20:33) Grandchildren for sure! (In response to the comment, “Well, that was my last question, “What do you enjoy doing in retirement?”) Three granddaughters! (In response to the question, “You have three granddaughters?”) The little three month old (Maggie) is so cute! They’ve got her in Halloween costumes now. They are great! Emma is six years old (2012), Eva is four years (2014) and now three months old Maggie (2018). And then there’s traveling. I’ve become somewhat of a snowbird of sorts, but I still like sticking around the mountains for the winter activities too. I go to Phoenix, Arizona, or Palm Springs in California….and to Joshua Tree hiking. Hiking again and pickleball and just having fun with friends, barbequing, socializing, etc. Playing cards, up here (in Harvie Heights), we play lots of card games. On the farm, we always did. Growing up, we had lots (of card games) especially with my family. I’m the youngest of the five kids, so four older and then my dad and my mom. We played cards a lot. So I’m doing that here, like we are going to play a board game tomorrow. We just played some cards today. And euchre in B.C. Backcountry Lodges (Purcell, Campbell Icefield, Esplanade, Battle Abbey, Talus, Durand Glacier, etc), which are mostly helicopter accessed, with some pretty fine dining and with easy access to alpine hiking terrain. I enjoy that kind of socializing!
(1:21:49) Well, I have too! (In response to the comment, “It sounds like you keep very busy and active, so that’s great!”) I’ve had some health issues. I just had nasal polyp surgery on Tuesday in Calgary…I’m doing really well from that. That’s also one of the reasons I tried to delay this interview because I have been so busy with things. In addition, I’ve survived two cancers so far. So Christine, you can see and get a better appreciation of who Gord is from all this discussion that we’ve had. I always call it, “One step ahead of the grave”. I don’t let things get me down. You betcha! (In response to the comment, “It sounds like you make the most of everyday!”
(1:24:44) At this point, I am going to bite my tongue and not share stories about how Senior Management, over the more recent years, has pulled some undeserving nasty stunts on some pretty dedicated staff that would make your head spin, but for what purpose, what’s to be gained … the End of my ranting … Amen … I hope y’all enjoy my ramblings.
Additional Information: In retirement Gord lives in Harvie Heights and remains very active: hiking, cycling, skiing, playing pickleball and traveling, including overnight backcountry, multi-day horse trips. He makes the most of everyday and enjoys spending time with his family, two daughters, a son-in-law and especially his three young granddaughters, and friends, of course.
“In closing, I’d like to thank the Park Warden Service Alumni Society for allowing me to be included in this Warden Oral History initiative and for the grant funding to support the program. Back on June 12th, 2004,while at the Ya Ha Tinda Ranch Reunion, a group of us Wardens got together to discuss and spawn the idea of creating what was to become this unique Society. I served as the first Vice President for approximately the first 10 years, until my retirement from the Executive, but I still remain a member to this day.”
Gord Antoniuk
