Island Bound Traveller Writer, Storyteller
Gary Grieco is a freelance writer, avid reader, sailor, and motorcycle enthusiast based on Texada Island, British Columbia, Canada.
On the Road on Texada
CBC shoot helps put island on the map
By Gary Grieco - griecogary@gmail.com
Published Vancouver Province August 2006
Texada Island with its annual Sandcastle Parade was the venue for a CBC film crew's shoot for the popular On the Road Again series hosted by Wayne Rostad. Ottawa video-journalist Roger Dubois, and CBC Vancouver sound-recordist Rick Zimmerman entertained the parade crowd with their photo-shoot antics, with Dubois at one point balancing precariously on the rear of a float for a better vantage while "shooting the oncoming clowns.The show's producer, Ruth Zowdu explained to curious islanders, We are here to get footage of Skinny Jimmy Dougan and his Hill Rods for an upcoming fall show."Dougan is a sweet-natured eccentric, packed full of talent. He designs and builds eye-grabbing, jaw-dropping hill racers from solid cedar tree trunks, and loves to display them at events ranging from Vancouver's International Auto Show to community events such as the Soap Box Derby in Powell River, and Texada's Sandcastle Parade, where children can experience the of magic of riding these dream racers.When this writer suggested six months ago to the On the Road Again Crew that singer, songwriter/musician Dougan, coupled with his "Jimmy wisdoms," would be an interesting subject for their show, Zowdu made a preliminary trip to Texada.
She liked the island and was fascinated by the multi-talented Dougan who took her on a day-long excursion to his island retreat in Whittaker Bay on the rugged south end of Texada. This is where the inspiration for his Hill Buggies and the song he has written about them came from.Zowdu and the On the Road Again crew could not resist the the privilege of having him on one of their fall shows.
Skinny Jimmy Dougan
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