Ski Whistler and Blackcomb, BC

They say a picture is worth a thousand words......

Upper Alpine

Sporting the Onesie!

Incredible views from the Peak to Peak Gondola

Shout out to Camp Jubilee....we wore our toques proudly!

Downloading....back to the Village for Apres Ski at the Garabaldi Lift Co.

Christmas in the Village

Steep and Deep?

Shannon Falls

Giggle of the Day

I know you will find it hard to believe (or maybe you won't!), but while skiing on Saturday morning we made a wrong turn off the Solar Coaster Express chair and found ourselves on the far side of Blackcomb Mountain.  Being early in the season, several lifts and runs were closed so we were feeling a little anxious that we may find ourselves at the bottom of a run with a long hike back up to a chair.  To our delight, we rounded a bend only to descend upon the BRAND NEW Crystal Ridge Express chair....and it was opening day!  We were greeted by live music, an open ceremony and free Kit Kats!  This is the first new chair to be opened on the mountain since 1994 and we were one of the first to ski it....talk about a wrong turn that went right!

To Get There;

Cycle - Lochside Trail - Tsawwassen to Victoria, BC

The Lochside and Galloping Goose trails on Vancouver Island, B.C. provide for a great day trip (or over-nighter), a way to beat the ferry line-ups (and ferry expenses) and a chance to travel past marinas, beaches, farmland, wetlands and visit beautiful downtown Victoria.  All this on dedicated multi-use trails!

Curious onlookers

Lochside Trail, Vancouver Island, BC

We cycled up  to purchase our tickets at the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal.  We patiently waited outside the booth for the attendant to notice us.  Finally, she opened the window and asked what we were doing in the cold and dark.  She joked that she wasn't used to seeing bikes at this time of year and at this time of day.  It was only 7 am and minus two degrees - we didn't understand her point.

View from the car deck of the ferry

You can't travel on the ferry without stopping in for a coffee and a little nibble.  They were selling gingerbread men at the cafeteria, so naturally we had to pick one up.   It was then that the debate began...there were both gingerbread men and women for sale.  Of course, we couldn't agree on which to choose.  Finally, the gingerbread woman won out....more icing....(her skirt!)  Proud of our ability to reach consensus we approached the cashier only to be pulled back into a debate over the politically correct way to name the tasty treat....the cashier decided on "ginger - person."

The crossing from the mainland to Vancouver Island takes just over 1.5 hours and is an incredibly scenic ride through Active Pass and the Gulf Islands.  Today we were treated to a spectacular sunrise and incredible views of Mount Baker.  After docking on the Island, cyclists are directed off the ferry to the trail which begins at the Swartz Bay terminal, near Lands End.  I just love that name - "Lands End"...it makes me think of Pirates and secluded coves, and secretly as I pedaled along I was hopeful that Captain Jack and the Black  Pearl would round the bend.  A pirates life for me!


Being November, and quite early in the morning, we find the trail has a nice layer of frost on it.  We take extra care as we certainly don't want to hit a patch of black ice and go head over heels!  We laugh as we stop to break ice on the farmers fields....it is a beautiful, sunny day - one of those crisp fall days that make you feel happy to be outside!

Frozen fields along the trail

As we cycle along we came across a pig farm and 2 of the largest pigs I have ever seen!  We joke about the smell bringing back memories of Minor Hockey locker rooms...and move along quickly.  We enter a shared trail through a beautiful forested area,  This stretch of the trail is very popular with the "horse" crowd, although today we are alone.  Maybe, too cold for the horses?

Hold the bacon!

The trail wasn't very busy, but those who did brave the early morning were a fun bunch.  We greeted the other riders and walkers with hearty good mornings and laughed as each and everyone we passed had to comment on the weather.  We could only imagine what our family on the Prairies would think of the "cold" comments!

Views of the wetlands

As you approach Victoria, the trail connects to the Galloping Goose, which you can follow to the Inner Harbour.  Again, we are thrilled at the ability to travel to downtown on a dedicated bike path.  FANTASTIC!  Once in downtown, we put on our tourist hats and visit the inner harbour, Fisherman's Wharf and a wonderful Irish pub for lunch!

Character house boats at Fishermans Wharf

I am relaxed!

Time always seems to fly by....especially in the Irish Pub and although we had planned to begin our return trip by 3pm in order to beat the darkness, we find ourselves running late.

Irish Times Pub - Victoria, BC

Despite our best efforts to get an early start back to the ferry, we found ourselves pedalling in darkness.  The trails were just too dark to continue on and we were moving at a snails pace as we tried to navigate the potholes and bumps in the pitch black. We decided to make our way up to the main highway and return to the ferry terminal on well lite roads.  Thank you MEC for the great bike lights!  Safety first! 

Expensive Giggle of the Day:

We really haven't been on our bikes much the last couple of weeks due to various work and "life" commitments and we were both in a state of withdrawal so to speak.  We spent a week of anticipation looking forward to our trip to Victoria.  Saturday finally arrived, and we jumped out of bed, loaded up the truck and drove to Tsawwassen.  We arrived at the ferry terminal and were so excited to start "spinning" that we unloaded the truck, jumped on our bikes and started pedaling to the ticket booth.  Later that day, it struck us that in our excitement to get moving....we had not bothered to plug the parking meter.  Later that night, we returned to our parking spot to be greeted with a $60.oo dollar ticket.  Could have been worse....the truck might have been towed.


Map and Route Tips:



BC Ferries  www.bcferries.ca

Lochside Trail  http://www.crd.bc.ca/parks/lochside/

Galloping Goose  http://www.crd.bc.ca/parks/galloping-goose/

Cycling the BC Parkway to Central Valley - Graffitti, cowboys and spawning salmon!

Exploring the lower mainland by bike is always a treat, and today was no exception.  We decided to begin our trip at the New Westminster Quay and head into Vancouver via the BC Parkway.  This multi-use urban trail is 26 kilometers long and follows the Expo Skytrain line from Surrey, to New West, South Burnaby and into Vancouver.

 The heavy fog that had blanketed the lower mainland for days magically lifted and we were treated to a bright, crisp, sunny fall day.  The colours of the leaves were magnificent and we enjoyed the sound of them crunching beneath our tires as we pedaled along.

View of the Fraser River near New Westminster Quay

Signs on dedicated bike paths....AWESOME!

It was another day of contrasts - industry along the river and rail lines, graffiti, high end condos and homelessness, yachts, shopping malls, sports fields, restaurants, bars and people, people, people!  We saw it all.  It truly is remarkable that in a few short kilometres a cyclist travelling along the urban trails can pass through numerous municipalities and experience both the highs and the lows of our communities.

Anything in a size seven?

Brilliant Fall colours

Approaching downtown Vancouver

Was there a George Clooney sighting here?

We cycled along the waterfront to English Bay and Stanley Park enjoying the Sunday morning sights and sounds.  As we approached Canada Place, Rob noticed DeDutch Pannekoek House conveniently located right on the seawall.  The breakfast menu seemed to have his name on it so we had to stop.  Rob simply could not MASH one inch further.  It was such a warm day that we were able to sit outside on the patio and enjoy our breakfast as we watched the float planes take off and land.

We decided to experiment and try a new route out of downtown.  We followed the Dunsmuir bike lane to Adanac and then began the climb out of Vancouver toward Simon Fraser University.  We were confident that we would be able to find our way back to the Central Valley Greenway....and after a few stops and starts that's exactly what we did!

Heading uphill towards Simon Fraser on the Frances Union Bikeway

The highlight of the day was on the Central Valley Greenway. As we entered the park there was a sign warning folk to be cautious as there was a bear in the area.  We thought that was a bit unusual...after all we were in the middle of Burnaby.  However,  as we pedaled along we could hear splashing coming from the stream below and quickly deduced why bears might be hanging out!  The salmon were putting on a show.  We hopped off our bikes and made our way down to the stream to watch the epic battle.  Salmon were coming up the stream in waves as they fought their way against the current.  It was inspiring to watch.  Credit to the restoration crew who has been working to restore the habitat!

Salmon fighting their way up Still Creek to spawn

Steps to help the salmon along their way

As usual the day ended far too quickly!  To celebrate the salmon sightings we stopped for a gelato....chocolate of course!  Another perfect day and perfect ride.

Guilt free Gelato break....life is good!

Giggle of the day:

As we came to a red light on Main Street near Science World, a young gentleman pulled up beside us and exclaimed "HOWDY PARTNER!".  He was dressed in full cowboy gear....boots, hat, jeans, vest and sheriff's badge.  (in fairness, we were in downtown Vancouver AND it was the weekend before Halloween).  The young man pulled a 26 ounce bottle of scotch out of his bike basket and asked if we would like a swig.  How generous!  We did notice that half the bottle was missing. We weren't sure if he was on his way to or from the party....or just keeping the party going.  Before we could ask, he gave a hoot and a yippee and was back on his way.  

Map and Route tips:

City of Vancouver  http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/cycling-routes-maps-and-trip-planner.aspx

BC Parkway  http://www.translink.ca/en/Getting-Around/Cycling/BC-Parkway.aspx

Central Valley Greenway   http://www.translink.ca/en/Getting-Around/Cycling/Central-Valley-Greenway.aspx

Burnaby bike Routes  http://www.burnaby.ca/Page386.aspx

Harrison River Kayak Day Trip

It seems hard to believe, but once again we were blessed with amazing weather for our day trip to Harrison Hot Springs.  Paddling in the fall always feels like a bonus, and when you are lucky enough to have the sun on your face and the wind on your back, it seems to feel extra special.  Today was such a day!

We launched from the public beach area near the Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa and marveled at the view of the Breckenridge Glacier.  It was picture perfect with the sun hitting the snow capped mountain peak.  

Launch site - Harrison Hot Springs

View of the Breckenridge Glacier

Harrison Hot Springs

We paddled across the lake and made our way to the mouth of the Harrison river.  The Harrison River (18 kilometers) is a short but amazing river. The first designated Salmon Stronghold in Canada, it is the only area in BC to host all five species of salmon and steel head trout. The salmon habitat in the Harrison Basin is an example of a crucial salmon system that has somehow remained pristine.  This abundance of salmon draws in 1000's of Bald Eagles every fall making the Harrison River the 3rd largest gathering place of Bald Eagles in North America.  

As we made our way down the river - an easy float as the current was with us, we enjoyed the peace and serenity of the area.  As we floated in silence, we could hear the fish jumping and splashing around us.  I suppose that is the outdoor equivalent of hearing a pin drop.  The river was an incredible green colour - reminding us of the glacier lakes we have visited in the Rockies near Banff and Lake Louise and the fall colours were spectacular.

Glacier fed river - amazing colours!

Leaves starting to turn - symphony of colour!

We landed on a small beach and climbed up the rock to get a view of the river below.  Perfect!  Further downstream lies Chehalis Flats.  The largest concentration of bald eagles ever recorded was documented in this area.  Work is underway to protect this area and create awareness of  Bald Eagle Etiquette for the Chehalis Flats and Harrison Mills area.

Rest stop - with a view

It was time to turn around and face the paddle back against the wind and the current....our easy float was over.  The wind had picked up so we took advantage of our friend Eddy to take brief rest breaks as we paddled back to the lake.  Curious seals followed us back - it is always a treat to see the seals so far upstream and a sure sign that the fishing is good!  We watched in fascination as a seal battled with his dinner - we were unsuccessful in getting a photo of the epic battle, but we can assure you that the seal won!

Giggle of the Day:

The sight of the kayaks always seems to attract on-lookers, especially tourists visiting Canada, and today was no exception.  Our van was parked on the main street directly opposite an outdoor cafe.  There were several groups of tourists sitting outside watching us load up the gear.  We overheard one man say, "How the h### are they going to get those boats on top of that van?"  ...followed by "will you look at that!"  followed by "Well, I'll be "darned."  Of course, we pretended to be cool and calm on the outside, but inside I was praying I would not drop the boat in front of such an enthusiastic and curious audience!

Map and Route Tips:

Lummi Island Kayak - Over night trip

Summer has come and gone so quickly! We just couldn't accept the oncoming fall without at least one more overnight kayak trip.  There are so many wonderful opportunities to paddle in the Pacific North West that it was quite a tough decision to pick a location for our last overnight of the year.  We decided to paddle close to home and so chose an overnight trip to Lummi Island in Washington State.

Gooseberry Point Boat Launch

We launched from Gooseberry Point, on the Lummi First Nation land, adjacent to the Lummi Island ferry.  We arrived to find that the beach was a beehive of activity as fishermen tested their skill against the elusive salmon.  Numerous onlookers were being encouraged to throw rocks at the seals as the fishermen tried to pull in their nets.  The seals seemed undeterred at all efforts to divert their attention as they appeared to be appreciating the salmon smorgasbord being provided.

Hale Passage

To begin the paddle we crossed Hale Passage toward the east side of Lummi Island.  The passage is notorious for wind, waves and funky currents so we were grateful to have a smooth and uneventful crossing.

We paddled along the eastern shores and enjoyed peeking at the numerous ocean front cottages.  They are all unique, character homes....you know they have stories to tell about endless summers spent on the beach.  We stopped for lunch at Inati Bay, home of the Bellingham Yacht Club.  Several sail boats were anchored  in the cove and their crews were enjoying picnics and campfires on the beach.  The gang welcomed us to join the yacht club and encouraged us to attend the Friday evening potlucks!

Inati Bay

After lunch and visit with the folk at Inati Bay we continued on to the Department of Natural Resources marine campsite on the southern end of Lummi Island at Real Bay.  This site is part of the Cascadia Marine Trail.  We were absolutely thrilled with the campsite.....gentle beach landings, primitive campsites complete with fire rings and picnic tables and a skookum outhouse (toilet paper included).  Life is good!  We set up camp and settled in for dinner and a glass or two of wine on the beach.  As we watched the campfire burn down we chatted about the day and pondered what tomorrow would hold.

Lummi Island Marine Campsite

Bare feet, Barefoot Wine and a room with a view....a perfect combination.

On a side note, we must give credit to WAKE - the Whatcom Association of Kayak Enthusiasts.  We learned that DNR no longer maintained the campsite, and in order to avoid closure WAKE volunteers stepped up and now steward the area.  Thank you ...and great work!

We weren't alone as we prepared to launch at low tide

Giggle of the day:

We had a very disorganized start to the morning!  We crossed the border and were merrily travelling along Highway I-5 when I asked Rob if he had packed the tent.  He went white....a sure sign that he had NOT packed the tent.  I tried to remain calm, and suggested that maybe we could make due with the tarp. He then asked me if I had packed the life jackets and spray skirts.  I turned white....a sure sign that I had NOT packed the life jackets and spray skirts.  We grudgingly turned around, went back to the border crossing  convinced the border guards that we were not smugglers - just scatter brains and did a redo!

Day Two - WAKE campsite to Gooseberry Point

The marine weather forecast for the day was not good...heavy winds, rain and a potential thunder storm were in the works.  We definitely did not want to be crossing Hale Passage in those kinds of conditions so we decided to get an early start and attempt to beat the incoming weather.  We were on the water by 7:30am.  What a spooky morning.  The water was like glass, but the fog was so thick that we could barely see 30 feet in front of us.   There was a stillness and quiet that at first was unsettling, but we soon came to enjoy.  Steep, heavily forested cliffs make up the south end of the island...ideal for another day of great critter viewing.  As we made our way around the southern tip of the island we crossed an eddy line and were bounced around as the ocean played with our boats.

Heavy fog as we depart from the campsite

We continued along the west side of the island and enjoyed the view of the rocky headlands.  Unfortunately, the fog still had not lifted so we were unable to see the islands to the west.  About mid way up the island the geography changes quite dramatically and we travelled along sandy beaches and again had terrific views of the ocean front homes. 

We were intrigued to see two parallel rows of huge fishing boats side by side,  Each boat had a man standing high on the mast, almost appearing to be at watch.  We joked about a pending pirate battle and were waiting to hear battle cries.

As we approached the north end of the island the wind picked up...we were also going against the current, so needless to say we were working hard and not going very far.  We rounded the bend and then fought our way to Lane Spit.  We decided to cross the passage at Lane Spit and attempt to angle our way back to Gooseberry Point.  It was quite a paddle, and as with all Weiss vacations we also encountered rain.  We finally completed the crossing wet, exhausted and happy to be on solid ground.

The rain picks up as we continue across Hale Passage

Back on dry land

Giggle of the day:

As you know there are many hazards to be faced when playing in the great outdoors.  During this trip we had to face boomers and bombers and debated the dangers of both.  Let us explain:

Boomer:  a boomer is a large rock that lies in wait just below the water line.  If not careful, you can hit the boomer before you notice it is even there.  Sometimes they can cause considerable damage to your kayak.

Bomber:  likely note a technical term, but a term we use when referring to those naughty seabirds who appear to communicate and fly in formation over us....dropping their bombs!

We encountered both on this trip.....we will leave it to your imagination as to which one of us was boomed and which one of us was bombed!

A bomber lines up his target......and begins the approach!

Map and Route Tips:

DNR campsite, maintained by WAKE - GPS  N 48 39.525 W 122 36.852

Nautical chart:  NOAA Chart 18424

Tide tables

Hale Passage currents