WEEK 12
Sunday, July 18th
PLAN: nothing special.
COMMENTS: My cousin, Ron, is across the bridge just east of Vancouver and comes to North Vancouver to meet us for a long, lazy brunch. Haven't seen Ron in many years. Afterwards, Cindy and I are into West Vancouver and slowly go through 2 malls. Later it is dinner in the Mosquito Grill/Pub.
Monday, July 19th. News Flash: today marks the start of my 29th year at John Abbott College. Montreal was just gearing up for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games.
PLAN: a laundry day.
COMMENTS: We leave at 4:00ish to go to Ladner, not too far from where the transport was overturned on hiway #17 at #10 last week when we were heading from the ferry to Vancouver. We are going to have dinner with Wayne and his wife, Marilyn. I haven't seen Wayne in 30 years. Wayne and I were best of friends in junior high school and through high school, despite going to different high schools in Etobicoke (Toronto). WAe had kept in touch after I came to Montreal until he went west. Good thing we left early to get to Wayne's: where I was hoping to take #91 west, the sign said 91 -- I turned -- and the route was east only, for miles. Oh, well. Go to plan B, and cut back much farther over. We arrive a few minutes early, nonetheless. Great dinner; great time. Did not seem like it had been 30 years.
On our way back to Matt's, I missed a turn in the dark and almost went over the wrong bridge which would have put us far to much to the east. Despite the darkness, and the construction, and the difficulty of trying to figure where we were, I did get us back to a road which got us to another which a few more roads later eventually got us back to the TransCanada Hiway and then it was easy getting back to Matt's.
Tuesday, July 20th
PLAN: nothing special.
see comments.
COMMENTS: Slept in. Lazed about. eventually out for a scenic drive. ended up at lighthouse park. Went for the hike up & down hills to overlook coast looking across the bay to Vanvouver, Lion's Gate Bridge and North Vancouver.
Got to speak with Aunti Marge, cousin Jack not home' but spoke with his wife, Mary, all of whom used to live in Quebec.
Wednesday, July 21st.
PLAN: nothing special.
Into Vancouver. Drove around China Town, Gastown, downtown and across town. Stopped in Gastown. Strolled about. Filming was underway for an episode of "Smallville goes to Paris." Despite being in Vancouver, it really did look like a scene out of Paris. French signs, cars, scooters, the fashions on the actors/actresse, etc. The old steam clock in Gastown spewed the hour.
Took the drive up Grousse Mountain. Decided against the cable car to go to the top. Part way up is a man-made lake and a park. Scenes in the movie "Electra" were being shot here.
Back to Matt's -- he, his mom, his sister, his nephew and Cindy & I had a very pleasant dinner together.
Thursday, July 22nd.
PLAN:
Actual: Drive from North Vancouver to somewhere up the Okanagan Valley.
COMMENTS: We leave Matt's in North Vancouver. We are on our way home. We take a short tea break at Aunt Vi's before hitting the hiway. We go east on the T-Can. At Hope we detour thru the town for a few moments. Then it is east on #3 t Princeton. Still cannot raise cousin Steve. Further east, then north up the Okanagan. Between Summerland and Peachland we camp. Nice place on the side of a mountain between the lake and hiway; hiway is under construction. Traffic wakes us around 4:00am.
Friday, July 23rd.
PLAN:
Construction on the hiway keeps us up at 7:AM. We eat, pack up and get on our way quickly. Going north is very scenic: mountains, lakes, rivers. Through Revelstoke; Into Glacier, a time zone change, into Yoho NP, side trip to view the falls way up the side of a mountain. Falls cascade down to a river which passes by at our feet. Mountains all around. Many have snow/ice. This is a very scenic area.
To many stops for photos. But not really enough to capture all the beauty of this area. Again, some of the best views are at places one cannot stop and get out safely to take the photos. Mountains, canyons, rivers, snow/ice, trees, ruggid. Sp[ectacular views on all sides. We are into Alberta and the spectacular views continue as we go east and then north. Heading north we are looking for a campsite. Some are already full. I think we got the last site at a very good forested campground which is situated at the edge of a river/lake.
Saturday, July 24th
PLAN: Head to Banff.
Instead we head north to Jasper.
COMMENTS: Up and out early and on our way north. Wow!!! We hit the ice fields. Take the "bus" tour onto the glacier. Continue north and camp just south of Jasper. Into Jasper and tour about. Go a bit north and drive around a few lakes.