Final week

The first ferry leaving Swatrz Bay on Thursday, July 19th was quiet as bleary-eyed passengers softly chatted to one another.  Children were subdued and some older adults dozed in the comfy seats.  We headed to the front deck to catch the ferry action as each vessel began its day until a biting wind drove us inside.

We hit Tsawwassen just as the Vancouver rush hour reached its peak.  Once we merged onto the highway heading east, traffic eased.  Unfortunately, we missed our turnoff.  As it turns out, the next exit was a road we recognized and knew it intersected highway 10 so we followed that.  We may even have gained a few minutes with our detour.  The drive to Revelstoke was pretty much without incident although a RV did stop in the middle of an avalanche tunnel. We easily avoided it but it rattled us.

We made excellent time and arrived in Revy at 4:00 pm.  East End Autobody was next door to Thrifty's car rental.  It was nice to see the clean Ion waiting for us.  It was even vacuumed and you could have eaten off the engine block.  Glen was very happy.  We returned our rental then walked back to the shop.

After checking in at the Best Western Plus, we headed to town for supper.  We'd been told the burgers at River City Pub were the best in the area.  We enjoyed a couple of pints of Mt. Begbie Brewing's Kolsch then gobbled down chopped beef (Alberta) burgers with mushrooms and cheese.  As we were leaving, the car rental owners spotted us as they entered the patio and waved.  We felt we must have boosted the economy of Revy and money in their pockets.

We rose early Friday to a nice hot breakfast (free) at the hotel and then were off, Glen watching the engine dials and monitoring the gas mileage like a hawk.  We bought sandwiches in Kamloops but it wasn't until Chilliwack we finally found a suitable lunch spot.  We were on track to catch the 3:00 ferry.  It was 80% full at the Tsawwassen exit but it was iffy when we saw the line-up.  Holding our breath, we inched forward then were waved on board.  The guy behind us was stopped  but in the end, he also boarded.  We were on the truck/bus deck so it was a hoof to get up the stairs to indulge in ferry ice cream.

As we sat eating it, a couple on a bus tour struck up a conversation.  She was a good 85 and travelling alone and he was middle aged.  When he left to take pictures, she told us how hard done by she was on this trip in that the tour guide did not look after her.  I swear she was suffering from dementia as she couldn't remember anything we told her and kept asking us who we were voting for in the next election.  She obviously had no idea how to get back to her bus so we figured we'd have to look after her but her companion returned and took her down.  Glen said he was very glad he wasn't the tour guide.

Saturday and Sunday we spent doing chores and Glen painted our kitchen.  The first coat didn't appeal to me but when the second coat went on, I was sold on the modern colour.  Because I'd have to work around a chaotic kitchen, we decided to go out for supper and invited our good neighbours, Cynthia and Ray to join us at Christie's.  We told them to include their daughter, Caroline (also our neighbour), in our invite.  She is a good tennis player and was involved in the 125th Vancouver Island Grass Court Championship so wasn't sure she could join us.  As we left the building, we met her dressed in her 'whites' and she agreed to meet us at the restaurant.  We had a wonderful evening enjoying some good laughs and great food.

Monday was our golfing adventure at Cedar Hill.  It began looking like it would rain but partway through the 18 holes, the sun burst forth.  We did have to deal with wind gusts and errant balls but the rules are rather lax there so you play it where it lies even if it's on the adjacent fairway.  We played with James and Michael who may have been a Big Brother pair, Michael being about 16.  It's the first time we walked 18 holes pulling our carts and by the end, we were hot, thirsty, and exhausted.  I had cooked supper beforehand so we could relax afterwards as it heated up.  Glen got the only par of the game but shot 109 so was thrilled to be so close to breaking 100.

Tuesday was another workday for Glen as he toiled on a letter of intent for a grant.  I carved a letterbox stamp of the Last Spike picture (very stylized) and created a box to plant when we pass Craigellachie on our way home.  I also carved a stamp of Marcus Reno to plant at Little Big Horn, Montana (see Day Two--Where the Deer and the Antelope Play) before we decided perhaps that was too much driving to do in one summer.

Wednesday morning, we were back golfing at Mt. Doug, this time by ourselves.  Glen played his best game ever, breaking 40 for the 9 hole course.  He had 4 pars!  I had two pars but when another golfer hit into us twice, I came unraveled.  After getting groceries, Glen returned to writing his letter, I had a nap.  I woke up feeling much better.

Thursday, our good friend, Tony, went into hospital for surgery and we agreed to take Diane to have some blood work done.  Afterwards we went to Adrienne's Tea Garden which is very close to the Ridge golf course.  We'd always wanted to see what it was like and it was lovely, although I believe Glen and I were the among the youngest enjoying breakfast/second breakfast/elevensies.  Glen ordered coffee and a cinnamon bun while Diane had a latté.  I had chai latté and a blackberry scone with devon cream.  I was very disappointed when the cream turned out to be cream cheese.  However, the scone was tasty and the atmosphere lovely.  Later in the afternoon we battled Victoria rush hour to drive Diane to the hospital so she could visit Tony as his operation was a success and he was feeling better.

Yesterday was our last day golfing at Mt. Doug until Christmas time (if they are open).  We were paired up with Kevin and Michael, both excellent golfers.  One thing you learn about playing golf is just as you think you have nailed a skill, you realize you haven't.  Glen couldn't hit a decent pitching wedge shot and my sand wedge shots were pathetic.  We had a good time though, each getting one par.  Afterwards we headed to Sidney to have lunch at The Rumrunner Pub, something we haven't done in two years.  The patio has a lovely view of the harbour and the Dead Frog Nut Brown Ale is excellent.  So was their Crab and Shrimp croissant and Ahi Tuna sandwich.

This morning I spent packing and Glen did some finishing touches to his letter of intent.  We are off to visit Tony this afternoon, picking up Diane on our way.  Then tomorrow we'll do a full clean of the condo and head to Salmon Arm where we'll spend the night.  Monday will find us back in Calgary.

Third Week

Sometimes, you forget what you did the previous week as life settles into a routine.  But ruts are not for vacations so we're leaping out of ours tomorrow as we return to Revelstoke to pick up our battered Ion.  It is now fixed so we'll rise early, catch the first ferry out of Swartz Bay and boogie across British Columbia.  We hope to arrive before the body shop closes at 5:00 pm but with highway construction, this may not be possible.  We'll return to Victoria on Friday to enjoy our final week of vacation.

Last Friday, we drove to Cedar Hill golf course to check it out.  We like looking down the first fairway of a course to see if it scares us or not.  It didn't so we're ready to tackle 18 holes there next week.  Then it was off letterboxing.  First stop was Mount Tolmie.  It was a showery day so we figured there would be fewer people but we weren't the only ones enjoying the misty view.  We heard fog horns and ship horns sounding across the strait which was beautifully eerie.

Glen has a knack for finding boxes and he found this one easily once he brushed away the spiderwebs and their resident predators.

We then headed to a park which we'd never seen before.  Playfair Park is definitely a place to be when the rhododendrons bloom.  There was one mistake in the clues but we'd expected that so found the box with relative ease until Glen discovered it was guarded by a giant spider.  This one he used a stick to pry out the box as he felt the resident arachnid could have done battle with a tarantula and won.

Happy in my ignorance, I was able to stamp in and then we headed to Penny Farthing for lunch.  The patio was set up for large groups so we ate inside (it was still drizzling so that suited me).  We both ordered Guinness and shared a bowl of Island mussels.  They were delicious.  Glen then had fish and chips while I ate a seafood club where the layers were not bread but shrimp and smoked ahi tuna.  My caesar salad was laced with garlic but I had no reaction to it so now believe my illness in SFO must have been bacterial/viral.

Saturday I had reserved for shopping.  Yes, me the great anti-shopper forced Glen who loves shopping but not for clothes, went to Sears.  They were selling off their summer stuff so we got great deals on shorts.  Glen needed pants, socks, etc so the final tally wasn't cheap but better than expected.  We bought a pork roast for dinner and headed home.  My backpack weighed in at 13 pounds of clothes but they were lighter than my usual 3 bricks.  Glen carried the one pound roast.

Sunday, after going to the driving range, we went on another letterboxing expedition but this one was not successful.  Both boxes had last been found 5 years ago and the rainforest around one had made the path impassable.  Glen tried clambering over some of the fallen trees near the Elk Lake box (see above photo--he is in it) then plowed through the thousands of spiderwebs but the way became more treacherous so he returned empty-handed.

The second box was on Bear Hill.  This hidden gem would have been a nice hike had we known where we were going both in distance and time.  Turns out it was a moderate climb and took 20 minutes.  The view was of the surrounding farmland and ranches.  This box must have been buried deep in leaf litter and with obscure directions, we could not find it.  We should have brought a shovel as well as a lunch as it would have been a great place for a picnic.  Instead, we abandoned our attempt.

Monday was a work day.  Well, Glen worked while I did a laundry and caught up paying bills etc.  I had sprained my thumb at the driving range (no, not by hitting a fantastic drive but by having my falling golf bag pull my thumb back on itself) and I think my body needed to work on repairing it as I had a nap after lunch.

It was a great morning for golf on Tuesday and half of Victoria was at Mt. Doug.  We had to wait an hour to tee off and were paired with a grandmother, Pat, and her grandson, Caleb.  She was very worried we'd not be patient with Caleb but he turned out to be a pretty good golfer so she really shouldn't have.  We had a great round but it was long--2 hours.  I didn't do my best but I blamed my thumb and empty stomach.  Glen had a wonderful round with all his drives sailing out beyond 200 yards.  He also had 2 pars, one being almost a birdie.

Week Two of Holiday

I can't believe another week has passed and so quickly.  We've been busy but some days go by and you wonder what you did.

I do know we bought paint last Friday because I have the Visa slip to prove it.  We had brought home several paint 'chips' to see what might work well in the kitchen, using one of the decorated tiles as a palette.  After some discussion, Glen decided a creamy brown would work best.  This from the man who thought you could get whiter than white.

Saturday we were up early to catch the 10am ferry to Salt Spring Island.  We were headed to the Ganges market.  We got parked in our usual place and went to our usual food stalls.  We got a chunk of Montana goat cheese and some feta from Salt Spring Island Cheese and Tomme d'Or from Moonstruck Cheese.  Then we bought a loaf of Country Style bread from 'The Bread Lady' and broad beans from a market gardener.

On the way back to the car, we stopped at The Fishery Seafoods where we bought a lovely salmon.  So, with supper organized and in our cooler, we returned to the Ganges wharf for lunch.  We ended up at our usual restaurant but weighed the menus of the others before we did so.  The service at any place on market day is slow so we sat back to enjoy the afternoon sitting on the patio of The Oystercatcher.  We drank a couple of pints of Granville Island English Bay Pale Ale and then we each ordered a lamb burger with a green salad (which was topped with shredded beets so hardly green).

We then headed to Garry Oaks Winery to buy our usual case of wine.  Normally, I would buy our favourites then leave but Fetish is no longer made so I knew I'd have to taste the other red they offered. The man serving us told us since we were buying a case, he'd do a complete tasting for us.  In the end, we bought 2 bottles of Blanc de Noir, 2 of Pinot Gris, 4 of Pinot Noir and 4 of Zeta.  We had the Blanc de Noir with our salmon and it looks like a rosé but is dry and refreshing.

We arrived at Fulford Harbour to await the 4:00 sailing only to see the ferry approaching.  Glen was determined to have a cup of coffee so headed to the Rock Salt Café.   Turns out the ferries were running late because this was the busiest market day of the year.  We boarded and after spending a few minutes on deck went back to the van to recline the seats for a nap.

Sunday morning, we decided to hit the Blenkinsop Driving Range.  I thought I might get more distance from my driver if I didn't choke up on the grip.  Glen wanted to work on the speed of his swing.  That evening we joined Tony and Diane at their favourite pub, Smuggler's Cove.  We drank a couple of pints of Phillips Slipstream Cream Ale then ordered their special of roast beef and yorkshire pudding.  Our server asked us how we wanted our beef cooked--well, medium, and rare were our answers (Diane had Lamb souvlaki).  When the server returned with our food, the beef on each dish was cooked exactly the same way.  She laughed and said the chef was cooking it that way for everyone.  Why ask us, then?  Funny thing, the veggies were almost raw.  However, the dish was all about the yorkshire pudding.  It was huge!  Had it been standing on the plate, it would have been as tall as Glen's hand.  And it was tasty!  Glen finished with a lava cake while Tony and I had coffee.

Monday, Glen decided to heap some TLC on the van.  I swear the lube guys smell money when they see Glen coming.  Suffice to say, the beast is happy and so is Glen.  After lunch, we walked to Willows Beach so I could plant my last dragon tattoo letterbox.  We ended up walking back and forth along the beach before finding the right spot.  We also saw Black Oystercatchers which was a first for us.

Tuesday we were back at Mt. Doug golfing, this time with Kathy and Brian.  They had been golfing the same number of years as us and obviously worked on their game.  We could have been the Bobbsey Twins for Glen and Brian often hit close to each other and Kathy and I did the same.  At one point, Glen and Brian's drives were 18 inches apart.  We had a good round with them.  That's the nice thing about golfing Mt Doug, everyone is there to enjoy themselves and no one takes themselves seriously.

Yesterday, Glen declared he had to work.  He'd been answering emails and taking conference calls over the past two weeks but he needed to do two reviews and that meant having the whole day dedicated to the task.  I thought I'd get some writing done but ended up doing my mid-month banking and creating a cipher for the Willows Beach letterbox.  I sent it to Melissa and her friend, Joann who is a cipher whiz, to try and decode.  Joann not only did so in record time but pointed out some of my typos.  Not good having a code with mistakes.

Today we got a call from the garage in Revelstoke.  They needed the keys to the Ion so they could test the new parts they'd installed.  We had to find the Purolator store then head off to Mt Doug to golf.  Most old folks get to Mt Doug before ten and we arrived at 10:30.  We played by ourselves for a couple of holes before two ancient ladies joined us.  Elsie and Marge were very sweet but they sure could kick butt on the golf course.  I had my best game ever and I owe it to them.  I didn't get any pars but once on the green I was two-putting instead of my usual three. Glen also did well with two pars.  In the end, we had the same score.

As I write this, Glen is back at work.  As he finished one of the reviews yesterday, two more came to him via email.  It's a good thing we have the printer now so he can then read/critique them easily.

Week One of Holidays

Last post I focussed on the car accident but we did do a fun thing in Revelstoke to make a 'silk purse out of a sow's ear' as the saying goes.  After Glen rose from his nap, we went letterboxing.  Yes, there were two to be found planted by a couple from Washington and titled, Gateway to the Rockies.  One was on the bridge over the Columbia River.  We have never walked over this bridge but Glen feels he is finally in BC when he crosses this river.  Due to rain and snow-melt, the river waters were high.  The second one was planted near a small park.

The first box was metal and had rusted shut but I managed to pry it open whereas the second one was covered with sow bugs (both were planted last year and I was the second person to find them).   The latter was just off a bicycle path and I was about to stamp in when a 'muggle' came over for a chat.  I quickly covered the box with Glen's jacket as the guy told us all about working for the railway and never seeing the river this high.  Little did he know we were doing a treasure hunt.

Thursday morning we had a leisurely breakfast at the Best Western.  Our complimentary breakfast included eggs, hash browns and sausages so we left with a full stomach.  We then headed west hoping to make it to the ferry at our usual time.  We stopped in Merritt for lunch and were at the ferry by 5:00.  Glen felt if he got onto the ferry, all his cares would evapourate and if they had 'ferry ice cream' (soft), he could declare life as being good.  I even indulged in ice cream knowing we'd have a late supper at Christie's Pub.

The journey across the straits was rough and rainy so we sat inside and people-watched.  We arrived at the condo to find gifts left behind by our friends, Tim and Ed.  It was overwhelming considering they had given us gifts when we met up in San Francisco.  Ed had discovered our lego stash and created a castle and space scene to which he added a Harry Potter scene and a dragon.

We had a lovely meal at Christie's, starting with Thai chicken wings.  They had changed their menu so Glen indulged in Mac & Cheese while I had a Halibut burger.  We washed it down with Race Rocks amber beer.  Unfortunately, we were both rather tired and as we came to the condo, I twisted my ankle and fell.  All I could think of was my sister's accident last year when she destroyed her shoulder.  I was lucky.  I came away with a skinned elbow and dark bruises.

Friday, we did grocery shopping then relaxed all afternoon.  Saturday we bought some barbecue parts to refurbish our barbecue then on Sunday went to The Ridge to play their 18 hole putting green.  Afterwards we were to stop at our friends, Diane and Tony for coffee but Diane must have decided we'd stay for lunch as she served up a delicious meal.  It was then off to Oak Bay for me to get my solar gel nails trimmed and filled at Oasis Nail Salon.

Monday, we planted our own letterbox.  I had carved a series of dragon tattoo stamps and had planted three in Calgary but wanted to leave some in Victoria, too.  We walked down to our favourite graveyard, Ross Bay Cemetery, and Glen found the perfect hiding place.  We also discovered the grave of the famous Canadian artist, Emily Carr, then checked out the beach before having coffee at a tiny Starbucks in the Fairfield strip mall.

Tuesday, despite the soggy weather, we went golfing at The Ridge.  A few hardy souls also played the course but no one lingered so we were done in an hour.  I was thrilled getting a birdie and two pars.  It was my first birdie ever!!  After a coffee in their clubhouse, we did another round on the putting course.  Hole #14 is a killer--a perfect dome with steep sides.

Yesterday, Glen spent most of the day working.  He had a letter of intent to submit and a conference call to take.  We did manage to get to the hardware store to get some paint chips.  We had thought to paint the kitchen yellow but were waffling so I chose some new colour samples.  The walls may soon be chocolate, folks, but I'll keep you posted.

Today, we heard the best news.  Our car is repairable!!  This was a big weight off our minds.  We then headed out to Mt. Douglas to golf.  A couple we golfed with last year were teeing off so it was nice touching base with them.  We golfed with Dave and Brian--very good golfers and fun to play with.  I got par on the very last hole so I was happy.  The weather was finally warm and sunny.

After having coffee with Janny and Robbert, we headed to Chinatown for dim sum at Don Mee's.  We had to do some banking and when we stepped outside, someone called Glen's name.  I thought nothing of it until the man called my name.  I turned around and there was Shawn who works in Glen's department at the University of Calgary.  We didn't know he had planned a holiday in Victoria but I guess if you are downtown, you will see tourists.

Beginning our Summer Holidays

Every summer we spend about a month living in our condo in Victoria.  Glen can relax and deal with work issues from afar.  He often writes grants or papers and takes conference calls so it's not entirely a holiday but it's definitely a change of pace.

This year we began our journey mid-week to avoid the traffic around the July 1st holiday weekend (Canada Day).  As usual, we rose early and were on the road by 6 am.  What was unusual was that Glen was still suffering from a gastrointestinal illness.  He'd dragged himself into work the previous two days but by Wednesday, he felt better.

We were a little concerned about the highway near Revelstoke as a mudslide had closed it for two days.  A detour would mean staying in a hotel partway there.  Normally I don't bring toiletries as we drive directly to the condo but this time, I tucked in some travel-size deodorant, just in case. Turns out this was a good idea.

The weather along the highway was drizzly but the traffic was sparse so we made good time until we reached the avalanche sheds on the approach to Rogers Pass.  The first two are old and dimly lit.  Even though the day was dull, there is a brief moment in time when you cannot see.  As we entered the second shed, a chunk of wood (12"x12"x10") appeared in the middle of the highway.  There are no shoulders in these old tunnels.  Glen could either ply the brakes or hit the block at full speed (70 kmph at that point).  He chose the latter.

Smoke began billowing around us as the engine warning lights flashed and beeped.  Fortunately,  the Ion could still move and we limped from the tunnel to a pull-off between the tunnels.  Not a moment too soon as a large pick-up truck came barreling through the tunnel after us.  Had we stopped, it would have slammed into our car and people would have been hurt or killed.

Our first thought was to call CAA to have the car towed but our cell phones didn't work.  Just as we pondered our next move, a guy in a van pulled up and offered to drive us to Rogers Pass.  There is a museum and lodge at the top where we could call for help.  The man had seen the wood we hit and said our car had cut it in half and tossed it aside so it was no longer a hazard.

He dropped us off at Glacier Park Lodge, a rustic inn we had passed many times but had never entered.  It is used as a rest stop for bus tours so had modern washrooms, a large restaurant and café.  Their pay phones didn't work but there was a strong cell signal.  BCAA told us a tow truck would be there in an hour and a half.  I was hungry but Glen felt sick both literally and figuratively.  We got him some ginger ale and me a packaged, ham and cheese sandwich since the café was still serving breakfast.  It's amazing how good food tastes when you've had a brush with death.

At this point, we realized we should probably call our insurance company, TD Meloche Monnex.  They were very helpful and soon we had all the information recorded and the authority to rent a car once we reached Revelstoke.  At this time, the tow truck arrived but he wanted us to stay at the lodge as it was safer than us standing on the highway.  Made infinite sense.

When he came back with our car,  the news was not good.  There was a hole in the engine so he felt there was no point in towing it to a garage as they wouldn't have the parts to fix it.  He took it to the Columbia Towing Company yard.  Thrifty's car rental was around the corner.  We organized renting a Toyota Yaris while Columbia off-loaded our car.  We then stripped everything from the car that was ours and abandoned it.

By this time, Glen was very ill and needed to be in bed.  We booked a room at the newly refurbished Best Western Plus, using our CAA card to get a discount on an upgraded room.  This proved to be a bed/sitting room so Glen could nap while I read on the couch.  An hour or so later, he felt well enough to drive into town in search of tooth brushes.  That's when he saw a cop and remembered we had to file an accident report with the RCMP (he had failed to tell me this).  I had grabbed a town map when we left the hotel so used that to find the police station.

It is quite the process filing a report but we made it through with the help of a very nice officer.  At one point there was a question of whether or not the tunnel was in the Golden jurisdiction but that was resolved so we didn't have to drive back to that town to file our report.

Best Western gave us a 10% discount on entrées at The Regent Hotel's One Twelve Steakhouse restaurant so we had a lovely meal.  We began with a toast to life, drinking Mt. Begbie Brewing Company's High Country Kolsch.  Glen wasn't hungry so he had one of my crab stuffed mushroom caps then a beef brochette while I had a seafood one (shrimp, scallops, and salmon.  All dishes were excellent.

We fell into bed with no plans to wake early believing that all decisions would be made after our complimentary breakfast.