Road Trip 2009- Part 1

Dan and I, along with my mother, just finished up a 10 day road trip through our lovely province of BC. Our goal was to attend a wedding in Smithers, but why rush the trip? Isn't life about the journey, not the destination? Hence, the 10 days we spent meandering through BC. Here is a brief pictoral journey through the crazy things that we did and saw.


Our trip started with a brief and HOT visit to Hell's Gate canyon.

We continued on, and after a night spent in Prince George, we moved on to Telkwa, a small village just outside of Smithers. Here, we spent 3 nights at the Two Rivers Lodge, which backed onto the Bulkley River.

We toured a bit of Smithers, and visited Twin Falls. Fortunately we took a wrong turn and ended up clambering over rocks to find the falls. It turns out the view was way more impressive than the main trail and viewing platform. Just a lucky break!


Our main reason for heading up on this road trip: the wedding of Matt and Rachel! It was beautiful and totally reflected their personalities. Congrats you two!

This is in Moricetown. We saw the Aboriginal people deep net fishing. Amanda took this photo while hanging off a cliff. This man is tethered to the cliff. As the Aboriginal Tribal Ranger said, it was for "easy body retrieval". He was joking of course, but it made for a funny story. Little did we know, that less than a week later, we would get to try some deep net fishing while on our jet boat tour in Williams Lake.
After the wedding we headed out to Prince Rupert for the day. Yep, we drove 4 hours one way just to say we'd been there (it was mom's idea!). We ended up stopping along the way at the Hazeltons and went over the highest suspension bridge in North America. You can see it wedged between mom and Amanda in this picture.

At the tourist info center, we found this incredible Filipino cook. She made the most delicious pork kabobs and spring rolls we have ever tasted. They were hand made and melt-in-your-mouth good. We only wished we lived a bit closer!

Here we are in Prince Rupert. At some random roadside attraction. (okay, Dan says it was a memorial to lost seaman). This trip was full of roadside attractions though. We saw the world's largest skis, fishing rod, gold pan and many other attractions, even if they weren't the largest.


Another roadside attraction just outside of Prince Rupert. This is the shoe tree. It is where the townspeople and visitors alike have left their shoes on the tree and surrounding area. No one is exactly sure why or how it started, but the sign on the tree does say, "This is a place for Lost Souls."

No caption is really necessary for this one. This was taken in Houston (home of the world's largest fly rod).

This is what life means...

A quote from George Leigh Mallory, a famous Everest climber, who fell victim to the harsh climate of the mountain. We found this a the bottom of Twin Falls in Smithers, BC, up a little pathway on a plaque commemorating the life of Eric Paul Buss.

"...if you cannot understand that there is something in man that responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is a struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won't see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means and what life is for."

Celebration of Lights

What a light show! I'm sorry South Africa, but God's light show took the cake. He won hands down! (come on, His light show lasted way longer and was way more intense!) Dan and I found it interesting that people were oohing and ahhing at the fireworks, but when a bolt of lighting flashed across the sky, the crowd went crazy! I think everyone loved the lightning more. Dan and Matt went to take some pictures of the pre-fireworks show. They caught quite a few pictures of lightning and the sun setting. Good job boys!

The Harbour looked beautiful. These photos were taken from the Burrard street bridge.

Crazy things from the evening: People stopping on the Burrard street bridge during the fireworks, then proceeding to get our of their cars and crossing four lanes of traffic to watching the fireworks. (some even stood on the roofs of their cars to watch).

A little bit of South Africa's show!

Walk Score

I found this interesting site today, called walkscore.com. You put in your home address and it tells you how walkable your city (or area in the city) is. The purpose is to find a walkable city to live to better improve your health, cut down on greenhouse gases, and improve your local economy by supporting local businesses.

The website fully admits its flaws, such as using direct distances, not walking distance (aka, they draw a straight line from place a to place b, instead of using travel directions). They also don't take into account public transit, weather, hills, walk ability of streets, bodies of water or major highways (you might just find yourself swimming to get to the grocery store). But what they do have going for them is finding places that are walkable based on a city center, density of businesses and residences, parks and public space, nearby schools and workplaces.

To quote their website:
"Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live. Walk Score calculates the walk ability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking.

Your Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100. Here are general guidelines for interpreting your score:
90–100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
70–89 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.
50–69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
25–49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
0–24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!"

I put in my current address and score a 58 or Somewhat Walkable.
Our previous residence (only 0.9km from our current location) scored a 43 or Car-Dependant.

They base points on amenities being within 1 mile (1.6km) from your home. If amenities are within 1/4 mile (or 0.4km), the points are higher. No points are awarded for any amenity that is over 1.6km (1 mile) from your home.

My Observations:
Our current location is only 2.2km (using roads and not cutting through parks etc) from Seven Oaks Mall. Its about a 25 minute walk Maximum (while using the road and NOT shortcuts). I find it very weird (for lack of a better word), that our locations are considered car dependant and somewhat walkable. I consider them to be VERY walkable. I am in shock that our previous house was considered car dependant. I lived there for 4 years and had no car for 3 of those years. It was very walkable. At times, it was annoying to hike for 30 minutes one way carrying bags of groceries in a foot of snow, but we made it. And now, i wouldn't have it any other way. We have all amenities within our reach (30 minute walk max). And when things are out of our reach, there is public transportation that can take us there.

I find it interesting that a gym is considered a necessary amenity (and oddly the furthest "listed" amenity on our list-although there is a closer location, but only for woman). But if i am car-INDEPENDENT, then why do i need a gym? I get all the exercise i need walking everywhere and carrying groceries home. (or at least i hope so!).

Perhaps, walkscore's method isn't incorrect, its the maximum distance that they consider "walkable" that needs to change. And maybe its our 'American' mindset that needs a bit of changing. We consider that it takes too long or is too far for us to walk, when in reality its probably not. Its just our laziness and busy lifestyles that don't allow us to break the mold and leave our cars at home.

Another website i read today suggested a few ways to increase the amount of steps we take in a day. (Thank-you wisebread.com)
1: WALK from the back of the parking lot.
2: WALK up and down the stairs.
3: WALK on your breaks.
4: WALK your dog (or someone else’s).
5: WALK to the beat. (or your mp3 player)

Perhaps I may add a few more suggestions:
1. Walk between stores that are in the same vicinity, rather than taking the car.
2. Walk one of the beautiful trails that Abbotsford has (and try walking to it, rather than driving)
3. Find one amenity near your home and walk there instead of drive. Look up the distance on google maps when you get home to find out the distance. You'll be amazed at how far you can walk.
4. Walk to church. Or bike. Or take transit.
5. Choose to leave your car at home and find an alternate mode of transportation (bike, transit, walk etc). It'll do you well.

But most importantly, don't let numbers or website decide if your city is walkable. You be the judge. And then, even if you think you can't do it, Try. Choose to change your life, one step at a time. As all these website keep telling me, "your heart will thank you!"

Walkers, by nature

As walkers, it amazes us how often we are in the possession of a vehicle and still choose to use our feet. Tonight, we have the Honda Odyssey (seriously, my favorite mini van!). Yes, we used it to drive to Wal-mart and Zellers-ish area but we still chose to walk between stores. More than once, we have seen people drive from Wal-mart to Home Depot. A mere few hundred feet away. But we choose to walk. I mean, who would want to waste gas on that? (the funny part, is that we don't even pay for the gas, and still choose to walk!) We also walked from HomeSense/Winners to Home Outfitters to Zellers, still just hundreds of feet away from each other. It takes about the same amount of time to walk or drive, but still people choose to drive. Not us! Perhaps its just something that's ingrained in us. Its kind of an enviromental choice, but more often than not a lifestyle choice. We just love walking. And we've realized that we don't need to be in a park or on a trail to enjoy it.

Side Note: It truly does amaze us how often we are in possession of someone else's vehicle. We just counted it out and we will in July have possession of a car for 15 out of the month's 31 days. (these aren't necessarily full days, but rather evenings or mornings use) It's kinda scary actually. It never seems like we have a car that often, but obviously we do. Yet, we still walk for our Starbucks, instead of driving. And we still choose to walk if we can. The cars often sit idle or are used to visit friends far away or for vacation use and rarely for errands and daily use.

Car-whore

I've come to realize, that I am a car-whore. I am not faithful to any one vehicle, nor to any one brand of vehicle for that matter. In fact, in the last month, I have driven 5 different vehicles. For work, I have driven both a Honda Odyssey (my fav) and a Ford Explorer (most hated). I've also driven both a Toyota Yaris and Toyota Echo, as well as a Tempest (i think). In my short driving career, I have dabbled with many different vehicles. I cannot even count how many different cars I have driven. I guess that's the downfall when you don't own your own vehicle and borrow from anyone who will lend you a car. The upside is that I am somewhat aware of the type of vehicle i would like to own when the time comes. But needless to say, until that day comes, i will be either a walker or a car-whore.

Juan de Fuca Trail

Last weekend, Dan and I took the opportunity to spend sometime on the Island. We went to China Beach on the Juan de Fuca trail. We also took some day trips into Sooke (to see the Potholes), Port Renfrew (just to say we've been there), and to Sombrio beach (to hike to Sombrio beach east, where Amanda had once hiked during her years in Lifeteams).
We had many wonderful adventures along the way. But some of the highlights were:1. Picking up Hitchhikers: well actually hikers, who needed a ride to Port Renfrew. They were a nice couple, currently residing in New York (originally from Alabama and BC).
2. Hiking Sombrio beach: This time around, I (Amanda) actually got to hike more of the Juan de Fuca trail, than I did during Lifeteams. During Lifeteams we were supposed to walk 32km, but made it about 4km due to unforeseen medical emergencies. It was a pleasure to hike with Dan about 14km while exploring various beaches.
3. Port Renfrew: while standing on the dock, we saw an eagle swoop down and catch a salmon. He proceeded to fly off and eat it.
4. Meeting random friendly people on the Island: From Linda, the Parks manager (who called us the "happy campers"), to the family from Santa Barbara, to the road workers on Juan de Fuca road, the Island was full of friendly people. It seems a stark contrast to the snobs we meet in the valley. (I mean, come on. The Road workers, who stood in no-man's land all day chatted up cars and waved friendly hellos. The most i get out in the valley is a wave to keep moving.)
5. The waves: there is nothing quite like listening to the ocean roar. All night, this dull roar could be heard from our tent, as the waves pounded the shore. During the day, it was magical to see the waves come in and hear them recede over the rocky shore.
There are so many more wonderful things that are imprinted on our memories. It truly was an amazing trip.

Dan's hand - an update

Thankfully its not broken!!!! But his hippopotamus hand is turning a wide variety of colours, including but not limited to: black, blue, purple, red and green. His hand is swollen to twice its regular size, but he has full range of motion. Update finished.

Are Smokers ruining the World?

Or is it just our Starbucks experience? They seem to be everywhere lately. Smoking their 10 feet from the doors, but still within breathing distance. Establishments have it planned just right for them, so that the smokers can sit outside and take up all the fresh air. I cannot count how many times we've wanted to sit outside and have had to move indoors due to the smell. Amanda is allergic to the smoke, and her lungs close up if she is within breathing distance. This proves to ruin many evening dates, as we have to move indoors to the air conditioning (which isn't as nice as sitting outside on a balmy evening, plus the AC hurts Amanda's back after a while). We can only wait for the day when smoking is outlawed in any public place. What a glorious day that will be! We would be able to sit outside and enjoy the evening air! We must note that we are not haters of smokers. We realize that it is their right to pollute their bodies with thousands of toxins, but what happened to our right for clean air? They choose those toxins, I didn't. In fact, they pay to ingest those toxins. And we do our utmost to avoid it at all costs, but it seems unavoidable. How much should we pay for clean air? Why should we be forced to inhale these toxins? It seems unfair that you're willing to commit mass murder. (okay, that might seem a little harsh, but how many people have died from second hand smoke? Or have gotten cancer because of your cancer sticks?) We just wish we had the right to breathe clean air in public places. 10 feet doesn't cut it. I want to be able to sit outside of Starbucks and enjoy my coffee without inhaling your costly fumes.

Meet Adventure and Disaster

aka Amanda and Daniel.
Yep, that's right. Adventure and Disaster. It only takes a road trip with us to realize that those names really, truly do apply (just ask Jocelyn, Dan's family, Amanda's mom....the list goes on). People have regularly commented on the fact that adventure seems to follow me(Amanda) or that nothing exciting ever happened to them until they met me. Perhaps the common denominator is me! And now that I married Disaster, its been an even better adventure. There are always stories of things happening; like the defrizzer bottle and the toilet, food poisoning on the Lacombe AB trip, cars breaking down a few miles from home....the list goes on. Its great to know that an adventure is always around the corner. Sometimes that can be a bit foreboding as some of these (or most of these) disasters are quite expensive to fix. But needless to say, adventure and disaster are just around the corner. I love this life! I love the stories! I love the memories! The bills...not so much. I can only wait in expectation for what will happen on our road trip to Smithers-hopefully we make it out alive and in one piece (or three pieces: Dan, Amanda and Mom)!
I guess that's why the lesson that "Life is about the journey, not the destination" is so important, and quite often my mantra! But really and truly, I love the journey. It provides hours of entertainment and many laughs (usually months later) about the adventures and disasters we face.
Meet Amanda (adventure) and Dan (Disaster)! Hope you're ready for the ride of your life!

P.S. Dan just called. He fell off his bike and has two horribly swollen fingers. See! Disaster and Adventure are just around the corner! (Hopefully they aren't broken!)