http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , Canada , British Columbia , Vancouver Island , Courtenay en-us Sat, 05 Dec 09 19:12:40 +0000 Sat, 05 Dec 09 19:12:40 +0000 We vertrokken uit de Rocky's alweer in behoorlijk kil weer amper 14. We hoopten tijdens onze rit richting Vancouver op beter weer en het wachten werd beloond. Niet lang na ons vertrek kwamen we de zon tegen en werd het warmer en warmer tot 28.Een volgend landschap konden we tijdens de prachtige rit bewonderen we trokken door een ander gebergte. In plaats van een groen berglandschap kregen we http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-428666.html Well it's been an eventful week since the end of the Toby tour. Many more adventures than I expected but then what do you ever expect when you're on the road We took 4 days hitching from Canmore before we got to the island. Two of them spent in the pouring rain about 7 hours waiting for a ride and the other two spent in the roasting sun. After a short but wonderful stint in Victoria invol http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-421157.html Day 44. Tuesday.After my shower I decided to take advantage of Bob's laundry room before my looming departure back East. The thought of returning to work really does not appeal to me. I hope it's picked up some though. The thought of sitting half a day waiting for a load... well I just don't think I'd do it.The air filter I ordered for the Dodge is supposed to be in this morning so I'm waiting on http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-418555.html Day 43. Monday.I woke up in the night and had a hard time getting back to sleep. I always wake up in the night but usually fall right back asleep. I think my mind is starting to realize I have to head home soon back to reality. When I did finally get up it was a overcast but no rain was forecast so I continued with my plans to ride Denman and Hornby Islands. Just before we boarded the ferry to De http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-418211.html Day 42. Sunday.I woke up when I heard Bob arrive from Church. He invited me last night but I just asked him to say Hi for me. Apparently Bob's been paying attention to my every comment since this morning he cooked bacon had fresh raspberries and even noticed I ordered cranberry juice at lunch yesterday. Brunch at the riverview was great. In fact the sun was a bit much after a while.After nap time http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-417880.html Day 41. Saturday.I slept in till around 11.00 today. I felt tired all day yesterday for some reason so I'm not surprised. If Bob had not come home I probably would have slept longer. Once up and the three S's completed we left for London Drugs and some lunch. I had seen several White Spot restaurants in my travels so I suggested it and Bob reluctantly gave in. Not really. He said the food was fair http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-417593.html Day 40. Friday.Just another day in paradise. The sun is shining the river is burbling and the birds are chirping.After a trip to London Drugs for an OS upgrade and external backup drive for Bob we headed to Mount Washington for lunch. This is where he ski's. The lodge was nice and the Jerk Chicken was good although I could have handled it hotter. I don't usually eat cooked vegetables but these w http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-417191.html Day 39. Thursday.My first sleep in a real bed in over a month. It was a good one too. Once up I downloaded my many many pictures of the sunset on the ferry ride to the PowerBook. Bob got me out some yummy bread and peanut butter so I made some breakfast before finishing the blog and uploading some photos.A bit later Bob took me to a quaint restaurant he discovered just yesterday for some lunch. Th http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-416971.html Day 38. 12475KmI was'nt sure if I would make it to Vancouver or not today. I thought I might end up camping on the main land and crossing in the morning. I was on the road by 10.30 so I started thinking I could make it. I did'nt have anything to eat before I left camp so I was getting hungry by lunch. I stopped at the AW in Princeton and had an Uncle burger. The weather was gloomy and there were http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-416910.html So after 97 days officially on the snow the season has come to a slushy end. And it's absolutely flown by. In the past few weeks we've had the Mt Washington Invitational a one off event where invited riders and skiers from around the region hit a huge purpose built jump as the sun set. We've had the obligatory dressing up days Tight and Bright Moustache and Jeans no doubt those pics are http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-392521.html So At last Here I am on an island in the Pacific Ocean doing the unthinkableOver a year ago now I turned my back on my nice comfortable life in Bristol because I was driven by an uncontrollable urge to pursue a life in the mountains. And now here I am a red Snowboard Instructors jacket hanging up in my locker and a steady flow of Dollars going into a Canadian bank account every fortnight. And http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-371040.html We have changed blog sites to one that allows multiple users Our TeamPlease click on link to get to new siteKim http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-369039.html Today was our final meeting. We hosted and presented to our District Governor this afternoon. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-366755.html We have our final team meeting this weekend. We will give a presentation to District Governor Brian Beagle and his wife Barbara. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-365828.html We had our weekend meeting on Jan 3 4 to prepare for the presentation. We have lots of work to do to get it looking and sounding great. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-362440.html SharonThis blog entry doesn't really fit in with the rest.... as we haven't been cycling for over THREE days. Our bums are getting lonesome without their trusty bike seats to rest on. We got to my Grandma and Grandpa's house on Vancouver Island on Wednesday in the POURING rain. It rained and it rained and it rained all day long. Turns out our amazing waterproof gear is only water proof in A http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-328756.html 5 days of peace and quiet on a farm outside of courtney was just what we needed and felt almost sad to come back to the city of Vancouver. We skied on Mount Washington in fresh powder one day walked around looking for truffles in the owner's backyard ate beautifull food and drank good wine. Here are some photos of our christmas on Vancouver Island. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-238910.html My family have left now which is sad but on the bright side Jonorsquos parents will be here soon. Thatrsquos how we humans get by more like amphibians than humans jumping from one lilly of excitement to the next before sadness loss and emptiness can drench us. It was great to have mum dad and my lilrsquo sista around. The time went too quickly though and now I miss them even more T http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-193103.html Waking up to a rainy day with a car out the front of the house is entirely different to waking up to a rainy day and looking mournfullywistfully at a 10 yearold gortex jacket that does not really work any more. Actually maybe Irsquoll put a new rain jacket on my MEC employee shopping list. But anyway my point is we had a car and we planned to use every last one of our ldquofreerdquo k http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-169295.html Day two which was despite the date at the top of this entry Sunday the 3rd June After a slightly frustrating start to the day looking for a particular trail in a particular national park and finding only housing developments we went back to bed and tried getting out the other side and starting again. It was a good move. We drove yep DROVE woohoo out to the other side of Comox Lake in http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-168125.html