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Surfing in Ucluelet.
Beaches - wide and shallow. Waves - three feet and clean. Water - frickin' freezing. Like properly cold. I mean ice cream head ache cold.The urge to travel is a funny thing.
It can be there from birth, inherited from worldly parents. It can emerge after years of paying bills and sitting in traffic. Or we can simply be inspired by someone we meet.
A week after Mt Washington closed for the season, myself and Andrea borrowed a car and drove to the west coast of Vancouver Island, to a small surfing town called Ucluelet. We knew nothing of the area other than the beaches were great for surfing, so we rented some wet suits and spent the next few days drinking the Pacific Ocean.
One evening in a bar a guy got chatting to us. He asked us where we were from, and introduced himself as Craig Millar. Craig had moved to the island from Ontario a few years back to take a break from his stressful city job and never left. After sharing a few beers he insisted he show us around, and so the next day we all meet up and head into the rain forest.
We drove along roads that nearly broke our car, we followed Craig and his trusty dog to native Indian burial caves,
Tunes around a fire pit.
Winding down with some old and new friends after a day of surfing. and we were introduced to the incredible world of Hitch Hike Mike, a local legend who'd built a life for himself out of driftwood deep in the rain forest.
Craig told us so much about the local area, and with such enthusiasm, that he brought it to life, and suddenly we couldn't wait to see more of BC. So with fond fare wells we headed back to Mt Washington, packed our bags, caught the ferry to Vancouver, said hi again to mt mate Gary and his wonderful family, stashed our snowboards in his garage, nicked his car, and said we'll be back in a month.
And for the sake of your time and my terrible typing skills, here's a brief overview of our trip.
We traveled North out of Vancouver along the "Sea To Sky Highway", a stunning drive with huge jagged mountains to the right, and the Pacific Ocean and coastal islands to the left. We then turned inland to BC's Coastal Range to the small town of Pemberton where we spent the night at a beautiful farmhouse surrounded by acres of green farmland.
We then followed the highway East past Lytton and Lillooet, and
Exploring the rain forest.
Our man Craig shows us why he loves Vancouver Island so much. as we did so the climate warmed up considerably. The mountains became hills and lost their snow, the tall green pine trees made way for fields of brown grass, and dust billowed out behind trucks on the dirt roads. By the time we arrived at Kamloops, a large town nestled in a valley on the Columbian River, we were in a desert.
We spent the day strolling through the parks and along the river, and visited the BC Wildlife Centre. Here we came face to face with the local cougars, wolves and grizzlies, and casually decided to delay our hiking plans and drive back up into the mountains.
By the time we arrived at the Alpine resort of Revelstoke the weather had taken a turn for the worst. The lifts were closed so we couldn't mountain bike. There was still too much snow on the ground so we couldn't hike, and the water was too cold to kayak (if you fell in you'd loose consciousness before you made it to the shore). So we decided to do something that I'd wanted to try for ages. Fishing! The peace and calm of a glassy lake, the swish of the
BC here we come!
Getting a little excited at the journey ahead! rod and line, the screech of eagles above waiting to steal your catch. Lovely!
We met up with a ex pro snowboarder who drove us up dirt roads to a secluded lake just outside Revelstoke. He then inflated two inner tubes, handed us some waders and flippers, and after a quick lesson in casting we're given a rod each and told to waddle into the lake backwards. And once I'd realised we weren't being filmed for a TV program I swished my rod and floated around in absolute bliss. I caught bugger all of course, which was a bummer, made worse by the fact that Andrea caught a Rainbow Trout. But I still loved every second of it.
The next morning we headed over the notorious Rogers Pass (thankfully snow free) and then for the next few hours we sat with open mouths as we drove through the incredible Glacier and Yoho National Parks. We stopped regularly trying to take in the huge waterfalls, frozen lakes and emerald glacial rivers. And just when we think it can't get any better, we arrived at Banff National Park and Lake Louise.
We'd heard about the incredible hiking to be
Porteau Cove.
A pit stop on the Sea to Sky Highway. done in the area, but when we arrived we found that snow was still blocking the higher trails. A real shame as we were desperate to get off the beaten track and have the wilderness to ourselves. But we were still able to walk around the frozen lake, and once again the scenery took our breath away.
We then drove South through the Kootenay National Park, again stopping regularly to take in the incredible views, until at last we arrived at Fernie, a town Andrea and I have a deep fondness for. We immediately called up our old snowboard instructors and we all met up that evening for a few beers. We filled them in on our trip so far, and after an enthusiastic discussion between themselves they decided I should do some dirt biking.
The next day we're driven South in trucks laden with trail bikes and beer to a forest near the US border, and as Andrea entertained the dog, Ryan kited me out with heavy padding and a helmet. After a brief lowdown on brakes clutches and gears, I straddled the bike, twisted the grip and shot off out of control along a dirt track.
Farm house in Pemberton.
Found this place completely by accident. Half an hour later, just as I found third gear, I'm flanked by Shaun and Glenn, and with helmeted nods we stood up on the pegs, opened the throttle and roared through the forest, dust and stones spraying everywhere.
It's not long though before my muscleless arms go numb and we motored back to the trucks to sit by the river with some beers. This is another side of Canadian life I hadn't seen before - the power toys, the quad bikes, the dirt bikes. And I loved it.
Next day Andrea took advantage of the effect of the petrol fumes and persuaded me to do some horse riding. Now anyone that knows me is aware of my nervousness around these cold hearted animals. But I soon relax when I'm introduced to the most placid horse in Canada, given a big black cowboy hat (not a felt helmet with a bloody bow on the back), and seated in a saddle as comfy as an easy chair. Now we're talking!
Led by our guide we strolled through dense forest under eagles nests, and waded across beaver damned rivers. And as my hips rolled with the horse, one
Farmland.
Andrea takes in the views on an early morning walk around the farm. hand on my thigh the other clutching the reigns, I couldn't help but hum the Magnificent Seven theme tune. I just couldn't help myself!
The next day we headed West, back down into the warmer valleys, through towns selling fruit and local wine, and eventually arrived at Kelowna. There, under a clear blue sky we're finally able to hike up snow free mountains and enjoy the stunning views around the huge Okanagan lake. It was one of the highlights of the trip.
After another brief pit stop back in Vancouver ("Just a few more days Gary! Be right back!") we decided to take advantage of the warm sunny weather and drove back up the Sea To Sky Highway to Whistler. We checked into a hotel for five days, and as we soaked in the outdoor hot tub we planned our week's activities.
First up, mountain biking! We strapped on the hard padding and headed up in the gondola with a guide and our bikes. After a quick tutorial on steering and braking (duh...), we hurled ourselves down narrow dirt tracks trying to avoid chipmunks, and oh my God what a load of fun that is! Very, very
Fishing in Revelstoke.
Not the most attractive sport! But floating around the remote lake for a few hours was bliss. recommended. If I ever end up living in the mountains this is a sport I could definitely get into.
Next day we're driven to the nearby "Lost Lake", given a couple of kayaks, and we slowly paddled our way down the excellently named "River Of Golden Dreams" (so called because of the fools gold shining up from the river bed). A part from the odd patch of white water when we're joined by glacial snow melt, it was all very sedate and relaxing. Just the odd snippet of information from our guide, the splash from our paddles and the ever present mountain views.
The remaining days were spent exploring the surrounding forests and hidden lakes. There are plenty of tracks that lead off from the centre of Whistler, some are even paved so the locals can skateboard to the rivers to do some fishing. It was all just so relaxing, and we sat by many a glassy lake to make the most of it.
And so now here we are back with the McDonnell family in the beautiful city of Vancouver.
Yesterday Andrea and I walked to the end of Gary's road and climbed 3,000 metres
Lake Louise.
Famous for its beautiful emerald water. Apparently. to the top of Grouse mountain. In the evening we enjoyed fresh tuna in a restaurant overlooking the Pacific Ocean, then we drove down to the beach, sat on some driftwood and ate dessert as the sun went down.
For five months we've lived on an Island in the Pacific and taught people how to snowboard. For another month we've paddled, fished, cycled and hiked around the Canadian jewel that is British Columbia. We reveled in the enormous open spaces, were in awe of the diversity of its landscape, and were truly humbled by the sheer scale of it all. It is, quite simply, a stunning country.
But now I'm beginning to pine for the familiar.
I miss family and friends. I miss a pint of beer with mates. I miss football and Walkers crisps. And I'm desperate to meet my new nephew! So after an incredible six months it's time to leave Canada before I'm kicked out.
Time to go home. For a bit.
Paul.
(A few days before I started writing this Andrea and I heard that Craig had been killed in a road accident. This was a huge shock Dirt biking in Fernie.
Glenn sends me on my way into the unknown as Shaun looks on. to us. We barely knew the guy, but that chance meeting in a bar led to an unforgettable day in the rain forest and created a friend. His enthusiasm and lust for life was infectious and inspiring, and my urge to travel has never felt stronger. Life is short. Make the most of it.)
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