Vacation 1997

British Columbia, Canada

        It was a day of flurry and excitement. Still packing luggage til after midnight, 5AM came early. My wife set her alarm even earlier, to do the things that women "need" to do, like washing hair, and face painting until the Taxi drove in at 5:30AM. We arrived at the Halifax Airport by six AM to check our luggage for the 7AM flight to Victoria.
        Now, one always meets someone that they know, at an airport: we ran across "The Iris" from our Computer Club, on her way to Toronto, to make connections for France. I saw several Military acquaintances, and faces that were "oh, so familiar". We had the two seats nearest the window on the Starboard side of the Canadian Airlines jet, and as my wife sat with her nosed pressed to the glass, pointing out things that were always out of my field of vision, I quietly comforted those in earshot, with stories of double checking the emergency exits, and "wonder if we should have gotten that flight insurance" stuff.
        After a timely takeoff, and a short 90 minutes to Toronto, we had been given 50 minutes on the ground, so irate smokers could inhale a few packs prior to the non-smoking, extended trip to Victoria. I used that time to make a quick phone call to my friend Margaret, who was good enough to send a few cases of wine to us, from Hamilton, via my ship. She has become a lifetime friend after working for me as a Reservist, in 1991 and proved to be one of the best female workers I have ever met. A lineup of Aircraft littered the taxiway and airfield as we jockeyed for position to leave Pearson International.
        The continuing flight, was indeed, a lengthy one. My wife took the usual cursory look at the in-flight movie, "Til I Met You", before adjusting my shoulder, for a semi-comfortable nap. I hate sleep, I liked the movie, and because it was sunny and bright outside, my internal clock wouldn't allow me the opportunity to sleep. So, I watched the obnoxious and pompous travelling neighbour to my left, as he took up half the isle and seemed to make a point of letting the Stewardesses wait for him at every passing, reminding them, that, at least in his own mind, he was someone important. There was a spectacular view of the Rockies, and we took out the maps, to verify, where each snow-capped peak, really was. We had a total of two egg related meals, either omelet at breakfast, or quiche at brunch, and finally landed safely on Vancouver Island, at Victoria Airport.
        Now, the first appearance to the untrained tired eye, might be, that we were in Jamaica again, with the rush of balmy breezes and bright sunshine, just outside the air conditioned terminal. It was 26 Deg Celsius, and busses were lined up to exploit the final few dollars out of travellers, to take them into the city of Victoria. Juice vendors and taxicabs had joined the commercial opportunity, to make a fast buck. We had booked a Rent-A-Car in advance, but a really fast queue had developed at the desk and I was tempted to give them my authorization number at the express counter, since the reservations were supposed to be set up. Well, I guess that price quote, Geo Metro, and itinerary were not needed, as we took the time to get new prices (possibly even cheaper) based on Corporate Rate, and adding insurance costs to meet the discounted savings. Anyway, they were still cleaning up our Toyota Tercel, and making me sign waiver after waiver, particularly pointing out that the cars were not allowed on gravel roads anywhere. Suddenly they wanted to know where we were going to be around Victoria. A car with unlimited miles, rented for 12 days, was I going to stay in town? Not likely.
         Photo Radar is used in British Columbia, and if you are captured on camera, while speeding behind everyone else, your ticket will come in the mail. The Rental Car folks had reminded us, that the renter, pays all speeding tickets. We just kept up with traffic, on the way to the Ferry from the Island to Vancouver City. Now, I might add, that the signs in BC tell a limited story of where, and when, to turn for ferry terminals, and other attractions. So many people have missed it, that they have a bigger sign, that tells you how far back the highway, you have to go, to make a U-turn, to try to get to the lineups that are only a few feet away, on the other side of that fence. I got it right, in under three attempts. I think those others were following me, because they found the way back too. The Cheaters!
         It is a 90 minute trip on the car carrying ferries, to the mainland. The decks are littered with half naked sun worshippers, often detracting from the scenery of the bays, and mountains, which were also, breath taking. After returning once to the car, to get a camera and binoculars, it nearly turned out to be the last time we saw that Tercel. The various decks and locations are marked, but when everyone leaves the cafeteria, weather decks, and lounge areas, things get very confusing. Seems, if we had found that one special staircase, we would have gotten one deck lower, than the one we walked, from end to end, looking for the lost Tercel. Thankfully, we got there in time to join in the staring, at those others, that hadn't been as lucky, and were beginning to hold up the timely exit of every other car.
         How do you pronounce Tsawwassen? What kind of a name is that for a white anglo-saxon tourist to repeat? Well, they had a McDonald's Restaurant, where the prices of the Full Meal Deal, were less than the cost of a pizza slice on the ferry, so we dined there. Now, this would be an excellent time to point out, that since our honeymoon, I knew better than to entrust my wife with a map. She has a lot of skills, and navigation is not one of them. I could see the City of Vancouver, just over there, in the distance, in the valley of that magnificent snow capped mountain. It turned out to be easier to follow the mountains, than the road map, and I have a better chance of viewing the map correctly, while speeding along at 100 Klicks, than she does.... We never actually saw, the city, but made a note of its location, and we would return there on the way back. 'Sides, everywhere I stopped to get a picture, I had to step over roadside garbage to get a good shot of what we are told, is the beauty of BC.
         Those alluring mountains just had to be reached, and we soon we reached heights, never encountered since the plane had landed. The sheer cliff faces, and summits were quite a reminder of the beauty of nature, and the unconquered peaks all around us. Everyone drives like a madman, and if Photo Radar was in place, I should get my first tickets in about 3 weeks. We stopped at scenic Look Offs, and rest areas, along the next unserviced 150 kilometre trail. Finally deciding that the furthest we would like to travel, was Kelowna, we branched from Highway 99, to the # 97C. I had a list of reasonable rate hotels, but surprisingly, if you didn't ask about specials, and corporate rates, they added another $60 to your bill. As the sun turned to shadows, in the valley, the reality of the time change began to set in. We stayed at the Big White Motor Lodge, in Kelowna, and a short trip to the Chinese Restaurant got us enough take-out food to have supper and breakfast too. Did you know, you can warm takeout on the top of a lamp? Like we cared. I called ahead, to let Pat know we were coming, having not seen her in 23 years, this could prove interesting. She booked us our next hotel in downtown Armstrong.
           Before we left our hotel, we had a morning dip in the pool, and we stopped to see Zellars, and Future Shop in Kelowna, before the Cybermind Cafe opened up, and we were able to pay $5 per half hour, to get our EMAIL from the Internet. The two finger typist, got her mail first, so I bought another half hour, to get my own EMAIL messages. It was already another sweltering hot day, and I expect, every day, is like that, if they don't get rain. I think the overly inflated prices on everything, was due to the "Sun Tax", obviously a price to pay for the nice climate.
           Ok, here's where things get interesting. Pat had agreed to meet me in town an take me out to her house. I knew we could find it easier ourselves. We passed the street where we were supposed to turn off, and got the scenic tour around the backside of the mountain, in a round-about way. Found her house, eventually, and called her from the driveway to ask her when she was coming to meet me. But we were right outside her door. She lives on the lower hill, at the foot of a mountain. Dave, her boyfriend, lives up the side of the mountain, with "No Trespassing" signs marking his privacy point. I never did meet him at that time, but hoped to, before I left. We met Pat's daughters, 16, 14, and 4, and had supper with her. She raises chickens, and makes a modest living selling her garden produce. She showed us the horses, Dave's horses, her favourite, and the other two, one being a huge Clydesdale looking beast, with a shyness for people. She had this huge white dog, kinda looking like a large cross between a Golden Retriever and a Great Dane. Supposed to be a type of sheepdog, it was a goofy, lovable monster, that had the usual dog aroma, and a cold nose, which she insisted on poking everywhere, and drooled. The funniest part, is that the dog liked to lay against your leg, sucking up, and put her entire weight there. If you moved, she instantly keeled over on her side, like she had been shot, and fell to the ground with a thud. Then she would lay there, til you stood still again, and repeat the process.
           Now with every tranquil setting, there is a side most tourists never see, and as we passed Otter Lake, we were informed that city sewer run off, still goes into the lake, and waste by-products of the Armstrong cheese plant. So they have these funny coloured huge Carp, that no one would consider catching, and whose colour was a painted example of what industrial waste does to the wildlife, and our environment. Patty, (She hates the name that she was called as a teen) hadn't changed too much. Still pretty and full of life, but longing to think of herself as "getting up there in years" even though no visible signs were showing.
           Now, after supper, we thought that we should check into this hotel. A little earlier, when we drove through Armstrong, I had seen one old PUB Hotel, the looked like an historical property. It didn't look like they had running water, and sure enough, that was the hotel she had in mind. It was cheap, but rather humorous. Thei rooms were already open, we were encouraged to go on up, and pick out our own room, the ones with, or without blinds. A bathroom adjoined only two of the rooms, and the rest used common bathrooms across the hall. We picked the room with the adjoining bathroom, that had its very own cast iron tub, and everything appeared very much like a Bed and Breakfast. The small room, had only one plug, and no table, so I took my laptop with me, to walk the town centre at 5:30AM, right after the 5AM train screamed through our bedroom. I had a chance to type my journal at the A&W down the road, while having Coffee, and just before that annoying beep turned into a scream, signalling the life of my laptop battery, had come to an end. I brought a coffee back for Grumpy and continued to type at the foot of the bed, closest to that solitary plug, mounted on the light switch 5 feet up the wall.
         We had one more little visit with Patty, because I forgot to get pictures the day before. After 23 years, there was still a little twinge there, for my former girlfriend. So, after missing the pixs, when she was dressed pretty, in a denim skirt at supper, I waited til the next morning as we were departing, to get the pictures of her and the girls. A fine sight, I am surprised she let me take them, in tattered clothes and covered in mud, out plucking the Pickling Cucumbers from the garden. The girls were helping, and in various arrays of dress. Sam (Samantha) was more worried about being showered before a photo shoot, but Angela still had her PJ's on, which had become muddy in the garden. Little Michaela was the smart one who hid her face from the menacing camera. I cleverly forgot to drop off the key to the hotel, which was in my pocket, and perhaps on the return trip, we would pass through again, and when I returned the keys, I would catch Patty and the girls, in a more photogenic state.
          Lake Louise. The highlight of the day. Not that the mountains weren't spectacular, all by themselves, but as we rose to above the 5000 foot mark, the never-ending heat, disappeared quickly. The air was cool, and there was a dark cloud quickly passing over the peak of the mountain. As other tourists donned their sweaters and guestimated the time we might expect rain, we quietly enjoyed some lunch. The wait was perfectly timed. Within minutes, we were pelted with heavy hail. While it was short-lived, it cooled, the already frigid air. By the time we ventured out for pictures, the other tourists were returning cold and wet, to their cars. Lake Louise gets an average of one night in three, of frost and snow, any time of the year. But what an awesome view. Glacier-like deposits of ice and snow, looming on the mountains rising straight up from the lake, known for its unusual green colour. Full of minerals or mountain deposits, probably the reason for the green colour, it was extremely cold water. As the chill became unbearable in shorts and T-shirt, I decided an hour at the lakeside was enough, and we headed off to Calgary, heater blazing.
            Now, we heard, from sources before we left, that there was going to be wildlife, everywhere along the Banff National Park. Well, except for those ground squirrel thingies, not much more. These small curious creatures resembling a long squirrel, were at a rest stop, occupying a small mound of grass, near the picnic tables. They were exceedingly curious, and if you could whistle, they would appear and disappear from either side of the mound, with only one, that remained throughout. Very photogenic, he insisted on facing every camera, sitting up on his hind legs, very much like begging for food. The others whistled at us, but he just remained frozen in position and we joined the others in wasting film on this big ham. We couldn't be sure, if those little dots of white, way up the mountain, were moving or not, but later, my wife caught a glimpse of a grayish-white animal, that was undoubtedly, a mountain goat. All I saw were the white metal signs, in the shape of the animal, warning of their crossing in the road. How do they get those goats to cross at the signs? Well, long into Alberta, we started to see big furry dear-like creatures, that I can only assume were the Elk, that were so frequently advertised. No bears, turtles, sasquoches, or other interesting stuff.. well, yet.
        Like every major city, there was a span of the highway, leading into Calgary, that had a hotel-motel, every 500 yards. Don't be mislead. While I barely cared how much, we were on a budget, which seemed to be set at around $200 a day. The name like Econo Hotel, and Budget Motel, were the most expensive on the block. After hearing one was $135 without a discount for corporate rate, nor specials of any kind, I said I would go to the next block, and look at 4 more, before I would jump at this great deal. They quickly added, they could give me a corporate rate of $95, but I was on my way out the door. Down the road, the next motel, didn't offer discounts either, but their regular price was $67, for a room with two king sized beds, and an exceptionally large room. It pays to check more than one. As the morning sun got hotter by the minute, Calgary looked like a day's worth of sightseeing and shopping.
        The Downtown area of Calgary, is a 10 minute visit, to see the whole city centre. Another half hour to find your way back to the highway through the one-way street mazes. Apple Auto Glass, where are you? There were 10 cars waiting at the light. 5 had badly cracked windshields and 2 had punctured "spiders" in front of the driver's face. Almost every second car had half a windshield left. And what is this "Love for the Left Lane"? Everyone drives the left lane on the highway, regardless of intent to pass.
        We called up Lori, who organized the reunion of "Lahrbrats" for those people who lived in Germany, as Military Dependents. We had just missed the reunion, two days before we flew out to Victoria, and Lori had been in contact through EMAIL since April. I had never met her, but she knew my sister. We met at a Hotel, and followed them home, where we talked over burgers and hospitality. Don and Lori were still in the never-ending party of the Reunion, and some had just left. People had come from as far away as Portugal, and we watched the video, and saw the pictures. What a bunch of old people! Three or four women, seemed to have forgotten time, looked too young, and had not aged externally like the rest. The men were all sporting haircuts like mine, I knew it would come into fashion, that "Eggshell Blonde" look. Well, we stayed a little too long, and had to get off to Edmonton. Unfortunately, the number two highway, is the straightest, flattest, most boring road we travelled this trip. Although, only another 2 hours to Edmonton, we decided to stay in Red Deer, because we were getting tired. We wanted to explore the Edmonton Mall in the morning, before I called my old buddy Joe, who should be at work anyway, during the day.
       Edmonton is a city worth seeing. After an inexpensive stay in Red Deer, we proceeded north to Edmonton, visiting Patty's mum briefly, before looking for Joe's place in the North East end. My wife absolutely insisted we have a room with a pool, but the 10 Hotels closest to Joe's place didn't have pools. Don't be fooled by the luxury hotels, we wound up in the Alberta Place Hotel, right downtown, with a pool on the 5th floor and a room that runs on forever, for about $55 plus tax, a day. We were planning to stay two to three days here before heading back. Full kitchen, with stove, fridge, microwave, coffee pot and coffee, can opener, kitchen sink, bathroom and walk in closet, right at the end of the long hallway in our bedroom, cable, morning papers..the works. Best hotel yet, and the best price since we left. We visited with Joe, and his wife Jean, and left about midnight. A morning dip in the pool, and then off to the West Edmonton Mall, which is a "must see" even if it is an overrated attraction. We decided to stay a third day here, before beginning the long route back through Jasper Park, the alternate route, to the one we came in on. I called home early in the morning, Alberta time, to check on the kids, and see if the house was intact. Everything was fine. As with Red Deer, it had rained overnight, a barely noticeable event from a hotel room, or heated car. We lived in shorts and T-shirts, and while my wife donned her sweater by times, I hadn't even bothered to bring anything with sleeves. It was only cool a few times, since Lake Louise, and with heavy plains winds, there was a nip in the air, along with blowing sand, I didn't know if that was unusual or not. We dropped in a coffee shop, something like a "Second Cup" in Edmonton, where they had steins of flavored malted coffee, and leather sofa's and easy chairs. Very nice for a cafe, just off of Stoney Plain Road. One curious question: Why is there a Saskatchewan River in Edmonton?
       Well, even after we finally decided we might stay another day in Edmonton, we couldn't get the room another day. So the decision was made for us. We spent about $45 getting the three rolls of film developed at the West Edmonton Mall. This Mall goes on forever. Another hour spent just looking for the store that had our film. the Roller Coasters with full amusement park, dolphins and other aquatic show, and the miles of specialty shops and department stores. About three food courts with 20-30
vendors. Full restaurants, and more. It was raining all day, so a good time to spend indoors, and finally, when we left, we lost our hotel..again! Ten trips around the block where we knew that it was located, just off Jasper and between 101 Street, or Avenue..it was so confusing with Avenues running east-west, Streets North South, and sometimes 100 Ave would cross 100 Street, and not being able to see larger buildings, like Hudson Bay, across the road, because of fog. Well, suffice to say, when we visited Joe, it was about 4 hours later than we had expected, around 10 PM. I called his wife Jean, every name that started with a "J", at first thinking she was Joan, instead of Jean, then being bad enough to call her Judy (Her sister's name) then Joanne, and finally I bid goodbye to Joe, and his wife Janice. The morning we departed, I had to sleep in. The usual 5-5:30 AM waking, was distorted by the late hours we kept, and the darkness of the room, with drapes drawn tight. It was 7:30 AM when I woke up, and that changed some of the preparations I had planned to make before leaving. And off we went to Jasper.
       Another interesting day, was on the way through Jasper Park. When people say there is wildlife there, they don't mean Jasper Park, they mean the town of Jasper. All the Elk were right in town, sleeping and bucking across the roadways, and by the time we had gotten into town, there were three large "Bucks" and a half dozen "Doe" and "Offspring". We saw another 50 right in town, and 10 Mountain Goats. So we bought more film for the park, and never saw another animal after that. As a matter of fact, Ms. Navigator, wanted to get a picture of that RCMP officer that gave me the speeding ticket. A hefty $113, just a dollar a kilometre, I guess, but I should have only had to pay $ 23 as the posted speed limit was 90 Kms. Well, I just don't want it to affect my license points in Nova Scotia. By the time the Photo Radar ones get mailed out, I will be walking again.
       Then we headed back to Armstrong to see Patty, and this time, finally met Dave, as they go to the pub on Saturday Nights, and we arrived to stay another night. We already had the room key, but we called ahead to make sure we had a room. A three piece band was playing, and we had about two danceable waltz songs, so, to be on the safe side, I took my wife for the first, and Patty on the second, but she didn't like dancing with me with my wife sitting there, I guess, so she quickly returned to her seat. After giving her pictures of ourselves at Lake Louise, and her Mum, and Niece that we visited in Edmonton, and collecting more, we headed out. I have a Step-sister I never met, in Nelson, so we took the scenic route along the #6 Highway out of Vernon. It drives the narrowest, scariest, but most scenic along the way. Complete with a Ferry crossing and a dozen small communities on the highway. We stayed too long in Nelson, and I should have gotten a hotel there, but instead we decided to find something before Cranbrook, where we were going to visit Delores and John, more friends from Germany. There were no gas pumps open, and after seeing empty in the next town, I decided that I was going to have to get a hotel room there, because we couldn't go further, til we got gas. We did see some type of wildcat sitting in the rocks on the edge of the road, but by the time we turned around and fiddled with the flash on the camera, it was gone. Half a mile further, what we believe was a large fox, or more likely a Coyote, and before the big cougars come out, we stayed at the Reno Motel. Last room in town, lucky break. With reasonable rates, the rooms are all pine boards, furnishings and all, made I suspect, but Rob, the owner. He and his wife are running the place and really did a nice job of the rooms. Light housekeeping fridge, with coffee pots and sink, and all, in two rooms. We can either push those twin beds together, or share one. Not that I had anyone to call, but there wasn't a phone. Big deal, I could have used my Cell phone if I really needed to wake someone at 10 PM, or maybe it was 11PM, there was another time change somewhere here in the middle of the lake, and I think we could have been on Mountain time. I wasn't resetting my watch, its not a big deal what time it is, if the gas pumps and hotels are closed anyway. And Rob talked about leaving car alarms off (Like we had one) because a big 250 lb cougar comes in to lay on the warm cars at night, like any housecat. Well, I think he slept on my hood overnight, because I have these *little* paw prints, you know, the dents that are too small to push out, but big enough to notice. And the Rental Office is going to love us anyway. The 21000 Km checkup was due on the car as we drove through Nelson, and we still had 3000 to go, in return.
        From the time we left Salmo, and headed to Cranbrook, there were less Elk, or any other wildlife, except deer. We saw several light coloured doe, and fawns, almost a lighter shade of a red fox. We stopped to feed the Ground Squirrels again, on the top of mountain heading to Cranbrook. Along the way, in Creston, we saw two large turtles dead on the shoulder of the road. I stopped, and found as many as nine large skeletal remains of the poor creatures who didn't get enough run-on, to make it safely across the road. I felt they should have had a sign, indicating that it was a turtle crossing, as it was a travesty to see so many, in a 20 foot path, crippled and crushed by speeding motorists. There was a murky green pond on either side of the road, between farms, and these hapless creatures were being ignored in the Wildlife Conservation plans of the BC region. I was still intent to write BC Wildlife, and ask them to put up a warning sign to save at least a few, by drawing the tourists attention to the problem. Delores and John were not home in Cranbrook, and we waited as long as we could, before leaving for Montana.
        Now, I glanced at the Rental Agreement, none of which I was aware of, when I booked this unlimited car, but we were not supposed to be leaving BC without written permission. Thinking I wouldn't get a chance to do this again, we left for Montana, where rumour had it, there were no speed limits. More steep grades, up and down the mountains, and it turns out there is a speed limit. It is "Prudent" during the day, adjusting to weather conditions, and then limited at night to 55 MPH. Also, Montana is known for Clan activity, and as one motel owner told us, we were OK, because we were white, but my wife pointed out, that I wasn't aware I was white, and I thought about changing my Bob Marley T-shirt, in case someone with a gun rack, and a space in their front teeth, decided to play "Dueling Banjos". It was pretty country, but I have no use for the Clue-Clue Clueless, nor bigots of any kind, so we stayed in Idaho. The drive through the north of Montana took all of an hour and a half, and that included coaxing deer up closer to our cameras. We saw spectacular rainbows over the mountains, and hopefully, the pictures will reflect the true beauty of double arcs of colors over the mountains.
        Now, Americans, unlike Canadians, must not be regulated by the same hotel-motel standards as we have. Except for the International Chains, like Best Western, or Sandman, the hotel we picked would never have made it through Government standards. With rough plywood shelving and semi-exposed wiring and crooked wood paneling, it was the second last room available in town. I might not have gotten a room, the others were filled up, but I saw the other two cars pulling into the parking lot, and I reached the counter first. Everyone except us, had left around 6AM, probably because the rooms weren't worth staying in, any longer. We knew we would be spending a second night stateside, before heading up to Vancouver again, and we weren't in as big a rush. So we had breakfast out of our room, with salads and snacks packed and prepared for the rest of the day. We didn't want to drive more than 5 hours in a day, and for the most part, we didn't, unless the evening location had little to offer, then we would go to the next town or so. If we weren't flying back, some of the produce was cheap, and although I expected Potatoes to be the inexpensive item, so was Tomatoes, Watermelon, and other garden veggies and stuff. My guide said she wasn't even aware that Idaho was known for potatoes, but I asked her to look up the Potato capital, Boise, Idaho. It was easy to locate, being the only city showing on our map at all, right in the Centre of Idaho. We were 600 miles north of it. Guess you could imagine, its mostly farm land, and not big on towns.
        What do you picture when you think of Washington State? It started like a desert, with tundra like surroundings, numerous small sand mounds, like molehills along the otherwise plain-like farmland. Idaho is the potato capital, but farming was even more prevalent in Washington State. We were surprised to see tornados forming along the farmland, all along the highway. Some were a good size, but we lost count after a dozen or more that we noticed. It seems that Montana had this "No Speed Limit" rumour, but Washington had a speed limit. 70 MPH, with average speeds at 85 MPH. Really good highways, often 3 lanes each way, sometimes 5 lanes near town entrances. Spokane fooled us, by being a very big city, with 7 or 8 lanes travelling through, and taking nearly an hour to drive out of town. In between Idaho to Spokane were plains, and Spokane to Seattle, there was mountain ranges again. They have very nice Rest Areas, with sheltered picnic tables, and facilities. The community groups set up tables to offer free coffee, cookies and juice. After more than 5 hours of high speed driving, between Spokane and Seattle, every 3rd rest stop should be considered. Temperatures are extreme along the plains, reaching 98 Deg F. and with both windows open on the car, the heat seemed unbearable. Within minutes, after sighting the mountains, and beginning to enter the mountain pass, temperatures dropped nearly 20 degrees in the valleys and shade of the cliffs and trees.
        While expecting to stay in Seattle, and take the ferry across to Victoria, we found traffic, even as late as 6PM was bumper-to-bumper, taking us an hour to find and price the ferry crossing. It would only go to Victoria at 1PM, for a four and a half hour crossing, costing $110 Canadian, including the car and two adults. The crossing in Vancouver was 90 minutes and $48. It was about a two hour drive to Vancouver, so it wasn't very cost effective to travel back to Canada by Ferry. We drove North, out of town, to get as close to the border as possible, giving us just highway, and a few hours drive, to Vancouver. We wanted to get to the Island quickly, as it was Dave's birthday on the 20th, and sleeping beauty was having her birthday on the 21st. If we all got together, we could celebrate them both, and relax for the last two days of our vacation. So, we were off speeding along to get to the Island on time, with Mount St. Helen's looming off in the distance, beyond the City of Seattle (Sure hope the picture comes out).
        Going across the border, the Customs girl was surprised when I told her that we had come through Montana, Idaho, and Washington, so she would know we had been there 48 hours. She said "you did all that in 48 hours?". Yea, it wasn't even a really long drive, except from Spokane to Seattle. Anyway, back across the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria, and I called to wish David a Happy Birthday, and let him know I was in town. We decided to stay a few blocks up from downtown, right on Douglas Street, and took a jaunt over to the Senior Ranks Mess on the Naval Base Esquimalt. My travelling companion had become ill, for unknown reasons, and spent the evening talking to "Ralph" on the porcelain telephone. I went out alone to meet with David, his friends, and sister Candy. They had a little pub on the other side of the island, where Dave was a regular, and ironically, while standing at the bar, I met a guy who knew exactly where to locate "Misty", another computer club friend. She became a sailorette last year, and is in Esquimalt on course. We had lost touch with a former neighbour, and friend, who's kids had almost become part of our family. Early the next morning, I headed out for the base before my sleeping companion opened her eyes. You see, that was her birthday, and I think her eyes are going too dim to have seen me slipping out, even if they were open. Actually, she did get up early this time, ironically, and I was out tracking down her old friend. It took some doing, but I found Dee, and called her at work, asking her to wake up the birthday girl, before I got back to the room. We spent an hour in the pool, got our laundry done at the same time, and unfortunately, set out for another busy day, of trying to visit, see town, and enjoy the last day of our vacation and hotel, before we had to leave for the airport again. Dee and the kids came to our room, and we spent a few hours with them chatting about changes in our lives over the last 7 years or so. We picked up Misty, and brought her over to our hotel for a night swim in the pool before it closed. Then off to see David at Smuggler's Cove Pub, before calling it a night. His brother Peter was on the same flight with us, and we met him and his wife Rita, the night before the flight. Oh, and we took the rental through the car wash to try to make it look better, in spite of the high mileage. I actually got "Windex" to clean up the interior, and of course we had to fill the tank with gas.
 

(The long and the short of it?  We had a great time, spent all our kid's inheritance, and owe Visa our first born)