Day 9
Kilometers travelled; just a few, out and about the city
After a long day of travel we were all excited to wake up to a beautiful sunny morning in our Westerly destination, Vancouver. Nate was the first to wake up, shortly followed by his brother who was eager to get up and see everything there was to see in Vancouver!
After breakfast my Aunt Wendy offered to take the boys on a quick walk to a park behind her house for a little while so that Ken and I could have some down time. That may have been the best offer we'd had in days! The four of us have spent some serious quality time together over the last nine days and it was nice to have a little break. When Aunt Wendy and the boys returned home we headed out to begin our adventure of the day. Wendy was an excellent tour guide and suggested that we start in Stanley Park at Prospect Point. We all loved looking out over the ocean and the city. Will was so excited each time he saw a new ship entering the Harbour. On our way back up we noticed a gift shop, Will has been on the quest for the perfect souvenir so we stopped in. Nate made his choice very quickly while Will wondered and pondered. After quite a while he could not make a decision so we left. This was disastrous, Will was beside himself because Nate had gotten something and he hadn't. It was at this point we realized just how exhausted our little guy was. We had some lunch and a little rest before carrying on.
Our next stop was third beach. The boys timidly (at first) put their feet in the ocean. It wasn't long before they were changing into their bathing suits and throwing themselves into the waves. It also was low tide, we spent some time discovering tide pools and climbing on the slippery rocks that are usually beneath the oceans surface. Here was the stop of disaster number two of the day. Will slipped, did a full belly flop on tot he rocks and cut his hand on a number of barnacles. That was the end of our beach adventure. Will now felt that the beach was mean, so we had to move on. At the end of the day, after some time had passed, he managed to forgive the beach and remember the fun times he had there.
The grand finale of our afternoon was Granville island. All day I was falling more and more in love with this city, this market certainly helped to deepen that connection. All the colour and life was infectious. Fresh seafood and produce, brightly coloured flowers and artisans for as far as the eye could see. This place is a foodies dream! Wendy picked up a fresh salmon for dinner while the boys watched a street magician (they ended up becoming the starts of the show!) and ate gelatto. On the short drive back to Wendy's the boys immediately fell asleep. They slept until it was time for our delicious, freshly caught dinner. Then we headed out to Deep Cove for a concert int he park. Deep Cove sealed my loved for this province. It's a hidden gem of steeply soaring cliffs around a lovely cove with homes built up on the cliffs. There was a real feeling of community there. You could tell everyone who loved there, loved it and didn't take it for granted. Finally, after an action packed day, it was time for bed.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
The Looooooooooooooooooooong Day
Day 8
Kilometers travelled; 1000
Well, let me tell you, it is a very long way from Calgary to Vancouver! We got up very early and all the usual packing up chaos ensued. We said good bye to Lisa, Don and Dana, we were all a little sad as we had had a great visit with them and Nate was not at all happy about leaving the puppies behind, then we piled back in the car to begin our marathon day. Just as we were on the outskirts of Calgary we realized that the DVD player was no longer working. Part of me was panicked, the other part thought, the boys have been great travellers so far and I thought we would be fine. We were, until the end of the day! There were many incredible things to see out the window which kept the boys and Ken and I very entertained. The Rocky Mountains are an exceptionally stunning place. The turquoise mountain lakes and fresh glacier streams flowing down the mountain certainly make one understand why so many Canadians migrate to this part of the country. However, I have to say that after many hours in the Mountains I began to get claustrophobic. I am a girl who needs big water. I need to stand at the edge of a lapping lake and see nothing but blue to the horizon. I was actually beginning to feel a bit trapped by all these rocky monsters, luckily, at about this point the beautiful Shuswab appeared just out side my window which lifted my spirits. Although there were many amazing sights out side the window, I can say that this was not the best day of our trip. The boys were exceptionally good considering they mostly entertained themselves aside from marathon games of I Spy. Ken and I were very thankful for the Satalite radio kids channel so there was also lots of singing of silly songs, however, none of us were at our best. My lowest point came at the last spike. We had stopped to let the boys blow off some steam and to see a major Canadian land mark. Nate was not at all ready to get in the car at the end of our time there, I had to pick him up and he punched and kicked at me the entire way to the car. Good times! By the time we arrived at Kamloops we were all feeling fried so we stopped for dinner and a quick trip to Canadian Tire to replace the DVD player. After dinner and a very frustrating DVD installation we were back on the road. They boys were watching a movie and Ken and I put on a little Jack Johnson and waited for his music to work it's soothing magic. It did and we had a very peaceful trip all the way to the out side of Vancouver where we hit completely stopped traffic. Of course, we are finally near enough to our destination to see it on the GPS but we are stopped on the high way. I called my Aunt Wendy to let her know that we would be late. After a 20 minute delay we were on our way and arrived about half an hour later. After a very quick visit with my Aunt and cousin Trevor we were all sound asleep. We need our rest for the days to come.
Last Day in Calgary
Day 7
Kilometers travelled; Just a handful
Today was our last day in Calgary and we had a surprise in store for our train lover. He has marvelled at every single train that we have travelled along side so far on this journey so we thought he might enjoy an actual ride. We got up early and headed to Calgary's Heritage Park. It's a really neat look back in time at how Calgary would have looked in the early 1900s. This Park also happens to have a functioning steam train that takes passengers on a little voyage around the park. As we arrived, everything was just beginning to open so we poked around a number of different places discussing how times have changed. No matter what we looked at Will wanted to know about the train, "When does the train leave?", "Are we going to be late for the train?" , "I just want to know that I am going to get to ride the train at some point!" Finally the first departure time arrived and we headed to the train. This five year old could not contain himself. He was practically vibrating. Particularly, because this train looked an awful lot like the Polar Express and the conductor who was collecting tickets also happened to look a lot like the Polar Express Conductor. We boarded the train and went right back to the very last car. Will absorbed everything about that train. All the stations we went through, the tracks we were on, the conductor who came back to talk to us, I think he took about one million pictures! Finally, the ride was over, Will waited and waited at the edge of the grass to watch the train leave the station again so that he could take a video of it. He has since watched that video on his little camera many, many times. The focus now switched to Nate and his quest to go on a horse drawn wagon ride. We first stopped at the bakery to have a fantastic cinnamon bun (which became our lunch!) and then headed to the spot where the wagon rides depart from. We had just missed a ride so we walked over to the black smith shop where a very kind blacksmith made a ring for each boy out of a nail while they stood and watched. They had a million questions about "why the metal was red?" and "how he could bend it like that?" and "will it still be hot when he gives it to me?" As we left the Blacksmith's shop, we saw a very jovial looking gentleman heading into the stable. He talked to Will and Nate and asked where we were from. He then brought one of the huge Clydesdales to the gate so that we could pat his nose. Nate just stood and stared, I don't think he could believe he was really standing at the foot of this beautiful horse. The man was getting these two horses (Brad and Andy) ready for the next wagon ride and he was going to be our interpreter. He showed how to put on all the tack and how to hitch the team together. We finally dragged Nate away to go to the pick up spot. The driver took us on a very entertaining ride and Nate chatted away with him for quite a bit of the trip. When the ride was over Will and Nate bid a sad farewell to Brad and Andy and we left the park to begin the visiting portion of our day.
My cousins Gord and Erica both live in Calgary. We had had the opportunity to see Gord and his two boys the night before and now it was time to see Erica and her new baby Charlie. It has been a while since the boys have been around a really new baby so I wasn't sure how they would respond, they were great. Nate kept commenting on how every thing about Charlie was so teeny. He said, "Mommy, his feet are so teeny, his toes are so teeny, his head is so teeny!" It was a great visit and then we were off for dinner with Ken's Aunt Peggy, Uncle Tom and his cousins Warren and Alex. We went for a great walk along the Bow River in a park that is behind their home. Nate was complaining that his "body was soooooooooo hot!" so we dipped our toes in the river, however, Nate did a little more than dip. Will spotted a chip bag floating down the river. He exclaimed, "Mom, there's something bad int he river" he tried to get it but the current took it by him to quickly. Nate saw the bag and jumped right into get it. The Boate boys, cleaning the Bow, one chip bag at a time! After a lovely visit and dinner it was back to Lisa and Don's for one last sleep in Calgary. Tomorrow, watch out Vancouver, here we come!
Kilometers travelled; Just a handful
Today was our last day in Calgary and we had a surprise in store for our train lover. He has marvelled at every single train that we have travelled along side so far on this journey so we thought he might enjoy an actual ride. We got up early and headed to Calgary's Heritage Park. It's a really neat look back in time at how Calgary would have looked in the early 1900s. This Park also happens to have a functioning steam train that takes passengers on a little voyage around the park. As we arrived, everything was just beginning to open so we poked around a number of different places discussing how times have changed. No matter what we looked at Will wanted to know about the train, "When does the train leave?", "Are we going to be late for the train?" , "I just want to know that I am going to get to ride the train at some point!" Finally the first departure time arrived and we headed to the train. This five year old could not contain himself. He was practically vibrating. Particularly, because this train looked an awful lot like the Polar Express and the conductor who was collecting tickets also happened to look a lot like the Polar Express Conductor. We boarded the train and went right back to the very last car. Will absorbed everything about that train. All the stations we went through, the tracks we were on, the conductor who came back to talk to us, I think he took about one million pictures! Finally, the ride was over, Will waited and waited at the edge of the grass to watch the train leave the station again so that he could take a video of it. He has since watched that video on his little camera many, many times. The focus now switched to Nate and his quest to go on a horse drawn wagon ride. We first stopped at the bakery to have a fantastic cinnamon bun (which became our lunch!) and then headed to the spot where the wagon rides depart from. We had just missed a ride so we walked over to the black smith shop where a very kind blacksmith made a ring for each boy out of a nail while they stood and watched. They had a million questions about "why the metal was red?" and "how he could bend it like that?" and "will it still be hot when he gives it to me?" As we left the Blacksmith's shop, we saw a very jovial looking gentleman heading into the stable. He talked to Will and Nate and asked where we were from. He then brought one of the huge Clydesdales to the gate so that we could pat his nose. Nate just stood and stared, I don't think he could believe he was really standing at the foot of this beautiful horse. The man was getting these two horses (Brad and Andy) ready for the next wagon ride and he was going to be our interpreter. He showed how to put on all the tack and how to hitch the team together. We finally dragged Nate away to go to the pick up spot. The driver took us on a very entertaining ride and Nate chatted away with him for quite a bit of the trip. When the ride was over Will and Nate bid a sad farewell to Brad and Andy and we left the park to begin the visiting portion of our day.
My cousins Gord and Erica both live in Calgary. We had had the opportunity to see Gord and his two boys the night before and now it was time to see Erica and her new baby Charlie. It has been a while since the boys have been around a really new baby so I wasn't sure how they would respond, they were great. Nate kept commenting on how every thing about Charlie was so teeny. He said, "Mommy, his feet are so teeny, his toes are so teeny, his head is so teeny!" It was a great visit and then we were off for dinner with Ken's Aunt Peggy, Uncle Tom and his cousins Warren and Alex. We went for a great walk along the Bow River in a park that is behind their home. Nate was complaining that his "body was soooooooooo hot!" so we dipped our toes in the river, however, Nate did a little more than dip. Will spotted a chip bag floating down the river. He exclaimed, "Mom, there's something bad int he river" he tried to get it but the current took it by him to quickly. Nate saw the bag and jumped right into get it. The Boate boys, cleaning the Bow, one chip bag at a time! After a lovely visit and dinner it was back to Lisa and Don's for one last sleep in Calgary. Tomorrow, watch out Vancouver, here we come!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Dino Day
Day 6
Kilometers travelled: 300
Toady was a BIG day for the Boate team and I do mean BIG. Today was Dino day. We bundled two very excited boys into the car and headed to Drumheller. I do remember the Badlands being one of my favourite spots on my teenage cross Canada trip and they did not disappoint. The deep ruts and multi coloured soil are an impressive site. As we got closer to Drumheller the boys were looking for dinosaurs at every turn. Their excitement was palpable and infectious. I could almost see the huge lizards lumbering through the rugged terrain. As we approached the museum they could no longer contain themselves. Nate practically sprinted to the door, except when he was distracted by the model triceratops family along the path, "Mommy there are baby dinosaurs!" he cried was stood starring at the collection.
The moment arrived, we paid for our tickets and headed into the galleries. Nate was not prepared for what awaited him. The eerie lighting and life size models made him very unsure. Will immediately stated looking at everything in the display and asking a thousand questions but Nate was paralyzed. These dinos were more than he had bargained for. Ken picked him up and assured him that he was only looking at models and that he was safe, I'm not sure that Nate bought it. Luckily, the next section of the museum was very interactive with no giant lizards in sight. There were exhibits about the beginning of time and evolution, although they were not scary they also were not terribly exciting for a three and five year old! We moved on to the big hall that holds black beauty, the T-Rex. Again, Will couldn't see enough and was constantly moving from display to display wanting to know everything about the bones. Nate however, hovered at the door. I went over to him, "Do you want to hold me hand?" I asked, Nate replied with, "Will he eat me?" I assured him that he would not be food for the T-Rex that day but he wasn't buying it. "But Mommy, will he eat me?" At this point, I took the scientific route and explained that they were only bones and that dinosaurs have not lived on this planet for millions of years. Only then did Nate believe that what he was looking at was a pre-historic fossil. From that point on Nate was unstoppable. He was curious, adventurous and was constantly saying, "Mommy, follow me" or "William, you have got to see this!" We entered the pass port through time which took us from the Cambrian era to the ice age. Turns out, Will's favourite part of the whole day was walking through the iridescent blue tube that represented Earth before there was life! Next came this amazing room simulated to look like the underwater Cambrian sea. There was a Plexiglas floor with replicas of ancient creatures. Will took a photo with each step he took. His five year old eyes thought that this was the best thing they had ever seen. We completed our journey through time, had lunch and then hiked through the bad lands. On our way back to the museum Ken and I were walking behind the boys. The boys were climbing up a red rocky hill and there was a massive expanse of blue sky beyond the hill. We were surrounded by ancient volcanic ash deposits and land forms. I stopped and thought, life may never be this good again. We are in this stunning place with two little boys who are inhaling every last drop of experience.
We had signed the boys up for a 'Dino Discovery Hour'. This consisted of an hour with a museum teacher who thought lots of things I didn't even know. They also got to make Paleontologist visors and do a little archaeological dig (which was very 'Dig It' for any HCCers who may be reading this blog!) Will and Nate dove into each and every activity and Nate had an answer for every question the teacher asked. He also didn't buy all her 'facts' but with a little convincing he finally understood that dinosaurs only live on land. They do not swim or fly. When the program was over we ushered two exhausted but very happy little boys back to the car. As we were leaving Will said, "when I'm 18 or 19 I can come back and work here!" He hasn't taken off his paleontologist visor since and he fell asleep with his new dinosaur and dinosaur book in his hand!
When we arrived back at Lisa and Don's house, Lisa had arranged and family dinner so that I could visit with my cousin Gord and his two boys along with my Godparent's other son, Tom and his family. It had been many years since I had seen most of these people and it was so good to see them.
I can now admit that I was very apprehensive about how this trip would go but I wouldn't change it for anything. The brilliant thing about travelling with a 3 and 5 year old is that there is no,"Mom, I'm bored". They are interested and enthusiastic about everything. Tomorrow is our last day in Calgary. We have a big surprise in store for our big train lover!
Kilometers travelled: 300
Toady was a BIG day for the Boate team and I do mean BIG. Today was Dino day. We bundled two very excited boys into the car and headed to Drumheller. I do remember the Badlands being one of my favourite spots on my teenage cross Canada trip and they did not disappoint. The deep ruts and multi coloured soil are an impressive site. As we got closer to Drumheller the boys were looking for dinosaurs at every turn. Their excitement was palpable and infectious. I could almost see the huge lizards lumbering through the rugged terrain. As we approached the museum they could no longer contain themselves. Nate practically sprinted to the door, except when he was distracted by the model triceratops family along the path, "Mommy there are baby dinosaurs!" he cried was stood starring at the collection.
The moment arrived, we paid for our tickets and headed into the galleries. Nate was not prepared for what awaited him. The eerie lighting and life size models made him very unsure. Will immediately stated looking at everything in the display and asking a thousand questions but Nate was paralyzed. These dinos were more than he had bargained for. Ken picked him up and assured him that he was only looking at models and that he was safe, I'm not sure that Nate bought it. Luckily, the next section of the museum was very interactive with no giant lizards in sight. There were exhibits about the beginning of time and evolution, although they were not scary they also were not terribly exciting for a three and five year old! We moved on to the big hall that holds black beauty, the T-Rex. Again, Will couldn't see enough and was constantly moving from display to display wanting to know everything about the bones. Nate however, hovered at the door. I went over to him, "Do you want to hold me hand?" I asked, Nate replied with, "Will he eat me?" I assured him that he would not be food for the T-Rex that day but he wasn't buying it. "But Mommy, will he eat me?" At this point, I took the scientific route and explained that they were only bones and that dinosaurs have not lived on this planet for millions of years. Only then did Nate believe that what he was looking at was a pre-historic fossil. From that point on Nate was unstoppable. He was curious, adventurous and was constantly saying, "Mommy, follow me" or "William, you have got to see this!" We entered the pass port through time which took us from the Cambrian era to the ice age. Turns out, Will's favourite part of the whole day was walking through the iridescent blue tube that represented Earth before there was life! Next came this amazing room simulated to look like the underwater Cambrian sea. There was a Plexiglas floor with replicas of ancient creatures. Will took a photo with each step he took. His five year old eyes thought that this was the best thing they had ever seen. We completed our journey through time, had lunch and then hiked through the bad lands. On our way back to the museum Ken and I were walking behind the boys. The boys were climbing up a red rocky hill and there was a massive expanse of blue sky beyond the hill. We were surrounded by ancient volcanic ash deposits and land forms. I stopped and thought, life may never be this good again. We are in this stunning place with two little boys who are inhaling every last drop of experience.
We had signed the boys up for a 'Dino Discovery Hour'. This consisted of an hour with a museum teacher who thought lots of things I didn't even know. They also got to make Paleontologist visors and do a little archaeological dig (which was very 'Dig It' for any HCCers who may be reading this blog!) Will and Nate dove into each and every activity and Nate had an answer for every question the teacher asked. He also didn't buy all her 'facts' but with a little convincing he finally understood that dinosaurs only live on land. They do not swim or fly. When the program was over we ushered two exhausted but very happy little boys back to the car. As we were leaving Will said, "when I'm 18 or 19 I can come back and work here!" He hasn't taken off his paleontologist visor since and he fell asleep with his new dinosaur and dinosaur book in his hand!
When we arrived back at Lisa and Don's house, Lisa had arranged and family dinner so that I could visit with my cousin Gord and his two boys along with my Godparent's other son, Tom and his family. It had been many years since I had seen most of these people and it was so good to see them.
I can now admit that I was very apprehensive about how this trip would go but I wouldn't change it for anything. The brilliant thing about travelling with a 3 and 5 year old is that there is no,"Mom, I'm bored". They are interested and enthusiastic about everything. Tomorrow is our last day in Calgary. We have a big surprise in store for our big train lover!
What a Difference a Day Makes!
Day 5
Kilometers Traveled; 250
Every Canadian or human being for that fact must do this trip. We live in an unmitigated, undeniable, full blown miracle. Today’s adventure took as to Banff National Park, the contrasts from yesterday’s geography is unbelievable until you see it your self. Yesterday was flat for ever, today mountains. As we drove into the range Will and Nate were very quiet in the back seat. I said, “Did you think the mountains were going to be this big?” A very contemplative “no” issued from the back seat. As we drove deeper into the range the peaks got higher and higher, some with snow still dusting their peeks some jagged and rugged. Suddenly, I felt tears rolling down my cheeks because there is just something indescribable about being surrounded by millions of year old rock.
We headed straight for Sulphur Mountain bought our tickets for the cable car and we headed up the mountain. Will and Nate thought the cable car was pretty cool. They couldn’t believe we were traveling over the trees. They also loved watching the other cable cars passing us as they traveled back down the mountain. We arrived at the summit and took in the bird’s eye view of the Beau River valley. The river was the most beautiful shade of turquoise as it winded its way through the mountains and around the Banff Springs Hotel. Then Nate was ready to go. To board walk with hundreds of stairs takes you across the summit over a second summit. Nate was undaunted he was determined to, “use all his energy to get to the very tipity top!” He literally ran most of the way across the board walk and up the hundreds of stairs. There were plenty of adults huffing and puffing their way up but not Nate, he was unstoppable. Will, on the other hand, complained that his legs hut up every single stair. One he reached the top he thought the experience was pretty great and when I asked him what his favourite thing about the day was, he replied with, “everything”; luckily the complaining didn’t taint his enthusiasm for the day! After exploring every rock and looking out from every angle we headed back to the cable cars. At this point Nate had used up all his breakfast fuel. Nate on an empty tank is not a pretty picture, all the way back to the car Nate moaned, “Mommy, my tummy is empty, there is nothing in there, it is sooooooooooo empty. I’m so hungry.” We headed quickly back into Banff to find a restaurant with a great patio and cold beer. We found the perfect placed and settled in for a great lunch with mountain view in the back ground. Will and Nate immediately started talking to the other customers around us. It has been very interesting watching my children charm their way across the country. The start every conversation with, “We are going to Vancouver” which leads into a conversation about our family adventure. People have been so interested in what we are doing. The boys make everyone they meet into their new best friends.
After lunch we headed back to Calgary to Canada Olympic Park. We drove all the way to the top of the Bobsleigh run. It really is impressive to think that sleds hurtle down that track at speeds of 120ks/hr. Back at the bottom of the park the boys hiked to the top of the training run and ran all the way back down. The day ended with another lovely dinner with Lisa and Don. Tomorrow is Dinosaur Day; needless to say the excitement level is high!
Kilometers Traveled; 250
Every Canadian or human being for that fact must do this trip. We live in an unmitigated, undeniable, full blown miracle. Today’s adventure took as to Banff National Park, the contrasts from yesterday’s geography is unbelievable until you see it your self. Yesterday was flat for ever, today mountains. As we drove into the range Will and Nate were very quiet in the back seat. I said, “Did you think the mountains were going to be this big?” A very contemplative “no” issued from the back seat. As we drove deeper into the range the peaks got higher and higher, some with snow still dusting their peeks some jagged and rugged. Suddenly, I felt tears rolling down my cheeks because there is just something indescribable about being surrounded by millions of year old rock.
We headed straight for Sulphur Mountain bought our tickets for the cable car and we headed up the mountain. Will and Nate thought the cable car was pretty cool. They couldn’t believe we were traveling over the trees. They also loved watching the other cable cars passing us as they traveled back down the mountain. We arrived at the summit and took in the bird’s eye view of the Beau River valley. The river was the most beautiful shade of turquoise as it winded its way through the mountains and around the Banff Springs Hotel. Then Nate was ready to go. To board walk with hundreds of stairs takes you across the summit over a second summit. Nate was undaunted he was determined to, “use all his energy to get to the very tipity top!” He literally ran most of the way across the board walk and up the hundreds of stairs. There were plenty of adults huffing and puffing their way up but not Nate, he was unstoppable. Will, on the other hand, complained that his legs hut up every single stair. One he reached the top he thought the experience was pretty great and when I asked him what his favourite thing about the day was, he replied with, “everything”; luckily the complaining didn’t taint his enthusiasm for the day! After exploring every rock and looking out from every angle we headed back to the cable cars. At this point Nate had used up all his breakfast fuel. Nate on an empty tank is not a pretty picture, all the way back to the car Nate moaned, “Mommy, my tummy is empty, there is nothing in there, it is sooooooooooo empty. I’m so hungry.” We headed quickly back into Banff to find a restaurant with a great patio and cold beer. We found the perfect placed and settled in for a great lunch with mountain view in the back ground. Will and Nate immediately started talking to the other customers around us. It has been very interesting watching my children charm their way across the country. The start every conversation with, “We are going to Vancouver” which leads into a conversation about our family adventure. People have been so interested in what we are doing. The boys make everyone they meet into their new best friends.
After lunch we headed back to Calgary to Canada Olympic Park. We drove all the way to the top of the Bobsleigh run. It really is impressive to think that sleds hurtle down that track at speeds of 120ks/hr. Back at the bottom of the park the boys hiked to the top of the training run and ran all the way back down. The day ended with another lovely dinner with Lisa and Don. Tomorrow is Dinosaur Day; needless to say the excitement level is high!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Three May Not Always be a Charm!
Day Four
Regina to Calgary
Kilometers Travelled; 750
So, I learned a few things today, two small boys plus 3, 10 hour driving days, equals trouble and GORP can become lava! Our day started out like the last two, big blue skys, perfect driving conditions. The difference today was the manic energy level of Will and Nate. I will preface all this by saying that for two small people they have been doing remarkable well and even today was completely tolerable except for a few shortish lived moments. A few minutes into the drive Will was looking out the window saying, "not a cloud in the sky, the sky couldn't get any bluer!" At that point I was thinking we were going to have another day of post card perfect Canadian Family moments. The problem is these boys are now exhausted and Nate has chosen this trip to have a massive growth spurt. There is a constant moan from the back seat of, "Mommy, I'm still hungry!" After distracing Nate with stories, movies and the high five game for about an hour he couldn't contain him self any more, he had reached hungry emergency. Being a prepared mother, I packed a big snack bucket for the car so we weren't short on food. I fully admit that I am more than a little OCD about what we all eat and the amount of garbage we produce so I thought that GORP would be the perfect snack, healthy and I could pour it into reusable containers for the boys. I did not think this through, or I did not think how this food could be used by bored boys. I passed the snack back to the boys and I thought I had bought Ken and I good amount of quiet time. After only a few minutes I felt something hit me on the head, and then another thing, Ken turned around to see what was going on. Turns out that thing was a cashew. Ken could not believe his eyes, there were streams of GORP shooting into the air, he boomed, "what are you doing?" To which Nate replied, it's lava, look Daddy, the volcano is erupting," as he gleefully tossed another stream of GORP up in the air. The moments that followed were not the best moments of the trip but we did have two quiet, contrite boys who vowed to clean up the car at the Alberta boarded before any fun was to be had.
The land scape of the day changed more then I remember it changing on my last trek. Although, it was great excitement when there was a curve or slight hill in the highway. Somewhere in the middle of Saskatchewan we found the iconic wheat field. We turned down a rustic dirt road got out to take that prairie picture that anyone doing a cross Canada drive has to have. The boys got out with their Saskatchewan flags proudly waving and posed dutifully for the pictures. All that big space and warm wind felt so good. You really can see for ever and the air smells like the most delicious mix of wheat and wild flowers. For the later half of the Province the prairie would morph into rough and rolling bad lands and then back to the sweeping expanse of flat fields. As we reached the Alberta Boarder there was again great excitement, as the big moment approached Will yelled, "All Saskatchewan flags waving NOW! Good by Saskatchewan, hello Alberta!" After a thorough car cleaning the boys had a great time picnicking, running and playing. Nate and I ran races in hopes that it would tire him out enough for a good afternoon nap. This however was not to be and the last hour of the drive became a game of keeping Nate happy at all costs. At 5:15 we finally arrived at our destination. We are staying with family friends here in Calgary. Lisa and Don welcomed us and we had a great dinner together with just a few glasses of wine. We are now in one place for the next few days, something we are all very happy about! Tomorrow the Boate Team invades the city, I'll keep you posted!
Regina to Calgary
Kilometers Travelled; 750
So, I learned a few things today, two small boys plus 3, 10 hour driving days, equals trouble and GORP can become lava! Our day started out like the last two, big blue skys, perfect driving conditions. The difference today was the manic energy level of Will and Nate. I will preface all this by saying that for two small people they have been doing remarkable well and even today was completely tolerable except for a few shortish lived moments. A few minutes into the drive Will was looking out the window saying, "not a cloud in the sky, the sky couldn't get any bluer!" At that point I was thinking we were going to have another day of post card perfect Canadian Family moments. The problem is these boys are now exhausted and Nate has chosen this trip to have a massive growth spurt. There is a constant moan from the back seat of, "Mommy, I'm still hungry!" After distracing Nate with stories, movies and the high five game for about an hour he couldn't contain him self any more, he had reached hungry emergency. Being a prepared mother, I packed a big snack bucket for the car so we weren't short on food. I fully admit that I am more than a little OCD about what we all eat and the amount of garbage we produce so I thought that GORP would be the perfect snack, healthy and I could pour it into reusable containers for the boys. I did not think this through, or I did not think how this food could be used by bored boys. I passed the snack back to the boys and I thought I had bought Ken and I good amount of quiet time. After only a few minutes I felt something hit me on the head, and then another thing, Ken turned around to see what was going on. Turns out that thing was a cashew. Ken could not believe his eyes, there were streams of GORP shooting into the air, he boomed, "what are you doing?" To which Nate replied, it's lava, look Daddy, the volcano is erupting," as he gleefully tossed another stream of GORP up in the air. The moments that followed were not the best moments of the trip but we did have two quiet, contrite boys who vowed to clean up the car at the Alberta boarded before any fun was to be had.
The land scape of the day changed more then I remember it changing on my last trek. Although, it was great excitement when there was a curve or slight hill in the highway. Somewhere in the middle of Saskatchewan we found the iconic wheat field. We turned down a rustic dirt road got out to take that prairie picture that anyone doing a cross Canada drive has to have. The boys got out with their Saskatchewan flags proudly waving and posed dutifully for the pictures. All that big space and warm wind felt so good. You really can see for ever and the air smells like the most delicious mix of wheat and wild flowers. For the later half of the Province the prairie would morph into rough and rolling bad lands and then back to the sweeping expanse of flat fields. As we reached the Alberta Boarder there was again great excitement, as the big moment approached Will yelled, "All Saskatchewan flags waving NOW! Good by Saskatchewan, hello Alberta!" After a thorough car cleaning the boys had a great time picnicking, running and playing. Nate and I ran races in hopes that it would tire him out enough for a good afternoon nap. This however was not to be and the last hour of the drive became a game of keeping Nate happy at all costs. At 5:15 we finally arrived at our destination. We are staying with family friends here in Calgary. Lisa and Don welcomed us and we had a great dinner together with just a few glasses of wine. We are now in one place for the next few days, something we are all very happy about! Tomorrow the Boate Team invades the city, I'll keep you posted!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
The Three Province Day
Day 3
Dryden to Regina
Kilometers traveled; approx. 1 000
After our eventful evening and very late night the boys actually slept in a bit. None of us woke up until 7:15! Ken heard Nate trying to wake Will up, we think he was feeling a little lost. We get up and head out as quickly as possible. We have another ambitious day ahead of us but the push to Dryden does make the day more manageable. The day is clear, blue and beautiful, the perfect day for a big drive. The North Western part of our province is more similar to the North Bay area then the drama of the Lake Superior scapes. A number of times Ken and I commented that the lakes reminded us of Trout Lake. As we approached the Ontario/Manitoba boarder Will was ready for a change. Every five minutes he asked if we were almost there. Finally, the big moment is upon us, after 2 long days of driving we are leaving Ontario behind us. We pull into the Manitoba visitors center. The Information Guides graciously give Will and Nate a flag of Manitoba, which makes their day! After quite a few races up and down the long and steep wheel chair ramp (in which I held my own quite well) we headed to a picnic spot about 15 minutes up Highway 1. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend a stop at West Hawk Lake. It's a great little beach with lots of camping, picnicking and a play ground. Interestingly the lake was made 100s of thousands of years ago when an asteroid hit the land in that spot and created a huge creator. The lake is circular in shape and you can tell by the dark colour of the water that it is very deep. We picnicked over looking the marina and then the boys had a good play at the park. Full of lunch and pent up energy spent, we head out to continue our journey. Ken and I both commented that the early part of Manitoba could be Highway 11, we felt quite at home. Suddenly, the trees faded into the distance and we entered The Great Plains. The prairies really are a beautiful thing. I loved the fields of vibrant mustard against the expansive blue sky. As a 14 year old, I remember sleeping through most of the prairies. My Mom encouraged me to take in the surrounds but I think I said something along the lines of, "Mom, it looks exactly the same now as it did 4 hours ago!" While this statement is true I was able to enjoy the experience more this time. That said, I did finish the new Ministry assessment document and make a good dent in my new book! As we got closer and closer to the Saskatchewan boarder the fields continued to get flatter, the sky continued to get bigger. Ken observed that there are huge portions of this country without human population. It really is amazing how the vast expanse of field and sky give a whole new perspective to this country we live in. We are now settled into our hotel in Regina, I have a lovely glass of wine in hand and Ken has beer. Life is good and tomorrow, we arrive in Calgary!
Dryden to Regina
Kilometers traveled; approx. 1 000
After our eventful evening and very late night the boys actually slept in a bit. None of us woke up until 7:15! Ken heard Nate trying to wake Will up, we think he was feeling a little lost. We get up and head out as quickly as possible. We have another ambitious day ahead of us but the push to Dryden does make the day more manageable. The day is clear, blue and beautiful, the perfect day for a big drive. The North Western part of our province is more similar to the North Bay area then the drama of the Lake Superior scapes. A number of times Ken and I commented that the lakes reminded us of Trout Lake. As we approached the Ontario/Manitoba boarder Will was ready for a change. Every five minutes he asked if we were almost there. Finally, the big moment is upon us, after 2 long days of driving we are leaving Ontario behind us. We pull into the Manitoba visitors center. The Information Guides graciously give Will and Nate a flag of Manitoba, which makes their day! After quite a few races up and down the long and steep wheel chair ramp (in which I held my own quite well) we headed to a picnic spot about 15 minutes up Highway 1. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend a stop at West Hawk Lake. It's a great little beach with lots of camping, picnicking and a play ground. Interestingly the lake was made 100s of thousands of years ago when an asteroid hit the land in that spot and created a huge creator. The lake is circular in shape and you can tell by the dark colour of the water that it is very deep. We picnicked over looking the marina and then the boys had a good play at the park. Full of lunch and pent up energy spent, we head out to continue our journey. Ken and I both commented that the early part of Manitoba could be Highway 11, we felt quite at home. Suddenly, the trees faded into the distance and we entered The Great Plains. The prairies really are a beautiful thing. I loved the fields of vibrant mustard against the expansive blue sky. As a 14 year old, I remember sleeping through most of the prairies. My Mom encouraged me to take in the surrounds but I think I said something along the lines of, "Mom, it looks exactly the same now as it did 4 hours ago!" While this statement is true I was able to enjoy the experience more this time. That said, I did finish the new Ministry assessment document and make a good dent in my new book! As we got closer and closer to the Saskatchewan boarder the fields continued to get flatter, the sky continued to get bigger. Ken observed that there are huge portions of this country without human population. It really is amazing how the vast expanse of field and sky give a whole new perspective to this country we live in. We are now settled into our hotel in Regina, I have a lovely glass of wine in hand and Ken has beer. Life is good and tomorrow, we arrive in Calgary!
The Sault to Dryden
Day 2
Kilometers traveled; 1100.
We awaken to the sound of two little sets of feet padding into our room. “Mom it’s 7:20, if we are going to leave at 9:00 you need to get up now.” Says Will, clearly he is not at all excited to get going. I went down stairs and was greeted by one of my favourite smells, fresh blueberry pancakes and Bob's best ever latte and espresso. After Nate ate his weigh in pancakes, toast, yogurt and banana, we said good bye to Bob and Judy and headed off for day two!
The day was grey and drizzly. The weather suited our surroundings. There is an inherent moodiness in the exposed shield and stalwart coniferous trees. The stark beauty of the Northern Ontario landscape was only heightened by the unsettled weather. After about an hour Lake Superior loomed on our left, Will was so excited, a number of times he said, "Mommy Lake Superior is so beautiful!" I did this trip with my family when I was 14, I don't remember being impressed by the Northern Landscape but seeing through my adult eyes and the eyes of my children is a completely new experience. I am engrossed with every sheer rock face, with the contrast of the creamy while birches against the deep green of the spruce trees. I have a stack of reading at my feet but all I really want to do is look out the window.
We arrive in Wawa and the boys are seriously excited about the BIG Goose, however, Will is quickly distracted by the fact that there is an air port across the street. Turns out The Big Goose is the perfect little picnic spot. Picnic tables, a great little park for the boys to blow off some steam in and an interpretation center with lots of maps and interesting pictures for the two very curious minds in the back of the car. After lunch Will and Ken went to take pictures of the goose while Nate and I ran races back and forth on the wood deck on the front of the center. Over the past few days I have come to realize that running races with Nate at breaks are essential to the success of our driving time. After a decent amount of racing Nate eventually passes out in the back seat. We pile back into the car - next stop, Thunder Bay. I have to say that for the most part the boys have been brilliant in the car. The car kits with lots of new treasures were a hit and I really think that Will would be quite happy to just look out the window at the very dramatic land scape. As we drive further North, that land scape becomes shrouded in think fog and gloom. Again, somehow it feels appropriate. The mist only adds to the drama and mystery of the hidden lakes and steep rocky faces. As we approach Thunder Bay I start to feel a twinge in my stomach, I hadn't thought about how the Terry Fox Memorial would affect me until now. As we drive up the tree lined drive the tingling intensifies. As we walk down the beautiful path to the Memorial site there is an over whelming sense of tranquility. The stunning view of Lake Superior and Sleeping Giant Island feels like this is exactly the right place for this monument to be. The iconic images of all things Canadian surround it. Will and Nate are asking thousands of questions wanting to know everything there is about Terry Fox. From why he was running around Canada to why he had to die. Driving away Nate says, "I'm sad, I'm sad that Terry Fox had to die." I think that expresses the emotion of any human being who knows the story of Terry Fox.
After dinner we decide to push on to Dryden as the boys seem to be tolerating the driving really well. This for the most part was a good decision. As we drive, the sun is slowly setting on a land scape that is returning to something more pastoral. The sky and clouds turn every deepening shades of magenta and orange and Ken and I are feeling pretty satisfied with ourselves, the boys are settled quietly in the back seat, we are enjoying Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe, quintessentially Canadian! About an hour and a half from Dryden things take a turn, the boys have reached their tolerance for time in a car seat and they are exhausted. For a few tense moments I thought we would have to leave them on the road side. Then, they developed a game of looking for transport trucks that look like Mac (from cars) and encouraging Ken to pass so they could see if it truly was Mac or not. This kept them well occupied until Nate said, "I'm not looking for Macs any more." He then immediately feel asleep, Will shortly followed him and Ken and I enjoyed a peaceful last half an hour. By 11:00pm we were all snuggled into our hotel room, dreaming of the adventures tomorrow will hold for us.
Kilometers traveled; 1100.
We awaken to the sound of two little sets of feet padding into our room. “Mom it’s 7:20, if we are going to leave at 9:00 you need to get up now.” Says Will, clearly he is not at all excited to get going. I went down stairs and was greeted by one of my favourite smells, fresh blueberry pancakes and Bob's best ever latte and espresso. After Nate ate his weigh in pancakes, toast, yogurt and banana, we said good bye to Bob and Judy and headed off for day two!
The day was grey and drizzly. The weather suited our surroundings. There is an inherent moodiness in the exposed shield and stalwart coniferous trees. The stark beauty of the Northern Ontario landscape was only heightened by the unsettled weather. After about an hour Lake Superior loomed on our left, Will was so excited, a number of times he said, "Mommy Lake Superior is so beautiful!" I did this trip with my family when I was 14, I don't remember being impressed by the Northern Landscape but seeing through my adult eyes and the eyes of my children is a completely new experience. I am engrossed with every sheer rock face, with the contrast of the creamy while birches against the deep green of the spruce trees. I have a stack of reading at my feet but all I really want to do is look out the window.
We arrive in Wawa and the boys are seriously excited about the BIG Goose, however, Will is quickly distracted by the fact that there is an air port across the street. Turns out The Big Goose is the perfect little picnic spot. Picnic tables, a great little park for the boys to blow off some steam in and an interpretation center with lots of maps and interesting pictures for the two very curious minds in the back of the car. After lunch Will and Ken went to take pictures of the goose while Nate and I ran races back and forth on the wood deck on the front of the center. Over the past few days I have come to realize that running races with Nate at breaks are essential to the success of our driving time. After a decent amount of racing Nate eventually passes out in the back seat. We pile back into the car - next stop, Thunder Bay. I have to say that for the most part the boys have been brilliant in the car. The car kits with lots of new treasures were a hit and I really think that Will would be quite happy to just look out the window at the very dramatic land scape. As we drive further North, that land scape becomes shrouded in think fog and gloom. Again, somehow it feels appropriate. The mist only adds to the drama and mystery of the hidden lakes and steep rocky faces. As we approach Thunder Bay I start to feel a twinge in my stomach, I hadn't thought about how the Terry Fox Memorial would affect me until now. As we drive up the tree lined drive the tingling intensifies. As we walk down the beautiful path to the Memorial site there is an over whelming sense of tranquility. The stunning view of Lake Superior and Sleeping Giant Island feels like this is exactly the right place for this monument to be. The iconic images of all things Canadian surround it. Will and Nate are asking thousands of questions wanting to know everything there is about Terry Fox. From why he was running around Canada to why he had to die. Driving away Nate says, "I'm sad, I'm sad that Terry Fox had to die." I think that expresses the emotion of any human being who knows the story of Terry Fox.
After dinner we decide to push on to Dryden as the boys seem to be tolerating the driving really well. This for the most part was a good decision. As we drive, the sun is slowly setting on a land scape that is returning to something more pastoral. The sky and clouds turn every deepening shades of magenta and orange and Ken and I are feeling pretty satisfied with ourselves, the boys are settled quietly in the back seat, we are enjoying Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe, quintessentially Canadian! About an hour and a half from Dryden things take a turn, the boys have reached their tolerance for time in a car seat and they are exhausted. For a few tense moments I thought we would have to leave them on the road side. Then, they developed a game of looking for transport trucks that look like Mac (from cars) and encouraging Ken to pass so they could see if it truly was Mac or not. This kept them well occupied until Nate said, "I'm not looking for Macs any more." He then immediately feel asleep, Will shortly followed him and Ken and I enjoyed a peaceful last half an hour. By 11:00pm we were all snuggled into our hotel room, dreaming of the adventures tomorrow will hold for us.
We' off!
Day 1
Kilometers traveled; 600.
“Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit,” The Glee Cast version of Don’t Stop Believin’ booms out of the radio at us as we cross the Barrie city line. I sit back, smile and think this is going to be good, very good! After a hectic day of last minute packing and coping with the excitement of two little boys, sitting in the car is feeling really nice. This is a good thing as it’s a position I’ll be assuming for the next 2 weeks! The boys settle in to a movie. When it ends, just after Perry Sound, Will looks out the window and declares, “Well, this is something you don’t see every day!” He grins and asks for his camera. He and Nate take turns taking pictures of the rocks and trees out the window along with a healthy number of silly shots of each other’s nostrils and eyelashes. The drive to Sudbury goes smoothly until we reach our dinner destination at Subway. As we enter the store Nate announces to the whole place that, “The Subway smells like throw up.” As Ken and I are explaining that saying that is not polite Will interjects, “actually Mom, it really kinda does smell like throw up.” A few hours later and we arrive to one of my favourite late night arrival destinations, Casa Paciocco. Where else can you arrive at 10:30 at night to freshly baking pizza and perfectly chilled wine and beer. 12:00am and we are finally tucked in ready for a well earned sleep.
Kilometers traveled; 600.
“Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit,” The Glee Cast version of Don’t Stop Believin’ booms out of the radio at us as we cross the Barrie city line. I sit back, smile and think this is going to be good, very good! After a hectic day of last minute packing and coping with the excitement of two little boys, sitting in the car is feeling really nice. This is a good thing as it’s a position I’ll be assuming for the next 2 weeks! The boys settle in to a movie. When it ends, just after Perry Sound, Will looks out the window and declares, “Well, this is something you don’t see every day!” He grins and asks for his camera. He and Nate take turns taking pictures of the rocks and trees out the window along with a healthy number of silly shots of each other’s nostrils and eyelashes. The drive to Sudbury goes smoothly until we reach our dinner destination at Subway. As we enter the store Nate announces to the whole place that, “The Subway smells like throw up.” As Ken and I are explaining that saying that is not polite Will interjects, “actually Mom, it really kinda does smell like throw up.” A few hours later and we arrive to one of my favourite late night arrival destinations, Casa Paciocco. Where else can you arrive at 10:30 at night to freshly baking pizza and perfectly chilled wine and beer. 12:00am and we are finally tucked in ready for a well earned sleep.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Let the adventure begin!
Hello all,
I'm beginning this blog as a way to chronicle our family trip across the country. We are leaving Barrie, On on Thursday for the trip of a life time. We are headed to Vancouver with our very boisterous 3 and 5 year old boys. This trip had the potential to be many things. I thought that our friends and family may want to follow our adventures and hopefully this will be a great record of a major adventure. We are 3 sleeps away from the beginning of our trek, wish us luck and I'll keep you posted!
I'm beginning this blog as a way to chronicle our family trip across the country. We are leaving Barrie, On on Thursday for the trip of a life time. We are headed to Vancouver with our very boisterous 3 and 5 year old boys. This trip had the potential to be many things. I thought that our friends and family may want to follow our adventures and hopefully this will be a great record of a major adventure. We are 3 sleeps away from the beginning of our trek, wish us luck and I'll keep you posted!
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