Days: 15, 16, 17
Kilometers Traveled; Well over 3 000
Total Kilometers Traveled From Barrie ON to Victoria BC and Back again; 10,376
The Boate team has been home for two days now and I am finally ready to write the final installment of our cross continent adventure. I have to combine the last few days because they all became a blur! The Thursday after our Mt. St. Helen's adventure was not our finest day. The reality of how far we had to go in a very short amount of time hit us really hard Thursday morning and Nate did not feel like co-operating with our time line. For a very active three your old boy he had done miraculously well, but he was ready to be done our trip at this point, and he wanted to stop about every half an hour to escape the car. After driving for about four hours the GPS said that we had lost over two hours and the end time of our massive drive that day kept getting further away. We finally stopped some where in Mid Montana, picked up some picnic supplies and a new movie for the boys. That did the trick, it's amazing what some good food and entertainment can do for one's soul! The remainder of Thursday passed by without incident until about 8:30pm. Nate tends to have a burst of manic energy just before he falls asleep. Thursday, it was intensely manic, he was grabbing anything he could get his hands on in the back seat and projecting those objects forward to the front seat. I saw where this was going so I turned to pull the box of toys and shrapnel that had become Nate's car kit to the front just as his hands landed on his clip board. I saw exactly what was going to happen but my hands were too slow and the space was too awkward. My son with the perfect aim launched the clip board directly into my face. The corner of it made impact just below my left eye. A fraction higher and we would have been making a detour to the hospital. I let out a gasp and Ken yanked the car on to the side of the road. Nate was swiftly liberated from the car and after a tearful appology he was not left on the side of the road. He immediately fell asleep and we enjoyed a very peaceful last few hours of the day. It was during these few quiet hours that Ken and I hatched our new plan. It was obvious that the boys were tired of the car and we were too. However, we had to get back to London for 4:00pm on Saturday to attend our friend Greg's wedding. We decided that Friday would be our final day of driving and it would be a 20 hour day. Luckily, my amazing husband is a driving machine! At 1:00am (thanks to 2 nasty time changes) we arrived in Bismark North Dakota. We again fell into bed and very deep sleeps. We slept in a bit Friday morning knowing that we had a very long day ahead. At 10:15 we were on the road home. Surprisingly, Friday was a very calm day. We gave ourselves enough time to have a nice picnic lunch where the boys ran and played and then we drove and drove and drove. The boys fell asleep at around 9:30 and were out cold until we reached the bridge to Canada. I dozed on and off but I mostly stayed awake to keep Ken company and make sure he was okay. As the first rosy rays of light entered the sky we were only about 45 minutes away from the boarder. That bridge to Canada was a very welcome sight. Both boys were awake for the crossing and Will was almost vibrating he was so excited to be back home. We crossed the bridge, got through customs and began driving on the good old 401! Will said to me "Mommy, I am proud to be back in Canada." "Me too", I replied. "Me too!" The difference between the US and Canada isn't tangible but it is certainly real. For the entire trip west I felt completely at home, everything felt right and like we belonged. The US had a completely different feel, not hostile, not uncomfortable but just not right. I would do the drive across Canada again. It is a drive of interesting stops, stark contrasts in geography and intense beauty. I have never been more proud to be a Canadian. We all as citizens of this country are blessed with unbelievable resources both in land and in people, we have a responsibility to take care of it to the very best of our ability. We have so much to be grateful for!
We made it! We landed in Jane (Ken's Mom's) drive way at 7:30am. The boys were well rested so Jane took care of them while Ken and I had a good long nap! I woke up before Ken and realized that I had not been alone in two and a half weeks. I took the opportunity to sneak off to the mall and pick up a few things I needed to get ready for the wedding.
Greg's wedding was a lovely ending to our grand adventure. Ken grew up with Greg and his family, The Barnetts. This wedding meant a great deal to Ken. It was at the Barnett family home and it reminded us so much of our own wedding, it was a real gift as it is almost our ninth wedding anniversary. It was full of great friends and family, great music, fabulous food and beautiful flowers. For Ken and I it was of course a celebration of Greg and Jessie but it was also a celebration of our accomplishment. We had very happily made our way across the continent and back. The growth in our boys is indescribable. Their knowledge of the larger world has expanded exonentially as has their lust for adventure. On our way home on Sunday, after a lovely visit with Ken's Aunt Darlene and family and his cousin Jenny who lives in Australia and her two boys, Will was busy planning our next adventure. This trip has created bonds and memories that are invaluable. Will and Nate became so used to sleeping together that our first night home they had to fall asleep in the same bed! We have seen many beautiful places and done some fantastic things but home still feels like home. Ontario may not have the majesty of the mountains or the magic of the oceans but there is a quiet besuty here. On Sunday night after the boys were asleep Ken and I sat on the front porch with a glass of wine and watched the last rays of sun fade on the forest across the street and our good friend Cara popped int to say hello, there was no doubt we were home.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Volcano Day
Day 14
Kilometers traveled;
We woke up Wednesday morning feeling very relaxed and refreshed. We had all had a fantastic sleep and we were ready for another adventure on the road! We began our now very routine pack up. Will said to me, "Mommy, do you know what today is?" I replied, "Yes honey it's Wednesday." He gave me one of his famous withering looks (which came directly from my Mom) and said, "I know that, It's Volcano Day!" Our little Vulcanologist was ready to go. This day was one that he had been really looking forward to. We piled back into the car and sadly said good bye to Seattle. Nate was actually a little teary. We had had a fantastic mini getaway from our road trip extravaganza and Nate was not ready to leave it behind.
With our Starbuck's breakfast and coffee firmly in hand we headed toward the volcano. The trip to Mount St. Helen's was significantly farther then we had anticipated. It was about 12:30 when we completed our wind up the mountain and arrived at Johnson's Ridge Memorial Center. On the way we observed a lot of the damage that explosion had caused. There were fields of sun bleached stumps as far as the eye could see and there were sings in front of new growth plantations indicating when they had been re-planted. There is a long path from the parking lot of the center up to the summit of the ridge. As you crest the top of the path the mouth of the volcano lays directly before you. It is an impressive and intimidating sight. The destructive force of that volcano is palpable. I was more than a little anxious standing so close to that vortex of power. We headed into the center and read first hand accounts and looked at artifacts that had been collected, including the stump of a massive tree that had been blown completely horizontal. Then it was time to head into the theater to watch a video of exactly what had happened on that May Day in 1980. The theater had one full wall of red curtains which we expected to open up and reveal the screen. As the room darkened and the rumbling sound effects grew more intense they did not open, the screen rolled down in front of them. The film was moving and scary! Nate was snuggled in my lap about five minutes in. The story of Mount St. Helen's is one that we would all do well to know and remember. Humans do not rule this planet the way we think we do. The one quotation from the movie that has stayed with me is, "Mother Nature Always wins." The final seen of the movie was a fast paced race down the side of the mountain with the words, "Will Mount St. Helen's erupt again, yes, it's only a matter of time." With that the screen rolls up, the red curtains open to revel a huge wall of glass and just beyond the glass is the view directly into the crater and lava dome of the Volcano. At that point, I was ready to sprint all the way back to the car and get out of there! I some how managed to keep my cool as we went back out side and Ken and Will took many pictures. Will's reaction was very interesting. This was something he was so excited about but I could tell he was also feeling anxious about being there. After a few more minutes out side Will was also ready to get down the mountain as quickly as possible. We headed back to the car and I tink we all felt a sense of relief as we began our decent! We decided to picnic in the car as we were quite a drive from our final destination of the day, Spokane Washington.
We drove through a lot of interesting terrain. Washington State seems to have a bit of everything. We drove through a number of mountain passes on our way back to the interstate. As we entered these passes, the sky turned gray and gloomy, massive, deep green almost black fir trees soared to the sky. I half expected to look out the window and see golden eyes and stony white faces looking back with massive wolves racing by in the back ground (that is a Twilight reference for all of you who have never read the books and are wondering what the heck I'm talking about!) After a couple of hours we returned to some semblance of civilization. We stopped for dinner at what turned out to be a seedy little diner, we picked at what was edible and got back on the road as quickly as possible. As we drove out of the town limits the land scape changed again, we were suddenly in an arid, rugged dessert that went on for miles. It reminded us all of the Alberta bad lands but on a much larger and drier scale. After about an hour or so of driving through this desolate nothingness came a sign for a look out point. Ken asked,
"What exactly are we going to be looking out at?" We came around a curve and a lush river valley spread out before us. The soft greens and running water were a welcome relief from the moon scape we had been driving through. Unfortunately, the river valley did not last long and we were thrust back into the desert. We drove and drove and drove until finally, we arrived at our destination, Spokane. Who knew that Spokane was such a hot spot. For the fist time on our trip we decided not to make a reservation because the hotels had always had lots of room. Our plan back fired. There was no room at the Holiday Inn Express and we ended up at a dodgy Travelodge. Luckily, it was just to sleep and we did just that. We all fell into bed to rest up for what was sure to be aonther very long day of driving. Our deadline of Saturday afternoon wasquickly approaching and we had many miles to go.
Kilometers traveled;
We woke up Wednesday morning feeling very relaxed and refreshed. We had all had a fantastic sleep and we were ready for another adventure on the road! We began our now very routine pack up. Will said to me, "Mommy, do you know what today is?" I replied, "Yes honey it's Wednesday." He gave me one of his famous withering looks (which came directly from my Mom) and said, "I know that, It's Volcano Day!" Our little Vulcanologist was ready to go. This day was one that he had been really looking forward to. We piled back into the car and sadly said good bye to Seattle. Nate was actually a little teary. We had had a fantastic mini getaway from our road trip extravaganza and Nate was not ready to leave it behind.
With our Starbuck's breakfast and coffee firmly in hand we headed toward the volcano. The trip to Mount St. Helen's was significantly farther then we had anticipated. It was about 12:30 when we completed our wind up the mountain and arrived at Johnson's Ridge Memorial Center. On the way we observed a lot of the damage that explosion had caused. There were fields of sun bleached stumps as far as the eye could see and there were sings in front of new growth plantations indicating when they had been re-planted. There is a long path from the parking lot of the center up to the summit of the ridge. As you crest the top of the path the mouth of the volcano lays directly before you. It is an impressive and intimidating sight. The destructive force of that volcano is palpable. I was more than a little anxious standing so close to that vortex of power. We headed into the center and read first hand accounts and looked at artifacts that had been collected, including the stump of a massive tree that had been blown completely horizontal. Then it was time to head into the theater to watch a video of exactly what had happened on that May Day in 1980. The theater had one full wall of red curtains which we expected to open up and reveal the screen. As the room darkened and the rumbling sound effects grew more intense they did not open, the screen rolled down in front of them. The film was moving and scary! Nate was snuggled in my lap about five minutes in. The story of Mount St. Helen's is one that we would all do well to know and remember. Humans do not rule this planet the way we think we do. The one quotation from the movie that has stayed with me is, "Mother Nature Always wins." The final seen of the movie was a fast paced race down the side of the mountain with the words, "Will Mount St. Helen's erupt again, yes, it's only a matter of time." With that the screen rolls up, the red curtains open to revel a huge wall of glass and just beyond the glass is the view directly into the crater and lava dome of the Volcano. At that point, I was ready to sprint all the way back to the car and get out of there! I some how managed to keep my cool as we went back out side and Ken and Will took many pictures. Will's reaction was very interesting. This was something he was so excited about but I could tell he was also feeling anxious about being there. After a few more minutes out side Will was also ready to get down the mountain as quickly as possible. We headed back to the car and I tink we all felt a sense of relief as we began our decent! We decided to picnic in the car as we were quite a drive from our final destination of the day, Spokane Washington.
We drove through a lot of interesting terrain. Washington State seems to have a bit of everything. We drove through a number of mountain passes on our way back to the interstate. As we entered these passes, the sky turned gray and gloomy, massive, deep green almost black fir trees soared to the sky. I half expected to look out the window and see golden eyes and stony white faces looking back with massive wolves racing by in the back ground (that is a Twilight reference for all of you who have never read the books and are wondering what the heck I'm talking about!) After a couple of hours we returned to some semblance of civilization. We stopped for dinner at what turned out to be a seedy little diner, we picked at what was edible and got back on the road as quickly as possible. As we drove out of the town limits the land scape changed again, we were suddenly in an arid, rugged dessert that went on for miles. It reminded us all of the Alberta bad lands but on a much larger and drier scale. After about an hour or so of driving through this desolate nothingness came a sign for a look out point. Ken asked,
"What exactly are we going to be looking out at?" We came around a curve and a lush river valley spread out before us. The soft greens and running water were a welcome relief from the moon scape we had been driving through. Unfortunately, the river valley did not last long and we were thrust back into the desert. We drove and drove and drove until finally, we arrived at our destination, Spokane. Who knew that Spokane was such a hot spot. For the fist time on our trip we decided not to make a reservation because the hotels had always had lots of room. Our plan back fired. There was no room at the Holiday Inn Express and we ended up at a dodgy Travelodge. Luckily, it was just to sleep and we did just that. We all fell into bed to rest up for what was sure to be aonther very long day of driving. Our deadline of Saturday afternoon wasquickly approaching and we had many miles to go.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The Day of Rest
Day 13
Kilometers Traveled; None! For the first time on this trip we were not in the car once today!! We walked every where.
As I write this blog entry I am finally completely up to date. Most of the time I have been a day or two behind; but, I had enough time to get caught up on all our days today! As I type I am sitting in a very dark hotel room hoping that two boys are fast asleep. Today is exactly what we needed. For the past few days we have all been feeling a bit road weary but two nights in a very nice Hotel do wonders for the spirit. We all slept until 8:30, this in itself is a minor miracle. We got up and started the search for a great breakfast spot as our last two meals of the day yesterday left a lot to be desired. We were headed to the Pike place market so we kept our eyes open for something that looked fresh and delicious. We finally found a great little spot one block before the market. It may have been the most expensive breakfast we have ever had but the omelet I had was full of the vegetables I had been missing from the day before and the lattes were fantastic. Once our very hungry bellies were satisfied, we continued on to the market. Ken and I visited Seattle for our Fifth wedding anniversary. At the time, I was pregnant with Nate, we both remember this trip with a great deal of fondness. It was a great time for both of us. At this time in my pregnancy I was feeling like super woman and my hair and skin gleamed like no other time in my life! Ken and I talked a lot about a time in the future when we could bring ‘the boys’ back to this city. It is unbelievable to me that we are here, back in Seattle with a three and five year old, ready to show them all the things (well, some of the things) we love about this city. The tour began with the Pike Place market. This is a place of great colour, life and freshness. We toured a few stalls and then headed down and across the street to the Seattle Aquarium. Will had acquired a cold along our journey and I actually wasn’t sure he was going to make it. He was leaning on me and we had to drag him through most of the market. Thankfully, when he saw the massive tank at the entry of the Aquarium he rallied. The Seattle Aquarium is one of the coolest places I have ever been. The mix of glassed in and out door exhibits is fantastic. Our time there began with brilliant touch tanks where Nate and I toughed live star fish! Ken took pictures and Will just watched. In the exploratory area there was a giant ring aquarium filled with jelly fish! When we walked on the out door docks we saw real jellies swimming in the oceans, so fantastic! While we were intently watching the jelly fish bob their way through the water, Will said, “look Mommy, a war ship.” I immediately looked up, sure enough there was a great, grey Naval ship making it’s way into the Port. As it got closer we could see all the decks lined with white flecks. As the flecks got bigger, I realized that they were sailors lining the decks watching as they returned home after what I can only imagine was a long tour at sea. That sight brought me out the idyllic world I have been living in for the last few weeks. It reminded me that not everyone gets to go on adventures with their family. Some must leave their families behind, I am ever grateful for the life we live in Canada.
As we continued through we saw interesting and odd fish that none of us had ever seen before. Nate looked up at one tank and with great excitement said, “Look, look, that’s a Lion Fish, it’s just like in my book.” Ken and I looked at each other with blank expressions because neither one of us remember a fish book with Lion Fish in it but Nate later explained that Jan and Jim have that book. We traveled through exhibits of sea birds, seals, and sea otters. On our way out we saw that one of the Aquarium workers was scuba diving in the gigantic entry tank and was giving a lesson about the variety of fish in the tank. Will and Nate watch, completely engrossed for a long time. Eventually, they had had their fill and we left the Aquarium. We headed back to the market to pick up some fresh fruit, bread and cheese for a little lunch picnic. That lunch is exactly what I had been craving. All three boys then snuggled into the plush, white beds for an afternoon nap and I caught up on my blog entries. When the boys woke up from a much needed, long nap we headed up to the hotel pool. We had a great time swimming and splashing until Ken threw Will into the pool one time to many and he threw up all over me. That brought our swimming time to an abrupt halt and we headed back up to our room so that I could shower, and we could all change for dinner. This day was exactly the day of rest we all needed. We are feeling refreshed and ready to take on Mount St. Helen’s tomorrow before beginning our long drive home.
Kilometers Traveled; None! For the first time on this trip we were not in the car once today!! We walked every where.
As I write this blog entry I am finally completely up to date. Most of the time I have been a day or two behind; but, I had enough time to get caught up on all our days today! As I type I am sitting in a very dark hotel room hoping that two boys are fast asleep. Today is exactly what we needed. For the past few days we have all been feeling a bit road weary but two nights in a very nice Hotel do wonders for the spirit. We all slept until 8:30, this in itself is a minor miracle. We got up and started the search for a great breakfast spot as our last two meals of the day yesterday left a lot to be desired. We were headed to the Pike place market so we kept our eyes open for something that looked fresh and delicious. We finally found a great little spot one block before the market. It may have been the most expensive breakfast we have ever had but the omelet I had was full of the vegetables I had been missing from the day before and the lattes were fantastic. Once our very hungry bellies were satisfied, we continued on to the market. Ken and I visited Seattle for our Fifth wedding anniversary. At the time, I was pregnant with Nate, we both remember this trip with a great deal of fondness. It was a great time for both of us. At this time in my pregnancy I was feeling like super woman and my hair and skin gleamed like no other time in my life! Ken and I talked a lot about a time in the future when we could bring ‘the boys’ back to this city. It is unbelievable to me that we are here, back in Seattle with a three and five year old, ready to show them all the things (well, some of the things) we love about this city. The tour began with the Pike Place market. This is a place of great colour, life and freshness. We toured a few stalls and then headed down and across the street to the Seattle Aquarium. Will had acquired a cold along our journey and I actually wasn’t sure he was going to make it. He was leaning on me and we had to drag him through most of the market. Thankfully, when he saw the massive tank at the entry of the Aquarium he rallied. The Seattle Aquarium is one of the coolest places I have ever been. The mix of glassed in and out door exhibits is fantastic. Our time there began with brilliant touch tanks where Nate and I toughed live star fish! Ken took pictures and Will just watched. In the exploratory area there was a giant ring aquarium filled with jelly fish! When we walked on the out door docks we saw real jellies swimming in the oceans, so fantastic! While we were intently watching the jelly fish bob their way through the water, Will said, “look Mommy, a war ship.” I immediately looked up, sure enough there was a great, grey Naval ship making it’s way into the Port. As it got closer we could see all the decks lined with white flecks. As the flecks got bigger, I realized that they were sailors lining the decks watching as they returned home after what I can only imagine was a long tour at sea. That sight brought me out the idyllic world I have been living in for the last few weeks. It reminded me that not everyone gets to go on adventures with their family. Some must leave their families behind, I am ever grateful for the life we live in Canada.
As we continued through we saw interesting and odd fish that none of us had ever seen before. Nate looked up at one tank and with great excitement said, “Look, look, that’s a Lion Fish, it’s just like in my book.” Ken and I looked at each other with blank expressions because neither one of us remember a fish book with Lion Fish in it but Nate later explained that Jan and Jim have that book. We traveled through exhibits of sea birds, seals, and sea otters. On our way out we saw that one of the Aquarium workers was scuba diving in the gigantic entry tank and was giving a lesson about the variety of fish in the tank. Will and Nate watch, completely engrossed for a long time. Eventually, they had had their fill and we left the Aquarium. We headed back to the market to pick up some fresh fruit, bread and cheese for a little lunch picnic. That lunch is exactly what I had been craving. All three boys then snuggled into the plush, white beds for an afternoon nap and I caught up on my blog entries. When the boys woke up from a much needed, long nap we headed up to the hotel pool. We had a great time swimming and splashing until Ken threw Will into the pool one time to many and he threw up all over me. That brought our swimming time to an abrupt halt and we headed back up to our room so that I could shower, and we could all change for dinner. This day was exactly the day of rest we all needed. We are feeling refreshed and ready to take on Mount St. Helen’s tomorrow before beginning our long drive home.
As Far West As We Go!
Day 12
Kilometers Traveled; 400ish
Three little people woke up all the adults at 7:00amish. We had a breakfast of fresh cinnamon buns and great tea. After breakfast, we headed out to explore Sidney. We walked along the Ocean headed toward town. Luckily, the Washington Ferry was just about to dock. The boys were so excited to see the boat we would be ridding on later they had to stay and watch the Ferry come in. Robin and Will walked further down the path so that Will could get exactly the right angle for his pictures. When the Ferry was still, we continued into town. A previous Geography teacher of mine (thanks Cheryl!) recommended we check out the Scratch Patch, which was a cute little place where they boys could search through bins of rocks and shells for treasures. We then continued walking to the Marina where we saw slip walls crusted with sea urchins, barnacles and clams. I can certainly see why Robin and Liz are so happy here. Sidney is a friendly, laid back town; we really enjoyed our time there. We arrived back at The Davies’, said good bye and headed into Victoria. We spent some time walking the Ocean side trails and at the rocky Beach we saw a star fish living on the rocks below the waves. This trip has made me realize how Ontariocentric I am. People in this country live in so many different ways. Victoria and all of BC for that matter, had a real sense of contentment. Recreation is a necessity not a luxury. There are so many different ways to be part of the natural world, be it kayaking on the ocean, hiking in the mountains or beach combing by the ocean there are so many ways to appreciate that natural beauty that surrounds you. Our final stop in Victoria was to Mile ‘0’ of the Trans Canada Highway. We thought this was appropriate as we had traveled many miles on this road. As Will reminded us almost nonstop all day, it was time to return to Sidney for the Ferry to Washington State. We had to arrive and hour and a half before the departure time in order to clear customs. Will got out with Ken for a short walk around the parking lot while Nate and I had a little nap. After about 20 minutes there was a frantic opening of the door and clambering into a seat belt. Will announced from the back seat, “I can see the Ferry, everyone seat belts on, I never should have taken my seat belt off in the first place!” despite the fact that there was still a good hour before out departure time, Will refused to leave the car or take off his seat belt again. He also had a little panic attack each time someone left the car, he was afraid that one of us would be left behind! As we waited for the Ferry, an air of sadness permeated our car. The realization that this is as far from home and we would go and the rest of the trip was the journey back to Barrie hit each of us pretty hard. So far, this has been an experience that none of us will forget and I don’t think any members of the Boate Team are ready to see the end of this trip.
Finally, the departure time arrived; we drove on to the Ferry and again, Will announced that it was time to explore the ship! There was not as much to do on this Ferry so we spent a lot of time walking back and forth from bow to stern and back again. The views on this passage were amazing. The Ferry meandered through Island after Island and I was again reminded that there are many ways to live in this world. Some of the Ports looked quite Urban and developed. Other homes were isolated in the woods. I wondered who lived in those places and what their life style was like. The sun slowly sank as a fiery ball into the ocean just as we arrived at the shore of Washington state. Canada was behind us and the long road home lies before us, but, not before our Seattle adventure. An hour drive latter and we checked into the Westin, right down town Seattle. Ken and I love this city and can’t wait to show Will and Nate some of our favourite spots tomorrow!
Kilometers Traveled; 400ish
Three little people woke up all the adults at 7:00amish. We had a breakfast of fresh cinnamon buns and great tea. After breakfast, we headed out to explore Sidney. We walked along the Ocean headed toward town. Luckily, the Washington Ferry was just about to dock. The boys were so excited to see the boat we would be ridding on later they had to stay and watch the Ferry come in. Robin and Will walked further down the path so that Will could get exactly the right angle for his pictures. When the Ferry was still, we continued into town. A previous Geography teacher of mine (thanks Cheryl!) recommended we check out the Scratch Patch, which was a cute little place where they boys could search through bins of rocks and shells for treasures. We then continued walking to the Marina where we saw slip walls crusted with sea urchins, barnacles and clams. I can certainly see why Robin and Liz are so happy here. Sidney is a friendly, laid back town; we really enjoyed our time there. We arrived back at The Davies’, said good bye and headed into Victoria. We spent some time walking the Ocean side trails and at the rocky Beach we saw a star fish living on the rocks below the waves. This trip has made me realize how Ontariocentric I am. People in this country live in so many different ways. Victoria and all of BC for that matter, had a real sense of contentment. Recreation is a necessity not a luxury. There are so many different ways to be part of the natural world, be it kayaking on the ocean, hiking in the mountains or beach combing by the ocean there are so many ways to appreciate that natural beauty that surrounds you. Our final stop in Victoria was to Mile ‘0’ of the Trans Canada Highway. We thought this was appropriate as we had traveled many miles on this road. As Will reminded us almost nonstop all day, it was time to return to Sidney for the Ferry to Washington State. We had to arrive and hour and a half before the departure time in order to clear customs. Will got out with Ken for a short walk around the parking lot while Nate and I had a little nap. After about 20 minutes there was a frantic opening of the door and clambering into a seat belt. Will announced from the back seat, “I can see the Ferry, everyone seat belts on, I never should have taken my seat belt off in the first place!” despite the fact that there was still a good hour before out departure time, Will refused to leave the car or take off his seat belt again. He also had a little panic attack each time someone left the car, he was afraid that one of us would be left behind! As we waited for the Ferry, an air of sadness permeated our car. The realization that this is as far from home and we would go and the rest of the trip was the journey back to Barrie hit each of us pretty hard. So far, this has been an experience that none of us will forget and I don’t think any members of the Boate Team are ready to see the end of this trip.
Finally, the departure time arrived; we drove on to the Ferry and again, Will announced that it was time to explore the ship! There was not as much to do on this Ferry so we spent a lot of time walking back and forth from bow to stern and back again. The views on this passage were amazing. The Ferry meandered through Island after Island and I was again reminded that there are many ways to live in this world. Some of the Ports looked quite Urban and developed. Other homes were isolated in the woods. I wondered who lived in those places and what their life style was like. The sun slowly sank as a fiery ball into the ocean just as we arrived at the shore of Washington state. Canada was behind us and the long road home lies before us, but, not before our Seattle adventure. An hour drive latter and we checked into the Westin, right down town Seattle. Ken and I love this city and can’t wait to show Will and Nate some of our favourite spots tomorrow!
Good Bye Vancouver, Hello Vancouver Island
Day 11
Kilometers Traveled; 150
Today, Ken and I woke up to what is now becoming our pack up routine. We take turns running after the boys, packing, organizing and checking the computer to make sure our next hosts or visits know that we are coming. Today was a packed day of sight seeing, visiting and traveling.
What I haven’t mentioned in this blog so far is that in Vancouver we were originally going to be staying with my Aunt Wendy and Uncle John. Only, about a week after I began making plans with my Aunt, I got a very shocking email on my way to work the Monday morning after Father’s Day. That email came from my Aunt telling all of us that at 51 years of age, my Uncle had suffered a massive heart attack while out on a run and he had passed away. I remember reading that email about 6 times to figure out who she was talking about because I couldn’t believe that it was Uncle John. He was a runner, an athlete, someone who always took great care of himself, how could this be? Over our days in Vancouver with my Aunt, we spent quite a bit of time talking about the people in our lives we have lost, John, my Mom, my Grandfathers (both Bishop and Galbraith as she had had a relationship with both of them). Wendy is one of the most courageous people I know. She is facing this loss with incredible dignity and grace. What struck me the most is the strength of the relationship between Wendy and John. She said that one of the things making this process more bearable is that she has no regrets. She loved every second of her life with John and she never took him for granted. Thos conversations made me even more grateful for this trip that we are on. The time that we are spending together, and the memories that we are forming as a family matter. The people on our lives that we love the most matter more than anything. What I have learned from Wendy is to love every second I have with Ken and my boys, to make the most of every day we have together because we truly never know, in an instant, out whole lives can change.
So, after a quick breakfast and lots of packing chaos, we said good bye to Wendy and headed to Robson square, hoping to find some remnants of Olympic glory. Finally, we saw something recognizable. The skating rink we had seen over and over again on the CTV coverage was still there! On the pillars surrounding the skating oval were massive pictures of various Olympic sports. We finally felt like we got to experience a taste of Vancouver 2010! We then headed off for a great lunch with our friends Ken and Kate who now live in Vancouver. We had a great time digging up potatoes from Kate’s garden and BBQing in the back yard. Our nest stop was the Ferry terminal, Will could barely hang on through our lunch visit. He was so excited to see the Ferry that he couldn’t stop calculating in his mind what time we had to leave to make sure that we would catch the Ferry on time. We quickly left Ken and Kate’s to make sure that we would catch the 3:00pm Ferry. Ken’s expert driving and a little singing by Will and I, which convinced all the red lights to turn green, and we made it to the Ferry terminal with five minutes to spare. We parked on board and headed up to the deck to watch the departure. After a few minutes of watching the land fade into the distance Will announced, “Let’s go explore the ship!” We sure did, I don’t think there’s a square centimeter of that ship that we didn’t see. Up stairs, down stairs, kids play land and the gift shop, we did it all. Will and Nate both loved the gift shop as we allowed them to each buy a model of the Ferry with working lights and a real horn sound. We have regretted that decision since, as the sound track of our trip is now the sound of a Ferrys’ horn! An hour and a half later we arrived in Sidney to visit our friends Robin, Liz and Briar. We had a fantastic dinner on the beach together and at 6:15, Nate decided that it was time for bed. By about 7:15 Will, Nate and Briar were fast asleep. For the first time in many days we were able to have an adult evening. It was great to visit with Robin and Liz, who we don’t get to see very often, without constant interruption from two boisterous boys! After a very busy day it was time for bed. More adventure on the Island and another Ferry await us tomorrow!
Kilometers Traveled; 150
Today, Ken and I woke up to what is now becoming our pack up routine. We take turns running after the boys, packing, organizing and checking the computer to make sure our next hosts or visits know that we are coming. Today was a packed day of sight seeing, visiting and traveling.
What I haven’t mentioned in this blog so far is that in Vancouver we were originally going to be staying with my Aunt Wendy and Uncle John. Only, about a week after I began making plans with my Aunt, I got a very shocking email on my way to work the Monday morning after Father’s Day. That email came from my Aunt telling all of us that at 51 years of age, my Uncle had suffered a massive heart attack while out on a run and he had passed away. I remember reading that email about 6 times to figure out who she was talking about because I couldn’t believe that it was Uncle John. He was a runner, an athlete, someone who always took great care of himself, how could this be? Over our days in Vancouver with my Aunt, we spent quite a bit of time talking about the people in our lives we have lost, John, my Mom, my Grandfathers (both Bishop and Galbraith as she had had a relationship with both of them). Wendy is one of the most courageous people I know. She is facing this loss with incredible dignity and grace. What struck me the most is the strength of the relationship between Wendy and John. She said that one of the things making this process more bearable is that she has no regrets. She loved every second of her life with John and she never took him for granted. Thos conversations made me even more grateful for this trip that we are on. The time that we are spending together, and the memories that we are forming as a family matter. The people on our lives that we love the most matter more than anything. What I have learned from Wendy is to love every second I have with Ken and my boys, to make the most of every day we have together because we truly never know, in an instant, out whole lives can change.
So, after a quick breakfast and lots of packing chaos, we said good bye to Wendy and headed to Robson square, hoping to find some remnants of Olympic glory. Finally, we saw something recognizable. The skating rink we had seen over and over again on the CTV coverage was still there! On the pillars surrounding the skating oval were massive pictures of various Olympic sports. We finally felt like we got to experience a taste of Vancouver 2010! We then headed off for a great lunch with our friends Ken and Kate who now live in Vancouver. We had a great time digging up potatoes from Kate’s garden and BBQing in the back yard. Our nest stop was the Ferry terminal, Will could barely hang on through our lunch visit. He was so excited to see the Ferry that he couldn’t stop calculating in his mind what time we had to leave to make sure that we would catch the Ferry on time. We quickly left Ken and Kate’s to make sure that we would catch the 3:00pm Ferry. Ken’s expert driving and a little singing by Will and I, which convinced all the red lights to turn green, and we made it to the Ferry terminal with five minutes to spare. We parked on board and headed up to the deck to watch the departure. After a few minutes of watching the land fade into the distance Will announced, “Let’s go explore the ship!” We sure did, I don’t think there’s a square centimeter of that ship that we didn’t see. Up stairs, down stairs, kids play land and the gift shop, we did it all. Will and Nate both loved the gift shop as we allowed them to each buy a model of the Ferry with working lights and a real horn sound. We have regretted that decision since, as the sound track of our trip is now the sound of a Ferrys’ horn! An hour and a half later we arrived in Sidney to visit our friends Robin, Liz and Briar. We had a fantastic dinner on the beach together and at 6:15, Nate decided that it was time for bed. By about 7:15 Will, Nate and Briar were fast asleep. For the first time in many days we were able to have an adult evening. It was great to visit with Robin and Liz, who we don’t get to see very often, without constant interruption from two boisterous boys! After a very busy day it was time for bed. More adventure on the Island and another Ferry await us tomorrow!
Sea to Sky
Day 10
Kilometers Traveled; 300
Today was our day to explore the Sea to Sky Highway with our final destination being Whistler. This is a day I actually remember enjoying from my original 1991 trip so I was really looking forward to this day. The Sea to Sky Highway is a feat of engineering. I can only imagine the amount of explosive required to carve that highway into the side of the mountain. The views are spectacular, around each curve is a new vista of ocean and mountain. I was envious of the kayakers out on the sea, that would have been a great place to spend such a beautiful day! Our first stop was Shannon falls, again, this is a spot I remember well from my teen aged trip. It’s a short hike into a gorgeous mountain waterfall. We reached this spot about halfway through our journey up the mountain. This was a very good thing as Nate was having a full on hungry emergency, despite the fact that he had eaten his weight in Wendy’s blueberry pancakes before we left! Will was thinking that all this walking wasn’t the best idea but once he saw the waterfall he quickly changed his mind. The boys marveled at the swiftly flowing stream, the way the water rushed over the rocks, stemming from the steeply plunging water fall. When we arrived at the viewing platform, the sun was just breaking behind the mountain and it looked like a flow of sunlight streaming down the rock face. We quickly walked back down the path and headed to the car to continue our journey.
After approximately another hour and another epic game of I Spy, we arrived at Whistler Resort. The boys and I were all extremely excited to be in the heart of many of the Olympic sites. The anticipation level was high, as was the hunger level. We stopped for lunch right at the base of the mountain. This was a great spot, the boys could watch mountain bikers end their race down the mountain, we could also see zip line training and rafting tours leaving. After lunch, we decided to head to the Olympic Plaza, thinking there would be lots to see, Wendy headed off to see some of the newer parts she had not yet seen. Whistler Village is essentially the Blue Mountain Village but on steroids, overall, our adventure ended up being a bit of a disappointment. We did see the memorial set up for the Luger (sorry, can’t spell his name) who died on the track, which for me, was emotional. The rest of what had been at the Olympic plaza is now under construction to become something else. There was a gigantic banner of pictures and the Olympic Rings were still there but that was about it. After a day of walking and looking we were all getting tired and grumpy so we headed back to the car thinking that we would drive up the mountain to see the Sliding Center and that would make it all worth while. Sadly, it didn’t, it costs 7 dollars per person to look at the track and see a torch. We drove to the parking lot across the road, saw what we could see of the track and the started the long descent down the mountain back to Vancouver. The boys slept all the way home. After a quiet dinner with Wendy, we all had an earlyish bed time as tomorrow will be another busy day on the road.
Kilometers Traveled; 300
Today was our day to explore the Sea to Sky Highway with our final destination being Whistler. This is a day I actually remember enjoying from my original 1991 trip so I was really looking forward to this day. The Sea to Sky Highway is a feat of engineering. I can only imagine the amount of explosive required to carve that highway into the side of the mountain. The views are spectacular, around each curve is a new vista of ocean and mountain. I was envious of the kayakers out on the sea, that would have been a great place to spend such a beautiful day! Our first stop was Shannon falls, again, this is a spot I remember well from my teen aged trip. It’s a short hike into a gorgeous mountain waterfall. We reached this spot about halfway through our journey up the mountain. This was a very good thing as Nate was having a full on hungry emergency, despite the fact that he had eaten his weight in Wendy’s blueberry pancakes before we left! Will was thinking that all this walking wasn’t the best idea but once he saw the waterfall he quickly changed his mind. The boys marveled at the swiftly flowing stream, the way the water rushed over the rocks, stemming from the steeply plunging water fall. When we arrived at the viewing platform, the sun was just breaking behind the mountain and it looked like a flow of sunlight streaming down the rock face. We quickly walked back down the path and headed to the car to continue our journey.
After approximately another hour and another epic game of I Spy, we arrived at Whistler Resort. The boys and I were all extremely excited to be in the heart of many of the Olympic sites. The anticipation level was high, as was the hunger level. We stopped for lunch right at the base of the mountain. This was a great spot, the boys could watch mountain bikers end their race down the mountain, we could also see zip line training and rafting tours leaving. After lunch, we decided to head to the Olympic Plaza, thinking there would be lots to see, Wendy headed off to see some of the newer parts she had not yet seen. Whistler Village is essentially the Blue Mountain Village but on steroids, overall, our adventure ended up being a bit of a disappointment. We did see the memorial set up for the Luger (sorry, can’t spell his name) who died on the track, which for me, was emotional. The rest of what had been at the Olympic plaza is now under construction to become something else. There was a gigantic banner of pictures and the Olympic Rings were still there but that was about it. After a day of walking and looking we were all getting tired and grumpy so we headed back to the car thinking that we would drive up the mountain to see the Sliding Center and that would make it all worth while. Sadly, it didn’t, it costs 7 dollars per person to look at the track and see a torch. We drove to the parking lot across the road, saw what we could see of the track and the started the long descent down the mountain back to Vancouver. The boys slept all the way home. After a quiet dinner with Wendy, we all had an earlyish bed time as tomorrow will be another busy day on the road.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Beautiful BC
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.
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.
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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