Expedition Canada

Coast Culture We've had some stunning sunrises recently and moonsets.  This was  the moon against a foggy backdrop. The long range forecast that suggested we were going to enjoy a cold winter could not have got it more wrong.  It has been wet and warm.   The UK has had more snow than southern and coastal BC.  Whistler has snow in the alpine but it's patchy and thin at village level.  Other resorts in western North America are enjoying similar poor conditions, unlike the Atlantic Coast. We have therefore deferred any trips up the mountain; though are scheduled to spend a week in Whistler late February.  Fingers crossed.  If snow conditions improve later in the season we may go up again in March and April, but book at the last minute.    That said, January has not been a quiet month.  The Coast Music Theatre Co are putting on a production of Guys and Dolls at the end of Feb, and Fred has been busy making costumes. While Fred’s b...

Plus a Bison Banquet Thu Nov 24th  After putting my pre-order deposit down in Nov 2021 for the all electric Rivian R1S (SUV), I finally heard last week that delivery will between October and December ........ 2023.  That's the good news and bad news in one!   I have finally been able to see one in the flesh at a customer event last Saturday in Vancouver.  Nick and I had a boys day in town checking out the vehicles, which continue to get amazing reviews.  Top Gear reviewed the R1T pickup .  They are impressive vehicles and the larger battery pack has a range of circa 320m (514k), though if I test the 0-60mph in 3 seconds regularly I suspect that may be a tad optimistic .    The event was busy, suggesting there are quite a few pre-order customers in BC, the launch province for Canada, the only country outside the USA where Rivian vehicles are being sold at the outset.  It's not surprising as BC has the highest proportion of EV sales in Nor...

Vancouver Excursion Mon Jul 25th Gambier Island from the ferry This last week has flown by with an afternoon excursion to Vancouver, an early evening cleaning of Mandala for the Gibsons Regatta at the weekend and two days of exhausting but exhilarating racing. That look of concentration Tuesday I popped over to Vancouver on the lunchtime ferry to pick up a canoe.  It's been on the list for awhile and suddenly a good deal arose, too good to miss.   I stopped off in Kitsilano to drop something off for Nick and Lizzie and had two lovely hours with young Seb who was on great form and even decided to read me a bedtime story! Holding the book on his own and happily chortling away in between the cutest of smiles! He is a delight and at the weekend completed his first BCMC hill climb (strapped to Lizzie) in a pretty commendable 40 mins (3.46km and 800m elevation). The boy did good.  His mum is pretty awesome too!  I'm not sure I'd complete it in the estimated...

Quiet News Week Mon Jan 24th Howe Sound The week since the last post has flown by and you might reasonably assume it has been jam packed with adventures.  I'm not sure where the time has gone, but it's not been spent climbing mountains, hiking trails or other outdoor pursuits.  Too cold for anything water based! The latter part of last week, we were absorbed in a potential house purchase.  We got a heads up on Tuesday that a property in one of our preferred locations was coming on the market  and went to see it first viewing, first thing on Thursday morning.  We liked it so had a second visit on Friday, before putting in an offer.  The three bed house was on the coast near Bonniebrook, where we spent out first month on the Coast.  Nice quiet location, but needed some work for an additional bed and shower room that influenced our offer.  We went in just below asking and were unsuccessful and suspect it went above asking.   The search cont...