I finished off a very busy month of May by talking a short walk with my camera in my pocket under sunny and warm conditions and just took my time and headed for English Bay where I sunned myself for an hour or so and just breathed in the nice sea breeze air. Both the bike path and Seawall were very busy with people out enjoying the great late spring or early summer weather.
Here in review are some of the highlights of the month of May 2009.
1. Bike escort - Vancouver Marathon 2. Bike volunteer - Pacific Spirit run 3. Scrutineer and election official for BC General Election 4. Enjoying the fresh air with lots of bike rides and walks - over 300km on the bike and over 100 km of walking. 5. Bike escort volunteer wind up BBQ
Upcoming for the month of June
1. Vancouver Island trip and FOYP Director's meeting 2. Kelowna party weekend 3. Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat volunteer and windup party. 4. Volunteer for the Scotia half - marathon - a new event for me. 5. YMCA Heritage Club annual luncheon - one of the few times now that I need to get dressed up.
The wind up BBQ for the Bike escort team was once again held at Gord and Linda's place in South Burnaby and about a dozen of us made the trek out to there place - some of us including me biked out - it was a 19KM ride uphill most of the way to the Metrotown area from downtown and then a short downhill spin to the party.
Along the way I stopped at Windsor Castle to catch my breathe. This is actually a small rest spot at the junction of the Windsor and Midtown/Ridgeway bike routes - the rock formation looks like the top of a castle hence the name Windsor Castle - I was able to bike almost the entire route along dedicated bike corridors and it took me just over 100 minutes to do the trip.
This is our cooking vessel for the day.
Promoting the liquid amber product that we are drinking.
Sophie and Gregg cook while Gord - our co-host looks on.
Peter, Quinton, John and Ray relax in the sun enjoying their beer and supper.
We were to bring either salads or desserts - here are some of the latter.
His lord worship the knight of all good things biking and general LBS guru Brian giving his final speech for this year as he thanks us once again for commitment and welcomes us to join him again next year. About 8PM and a couple of beers later I get back on the bike and start the mostly downhill ride back home taking the BC Parkway and Central Valley Greenway route.
It was a 35KM out and back ride and an enjoyable evening with some great people.
Another nice day so another opportunity to get out on the bike and enjoy the scenery of the Lower Mainland - today I will drive south of Vancouver to Deas Island Regional Park and get the bike out and go for a ride - there are a number of ride options but one that has interested me for some time is to bike from Deas Park through to Ladner townsite - for years this meant fighting the traffic on River road but a new trail was built a few years ago that takes you under the highway and into the Captain Cove's marina - I was interested it just where the trail left the Park but first I rode through the Park and caught these scenes.
In the corner of the Park as you enter it from River Road you will see this sign - this is the start of the trail that will allow you to ride through to Ladner. It follows Deas Slough where people where out kayaking and caneoing before it heads under the highway to emerge to a good little flower show on the other side - you have two options once across - the left one will take you by a golf course and reconnect with River Road - the right turn will take you into Captains Cove Marina and then onto Ferry Rd before meeting River Road and the trip into Ladner.
As you approach Ladner you start seeing the fishing boats that make up so much of there harbour - I am always impressed by how scenic this harbour is.
From Ladne Village I followed River Rd west and south until I came to the Westham Island bridge which leads to Reiful Wildlife Refugee - but that is a trip for another day. There is a houseboat Village on both sides of the river - this bridge is the last one on the South Arm of the Fraser River before it drains into the Strait of Georgia and also one of the last swing bridges still in existence in this part of the world.
I continued along River Road for some distance before cutting through the rich farm lands and coming back into Ladner where I picked up the trail back to the Park and my truck.
I picked up a bit of the summer tan on my face and arms so I guess that means that summer is coming
The new photo is from the west sidewalk of the Burrard Bridge looking towards the west end and the North Shore mountains.
There is a saying that us retired folks like to use - it seems that in retirement you are more busy than when you are working and never seems to have the time to do the things that you enjoy like updating this blog - well add in the fact that the weather has been very summer like and being a person who likes outdoor activities that will explain the recent lack of posts to this site.
I spent last weekend doing a number of city bike rides - out to our western beaches like Spanish Banks, a complete loop of the Stanley Park Seawall and a complete loop of the False Creek seawall - taking a fair number of photos.
I also attended a wind up volunteer party for those of us who helped our local candidate get elected - enjoyed meeting some of the people from the campaign and enjoying some free beer and snacks - we were disappointed in the lost of Wally in Delta South but happy to have a nice new member from this riding to go for any concerns etc. There is some speculation as to whether Mary will go into Cabinet or get a Minister of State posting but with 6 new female members elected and her having no elected experience the odds are a little against her. The Cabinet should be appointed in about 10 days.
I have also posted earlier about how I keep meeting people on the street that I knew from my working days and the past week has seen me bumping into a number of former members - in a couple of cases I was able to have some lengthy conversations and got caught up in there happenings in the world.
This past weekend was a holiday one here in Canada as we celebrated the late Queen Victoria's birthday - in years past I would head out camping with the boys but now that most of them have traded their tenst for hotel rooms and the fact that I am retired and can take off when I want we all do our own thing - there were three events or activities if you wish that I did over this period not counting the celebrating of the big Jim's birthday with some friends at the Keg on Saturday night.
Because of how I uploaded the images - this entry will have the latest entry first - yes I could spend some time reversing the images but the sun has come out and I want to take a short walk before hitting the gym for a steam etc.
EVENT THREE - A VISIT TO THE RHODODENDRON DISPLAY IN STANLEY PARK MONDAY MAY 18, 2009
My last event this weekend was a short bike ride down to Stanley Park to catch the Rhododendron display near the Pitch and Putt golf course - this is always a beautiful sight at this time of year and I wanted to catch it before the bloom have finished - managed to get the ride in and lunch finished just before a major afternoon rain shower hit the area.
For info on the history of this display and even more photos checkout the Vancouver Parks Board web site on this attraction.
EVENT TWO: HIKING THE LOWER FALLS - EAST CANYON TRAIL GOLDEN EARS PARK SUNDAY MAY 17, 2009:
Sunday was a day hike trip to Golden Ears Park east of Vancouver and a short 8KM loop trip along the Lower Falls trail on Gold Creek and then a short scramble up the hillside to connect with the main East Canyon trail and a return to the parking lot.
EVENT ONE FRIDAY MAY 15, 2009 - BIKING THE SEYMOUR VALLEY TRAIL IN THE LOWER SEYMOUR CONSERVATION RESERVE
First up was a trip over to the North Shore and a visit to the Lower Seymour Conservation area - a watershed reserve area that is now open to the public and that has a wide array of recreational activities available.
On this particular trip I am on my bike and will be cycling some 11 KMs up the Seymour valley trail to the Salmon Hatchery - access to the dam is restricted for the time being as an upgrade project is being undertaken.
I return part way back on the main Valley trail until I get to the Connector trail which will take me down to the Mid - Valley Viewpoint and onto the Fishermen's trail and then back to my truck in the parking lot.
In all about 28 KM's of riding.
Hope you have enjoyed my brief summary of my weekend activities - now it is time to head out for a walk, lunch and then a steam and clean at the gym.
One of the results of the swine flu hitting the Mexican tourist market is the diverting of some ships that normally sail to the Mexican Riviera to Pacific Northwest ports and Vancouver has been able to handle some of the load.
Today the Carnival Splendor which holds almost 3000 passengers is docked on the east side of Canada Place for an 9 hour visit and of course being the great cruise fan that I am I just had to head down to Canada Place and see the ship and talk to some of the passengers who were looking for directions etc. It is one of the largest ship to berth here. Don't know how full it is but one couple I talked to were actually happy to visit this great city - they have been to Mexico on many occasions and were happy to visit some new ports and didn't seem too concerned about our cool spring weather.
These images are taken with my Blackberry on a cloudy and cool day.
A potpourri of a title and a brief outline of the last seven weeks in my life.
It seems strange waking up this morning and looking at my event calendar and not seeing anything of note to do.
As most of you who have been following this blog know I spend five weeks training as a bike escort volunteer for the Vancouver Marathon, spend three days last week scrutineering for the BC Liberals in the riding of Vancouver False Creek, volunteered for the Pacific Spirit run last Saturday, found 12 volunteers for a work party assignment at Yellowpoint Lodge, found time for a stiff hike on Sunday and somehow still have my body in one piece and my mind still functioning.
After working 13 hours as an BC Elections official at the Cascadia Hotel a block from my condo I headed to the party headquarters of Mary McNeil - the Liberal candidate in my riding of Vancouver - False Creek.
I had been following the results on my Blackberry so I knew that the Liberals were ahead and just after arriving at the party - getting a name tag and a cold Molson Canadian it was announced that the Liberals had a majority - this was expected but there was some concern that if our voters stayed home the NDP could lose the popular vote but win the most seats.
Prior to the election I posted my prediction as 48 Liberals, 37 NDP - as it stands right now it is 49 Liberals 36 NDP with two seats that could still change sides in a couple of weeks when all of the absentee ballots are counted.
Not long after arriving our candidate is declared elected - while we are in a new riding carved out of the old Vancouver Burrard riding - this part of the city favours the Liberals based previous voting patterns.
The beer is free and flowing and I am doing my best to put a dent in the large cooler full of the golden amber.
The office is alive with supporters as Mary addresses and thanks us for our support - she then leaves for the main celebration at the Convention center - a large group of us stay to enjoy the beer and watch the final returns come in.
As the cooler became empty Cris and Diane are slowly getting the supporters to leave - I finish up one last beer talking to a street person outside the Hq'ers - terrible stroke of luck for the guy but he appears to be on the road to recovery and re-employment in the construction industry.
I make it home feeling no pain from all the beer that I drank.
Wednesday I spent trying to sober up and heading for the gym for a steam etc - that made me feel somewhat better.
The next major volunteer event for me is in a month time with the Dragon Boat races - until then it is more of a normal set of life moments.
I do have a couple of short trips planned over the next month - a brief weekend over on the Island to coincide with a Director's meeting with the Friends of Yellowpoint and a weekend in Kelowna with Jim and some of his language student friends.
Also can now start looking more seriously about what to do at the port of call on my Alaska cruise at the end of September.
After bike riding on Saturday and with another sunny day forecast I was determined to get out and do some hiking - it was a choice between Teapot Dome at Cultus Lake or DeBeck's Hill at Alice Lake Park - not feeling like a longer drive I chose the latter.
The normal way up DeBeck's is from a trailhead at the far end of the parking lot at Alice Lake Park - it is a 2 KM grind up an old road to a viewpoint with micro-tower and spendid views of the surrounding area and of the Tantalus range to the west - I have done it once before and wanted it more for the views than anything else. The walk up the road was boring and after about 50 minutes I reached the top and that was where my first disappointment occurred - the thin high cloud moving in advance of today's rain was starting to obscure the clear view so the pictures aren't all that clear.
It was while I was up at the top that I found this notice attached to a tree near a shed on the landing and being the adventurer that I am I decided to follow the trail and see where it came out - I was hoping that it might end somewhere along the trail that circles Alice Lake but that was not where it led.
The route was in fairly good shape, was marked with oranges markers and appears to be used somewhat as the path was fairly well defined.
It does provide better views as it hugs the north side of the DeBecks' hill - here you get a good view of the jewel of the area - the massive called Mt Garibaldi.
The route continues to wander through the forest - the trail in places was steep and the ground cover was moss and rock and my footing wasn't that great as I was only wearing my light day hikers - sure glad it wasn't raining as they may be looking for me today because if I had lost my footing I could have injured myself - but I took it easy and where necessary sat on my rear to get down some of the steeper pitches.
You aren't actually that far from civilization as you can hear the traffic buzzing by on the Sea to Sky Highway - after about an hour of delicate hiking I come to a junction and this sign on a tree - it explained a lot about what I just accomplished BUT this junction provided another challenge - the trail went in three directions and by now I was pretty sure where two of them would lead and that was to a new trail that is visible just after you turn off the highway and head for the Alice Lake Park campsite.
But where did the third trail go - it appeared to head uphill but the most important clue for me was the creek that I had just crossed would be the outflow creek from the Lake and I would need to get to the Lake to get back to my truck.
Sure enough after about 5 minutes of hiking up this trail I see the road and follow it back to the campsite and then onto to trailhead parking lot and my truck.
I am still stiff and sore from this hike but it was good exercise - don't know if I would rush back any time soon and it is also unlikely that I would try and hike up the trail.
Tomorrow I spend the day working for Elections BC - I expect it to be a long evening what with the vote count and the referundum ballots to count. Assuming that the results are as I think they will be I will head to the Convention Center for the victory party.
Then there is the hockey game tonight - it's win for the Canucks or the season is over - these are two fairly well matched teams so any thing is possible.
