I am the Ag Man, goo goo g'joob

Success! We managed to get Carly on her plane back to Portland. As extra security we had purchased a reservation for the 1:00 ferry and left Roch and Cath's house in Victoria two hours early. When the ferry arrived in Vancouver we had some time to kill so we decided to visit the Granville Market. We pulled Airstream Abby through the city streets of Vancouver and into the Market drawing stares as we searched for a place to park. By the time we settled we only had an hour to see the place. Too bad, because we could have spent an afternoon loitering through the market. All that beautiful fruit laid out like boxes of jewels and the cheese and meat and fish and flowers and delicate desserts behind glass--what temptations!

We got Carly off and drove towards to border. At Peace Arch we were delayed a bit while the agriculture inspector took us aside. He asked for the keys to our trailer before grilling us on what illegal items we might be harboring. Do you have any beef? Robert shakes his head no. Then the inspector looks at me and I must have inhaled suspiciously for he followed with, "Now, if I find any in there, you're going to be paying a big fine." Now that he identified me as the weak partner he began directing his inquiries to me: "Any produce, any citrus, any flowers or plants?"

We were asked to wait inside the office while he searched our vehicles. He came back holding our frozen packages of Alberta beef, my fresh-cut flowers from the Granville Market, and the one forbidden lemon I forgot to claim. He held the lemon before my horror-stricken face and told me that not claiming this lemon could cost me $300 dollars, but since he was sure I had innocently forgotten the offending citrus he would let me off. Just tell your friends who plan to cross the border how serious we are. Then he handed me the flowers that he had checked for insects and said some cute things to Allison and off we went.

Our precious Alberta beef went into a special border freezer to be disposed of in a special sanitized landfill of which its owner was sure to be getting rich over, the ag inspector told us. All confiscated items must be destroyed. Yeah, right, we thought to ourselves. We imagined the guy rubbing his palms together saying, "Hmmm, what's for dinner tonight? New York strips, or ribeye?"

Butchart Gardens

You can't come to Vancouver Island and not see the Butchart Gardens, so that's what we did. We rode the ferry from Mill Bay over to Brentwood and lucky for us it was a partly sunny day. The gardens are phenomenal. I wished I could pick a bouquet full of these luscious flowers. Allie snipped a tiny piece of something that smelled wonderful and I hid it in my pocket. Hours later I was tossing it out with the tissue and crumpled receipts as it was no longer recognizable.

We were supposed to get Carly to Vancouver Airport this afternoon, but when we arrived to the Swartz Bay ferry we found it full. Incredible for a Tuesday we were told, but still, it threw us into panic mode wondering how to develop Plan B on the fly. Remember, we are on an island, you just can't hop over to Vancouver at will. We drove straight to the airport to see about putting her on a plane to Vancouver, but three air carriers later, we were nowhere. How about a helicopter, a concerned bystander suggested. Well, we're just not that panicked, thank you, we'll work something out.

We worked it out by rescheduling her flight to tomorrow--same carrier, same flight numbers, same escorts. Tomorrow will be our own personal Groundhog Day as we re-live the preparations and drive to the ferry again. On the bright side, Allison and James get Carly as a playmate for another day. Oh, and we stopped for lunch in Sidney, something we wouldn't have done, for fish and chips. We had the most fabulous plate of F&C's served with french-fried yams and curry-mayonnaise dip at Fish on Fifth where the world's most enthusiastic waiter, Sean, responded to our news that we were traveling North America by Airstream with "AWESOME!" about a dozen times. I could hear him from the kitchen repeating it over and over again. I felt inclined to take him along.

Everyone has fun in Victoria

Through a degree of separation, you could say Victoria, British Columbia, is connected to us. It is home to the developer of Loreto Bay and many other principal players. We got to know many of them well during our time in Loreto. Now that we are here, we are able to visit and get reacquainted. This morning, Ed and Cliff whisked Robert off to a sports bar to watch football. I bid them goodbye knowing full well I wouldn't see or hear from Robert till dark. Beer before noon means makes for a long, long day.

I drove the girls to Cath and Roch's for James' eighth birthday party. Carly, Allison, and James were classmates at Colegio Calafia in Loreto. Allison spent first grade tapping James' shoulder for help since he was a Loreto Bay veteran and she knew no Spanish. I got such a kick from seeing them together again acting like no time had passed between them. I think it is so interesting how fate pulls people together. I can imagine these kids being friends for life. One day, they'll reunite in some city and reminisce about their school days in a small Mexican village.

I left the birthday party after a couple hours to stroll downtown Victoria. The day was sunny which brought out the crowds. I love getting lost in a city by myself. Everything fascinates me: the architecture, the shops, the way people dress and talk--the same things that make cities interesting to everyone, I guess. I shopped a bit before finding myself in a wine bar tasting Canadian ice wine. I walked out knowing more about ice wine than I ever imagined I wanted to know. A half hour earlier, Canadian ice wine hadn't even crossed my mind. I love that phenomenon--subject specific education to an unsuspecting and unprepared brain. It livens a jaded mind.

I finished my outing with a visit to Vic's for fish and chips. At five o'clock I was the only patron there, a bad sign for a restaurant chosen best in Victoria for fish and chips. Still, I ate my greasy cod with a funny satisfaction that I was not the least bit uncomfortable to be eating alone in public. I'm such a big girl doing whatever I feel like. I could just toss my hat to the wind like Mary Tyler Moore. I think cities can make you giddy that way. Along with wine tasting.

I picked the girls up and we went home to find Robert fast asleep. I fed and chaperoned the girls to the campground shower and then watched them play and construct paper dresses for their Webkinz. We watched one hour of Hannah Montana on Disney followed by another of me watching the girls re-enact the episode. It seems I live half my life in child-world which is why wandering alone in a city, drinking ice wine and taking photographs of archways and pediments and flags waving in the wind is a perfect day for me.

Loonie in Canada

The big news here in Canada is the rise of the loonie against the dollar. For the first time since 1976, their currency is worth the same as ours. What it all means is beyond me and my puny knowledge of how economics works, but I get the impression it is bad for us.

Leave it to us to pick the most expensive time in the world to visit Canada. It takes 100 dollars in gasoline to fill our tank, but that may become the norm in the U.S. too, the way things are going.

The Day Ends Well After All

We got to experience a little of the Canadian health system today when I took Allison's friend, Carly, to a clinic. She was complaining of an ear ache on our way to the grocery store in Mill Bay that we almost didn't find. Normally, a trip down a grocery isle with kids is like watching an Oklahoma land grab, each one staking claims on the sugar-laden products. When she turned away from the Oreos I had to feel her forehead for fever.

I have some experience with ear aches, of course, being a mother. I know that it always means infection and that always means antibiotics. Please, someone tell me why that a seasoned mother armed with this knowledge just can't buy the darn stuff over the counter. No, we are required to go through the drill: sit at the doctor's office for an hour so he/she can spend 37 seconds looking into two eardrums and another 12 writing out the prescription.

Anyway, I, being an American traveling in Canada, did not have a clue what to do other than trot over to the drug store and see what I could drum up in the way of relief for this little girl. I explained our dilemma to the pharmacist and she answered, brightly, that a health clinic was located right next door, but would be closing in 10 minutes. Thanks, I said, and ran out the door. I was surprised to see that the grocery, pharmacy, and health clinic were side-by-side.

The doctor's receptionist told me it should be no problem to get her in. I had only to fill out a simple form and pre-pay the $58 dollar fee as a foreigner. We waited about 20 minutes in the lobby, while the doctor was treating two boys injured playing rugby. While the one with the broken nose was being treated, we watched the other one as he waited his turn. He seemed so sullen that my first impression was that the two of them were punks who got into a fight, but when I struck up a conversation later with the broken nose, he revealed himself as a very polite and well-heeled boy who was attending the boarding school across the street--Shawnigan Lake School. I learned he'd lived many places, and that when he returned from school in Japan he was so advanced he skipped fifth grade. This injury would probably keep him out of the rugby season and maybe that is why his friend seemed gloomy. Just another example of how we can be so wrong about people.

We filled the prescription, but only half-way. The pharmacist informed me that they had to sent for more and that when it arrived on Monday the would deliver it to me. "Come again?" Yes, they would drive it to my door (be it lot #33 Malahat Mountain Meadows RV Park) no charge. So overall, our little dilemma resolved smoothly. Carly feels a little better. The girls picked wild blackberries and roasted marshmallows tonight. Then they retreated to the Airstream to play while Robert and I watched our campfire burn down and listened to the grunts of the emu in the pen behind our campground. Yes, emu. Don't ask.

Togetherness

Down the coast to Victoria. We tried to get a spot at the Westbay Marine Village RV park, but it was full. The site was like an ugly parking lot, but the location was great--right on the harbor. The attendant was sorry not to have room for us; she loved Airstreams. "They class up the place," she said. Interestingly, we see few Airstreams on the road. Now that we have one we are always on the lookout for others. When we spot one we wave like fools trying to catch the attention of the owner. We imagine we are united in some exclusive club which ownership of the iconic silver bullet is claim enough to brotherhood.

We found another RV park, Fort Victoria, that for the time being will have to do, though I hate it. It is an unattractive parking lot, basically. We are used to the beautiful park settings of past campgrounds. We've developed definite likes and dislikes regarding our digs. We like to have a campfire, lots of space, good views, privacy. I like reasonable access to the internet and laundry facilities if possible. So, this morning we are packing up and heading a few kilometers north to Malahat Mountain Meadows Park in a more scenic setting among the cedars.



Yesterday, we picked up Allison's friend, Carly, from the Victoria airport. She flew in to spend a few days with us. Allison is thrilled beyond words. The atmosphere has altered dramatically towards all things girly. Giggles and games and slumber party antics. Robert and I are relegated to our bedroom to give them the space they need to be kids. Carly and Allison are friends from their schooldays at Colegio Calafia in Loreto. They share a unique experience that should bond them for a lifetime. An exclusive club, so to speak.

The Ancients

We drove north from our campsite in Nanaimo to Cathedral Grove, an ancient forest of fir and red cedar. I think it is aptly named; there is something holy about 800-year-old trees. Most are decaying, but I don't know if that means "dying." Some stand 250 feet tall and nearly 30 feet in circumference, inspiring awe. It would seem a sin to destroy such majestic things, but the ancient forests of Vancouver have practically been wiped out. 97% wiped out since colonization. Logging. Ancient trees in unprotected areas are still in danger of
clear-cutting and logging, and there is continual protest from concerned people. Here is an excerpt from the Cathedral Grove website:

	Stop Killing Big Trees Since Weyerhaeuser bought MacMillan Bloedel in 1999, the barbaric practice of old growth clearcutting has continued at an even faster rate on Vancouver Island. In the fall of 1999, Weyerhaeuser began cutting down 800 year old ancient Douglas firs adjacent to Cathedral Grove as part of a new logging road. Wide spread public outrage at this corporate vandalism led to a campaign to expand the boundaries of Cathedral Grove spearheaded by the Western Canada Wilderness Committee in 2000. The political decision to destroy more forest habitat to construct a parking lot in Cathedral Grove is contentious. MLA Scott Fraser (Alberni Qualicum) cautions: "I don't want to see a problem à la Clayoquot Sound . . . if the public is not listened to here, there won't be just a few people in the trees" (9 December 2005, Parksville-Qualicum News).

I can see why a person would become a tree-hugger. Standing in that sacred grove I fully understood my compulsion to want to wrap my arms around a rare and magnificent living object as wise and knowing as an old cedar. Something that has stood so long must be deserving of our worship and protection. Oh, I could go on and on; there's a forest full of allegories to harvest here. Just watch my video:

Ferry to Forest

We arrived in Vancouver today after an overnight in a campsite somewhere near Yale, British Columbia. We meant to stay at Hell's Gate, but it was so insanely dark when we arrived and there was no campgrounds in sight. We thought of overnighting in the parking lot of Hell's Gate, an attraction like involves gondolas and deep gorges probably like the Royal Gorge in Colorado, that but we were too spooked being the only ones there under a massive sign reading "Welcome to Hell's Gate." No thanks. We found a almost equally deserted campground further up the road and timidly pulled in. In the morning there was no one to pay; in fact the campground was void of all human presence, so we scatted.

No one warned us how spooky dark Canada can be. If not for your car headlights you'd be immobilized. Still, we made it to Vancouver by noon and went straight to the Horseshoe Bay Ferry crossing. Our first ride with Airstream Abby on a ferry and it was a perfectly smooth and comfortable trip. I think it cost about 158 dollars for us to cross the hour-and-a-half distance to Departure Bay on Vancouver Island. I had the bright idea of videotaping our disembarking the ferry. I watched as Robert drove right past me and on to the freeway as he had nowhere to stop. I had to hike a bit till I found him parked alongside traffic waiting for his nutty wife.

I made up for it by locating a perfectly sweet rhododendron-thicket of an RV park called, Living Forest. Once again Robert went for view over internet access and we are perched oceanfront. As usual I am in the Tahoe next to the office where I can get wi-fi. Allison has cable t.v. so she's a happy camper. Overall, we all are.

Hidden Treasures

Today was Allison's eighth birthday. We spent it searching for letterboxes hidden in Miligne Canyon and Lake in Jasper National Park. This was our first attempt at this game since learning about it just days ago. People make and hide these boxes in the outdoors for others to find by following clues online. It is very simple really and fun. It makes the hike up a steep terrain a little more tolerable for a kid knowing there's a mystery to solve. Allison just loved it. Now we are planning our own letterbox project.

Our friends, Grant and Joanne left for their home in Edmonton, sorry to say. They are so fun and it was cozy to hang with them in the cabin on Lake Edith. We parked the Airstream right outside the door and made ourselves comfortable. We would be happy to stay longer; it is so beautiful. The lake is glacier fed so it is that aqua blue color. I have seen elk, sheep and a coyote, but no bears yet. At night it is so dark you cannot see the ground you walk on. Elk are in mating season so there is a lot of bellowing or whatever it's called. I have to say I am a little fearful of the 50 steps from the cabin to the trailer for what could be lurking there.

Grant told us a story of how years ago he was unable to get out his front door for work because there were two huge elk in the yard. One charged at him hastening him back into the house where he phoned his boss with the worlds most improbable excuse for tardiness. Or, maybe not so improbable to a Canadian living in the Rockies. Now there's one good advantage to being a Canadian right there, eh?

The toe knows.

These belong to my friend, Grant.
Grant is from Edmonton. He says Edmonton rocks! Secretly, he wishes he was from America.

Walking on Thick Ice

I didn't realize it could only get better. Banff was gorgeous. Robert and I hiked the Tunnel Mountain Trail along the Bow River to town. It took us through the valley floor through alpine meadows and pine forests to the waterfalls below the Banff Springs Hotel. Later, we all rode the gondola to the top of Sulfur Mountain (no discernible smell there.) I wished we had a little more time to explore, but we needed to get on to Lake Louise with Drew and Cathy before they had to go home. Having them along was like having personal tour guides; they are familiar with the area as well as knowledgeable about the things we were seeing like Moraine Lake and the Rockpiles. This is where the glacier flow ends leaving boulders piled high and haphazard like thy were moved by a giant bulldozer. The color of the lake is stunningly aqua due to the sunlight reflecting off the mineral particles suspended in the water. Lake Louise is the same but bigger with a grander view. This seems to be everyone's favorite, but like Drew, we were drawn to the more intimate setting of Moraine. That's Allison looking out on the aqua water. (No Photoshop magic here, I promise!)

It was goodbye to Drew and Cathy and hello to Grant and Joanne in Jasper. The three hour drive might have felt out to the way, but what a drive it was. We follow the spine of the Canadian Rockies so that the thrill never ends. What, more pines, waterfalls, lakes, and big blue sky? When does it end? Along the way is the Columbia Icefields. Although we were cruising in 70 degrees Fahrenheit, suddenly we were presented with this enormous ice field and chilling wind. We only stepped onto the very end of the Icefield. To go further, you need to be prepared. There are enormous crevasses and spots where the ice can give way. Robert was told that people occasionally fall into a crevasse, and can instantly freeze before being freed. So, I only braved a path along the correct side of the roped-off section. I would love to go back and take a serious hike on the glacier. I want to jump a cravasse like this guy in a photo I snagged off the Icefield website.

Walking on Thick Ice: The Video

Here's a little video I made of our stroll on the ice.

Hiking the Tunnel Mountain Trail to Banff Springs Hotel

Calgary, Who Knew?

From Waterton we drove to Calgary stopping for a quick visit to Head-Smashed-In, an historical site where Indians drove buffaloes over cliffs. In Calgary we hooked up with Cathy and Drew, friends and fellow neighbors from Loreto Bay. They treated us to dinner (Alberta steaks) and the next day a tour of their city. Calgary is a very nice town. It's similar to many Midwestern U.S. cities, ours included.

We stayed at the campground next to the Olympic Park where the 1988 Winter Games were held. We could see the ski jump and luge runs from the campground. The ski jump was our landmark for finding our way back from Cathy and Drew's.
The photo here is of the Saddledome where ice hockey and figure skating took place. Now the "Stampede" rodeo event is held there. Of course, we missed it since it takes place in July. We did a mix of the usual touristy things, like visit the Calgary Tower, where we stood on the glass floor looking down some 600 plus feet--and the neighborly things, like dinner with C & D's friends and a stroll through the neighborhood.


I worried we were not flattering enough with our comments regarding Calgary. After all, it is a refined cow-town not unlike Kansas City, right? We were expecting to meet a city of similar status. We're both known for great beef. We have the American Royal, they have the Stampede. We both have a river, a decent museum, a conservative outlook. I figured maybe they'd have us beat in the humor department. I maintain that Canadians are funny people, but they have to be to make up for not being Americans. However, a few days in the World's Cleanest City, and the city ranked 25th in the world for best quality of life, I began to see the error of my prejudice. Calgary may have us beat: a low crime rate, low taxes, a flat income-tax rate, light rail transit, great winter sports activities, skiing and Banff 75 miles away, and most importantly, a booming economy due to massive oil and gas deposits which recently are more viable as the the world's oil prices keep climbing. It's people are friendly and almost never kill each other (only 25 homicides in 2006). Calgary is looking good.

Then we saw Banff. The Alberta Rockies are stunning and Banff is out of this world beautiful. So what if you freeze your buns off living in Calgary-- with scenery like that just minutes away it makes it easy to downplay the long, cold winters. Hiking the alpine trails in Banff, seeing the brilliant aqua Bow River meander through the valley, the falls below the Scottish baronial style Banff Springs Hotel, the magnificent elk wandering through the parks--puts Canada in a whole new light for us.

Princely Views

We left Whitefish, Montana yesterday morning. It didn't take long to get to the southwest entrance of Glacier Park. We camped in Apgar under the tall pines. If there was sunshine you wouldn't know it tucked away in that dense haven. It was quite chilly and we weren't allowed to run the generator. The night owl that I am, I ran the battery down and we had no heat by morning.

However, there was plenty of sunshine on the Going to the Sun Road. We left the Airstream and tackled the long incline up the gorgeous peaks. We drove as far as Logan Pass (about 35 miles) before doubling back. Once again I hung my head out the window to videotape while Robert was steady at the wheel.

Glacier Park is magnificent and we could spend a lot more time exploring, but we want to keep up the pace to get through Canada while it's still warm. This is the end of the summer season. So, this afternoon we headed north to Waterton Park in Alberta. This is the first time any of us has ever visited Canada. We had absolutely no trouble crossing the border. I imagined I'd see more security, or at least the Royal Mounted Police, but it was uneventful. The drive up was beautiful, breathtaking. Hard for Robert to keep his eyes on the road for all the wandering cows (kinda like in Baja!)

We are staying at the full-service campground in Waterton near the lake and below the Prince of Wales Hotel. We were so excited to have dinner in the Royal Stewart Room where the waiters wear Scottish kilts. We imagined Prince Edward hosting his royal friends there, hunting and fishing, dining in the grand room overlooking the spectacular mountains and lake.
I was very disappointed to learn that the Prince of Wales Hotel was actually built by ambitious American railroad big-wigs. They created it as a getaway spot for Americans looking for a drink during the Prohibition era. They boldly named it after Prince Edward (who owned a large ranch in Alberta) betting he would draw patrons. I don't believe he ever even visited the place. Prohibition ended after a few short years and the depression hindered profits further. Still, it was a nice idea. It must have been quite a sight years ago to tourists coming in on the train, just as it impressed us as we pulled in, Airstream in tow.

Homeschooling looks like this

When you school at home you get to wear your pajamas and take your hula hoop to class.