My brother got all new carpet and flooring.
New shower.
The place hasn’t been this clean in years. 🙂
Category: McCharles family
Ho Ho Ho – nice bird
🙂
Three cheers for the Christmas cooks.
The vegetarian option:
who’s honouring my brother now?
Seems he’s collected an Aurora Award (say that fast 3 times) for Best Fan Organization for WWC.
You know it’s true when you see it in Wikipedia:
Best Fan Organizational: Randy McCharles, Chair and Programming, When Words Collide, Calgary.
Congrats Bro.
The Prix Aurora Awards are given out annually for the best Canadian science fiction and fantasy literary works, artworks, fan activities from that year …
Squamish to Birch Bay WA
Road trip. 🙂
We enjoyed the complementary breakfast at the Sandman hotel in Squamish, new built for the 2010 Olympics. Many of the other guests were cyclists.
Prices are still half or less in Squamish as compared with Whistler.
We opted not to ride the new Sea to Sky Gondola, $35 return. Next time.
After some debate, we decided to next get a hotel close to the ferry in Delta. By luck we found the Coast Tsawwassen Inn. The best of our hotels, so far. Attached is Brown’s Socialhouse, a favourite restaurant of Yvonne and my Mom.
The B.C. chain has now expanded to Saskatchewan and Alberta. 🙂
We dropped our bags and continued across the border to Birch Bay, Washington, a spot Yvonne and Rob enjoyed years ago.
Mom was impressed with the view from a rough (to be diplomatic) beachside cafe.
We rambled towards the Bellingham, Washington Costco. The parking lot was packed with Canadian vehicles.
Most were here loading up on cheap milk. $US 5.32 for 2 gallons, about half what it costs in the Great White North.
We loaded up on cheese, maxing our allowable for crossing back to Canada.
Seems the Canadian government props up the dairy industry. In America the free market keeps retail prices low.
Arriving back at our hotel at a reasonable hour (for a change) I had time for a run in Boundary Bay Regional Park.
Mom and Yvonne drank wine, both tipsy by the time we headed for dinner.
Next morning we were up at around 6am. Mom and I walked on to a morning ferry back to Nanaimo. Yvonne had a long driving day in front of her – Whitefish, Montana.
So … Our 4-day, 3-night loop went Comox (ferry) to Powell River to Lund (ferry) to Sechelt to Gibsons (ferry) to Horseshoe Bay to Whistler to Squamish to Twawwassen (ferry) to Nanaimo. With a sidetrip to the USA. 🙂
We’ve been talking about doing this loop for years. Mission accomplished.
I’m already planning 4 future trips:
1. same loop by bicycle
2. Sunshine Coast Trail on foot
3. parts of the Sea to Sky Trail by bike
4. Lake Lovely Water Trail, Tantalus Range on foot
There is plenty to do in the Sunshine Coast. 🙂
Sechelt to Whistler
Road trip. 🙂
The sun was shining on the Sunshine Coast when we awoke in Sechelt.
We strolled over to a local coffee shop for breakfast. Sat in the sun.
Mom was impressed with the friendly and chatty Sechelt locals. One shopkeep offered to print some documents for us. For free.
We took a sidetrip to Porpoise Bay to check out the option to sea kayak Porpoise Bay Provincial Park. Looks good to me.
Next was Gibson’s.
Gibsons is a coastal community of 4,200 … It is the main marine gateway to the Sunshine Coast.
… Gibsons is best known in Canada as the setting of the popular and long running CBC Television series The Beachcombers, which aired from 1972 to 1990. The storefront “Molly’s Reach“, now a cafe …
The Beachcombers … is the longest-running dramatic series ever made for English-language Canadian television. In all, 387 episodes were produced.
Click PLAY or watch the INTRO on YouTube.
We caught the ferry over to Horseshoe Bay. Another gorgeous trip.
This was my 3rd time in 2014 traveling the Sea to Sky Highway. On the advice of a tourist information guy we grabbed a hotel in Squamish, built new for the 2010 Olympics.
We continued up to Whistler for a walking tour.
Nice afternoon. The mountain bikers were just coming off the hill, hitting the pubs.
Another excellent day on the Sunshine Circuit.
We had a hot tub. Then ordered in Pizza to go with our wine. 🙂
Powell River to Sechelt
Road trip. 🙂
Yvonne picked up a rent-a-car. We left Parksville 8am for our long planned circuit via the Sunshine Coast.
ferry #1 – Comox to Powell River
Powell River is a virtual island on the mainland, accessible only by water.
… Powell River was at one time the largest pulp and paper mill in the world. In its prime, one in every 25 newspapers in the world was printed on paper from the Powell River mill. However, since then it has significantly cut back on production …
We turned north to Lund, the end of Highway 101, mile zero.
Lunch at Nancy’s Bakery.
Ferry #2 – Saltery Bay to Earl’s Cove was the highlight of the day for Mom. Gorgeous weather. It reminded her of the fjords of Norway.
The highlight of my day was learning of the Sunshine Coast Trail.
… a 180-kilometre trail that stretches from Sarah Point in Desolation Sound to Saltery Bay. …
… this epic trail now boasts seven huts with two more planned this year, making it the only free hut-to-hut hiking experience in Canada. …
No fees. No registration. Easy access from multiple trailheads means you can resupply en route. Next year. 🙂
___
We’d decided in advance not to plan our road trip, but make it up as we went along. One B&B had a weird vibe. We ended up instead drinking wine at sunset outside the Driftwood Motel in Sechelt.
… known for its natural beauty, being a popular destination for those interested in kayaking, diving, snowshoeing and skiing, hiking and backpacking, camping, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities. …
We enjoyed a terrific dinner at the Driftwood.
McCharles Boxing Day
Thanks to hosts Rob & Yvonne.
Val won Mexican Train. 🙂
Reg brought some booze. Mom tried adding whip cream to help it go down. Dad thought that was pretty funny.
Christmas in Parksville
Magical Christmas Day.
Rob & Yvonne hosted.
Stacey, Randy & Val flew in Christmas day.
For the record, I ate too much. And got crushed in the Family game of Mexican Train.
Rick McCharles 