Back to Canada

Real logging roads

Days 54-56
First of all, I just realized how intensely long this trip has been.  I think what set that idea off was that every time I drive from one spot in downtown Vancouver to another in my car, which is still loaded with all my gear including the pontoon frame on the roof, I find it funny.  I have spent the last few nights since October 9th back in Canada.  I started out in Prince Rupert, where I got the most attention I have gotten compared to the four other border crossings earlier in the trip.  They checked the serial number on the gun I brought through and checked to see if the bear spray I declared (didn't need to do that) had a picture of a bear on the can, otherwise it could be used on people?! Whatever.. 

I have been driving south the last three days from Prince Rupert down through Terrace, Smithers, Whistler and into Vancouver.  Since I left Houston I have not payed attention to what day of the week it has been on most of the trip.  I have even managed to call my girlfriend's work number on a weekend...  Anyway, it was obviously the weekend and all the stores in Smithers were closed since it was late Sunday afternoon and the stores would not reopen until Tuesday because the next day was the Canadian Thanksgiving.  This means that although I was in Holy Steelheading country, I had no way of learning where to go since the fly shops were closed.  I managed to speak to one, singular fly shop owner that closed at 6pm and they said that everything was blown out anyway…  Needless to say, I just ditched my Northern BC Steelheading plans and drove on south to Vancouver. 

I camped at rest stops both nights and noticed that its much colder the more inland I had driven.  The drive through Whistler was cool because they hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics.  Plus I was unaware of how large the town, not just the ski mountain, of Whistler really is.  From there I caught the sunset over Horseshoe Bay along the Sunshine Coast to Vancouver.  Its wild to think of how much the terrain has changed throughout my trip, now I get to grow accustomed to oceanfront sunsets. 

On the drive past Whistler