A day of sight seeing

I knew that going into Canada would have it's challenges. First time using my pass port, adjusting to exchange rate, converting Imperial Gallons to U.S. gallons, using the metric system for everything. But I have an advantage now to make sure no one takes advantage of me. I had a nice young man in the lobby of the motel, for only $15.00 U.S., download an app that converts the MBS data rate (MegaBytes per second) of my IPad to MMBS (Metric MegaBytes per second). So now the conversions are automatic! No one can get the best of me!!!

It was only a half hour ride this morning to get to the Canadian Border. That was where traffic backed up and I found myself sitting in a lane of traffic, inching forward each time a car at the head of my lane was flagged through. As is the case in the grocery store, one lane moves, then each lane eventually moves so you end up passing, then catching up with the same people over and over.

 As I went through this I began to wonder about my (air cooled) engine temperature. I made it through rush hour in Miami Beach okay but, when I saw a biker pull his bike over in the south bound lane and shut it off, apparently overheated, I decided to take action. The lines had sorted themselves out to where no one was likely to jump ahead of me if I didn't stay right on the bumpier ahead of me. So I shut my engine off after moving forward, then waited for two vehicles to advance before filling the hole.

As I sat waiting to advance I heard a female voice, turned and saw the lady in the car next to me repeat, "who's Betty?". Obviously she had just read my license plate, 4UBETY.

"My late wife", I replied.

"I figured as much."

I delivered my elevator speech, explaining how Betty was traveling with me, and where we have been. She was moved and said that she hoped I had a nice visit to B.C. When I told her I was wanting to take in the scenery of Vancouver she told me that I needed to drive about 1 1/2 hours up the coast to Whistler. "Then, when you think you've seen it all, take the Sea to Sky Gondola to the top". All of this while we advanced back and forth, right up until she pulled up to the inspection station. A rather unique conversation, aye?

When I pulled forward I fully expected to be asked a number of questions. The young lady looked at me and asked something, but I couldn't hear her, so I shut the engine off and asked her to repeat herself.

"Why aren't you traveling with your spouse?" was her query.

I paused, unsure I had heard her correctly. What happened to am I carrying a weapon, any plants, how long will I be in the country? No, the question was why am I not traveling with my spouse! I thought ever so briefly to tell her I AM traveling with my spouse, but thought better of it.

"She's deceased" was the way it came out.

"I'm sorry, but it's the wedding ring. I needed to ask" she explained as she pointed to the ring I still wear continually.

Because the computer showed I had not been to Canada in over a decade ("over 4 decades" I corrected, although it probably has only been 30 years) they had me pull to the side so they could inspect my bike and run a background check. I was going to ask if my parking ticket from Rome would show up, but thought that might be better left unsaid.

It took awhile but I was finally cleared of all wrong doing (yup, did hard time at customs) and stopped to exchange some money. In the mean time, Canada was busy moving Vancouver further away from the border. I had only 85 miles to cover when I left Burlington this morning. Now the signs told me it was still 70 to go! And it was only 23 degrees too. A cold front moving in from Canada, aye?

The plan was to see if I could find a motel for the night. I had been warned by the information desk lady it would be difficult this time of year. If no room was found I needed to catch the ferry to Victoria on Vancouver Island by 3 p.m. so that I could catch the last ferry from there to Port Angeles, WA, in the Olympic National Park back on the main land.

I found a room, then scooted up the coast to see if I could find Whistler.

The ride up the coast was dramatic but could have been more enjoyable if the engineers had provided a place to periodically pull off for pictures. The problem, no doubt was that they couldn't build a large enough parking lot to avoid a traffic backup on the highway!

I didn't make it to Whistler. Due to some poor planning on my part I was playing with running out of fuel, not being able to convert the kilometers to the next town into miles of range left in the tank. I made it but it was more of a challenge than it should have been. That was also when I figured out the price of gas was for a liter, not the Imperial Gallon that they did away with in 1979.

The Sea to Sky Gondola was incredible. 

I know of several people who would freak out big time from the view. 

In addition there were several other heart stopping views on top, like a viewing deck 

and the Sky Pilot suspension bridge.

I rode up with two locals who were taking there first ride on the gondola which is only 2 years old. They said it was built by the citizens of Squamish who were tired of watching all the traffic whiz by on their way to Whistler, but not stopping to spend tourist dollars.

I went back down earlier than I would have if I had known of this and planned a visit to include one of several hiking possibilities. On my ride back I stopped just south of the Sea to Sky gondola site to observe Shannon Falls. It looked much better in person than it did on "film".

So, I'm here in my metric room, finishing my metric post so I can add metric pictures to the finished file. Tomorrow I'll take a couple pictures of Vancouver, then head for the ferry. I hope to get into Olympic N.P. in time to do a lap, then head inland.

Oh, and I almost forgot this... A bi-lingual sign that Brian Regan would love! Look at the spelling in the Squamish Indian language on top! Perfect, right Brian?