A Little Bear who likes a Challenge

Hullo! It's the last day of 2023. What a year, eh? Some good. Some not so good. On the whole, this little bear had a good year....

And yes, that is one of my new geocaching buttons! I am going to have to get some geocaching done...

And if my sekrebeary knows what is good for her (and her annual evaluation)... she will assist me in that endeavour.

Soooo... you know how this little bear finished the virtual Camino de Santiago back in November? Well, given my Halloween costume, the next challenge was obvious...

And it wasn't a super long challenge either...

Yep... done that one! But now what?? Enough challenges or...?

Yes, well... this little bear decided to sign up for two more challenges. Currently working on the Jurassic Coast challenge... cause there are lots of ammonite collecting spots along the Jurassic coast of the southwestern UK!

This one is Bajocian (from the QCI)... not sure if the Jurassic coast goes up that high... but for sure there are Pliensbachian and Toarcian ammonites along the coast!

The Jurassic Coast is another piddly challenge though, a mere 160 or so km... this little bear needs a challenge... so guess which one I signed up for next... 

Yep, the Pacific Crest Trail - 2485 miles or 4000 km... it will be a challenge to see if we can finish that within the 24 month time limit once we activate it.

It is epic... even longer than the Applachian Trail... and longer than the Great Wall of China and... errr... actually... other than the bundled challenges (like Middle Earth), the PCT is THE longest Conqueror Challenge... uh-oh... has this little bear bit off more than they can chew?

Although, one can sign up and make a team with other Conqueror members... so if there are any stuffie pals out there, who are hiking/walking and want to join the challenge... we can (a) challenge each other on our own separate challenges or (b) pool our walking resources and help each other out!

Let me know! Start date is likely end of January 2024... and then once it starts... the 24 month clock is ticking! Average of 3.45 miles/day (or 5.5 km/day)... heh-heh... And yes, the Conqueor virtual challenges cost $$ to join...

Message Me to form a PCT Team!

An Archaeological Expedition without our Archaeologist

 Hullo! Little Fox has gone back home and I'm sad that we didn't come across this spot while he was still here. I think it would have dovetailed nicely with his archaeological studies. ready?

Lots of cute little mushrooms out.

Errrr... what the heck??? A little motor bike wrapped in police tape. Is this a gag or real?

Don't know, so we are not touching it!

Right. here we are... we are going down through the trees to that spot in the distance. It's only without the leaves on the trees that we even saw this spot from the trail.

Seeeee... that blue thing back there...

I just have to say... I really love this new red hoodie!

Do you see? It's a bunch of old, dead cars. A car graveyard!

Oooohhh... and in the middle of nowhere too.

How did they get here? We don't know. Why are they here? We don't know. It's possible that this is just one of those car dumps that folk from the 1950s and 1960s thought would be a good idea. Strange folk they were...

It's fascinating though.

Most of them don't have any hood ornaments so it's hard to even tell what type of car they are.

I imagine that in a few decades, the woods will have absorbed these even more.

They look like they have been the victims of some graffiti and thumpings.

And even back then... chrome bumpers were just a coating, and not a beary strong one either.

This one is kind of cool...

It is blending in well with the natural surroundings.

Moss will grow anywhere... even on the vertical side of a door.

Now this one... it actually has a steering wheel cap still on it, and it is a Ford. Wonder if LF could figure out what model of Ford? Does his archaeology degree include a course on vintage vehicles?

It is getting beary mossy...

It looks like the Ford was a station wagon at some point... one that has seen better days...

Not much left the interior either... but I'm going to hazard a guess it's a 1950s Ford station wagon...

There's also this beauty... 

And this lovely that has no roof anymore... and some funky controls...

Oooh... we can read "Buick Special" on the dash!

A classic back in the day...

No so much anymore!

Well, that was fun! It's always neat to see what you can find off the beaten path.

We found a few other trails and poked around a bit more... 

We just had to hop this chain link fence (it was bent down already... that's not cause of me).

And... wait what is this?

It's a concrete foundation for a building?

Seriously... LF should have stayed longer!! I will have to start a list for his next visit.

Little Fox Reveals All

 Hullo! Little Fox here... I am heading over to Vancouver to pick up Sandy and his surprise package...

Are there snacks in here? Cause you know... your last sekrebeary evaluation was not great...

Apples and almonds! Excellent... and some cheese. Perfect.

Hah... my ticket says "Bear" for this sailing!

Yes, it is dark out... we are catching the first sailing of the day which means...

Some breakfast onboard! Eggs, bacon (yum) and hasbrowns... Sandy's sekrebeary is definitely pulling up her bootstraps after that scathing evaluation.

It's a bit nippy out here...

But the lights of Vancouver are showing up.

And...  now we are on the bus! The sekrebeary says it's convenient having a smaller stuffie who can fit in a jacket pocket (with a zipper)...

We met up with Paddington Bear too!

Sandy and the mystery package don't arrive until tomorrow... so I get to go on a Grand Adventure in Vancouver!! First up... the old Canadian Pacific Railway station!!

It's pretty snazzy in here... even if it is only small shops and a transit hub (seabus and skytrain).

The station opened in 1914 and the last passenger train left here in 1979.

A bit further along the waterfront is Canada Place... where the cruise ships dock.

The bear is a neat touch.

And then... I saw it... peeping out from between some buildings...

Do you see?? In amongst all that steel and glass...

O.M.G. It's the Marine Building!!!

Are we going to the Marine Building?? Art deco heaven???

Yes we are! 

Look at the detail...

Except... the main doors are...

... closed...

But we found another way into the lobby...

Ooooh ahhh....

The elevators...

The inside of the elevators is... to die for...

We went up to the second floor and got a birds eye view of the lobby...

And there was an architectural plan of the building here...

Sooo much to see!

That was amazing!! But wait... we are not done??

Nope... we are going to the Vancouver Christmas Market! 

Lots of German themed food and decorations...

That's the 2010 Olympic torch thingie!

Now that you mention it... I am a bit peckish...

I got directions from the nutcracker...

And found a neat card...

Is that not cute?? Get it?

Lots of cool stuff here...

Even a honey stall...

And nuts...

Still looking for food though... (P.S. nutcrackers know nothing about directions!)

Ah-hah!!! Here we are... schnitzel? or pork hocks or...

Sausages!

Which got eaten beary fast... and washed down with a nice dark beer.

To be followed up with a piping hot, nice and soft, salted pretzel. YUM!

Well, that was epic! (Can you spot me in the pic?)

Finished off with... dinner... I have to say... Sandy's sekrebeary is treating me beary well...

Nachos!

And then the next morning... we are here at Starbucks waiting for Sandy's train to arrive...

Yes, that says 25 km/h... like 15 mph... they go superslow sometimes because they have to wait for freight trains...

But they were only 30 minutes late. Here he comes!!

Ahhhh HAH!.... It's the MICE!!! Sandy went to Jasper to pick up Cocoa and Navy Beanie! Bet you didn't expect that, eh?

We got all caught up on the bus... and the ferry... they have had an epic cheese tasting crawl through BC (kind of like a pub crawl... but a cheese crawl). But ran out of funds in Jasper... These mice know how to live it up!