Showing posts with label Whistler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Whistler. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Do or Die... Swim or Fly?

Hullo... I left off last time with the realization that I was either going ziplining or river rafting... I told Mama that bears neither fly nor raft but... my arguments fell on deaf ears.

Righto... we are on a shuttle bus. I see a trailer full of rafts ahead of us... I think we are going rafting! I hope Mama packed by rain gear...

Well, this looks promising. The base of Cougar Mountain! Base means bottom so that means rafting, right?

Ummm... wrong...

Oh dear... this looks like zipline gear.

Seriously? We're really going to do this?

That looks complicated...

But I guess that group survived.

And Mama's sister looks thrilled or terrified (she's afraid of heights)... speaking of which... so is Mama's partner... I shoulda smelled a rat before this!

Even Rose is getting strapped up.

The guides gave us a safety demo...

 Judging by the pinched lips on the women of the group, I think there are some second-thoughts happening! Only Rose's Dad looks thrilled at the idea.

You know... maybe I'll just hang out down here... you know, watch your stuff (in the locked locker). Mama said "no way"... she had figured out a way for me to piggy back on her... Oh goodness... I really don't think so!!!

Mama said it would work just fine... Uh-huh... Now... we just have to get there...

Has anyone noticed this mega-ATV has no doors??? Should we not report this??

Rose gave me a pep talk which was along the lines of "look for the charm"... uh-huh... the only charming thing here is you!

Hey!!! Why is our driver wearing goggles and a serious motorbike helmet???

Cough-cough... this sure is a dusty road!

Oh dear... I don't even want to look at my fur! Cough, hack, cough!

Yup, we really are doing this...

And there go two of our guides. They are headed for that tiny white spot in the distance on the mountain side... lovely. This line is a kilometre long - 0.625 miles for my American friends.

But... really, what can a little bear say when faced with the bravery of an 8-year old??

As someone would say "Suck it up buttercup!"

**** Insert lonnnngggg little bear scream*******

Whew... well, we made it down that first run (it was called Z1 - that's Zed One for Canadians and Zee One for Americans).

We are starting to relax and have some fun!

Now we walk to Z2...

Oh dear... It is even longer than Z1!!

**** Insert even longer little bear scream*****

And here comes Rose in for her landing. Whew!!!

But pictures only convey so much... So let's have a video shall we... This is the third run called Godzilla. It is beary steep and you hit top speed in the first 4 seconds... Oh joy! Have I mentioned that mama went skydiving once? She swore the whole way down. I told her to watch her language on this trip...

Mama was wearing Pivothead sunglasses (with built in video camera) that Rose's dad had loaned her for this leg of the runs. The landing is the tricky part - You have to grab the bar above your head, tuck your chin to your chest and bend your legs to the sides. They have springy things on the line at the bottom but if you're going really fast (because you point your toes), you hit a second compression system. It rattles the brain a little bit... luckily my insides are quite shock resistant!

Another line after that and we were done! I survived Ziplining... And in the end, Rose and I convinced the adults to feed the bears!! (that would be me and her!)

And then it was time to head for the ferry... It was a beary long and exciting day!

Hey!! Do you see that dog??? That looks almost like Little Fox's Sequoia!!!

Don't you think?? I asked the dog if he knew Sequoia but I evidently don't speak dog very well cause he just said "Woof, woof, woof"! I think Droop or Parker need to translate.


Saturday, July 4, 2015

Visit to Vancouver (again!?)

Well... believe it or not, I am headed to Vancouver again! I wonder why we're going this time!?

Maybe I'll be a correspondent for the CBC (Canadian Bearcasting Corporation) and cover the Women's FIFA World Cup???

Or maybe it's to see Rose's ballet recital???

Not exactly sure what is up but... Daisy was so excited to see me again, she couldn't hold still... must be related to Little Fox's Sequoia...

I've been told that I'm not covering FIFA (phooie) and that I missed Rose's ballet recital... BUT I have been told that we are going on a BIG adventure...

We have the whole crew assembled... Mama got to sit in the navigator's seat cause her tummy gets iffy in the back seat... that mean's Rose and Mama's sister were relegated to the back seat. The only crew member who was missing was Daisy... poor puppy!

We even have some serious electronic recording equipment along for the ride. I wonder where we are going?

Well... that wasn't far!! And I like this trip already!!

And we're off... across the Lion's Gate bridge into West Van...

Now heading farther west. Are we going back to the ferry? Or to Squamish or Whistler?

Definitely not the ferry... ooh... what a gorgeous view!!

Brittania Mines!!! Oh that sounds like fun!


They take you on little mine cars deep into the mountain like the old miners used to do... but I guess we're not stopping here.

There's Stawamus Chief!! Maybe we're going...

rock-climbing? I see a few tiny specks up there... hmmm...

We stopped for brunch in Squamish... of course a little bear never turns down honey!

And we're off again. This sure is a long drive!

Finally... we are here... wherever here is... I need to get my land-legs back.

Ah-hah!!! We are in Whistler!! They hosted a lot of the 2010 Winter Olympic events...

Heh-heh... I like that sign.

OH!! Maybe we are here to watch Tough Mudder again, like last year?? But Mama's partner's not along for some strange reason soooo...

Anyhow! We are in the village of Whistler so let's have a look around.

OK... trick question... who is cuter??? (trick question... ah-hem...)

Mmm... Jerry would probably like this store! Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (even though we are nowhere near the Rocky Mountains). I think it should be called the Coast Plutonic Complex Mountains Factory but little bears do not get to vote on names.

There was a rock and gem shop with some captive trilobites...

And a gorgeous piece of amethyst...

Alright... another trick question. Who's cuter... me or the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory bear?? I wonder if that's what happens when you eat too much chocolate? Rose seems to think he is quite charming... hmph!

Oh hey!!! Look what I found!!! A brochure for Bear Viewing!! That sounds like fun... huh?

Ummm... yeah... ziplining... whatever... I vote for bears!

Because this bear found salmon so if we went bear viewing we might find some salmon too... or some honey... or honeyed salmon!

Hmmm... we are in the offices of The Adventure Group... I'm trying to convince Rose to vote for bear viewing but she doesn't look entranced with the idea...

Well... how about rafting then???
(To be Continued)