As I reflected on my travels over the last year or so, what stands out in my mind most graphically is the Grand Canyon, Sedona and the Southwest. As I have driven north on this trip through the majestic coastal redwoods and the volcanic peaks of Mt Shasta and Mt Lassen, what stands out are the scale and the lush greenness of Northern California. Crossing into Oregon and seeing Crater Lake, expanded on the themes of scale and greenness.  

North through Oregon, I passed another volcanic peak Mt Hood and came to the vast mouth of the Columbia River. Entering Washington State, I passed the devastated volcanic peak Mt St Helens and then the huge, majestic snow-capped Mt Rainier. As I described, Seattle is situated on the Puget Sound between the Olympic Mountain chain on the Olympic Peninsula and the huge, snow-covered Northern Cascades.  

Now, I headed north toward the Canadian Border and British Columbia. I anticipated the continued scale and even greater evergreen lushness. Mt Baker, another volcanic peak, towers over the city of Vancouver, British Columbia. Downtown Vancouver is a modern, high-rise, dense urban cosmopolitan, bustling, high-energy city.  

To the west, right on the coast is located the campus of UBC – the University of British Columbia – a high prestige University and home of the Anthropology Museum. World famous for its collections of native Eskimo art and culture including one of the world’s best collections of Totem Poles and native masks. Fascinated, I ended up spending several hours there. 

Turns out there was much to see and experience including radical changes in weather. One of the attractions I most looked forward to the next day was the Suspension Bridge Park. I did not let a rainstorm stop me. The park is located in a dense evergreen rain forest. The bridge connects the 2 halves of the park.  The bridge is 450 feet long and is 230 feet above the Capilano River. The view is spectacular. There is also a series of narrow, high walkways called Cliff Walks that provide striking views and the experience of the tree-tops. I spent an enjoyable couple of hours.    

I wanted to see Vancouver Island and Victoria so I headed for the B C Ferry Terminal. The BC Ferry system is the largest ferry system in North America. It connects with the Marine Highway Ferry System so you can go from Seattle to Alaska by ferry and with your car.  It’s an amazing world of possibilities. I was about to take a 2-hour ferry trip from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Vancouver Island (Nanaimo). These huge ferries can carry up to 470 passengers and up to 2100 cars.  At over 550 feet long, it seemed to me more like a ship than any ferry I had ever experienced. I was indeed in a difference world.

The ferry was a world unto itself. The cars drove on and parked in an efficient and orderly process. Passengers spread out from the restaurant to the various snack bars. I found a great viewing spot near the bow of the ship. The breeze was fresh and clean. Once we got going, every direction I looked was water and evergreen. Beautiful and Peaceful. 

Being further north, it was light until around 9pm. The departure of passengers and cars was calm and orderly. Most everyone was courteous and polite.

The next day was sun shiny and clear. There was lots to see and experience. Victoria seemed like I imaged London might be like:  the people, the architecture, and the restaurants. The gardens were stunning.  I explored the city for a couple of hours including Thunderbird Park which a large and colorful collection of totem poles.

Then I drove back to the B C Ferry terminal to catch a ferry back to Horseshoe Bay. For the last leg of my trip before heading home, I wanted to drive and experience the world-famous Sea-to-Sky highway to Whistler. I dozed off during part of the 2 ½ hour cruise. Getting off the ferry, I headed northeast on the Sea-to-Sky highway. On my right side, huge steep, close mountains jutted thousands of feet high. To my left, far below, was the sea. For about 80 miles, it was the most spectacular highway I had ever driven on. In some respects, it reminded me of the mountain road up to the nearly 10,000-foot-high Tioga Pass entrance into Yosemite National Park. The sun was setting as I pulled into Whistler. It was summer at the world famous ski resort. I ate dinner and found a relatively cheap place for the night.

I went right to bed. I was pleasantly tired and I had a couple of long driving days to get home in time for my 2-weeks of training at Camp Pendleton.

The 1,000 miles in reverse was anticlimactic. The trip had been spectacular. The further north I traveled, the more the dramatic the scenery and topography. As I drove, I wondered about Alaska. If British Columbia was this great, what must Alaska be like with Mt Denali over 20,000 feet high and massive brown bears weighing as much as 1.500 pounds snagging huge migrating salmon out of the stream.

When I arrived back home in San Mateo, California, it seemed hot and dusty compared to where I had just come from.

Thank you for your support as we all adjust to economic realities. I am proud to provide the highest quality protein in support of your striving for optimal health, peak performance, and a maximum health span. I am by your side every step of the journey.

Your Coach, Joe

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