I’ll probably post a few more of these as I think of them…but for now here’s two for you…

Trains: I think I rekindled my love for trains over the past four days. It’s kind of hard not to with the way you drive beside so many. While warwick and I were driving through the fog of Saskatchewan, I couldn’t see anything in front of me…but noticed movement beside me at one point. I looked through the side window and saw nothing but black. A few moments later, however, and I was passing the engine of a train on my left. The headlights on the train were blazing into the fog, lighting up a little of the track and burning through some of the mist. It was like watching a ghost train hammer through the fog beside me. If there was a way to take a photo and drive, I would have. I can’t even think of how to properly put words to what I saw beside me.

Last night, while coming down the road into Pemberton, my rally lights were lighting up the forest in front of me. The trees had a TONNE of snow on them, giving all the evergreens that ‘classic’ winter look. As I came around one corner, something tripped off an avalanche at the top of one tree. As I was focusing on the road, in front of me I got to watch five trees shed their snow straight down. It was the sort of thing that sounds really stupid to write about later…but wow, that would have made a wicked photo.

-Dave

So when we last left our dynamic duo we were travelling across the yellowhead highway just outside of Edson. Now, as the four silver macs (yes, four of them now!) burn away in the living room I’m trying to figure out how to address the last day of our drive.

The trip from Edson to Jasper was fairly uneventful…but once we got into Jasper things picked up a little. Chad and Matti had warned us that the speed traps in Jasper are pretty strict, and often. We took it easy through Jasper and its a good thing we did. The cops were out in mad force, lots of people pulled over. But it wasn’t the cops that were the problem. The animals were out in full force, many of whom where quite curious to know what those big metal things on the four tires were. Nothing like slowing down to 20 in order to play “you go left…no I’ll go left…no you go left…no I’ll go…” with the local wildlife. Driving through Jasper I was struck with a thought…why is it, that we have so many incredible National Parks, and I can no longer remember how many there are? Or, worse so…why is it that I’ve been to so few? It’s true, if I do a National Park I want to get the ‘real’ experience…in a tent. But with the amount of RV and cabin facilities there are in most national parks…almost everyone should get to experience them. So, here’s the list…where are you going to go this year?

Soon we were out of Jasper National Park and into British Columbia. We had made it. We were actually here. I thought the smile on my face was big before, but here it was again, trying to trade places with my ear-lobes. We stopped at Mount Robson (photos at the bottom), which is British Columbia’s tallest mountain, and the tallest point of the Canadian Rockies. It was here that we had a bit of fun in the icy parking lot. All of which can’t be proven, unless the US had some camera recording at that point.

Once we got Ernie back in the car, we were heading a little bit south towards Blue River. I thought we were stopping in Blue River to have lunch with Warwick’s friend Laura. Quite frankly, I was looking forward to the stop to get out of that rally seat…but it was not to be. As we drove through blue river I radioed Warwick to ask what was going on. “Aren’t we stopping?” “nope…gonna keep on truckin’.” Hmmmm…

Off we were to Vavenby, where things started to get interesting again. At first I thought we were seeing a little smoke in the trees. Then things started to look like a lot of smoke coming out of the forests. But there was no smell of smoke…and that’s when it both hit us, and enveloped us. This was saskatchewan all over again…it was fog, thick fog. This time we could see a little more then the 50 feet in front of us, but neither of us was looking forward to the prospect. It was a tense drive from Vavenby, through clearwater and down to highway 24 where the fog cleared just before. We stopped at a small gas station for a quick snack and to wire up the Hella 500’s on teh black stallion. I had to cut the wiring at Chad’s while fixing the rad. After we were wired up, Warwick turned to me and said we were turning off the highway.

The entire trip up until this point I had been dreading going through Kamloops. There isn’t anything particularly wrong with Kamloops…Aaron and I just didn’t exactly have a fun time the last time I drove through (cue discussions about four police cars and the words “put your hands out the window!”). Warwick’s new plans called for skipping Kamloops entirely. But even better, it was all about the twisty roads.

A lot of the next few hours is lost to me. Warwick and I were ripping up the twisties through who-knows-where BC. I lost track of what direction we were traveling in. We were just cruising the twisties having a great time. Roads were wet, heavily sanded and for a few kilometers snowy as well. We were just having fun cruisin around, enjoying the trip. But the fun was really just beginning…

The final leg of the trip called for heading down Duffy Road into Pemberton. Duffy road is an amazingly twisty and super steep road that drops down into Pemberton. The choice to do this route was a bit of a gamble…we knew Duffy was snowy, which could make the drive pretty tough. Try doing it all-season season tires and you’re being stupid. The first clue is the sign that says “tire chains or good winter tires with good tread required beyond this point”. Hmmm…Ah well, we’ve got CAA for towing and we need more adventure!

It was wicked. The trip up was a rip of slightly sidways driving, enjoying each corner in the dark as though it were a very real version of Colin McCrae rally III. At some point Warwick pulled over and said “we’re heading down soon”…and that’s where I started taking it easy. For the most part the road was no problem what-so-ever, both warwick and I were having a tonne of fun. We stopped at a wide section, for a quick “wow that was a blast!” chat between cars. That’s when things got a little ugly.

As we were getting lower the weather was changing, and so was the road. The road was getting wetter, and it was within the first few corners I discovered just how fun those all-season tires were going to be. As the car started sliding right…the road was turning left. The rest of the downhill was a slow crawl into pemberton. For the last stretch of road home we experienced pouring rain, snow, big wet-fluffy-snow and more rain. It didn’t matter…we had so much fun anyways. I wish I could have videoed the whole thing…it was just that good.

My decision to move finally hit home ‘for real’ on this final drive. It hit home while I was driving the Duffy. We had done the drive in the summer before, but now I was doing it in my own car…I was driving the final road to Squamish…my new home…in MY car. I was driving my freaking rally car in BRITISH COLUMBIA!! This was no rental. This is no vacation. I’m here, I’m actually here.

On the drive between Whistler and Squamish I started to worry a little about the fact that I didn’ t have a job lined up. I started thinking about the fact that I hadn’t totally nailed down my housing situation. I started thinking about the family, and that I really wasn’t going to be seeing them too soon at all. Then I’d need to shift or do something else that would bring my mind back to the car and I realize where I was, what I was driving, and I’d start laughing all over again.

The photos:

Ernie parking the car at Mount Robson

The “we made it to BC shot”.

Ernie and I hanging out just before Warwick started drifting circles around us…

-Dave

So it’s a little bit cloudy and it appears to have rained all night (which was actually quite helpful in washing the cars for us). I can see the top of a mountain out the living room window, had breakfast while watching Austrailian Touring Car on Speed TV. Shaums, Warwick and I have turned the living room into the ‘geek bench’…we’re all here working away on our silver macintosh laptops and blackberries. Yup, so far this is working out quite well.

I will post up later today about yesterday’s drive…I still need some time to process it because my mind has been racing about all the things I need to do still.

First up is to figure out two very important things: 1) Where am I living until the house in Squamish becomes available in March? 2) Nail down the specifics of our house in March.

You might be wondering “Dave, shouldn’t this have been fully sorted before you moved out west? (and I’m sure to get an email from Mom asking that exact question!) but the answer is no. It was sorted enough before I left, I’m not going to be homeless or anything. The whole concept of this move is that life is what you make of it. It’s not about waiting around for something to happen. So, today is all about securing a roof to live under.

To that effect, I’ll be heading back up to Whistler in about 20min to meet with Jordan and figure out the specifics of living at his folks’ place in Vancouver for a while. Then, back here to Squamish to meet with Shaum’s and Warwick to finalize the dates and finances of renting Shaum’s house come March…or maybe earlier, who knows at this point.

After that, I’ll grab Warwick’s camera and upload the photos we took at Mt. Robson and finish my blog post on the drive yesterday.

I think I’ll round out the day by finding a proper wine glass, and opening a bottle of Promis to celebrate my arrival.

-Dave

In squamish. The post about today’s drive will be good, but I’m exhausted.

Going to bed, will think iup great blog stories in my sleep…

:-P

-Dave

At Mt Robson. Ernie had to pee, so we took the time to take a few photos and have a break.

We may or may not have enjoyed the Audi’s on the ice parking lot. We might be accused…but we aren’t admitting anything.

Warwick is sold on the black stallion, and asked me to find him one. After watching warwick allegedly doing the most perfect drift session around me and out of the parking lot…I have to agree, he needs one of these cars!

1:35pm, no cell coverage.

-D

Entered BC!!
(12:30ish)

60km to mount Robson…

-Dave

I’m surprised I’ve made it this far. I got out of the car at Tim Hortons, and instantly knew that I no longer wanted to get into my car. There is no other way to express it…my ass is killing me. Too many hours in rally car race seats have taken their toll, I want nothing more then to tell Warwick we are switching cars…even just for an hour.

But I can’t. I had three dreams when I bought this car from my mom…I wanted to convert it to a rally car, and drive the thing to work as though it was a normal thing to do. Three years of commiting to Vibrant…check.

I want to race it at Tall Pines in Bancroft…I had the opportunity this year, but had to choose between affording to move or racing the car. Somethings can wait.

I’ve always wanted to drive the car across the country to BC. There is something about it that I know will make for the best stories and memories down the road. A small taste of “I can’t believe how nuts I was”. Four days of howling noise, poor heat, no speedometer and no fuel gauge…what could be better?

I’ve taken Ernies padding from under him..I’ve been sitting on double padding for the last day and a half of driving. In Edson I realized that Julias care package had one use she hadn’t thought of…the fleece bag it was in makes superb butt padding

A funny thing happens about four minutes after leaving edson…the road goes over a crest on a right hand bend…if you blink you might miss it, but it makes the entire trip worthwhile.

Just as you come over the crest, the sun hits you through the side window, and you squint…but just for a second. Its during that moment of squinting, trying to see the road while your brain asks “where are my oakleys?” that you notice off in the horizon the view has changed. Now, peeking over the tops of the evergreens are the Rocky Mountains. Snow covered, yet distant. They seem more like a painting then reality. But your brain, and your heart, know different…

Travelling west out of edmonton, we pass a sighn that says “yellowknife 1508km”.

I find myself asking is Yellowknife a popular destination from edmonton? Is there not another destination in-between that would be more appropriate? You don’t leave toronto and see a sign that says “vancouver 5558km”.

And…isn’t Yellowknife kinda north from here? Its not excatly a west destination…

Maybe its just early and I haven’t had my tim hortons yet..

-Dave

Currently lying on Chad’s floor doing my best to try and avoid getting up. I’m not looking forward to putting on the same jeans and sweatshirt I’ve been wearing for four(?) Days now. I ve already ruined them with Coolant and Oil, so I might as well wear them for one more day.

The black stallion’s starting issues are getting worse. It simply won’t start with the key when hot. The starter turns and cranks the engine…but it just cranks and cranks. Here’s the weird part…if we push it and bump start it, ir fires right up. I’m a little stumped on that one.

In other news, the Dakar rally has started…which means a whole month of crazy rally action on Speedvision.

-Dave

I’ve just read my last few days worth of blog posts…

They are terrible incoherent, and definitely not what I’ve been thinking in my head! It’s soo hard to compress the day into a quick ‘tid-bit’ that sums it all up so that you can read it and experience it a little…and so that I can remember it later on.

I must be getting it somewhat though, my friend Jon just emailed me to say that he read about yesterday’s ‘epic’ trip through saskatchewan…and now he wants to do the same trip!

-Dave