Are these men smart?

The phones are..

-Ciel

And we have to go all the way to New Zealand to see Milford Sound?

Unbelieveable! Slocan Lake earlier this week, but the answer is yes!

Idaho Peak

If only it were ski season! Tough being on the wrong side of the world.
We witnessed a guy ride all the way up the track with a single speed. He didn't even look tired and apparently he was looking for a different place to ride and didn't know where he was going.

Hope we can follow his tire tracks loosely like he rides -

-Ciel

Riding the historic Columbia & Western Railroad

Trails BC says on their website that if you're a cyclist and want to see some of the most beautiful scenery in the British Columbia Province while biking down hill for two hours, the easiest thing to do is to get a friend to drive you and your bike to Eholt about 25 km west of Grand Forks.

We rode roundtrip.

The Sectionman Shed which has now been restored as a shelter which would be absolutely fantastic if crosscountry skiing in the wintertime... The Trails Society says the CPR put a man on this spot to warn trains of avalanches.

In the days of the railroads there were lots of conflicts between the railroad companies and they placed tracks on top of each other to "stake" their propriety rights.

Today what is going on is that various interest groups, the mtn bikers, horse riders, ATV vehicles, walkers etc are arguing how this section of the Trans-Canada trail is to be used, thus ALL the barriers were either pulled out or made to go around.

The only motors we met were two cute grandpas giving little kids rides on their ATV, but Mark said it tore up the trail and grumbled as we slogged through the gravel and sandy surface.

Passed one guy on a bike with a trailer bicycle touring up the path - we want to be like him.

Hope he stopped at Fisherman Creek Fall. I know I did, when it's close to 32C

-Ciel

Another reason to not miss Calgary

Cyclist hit by burning fireworks hurt - Calgary - CBC News

Now is this sick or what?

I hope they catch the bastard and make him ride a bicycle until the butt gets sores!

-Ciel

Meadows in the Sky parkway

Yesterday we rode up the Meadows in the Sky parkway, a paved road rising about 1000m in 25km from the park gate to the parking lot on top. Ciel struggled a bit after the tiring ride up Mt. Ida yesterday, but she persevered and made it to the top! Lots of RVs and other vehicles, but we didn't see any other bicycles until we were on the way back down after a short picnic lunch with my dad (who drove us in his car to Revelstoke and back to Salmon Arm).

-mark.

Thank you mom!

With my gratitude for my adventurous mom, she agreed to watch the two furkids Eddie and Dakota, (with the help of brother) when we're gone.

This is her on a river trip we did a couple years ago - she didn't like it so much cause it didn't have enough current to her liking, but she liked the warmth! Swimming every day.

- Ciel

Berry bike ride

We rode our mountain bikes up Mt. Ida (about 1000 m elevation gain), and Ciel found lots of berries! There are thimbleberries and raspberries all over up here.
- mark.

Prepping for aussie spring

When I awaked today I didn't know I'd be going to Cairns QLD. Learned that we'll miss the chance of a cyclone but will be where the great barrier reef is. Thanks to my mom for the suggestion!

-Ciel.

Swimming in the lake

Here I am, enjoying the sunshine instead of sitting in front of a spectrum analyzer. This is preparation for Australian beaches, except there are no sharks here (or jellyfish or saltwater crocs or...)
- mark.

Tickets bought

Now we have airplane tickets! We're heading to Cairns (Australia) first, leaving mid-September, tour around the area for a month, then fly to Auckland. We fly back to Seattle from Christchurch in January. This way, Ciel doesn't need an extended-stay visa for New Zealand. She hates me, because with a NZ passport, I can get into Australia and New Zealand with no problem at all! (We had a few headaches trying to figure out how to send her passport to the NZ embassy in Ottawa for a month, and still be able to fly out before airfares got a lot more expensive.)

-mark.

The little motorhome that could

We made it to Salmon Arm! The motorhome was loaded to the ceiling with our stuff, so we could only go about 30km/hr up Rogers pass (sorry Alberta drivers, you can't pass in the tunnels), but it got up and over into B.C.. No broken axles, no overheated engine, no problems at all (except a bit of blue smoke after going down the big hills...oh well, it is over 30 years old).
-mark.

Last day at work

It's my last day at work, and they got me a card...very appropriate. Our "tricycles" will be bicycles with single-wheel trailers, but at least it's the right number of wheels.
-mark.

edit: I finally figured out how to rotate pictures on my cell phone camera...

Packing up

We're getting close - just need to get rid of a bit more stuff, sell some furniture, and find someone who can take care of the dogs. I just hope we can fit all our stuff in the motorhome.
-mark.