Another year in the pandemic has meant another year of wilderness adventures. We have been very lucky to be WFH for the majority of the pandemic, so scheduling trips outside has been important for sanity and to touch grass.
Mum and Bob were able to come join us for one of our trips to Jasper. The Wilcox Pass trail still had snow and we were able to cool off from the heat with snowballs and some butt-bogganing down the heights just hiked.
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| Before realizing sliding down was more fun |
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| First camping trip to Banff was during a smoky heat wave. Fortunately there are some good spots to dip into the water and cool off! |
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| Campfire popcorn experiment - success! |
The heat waves this summer were intense, especially in a shared office without AC. We booked a few nights in a hotel at the end of June to sleep comfortably. Mary was thrilled that the hotel had a pool and enjoyed getting some private swimming in as she hasn't renewed her gym membership for pool access for safety.
Mary has continued to volunteer at Prairie Urban Farm in the season. It provides good exercise and sunshine as well as delicious fresh produce. The Food Bank has been the winter volunteering location of choice the past couple of years.
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| Jasper flowers at Edith Cavell meadows |
Our big trip this year was to Vancouver and Haida Gwaii. Andrew had not been to Vancouver since he was little, so Mary played tour guide. The mobi bikes (rentals around the city) worked well so all travel was on foot, bike, or transit in true Vancouver style. Cycling around Stanley Park after visiting the aquarium (otter time is always cute) worked up appetites for tasty vegan restaurant fare. Visiting the archeological museum at UBC was a good introduction for some of the history and culture of Haida Gwaii. There were also many sci-fi filming locations nostalgically appreciated!
We took a 4 day tour with Moresby Explorers that we would not hesitate to recommend to anyone who is comfortable with the occasional pee in (very beautiful) forests. Our tour took us to watchmen sites that brought ancient and modern stories to light on the ever changing archipelago. We saw bioluminescent plankton in quiet water reflecting the stars, had an impromptu mycology tour and successful hunt, saw the artwork of totems returning to the earth, and laughed often over excellent meals.
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| View from our rustic stay at Rose Harbour |
In October we moved a whole block. There have been many beautiful sunsets enjoyed and the double balconies will be welcome for summer hosting. While it has been nice to be able to work in different rooms with the extra space, Andrew gave his notice and will be taking some time off to start the New Year. Mary is looking forward to being fed many tasty meals. Andrew has mastered aquafaba meringues and mousse just in time for the holidays.
Merry Christmas! We hope your holidays are safe and cozy and look forward to seeing more people in a less crazy time.
