View from 1/3 of the way to the top of Whistler Mountain.

Day 6

Dug saw his first squirrel yesterday in Vancouver. We went to the Capilano Suspension Bridge (very cool) and while there Dug went after a squirrel and Vern had to hold him back.

Vancouver is a beautiful city. Very clean and everyone is very nice. I think the entire time we were there we heard 2 horn honks. It was supposed to rain on Sunday and Monday and so far no rain. We left Vancouver this a.m. and drove to Whistler which is about 80 miles away. What a beautiful drive. It's called the Sea to Sky drive on Hwy 99. We stopped at Shannon Falls, short maybe half mile walk to the falls. We saw this other trail up to Stawamus Chief Monolith which was only 1.5 miles and we thought cool, nice little walk. We started walking and it gradually started to incline. We then saw this "Danger, people die on this trail" sign and we tought hmmmm. Saw an older couple coming down and thought how bad could it be. They were with their much younger children who told us we should go a little further as it's absolutely beautiful but at some point it's almost straight up for 1,500 feet and towards the end you're using chains and ropes to get to the top...well that's all we needed to hear. It was a tough climb just getting to the "pretty bridge" :)

We're in Whistler right now and boy oh boy if I was 20, well maybe 30 years younger this is where I would be. Everyone is young here, all into adventure sports and the majority are from foreign countries, mostly Australia. They're here on student work visas and having the time of their lives. It's absolutely beautiful and still has lots of snow on the top. This weekend they're having a competition where you snowboard down and when you hit the dirt you get on your mountain bike. The camp ground we're staying in reminds me of New Zealand, just beautiful. It's about 75 degrees in the city and when we went to the top of the mountain (where the downhill, giant slalom, super-giant slalom and combined were held during the Olympics) it was probably 45 degrees. We're going to stay here for a couple of days and hike, ride our bikes and golf. That could all change as it's "supposed" to rain next couple of days...hey maybe our weather people come up here to retire!!