Having spent more time in Whistler during the spring and summer months, I’m familiar with its many activities outside of carving up the snow-covered slopes. Even when the mountain opens up for its world-famous winter season you can still find plenty to do if you’re not a skiier or snowboarder. From ziplining to snowshoeing, the possibilities for adventure are seemingly endless and this weekend we discovered how much fun a morning snowmobile expedition can be as well.
Canadian Snowmobile is centrally located under the Longhorn, gondola and main rental building for Whistler Blackcomb. After signing up for our session, we met our group outside in the village as morning snowflakes tumbled down.
Our guide, Daniel, arrived promptly and we piled into the tour company’s van parked near the main Whistler bus loop. About 20 minutes later we arrived at the Canadian Snowmobile cabin in the Callaghan Valley, ready to suit up.
The wood-burning stove in the cabin crackled while those who needed gear loaded up with boots, helmets, snow-pants and jackets. Waiting outside was a queue of Yamaha snowmobiles and after a quick lesson, we were on our way.
Members of our tour group either paired up or hopped on their own machines for the ride. The snowmobiles were top of the line with hand-warmers in the handles and very simple instructions to stop and start.
Daniel used hand signals to communicate with our caravan and hopped off to dig out any member who got stuck in the thick powder lining our route.
Reaching exhilarating speeds and surrounded by picturesque scenery, I almost let out an audible “Whee!” while we carved our own paths and danced around corners.
The clouds parted, the sky went from navy blue to azure, and a blanket of fog rolled in and out like a tide through the trees.
Twisting between frozen creek beds and old-growth evergreens on the back of Sproat Mountain, I had a flashback to snowshoeing in the Ancient Forest last winter near Prince George.
Canadian Snowmobile offers a variety of snowmobiling adventures including our 3-hour beginner/family-friendly “Callaghan Cruiser” tour. Our experience was extremely positive and while riding the gas-powered beasts through the hills was fun, I’d love to check out their snowshoe, dogsled or fondue tours in the future.
Disclosure: cmp.ly/2
Tomorrow the Westin Bayshore downtown is hosting the BC Cancer Agency Community Cancer Forum with an impressive line-up of speakers including local singer, songwriter and internationally-acclaimed artist Bif Naked. She will sharing her personal story about her battle with breast cancer over the last two years.
Having been a fan of her work since the single “Daddy’s Getting Married” hit the airwaves in 1995, I was delighted to have the chance to speak to Bif this morning. I wanted to learn more about how she went from playing punk shows to being on a different stage, championing such an important cause (and how she still combines the two in her daily life).
“I wish I could do it full time,” said Bif over the phone as she prepared for her Grey Cup Festival performance in Edmonton this Sunday (after coming back to Vancouver tomorrow for the forum). “I always like to make a joke that cancer was the first vacation I’ve had in 20 years.” However after being diagnosed in 2008, Bif did anything but rest. She went on to write and record her sixth studio album, The Promise, while undergoing 13 months of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Bif will be sharing her personal experiences at tomorrow’s forum; how she has persevered and the stories that she feels need to be told. “One thing that I was really fortunate to have experienced was just the ability to sit with other patients during treatments or around the treatment center.” She added that people always rally around family members and friends however there’s always a sense of imposition. “Societally, there’s such a need for dialog among people – there’s so much shame and embarassement around cancer specifically and people tend to go inward and I guess just hunker down.”
She is seizing this opportunity to bring awareness to this lack of discussion and conversation about what is happening to people in our community. “I’ve got the gift of a big mouth that I’ve been blessed with anyway so if I can open dialog, create any awareness at all and lend my support for cancer patients and their families, that’s my goal and I love it.”
The forum runs from 9:30am until 4:00pm Saturday November 27th and registration is not required — this event is open to everyone.
Follow @BifNaked on Twitter for inspiring words, show information, and updates from Bif.
The giant 50-foot Christmas tree returns to the lawn of the Vancouver Art Gallery starting with a lighting ceremony on December 2nd.
The tree, which is the largest of its kind in Western Canada, is installed each year by AMACON who also uses the opportunity to donate funds their consultants, contractors, and contacts have raised for local non-profits over the last year.
In 2009, roughly $100,000 was presented in large-cheque form to BC Lions Courage for Kids, Empty Stocking Fund, Rock 101 Cares, Lasting M.A.G.I.C, BC Children’s Hospital, Amateur Sports in BC, Canada Company and The Diana Krall Foundation.
Bro-Jake from Rock101 will once again emcee the event that begins at 5:30pm, along with the lighting countdown at 6:45pm. There will also be performances by The Vancouver Children’s Choir, Christmas soloists and special guest appearances by the BC Lions, and Santa Claus himself. The tree will be on display until January 4, 2011.
During my stay in Victoria with Keira we were booked to to a tea workshop at Silk Road Tea in Chinatown. Recently expanded along Government Street Silk Road is a tea shop, tasting room, and spa rolled into one.
Upon entering we were greeted with samples of their Westcoast Peppermint and were surrounded by infusers, candles, soaps and oils in their spa section. Some patrons were first-time visitors asking for advice on how to use lavender essence therapeutically, while others were regulars stocking up on their usual supplies of bath salts. We quickly learned that all of Silk Road’s body care products are 100% natural and manufactured in-house.
I spotted Libre Tea glasses, tea pots with cute yet descriptive names like “stump” and “curvy”, and any other kind of tea accessory imaginable.
We took our places at the tea bar for their very popular afternoon workshop. The theme that day was “Hot Chocolate Teas” as we were to learn how to separately blend cherry tea, peppermint tea, and black chai with various amounts of cocoa to create some delicious treats for sipping. When each new tea was introduced we were given notes on its caffeine content, ideal steeping time, and tips on garnishes (from mint leaves to goji berries).
The workshop was $12 and included recipes, tastings of about five different blends, and an education in tea preparation and health benefits. These sessions run every Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm from September to June and reservations are highly recommended.
With the steady stream of tea drinkers pouring into the shop throughout the hour, it appeared that tea is as big in Victoria now as it ever was in all traditional senses.
You can order teas online from Silk Road or find their teas served at various establishments throughout Victoria. They’ve even been mixed into original cocktails at Veneto lounge in the Rialto Hotel. “One of the great resources of working downtown Victoria is my proximity to Chinatown’s Silk Road Tea shop, a veritable playground of lovely and delicate flavours.” Veneto’s star bartender Simon Ogden told me. “It’s a wellspring of new cocktail concept inspiration, and proudly local.
Silk Road has also partnered with Rogers Chocolates to create organic tea-infused chocolate bars that are available on Granville Island or in Gastown.
Read Keira’s post about Silk Road Tea over on her blog.
The North Shore mountains hide, shrouded in a grey cloud of flurries as I look out over an un-touched blanket of snow covering the West End. This morning’s snow in Metro Vancouver is still cascading from the skies as many have taken to staying indoors and bundling up. Growing up in Surrey we used to have plenty of snow days as we slid down the hill in a local park. Stuffed and suited up with arms like wool sausages, we spent hours on our old family toboggan.
As a throwback to our old snow days in Metro Vancouver, I have dug up some photos from the Surrey and Vancouver archives.
Year: 1927
In this photo: Peter Pantages (founder of the Polar Bear Club) & Miss E Robinson in the snow
Archives Item#: CVA 99-1784
Photographer: Stuart Thomson
Year: 1929
In this photo: Skiing on Grouse Mountain
Archives Item#: CVA 99-2000
Photographer: Stuart Thomson
Year: 1929
In this photo: Snow scene on Grouse Mountain
Archives Item#: CVA 99-2002
Photographer: Stuart Thomson
Year: April 1, 1936
In this photo: Hastings West of Homer, streetcar with snow-plough on front
Archives Item#: CVA 677-276.5
Year: April 1, 1936
In this photo: Granville at Pender downtown
Archives Item#: CVA 677-276.1
Year: April 1, 1936
In this photo: Pair heading to Spencer’s department store downtown
Archives Item#: CVA 677-276.3
Year: 1964
In this photo: White Rock under snow
Accession Number: SA 1992.036.3244, SA 1992.036.3245
Year: 1964
In this photo: Snow scene in Cloverdale
Accession Number: SA 1992.036.1802, SA 1992.036.1803
