Pa's inTown

Dad and (stepmum) Janet finally came over in February to visit. Both avid skiers, they combined the visit with a week in Whistler.


Here they are during the obligatory trip up Grouse Mountain









....and at Deep Cove. It was a beautiful day....but it was still February and so not so warm!












I went to Capilano Suspension Bridge with Jane and Mark and concluded that although it was cool, it wasn't worth the $25 to get in. "People" say it's better to go to Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge which is Free! So we did. It was cool! I'm still not too thrilled to walk across these things but at least this one was small enough to have a hand on each cable!












They we in Vancouver for a few days so had a good poke around downtown but Dad also wanted to do a bit of history type stuff. Now BC has clearly been here for millions of years but it's only been inhabited by us Europeans for 150 years or so and therefore doesn't have too much in the way of historical monuments.

Which brings us to Fort Langley. The first trading post in BC and the birthplace of BC




They have an original building (sorry - didnt get a photo) and a load of replica buildings. It was pretty interesting stuff, particularly as most of the imported materials/tools etc were all from England.








All too soon the days past and it was time to head up the road to Whistler.

Obligatory stop at Shannon Falls, Squamish












Family Photo (dont get inmany of those these days!)

















As she was available and hadnt been toWhistler in eons, I invited my BFF Kiyoka to join us. She took lots of photos.



















a nursing stump- Janet things these are creepy
















I found out one night over dinner that it was Shrove Tuesday - Pancake Day!! I did my best to persuade Milestones to make me one but they wouldn't :(

Fortunately, there was a crepery just down the street.

Dad and Janet faded quickly so it just left Kiyoka and I to keep up tradition.

mmmm pancakes......


Token shot of me












After skiing, the tired aching muscles really benefit from a dipin the hot tub. At our hotel (Kiyoka and I DIDNT stay at the Fairmont Chataeux with Dad and Janet) the hot tub had an outdoor plunge pool.

It was a little odd walking through four inches of snow in bare feet - not to mention it snowing on us! Here's the proof as Kiyoka takes the plunge!













Dinner at Caramba :) mmmmmm Caramba!












I bet Kiyoka a desert that they didnt have Apple Pie. I lost. One time I'm very happy to loose! Good pie too :)

mmmmmm....apple pie

The visit went very quickly but it was great to spend so much time with Dad and Janet. I miss themand I do hope they come back!

Viva Las Vegas - Coach Coaching

You'll recall I'm now a qualified Mountain Bike Instructor :D
A wee while back, Mad March Racing asked me if I'd like to do some coaching for them this summer. MMR are the premier coaches so I was well chuffed and of course said yes.
Shaums (March) held a mini camp for the coaches in Vegas at the end of Jan so I packed up my sun lotion and headed off to the desert!





Welcome to America!











Vancouver was still pretty snowed in so it wasn't too hard to head south




The main point of the weekend was to ensure all the coaches were teaching the same stuff and up to Shaums' high standards so we spent most of our time in the "classroom"

This (left) is our classroom :D







chairs nabbed from the hotel and we're good to go!












Shaums teaching us to jump :)














....and drop











but obviously we couldn't spend all day in Boulder Canyon without going for a ride there















:)
























it actually got quite dark on the way home but we still managed to find a concrete flood channel to ride out all the way downhill back to the hotel - complete with sections under the roads only an inch higher than our handlebars!




After two days in the desert it was time to hit the strip and see what Vegas has to offer



Two of the first people we met were newly weds - naturally we shoved the groom aside to have our picture taken with his lovely bride :)

















The strip is an odd place. One minute you have your photo taken with a bride, the next there's a volcanic eruption across the street!










so we headed inside to the safety of the modestly appointed shopping mall....

















...it was a sophisticated night ;)














my hotel. Quiet little place.














Vegas is something else. Miniature plastic skyscrapers at New York New York complete with a roller coaster











Genuine plastic

















and my favourite thing in Vegas. The cop cars with bike racks on!!! (for bike patrol officers in case you're wondering)











Yes, they have it all here. A fraction of the size and made of plastic. After a day on the strip I was ready to leave. Give me the real mountains of BC any day.










and the real rivers and lakes - no indoor gondola rides in BC and that's a good thing

















Pirate show - literally beside the street was kinda cool












....but the girl pirates were much better ;)


Viva Las Vegas. I did take in a Cirque show while I was in town and that was very good but aside from that I'm quite happy for was happens in Vegas to stay in Vegas thank you very much!!


Thanks to Shaums for an excellent weekend of great coaching, great people and great fun :D