The arrival and car collection at Seattle was trouble-free (9pm) and on the advice of a "local" that we were sitting next to, we cancelled our motel booking and drove north so as to try and catch the ferry to Vancouver Island next morning. Midnight found us about 20 miles from the ferry but all motels were fully booked! We drove on - planning to sleep "on the beach" - but found a very nice motel in Anacortes. It was $70 but well worth it by that stage!
21/8/91 Wednesday We started the day with a rush to get to the ferry but found that it needs to be booked two days in advance! So .. on the road again after stopping off for breakfast and a clothes washing session. We took a different road north (off the freeway) - very pretty but slow. The ferry trip from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay was smooth and the ride through Nanaimo, Parksville & Quaticum Beach to Courtenay was equally picturesque. So far, this corner of the continent has impressed us with its neatness and beauty. Tea at Wendy’s and a fruitless attempt to contact Richard & Sandra.
22/8/91 Thursday After a very good rest, we found the LETS address and filled in the 30mins till it was time to see him by going for a drive to Cumberland. On the way back, I spotted a large stationery engine in a cement yard. It turned out to be a pair of large Crossleys (Sn 101231, 101230) with common flywheel They were complete and in near running order. Back to see Michael Linton (see file A:LETS) then on to the ferry at Comox. After arrival at Powell River, we drove 30mins to Saltery Bay for the next ferry ride which took us to Earls Cove. This 50 minute trip was a delight with a waterfall and other beautiful scenes. Then by road (BC101) down the "Sunshine Coast" to Gibsons where we hoped to be able to contact Richard & Sandra. We booked into the "Sunshine Lodge" and checked out all the ideas we had but to no avail - we couldn’t locate the people who were the contact point. But we met some nice people in doing so. Doug Elson (a Canadian whose wife is an Aussie and she is the regional education superintendent) took us on a long scenic drive which ended at the dump where we were able to see a bear in the wild! Back to town and a pizza for tea.
23/8/91 Friday After a bit of phoning, Anne found the elusive number - only to find that S&R had moved onto Vancouver Island ....... yesterday. So we packed up and headed for the ferry. We were late for the 10.30am sailing but it was just finishing loading when we arrived and we were waved onto the end of the line! Once again, the ferry trip was magnificent. After disembarking, we took the old highway 90 which wound round the bays from Horseshoe Bay to North Vancouver. At a shopping center, we rang round for accommodation and got a B&B for $70. Canada is very expensive compared with the US. Then over the Lion Gate Bridge (very high!) to Stanley Park - a beautiful spot in the middle of the city. Back across the bridge to North Vancouver and up to the Capitano Suspension bridge. This is a foot- bridge suspended over a 250 ft chasm - set in a private garden with Indian artifacts (which were very nice but VERY expensive). This is halfway up a ravine in which is a large dam and the "Grouse Mountain Skyride which took us 3,750ft up in a large ski-lift. The views were breathtaking even with an overcast day. We have been to many spots that are higher but none where you look straight down from such a height. This is a big ski place in winter - and a lookout in summer. Then down the mountain again and off for tea at Burger-King. We had some tense moments on the way in the traffic as there are some CRAZY intersections here. After tea we continued on to find the B&B and then crashed for the night.
24/8/91 Saturday Breakfast at the B&B was very pleasant and we then headed over to Dave Boon’s place (a friend from long ago who is now in Vancouver). After a while of "catching up", we headed off to see the Lonsdale Markets (the Golden Twin Guitars, bug-gun), into "downtown" to Dave’s office (where we at last managed to transfer the disk files!), a walk down Robson St (hologram shop). We then picked up Susan & Lauren and all went to the Pan-Pacific Center for some food. I splurged and bought a "coon hat". Dave then took us all out to Deep Cove - a very pleasant picturesue spot at the foot of Seymour Mountain. A trip round to Horsehoe Bay to the Bay Restaurant completed the day. Unfortunately the lack of service tended to spoil the pleasure. As we left, 7 year old Matthew said as we Left "Aren't we going to tip them?" No, Matthew!
25/8/91 Sunday We said goodbye to Dave & Susan at 10.30am and headed south east on the Trans-Canadian Highway 1. At Fort Langley, we stopped to look at the Agricultural Museum but it wasn't open despite the published information. Soon after, we were held up by 1/2 hour Long traffic jam. This (as usual) had been caused by road construction - They seem to have no method of diverting traffic past bottle-necks. Past Hope Slide (where the side of the mountain slipped and covered a valley (see photos) on past Manning ski resort in Alison Pass, through Oyooso, Oroville to Omak where we found a bed in the Stampede motel (watched "Fiddler on the Roof")
26/8/91 Monday Week 7 With an early start, we drove through the Okenogan Forest to Winthrop (a restored wild west town). Then into the REAL mountains near Washington Pass at 5477 ft, we stopped to look at snow which turned out to be frozen. We chipped away enough for two handfulls. On into the mountains - breath-taking views - a morning to treasure. The mountains are one of the wonders of our trip. We have been so privileged to see them close up. Down from the heights, we went on to Seattle and stopped at the Museum of Flight. This an impressive display of rebuilt originals and replicas of aircraft housed in the original Boeing factory (which started as a boat-building factory). After this, we found our hotel and investigated our options for getting from Seattte to SF. These boiled down to National car rental again as they had no drop-off fee. Unfortunately, AMTRAK was booked till after we leave US - it would have been a good trip. (Later - it's a pity we didn’t think of flying!)
27/8/91 Tuesday Back to Sea-Tac airport to change cars then south through a rainy morning. The weather meant no views and no point to any sight-seeing detours It’s a pity that we can’t "take a rain-check" on' today! The rain cleared by midday but it has to be a "freeway day" so we can get to San Francisco. Stopped at Grant’s Pass.
28/8/91 Wednesday Left GP in solid rain and headed south on Rt 199. If it hadn't been raining , the scenery would have been beautiful. Then, soon after entering California, WHAM! BANG! a large rock fell from the cliff beside the road and came through the windscreen. It hit me on the left hand and did some damage to the little finger. Anne stayed with the car while I was taken into hospital in Crescent City (30 miles away). The car rental firm were very good and it was arranged that the car (and us) would be taken by tow truck to Eureka where a replacement car would be ready. In the hospital, I was attended to (after a 2 hour wait) and the finger was x-rayed. It was broken and the whole upper flesh of the finger was separated & had to be sewn back on. It had bared the tendons but not damaged them - very close! After my repairs, we went with the tow truck to Arcata and swapped cars. We drove on through Eureka to Redcrest where we found a very pleasant little motel nestled in the redwoods. The local wood-working shop had many very good redwood souvenirs.
(PS - a fragment of glass from the windscreen worked its way to the surface of my little finger on 2/9/95 - almost 4 years to the day after the accident!)
29/8/91 Thursday Leaving Redcrest, we followed the "Avenue of the Giants" for its 25 mile length. This road winds between the huge redwood trees and is magnificent for both its beauty and the size of the trees. Then back on Fwy 101. We had intended to divert to the different road that follows the ocean but when we stopped for breakfast in Leggitts, we realised that the turn-off had been passed some way back. When we reached Geyserville, we headed east so that we could get to Walnut Creek to see a quilting exhibition. This road was a narrow, winding pretty road for most of the time we were on it. The exhibition was of about a dozen quilts (ranging in value from $8,000 to $11,000). The designs were inspiring for Anne. We then headed for Oakland (via the shop where the computer had been bought) arriving about 7pm.
30/8/91 Friday After an educational experience having my finger checked at a nearby hospital, we drove to the airport to change rental cars then drove south to San Jose. On the way, we stopped at the "Weird Things" computer shop where they sell unusual computer parts. No bargains surfaced so we headed on to San Jose and arrived at the quilting show to find that it had closed 20 mins before. We drove to the coast at Hollow Creek Bay and drove north along the coast through Pacifica. The ‘Frisco fog had come in and we were driving through swirling mist till we got to the city centre. We stopped for tea at the “Chinese Garden" in Piedmont Ave and were very pleased.
31/8/91 Saturday - Posted the parcels, then went to downtown Oakland to see Bill & Renee’s shop. After buying shoes, we headed for the Marin County Quilting exhibition in San Raphael. We went via the Golden Gate Bridge again and also found a flea-market to stop off at. Lots of goodies but we have spent our cash at this stage and thus need to watch our spending. The quilting exhibition was found eventually and it was quite a show! Hundreds of examples of exquisite work hung in rows down a large hall surrounded by stalls selling all kinds of materials useful to quilters. We managed to find our way back to Oakland without mishap and went out for a birthday dinner at "The Old Spaghetti Factory" with Bill & Renee. A very nice place. This was next to a small bar which is famous as having been the drinking spot of Jack London, writer of the Alaskan adventure tales. Afterwards a drive round the scenic night spots of Oakland followed by icecream pie.
1/9/91 Sunday After a restful start, we went over to Concord to visit a BIG shopping centre. It had all the big name stores and gave a lot of exercise just getting round it! After 3 hours I went to sit in the car & read but Anne managed to endure the ordeal for a further 2 hours and even had stamina to look for a further shop! We were home in Oakland by 6.30pm and had a quiet last evening with Bill & Renee.
02/9/91 Monday While standing at the kitchen window this morning, we saw a man "casing the joint" next door. Bill dashed off to follow him while Renee called the police. A good bit of excitement to start the day! Today will be a resting day before we fly to Singapore tonight. In the afternoon, B&R came home and we went up to San Pablo to Droslyn (Renee’s daughter) & Tony’s piece for a BBQ. Tony is a TV engineer in a similar position to Pete. We were home by 6.30pm in time for the "49ers" vs NY Giants game and then at 8.30pm we said our farewells and headed for the airport. I dropped my glasses as we left and one lens was broken. Our ticketing and luggage was completed by 10pm and we settled down to await our departure on the "long haul".
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