Canada 2017

Today was a day for driving what is one of the most scenic mountain routes in the world, the Icefields Parkway. It gets busy so we wanted to make a fairly early start and so were down for breakfast about 7.30. Tash braved the waffle making machine and it turned out ok, after a bit of help with turning it over to get the timer started. Was pretty sickly sweet to have for breakfast though and we only managed a bit of it.

We got away about 8.15 and needed to fill up with petrol as there is none readily available on the parkway itself, which runs from Lake Louise to Jasper, about 268km. The Shell garage next to the hotel was open, but couldn't get the pumps to work until I realised I had to go inside first and leave my credit card with the attendant then pay at the end. The machine on the pump doesn't work with overseas credit cards, no idea why not. The attendant said that was the case for most pumps especially in smaller touristy towns. He was heading up the parkway later to see his brother in Jasper and confirmed it was a lovely drive.

We hit Highway 1 for 40 minutes or so to just past Lake Louise where we turned onto Highway 93, the parkway. I had downloaded a sat nav guide from a company called Gypsy that gave descriptions of what you were driving past and tips on where to pull over. It proved interesting for the drive and will probably download others for later drives especially the big one across to Whistler.

The first suggested pull off was Hector Lake, which on a calm day reflected the overlooking mountains perfectly. Lake was a bit rippley, but we took some pictures and used the toilets there.

Next suggestion was Bow Lake - this was much more reflective and very picturesque (not that the whole drive wasn't with mountains and lakes and glaciers). More pictures here then we pulled into Jimmy Simpson Num Ti Jah lodge, thinking we might grab a coffee, but it was very busy so again we used the loos them carried on. Our guide had told us about Jimmy Simpson and how he had started tourism at the lodge, letting people stay who travelled in the days before the road - apparently one Christmas he hiked for 5 days to have lunch with another hermit further into the mountains, staying overnight then hiking back.

Peyto Lakes was the next stop. From the car park it was about a 10 minute walk, quite uphill to the viewing point of the lakes, which was a brilliant blue colour due to the minerals (glacial flour) in it, ground up by the glacier. We were at the highest altitude of the drive here and the air was thinner making the walk to the view more of struggle than we expected. Was worth it though as the lake was a great colour and very stunning.

We had a couple of pull ins by the side of the road to take pictures of great views and ate the food we had brought with us, as advised because there are few shops on the highway to buy provisions. Next stop was after driving round the Big Bend, which was a big looping bend to pull over and look at Bridal Veil Falls - a big tall waterfall on the other side of the valley - again spectacular.Lue lisää

On the ferry over day before had booked three of us to do ziplining up Grouse Mountain, Vancouver's ski resort in winter. Was about 20 minute drive, though traffic was slow across bridge so took little longer. Had breakfast of bagels in room from Safeway night before. Collected our tickets and got Sam one to go up and caught next gondola. Was just one up one down, they were big, holding 90+ people and taking 5 minutes to do trip. Swung a bit at the two stantions and Sam didn't like it. Up top we went straight to zip line place and did waivers then got kit on. Was same design as Whistler, with bar attached to trolley you carried. Got same safety demo etc. Only difference was landing position, legs together not spread apart like before.

Got a go pro so kids could film each other and their own rides. They went first down ride one, was quite slow and tame but good intro to the 5 lines in all. Two Aussie blokes in their 50s were doing it too, one hated heights and was very nervous on all the wires, but he did it. Second line was a steeper faster one and had to go down in the screaming starfish. Legs and arms spread like a starfish to slow you down. Screaming optional but good for other visitors on path below that we traveled across. This was more fun. At end they had bags on the springs for your legs to hit as you swung up. Hence why didn't need legs apart for landing.

Third wire was over a lake, quite pretty but fairly slow again. You did roll back over lake at end making you think things had gone wrong before you rolled back into the landing area. Emily one of our guides had forgotten to start the kids go pro, so they walked back up and got to do the ride again. Steve the other Aussie guide had said on radio to her did you forget something as kids landed. Tash thought she had done something wrong with set up and that was why they had rolled back across lake!

After this we had to take chairlift up to summit of mountain. Was very slow lift. Took 14 minutes but could have done it in third of time if it had been normal lift speed! It went quite high above the ground and the Aussie guy had his eyes closed the whole time. Last two wires at top started from higher platforms and went across the valley then back again. First was 360m or so, second a little longer. These were great lines. Good views down valley, high up and fast. Had to go in speeding bullet position to make sure you got all way across. Legs straight out in front and lay back as far as you could. Got some real speed up. I rocketed past Asian lady I was paired with (lines were tandem so two at once, all like this).

Flies were a bit ferocious especially at the top here, though none of us seemed to end up with that many bites. Was all good fun. Went back down chairlift. Aussies walked! Steve talked about driving on right and Canadians speeding and love of the horn, which would be seen as much more aggressive in U.K and Oz. Lack of speed cameras over here very different to U.K and difference is noticeable on people's attitudes to speed.

We bought photos and got the go pro video download, all came out well.

Then went for a drink. Tash and I had talked about doing tandem paraglide, so we asked whether any available. 1.30, 2.45 and 5.15 had one spot each. After consultation with others I went for 1.30. It was now 12.45 so had to pretty much head up chairlift to meet at 1.15 up there. Tash was undecided so I left them all and went up. Got given a waiver form to fill in and waited for my pilot to come up chairlift. He arrived, Carlos from Venezuela. One oft other pilots was his brother and both had been taught to fly by their dad when 13 and 11. He spread our chute and I got harness on. Then clipped to him and chute. We had to walk forward straight to pull parachute up then walk harder and run to get us off ground. Important to keep running until fully off ground. So ended up doing comedy run in mid air, cartoon like.

Was actually easy process and was easily up and floating. He described it as a magic carpet and I could see why. We swooped across chairlift and down the valley sides. It was very manoeuvrable and he turned it one way then the other. Took photos and videos with a Go pro and talked about what we could see. Mount Robson in distance was in USA about 100 km away. Lake below, Capilano Lake was man made and fed Vancouver with 30 per cent of water. He asked if I wanted to do roller coaster style moves and flipped the chute from one side to the other. Have to say made me feel little queasy, was all in the head rather than the stomach which I would have preferred. Then headed into land. Came in very fast which Carlos had said we would, had to hold my legs up, then he tugged in chute and brought us to dead stop. Put my legs down nd stood up - very smooth. Looked at video on tablet while he packed away then went back to gondola on mini bus.

Followed the guys through staff entrance and up with them then all way up chairlift as had text from Tash to say she had signed up for 2.45 flight. Chatted with Carlos, he does summer in Vancouver then time off then December to March in Cape Town then to Columbia. Trying to save up for house and some land to build paragliding hostel and live there making some money from visitors and enjoying life. Asked about comeptitions. Three types, landing where have to land accurately on a coin, quite boring he said. Acrobatics which his brother did, can do loop the loops, 271 the consecutive record. Now do tricks with wires crossed for extra difficulty, Carlos does regatta style races, where have to go to different GPS points in fastest time. Competitors wear GPS trackers to show they have followed course to markers.

Saw Tash at top. Ed and Sam had gone up chairlift with her. Sam hated it, was very steep above ground. Carlos took Tash too. We all went down take off strip to watch her. She was nervous asking lots of questions as her coping mechanism . Most worried about having to run at the start. Only needed to do that for about 5 metres at most and Carlos was pushing you on for most of the time.

She took off smoothly. Sun was now out and she went much higher on thermals than I did and even swooped back across take off area, waving at us. She landed and we met her at the picnic tables near gondola. We asked about 5.15 slot but it had now gone as Ed wanted to do it, though he was quite uncertain and I think maybe a little relieved the slot had gone. Next time for him. We promised him we would go parasailing in Lanzarote, Sam promised she would do it with him!

Went to see the bear talk of the two grizzly bears that live in a compound on mountain, koola and grinder. They came out for the snacks placed around, though we had seen them earlier from the chairlift. They were orphaned and couldn't live in the wild. Very cute and made us sure the one we had seen in Banff was a grizzly, looked just like these guys.

Took some pics then went to get seat fir the world famous lumberjack show. Ed and Tash went off to get beaver tails - a fried flat donut thing with topping of your choice. Ed got melted oreo for him and maple syrup for me. They were very very sweet and sickly! Show was good fun, two competing lumberjacks at various challenges, sawing, axe throwing, chopping between legs, log rolling, wood carving and climbing up tree to ring bell using rope and spikes. Our team won. We saw guy heading home in our lift later, with his axe in a special big case. He was a 5 time world champion in the log climb apparently so no wonder he won that!

A 'tourist' wandered on set at one point then secretly climbed the pole and did some stunts on top before falling off and zipwiring down. Part of show though not obvious at the start until he was climbing. Was fun show and script was tongue in cheek. Carved a stool from wood and gave it to youngest person there, 4 month old baby asleep despite chain sawing!

Went back down gondola and Tash and I went to Safeway for food. Fell asleep early as was shattered with all fresh air and excitement. Last day tomorrow.Lue lisää