Saturday 28 July 2007

Big Bar Ranch 2
Well we’re back again! We went riding again! Yehah! Dad continued his bond with Henry and I rode Destiny again. Mum though could not ride Boots as someone else was on her. So mum rode a massive horse called Ghost. She had a lot of trouble getting on! She has a bit of an exiting tale to tell about her ride but I will let her do that! Later on after the riding and after dinner we went gold panning! It was good fun but unfortunately I didn’t become a child millionaire! Although we did find two gold flakes BUT mum threw them out by accident! When we got back we were given cookies and fizzy juice! It was really nice!

My exciting tale is that on day 2 of riding I was riding the very big white (grey) horse called Ghost. This was a more challenging trek that began in the canyon and climbed up above the tree lines. We then cut back into the trees and the horses began to pick their way through a very narrow trail over tree roots and fallen branches. We also had to duck out of the way of tree branches and push other obstacles away from us.

All of this required concentration and I found it scary that I had to totally trust the horse, as I had no idea how to pick my way down the trail. It was all going okay until we reached a more open part of the trail that wound further uphill. I was concentrating on the leaning forward and moving obstacles out of the way stuff when the horse started twitching and leaping and then it took off. Shouting stop didn’t translate but once I remembered whoa and yanked a lot on the reins we came to a twitchy halt.

Crystal the wrangler leapt off her horse and spent time calming me and the horse. It was a bee sting – it would be ok. We then had to continue … I was scared but kept remembering I was meant to be calm so the horse knew I was calm. Heading down a steep rocky bit of scree with the horse sliding sideways as it picked its way down I was so Zen.

The drive from the ranch to Whistler was one of the best although the first 90 minutes on the dirt road with 13% gradient and hairpin bends in the RV was challenging – I did not like looking down the side of the road as of course there were no barriers or anything. Health and safety and the nanny state do not exist here and that is one of the attractions of the place. Perhaps Gordon will add some pics of the drive.


Big Bar Ranch was superb. In some ways to stay longer would have been good. There was just so much more to explore and the opportunity to make specific requests of the staff to go on a photographic safari or perhaps to meet some of the locals we heard about like Tar Paper Tony or Reckless Randy!

Sally and Eilidh have both covered the horse riding but I think I should just add that I am sure I saw Henry toss his main and swish his tail in my direction to bid me fairwell as we left. Calum just may be right to think that there is something in this western riding lark.

On our way from the ranch to Whistler I thing I have, appropriately enough, come up with a new extreme motor sport. Dirt Track RV Rallying! Fantastic, and Canada has a whole network of roads just waiting to be exploited by this sport. We also discovered that maintenance of this network only requires a water truck to soak the “road” and a snowplough type lorry to flatten out the bumps once the road is soaked. In all honesty I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of the short cut we had chosen to take and thankfully didn’t meet any fledgling RV Ralliers going in the opposite direction.


Whistler
At whistler now. It is an amazing place, I absolutely love it! It is full of adrenaline pumping things to do!!!! Today we went zip trekking which is 5 very high up and fast flying foxes!!!!!!!!!! One of them was 2000 feet long and you could go up to 80 km!! I had to get an extra push to make sure I didn’t get stuck in the middle! On the very last one you could go upside down! IT WAS SOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is also really good because we are here during the mountain bike festival so there is lots going on like live music and of course races and demos! Anyhooow I suppose I better go cos I have still got to do my journal! Xxxx luv Eilidh

Whistler is cool. Yesterday we spent the day soaking up the atmosphere of the place, which is really buzzing. Gordon and I also managed to soak up ciders and beers, as we did not need to drive. Eilidh loves it here as she feels “Whistler equals danger and that is good”. I have to agree with her - it is the adrenaline junkies’ playground. As you walk down the “Stroll” you see zillions of mountain bikers (big big festival called Crankworks on just now) then a couple of skiers and a group of snowboarders, hikers, rafters etc. We had a fabulous meal at Sushi Village and Gordon and I shared a jug of strawberry sake marguerittas – awesome!

The zip trekking was a total high in all meanings of the word. I did not think I could walk off the platform and head down the 2000 ft line as you could not see the end only the trees and the creek very far below. We did it and by line 5 were letting go and trying to hang upside down. Gordon was the best at this but as he had the camera we didn’t snap it but there are some pics below.

Gordon and I think Eilidh is gaining a liking for extreme sports. So far she has not persuaded us to bungee jump but she and Gordon are going Hydro Broncing tomorrow… she plans to have a word with Uncle Robin when we get back so she can go power boating, kayaking, mountain biking and anything else fast and dangerous.

Whistler is cool but the whole surrounding area known as the Sea to Sky Corridor is just as cool. Everything is geared to this outdoor lifestyle, public buses have racks for bikes on the front and skies on the side. Not all of it is at break neck speed. A lot of emphasis is given to the opportunity to kick back and enjoy the uniqueness of the surroundings as well.

The spectacle of the bike festival is well worth seeing even if you are not participating. Tomorrow I hope to take some shots that capture the event and also catch the Led Zeppelin tribute band A Whole Lotta Led, which the waiter at our table recommended. Then it is off to Vancouver Island and another whole new experience.

Due to the rubbish Internet connection we have at the campsite we have been unable to upload the pictures. Watch out for a bumper pack of pics in our next instalment.

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