For me yesterday was a very full on day. To start the day off dad and I went to do the HYDRO BRONC! Basically the Hydro Bronc is a big inflatable ball with a mesh in the middle going all the way round in a loop. Dad and I got harnessed into one each and were pushed onto the Fitzimmons creek! While we were in it we could do flips and do just about any mad thing we wanted!!! The ball also banged into lots of things!! At one point we came to a bridge with about thirty people watching, I did five flips in a row to show off!!! At one point there is a rapid where you just keep running and eventually you come free! It was so exhilarating and at the end we both got a mad adrenaline rush!! It was great fun and is the only place in the world right now where you can do that!!
Later after lunch mum and I went on a mini luge thing! It was good fun and felt really fast!!! then I went on one of the things where you are standing and get strapped in and turned upside down and all around!! After that I went on a bungee trampoline. I did two back flips but when I tried another I ended up stuck upside down!!! The guy got me the right way round though!!
Even later on we went and watched the finals and super finals of the slope style! The competitors were off their heads! The course was so hard and mad! The final jump was about 50foot!!! So many people fell off and hurt themselves, they were often the most daring!!! Today we arrived at Nanaimo!
I have just walked down to join Eilidh and Gordon in the wifi gazebo after finishing my book looking out over the ocean. Well it's almost an ocean as it is the Georgia Straits - the bit of water that separates Vancouver Island from the mainland. It is much more chilled and laid back here. Whistler was full on fun and constant stimulation so an evening here looking over the water and roasting marshmallows is what we need. Eilidh could hardly move this morning as every muscle in her body ached after the Hydro Bronc. Another description of this contraption would be to get you to imagine a baby's brightly coloured teething ring - the ones with spaces for them to hold on to. Blow that up to about 8 foot and you have Hydro Bronc. The person strapped in does a pretty good impression of a hamster on a wheel although part of the fun is to immerse your head in glacier water as you run the rapids on the river. But it was AWESOME according to Eildih and Gordon.
We have been learning more of the lingo here. If you do something well, for instance hang upside down on the zip line it is a "good job". A particularly dangerous trick performed by these mountain bike riders is a"sick move". Follow that move up with a hands free trick and it is "sweet". To be honest some of it was terrifying and I felt, a kind of morbid fascination as these young riders, some only 16, approached the last jump and they were trying to top the guy with 33.2 points who had turned his bike backwards in the air when he launched himself off the slope. Luckily only 1 rider was stretchered off but at least 3 wiped out and smashed down on their run. Oh and apart from a helmet these guys didn't wear shin or elbow guards or body armour just their jeans hanging off their ass, a t shirt and scuffed sneakers. Eilidh was well impressed (you may have figured this out by reading her punctuation) and is considering taking this up as another of her extreme sport activities. I will not be watching if she does.
I have not much to add to the above about Whistler except some pics of the young nut jobs launching themselves down the Slope Style track and off the 50ft jump at the end. Apparently this was broadcast world wide on all the extreme sport channels and firmly establishes Whistler as the Nos. 1 mountain bike destination.
One of my other highlights was catching A Whole Lotta Led. These local musicians have the sound, if not the look, down to a tee. The most lookalike character was the bass player who with a lot of squinting and imagination resembled Jimmy Page! See pics below.
Our trip to Vancouver Island was fairly picturesque but spoiled by the large amount of roadworks as they upgrade the main route for the 2010 winter Olympics. Once we reached the Straits of Georgia the views were equal to anything we have seen so far. The ferry crossing over to the Island was very pleasant and gave us all the chance to chill and watch the large number of sailing and pleasure boats out for a Sunday sail.
The Campsite here is great but has reintroduced our Scottish blood to the local mosquitos...good job we have stocked up on lavender oil.
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