Poor little bus pass. It has outlived it's usefulness. I was starting to get funny looks for all the scratches on the zone 2 and 3 patches.
November 30, 2008
No longer useful
Poor little bus pass. It has outlived it's usefulness. I was starting to get funny looks for all the scratches on the zone 2 and 3 patches.
November 29, 2008
Thanksgiving 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
Since Thanksgiving in Canada is in October, I worked a half day and then took the afternoon off. Hedgehog Dog and I then walked a 5K in the cold and rain around the perimeter of the local Langara golf course. This was in support of my friend's annual Thanksgiving Day walk for MS. See her post here! We then headed home where we both got a nice hot bath to remove all the mud.
I got to eat dinner while talking to Hedgehog Guy and Hedgehog Best Friend and Tall Friend. The frozen turkey and stuffing dinner was actually good! It was really hard to be away from everyone this holiday. Just felt lonely and none of the traditional things happened, other than eating a huge baked potato. But one has to remember that we're always are making new traditions, and next year we'll have two Thanksgivings - Canadian and U.S.
Since Thanksgiving in Canada is in October, I worked a half day and then took the afternoon off. Hedgehog Dog and I then walked a 5K in the cold and rain around the perimeter of the local Langara golf course. This was in support of my friend's annual Thanksgiving Day walk for MS. See her post here! We then headed home where we both got a nice hot bath to remove all the mud.
I got to eat dinner while talking to Hedgehog Guy and Hedgehog Best Friend and Tall Friend. The frozen turkey and stuffing dinner was actually good! It was really hard to be away from everyone this holiday. Just felt lonely and none of the traditional things happened, other than eating a huge baked potato. But one has to remember that we're always are making new traditions, and next year we'll have two Thanksgivings - Canadian and U.S.
November 24, 2008
Hedgehog dog alert
Since last week was all writing with no pictures, this week will be different. Starting with a photo mon
tage of Hedgehog Dog.
tage of Hedgehog Dog.
November 21, 2008
Watchin' the world go by
Bus Boon #4 Bus Drivers
Another great thing about taking the bus is that I don't have to drive myself. I now have no need to navigate busy streets that I am unfamiliar with. Let someone else dodge parked cars, avoid pedestrians at every corner, maneuver in and out of the turn lanes, and obey speed limits in kilometers per hour. Ask Hedgehog Guy if you are unclear of these dangers. Never mind having an expert deal with the 500 types of rain that fall here or a permanently foggy windshield.
Bus drivers also seem to be naturally jolly, polite people. I can not imagine doing their job - driving for 15 min here gives me heartburn. Every one says hi or hello or thank you when I board. I have yet to see one upset. I find this a small miracle.
Bus Bummer #4 Have I mentioned the commute time?
Yeah, so it takes a while to get to or from work. Like an hour. This seems extreme to me given the commute times of 5-20 minutes from the past 10 years. But, it is all for the good of the planet, my wallet, my thighs, and of course, science (work).
I have come to appreciate my iPod, even with the missing earfoam on the left side of my headphones. The ride is different everyday due to a different tune.
I have come to appreciate the time to collect myself before work and decompress on the way home.
I have learned to leave a light on for the dog.
I have learned to appreciate a glass of wine after especially bad commutes.
I have learned to enjoy hearing people speak in at least two languages on the way to work and see people reading in three.
Oh yes, and people watching is a great way to pick out new shoes and haircuts.
Another great thing about taking the bus is that I don't have to drive myself. I now have no need to navigate busy streets that I am unfamiliar with. Let someone else dodge parked cars, avoid pedestrians at every corner, maneuver in and out of the turn lanes, and obey speed limits in kilometers per hour. Ask Hedgehog Guy if you are unclear of these dangers. Never mind having an expert deal with the 500 types of rain that fall here or a permanently foggy windshield.
Bus drivers also seem to be naturally jolly, polite people. I can not imagine doing their job - driving for 15 min here gives me heartburn. Every one says hi or hello or thank you when I board. I have yet to see one upset. I find this a small miracle.
Bus Bummer #4 Have I mentioned the commute time?
Yeah, so it takes a while to get to or from work. Like an hour. This seems extreme to me given the commute times of 5-20 minutes from the past 10 years. But, it is all for the good of the planet, my wallet, my thighs, and of course, science (work).
I have come to appreciate my iPod, even with the missing earfoam on the left side of my headphones. The ride is different everyday due to a different tune.
I have come to appreciate the time to collect myself before work and decompress on the way home.
I have learned to leave a light on for the dog.
I have learned to appreciate a glass of wine after especially bad commutes.
I have learned to enjoy hearing people speak in at least two languages on the way to work and see people reading in three.
Oh yes, and people watching is a great way to pick out new shoes and haircuts.
November 20, 2008
Losin' some weight
Bus Boon #3 Walking
So I hope it goes without saying that I have to walk to get on the bus. This may seem contradictory to thinking that I take the bus to and from work, but it is true. This walking is a great thing - truly. About 15 min at a steady clip in either direction from the bus stop to the house, on a slight incline on the way home. I have already lost weight, despite my Ramen noodle and cheese diet, or at least moved it around a little. I will keep walking even if the local bus is there. End of story.
Bus Bummer #3 Afternoon lovers
Okay, I appreciate that one is happy to see one's soulmate at the end of a long day. However, I also believe the bus is not the proper place for your honeymoon reunion tour. These acts of "love" only occur on the ride home (interesting observation?) and are much more frequent on Fridays. Or maybe on Fridays I'm more likely to have my own head out of the clouds and notice it more. Whatever, being in the back where everyone can pointedly ignore you is one thing, persisting to make-out in front of everyone is another. You guys rank up there with the girl on the Boston train who persistently called her friend over and over to make certain she wasn't upset with you, only to insure that everyone on the train was.
Now, having said that, I have seen some adorable couples on the bus. Kids who fall asleep in each others arms after sharing a coffee, or who hold hands on the way home. Such images reassure me that the others might have a chance.
So I hope it goes without saying that I have to walk to get on the bus. This may seem contradictory to thinking that I take the bus to and from work, but it is true. This walking is a great thing - truly. About 15 min at a steady clip in either direction from the bus stop to the house, on a slight incline on the way home. I have already lost weight, despite my Ramen noodle and cheese diet, or at least moved it around a little. I will keep walking even if the local bus is there. End of story.
Bus Bummer #3 Afternoon lovers
Okay, I appreciate that one is happy to see one's soulmate at the end of a long day. However, I also believe the bus is not the proper place for your honeymoon reunion tour. These acts of "love" only occur on the ride home (interesting observation?) and are much more frequent on Fridays. Or maybe on Fridays I'm more likely to have my own head out of the clouds and notice it more. Whatever, being in the back where everyone can pointedly ignore you is one thing, persisting to make-out in front of everyone is another. You guys rank up there with the girl on the Boston train who persistently called her friend over and over to make certain she wasn't upset with you, only to insure that everyone on the train was.
Now, having said that, I have seen some adorable couples on the bus. Kids who fall asleep in each others arms after sharing a coffee, or who hold hands on the way home. Such images reassure me that the others might have a chance.
November 19, 2008
Savin' some dough
Bus Boon #2 It's cheap
Riding the bus is cheaper than parking at UBC. Depending on the bus pass I purchase, I save $6-$10 a week by riding the bus instead of driving, not to mention not buying gas. For students, I think it is essentially free to ride since they are provided with an unlimited bus badge by the university. Some companies provide a similar service. Even without purchasing a discounted packet of tickets, adult bus fare is only $2.50 (tickets good for 1.5hrs to allow for connections) to anywhere in the greater Vancouver area.
Bus Bummer #2 Time lost
One major trait of all mass-transit systems is that users give up some control of deciding when they will start and end their journey and how long they will spend traveling. The bus schedules are posted on-line, but the buses I frequent are rarely precisely on time. This means that anything less than a 10min buffer between connections will likely result in you missing a bus. I can't tell you how many times I have been nearing the bus station with at least 5 min before the scheduled stop only to see the bus pulling away. I have given up trying to catch a particular bus in the mornings as I just get angry when it doesn't appear on time.
As a result the toted 37-minute commute on-line, is more like 1.5 hours as you wait for the bus to come, wait on the bus in traffic, and wait for people to get off at every single stop.
One example of the annoyance of off-schedule/non-existent buses: I planned very carefully to take a specific bus home one night so that I wouldn't get caught waiting at a semi-random bus stop in the no-man's land between the times the normal buses and the night buses run. (The night buses run from 1:30-4:30 am, but only at half-hour intervals while normal buses run every 15-20 min.) But that first bus was late, and I ended up sitting for 30 min on a cold, dark bench dressed as a pink Care Bear. I don't know who was more frightened, me or the lady sitting next to me on the bench.
Lost time waiting on the bus also comes from the streets they must travel. To be convenient to the most riders, the buses travel on the busiest streets, which adds to the commute time as they have to wade through traffic. The buses also don't run continuously, so missing one means a 15-30 minute wait on all but the few major routes. Try planning to see a movie with that kind of uncertainty.
Riding the bus is cheaper than parking at UBC. Depending on the bus pass I purchase, I save $6-$10 a week by riding the bus instead of driving, not to mention not buying gas. For students, I think it is essentially free to ride since they are provided with an unlimited bus badge by the university. Some companies provide a similar service. Even without purchasing a discounted packet of tickets, adult bus fare is only $2.50 (tickets good for 1.5hrs to allow for connections) to anywhere in the greater Vancouver area.
Bus Bummer #2 Time lost
One major trait of all mass-transit systems is that users give up some control of deciding when they will start and end their journey and how long they will spend traveling. The bus schedules are posted on-line, but the buses I frequent are rarely precisely on time. This means that anything less than a 10min buffer between connections will likely result in you missing a bus. I can't tell you how many times I have been nearing the bus station with at least 5 min before the scheduled stop only to see the bus pulling away. I have given up trying to catch a particular bus in the mornings as I just get angry when it doesn't appear on time.
As a result the toted 37-minute commute on-line, is more like 1.5 hours as you wait for the bus to come, wait on the bus in traffic, and wait for people to get off at every single stop.
One example of the annoyance of off-schedule/non-existent buses: I planned very carefully to take a specific bus home one night so that I wouldn't get caught waiting at a semi-random bus stop in the no-man's land between the times the normal buses and the night buses run. (The night buses run from 1:30-4:30 am, but only at half-hour intervals while normal buses run every 15-20 min.) But that first bus was late, and I ended up sitting for 30 min on a cold, dark bench dressed as a pink Care Bear. I don't know who was more frightened, me or the lady sitting next to me on the bench.
Lost time waiting on the bus also comes from the streets they must travel. To be convenient to the most riders, the buses travel on the busiest streets, which adds to the commute time as they have to wade through traffic. The buses also don't run continuously, so missing one means a 15-30 minute wait on all but the few major routes. Try planning to see a movie with that kind of uncertainty.
November 17, 2008
Ridin' the Bus
Bus Boon #1 Lean, green, people-moving machine
I ride the bus because it is environmentally friendly. As a bus rider, I make one less car on the road. With full buses of 50-125 people, that makes a difference in air pollution, in oil production and consumption, and in materials - think of all the stuff that goes into having and maintaining a car! Many of the buses in Vancouver are electric, reducing pollution and smog levels drastically. I have yet to see the "haze" here that accompanies my memories of LA, NYC, Dallas, and Atlanta.
Now one criticism of this boon is that lots of empty buses run, making the system inefficient overall. While I would say this was true in Tallahassee, it is not here (see below). I have yet to see an empty bus. Parking is not a huge dilemma on campus because everyone rides the bus. None of my co-workers have cars, the bus takes them everywhere. What a change of culture!
Bus Bummer #1 Lean, green, people-moving machine
The same thing that makes the bus great also is my biggest annoyance - other people ride it too! Lots of other people. At least on the route I frequent the most. Crowding in the morning means that I rarely get to sit on the way to work and often end up sweaty and annoyed before even entering the lab. Standing doesn't really bother me, but being packed in literally like a sardine while standing on a moving bus does. My bus is an express route, so many people ride it for the advantages of fewer possible stopping points and a ride directly to UBC (well, sort of direct). This is why I chose this bus as well. I also choose to ride at peak times. Guess why these are "peak" times? The afternoon is less of a problem than the morning. In the morning I board in the middle of the route, and it's full from start to stop. In the evening I board at the origin of the route and can choose any seat I want, granted I get in line early enough!
Again, I'm glad and proud that so many people ride the bus, but crowding is a problem on my route, especially on rainy days or when a bus is late. I have tried other routes, and while less crowded, my commute times increases almost exponentially due to the added stops. I have tried riding earlier or later in the morning to no relief.
Crowding bothers me the most when it can be avoided. New riders must board at the front to pay and rely on others to move back to provide room. The problem on my route is that the bus is an articulated bus - one bus with another one hooked on the end (see pic). Going around corners is reminiscent of being on a roller coaster where you can see part of the ride turning ahead of you... This configuration means that there is literally a "pinch point", no joke it's printed on the inside of the bus, where the two buses join with a spinning metal disc for a floor an
d rubber, accordion-like strips for walls. No one wants to walk across or stand in the connector area. It is a bit scary, although seats and poles are built there. So people don't move past this point unless forced to (I am not such a forceful person, seriously, think of me, nice, not mean). As a result, the front of the bus gets really steamy and full of annoyed people who glare at the people at the back of the bus.
So I always move back a little more at each stop. Or stand or sit near the doorwell if my stop is close so I don't have to wade through the crowd. And always take my backpack off so it isn't bumping or blocking people I can't see. It's okay, really, to be considerate of others.
I ride the bus because it is environmentally friendly. As a bus rider, I make one less car on the road. With full buses of 50-125 people, that makes a difference in air pollution, in oil production and consumption, and in materials - think of all the stuff that goes into having and maintaining a car! Many of the buses in Vancouver are electric, reducing pollution and smog levels drastically. I have yet to see the "haze" here that accompanies my memories of LA, NYC, Dallas, and Atlanta.
Now one criticism of this boon is that lots of empty buses run, making the system inefficient overall. While I would say this was true in Tallahassee, it is not here (see below). I have yet to see an empty bus. Parking is not a huge dilemma on campus because everyone rides the bus. None of my co-workers have cars, the bus takes them everywhere. What a change of culture!
Bus Bummer #1 Lean, green, people-moving machine
The same thing that makes the bus great also is my biggest annoyance - other people ride it too! Lots of other people. At least on the route I frequent the most. Crowding in the morning means that I rarely get to sit on the way to work and often end up sweaty and annoyed before even entering the lab. Standing doesn't really bother me, but being packed in literally like a sardine while standing on a moving bus does. My bus is an express route, so many people ride it for the advantages of fewer possible stopping points and a ride directly to UBC (well, sort of direct). This is why I chose this bus as well. I also choose to ride at peak times. Guess why these are "peak" times? The afternoon is less of a problem than the morning. In the morning I board in the middle of the route, and it's full from start to stop. In the evening I board at the origin of the route and can choose any seat I want, granted I get in line early enough!
Again, I'm glad and proud that so many people ride the bus, but crowding is a problem on my route, especially on rainy days or when a bus is late. I have tried other routes, and while less crowded, my commute times increases almost exponentially due to the added stops. I have tried riding earlier or later in the morning to no relief.
Crowding bothers me the most when it can be avoided. New riders must board at the front to pay and rely on others to move back to provide room. The problem on my route is that the bus is an articulated bus - one bus with another one hooked on the end (see pic). Going around corners is reminiscent of being on a roller coaster where you can see part of the ride turning ahead of you... This configuration means that there is literally a "pinch point", no joke it's printed on the inside of the bus, where the two buses join with a spinning metal disc for a floor an
d rubber, accordion-like strips for walls. No one wants to walk across or stand in the connector area. It is a bit scary, although seats and poles are built there. So people don't move past this point unless forced to (I am not such a forceful person, seriously, think of me, nice, not mean). As a result, the front of the bus gets really steamy and full of annoyed people who glare at the people at the back of the bus.So I always move back a little more at each stop. Or stand or sit near the doorwell if my stop is close so I don't have to wade through the crowd. And always take my backpack off so it isn't bumping or blocking people I can't see. It's okay, really, to be considerate of others.
Bus Week '08
Okay, so this week I'll be writing about one of the bigger changes in my life here - riding the bus to and from work (and across town and to go shopping and to go out to eat...). I do have a car, but riding the bus has several benefits which I will touch on over the next few days. In fairness to the bus system, I'll have a pro and a con on bus-dom in each post. But before getting started, familiarize yourself with buses - go ride one!
November 14, 2008
Faculty?
So I am working in Vancouver as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia. For me, this new status as an official member of the faculty of a university is pretty odd. I'm entitled to my very own mailbox in the department office and a faculty, not a student, id card. But that is about it - no company pension plan yet! Post-docs are often classified as post-docs or s
taff, so it was bit of a surprise to be a faculty member. Since this has never been one of my dreams or aspirations, I find it one of the funnier rather than serious aspects of this new life. Or maybe it is just the easily removable tape that holds my name tag to the mailbox that makes it funny.
But seriously, I feel as if something else is required of me as a faculty member, like not wearing jeans to work more than twice a week or something. Or having at least three different hairstyles. Or knowing what I'm talking about more than 50% of the time. I shall not cave in to wearing heels to work (yet)!
taff, so it was bit of a surprise to be a faculty member. Since this has never been one of my dreams or aspirations, I find it one of the funnier rather than serious aspects of this new life. Or maybe it is just the easily removable tape that holds my name tag to the mailbox that makes it funny.But seriously, I feel as if something else is required of me as a faculty member, like not wearing jeans to work more than twice a week or something. Or having at least three different hairstyles. Or knowing what I'm talking about more than 50% of the time. I shall not cave in to wearing heels to work (yet)!
November 12, 2008
Veteran's Day
Veteran's Day (November 11) is a bit different in Canada than the US. About two weeks ago, I began to notice people wearing a red cloth poppy flower pinned to their jacket. I even saw some on jackets for sale in store windows.
The numbers of poppies steadily increased until yesterday, Remembrance Day, a national holiday here. This year was especially poignant as it marked the 90th anniversary of the end of WWI. 90 years! Turns out that the red Poppy Campaign is an annual effort in Canada to honor veterans as well as raise funds for veterans' affairs. I just thought it a really simply, yet meaningful way to commemorate and support those in the armed forces.
Check out this link and of course the Wikipedia page where I got the picture above for more fun facts about this tradition. Pretty cool!
The numbers of poppies steadily increased until yesterday, Remembrance Day, a national holiday here. This year was especially poignant as it marked the 90th anniversary of the end of WWI. 90 years! Turns out that the red Poppy Campaign is an annual effort in Canada to honor veterans as well as raise funds for veterans' affairs. I just thought it a really simply, yet meaningful way to commemorate and support those in the armed forces.
Check out this link and of course the Wikipedia page where I got the picture above for more fun facts about this tradition. Pretty cool!
November 09, 2008
Halloween
Halloween is the same in Canada as in the US - duh - you dress-up and hope someone remembered to buy candy. My landlady warned that I wouldn't get any trick-or-treaters, so I only bought one bag of candy and didn't have any kids at the door. I'm not big on dressing up for Halloween, but since I was invited to a labmate's Halloween party this year, I was obligated to do something. Since I was a bit short on time (that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it) I went as Cheer Bear the Care Bear. I found some pink pajama pants and a pink long sleeve shirt at the local Real Canadian S
uperstore along with a pink hat for infants that sported cute bear ears. I painted the rainbow tummy symbol of Cheer Bear on the shirt and poof! a costume. The shirt is at left, I think the greatest compliments were the slight widening of eyes when I said I'd painted the shirt myself and hadn't bought it th
at way. I think it'll make a good yard work/cruise shirt. The other new post-doc in my lab took a picture of us that let's you see my hat (right). I had fun at the party, but I'm glad it's over, taking the night bus home was a bit more than I was ready for a week into living here! It was a bit weird meeting a lot my labmates friends while in costume, but you were actually the odd one if you weren't dressed up on the bus that night! Pretty nifty.
uperstore along with a pink hat for infants that sported cute bear ears. I painted the rainbow tummy symbol of Cheer Bear on the shirt and poof! a costume. The shirt is at left, I think the greatest compliments were the slight widening of eyes when I said I'd painted the shirt myself and hadn't bought it th
at way. I think it'll make a good yard work/cruise shirt. The other new post-doc in my lab took a picture of us that let's you see my hat (right). I had fun at the party, but I'm glad it's over, taking the night bus home was a bit more than I was ready for a week into living here! It was a bit weird meeting a lot my labmates friends while in costume, but you were actually the odd one if you weren't dressed up on the bus that night! Pretty nifty.
November 05, 2008
Driving across the country
About 2 1/2 weeks ago, we piled in the Prius and drove from Newark, DE to Vancouver, BC. The trip was amazing - amazingly smooth, amazingly beautiful, amazingly long. The trip wouldn't have been possible without Hedgehog Guy. He took a week off work to literally drive me and the dog away from him.
The first day we went from Newark to South Bend, Indiana (650 miles). Driving through southern and western Pennsylvania was beautiful with all the leaves changing colors. For once the forest was more than just green with individual trees picked out in gold, orange, and bright red. The stop for the night was not so beautiful. I don't know what was more disturbing, the repeated drive-bys of guys yelling at each other, the spider in the tub, or the fresh deer head in an ice chest on the back of the neighbor's truck. Next time just keep driving to Gary.
The second day was our short day from South Bend to Andover, Minnesota to visit my parents (520 miles). It was wonderful to stay in a clean, bright home with family that night. We both slept like babies. I had secretly been hoping we would have kabobs for dinner with my parents, and sure enough, we did! It was great. I think we both wished we could have stayed for a couple days. Hedgehog dog loved it so much that he tried to run away and stay!
The third day we drove to Big Timber, Montana (920 miles) and stayed at a local bed and breakfast, the Grand Hotel. This was our longest day of driving and it took its toll on all of us. North Dakota was pretty boring, but the end of the state was worth it. At the state line with Montana we crossed through a portion of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The canyon at the rest stop was just amazing, multi-colored rock layers down for several hundred feet. We saw antelope, bison, and prairie dogs! We have got to get back there and do some camping. During the drive we listened to Ringworld by Larry Niven. It is definitely worth a read for scifi enthusiasts. The Grand Hotel was really neat - the bed was the softest I have ever slept in. You kind of just fell in, sunk, and went to asleep immediately. I think we stayed in room 4. At first I was nervous about the "shared bathrooms" but it turned out to be pretty cool - individual showers, tubs, and toilets in their own little rooms (2 of each) in an area across the hall. It reminded me a lot of the old hotels in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but with western instead of southern decor. I only wish we hadn't left before breakfast!
The fourth day we drove across the Rockies to Seattle, Washington (730 miles). The scenery again was stunning. Little villages nestled among the mountain valleys. Fields and mountain lakes. However, the drive was pretty stressful at the end going through the mountain pass. It was raining and snowing and the drop on the passenger's side appeared to be straight down. Lots of trucks sweeping by us combined with bumpy roads that last year's snow tires and chains had ripped up. Hedgehog Guy defined driving white-knuckled that afternoon. I could not have done it. We stayed in the Carriage House Loft of the Bacon Mansion on Capitol Hill of Seattle. It was great too! We walked a couple blocks for pizza and beer at nice local place (I wish I could remember the name!). Breakfast was delicious muffins made fresh that day. I can't wait to go back there for a weekend vacation.
The fifth and last day we just drove from Seattle to Vancouver (150 miles). The idea was to give us lots of time at the border in case something went awry with getting my work permit or importing Hedgehog Dog. But the crossing went great! It only took about 20 minutes to get my work permit printed out and our forms stamped. They didn't even look at Hedgehog Dog! I was sooo relieved that it went well. Not sure if we can leave, but...(just kidding). It was only about 30 minutes to our new home on the south side of Vancouver from the border. We're about 5 minutes from the international airport and 30 minutes from UBC.
I must say that something odd happens to me when I am in the car everyday for more than 6 hours. My brain slowed, my vision adhered to the road, and my hearing dwindled to the cone of the car. I have gained a new respect for truck and delivery drivers.
I am so glad that we made this trip. It was idyllic and surreal. Sad and uplifting. Seeing new things and the same things.
I am sad to be here away from family and friends, but the opportunity to see the country was really worth it. I mean we literally saw purple mountains and amber fields of grain. Herds of cattle, big cities, little towns, and did I mention the prairie dogs?
The first day we went from Newark to South Bend, Indiana (650 miles). Driving through southern and western Pennsylvania was beautiful with all the leaves changing colors. For once the forest was more than just green with individual trees picked out in gold, orange, and bright red. The stop for the night was not so beautiful. I don't know what was more disturbing, the repeated drive-bys of guys yelling at each other, the spider in the tub, or the fresh deer head in an ice chest on the back of the neighbor's truck. Next time just keep driving to Gary.
The second day was our short day from South Bend to Andover, Minnesota to visit my parents (520 miles). It was wonderful to stay in a clean, bright home with family that night. We both slept like babies. I had secretly been hoping we would have kabobs for dinner with my parents, and sure enough, we did! It was great. I think we both wished we could have stayed for a couple days. Hedgehog dog loved it so much that he tried to run away and stay!
The third day we drove to Big Timber, Montana (920 miles) and stayed at a local bed and breakfast, the Grand Hotel. This was our longest day of driving and it took its toll on all of us. North Dakota was pretty boring, but the end of the state was worth it. At the state line with Montana we crossed through a portion of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The canyon at the rest stop was just amazing, multi-colored rock layers down for several hundred feet. We saw antelope, bison, and prairie dogs! We have got to get back there and do some camping. During the drive we listened to Ringworld by Larry Niven. It is definitely worth a read for scifi enthusiasts. The Grand Hotel was really neat - the bed was the softest I have ever slept in. You kind of just fell in, sunk, and went to asleep immediately. I think we stayed in room 4. At first I was nervous about the "shared bathrooms" but it turned out to be pretty cool - individual showers, tubs, and toilets in their own little rooms (2 of each) in an area across the hall. It reminded me a lot of the old hotels in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but with western instead of southern decor. I only wish we hadn't left before breakfast!
The fourth day we drove across the Rockies to Seattle, Washington (730 miles). The scenery again was stunning. Little villages nestled among the mountain valleys. Fields and mountain lakes. However, the drive was pretty stressful at the end going through the mountain pass. It was raining and snowing and the drop on the passenger's side appeared to be straight down. Lots of trucks sweeping by us combined with bumpy roads that last year's snow tires and chains had ripped up. Hedgehog Guy defined driving white-knuckled that afternoon. I could not have done it. We stayed in the Carriage House Loft of the Bacon Mansion on Capitol Hill of Seattle. It was great too! We walked a couple blocks for pizza and beer at nice local place (I wish I could remember the name!). Breakfast was delicious muffins made fresh that day. I can't wait to go back there for a weekend vacation.
The fifth and last day we just drove from Seattle to Vancouver (150 miles). The idea was to give us lots of time at the border in case something went awry with getting my work permit or importing Hedgehog Dog. But the crossing went great! It only took about 20 minutes to get my work permit printed out and our forms stamped. They didn't even look at Hedgehog Dog! I was sooo relieved that it went well. Not sure if we can leave, but...(just kidding). It was only about 30 minutes to our new home on the south side of Vancouver from the border. We're about 5 minutes from the international airport and 30 minutes from UBC.
I must say that something odd happens to me when I am in the car everyday for more than 6 hours. My brain slowed, my vision adhered to the road, and my hearing dwindled to the cone of the car. I have gained a new respect for truck and delivery drivers.
I am so glad that we made this trip. It was idyllic and surreal. Sad and uplifting. Seeing new things and the same things.
I am sad to be here away from family and friends, but the opportunity to see the country was really worth it. I mean we literally saw purple mountains and amber fields of grain. Herds of cattle, big cities, little towns, and did I mention the prairie dogs?
November 04, 2008
November 02, 2008
Vancouver Aquarium
Today I took a trip across town to the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park. The bus rides (3) really weren't that bad - all the transfers were really close to one another, and I got to see some new parts of town. The aquarium was pretty nice. They had a cool exhibit where you can touch big sea anemonies - the tentacles kind of velcro to the tip of your finger and occasionally one will envelope some one's finger entirely. The place is actually pretty small with the outdoor area equaling the indoor area. This is the statue out front.
I stayed for the beluga talk and the dolphin show this afternoon, all 10 minute talks about the animals in those tanks. The baby beluga, Tiqa, was pretty cute. Always mimicking her mom's swimming and light gray in color, not fully white yet.
The sea otters were probably my favorites! They were all pretty active, either swimming or preening. They are bigger than Gus! I didn't expect them to be so big. Of course there were seals and jellyfish and
random fish larvae!
I stayed for the beluga talk and the dolphin show this afternoon, all 10 minute talks about the animals in those tanks. The baby beluga, Tiqa, was pretty cute. Always mimicking her mom's swimming and light gray in color, not fully white yet.
The sea otters were probably my favorites! They were all pretty active, either swimming or preening. They are bigger than Gus! I didn't expect them to be so big. Of course there were seals and jellyfish and
random fish larvae!
Hedgehog dog is already fitting in
Hedgehog dog at the back door, trying to stay off the cold floor.
Our new home
So the following are several pictures of our new home in Vancouver, BC. We live just off a pretty busy road, but the area is pretty quiet. We have 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, a living room, a dining area, and a big kitchen. Essentially it is the first floor of the home pictured at right (top, front; bottom, backyard view). The front and backyard are fenced garden space. We even have a white picket fence out front! Below are the kitchen, dinning area, living room, and view out the back doors.
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