Lopez Island: A Winter Getaway
Sometimes it’s nice to do things off season. Lopez Island in the San Juan Islands is a very popular summer destination, but on a chilly weekend in mid December we found ourselves in an almost empty campground, on roads with little to no traffic and on beautiful abandoned beaches. True, it was a bit cold and the days are short. But with enough clothes, a bonfire at night, a cozy tent and the right company, everything is possible. On Friday it was Gili’s birthday, and also the mark of 16 years of us being together. Usually we are not big on celebrating these kinds of occasions, but we figured a…
Vancouver’s Secret Beach: Exploring Close to Home
With shoulder season stretching longer these days, and since anyway I won’t be doing much skiing this season, it’s time to look for some adventures close to home. After the cold spell last week and then the pouring rain afterwards, we finally got a break in the weather on Sunday, so we headed out for a walk along the beach. Or as I like to call it “Vancouver’s secret beach”. Not everyone is aware that there is a stretch of beach behind the rich people’s houses on Point Grey Road, only accessible by foot or boat. I actually first became aware of this beach a few years ago when our…
Nicaragua: A Test in Attachment and Other Such Adventures
Some trips are different. This was not a cycling trip, backpacking or hiking trip, nor was it a trip to visit family in our homeland. This was simply a trip to get out of our routine, get away from Vancouver in the gloomiest time of year and try to live in a new place for a few weeks. It was supposed to be about relaxing, getting some work done and other projects and enjoying the heat and the sun. What we didn’t expect would happen is that we’d get so emotionally attached to a few creatures, that every week we’d have to face another emotional obstacle. That we’d get so…
The Journey of Cherry on a Bike
We are once again in Granada, Nicaragua, where the idea of Cherry on a Bike first started. When you’re on a trip, especially a cycle tour, your mind often wanders. Although we tried to live in the moment as much as we could, thoughts about the future always came up. When we stopped in Granada where Gili’s aunt Peta and her husband Ben lived at that time, many of our conversations were on this topic. Since we both have a weakness for food, especially fruit, we first thought of a fruit drying business, with a baking component, my favourite hobby at the time. In a brainstorming session the name Cherry on a…
How to Make Chocolate Milk, From Scratch
I’m obsessed with chocolate. I guess lots of people say this, but I feel like I’m worse than others. Barely a day goes by without me digging in the cupboard for some dark chocolate, ideally Belgian and 72%. Since I also have a thing for making stuff from scratch, I was very interested to learn about making chocolate, and in particular, whether I could make chocolate at home. Two years ago while cycling through Central America, we took a chocolate making workshop in Nicaragua, and then another one in Guatemala. Then, in Belize, we cycled into a small Maya village named San Antonio, where a young kid climbed up a cocoa…
Vantage (climbing): Basalt Columns Forever
It is sunset. Steep columns of golden rock rise before you like soldiers prepared for combat. Some of them are broken, crippled. Others stand tall and slender. You look carefully, and notice that in between their folds are little creatures, clambering up the columns, attempting to reach the top. When they crest the top of the cliff, they lower themselves down gracefully on thin cords, just to repeat the ridiculous ritual. It’s a mesmerizing sight. At nightfall they retreat into small nylon shelters nearby, and when a new day dawns they arrive back again, full of energy. Welcome to climbing at Vantage. Vantage is only about 4.5 hours from Vancouver, or so…
Vantage Peak: The Peak of Summer
There was a feeling in the air that summer was close to its end and autumn was fast approaching. But just before Fall officially started we were blessed with yet another sunny weekend and the mountains were calling our names for one more summer adventure – probably the last one for this season. Jan and Warrick, friends from Vancouver Island, planned to join us, so on Saturday morning we picked them up from the busy Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal and then headed north towards Pemberton and beyond. When we arrived to Keith Hut trailhead we were shocked by the number of cars parked there. We could barely find a spot to park and…
The Rockwall: Braving the Storm for Rewarding Sunshine
There is something about beautiful places that draws us back to them again and again. This was not our first trip to the Rockies, and rest assured, it won’t be the last. But every time we make the long drive, past numerous lakes and rivers, across mountain passes, and basically cross the province to reach that beautiful area known as the Rockies, I know it will be well worth the effort. Even if in the beginning the sun does not shine in our faces, and the mountains look sad and sometimes are well hidden behind a thick wall of clouds, I know that in the end it would all be worthwhile. We decided…
Illal and Spiral: Who Knew There was a Trail?
At 10pm on Friday evening we were still trying to figure out what to do on the weekend. After scanning various maps and trip reports, I somehow recalled a trip we did five years ago to Jim Kelly and Coquihalla Mountain, a beautiful and under-appreciated area up the Coquihalla Highway, about a 2.5 hour drive from Vancouver. After a quick call to Pascale and Ignacio, we finished packing and headed to bed for a few hours of sleep. After a 20km drive on a smooth gravel road, we reached the trailhead for regular cars. It took us a few hours of relaxed hiking to reach the sub alpine meadows, with…
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Pemberton: Slow Food Bike Ride Goes Even Slower
Slow is good. Why do we need to rush through life? When you move slowly you observe more, experience things differently, and enjoy the moment. This is why I love cycling, because when you ride you move slower. Last Sunday we joined hundreds of other cyclists for the Annual Slow Food Cycle Sunday around Pemberton. The Slow Food Movement believes that food should be “good, clean and fair”, and mostly grown locally in farms or ranches. As opposed to fast food, it has more character, it’s tastier, and healthier – not that it’s a tough competition. The combination of a nice bike ride and good food always appeals to me, and…
