San Juan Islands: Island Hopping & Cycle Touring
May Long Weekend is usually the opening of the cycle touring season for us. This year I was off my bike for eight weeks due to my injury. This is a long time not being able to ride, taking into account that cycling is one of my favourite activities. We were considering options of where to go, and I wanted…
Brew Hut: Sunny Weekend at Brew
For many VOCers the Brew Hut is associated with snow storms, whiteouts, 17 hour journeys to find the hut, high winds and low visibility. This was my fourth trip to Brew Hut and in the previous times at least one, if not all, of the above was correct. But for last weekend the forecast showed only sun and blue skies…
- Backcountry Skiing, British Columbia (and nearby), Hurley & Lillooet Valley, Sea to Sky, Trip Reports, Varsity Outdoor Club (VOC)
Pemberton Icecap Traverse: From Superstition to Irony
This trip was seemingly ruled by superstition. It started with Ben’s curse. Ben had been trying to reach the Harrison Hut for many years. Invariably, he failed, often due to natural disasters. Of note were the landslide that closed the Sea to Sky Highway for almost a week in July 2008, and the massive lahar off Mt. Meager in August…
Boundary Bay: Maya’s First Ride in Two Months
There is a neat gravel trail that follows a dyke in Delta, along Boundary Bay. We chose this trail as Maya’s first ride since her accident. Not being able to ride her bike, was one of the most annoying results of breaking her arm. She was super happy to be back on her bicycle! The trail is flat and scenic,…
Snow and Sun: Dad’s Visit to Snowlandia
After the weekend we spent in San Diego, my dad visited us for just over a week. We did lots of fun stuff around the city and also spent a weekend at a beautiful B&B near Pemberton. On the way up we made a few stops, including the viewpoint at Cypress, Shannon Falls, Brandywine Falls and more. Turns out there’s…
- Backcountry Skiing, British Columbia (and nearby), Sea to Sky, Trip Reports, Varsity Outdoor Club (VOC)
Metal Dome: Testing Matt’s Mettle
This trip started on the left foot, at least for Matt. We parked by the dog sled tour operator’s hut, and one of the dogs peed on Matt’s backpack. It even wet his down jacket and gortex, yuck! After some vigorous rubbing with snow, it was deemed clean enough, and we set out. The description we had was confusing, but…
Four Tacos and a Wedding: San Diego Moments
On April 1st Gili’s cousin Daniella was getting married in San Diego. Gili’s dad, Dave, came from Israel especially for the wedding, and invited us to join him for the weekend. At first I didn’t think I would go. It seemed a bit expensive to go just for the weekend and I thought that I’d be so beat up from…
Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookies
I bite into a cookie and think: chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. These are the ultimate in chocolate cookies. Their texture is like a moist brownie, but they are shaped like a cookie. The moist dark chocolate loveliness is intertwined with the chocolate chips, reminding us that these cookies come from solid chocolate. Maya’s ingenious addition of white chocolate chips makes them…
Urban Exploration in Seattle
As outdoor activities like skiing and cycling are out of reach for me while I am recovering from the broken arm injury, we decided to head down to Seattle for the weekend, for some urban exploration. On Friday I had another x-ray and the fracture is still there but healing well, and the doctor said I can start using my…
Thank You Letter to Mt. Baker Ski Patrol Team
Dear Mt. Baker Ski Patrol Team, Three weeks ago, on February 23rd I was injured in the Mt. Baker Ski Area while I was skiing. A snowboarder collided into me at high speed, while I stopped briefly on the side of one of the groomed runs that lead to the area where chairlifts 4, 5 and 6 are. I wasn’t…
