I’m pretty sure Chicago owns the title of “The Windy City” so flip – it must be windy there if it beats San Francisco!!!! We knew our arrival was coinciding with rain storms so our first day we checked into a hotel in San Bruno (near the airport) and waited Read more…
So we may have just discovered a new favourite animal – the sea otter. They are so cute, playful and then they just wrap themselves in kelp to stop them drifting and chill while keeping their head and front paws dry. We had seen them around Morro to Bay and Read more…
To quote the Lego movie (maybe not a mid-forties person’s best reference material ) “Everything is awesome”! ! P.S. This is Pete’s first Blog !!Two bucket list goals ticked off this last week – are cycling Laguna Seca racetrack, and mostly the Rossi v Stoner corkscrew section, AND riding a Read more…
We decided to see a bit more of Monterey and Carmel, so first we visited the Carmel Mission and Basilica (well I did while Pete had an afternoon snooze) to see how the town was first lived in by the Spanish. I’m amazed how many baptisms they performed in the Read more…
Next we headed to Monterey to meet up with a special friend from the Isle of Man, who now lives and works in the USA. She was going to be working at Leguna Seca and Pete was very excited to be given the opportunity to see the famous race track Read more…
After leaving the Getty Villa, we had lunch in our fold out chairs overlooking Malibu Beach while watching the surfers battle it out for a fairly small set of waves. Then we drove to Santa Barbara. Derived from a Spanish mission, Santa Barbara has a real Spanish / Moorish style Read more…
From the serenity of the forest to the craziness of LA in a day. It was a bit of a shock. The first clue was the manic driving on the freeway and the Google Maps diversions to avoid the remnants of car crashes. But it was exciting to visit somewhere Read more…
After Yosemite National Park we were on a roll so, after a short cycle in the forest near where we camped, we decided to go to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. We drove in through Sequoia National Forest (where you are allowed to wild camp) and instantly saw that, Read more…
So one minute we are on the coast, enjoying the sunshine but needing to grab the jackets to protect from the cold North Westerly wind, the next we are an hour inland and the heat is fierce. Wow! The difference is crazy! After Eureka we drove the Avenue of the Read more…
With no set itinerary, we are now pootling down the West Coast towards San Francisco. This gives us the opportunity of stopping when we see something nice or asking locals where we should go. Yesterday we got both these chances. We had just decided not to pay the entrance fee Read more…
Upon leaving Stout Grove, just down the road we came across Crescent City a sprawly town with a lovely promenade, parks and lighthouse. First we did a visit to Wal-Mart, which is always a cultural experience. This time we saw a truck with a garden shed built in the back Read more…
After one last gym visit and swim we checked out of our hotel in Cannon Beach and said goodbye to the cute bunny rabbits.We stopped briefly to see the residents of the Haystack – the tufted puffins. Through the binoculars we could watch them flying about and heading into their Read more…
Heading South from Seattle we stopped in the “capitol” of Washington State, Olympia. Here we came across a mini White House which is used as the state legislative building. It was pretty fancy pants inside too, with the largest collection of Tiffany chandaliers. We found a great farmer’s market and Read more…
Having left Whistler, we got excited in the Vancouver supermarket to see so much nice fruit and veg. We did some shopping as it has been a bit lacking or very expensive in the mountains. We headed to the Canada / US border – what a pretty place. Unfortunately the Read more…
Before leaving Kamloops, we visited the wildlife sanctuary as we’d heard the grizzly bears were awake for the spring. It was lovely to see them playing together but I wouldn’t want to have a play wrestle with them!There were lots of other orphaned or injured animals (usually hit by cars) Read more…
After an unsuccesful attempt for a US seasonal work visa to work at Lake Superior, we decided to take to the road and explore Canada and Northern USA instead. We purchased a 2007 Ford E150 which has been fitted out with a bed, a small kitchen space, shelving and under Read more…
So things got a bit busy recently as everyone was doing what they needed to prepare for their Level 2 and Level 3 snow board and ski exams. The tension was mounting. We undertook the Level 2 Ski course and were both told that if we worked on a few Read more…
All of a sudden, the daytime temperatures in Sun Peaks have gone crazy from minus 10 degrees to plus 9 degrees and people are shedding layers! It is nice to try and get rid of the tan line from your snood (worn under your helmet for warmth) but it is Read more…
Over the last couple of weeks we have been to our first ever ice hockey match, demo’d some brand new snowboards and splashed out on some spanking new ski boots. It has been a busy time. Quite a few of our Winter Sports guys won ice hockey tickets for the Read more…
So with no formal training and about 15 days in total on skis, we both managed to pass our Level 1 Ski Intructor’s exam. That means we are both now qualified to teach beginner skiers – at least the feeling of being a beginner is totally fresh in our minds! Read more…
After we both got struck down by the lurgy, we had just a week to get our skiing up to standard to start the Level 2 ski training (even though we wouldn’t take our level 1 exam until two weeks after the level 2 training began). No pressure!!!! Luckily, loads Read more…
The day after the exam was very exciting for me as I ventured out of Sun Peaks for the first time since we got here at the end of November. The nearest town is Kamloops which is an hour drive away and costs $40 each way by pre-booked shuttle or Read more…
So finally after five weeks of training with Winter Sports our Level 2 exam was upon us. The weather was the coldest yet and the temperature at the top of the chairlift on Day 1 was minus 47 degrees with the windchill. It is a 4-day exam but it is Read more…
Last weekend I undertook and passed the Level 1 Adaptive Sports. We learned how to guide the visually impaired, used outriggers, had a go in a sit ski (very tricky), tethered people while snowboarding and learned about how to approach teaching those with a cognitive impairment. The instructors were great Read more…
We are now a week and a half into our Level 2 Snowboard Instructors’ course and our bodies are feeling it and our heads are mashed. Pete is carrying a shoulder niggle, I hurt my ankle yesterday in a tree run and I am nursing a sore knee from a Read more…