Grouse Mountain, West Vancouver, BC, Canada

Day 9

We attempted to climb Grouse Mountain on a Sunday afternoon. Metro Vancouver had a variety of hiking trails that are suited for anyone's liking. My brother and I chose the most difficult and most-visited natural attraction situated only 15 minutes from the City's downtown core. Approximate completion time to climb the steep-inclined Grouse Grind was 1.5-2 hours with a distance of 2.9 km (1.8 miles). 

Our gear was set with the basic essentials of water, snacks, first-aid, and lights. We embarked on an adventure not knowing what lied ahead. The trail was daunting from its slippery rocks, soggy terrain, and the steep incline. I looked to my left and right, front and back, and noticed people resting, heard heavy breathing as people pushed on. Unfortunately, I stopped 7 times before we reached the halfway point only to have pulled my left calf muscle. I was in excruciating pain for a few minutes and was left with a tough decision. A decision whether to finish the last 1.45 km (0.9 miles) of the climb and ride the gondola back down, or to climb back down 1.45 km (0.9 miles). The decision was made to climb back down. I felt disappointed and also to let my brother down since he wanted to finish the trail. I was unprepared and out of shape to have attempted such a venture. I overexerted my muscles and bit more than I could chew. Grouse Grind OWNED me for that day, but ONLY for that day!

Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Day 8

We arrived at our destination on Friday night to Tom and Eppie's home in West Vancouver, British Columbia. It was late and all I wanted to do was relax because of the long drive. We woke up late in the morning and had breakfast. My brother and I had no agenda for the day, but we checked out Stanley Park in North Vancouver, which was recommended by my brother-in-law Roy.

Vancouver is the the 3rd largest metropolis in Canada falling behind from Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. One of the many things that appealed to me was their public transportation system. Since downtown gets really busy, my brother and I decided to try out their public transportation. Our host, Tita Eppie dropped us off at Park Royal, one of the biggest malls in Vancouver so we could wait at the bus stop. Vancouver is an eco-friendly city and you could tell right off the bat. Our stop was at the West End of Downtown Vancouver where Stanley Park was. My brother and I decided to just walk the entire circumference of the park's vicinity, but we noticed that there were a lot of people that rode their bikes and skates. So, we wanted to find out if there were any rental places around. A fellow kababayan (countryman) told us that there were rental places up the street and he took us there. My brother and I rented two mountain bikes and the rest was history. A plethora of things were going on in downtown Vancouver as demonstrations were held, tourist attractions that were visited (i.e., Stanley Park, sea plane rides, carriage rides), people that enjoyed fine dining, people that congregated around the sandy coast, and etc. 

The ride around the park took my brother and I close to 2 hours since we dismounted our bikes at specific areas. We caught a glimpse and watched two cruise ships that left Burrard Inlet and passed under the Lions Gate Bridge. We rode the bus back to our accommodation and prepared for dinner.  

A family of raccoons in Stanley Park

Round two @ Forks, Washington; La Push, 1st & 2nd beach; Vancouver, BC Canada

Day 7

My brother and I just trekked the Cape Flattery trail and contemplated whether to do the Ozette Lake trail. I hoped that my brother would put some more of his input into the decision making and not just follow my lead. It was nearly dusk, so we decided to head back. There were a lot of things to do in so little time. I really wanted to do the 9-mile trail, but due to time constraints, I was not able to do so. The problem that faced us now was whether we would head back to Olympic National Park to check out Hurricane Ridge or head back into Forks, WA and check out La Push, 1st and 2nd beach the following morning. We decided to revisit Forks contingent on a motel reservation. The first night in Washington on day 4, we found no accommodations at a motel for less than $60. Luckily, at the end of day 6, I found a reservation @ Bagsby's Motel in Forks under $70.

Our day 7 started like this... 

We departed Bagsby's Motel, but before that, we checked out its aromatic and beautiful flower garden.

We were off to our next adventure, but decided to check out the places seen in the Twilight movie. 

The Swan's home

The Cullen's home

Who's that looking out the window?

After some sight seeing, we went off and got some breakfast @ a Forks local coffee shop. After breakfast, we went off to La Push, 1st and 2nd beach.

The trail down to 2nd beach was spectacular. Although, once you have reached the beach, you would have to traverse through these washed out logs. Just be careful with your step!

2nd beach

The drive to West Vancouver, BC Canada...

Mount Rainier

Seattle, WA

Canada's customs check point

The drive from Port Angeles to Vancouver, BC Canada took us about 8 hours. One could have taken a ferry through the many ports in Washington to Seattle. The closest one would be at Port Townsend, but it was late and the price was steep. Once we entered Canada, one had to remember that they use the metric system. It proved difficult to gauge the vehicle's speed. Nevertheless, the view, freeways, bridges, and transportation system that Canada had was top tier.