We were off to Whistler last weekend and though forecast was bleak, we had really good luck with the timing of rain. Because we both work full time, sometimes our lives seem nothing more than walk the dog, eat, work, walk the dog, eat, laundry, sleep. On the weekends however, we try our best to roll out of bed at a decent time and go on an adventure. Sometimes we go alone in the rain (since it’s hard to find rainy hikers), but this time we were lucky enough to have a great group with us. Whistler is about 2 hours away and we had chill time eating, hot-tubbing and chatting along some nice walks.
On a side note, since we were staying in a new place, Whiskey has started to bark when she hears something different or sees people jogging past the house. It’s surprising us and we’re wondering if she picked it up from the Aussie Shepherd last week.
Just outside our accommodations
A Canadian scene
Whiskey loves to walk along logs and stand there for a photo
A little sun among the rain
We even found a local ghost town called Parkhurst that was initially a logging town abandoned in the 1930s and then again in the 1960s. There were remnants of a bed, stove, house, and even a logging tractor
We were lucky enough to spend Thanksgiving up on Sunshine Coast with new friends this year. There were a couple knitters in the group who helped me finish my first little project: a snood/neck-warmer for Whiskey. I just ordered some knitting needles so I can learn over the winter.
Whiskey modelling my incomplete project
We had a great time outdoors and Whiskey made a new friend: Sam, the Australian Shepherd. The two spent the weekend chasing each other and guarding the cabin. There were a couple of hikes we fit in before it got too rainy. Afterwards, we set to work creating Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.
heading over on the ferry
sunset at Kent beach
with Sam the Australian Shepherd
ripping up the beach with fun
more new friends
someone is getting real heavy!
Sunshine Coast has beautiful trails
lots of bridges here
off leash for the weekend
we saw a bunch of bears fishing salmon (dogs were in the car)
someone thinks she’s a person
The rains started the last day and poor Whiskey gets so cold that I’m going to have to get her (or knit her) a nice winter jacket soon.
It seems like we’re always on the ‘go’ these days. We just got back from a weekend on BC’s Sunshine Coast where we had a fantastic time with Whiskey and a group of friends. At the moment I’m exhausted, the dog is happy, we’ve got a ton of stuff to unpack and a dirty house to clean. Here’s how it went:
Ferry ride We had our first ferry ride with a dog. Unfortunately dogs aren’t allowed past the car deck so our top-deck photo-ops are over. We did however walk all around the parking level saying hi to everyone and sniffing all the ropes. Good thing it was a 40 min ride otherwise we might have gone for a poop though. Whiskey’s been great with the car these days although we make a big effort to make sure she’s tired before a long ride.
our little poser
I wonder who peed here?
Blackberry season It’s blackberry season and boy are they everywhere! Every stop we made whether it be a scenic view or pit-stop there were heavy bushes waiting to be picked. Here we are waiting for the ferry, collecting and eating our fill. Whiskey is a fan of sweet ones and gobbles them up from my fingers.
it pays to be tall!
sooo many wild blackberries!
On-leash campground It was a dog-friendly campground, much less rugged than our last trip though a clear downside was that dogs had to be leashed at all times. There were RVs, tents, yurts, cabins, and a motel section along with a dock. It was really hard to keep her on a leash while doing all our activities and we still needed to give her all the exercise she required. It was half as productive (putting up the tent, cleaning, cooking, eating, packing) and half as relaxing. On the upside it was good to have her on-leash when there were deer around. I’ve never had her pull so much before!
Whiskey helps rearrange firewood
Lakes Whiskey is still too scared to dive into water from a dock. She’ll fetch up to her tummy, and maybe take one step further, but beyond that she’s whining and stressed when we ask her to do more. So it was a big shock when we were hanging out on a little platform and our little Whiskey took a couple steps backwards, falling in the water! She was only in for a second before we fished her out, but was shivering for an hour afterwards, even with a towel-down and lying in the sun. I guess she was just stressed.
Come on in! The water’s great. *lots of whining*
shivering and miserable in the sun
overseeing activities on the lake
Dog limitations We ended up at Alice Lake just past Squamish on our way back. Little did we know, dogs must be leashed and are not allowed on the grass, paths, or beach areas (so where are they allowed??). It’s frustrating when you’re with a group of friends but have to chose the dog. We ended up taking a hike while the rest of the group sunbathed, swam, and relaxed by the beach.
Hikes
We did one hike on Sunshine Coast: Mt Daniel as well as another one at Alice Lake: the Four Lake Trail. Mt. Daniel is about 6km and 440m climb which is the most we’ve tried with Whiskey. She was running until the end! Alice Lake was unplanned but was absolutely gorgeous. The trail was easy and beautiful (around 6km) and the landscape was astounding for a rainforest. For both hikes we had loads of fun. Sometimes I can’t believe my luck when I go hiking with Whiskey. She never fails to make me laugh and smile and she’s just so fearless and silly. I’m addicted!
