Day 26, Whistler

The drive to Whistler from Pemberton, a whole 45 minutes was scenic and mellow. You catch stunning views of Whistler mountain and other peaks in the Fitzsimmons range, all of which are part of the Pacific Coast Range.

I always assumed all these mountains were part of the Cascade Range, learned something new. These mountains are primarily composed of granite which, as I said before, indicates volcanic formations prior to glacial carve outs.

Whistler is larger than it was 20+ years ago when I first visited, Tyler and I downhill mountain biked via the Whistler Gondolas and I sprained my ankle so bad that it became the size of my thigh (which was a lot thinner at the time). We drove all the way home to Swedish hospital in Seattle for an X-ray, a boot and crutches two days later. Walk in medical clinics were not in place up here at the time.

Clearly, there are walk in services now and they must purchase crutches and walking boots in pallets by the looks of the freshly hobbled, otherwise able bodied people strolling around downtown.

It’s like Disneyland here for mountain bikes. Lift passes are really affordable. If you know anything about Whistler, you know nothing in this elite destination town is cheap. It’s on par with your Steamboat Springs, Jackson Hole, and Breckinridge places, even in summer.

Many more Americans here, it’s an easy 4 hour drive from Seattle, plus the border crossing. Latinos are very few but every brand of European seems accounted for, I love hearing all the different languages. Indian and Japanese food are prominent cuisines here, we have had a amazing Asian food as much as we can.

The Rv park here is 17km south of Whistler Village, way up high on a ridge. The universe must know Tyler is capable of driving/towing around most challenging topography and geography because I have inadvertently chosen some rather unique situations over the last 4 years with many of them being in this trip. Over 4 years of extended travels we’ve had to back out of 0 rv places. This trip, we are at 4. The tightness of some of these ‘big rig access’ places is definitely black rated.

It’s a well kept, cared for place with a little brew shack, an 18 hole frisbee golf course, and a wiffle golf course – which is a new concept for me. May be it is a new thing for you too. Ever want to whack a wiffle ball with a golf club? Yea, me neither but sounds fun.

I spent Thursday morning and afternoon at the legendary Fairmont Chateau. Had a pool and spa morning which was so nice after a month of road dust and different showering water.

The exchange rate up here is about $0.75 USA cents to $1 CAD. Plus their tax rate is 5% (ish), Seattle’s is 10.1%.

Kellan needed some down days from near constant outdoor exploration so this stay we spent time washing the trailer and truck & shopping and walking downtown Whistler.

Whistler is comprised of 3 Villages. From the 2010 Winter Olympics being hosted here, there is now plenty of parking. Still, we logged some serious steps most days here. We’ve stocked up on smart wool socks (yay – exchange rate) and holy cow, you guys, they have 12 hour Advil, one tablet, here. I’ve never seen such a miracle and I’ve bought a box at nearly every stop, I’m being a stockpile of this stuff home. My knee that needs replaced loves it – kidneys maybe not so much but we’ve gotta compromise at ability to walk.

Speaking of injuries with aging, the right thumb reconstruction is progressing along. I have a list of range of motion exercises that I started this week. The thumb is moving stuff but well, cannot bear weight, even picking up my phone but it MOVES without pain.

Tyler explored several trails while Kellan caught some zzzz’s. Together, they did catch a trail called Trainwreck. At first, I expected them to tell me it’s a high injury rate trail but it’s an actual old trainwreck. The government felt it was too expensive to remove the old train cars that derailed (decades ago) and left them and the forest has absorbed them and the taggera have adorned them.