April 24

My day really started at three-o’clock in the morning. Sleep was eluding me and my mind was racing. I knew I had to go to Vancouver today. I was feeling a mixture of emotions: excitement for a road trip, trepidation about leaving home, and a feeling of release because I had something new to do when I got up.  I felt a bit like a kid at Christmas wanting to look under the tree early. My lovely wife whispered into my ear that sleep was more important and we snuggled together and I managed to drift off back to sleep.

I arose from my slumber at 6:30 and rolled out the door at 7:30.  A little later than I hoped, still a good start to what would turn out to be one of my best days in a long time. The scenic Coquihala highway rose out of the Okanagan Valley into a bright morning sky and I felt invigorated watching the snow covered peaks surround me. The feeling of calm excitement mixed within me. I cranked up the music and rocked on down the road.

Yesterday I had an unexpected last minute job come up in Vancouver and I was happy to have a road trip and a day to go to the coast. I love visiting Vancouver and its majestic view. The ocean and the coastal mountains meet and create awe inspiring vistas.  The Vancouver Skyline is one of the most amazing skylines in the world with a back drop that takes your breath away and fills the soul.

I descended out of the final mountain canyon into one of the best named towns there is: Hope. In today’s world Hope takes on an even bigger meaning and I chuckled as to how aptly named the town is.  Nestled at the foot of the Coastal and Cascade mountains, Hope was named Fort Hope for the hope it was the start of a route through the Fraser Canyon. It brought hope to those coming out of the treacherous canyon pass. It brought me hope because I knew I was almost into the Lower Mainland.

When I got closer to Vancouver, the inevitable traffic started to build.  I passed by  Langley and the lanes were full, I was surprised as I thought that things would be slower. Later I would be told that this was light traffic. I called the building manager and he told me he would wait at the side of the road. My trusty GPS led me straight to my job site and I see a gentleman standing almost on the road looking around.  I stopped, rolled down the window and asked if he was Pedro. Pedro is the manager of the building whose roof anchors I was there to inspect and  load test. He looked at me with a startled expression, at that point Pedro came down the driveway and waved at me. I apologized to the slightly startled gentleman and parked in the driveway. I was almost ready to go to work. After Sushi of course. Food is a priority after a three and a half hour drive.

I returned to the park in front of the building and sat down to eat my delicious treat of yummy Vancouver sushi. When I sat down I looked over two benches away and saw the startled gentleman from before sitting there grinning at me. He laughed at me and wondered why I would get to work and proceed to take a break. I smiled back and told him that I just drove all the way from Kelowna, it was time to eat.

I am enjoying the fact that in the ‘coronaverse’ we live in, people are more apt to talk to strangers. Dr. Moore is his name, and he told me he worked in palliative care. My heart constricted at the thought of the difficult job he must face on a daily basis. It was no wonder he had come to the park for a quick break from his day. We connected on the park benches. Two men from different worlds.  Worlds connected by the fact we are both enjoying a park and fresh air together in a place where  we are all residents of this home we call Earth. He spoke to me of the challenges created in his world, of Coronavirus in the hospice, of dealing with the new challenges presented by our circumstances. I spoke to him about my Dads last days in Hospice and the amazing job doctors and the nurses do in such places. I felt rewarded by our connections. We said goodbye, I shared my blog title with him and hoped to connect again.

A friend arrived to help me do the job and we went up to the roof. One of the perks of my job is getting to go on to the roofs of buildings and see the views afforded there. We breathed in the surrounding view; ocean, city and mountains all combined to fill our eyes with the wonder of our world.  Our job went quick and we drove to the Spanish Banks, a beach ten minutes away by car.  We picked up a six pack and went to the water to soak in the ocean air.

We enjoyed a nice visit in the park and kept in mind the two metre rule; signs were everywhere. A couple we saw at the next bench were having a beverage as well and we laughed, the new bar they said. My friend left and I hopped on the bicycle I brought with me from home. I rode the paths along Vancouver’s shoreline observing all the cargo ships waiting in English Bay. I returned to my truck invigorated and ready for the next part of my adventure.

I have an aunt who lives in West Vancouver.  I drove through downtown Vancouver and crossed the Lions Gate Bridge to go meet her and her family at Ambleside Park.  Another social distanced walk and visit on the beach completed my visit to the lovely Pacific coast.  My aunt is stoked to be out and at the beach, it was their first visit to the waterfront in a month.  The beach and park were alive with people including two park employees who are carrying swim noodles, two metres long.  They were making sure people remained far enough apart. Crazy the new jobs being created in the pandemic. I enjoyed one last connection and a satisfying burger on the beach and decided it was time to go home to my amazing wife.

Three and half hours later I pulled into my driveway relieved to be home. I felt a little disappointed that my wife could not have accompanied me on my adventure but also glad to have had some time away. More time would have been nice.  There will be more time in the future. More time to sit at the ocean and enjoy the coastal vistas.