Whistler Adventure...

Last Sunday, the beautiful fall weather inspired us to take a spur-of-the-moment jaunt to Whistler for the day. The border guard was incredulous when we said we were going for the day. "You do realize that it takes 3 1/2 hours to get up there, right?" he said. We assured him that we did (it was already 10:30am)..."Well, enjoy your hour at Whistler," he said, shaking his head.


As it turned out, we spent about 3 hours up there, and even so, just the drive up the Sea to Sky Highway would have been worth it! Spectacular views of the mountains on one side, ocean on the other, islands dotting the deep blue...I loved it!

We enjoyed lunch at the Brewhouse, ice cream @ Cow's -- so many cute things there for a cow lover such as myself, and the coffee ice cream was delish!

We walked about the village, amongst the MANY people there, and the most dogs I've ever seen on leash...EVERYONE had a dog! Made me wish Daisie was there...

We finally found a map of the village and there Randy noticed that a gondola would take you up the mountain. He was excited and ready to go! My uneasiness with high up places made me....hesitant. I asked if we had enough time...No one was waiting for us to get home, Randy reminded me...Then we got to the ticket booth and I suggested that it was too expensive. Randy looked at me aghast...What? I would skip this opportunity because of mere dollars?? Come now -- it was a once in a lifetime experience!!! Of course, that's what I was afraid of -- that this would perhaps be the last experience of my lifetime...I did not confess my fear and we got in line.

I was a little dizzy riding up the mountain in the little gondola car, and a bit tense, but it was quite lovely, and I did my best to look around the area and take it all in...That's when I saw it -- the vaunted Peak 2 Peak portion of the gondola ride. The small cars take you up the mountain where you then board the much larger, much taller, longer, higher, scarier Peak 2 Peak gondola to the Blackcomb side of the mountain. That was a LONG, LONG cable -- and a LONG, LONG span between towers...and we were going to ride it...gulp!

As our ride began, I did my best to try to enjoy -- well, perhaps that is too strong a word -- let's say survive?, um, no, let's say tolerate the experience with a sunny countenance...(hanging on tight is still okay while trying to be brave, right?)

...but then I read this...

...and my countenance changed to THIS!! Worse still, I also read that we would be 1400 some feet above the valley at the midway point of the longest span...At this point, I didn't make much effort to enjoy the view and spent most of my time on prayer and cognitive therapy..." I will not die one minute before God ordains it" "These people would not be able to run this thing if there was a high risk of death for the occupants" "This gondola is practically brand new...it will not break down." etc, etc.

With views like this, the cognitive therapy was necessary for me. Randy, of course, was enthralled -- by the scenery, and just as much the machinery. What a wonder of engineering!!

I, too, was thankful for this wonder of engineering that deposited us safely on top of the other mountain -- where it was very cold!

I'm freezing!! (and thinking about having to ride back across that valley!)

You probably can't read this list of world records that Peak 2 Peak owns -- trust me, it's impressive...and fear-inducing. Who decides to do these kind of things? Why does someone decide it's even possible, and then puts millions of dollars into creating something that has never been done before...Truly, impressive in so many ways!

I wasn't sad to get off this behemoth...

... It did make the ride on the little gondola seem pretty tame... And I'm proud to say that my prayerful cognitive therapy worked. I never hyperventilated, or cried, or yelled at anyone to stop rocking the gondola! In fact, a couple of times, I actually LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW...DOWN! Not sure I enjoyed it, but I did do it...and I'm pretty proud of myself for it.

Most people have a list of things they want to do before they die...I haven't put much thought into that...I think I might have just as long a list of things that I will NOT do before I die, such as: I will not ride any loop the loop roller coaster; I will not drink water in Mexico, or go there just in case; I will not drive to Lillooet again; I will not ride in a helicopter unless I'm a patient; you know -- stuff like that. If I had thought of it, the Peak 2 Peak might have been on that list of things I will not do...But I came to know of it too late, and now it is marked off my list of things to do before I die...Just like that, a milestone accomplished, and all the better that I didn't have to anticipate it...You never know what wonders can happen on a Sunday afternoon!