Liz, these last few days are really hectic…

Hi Liz, I hope you will feel better soon. I can’t do anything for you and that is a different kind of pain. I know you and your story is inspiring courage in a lot of people who are facing challenges, many of which pale in comparison to yours.

As you know, you are invited (in spirit) with Marilyn and I to hike the West Coast Trail in the Pacific Rim National Park on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. A full report will only happen when we come back. For now, let’s say we are leaving this Sunday morning (August 27th). We will be heading west through Drayton Valley then south through Rocky Mountain House. From there we turn west until we hit HWY 93 (the Icefield Parkway) then south to Lake Louise. All this while we are driving through unbearably beautiful terrain. Then we go west until we get to the Salmon Arm area where we will be camping for the night. In the morning we head further west until we get to Kamloops where we turn south onto the Coquilhalla (HWY 5) and on to Tsawwassen in south of Vancouver where we board the ferry to Victoria. It is the evening of the 28th when we arrive in Victoria on Vancouver Island. We will camp there then head into Port Renfrew on the west coast on the 29th. There we park our car and camp. On the morning of the 30th we walk over to the trail offices where we partake in the mandatory trail orientation lecture. Early in the morning of the 31st we break camp, take a water taxi across the Gordon River and begin our 75 km hike to Bamfield. Once we arrive in Bamfield (Pachena Trailhead), we take a shuttle bus back to our car in Port Renfrew. We then hope to have time to go to Port Alberni and take the MV Lady Rose on a day long sea voyage to Bamfield and back. The whole thing is sort of an adventure, you see, so I hope you have the patience to travel with us if you have some time to while away. I guess it is not the same as being there, but at least you will have the choice to view what you can from where you are. Good luck to you Liz, and God Bless.

But until then Liz, we are busy cleaning house, packing, leaving instructions for our house caretakers, and it never seems to end! So Liz, are you ready?