End of the Road?

On Tuesday night we had the end of trip dinner at the Sandbar in Vancouver. After driving across Canada I knew I would get together with a few friends and family. This number grew considerably thanks to friends I made during the trip. The celebration included Canadians, South Africans, Americans and a German. The food was great and the mix of people worked so well. I managed, with a bit of help, to talk about my trip but I am sure I missed out so many people and places that I will be boring you all with it for years to come. Rob and Jeffery managed to let out the bag that 'They' are thinking about driving a large part of Australia in a 2CV in 2011. I am not sure what Ann thinks about it. The music from Steve and Lucie was great. I am trying to get them to come to Europe so I hope to lay something on for them as a way of saying thank you. I will get some photos to on the blog in the next few days.

I have now made it up to Whistler to hand the 2CV over to Lloyd. I am sure I am going to miss it. The 2CV ran so well for 4,500 miles; if ever you want to buy one look up Derek in the UK. I shall rest for a few days before travelling back to the UK next Wednesday. Sunday is Fathers' Day so I'm hoping to go out with the family.

Daughter-in-law Nenna with the next installment in the Craythorne clan - due in four weeks

Section 5 - Part 3 - Kamloops to Vancouver

Mileage leaving Kamloops 36,975, mileage arriving Kamloops 37,236, total driven 261 miles. Trip total: Halifax to Vancouver 4,390 miles.

I got to the Pacific and poured the Atlantic water that I had carried with me into the Pacific at a beach in Vancouver's Stanley Park. I walked in up to my neck, it was not as cold as the Atlantic. That's it finished; I would like to think of what I can say about the trip given a few days rest. The team on thelast day team ended up being Rob, Jeffrey, Paul, Herman and Martin. Ann was on the Rocky Mountaineer that broke down getting to Vancouver and got here five ours late.

Ann's train before it had a problem.

(We offered Martin's technical support but they turned it down)

Section 5 - Part 2 - Golden to Kamloops

Mileage leaving Golden 36,741 miles, mileage arriving Kamloops 36,975, total driven 234 miles.

The previous day, as were coming into Golden, I had absently minded mentioned that I had never been whitewater rafting. That led to some chat over a few beers during the England v. USA game and lo and behold I found myself in a wetsuit at 09.00 Sunday morning. Martin and I were quietly terrified as this was new territory for us. Following a brief safety chat we put in on the Kicking Horse River and certain death.

The initial terror wore off as we made our way through Class III and IV falls; we were most of the way through the trip when a rogue wave tipped me out of the raft and into the boiling waters. Martin sat in the raft watching me whilst prlade first; Paul remained onboard to tousle and arrange his immaculately coiffed head and Jeffrey kept astern fondling Saki and Sarah, our guest crew members. It's at times like these that you realise who your true mates really are. Rob leapt into the icy maelstrom, swam to me and got me back to the raft where the others were finally persuaded to help lift me in.

The afternoon drive to Kamloops was a relatively calm affair after that.

On the Kicking Horse just before the rogue wave

The drowned rats back on terra firma

Section 5 - Part 1 - Calgary to Golden

Mileage leaving Calgary 36,569 miles, mileage arriving Calgary 36,741, total driven 172 miles.

Approaching Kicking Horse Pass

I had a great meal last night with Ann, Wendy and Martin. It has started to warm up a bit so we could have our meal outside. Our hotel was just out of town on the west side and we all used the tram system to get in to town. It was a bit of an early night, the reason for that is that Martin and I were sharing a room and I have now found out he snores.

Rob, Paul and Jeffery arrived and were staying in the City centre. They goy up early to watch the Australia England Test Match from Perth. We all met up at our hotel to start the first leg to Golden; not a long trip but very hilly in places. Leaving at 6.00am Rob is now my co driver for the drive to Vancouver. For those of you who have not traveled with him, he does tend to sleep a lot. He was the same on this section. So he missed a lot of the fantastic scenery. Clear blue sky a little snow on the top, just amazing. One of the reasons for leaving early was to get to The Mad Trapper pub for the USA v England football match. Like all other Englishmen I thought it would be a walk in the park. With three Americans with me it was not the time for a 1-1 draw. So it's an early night

04.00 Kick-off in Calgary, not a great Test Match

Approaching the Continental Divide (at 35 MPH)

Mad Trapper in Golden; savouring Robert Green's goalkeeping Skills

Salads all around, very worrying