New Reality

We have traded light for large but we're in good company - Little Elbow here we come.

Heady was a trooper to even attempt camping with Q in a shoulder brace that never gets to come off.  Ironically, I think she slept the best of anyone!

Mark, Carmen and Emily joined in on the fun.  It think the count was 11 kids under 3.

We can no longer leave the house without a plentiful supply of trucks and diggers.  In the nature vs nurture debate, this one is purely genetic!

                      

Books about trucks and diggers are just as important.

Our new reality...

Q is in a fearless phase currently that will probably last until he's 30.  He's soaked because he refuses to hold my hand while wadding thigh deep in the river.

Elevation gain over the weekend was probably about 20 ft but everyone had a blast!

Chillin' with the crew.

This is going to be a common theme over the next year with Heady and Jay.  Laptops out, books open and far, far too much time with Rosen's Emergency Medicine...

Last bit of freedom

Before handing my life over to the Calgary Health Region for the next 5 years, Petrie had the brilliant idea of a canoe trip up in Wells Gray.  Been skiing in the area a bunch but never visited in the summer.  So after being treated to a trip to Kelowna by the good doctor, we set out my favourite place - the middle of nowhere. 

 In typical fashion we managed to just beat the sunset and set up camp on the south end of Murtle Lake.

Had a great night sleep with an ogre for a tentmate and woke up to a beautiful calm morning.  Great way to start a long paddle.

We made our way along the west arm of the lake.  Some pretty open water with spectacular views.

The fishing was amazing!  If I'm catching fish, anyone can!  The trout treated us to some great fights and a nice meal at the end of our trip.

This storm gave us a good beating.  Thankfully the tarp and tent were already set up.  Felt bad for another group who paddle by in it's wake.

Our second site down the west arm.  Tons of beatle damaged but still a beautiful site.

Hiked back to a set of falls that were fun to look at but terrifying from a paddler's perspective.

Surprisingly big cedars along the way.

Fitting end to a great trip.  Thanks Petes!

Who knew it rained in Oregon?

To subdue some of the post-ski-trip blues, Heady, Quinn and I headed down to the California/Oregon coast in hopes of sun and surf.  One of two ain't bad...

I made the long drive solo and met H&Q in California.  Was snowing in Calgary when I left and was still definitely winter at Crater Lake.

We were teased the first day with sunshine.  Quinn was diggin the sand.

The beaches off Patrick's Point State Park were fantastic.  Q's first dip was pretty chilly though.

No gates, no doors, no stairs = heaven!

We spend a lot of time in the Redwoods around Trinidad.  Heady was hoping for heaps of flowering rotodendrons, but the winter was so cold they decided not to bloom!  We did find a few.

We had our daily routine down:  drive to trailhead, rainsuits for all, Quinn in chariot, nap while Heady took photos until we were soaked to the core, drive home, repeat.

 The flowers would have been pumping with a milder winter.  Pretty awesome none the less.

Again, Heady took photos in the rain, Q slept!

Kids don't care about rain.

Heady was teaching Q the finer points of rock collecting but sometimes kelp was more interesting.  Looks warm doesn't it?

It was all I could do to keep him out of the water.

One of the many roadside attractions.  This place's claim to fame was a shark petting tank...  Just seemed wrong in so many ways.

We finally found some more sun on the southern Oregon Coast.  The beaches at Samuel Boardman were some of our favourites.

Just like the Napali Coast in Kawai, only cold.

However, we had every beach to ourselves.

We knew the seafood had to be good at a tackle/bait shop/outfitters/fishing charters/restaurant.  The clam chowder really was the best I've ever eaten.  Q developed quite a taste for fish & chips!

We rented a great little  house for few nights right on the beach.  Q's rock collecting turned to throwing.

A rare sunset.

Bandon Beach on the central coast.

One of my favourites from the trip.  Esher-like.

 

 On a whim, we asked some of the dune buggy rental places if they could fit a car seat in on a tour.  Apparently they do it all the time!

 

Q started to figure out which rocks Heady was looking for.  Proud mom!

The last house we stayed at in Yachats was right on this endless beach. The weather turned and Q slept well.

 

This was just after I finished getting worked.  Any consistency to the break was lost on this day.  I had perfected my half-loop by the end of the session.

  

Sunsets and tide pooling in Yachats.

Independence achieved.

 

These two photos sum up the trip pretty well.

 

Both Heady and I were so grateful for the 2 weeks we got to spend as a family.  Everyone had such a fabulous time.  Can't wait to do it again.