DONE

august 16/09 (DAY #47)

"whats 2% of 700?" that - apparently - was the question of the day. of the morning. 6:30 am to be more precise. i was busy getting my groove on as i made my way out of mission. crossing the street from my motel it was then that i spotted her.

she strutted her way towards me. like a duck. no joke. she took up the entire sidewalk which left me with the though that she would soon be a pancake under my feet as i had nowhere to go but forward.

fortunately ms. duck moved over just in time as we passed each other. i smiled at her. she responded by popping the question.

"whats 2% of 700?" huh? my brain had trouble just registering WHAT this lady had just said, let alone what it meant. my mouth took over and automatically responded with "i have no idea." i DO have "an idea" - the answer is 14, but come on! who expects to have a math quiz at 6:30 in the morning when walking across BC? i was lucky i was even walking in the right direction at that point.

i was about to fire back a question of my own to appease my curiousity and figure out why this lady needed to know when she did something that took the words right out of my mouth.

she scoffed at me.

then she proceeded to say, "yeah - i thought so" in such a condensending way i immediately thought my hair must be blonde as i was definitely the brunt of this joke.

as i walked away, the answer to her question came to me. 14. i was tempted to go back to tell the chick, but my tired feet and heavy bag reminded me of my bigger purpose of the day.

most of the morning i spent walking through fog, but it did finally clear up and i found it wierd to actually be walking under the sun again. warm. bright. happy. i loved it.

i made it to maple ridge today - a name that makes me want a piece of fudge and checked into a motel. i settled in then walked to the nearest phone to call my dad and check in. i sighed to myself as i had, yet again, foud a phone where the connection sucked. it didnt help that traffic buzzed behind me. i pressed the phone tightly against my ear and plugged the other just so i could hear what my dad had to say. at the end of our conversation i went to hang up the phone but it was stuck to my ear and hair. i peeled it away and it was then i noticed it - someone had thought of the brilliant idea to put gum on the earpiece. i immediately went back to my motel room to wash my ear. gotta love urban life.

that being said, ear gum incident aside - i have been having a slight case of culture shock since i got to mission yesterday. the cars. the roads. the streetlights. everything. i have not been in a large city environment since i left calgary over 6 weeks ago. everythings bigger, busier and louder now. i even put away my bear bell for good now. i figured if i cant hear it then the bears probably wouldnt either.

after being away from the big urban cities for so long i am not sure i ever want to be back for good. i already miss the fresh air of the wilderness.


august 17/09 (DAY #48)

i have officially, OFFICIALLY entered the land of cement. there is no going back. the smog creeps into my lungs as i feel as though i am suffocating. it is not as though the pollution here is that insane - this is all more a side effect to my bad case of culture shock. the noise level is up. the traffic volume is up. the amount of horrendous looking buildings that block my view of anything worthwhile is WAY up. i am left to choose which type of cement id prefer to walk on as there is no longer the option of a dirt trail.

there is also no longer the option of dropping my pants whenever i feel the urge to go. i not have to be a "respectable" citizen and wait until i bypass a place with a washroom. one might think i should be thrilled at the prospect of being able to use a real bathroom - not even an outhouse, but the truth is, it just reminds me that i have lost my freedom. i am no reconfined to the box of society - one that i just dont quite fit in as i march down streets in my well-worn clothes, my walking poles clicking on the pavement with each step i take, my backpack giving me an awkward gate. gone are the days when i could cheerfully exchange a few words with fellow pedestrians, or even people in their cars at stop lights.

instead i am left with those that are in such a hurry they dont have time to chat or those that have panic written all ove rtheir face as though im going to pull out my bear spray and have at them. there have been those who avoid eye contact at all costs, even if it means looking at a concrete wall, those who pretend i didnt just smile and say hello to them and there are even those people who have glared at me as they pass. finally, there are the "gawkers" - bu those have been with me all along so ive become fairly accostomed to the craning necks with faces staring in wide-eyed wonder.

sure, there are still the "cool" people around, but they are few and far between and most of them start off as though theyre going to be chill, then it all fades away. i actually had a guy stop me and say, " hey, youre the chick that i saw earlier today. you walked a long way." i grinned in reply and opened my mouth to say something in return, but he was already moving on as though he was running away. is this what conversation has come to? a bunch of one-liners compatable to what we share through text messaging and twitter? next thing you know were going to start shortening our words into coded grunting noises as it will be too much work to enounciate each syllable. its a pathetic and saddening thought.

that all said, i have made it to burnaby and actually found a campground here. its a little saddening as this will be the last time i set up my tent for the night. tomorrow i will be in vanvcouver. crazy.

today couldnt have ended more perfectly though. sore, blistered feet aside i have actually found a campground worth the nearly $40 they charged me for the night. it has showers. it has a pool (WITH a hot tub) and a bunch of other stuff i dont really care about as i wont use it. this afternoon, after i set up tent, i went straight to the pool and had it all to myself for almost an hour. the hot tub jets worked wonders on my sore feet and i only wish i could have soaked longer, but i needed to dry up my feet to help the blisters heal.

i can hardly believe its my last night before i make it to vancouver. i hardly know what to do with myself.


august 18/09 (DAY #49)

i am done. finished. its over. complete. 48 days, 2 hours and 15 min from when i first stepped onto the trail. i have made it to vancouver. i can hardly believe it.

as i sit here in my plush hotel room (i splurged to celebrate) i find myself reflecting over the last 7 weeks. ive been over mountains, through valleys and across rivers. ive walked in sun, clouds, rain and in snow. i have had sunburn, scratches, cuts, blisters and chaffing. i have seen countless wildlife including 3 bears, 1 bobcat, deer, antelope, rabbits, frogs, birds, fish, butterflies, snails, snakes and caterpillers. i fought daily against the mosquitoes, black flies, horse flies, wasps and spiders.

of my 48 nights i ahve been on my journey i have slept in my tent for 35, 11 of them being in non-designated camping sites. i spent 3 of my nights in cabins and 10 in a variety of motels. i have accepted rides on 7 different occassions - all but 1 being under 40 km totalled in distance. i have crossed 26 rivers, hundreds of creaks and have fallen on my butt 4 times (once being in the river). i have walked on trails, sidewalks, logging roads, forestry roads and highways. pavement, gravel, sand, water, rocks and dirt - i have done it wall. ive read over a dozen books and updated my blog on the internet about the same amount - total spending for access = $54 for my 7 week journey.

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i feel as though this journey has taken me to so many places and looking back i cant even begin to describe how it has changed me. but it has. my walking has given me time to think. it has given me time to become stronger in who i am. i do not think i have changed in WHO i am as much as i have changed in becoming more of who i am.

and the journey is not over yet. it can never be. my journey is my life.


august 19/09 (DAY #50)

i am no officially back in port coquitlam. after spending the night at a hotel in vancouver i spent today transporting myself along the sky rail to meet up with my dads cousins family. they have graciously opened up their home for me to come and stay for a few days.

that being said, last night i splurged in order to celebrate my arrival into the city that took me exactly 7 weeks to get to. and splurg i did. as it turns out, holiday inn is only affordable for those who are rich. i swear half the money i put down for the night went towards the companys commercials that attempt to convince people otherwise. i couldnt complain much. i managed to convince them to give me a free breakfast out of my stay (would have cost me $12 ON TOP of what i was paying for the night) in order to celebrate my arrival.

i find it disorienting now that im here and its difficult to change my focus from moving forward to being able to sit back, relax and re-organize myself for what i feel like doing next. the world is at my fingertips and i am super excited at the prospect of being able to continue to explore it at my free will. that being said, the plan at this point is to enjoy having made it to the west coast and continue to explore and area of canada i have never experienced before.