Normally I would organise a big trip out of town on a long weekend. But I had a road trip planned for Kelowna the next weekend. So instead I stayed in town for the festivities. Went walking along the Spanish Banks beach area during the day, and then sat down to watch the fireworks (be it after dark at 10:30pm) along the Kits waterfront.
Didn't do anything Canadian to celebrate Canada day. Perhaps it was in response to their utter ignorance of showing any of the State of Origin. I might if I remember put in a protest to the Canadian embassy for their disregard the pinnacle sporting event on my return.
In keeping with being a tourist I decided to visit Grouse Mountain on the Monday public holiday. I snuck in the question to my partly oblivious flatmate the night before going to bed, 'Do you want join me in doing the Grouse Grind Tomorrow?' His response. 'Yeah, okay. I haven't been there before.'
Haha, I had my sucker lined up.
The Grouse Grind is a lovely walk up Grouse Mountain. The website describes it as being a relatively short 2.9km trail. Oh, I did forget to mention to my flatmate that the website also says the Grind is 'Mother Nature's Stairmaster'. Hence the 'Grind' title. It rises 2800 feet in elevation over the walk, which is straight up the mountain. If not for the trees, the mountain trail is a 1 push down path.
When I said 'lovely walk up', I meant it would be if we were insane fitness fanatics. For other like me and my flatmate, it's sheer torture. Luckily my flatmate is a Torontian... He had seen mountains before.
Anyway we took 2 hours in the end to climb the Grind. We would have been closer to the record 26 minutes and 26 seconds if not for the fact I was concerned my flatmate wasn't taking the time to see the view, whenever an opening to the canopy came about. Nor the time to sit and enjoy the natural logs on the side of the path watching the others climb struggle. He was very understanding, once in a while he'd look back, and ask me if we'd like to let a few others climbers overtake. Being a courteous person I was quite inclined to just taking a moment every so often to reflact upon what made me suggest this walk.
Anyways heres a photo or two from recent times.
Might I just mention there was much joy expressed when we made it to the 1/2 way sign after 40 minutes. Be it with some colourful language of feeling cheated that it was only the half way sign.
Most of the time you'll notice a certain body language persists in the climbers, one of 'so this is what a death march is like'. But once you get to the top the reward is there. I must say climbing it made the view much more special.
Of course having climbed the mountain we got to take in the shows. Although I had seen the shows on my last visit to Vancouver I was happy just to not be climbing still. The ride down costs only $5. $5 well spent I say. My knees weren't going to survive walking it.
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