A Sunny Drive to Surrey

This weekend has been a little like a preview for summer. Today, for example, is presently 27C (80F) and completely sunny. It's like someone accidently flipped a big switch a little early. Jay and I took it as a gift to get out of the apartment. We headed over the stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge into Surrey. The brand-new, wide, freshly-paved lanes make crossing the Fraser River a simple joy. 

We turned onto Scott Road just to see the Garden Centre at the Home Depot. We bought nothing but seeing happy people carrying out plants and flowers is never a chore. Rather than just going up King George Blvd, we drove further up Scott Road. From our balcony we can see a startlingly tall new residential tower under construction on the hill opposite the Fraser River from us. We now know the exact location of its base. We took roads that brought us towards Surrey Central. 

A bit of exercise was our plan. We parked at the lot by Green Timbers Urban Forest Park. We occasionally stop for a little walk to the lake.  The park sits around 13 kilometers (8 miles) from our apartment.  

 

Let me include some unusual facts about this land:  This is the place that practically invented the concept of a second chance for BC's nature. Known as the "Birthplace of Reforestation" in British Columbia, this 226-hectare (560-acre) sanctuary, in the heart of Surrey, was once a massive 5,000-acre stand of old-growth giants. It was a legendary tourist stop in the early 1900s as the only virgin forest visible from the Pacific Highway.  However, the land was tragically logged to the ground by 1930. 

What makes it truly special is the "cultural shift" that followed that destruction: in March 1930, the province's first major replanting project began right here with 121 seedlings, marking a milestone that has since grown into 10 billion trees planted province-wide as of 2024. Today, you can still find 27 surviving trees from that original inaugural plantation. Beyond its forestry history, the park is a literal island of calm featuring over 10 kilometres of nature trails, a glacial erratic rock, and Green Timbers Lake, which is stocked with rainbow trout for local anglers.

On the way home we bought a few things at the T&T Supermarket chain that sells all kinds of foods from Asia.

Colombo Store for Sri Lankan Products

It was a nice Sunday for a little drive as it was a little too cool to walk around and there was not enough sunshine for many outdoor activities.  We crossed the Fraser River on the stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge and proceeded to the Newton area of Surrey.  The Colombo Store is a small market about a half hour from our apartment.  It sells items and foodstuff primarily from Sri Lanka.

Just this morning, I used up the last from a jar of jam on my toast.  Luckily, woodapple jam is a favourite in Sri Lanka and the store carries plenty of MD products.  I've tried to explain the slightly strong, musty flavour to others, but always end up saying that it tastes ... well ... like a woodapple!  

Jay had in mind to buy some horse gram, a tropical southern Asia legume, but we always find a number  of products to pick up that are not on our list.  On Sundays, we can also buy small bakery items that are sold freshly made.  

Going to the Colombo Store was a fine way to finish up a Sunday morning. 

Driving / Traveling by Train and Bus

THIS MORNING

Alas, another five years has passed! 

I know this because I got notification that I had to renew my driver's license. In British Columbia, they expire on one's birthday every five years. Last week, I set an appointment online at the Metrotown Mall office. So, today, I arrived a few minutes early at the reception counter and only a few folks were ahead of me. 

The place, however, was packed as it is a major office for driver testing too. I was given a number. I thought, "Oh, crap. I'm going to have to wait here." Yet my appointment was at 10:40 and at the moment that happened, my number was visible on the electronic board of numbers next served. I was out of there at 10:42 after taking off my glasses and looking in the general vicinity of a camera. 

The old license was kept and I got a spiffy paper indicating that it could be used as a legal document for driving until my new plastic card arrives in the mail. That's how it's always worked.  Oh yeah, I had a pleasant surprise.  Because I will be considered a senior from next month's birthday, the normal cost of CA$75 dropped to a mere CA$17.

   

THIS AFTERNOON

Jay and I talked a little about our upcoming travel in north eastern Europe. 

We are determined to try travelling a little like we did when we were young. In the 80s, it wasn't possible to book ahead on the Internet. We used to get off an airplane, go to the city center and just look for a place to stay. In many places in the world, we headed to the main train station and always found plenty of options. 

Actually, we have booked a hotel for the initial part of our stay in Berlin, Germany. And we did likewise for our final nights in Riga, Latvia. Yet, the remaining twenty nights in eastern Germany, Poland, and Lithuania remain un-booked and are completely open to whim and and last-minute fancy. 

Starting in a few short weeks, we'll let you know how that works out!

Nice to Know It Still Works

Our city isn't very big, although we were originally the capital of British Columbia, Canada. New Westminster, is a mere 15.63 km². We also happen to be right in the center of the Metro Vancouver area.  So we get a whole lot of folks transiting through the area to the cities of Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Coquitlam, and beyond.

This week I got an email notice from Evo for fifteen minutes of free usage. Evo Car Share is a car-sharing service that allows you to pick up a car near you, go anywhere and for as long as you want, then park it in the home zone when you’re done.

I joined Evo in 2017 but I admit to never using it as we have our own electric vehicle and many other transit options.  I could grab a bus or SkyTrain to go most anywhere in the area.  Still, I like the idea of having an emergency vehicle ready for us close by.  I think I pay $2 a year for membership and have to keep my app up-to-date when I get a new driver's license or credit card.

Jay and I decided to keep my account active by driving around the neighbourhood for fifteen minutes only. We selected a car by seeing where the closest one was.  They are parked all over New Westminster as you can see on the screen capture from the Evo app.  We found one on Columbia but left it in a different location.  It felt good to know my account still works after so many years of inactivity.

After our little unnecessary trip, we got in our own car, and drove across town to buy fruit and vegetables.

Changes in Coquitlam Centre

Today, we drove to Coquitlam. It'd been so long I didn't know where to exit from Highway 1 and had to loop back around near the preferred location for our weekly grocery shopping.  Coquitlam Centre is around a half hour away.  We got caught up in some traffic though.

Jay was thinking back on the very first summer we arrived.  He attended a 'Job Finding Club' for new immigrants run by S.U.C.C.E.S.S., a social agency. Initially, the group was organized to help new Chinese immigrants, but Jay's classes had new Canadians from all over including: Russia, Iran, India, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and Holland.  The job market wasn't great when we first arrived and they were helpful in setting up skills and expectations for new arrivals.  His classes were in a shopping center in Coquitlam and we looked to find it.

Of course, Coquitlam Centre has changed and grown a great deal over the last 24 years.  We did locate the building, although the rooms where his classes were run was made over into a huge fitness gym.  We walked into The Brick furniture store to laugh at the expensive coffee tables.  We also went into a Winners, where Jay bought a very colourful dress shirt.  Next door, a huge Canadian Superstore was standing where there used to be wilderness.

It was a nice drive and an interesting way to spend the morning.

It Ain't So Far to Tipperary (Park)

We've been out of mandatory self-isolation for better than two and a half weeks. I still have not charged the car yet. So the last time it was connected to a charger was last October. I wanted to run the battery down more before I recharge. So, we jumped in the car for a Sunday drive. We went to Coquitlam and into Burnaby. We crossed the hill on Willingdon past Metrotown to Marine Drive and came back some of the same route that bus #100 does.

We had nothing to stop for, nor did we have our surgical masks anyway. However, Jay suggested we stop up at the park near the New Westminster City Hall to see if we could spot any tiny ducklings. Generally, there are new families floating around in an uncovered stream at this time of year. The park is only about 300 meters from our building.





We didn't spot a single duck. It was nice to see fresh leaves on the trees as several weeks ago most trees only had buds. We put only an additional 32 KM on Kimchi, our Hyundai KONA Electric.

It'll Arrive by Post

I had sufficient time for the renewal because my driver's license would have expired on my birthday and that is still more than a month away.



Today, however, I went to the Metrotown Mall to get a new one. I had to wait more than 20 minutes until B030 was displayed on the electronic sign. My actual time with the agent was quick and painless. Well, it was nearly painless unless you consider that $75 fee. I got a printout on the spot but my actual license won't show up in my mailbox until next week. I'll need to do this again in five years.

A Morning Drive to Golden Ears Provincial Park

Two days into the first long weekend of the summer and the weather is still pleasant. Imagine that!





It was a great day for the short, 50 KM drive to Golden Ears Provincial Park. We started out on Highway 1 and then crossed the Golden Ears bridge which was completed nine years ago. I don't think we had ever traversed the structure since its opening. I recall taking the old ferry across the river though. The bridge no longer requires a toll.







This 560 square kilometer park is one of the closest to the urban metro-Vancouver area. We knew its campgrounds would be full and read signs stating so as we approached the entrance. We drove through the Alouette Lake Campground at an impressively slow speed because of the dozens of tots running around on bicycles and on foot. It looked to us as though city people like to bring the city with them on their trips into the 'wilderness'.

Kimchi, our EV, is a pleasure to drive. The adaptive cruise control works as well on backroads as on an expressway. In stop-and-go traffic coming back on Route 7, the Kona came to a complete stop as traffic slowed and halted at lights. My gentle touch on the accelerator pedal brought everything back into action and we resumed our journey. If there is one disappointing thing about the Hyundai, it's a poorly implemented GPS map system. The voice commands could not identify the park, one of the main features of the area! I much prefer plugging in my phone and using Android Auto for road mapping.

A Perk (I Probably Won't Use)

We have ensured that we seldom get anything in our postbox. However, today, I didn't mind an envelope from the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. I'd requested it.



I applied for a sticker to use the province's HOV lanes even if driving alone. There are three reasons why this really won't matter to me. First, I don't commute and haven't driven in rush hours since I retired in 2014. Another reason why it is not too important is that our humongous province has two sections of road with HOV lanes. Lastly, I seldom get on the TransCan through the crowded Lower Mainland without Jay in the car. If two passengers are in the car, it is always permissible to use the special lanes.

I do like perks though and appreciate the effort BC is taking to reduce greenhouse gases. People might not notice that our vehicle is electric as there's only one little badge saying, electric on the rear. Of course, the fact it doesn't have a front grill might be a rather obvious clue too. This decal is my little, eco-warrior badge.

Now Kimchi is Getting to Know Me!

OMG. I must be that old fart in the slow lane who's left his directional signal on! Look at my car's opinion of my driving style.



Electric cars generate a lot of data, some of which is used for operating. For example, the 'best-guess' mileage remaining on the battery uses past use to determine its numbers. Now, how do I get ICBC to reduce my car insurance because I never drive aggressively?

Life's Little Problems

A few minutes ago, I was on my way to our swimming pool, and because it's Saturday afternoon, someone was in the statra office. I had recently become a little annoyed when I had to bring both my keys and wallet to visit the hot tub and pool. For eighteen years, I've needed my key ring to lock the apartment door as well as my wallet containing an electronic card. It opens the facilities as well as outside and garage doors. Carrying around all my cards and even a little cash seemed silly and insecure. Jay has a fob on his key ring rather than a card and I thought I wanted one too.

It took only seconds to turn in my card and switch over to a new fob. It was just a matter of changing the numbers on our building's security system. I continued on my way to the pool, struggling to get the new fob on the very tight ring. Oh, no. Wait a minute!

I had my house keys and truck keys together, along with my little knife and USB memory. THAT is why it was easier to have a card my wallet! I could keep the keys in the ignition when leaving and just press my wallet against the security release pad near the exit. I realized I just wrecked my system. Now, I would have to switch off the truck in order to unlock the garage door!

I could have just removed the card from my wallet each time I went to the pool, I thought. This fob would fit in my wallet too but then I'd be no better off than with the card, and in fact the black fob is bulkier and more likely to fall out.


Okay, so now, I've decided instead to keep my truck keys on a separate key chain. I guess, I often leave the building when not driving and it will now be easy to go swimming with just my keys. Yet from today, I'll have to remember to pick up the truck keys before driving somewhere.

The tiny things in life can be so complicated.

Modified Image Ahead

Yes. I have to renew again. Again! This time it is going to cost me a buck twenty-five a month. I guess that is okay, but I really wonder about the need for licencing a healthy adult every five years.

Post by Dennis Sylvester Hurd.

Just Out for a Little Drive

It was Easter Monday for me. That's a holiday for some sectors in Canada. The weather was so nice that we decided to go for a short drive.

We went to Richmond first and stopped by the Richmond Nature Park. I wondered what the blueberry bushes would look like in the spring. The photo shows Jay at one of the bog lookouts.

Later we came home by the way of Ladner and near the BC Ferry terminal in Tsawwassen. We then took Highway 99 and exited onto 91. Rather than going over the Alex Fraser Bridge, we turned onto Scott Rd and returned through Surrey and over the Pattullo Bridge.

'Cross the Border

It looked far too good not to get out in it somehow. So we went for a little drive. There are four main border crossings into Washington State on this side of BC. We didn't think we'd ever crossed at Sumas the furthest east at a little over an hour. So, today we tried it. Whereas, the local crossings had wait times of over an hour, it was just 10 minutes there.

We had to again drive west to come to Bellingham. We first went downtown and ran into the Saturday Farmer's Market. It was packed as this was such a fine spring morning.



After, we went to the Bellis Fair Mall which was about 60% full of Canadians who'd gone to buy cheaper goods south of the border. The only thing we bought was a tank full of gas which at US $4.23 seemed like a steal compared to Canadian prices. Oh, and we also ate lunch. We went in the Old Country Buffet where I ate far too much. Coming back was easy as we just went up I-5 through the Peace Arch crossing. Waiting to cross into Canada took about fifteen minutes. The sun's still out!

The Gawk Factor

Today, the lovely weather of the past few days appears to have .. well .. passed. It was, however, especially nice yesterday. Even as I was driving home from BCIT after 5:00 pm, I was impressed by the view of the mountains.

It's probably not very politically correct to say, but I greatly enjoy my drive to school and back. I could make use of transit as it'd be fairly easy to commute by SkyTrain and then ride down Willingdon on one of the frequent buses. I don't do that though. I don't mind the fifteen mile, round trip commute. As I teach just four-hour courses, I never have more than one direction during a rush hour. The time spent can be quite relaxing.



There are many days of the year, around these parts, when the mountains hide behind the mist and gray clouds. Ugly days are the cause of car accidents in many places. Poor conditions can result in loss of property and lives. For example, fog prevents people from seeing far enough ahead, or slippery roads keep a car from stopping in time.

I didn't actually see any fender benders yesterday, but I became aware of another reason for poor driving here. When the mountains are out, it's sometimes a little hard to keep one's eyes on the road. Even if only to themselves, I know many drivers are thinking, "Wow. That's quite a view." They are admiring the scenery rather than paying attention to their driving. I have decided to call this situation the gawk factor.

Life is in the Details

Ordinary stuff becomes more precious over time. There are many examples of this phenomenon. Most family heirlooms are only keepsakes because they've existed for so long. Some objects that people have thrown away eventually become retro and valued. Lastly, a public persona, such as Madonna, has become a diva simply by not vanishing from the scene.



I was stopped at this light waiting to cross Deer Lake Parkway and head up Royal Oak Avenue. Even a picture such as this will grow more important as time passes. Things change and people do too. I wish, I'd taken a snap of this location before the upgrade when I used to toboggan down the smaller street in my pickup truck. It's still visible to the right. I wish I had taken photos at various traffic lights on commutes from other points in my life. It'd be interesting to see any image on the way home from work during my overseas years, for example.

Nothing is too trivial to make a record of it.

The Original Skid Row

Although there are five free days for the Christmas break, we've still not decided on anything specific. I guess this is one time when there are not any last minute deals available. At least, I can't seem to find any three or four day get-aways selling for a song on the Internet nor in the local newspaper. On the contrary, it seems as though suckers who don't book early have to pay through the nose.

Of course, we could simply drive somewhere close. Hotels are seldom busy as business travel has ceased and many folks are staying with family even if they are travelling. I can remember going to the nearly frozen Okanagan one Christmas. On others we went to visit friends or jumped on a ferry for Victoria. It's only Wednesday, so there are still a couple of days to make a final decision.



It may even be fun just to slide down to Seattle for a few nights. Discounting the wait at the border, it's only a leisurely three hour trip. If one's willing to stay cheap, it's possible to find, because of the season, a hotel within walking distance to downtown for only $60 per night. In order to see the city where the term skid row was coined, I fired up Google Earth. I was first awed by the program in October 2005 and since then it's continued to grow and develop. It doesn't often get the press it deserves but for those of us who like geography it's truly a miracle.

Guility as Charged

I know it's probably not politically correct to admit, but I rather enjoy my single-occupancy trip to the BCIT afternoon classes. I have a mere four cylinders sipping on gasoline and although it'd be possible to take transit for the commute, I don't.

From downtown New Westminster, I take Eighth Street. It turns into Canada Way as it crosses into Burnaby. The one-way trip is 12 or 13 kilometers. Even with the current road construction, it only takes about twenty minutes. I find the drive rather relaxing and on some days ... quite beautiful.

Sucking Up Some Fuel

I want to drive. I don't mean just to the Burnaby Campus as I will do this morning. I mean I want to get out on the highway. The longest road trips we've done lately is travelling five kilometers to the Coquitlam Superstore on Saturdays. Earlier in the month, I had the oil changed in the Ranger; therefore, it's now ready and ripping for another three thousands miles.

In one way, it's nice to live here. Having a vehicle is like a passport to this continent. It'd be possible to start out at home in the morning but end the day in a place to which one has never ventured. It happens infrequently but knowing it's possible is reassuring. I have chuckled about a former colleague who spent quite a chuck of cash on a nice car. That by itself is not humourous, but he lives in a small, island country with less highway than a typical North American city. I doubt there's a stretch of tar of more than ten kilometers without a stoplight. That's a bit funny.

On the other hand, British Columbia, although a huge province is sparsely populated. In order to go anywhere it's usually necessary to head out the Fraser Valley toward Hope, BC. The majority of our road trips start and end with the same 125 kilometers of Canadian Route 1. That's a bit boring.

Never Sick of Beauty

As I was driving into work yesterday I noticed how beautiful this area is. It didn't only happen once. Several times on the 20 minute drive into Burnaby I drank in the great views. This week, the sky has been that deep, surreal blue that can happen when a high-pressure system parks itself overhead. The mountains were as clear as a bell and snow's still clinging to the peaks. All the summer vegetation is developed, green, and lush. This wasn't just because I happened to be in a good mood. The day was so impressive that traffic seemed a lot less rushed. Others must have been harbouring similar thoughts.

I wondered in how many places long-time residents were taken back by the sheer beauty. It's so easy to get used to one's environment and ignore it. I questioned why this doesn't happen ... here ... to me.