Day 105 - Vancouver

Vancouver, with its seaside location surrounded by Cascade Mountains, is one of the most scenic cities in the world.

My day started with a sunrise over Canada and USA.

Then I drove the lovey shoreline and tree-lined streets near the University of British Columbia while listening to the Grateful Dead. I finally made my way to Stanley Park, a huge green city park island famous for its sea wall pathways.

After walking a full way around the sea wall and by countless happy walkers and bikers, I visited the Vancouver Aquarium. They were feeding the Sharks and Beluga Whales and had interesting artic animal exhibits.

A seafood pasta dinner was then followed by a return trip to Stanley Park for the sunset.

Folllowed by a late night walk on a major bridge for harbor views.

With this being a Friday of a popular weekend and without a Canadian cell plan, I decided to forgo a hostel or hotel and instead search for a quiet street to stealth camp on. I scouted out a perfect such street by a organic coop farm, then pulled in at dark to camp.

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Day 104 - Glacier to Vancouver

The hike up Balu Pass was supposed to be fairly easy, beautiful and dotted with waterfalls, but when I talked to the park ranger and learned that Vancouver was an eight hour drive away, I decided to skip Balu and drive west. I left behind this pretty view. And drove many hours through pristine mountains, fewer and fewer snow-capped ones the further west I drove. Some of the valleys were flooded to make reservoirs, leaving scenic sights. I eventually made it to Vancouver and drove right on through to Point Roberts USA, a five mile by five mile coastal land just below the 49th parallel and thus in the USA. The park ranger had suggested this as a good place to camp but being late of the Thursday night before the Fourth of July there were no spots available. I drove around instead and stopped at a forested coastal park. After ten minutes of walking I came to my first grand Pacific view with Mount Baker 60 miles east. The San Juan Islands and Orca Islands could also b...

Day 122 - Mount Saint Helens

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Day 62 - Colorado National Monument

Established as a national monument early in 1911, Colorado NM is known for its high canyon "rim road" and sandstone spires of Monument Canyon. The canyons of west Colorado are pretty--as they have more green trees and shrubs than the more famous Utah canyons. This gives them a more alive feeling, although the sandstone spires were formed many thousands of years ago by erosion. Rim Rock road curves up the the top of the canyon cliff, goes through several round tunnels and is lined with scenic viewpoints. The best views were in he Monument Canyon section, and included in sequence, the Coke Ovens, The Kissing Couple (behind my head), and the most famous of all: Independence Monument, the tall spire in pic 3 and viewed from the side in pic 4. The original promoter and caretaker of the park, John Otto, was the first person to climb Independence Monument and now it's a climbing right of passage. Every July 4 climbers ascend and mount an American flag at the summit. Fun! ...

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