My Mid-Week Weekend Update – Part 2

You’d think after Saturday’s epic tour to the Albion Ferry, I’d need a day of rest and recovery, right? But there’s no rest for the wicked, my friends, so Sunday brought another trek up the Grouse Grind.  Long time readers will know that though I complain that the Grouse Grind now has way too many stairs (WAY TOO MANY STAIRS!), I still seem to bring my friends there (Shalu, Therese, Crystel & Tenny, Lianna, and Kim, I’m looking in your direction).  This time the victim was my Official Statistician & Tattoo Consultant, Almost Dr. Dan. Dan is in town for a Statistics conference, during which he managed to also squeeze in eating lots of sushi, Indian food and breakfast cupcakes, a trip to the Aquarium, and getting two more tattoos, as well as the Grind.

First, the requisite photo at the start of the trail:

IMG_4898 by you.

Next, proof we made it to the 1/4 way point, where they have this wonderfully encouraging sign telling you that you’ll probably die should you try to go any further:

IMG_4899 by you.

I don’t know who that random dude on the right is.

Next up, the 1/2 way point:

IMG_4900 by you.

At this point Dan described his knees as “burning,” but we figured that his physiotherapist’s advice to “just stop activity” when his knees hurt to be rather impratical when you are halfway up a mountain.

Somehow, we managed to miss the marker for the 3/4 way marker.  We’d been hiking for a looong time past the 1/2 way mark when Dan said, “This 3/4 way mark sure is alluding us!”  But when we looked up we could, mercifully, pretty much see the top.  The top looks like this:

IMG_4902 by you.

Don’t we look victorious?

It was a hot day on Sunday and, despite our supermodel good looks in this photo, Dan and I were really, really sweaty. Usually by a few minutes after I’m done the Grind, once the exercise has stopped, I get chilly pretty quickly. But it was so hot out on Sunday that, despite being on a mountain top where there is still snow (!), I didn’t get chilled at all.  And we stayed up there for a while, chatting, checking out the beautiful view and breaking rules:

A sign telling us what *not* to do? by you.

Seriously, our conversation when we walked up to that fence went something like this:

Beth: I’m feeling the need to get a photo of me beyond that fenceline.

Dan: I was just thinking the exact same thing.

Because if my dad taught me anything, it’s that if a sign says “Do Not Enter,” you just know that there’s something awesome there.

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  • I am in! Anytime this year. I think Jenny and I are going next week evening. If you would like to come?

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  • Thanks again for a wicked awesome climb. The burning stopped which means my knee must have been miraculously touched by his noodley appendages. Thanks be to the FSM.

    I love the first photo of us. It makes it appear as if I might actually have some arm muscles. Do not be fooled.

    In sad news, I’m back in Ontario and the weather this morning on landing in Toronto was 4 degrees. Four FRICKIN DEGREES. At the moment it has warmed to a very acceptable 19. Regardless, I miss the mountains and the ocean.

    Also, I just have to say that this was the BEST annual meeting of the Statistical Society of Canada that I’ve ever been to. EVER. So many stats demi gods were speaking. I could barely contain myself.

    Thank you Vancouver! I miss you long time.
    And of course, thanks again Dr. Beth. I shall return for more hiking adventures.

    Reply

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