Note to faithful readers (if any still exist): These entries have been patiently waiting on my phone in Notes since we finished the trail. Part of me feels it's been far too long to share these thoughts now, but the other part of me knows I will want to look back on these memories in the future. So, for better or worse, I'm posting them as I found them.
October 5, 2016
We both struggled to sleep last night - the room was pretty stuffy and, despite being on a legit bed with pillows, I missed the fresh, cool, clean outside air. When I woke up for the 100th time around 0700, I figured I might was well stay up. Besides, the restaurant started serving breakfast at 0800 and I was ready to eat ASAP (my body doesn't realize the hike is over and is frantic to consume calories).
We made it to the lobby at 0755 and bumped into Fret, Bud, Dirt Squirrel, and Sprout. We all ate breakfast together and it was great to sit and enjoy another meal with them. I tried not to think about how this would be the last meal spent with fellow thru-hikers while thru-hikers ourselves and did my best to pretend we were simply taking a zero instead of heading back to our other lives.
After breakfast, we packed up and I took another shower just because I could. I had hoped to see Dirt Squirrel, Sprout, and Yucca before they left but, sadly, I took too long in the shower and they had already checked out by the time I made it down to their room. Maybe it was for the best - maybe it would have been too much to go through a formal farewell.
After checking out ourselves, Nick and I used a calling card at the pay phones in the lobby to call our respective parents (there is no service at the resort whatsoever, not to mention we are now in Canada so our phones need different SIM cards, anyway). I felt like I was a kid again, calling my parents from the pay phone at school asking them to pick me up. My parents weren't home but Nick was eventually able to talk to our resupply guru. :)
By this time it was noon and my stomach was rumbling (I wonder when my body will figure out she doesn't need to eat so much anymore), so we went back to the restaurant for lunch.
At lunch we discussed our options. We could try to hitch all the way to Vancouver or we could take the Greyhound bus leaving at 0200. Neither option seemed appealing. Our waiter overheard us and suggested a third alternative: try to get a hitch to the closer town of Hope, where the Greyhound bus to Vancouver had better hours. He told us we looked like respectable folks and that we shouldn't have a problem getting a ride (how sweet).
We decided to give his idea a try, so we walked to the road. Unfortunately, Gut Punch and two other hikers were already out there with their thumbs up. What are the rules when multiple groups of people are trying to hitch from the same spot? It felt as if we were getting in the way and it definitely felt as if there were too many of us out there for anyone to be successful. We chatted with Gut Punch for a bit, watched as cars drove past, and decided that hitching on the road wasn't going to work. I told Nick we should try to network with people at the resort - maybe (probably) we'd have better luck that way.
We meandered around the resort (being outside felt so good!) and eventually bumped into three older women. I smiled at them and asked how their day was, they smiled back and said it was lovely, and during the course of our natural conversation they offered to give us a ride to Hope, which was wonderful because I didn't have to ask (asking always makes me feel awkward).
Monica, Karen, and Leona said they'd be back in an hour to get us (they wanted to go for a quick hike first), so I enjoyed being outside while Nick used the computer in the hotel lobby to purchase bus tickets from Hope to Vancouver. The two girls who had been trying to hitch on the road also found a ride by networking, leaving the road solely to Gut Punch, who I believe eventually got himself a ride because he wasn't there when we rode past his spot in Karen's car.
Riding in the car with Monica, Karen, and Leona was an interesting, comical experience. They are three feisty sisters that still bicker jovially. It was also hot and stuffy and a little cramped in the small car (I'm not complaining as it was a free ride and they were unbelievably kind to us, I'm just stating facts) so the 50 minute ride to Hope felt a little long. Getting to Hope and finally getting out of the car into fresh air felt great.
Karen, Leona, and Monica - our last hitch!
We had about an hour in Hope before the bus was due to arrive, so we spent some of it in a local bar next to the bus stop and then, when we got hungry (geez, I didn't even do anything today, how can I be so hungry?), we walked across the street to a bakery. This bakery wasn't nearly as spectacular as the bakery in Stehekin - I doubt any bakery will ever live up to the one in Stehekin - but we bought some cookies and other treats for the bus (I can't believe I'm still eating this junk!).
Nick enjoying one of his bakery treats
The bus ride from Hope to Vancouver wasn't horrible but it seemed to take forever and when we finally got to Vancouver it was dark. We found our way to the backpackers hostel, though, and then explored the town a little by walking 30 minutes to a grocery store. It felt exactly like it did when I was backpacking in Europe with Candee. :)
I like hostels. I like how friendly people are and how we seemed to fit right in. We splurged for a private room with a bunkbed. I'm sleeping on the top bunk and the frame isn't as solid as I would like (it's pretty squeaky and shaky), but the mattress is comfy and there are clean sheets so I'm going to be just fine.
the shared refrigerator was a little full and messy, so we kept our milk cold by placing it outside on the windowsill
October 6, 2016
The first thing we did this morning was make our way to Starbucks for some coffee and wifi to better figure out our next steps (not having cell service is a little inconvenient). We formulated a loose plan for the next week and then hastily booked an Airbnb for the next two days in Vancouver. I hoped to check in to the apartment we rented right away, where I planned to rest and relax; Alas, the people we rented from were at the airport about to fly to Montreal and their friend couldn't meet us with the key until 1700.
No worries. We chatted with some nice people in Starbucks and one lady even took the time to recommend a few places to visit in Vancouver. Despite my aching feet, Nick and I ended up walking to Granville Island, where we had a great time exploring the market.
After a while my feet started to really bother me - I fear they are never going to feel normal again - so we found a brewery and sat there for a while to give my poor feet a rest. Once my feet stopped throbbing, we made our way back to the hostel, where we had stored our bags while exploring the town. On the way, Nick saw a sign for a chicken waffle sandwich, which he ended up purchasing and eating (definitely not my thing - I still have SOME standards). ;)
With our packs on our backs and my feet screaming for some rest, we walked to the rental. We were there at 1640, well before we were supposed to meet the hosts' friend at 1700. By 1715 we had yet to see the friend and were getting worried that something had gone awry. Since we didn't have cell service I wasn't sure if they were trying to contact us or not, so I walked 15 minutes back to a coffee shop (in the rain), where I was able to connect to wifi and get some messages out. I waited in vain for a response until 1750 and then hoofed it back to the rental (in the rain), as I had promised Nick I'd be back by 1800. Still no sign of anyone. Nick was NOT happy. We decided to leave and find some other accommodations, so we walked back to the coffee shop area (in the rain) where I had noticed a motel.
Wanting to give our hosts one last chance, I ducked back into the coffee shop to see if perhaps they had responded to my message. They had. They said their friend was there now and were a little confused as to why we hadn't connected with him already. They thought we perhaps had been at the wrong location. We hadn't.
Nick DID NOT want to walk back to the rental in the rain. He was pretty upset and wanted to cancel. I was a little more understanding and wanted to give our hosts a chance - maybe their friend messed up? (Nick said that even so, it was still their fault for involving someone unreliable.)
We walked back to the rental, Nick fuming the entire way. I crossed my fingers and hoped their friend, Blake, would be there. He was. He was very apologetic and had a very long story about how he lost the keys to the apartment (oh no!), how he spent his entire afternoon looking for the lost keys (how unfortunate), how he was supposed to clean the apartment but didn't have time to do so (um... What?!?), how he was sorry (me, too), how he tried to contact us (I didn't have service), how this sort of thing has never happened before (I doubt that), how he feels horrible...
I was nice about it - I mean, really, I get it. Blake meant well. He's a decent fellow who just doesn't quite have it all together. Our hosts meant well, too. Sure, they are illegally renting out their apartment while they are away in Montreal (we learned that when explaining to other residents why we were hanging around in front of the apartment). Sure, there were dirty dishes in the sink and clothes strewn about. But I'm guessing they are decent people who are probably new to the whole Airbnb thing and who probably shouldn't have placed so much trust in Blake.
It IS a cute, cozy apartment in a seemingly really nice part of town. I have no idea if our hosts left the dirty dishes in the sink or if it was Blake. Maybe Blake dirtied the kitchen floor, too? At least we have brand new towels to use. There is also a brand new duvet cover sitting in the living room - Blake was supposed to put that on the bed but, well, you see he had lost the keys to the apartment....
After Blake left, I managed to calm Nick down with reason. I think this place is fine. Nick left to get supplies for dinner (tacos and margaritas!) while I did the dishes and tidied up the place a little. Nick was in a much better mood after dinner and a few drinks. Since there is no TV or wifi at this place (which I both love and hate), we played a game of chess. I lost, of course - I always lose. I really suck at chess.
October 7, 2016
The bed, although just a mattress on the floor, was pretty comfortable. I didn't bother to put the new duvet cover on, though - whatever feeling of luxury the hosts were trying to convey via the duvet cover was lost when I washed their dirty dishes. Besides, maybe they can return it now.
I sort-of slept in, although I could have slept all day. Nick left to get a SIM card for his phone while I perused our hosts' bookshelves. I found a book to read - Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle - and made myself comfortable on the couch. I haven't read a book since before the trip and it was wonderful just to sit there and get lost in a story.
When Nick returned he was anxious to do something or go somewhere. I could have stayed in the apartment all day - I'm just not feeling right and my feet are really messed up. But, well, we ARE in Vancouver so I suppose I SHOULD get out there and explore.
We ended up going to the Vancouver Aquarium (because Nick can't help himself), which was, surprisingly, pretty decent. On the way back from our outing we passed a running store, which filled me with joy because I love running stores and I really needed new shoes. I tried on all sorts of shoes, per usual, but ended up with my old standby, the Brooks Ghost. My feet must be really swollen, though, because I couldn't fit in my usual size 10s and had to get 10.5s. I hope to be running in them soon, although maybe I should wait until I can at walk more than a mile without my feet protesting in pain.
Vancouver