If I didn’t say we were hunting, this would have been a truly idyllic fun weekend. Hunting weekends are only the ‘best’ when you shoot some game. I didn’t see or shoot anything alive. I did have a great time shooting a perfect little pattern on a hundred yard target with the Winchester 300 Short win mag. It makes a big boom even with my ear protection on.
Laura and I left Friday afternoon from Vancouver driving my F350 white Ford pick up with the crew cab full of gear. I really didn’t need the chain saw. Gilbert, the intrepid blind cockapoo sat on the front seat between Laura and me. We listened to an audio tape on the way up the glorious Sea to Sky Highway. Sunshine and great views of Howe Sound. Blue sky and wonderful cloud formations.
In Britannia we stopped at Mountain Woman’s fish and chips. I love her fish and chips. A rainbow greeted us there pointing us north. Again we said we’d have to take the Britannia mine tour. Everyone says how they love it. One of these years.
On ward and upward, we passed Whistler and Blackomb before arriving a half hour or so later in Pemberton where the really cool kids go.
I’d made reservations at the incredible Pemberton Valley Lodge. It was as terrific as it’s always been. I’ve been coming up for decades. Gilbert first came here when he was only a few months old more than 8 years ago. More than a decade back Laura and I came through a couple of times on the Harley Roadster . Vancouver to Pemeber on the Sea To Sky Highway then Duffy Lake Road to Lillooet then down the Coquahalla back to Vancouver is one of the greatest circle routes passing through some of best views and terrains BC has to offer. When my parents first came out to visit me in the 80’s thats’ the 3 day trip I took them on. Later I loved it best on motorcycle.
At the Pemberton Valley Lodge I have always loved the underground parking for motorcycles, cars and trucks. They even have bikes for guests. The rooms are spacious but cozy, the decor, elegant. The service is the finest. I love the hot tub and pool and the snow capped mountain views. with some They even showcase great local art.
My favourites 5 star elegant country places near Vancouver are Chateau Whistler, the Harrison Hotspring and Spa, , the Princeton Castle and Pemberton Valley Lodge. “I love it here, “ Laura exclaimed as she settled down on the comfy couch.
I headed out to the woods for the night hunt finding a perfect moosey area up the Duffy Lake Road in hunting zone 3 where spike fork were legal. In zone 2 where Pemberton is moose are off the books but instead of the 4 point buck requirement of zone 3, any buck is fair game. That evening I was hoping for a moose and enjoyed an hour and half hike and stalk, Tai Chiing along the back wood trails ,remembering times I’d thus creeped up on elk and deer getting within a hands reach, startling them something fierce when I said “boo”. But no moose, no bear, and no 4 point buck was out this evening.. But a truly serene and beautiful evening in the forest it was. . The air was sweet and after a hectic work week I found a touch of peace and even a moment of joy.
On the way home, I picked up some great Back Country Pizza, a must when in Pemberton. I also stopped at the fabulous Pemberton Valley Supermarket. By the available selection you can tell Pemberton is an upscale tourist destination. They had my favourite lime drinks and Laura’s favourite herb triscuits. They even had Hagen Daz Ice Cream.
Laura doesn’t mind when I don’t return with a dead animal just so long as I bring her something to eat. So she was happy. Gilbert got meat bit treats off the pizza. Laura and I watched Hawaii 5 0 and NCIS on the big screen cable tv. I swallowed several Robaxisal tablets. Binge exercise after a week of desk life upsets my body causing it to groan.
I woke to the alarm in the dark. I dressed warm for hunting. Hauling rifles and ammo back to the truck I enjoyed looking up through the layer of clouds. In a break I saw a few remaining stars. . Fog was low as well. All day it would drizzle. I stopped at the MacDonalds in the gas station. It was still dark as I drove up the valley munching on egg mcsausage and hash browns. I had a thermos full of the best MacDonalds coffee. I stopped to take a couple of pictures of the spectacular fog. Then it was pot hole road slow driving. Still dark. I headed up to Gold River.
In the snow and sleet and ice only a couple of years ago without traction I’d been unable to ascend I’d stopped and tried to get the winch out only to have the cable break, I was with Tom and the truck was without the emergency brake for a moment, beginning to slide back down the mountain angling towards the shear cliff. Without thinking, I ran after it, pulled the door open and jumped in the cab, slamming on the emergency brake. It held. Then with Tom’s help I backed it down the hill with one half the tires in the mountain side ditch and the other on the icy road. Scarey stuff. This day it was absolutely innocuous by comparison.
At the top I passed where Laura and I another year had begun to slide off this road because of ice, choosing to turn around rather than going through. . Not a place to go off the road. I’ve shot deer up here though. I’ve seen bear. I remembered lying in a sleeping bag with a beautiful young nurse waiting for dawn light to come up to hunt. I shot blue grouse up here too. Another time I tracked deer in the snow along the ridge all day climbing and hiking. Now I’m older and stay close to the truck. I’ve done my years of packing out game on back boards.
The area around Gold Bridge really is moosey. Great swamps and old forest. This day, despite my waiting, no moose appeared. . No grouse either. I did get some pictures of Gold Bridges and the environs, I liked . The water is unforgettably blue there.
With the morning gone and me hardly able to walk because of the binge of exercise Friday night I was glad to get back to town. I dropped off my guns and picked up Laura and Gilbert. They’d been taking walks around the Lodge. Theres’ a great trail along the river that goes for miles and a perfect dog place with poop bag dispenser. In the room they had a water bowl and food bowl for Gilbert along with treats and a great pillow bed he loved.
I needed new jeans. I’d ripped the crotch in my old ones doing the splits jumping across a stream. I feel fat. It’s unfair. I am fat.
Pemberton General Store is one of those really really really incredible places. It has everything in no particular order. I’ve bought many things there over the years as it caters to all the Pemberton crowd. Great men’s work wear. Lots of Stan field long Johns. Leather goods. Pemberton Valley is a famous farming valley reknowned for the tasty Pemberton potatoes. It’s also very equestrian with rodeo and western horse riding throughout. So the clothing is the real thing.
I used to come up to Pemberton for riding in Mount Currie. I ’d done Man from Snowy River down a mountainside following my friend, Wayne Andrews, the former world champion aboriginal rodeo rider, A truly wise and great man.
The Pemberton General Store caters to the riding community, the farming community, the work community, the cyclists, the motorcyclists, the hikers and climbers and passing through tourists. The very best of cowboy boots and ladies boots. Lots of Millworks brand. Also ‘tourist’ stuff, toys, and trinkets and kids stuff and kind of a western store in the mixed up Asian market ordering system.
I found the perfect wool pants with a tear proof crotch and some waist room. I’ve been looking for slip on boots for riding my KTM 690 enduro and sure enough I found just right Australian boots . Laura loved the ladies boots, a short version of the tall lace up boots I bought her in Milan. “Now I’ve bought you boots in Milan , New York and Pemberton.” I said. Laura loves her boots and shoes.
Back at the lodge I loved the hot tub and more Robaxisal. Somehow I dragged my weariness out to the truck with my rifle. I drove back up the valley to a logging road that thankfully became too iffy with washouts for my beloved truck. I turned around and headed for the Pemberton Valley Supermarket. “I shot a barbecued chicken in the supermarket but have to pay for the rotisserie” I told Laura. I had potato and bean salad and fresh buns. A feast. Lime drinks and Hagen daz ice cream bars. Too decadent. Death in Paradise on TV. . A late night hot tub and a great night early to bed. Silly day light savings was about to begin. I’d decided against a morning hunt. Gilbert woke at the same time. So had a wake up hot tub experience and swam a dozen laps before Keurig coffee.
We thanked the perfect staff. “They’re so European, “ Laura said, “Not a bit intrusive, always friendly and always ready to be helpful.” We both remarked on how quiet our rooms were, the sound proofing such we never heard anyone in halls though we’d meets guest coming and going in the lobby.
The Sea to Sky Highway was particularly beautiful coming home. Howe Sound was perfectly flat, more like a skating rink than the ocean. . I’d sailed it in all conditions and loved motor sailing under auto pilot on days like this. “I remember when I was learning heaving too and would come out in Howe Sound when it was blowing 40 and 50 knots to test this weird sail arrangement ,” I reminisced with Laura. I found that true enough I held my own in the high winds though when I was actually faced with hurricane winds I chose bare poles. When I could I ran ahead of the hurricane so I could hide up the Columbia River another time.
Lots of good memories along the coast. Black diamond skiing Whistler. Wreck Scuba Diving Porteau Cove All the motorcycle trips up to Squamish and back.
It was only early afternoon when we arrived home in Vancouver. Laura loaded up her Smart Car and headed back to the West End. I left Gilbert to snooze after his adventure and hopped on the KTM for a spin around New Westminster. Sunny days are to be cherished now before the rainy season descends completely .
A perfect weekend. Great company. Great lodge. Swimming. Hot tub. Hiking and 4x 4 ing. Great photography opportunities. I loved target practicing. Then hiking and meditating in the woods. Great tv. and great pizza. Great shopping. A perfect weekend.
Who was hunting? Not me.
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