Canadian Vacation- eh?

I have been neglecting the blog but for good reason… I was on VACATION!!! It has been a very long time since I have had the opportunity to go on a real vacation (one that wasn’t centered around entertaining kids or racing).  So when my kids had the opportunity to spend a week with their cousins on a lake in Maine, I took advantage of the time and booked a vacation! After some deliberation it was decided we would go to Vancouver Canada.  It seemed like a good choice because it allowed me to use my new passport (I have never really traveled) but it wasn’t too far or too foreign.  Once the location was decided we also decided it would be the perfect opportunity to do some recon on the Ironman Canada course as it is looking like that might be my next full Ironman race (I will find out next week when I try to register).  So we packed up our bicycles and headed to Canada!

Bags and bikes ready to go!

For the first three nights we stayed in Downtown Vancouver (see first pic of the view from our room).  We hadn’t made a really firm plans and just enjoyed the city.  We spent time using the Ferry system to get around because we didn’t rent a car.  We did some shopping on Granville Island and drank as much coffee as we could!

View from the ferry ride

Coffee at the Argo Cafe

We managed to get in some exercise.  We ran around the Sea Wall, we had and amazing swim in a 150 yard pool over looking the water and mountains, and we fudged a bike ride with a two person bike paddle boat. (all the link are of the Garmin data for the workouts)

Kitsilano Swimming Pool

Bicycle built for two!

After out three nights in Vancouver we rented a car and drove out to the Okanogan Lake region to Kelowna to visit the one and only KelownaGurl and her husband.

Bags in car, lets go!

The drive out was beautiful!  I grew up around lakes and seeing all the water reminded me very much of my childhood…

Hopefully I will be going to Penticton next year!

Bridge over Okanogan Lake into Kelowna

We went out the next day and drove and rode the Ironman Canada bike course, after getting my toes wet at the swim start for the Ironman.

Water temp was perfect!

View of the Ironman Canada ride

Of course I got a flat just out of Richter Pass but luckily someone took some pitty on me and helped me change it!

Walking my bike to a better spot to change the flat

I promise I will change the next one!

We managed to ride the “hilly bits” to see what the most challenging parts of the course would be.  The climb up to Yellow Lake will be tough on race day but otherwise it was an amazing place to ride and I can’t wait to do this course!

The next day we did a very cool open water swim in Okanogan Lake.  There was a great 800 meter  loop set up with buoys in the water.  Water was cool at first but then it felt great!  We did a quick run along the lake to finish out the double for the day then got some serious recovery fluids by way of chocolate milk and Slurpees!

That day we packed up the bikes and headed back to Vancouver and flew home the next day.  It was a fabulous vacation and I can’t wait to visit again.  Barb and Eric were amazing hosts and the whole trip couldn’t have been more special!