After spending yesterday on last minute shopping we spent the night at the Cedars RV Park in Ferndale Washington, about 25 miles south of the Blaine border crossing. Jeff was up late talking to RV Forum friend Ron Ruward as Ron got permission from HughesNet to switch our Datastorm Internet Satellite from AMC 9(83W) to Horizons 1 (127W). 127W provides coverage up through Canada and Alaska which will be especially important as Verizon has dropped package cell service to Canada and each roaming minute is .69 cents! We will use our computer Skype phone as we did in Mexico to keep in touch until we reach cell service in Alaska.We crossed into Canada at the truck crossing without incident at 10:30AM; no lines, a couple of very pleasant questions by the Canada Customs officer and we were on our way. We did stop in Vancouver for a couple of last minute purchases and then drove our first scenic drive of the trip up the coast to Squamish, BC and then into the mountains to Whistler.
We visited Whistler five years ago and at that time Canada had started construction on Route 99 in hopes of hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics, the second time Whistler would do so. Five years later the Olympic dream has come true and construction is going full steam ahead as they turn a winding 2 lane coastal highway into four lanes to handle the anticipated traffic in 2010.
The drive up Howe Sound from Horseshoe Bay on the west end of North Vancouver to Squamish is twenty five miles of still waters surrounded by mountains rising up out of the sea. It takes concentration to keep your attention on the winding road and construction when around each bend is another breathtaking view of the Sound!
As you leave Squamish the road starts rising to the mountains surrounding Whistler. In an instant the "Sea to Sky Highway" changes the scenery from sea to mountain. Islands are replaced with heavily forested hills and rock faces as you climb the Coastal Mountains. Large lakes and waterfalls take the place of the waters of the Pacific.
We arrived in Whistler around four this afternoon, got set up and settled in for our week stay. We did some exploring in anticipation of the arrival tomorrow of Jami, Dan, Emily, and Kate from Hawaii. Sunday Laurie, Roger, Payton, and Ella will drive up from Seattle after catching an early flight out of Chicago.
