Alberta

The Drive of a 1000 Vistas

Our journey back towards Vancouver continues … albeit a little delayed… Callum had borrowed the car keys and we couldn’t find them for love or money! It turned out that they were on the car roof! 😂 Today, Clearwater to Whistler. 😊

By popular demand we started the journey with a stopover! Back to Dutchlake Beach…for swimming and diving in the lake!

After an hour or so we took on the Trans-Canadian Highway again … leaving Clearwater for Whistler. The longest journey for us but ,without a doubt, the journey of a 1000 vistas! With the Rockies behind us, the undulating mountains replaced angular peaks… we climbed and climbed, the most spectacular of mountain passes…

For two or three hours there was no signal … but plenty of avalanche warnings and some wheel-buckling pot holes…The terrain changes before your eyes and as we moved from the Trans-Canadian to Highway 99 – The Sea to Sky Highway, it changed again … lush green and probably the most spectacular of our drives yet…

A picture postcard brown bear was spotted on the roadside – but we weren’t quick enough to get a photo!

We pulled over at a stunning spot, L’il Wat, a First Nations territory of the St’at’inc people. The villagers still teach in their native language and the traditions of their heritage are proudly upheld…

The river was aptly called Teq which translates to ‘stuck in the way’… this refers to a stunning part of the river where driftwood has piled up forming a floating bridge from one side of the river to the foot of the mountain on the other…

It took all of two minutes for Callum to be heading off for the opposite shore… and not much longer until the other two were following!

As I do every day I held my breath and hoped that their balance was considerably better than mine! The mountains at the end of the lake framed the lake perfectly… As we waved for the boys to return we soon realised that Jack had ‘lost his way’ on the logs and was unable to find a pathway back… much to the amusement of his brothers! When he finally returned to rounds of ‘happy Christmas’ we were back on our way!

We arrived in Whistler for 6pm… staying at the perfectly positioned Blackcomb Mountain Lodge. As you step out of the back door you are literally on central Whistler… and as we had arrived in the middle of Cranxworz 2019, the world’s biggest mountain bike festival we were immediately enveloped by 100rd upon hundreds of ridiculously hip and recklessly brave cyclists!

Watching them literally fly off the mountains, barely touching the soil was intoxicating!

Dinner done and all back at the lodge I decided to head out to the Olympic Plaza to the watch the outdoor screening of the Cranxworkz Outdoor Adventure Screening Festival. An outdoor version of the Banff Mountain Film Festival – and just as inspiring!

Looking forward to exploring more of Whistler tomorrow. 🏔

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Sacha Brakenbury

As mum to three sons (and auntie to ten!) Sacha is kept busy trying to keep the kids alive, safe, fed and watered. Having specialised in Child Psychology and Linguistics at the University of Reading, Sacha went on to complete her Postgraduate Certificate in Education before taking up her first teaching post as Head of Boys Sport and Year 6 teacher. After 6 years, Sacha was fortunate enough to awarded a travelling fellowship from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, enabling her to undertake an extensive research project overseas. Sacha has worked with some of the world's top professional sports and educational institutions across Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand - researching ways of engaging young people through the medium of sport and in particular how this can help to reduce drug use and gang membership. After returning to the UK Sacha became Education Director at Ipswich Town Football Club, leading in the government's 'Playing for Success' scheme. She went on to establish three highly respected Study Centres back in the East of England, each of which used sport as a means of motivating children and young people. After successfully completing her National Professional Qualification for Headship in Cambridge, Sacha went on to study for her Masters Degree in Education. With the arrival of her three sons, Sacha decided it was time to 'go it alone.' She set up her own business consultancy, supporting a range of charities and organisations across the UK. Securing funds in excess of £2 million pounds, Sacha was able to 'give wings' to a wide range of charitable causes close to her heart. She continues this today with work specifically for Child First Trust. It was her own kids that were the inspiration behind her establishing Learning Academies (www.learningacademies.co.uk) - a tutoring company that has the simple mission to motivate and encourage its students to become confident and assertive learners who are not afraid to 'take risks' and challenge themselves. As a passionate photographer, Sacha is never more at home than when she's travelling, camera in hand, boys in tow. As a qualified medic with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, she is able to combine her love the outdoors with her passion for wild animals.

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