Whistler, British Columbia 2009

Whistler 2009, originally uploaded by jomoma58.

Pictured: rock sculpture, top of Whistler Mountain. See more on my flickr site.

Part 2 of "My Awesome Summer Vacation" included a 3 day trip to Whister, British Columbia (Canada). My partner and I 'bit the bullet' and purchased the two expensive tickets to ride the chairlifts and gondolas of Whistler/Blackcomb mountains. It was the BEST money we've ever spent on an adventure! We had two glorious days of hiking (above tree line) and watching the die-hards ski and snowboard in July (yes, July!!). We were also able to ride the Peak 2 Peak gondola, a truly awesome feat of engineering that just opened last winter. It was mainly built to accommodate athletes and spectators for the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was a bit of a hair-raising ride for me, as the gondola crosses the tallest span of 'air' in the world! So what did I do? Ride it a second time of course! It was a bit easier the 2nd time across...

This is yet another activity that gets my creative juices flowing: spending time in high altitudes. (I grew up in the Colorado Rockies). I highly recommend visiting Whistler, B.C. before the Winter Olympic crowds start to gather. It's an amazing place!

Whistler, B. C. adventure...feeding the soul.

I've just returned from Whistler, British Columbia (Canada). What a feast for the soul! We stayed in the Upper Village–what a great location to be in! It feels 'far and away' from the crowds down in the main Village. My companion and I invested in the pricey ticket to have full access to all the chair lifts and gondolas on both Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb. It was well worth it!! We had two days of gondola and chair lift 'hopping', fantastic hiking trails and a 360 degree view (from the top of Whistler Mountain) of the Coastal Mountain Range. We were also able to visit the 2010 Olympic Nordic Center, and saw the newly constructed ski jumps, the competitive cross-country ski trails and the biathlon stadium. I felt so fortunate to be standing where the drama of the Winter Olympics will unfold in early 2010. And there was absolutely NOBODY there!! Pics to come soon (I know, I'm way behind on posting pictures). But believe me, being there makes one really contemplate the meaning of "dedication", no matter what the category...(art, parenting, writing, teaching, dance, volunteering, sports, etc.). More to come!