Getting To Know Me

In 1979 Ron and I decided it was time for a change and a move.

We picked Vancouver, British Columbia as the destination and the place to settle.

So in July of that year, after we had sold/gave away everything we owned

except for a camper van and our bicycles, we headed west.

We wanted to get to B.C by late August, so we had plenty of time.

Here are only a few photos of the trip out and after we settled.

Once on the west coast we wanted to bike the coastal route (parts of Washington, 

Oregon and into California) as much as we could.

We would park the van somewhere safe and head down the coast a ways.

Our friend Stephen was with us (we arranged to meet him in Alberta)

..... thus the third bike in the photo.

This was my first trip to the Rockies and I remember this day so well.

This was in Banff, Alberta and it was COLD up there!

Having lived all of my life at 'sea-level' I remember the 

adjustment to the altitude.

The above photo was Christmas 1979 in Vancouver.

We had found a 'flat' in the Kitsilano area near the city beaches.

This was our first Christmas away from Nova Scotia.

Oh, the cat on the right is Polo. She was the most wonderful cat.

She was shipped out after we were settled in.

Here we are on Kitsilano Beach with our then dog, Regan, an Afghan Hound 

who was shipped out along with Polo. They were inseparable. 

In the background is downtown Vancouver.

We felt we were in heaven. And in a lot of respects we were.

The west coast is quite different from the east coast in Canada.

Neither is better in any way while each has its own distinct identity

and way of life.

Living here for two years was exactly what we needed at the time.

We returned 'home' feeling renewed and ready to 'put down roots'.