Mile 3937

Today we complete our vehicle park and fetch Matthias' bike at Eagle Rider at the other side of town.  Since there is the RBC "Gran Fondo" bicycle road race from Vancouver, BC to Whistler, BC today, totally unknown to us, there are many road closures on our way.

Not to be affected too much by that, we decide to visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge.  After fighting our way through town again, we arrive at the park and park our bikes for $8.00 each.  This is the cheap portion off the visit, as the ticket booth is asking for $65.95 per person to visit the park.  We look at each other and decide we will not support this ripp-off and change our plan to visit the Lighthouse Park at the Marina Bay.

At the Lighthouse Park we park our bikes and take a stroll to the lighthouse to get an early afternoon hazy view of Vancouver and Stanley Park, and learn a little about the lighthouse and their keepers.

Secure footing is required at the Lighthouse Park for heavy motorcycles

The Lighthouse

After a very good lunch at JJ's Kitchen on Marine Drive in West Vancouver, BC we go onto Hwy-99 to Whistler, BC.  It is a relatively short ride along the bay and the gentle up and down of this twisty road would certainly justify more pull out locations to enjoy the nice views,  There are still some cyclists on the road from the Gran Fondo race, some going on their last grains of energy or already have given up and waiting for someone to collect them, but the lane restrictions and detours don't make it easy on us neither  to find to our destination for today.  We arrive at our hotel drenched in sweat getting our bikes there, and are more than happy when they are securely parked in the garage.  

Whistler has changed a lot since my last visit almost 20 years ago, and the 2010 Olympics have certainly created a whole new town.  It has become a vibrant tourist and vacation /  summer outdoor adventure / winter ski resort destination, something which keeps you entertained and engaged all year round.

All in all this was a very interesting day, and certainly a learning experience in the basics of tourism industry.

"The thing about tourism is that the reality of a place is quite different than the mythology of it." - Martin Parr, British documentary photographer