The food is not the point of visiting the Lake Agnes Tea House.



The chocolate chip cookie was $3.50, and it was just a hard sugary biscuit with chocolate chips. I probably could have made a better cookie. There was tea that cost $7.00 for a small teapot that served 2 cups. The tomato lentil soup came with a few slices of home made bread, and it was quite hearty and filling for a vegetable soup, but it was still $9.







The reasons to stop here for a bite and visit again and again:

• to warm up after the hour of hiking up from Lake Louise
• to enjoy the feeling of dining in the middle of nowhere
• to experience living in the 1900s (this was approximately when the tea house started, and they don’t have electricity at all)
• for the adventure
• for the views!!!

It was bustling when we arrived around 1PM, and the crowds continued to come up, despite the icy trail. If the trail was clear, it would have been a very easy hike. The weather had suddenly turned cold this week, and snow already covered the ground, even though it’s only September. I think the snow actually makes the lake look even more magical, but it does get slippery. I would plan ahead for at least 4 to 5 hours round trip from the trail head, just to make sure there’s enough time to explore and enjoy the whole lake.

Back to the desk job today. Where did summer go?

After 10 minutes of driving from the beach (it probably wouldn’t take more than an hour to drive around the entire island), we reached Vesuvius. We didn’t know the name of the restaurant, but from the institutions in the “town”, Seaside Restaurant was probably the only place to grab a bite. Oysters, fish and chips (halibut), and clam chowder:



Tasted extra good, after all the fails with the clams. The chowder had huge chunks of clam, the fish was fresh and had good meat to batter ratio, and we were ready to keep going. For a little place on a tiny island, the food was better than good. If they set up shop on the mainland, I might go again, but it’s still not worth the 3 hour ferry ride.



1:00PM: Mt. Erskine

Trail is a bit steep, but the fairy doors are worth it.

More info on this trail: https://saltspringmarket.com/hiking-on-salt-spring-island/mt-erskine-from-juniper/

Side note: S8 came out today. I dropped my S7 from the seat of H’s 4Runner (now known as Big Bertha), while I was getting out of the car, and it tumbled to hard cement ground. A couple side scratches, no cracks. Faith restored in Samsung.


Return to Day 1 on Salt Spring
Go to Day 2 on Salt Spring

Met up with P and S after class yesterday. Pasta Tuesday at Trattoria was conveniently located close to all of us, and we had the happy hour menu as ell as the $12 pizzas! Score.

I had the fusili lunghi + meatballs on the side. We shared the Sicilian pizza, and P had the pasta with the short rib (next to the pizza). S had the one with the seafood and a meatball. Man, we eat a lot.

I think P made the best choice, the short rib was so flavorful! The pizza crust was sort of too thick, and the cheese wasn’t melted properly. Not the best service, it sort of felt like we were being rushed out, but it was pretty good overall for what we paid.

 

Today, International Women’s Day, marked by Trudeau’s announcement of $650 million being invested in reproductive health and rights around the world. I took the day off to go exploring. Found a green puddle. It was a good day.

We walked past Alder Flats a bit to get a nicer view for lunch:

This was a very clearly marked trail with challenging spurts of elevation that were short. Good for the beginning hiker! Not too crowded yet, which I really appreciate for the peace and quiet. There were quite 2 rewarding view points (see above and below). It’s amazing what hiking with friends and a good meal can do for you.

I’m a bit giddy off 3 glasses of red wine tonight.

I’m going to start yoga again tomorrow, for 7 days consecutively.

Gold Creek viewpoint:


Halfway:

Follow the Vancouver Trails instructions to get to the head of the West Canyon trail: https://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/golden-ears/

Feelings are supposed to be irrelevant – John Oliver on Donald Trump and the Republican National Convention

Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookie and Iced Latte:

Turkey sandwich and iced Americano with milk (and C’s hat):

All very delicious, just what I needed on a hot summer afternoon, post Pokemon walk. The cookie was not the soft kinds I usually bake, so I don’t think I’d get it again except in a pinch. Don’t take it the wrong way, I liked it a lot, but not enough to want to try baking it on my own. Definitely heading back for that iced latte – SO SMOOTH.

Sometimes, it’s hard to understand why people do things, especially at the end of the day when we’re all exhausted. I wish the explanation for all inexplicable behavior could be a brain infection, but that only happens for some lucky friends of mine. I’m just glad to know that there are amazing places like Lindeman Lake out in the wild, and Platform 7 in the middle of the city for us lost souls to visit and try to find ourselves.

To re-inspire myself, I’m making a list of things that inspire me (in no particular order):

1. Food, particularly pizza.

After hot dogs, we went to find Glymur, the second tallest waterfall in Iceland (it used to be the tallest until a taller one formed on Morsárjökull). We got lost along the way, which stressed me out, but in the end, we made found the sign that we were supposed to turn at:

…we found the sign behind the gate at the head of the trail…

 

…we found the other little signs pointing towards Glymur…

…going down the steps…

…sitting on a precipice (can you spot T?)…

…going into the dark and heading back into the light…

…crossed the log bridge that actually is not available in the winter to discourage the faint of heart…

…up the rock steps…

…found it!

And here’s the view with your back facing the waterwall. I find this a bit more fascinating:

Then, be greeted by animals all the way home:

We tried this licorice chocolate that I got for half price because it was expired at the tourist trap that we visited:


Pretty fucking gross. End of Day 2.

I just want to go back to this…

Might as well just eat.

Look at all that butter. @Happy Date Bakery & Restaurant. Maybe I don’t exercise enough to have this, but we’re all going to die one day, and I’d rather eat this and be happy than deprive myself of all that fluffy bread with butter.

Reasons why I cannot sleep:

1. SimCity BuildIt is keeping me awake.
2. I dread transiting to work, but how else am I going to save some money?
3. Too much coffee today to stay awake.
4. Just not ready to sleep yet.

Waking up at 6AM tomorrow to bus to work when I could be riding comfortably in my Veloster. (Maybe not that comfortably, I get pretty nervous when I’m driving these days, probably because of all the previous accidents). It’ll be my first time using the monthly pass on the Compass card. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Didn’t make it all the way up to Tin Hat Hut. We were about halfway there, but a series of unfortunate (preventable) events occurred.

First, we were late for the ferry. Then, we didn’t have enough gas, because there wasn’t enough time.

We took the Dixon Road, as described here: http://www.clubtread.com/routes/Route.aspx?Route=998

Veloster Turbo cannot handle gravel roads… I was clenching my hands and starting to sweat. Some websites advertise 1 hour drive to get to the trail head, but I suppose, not in a low vehicle.

The first wooden sign along the road:

A 4x4 pickup drove by just before we reached this sign – the driver was laughing.

This was the sign where we decided to turn back (about halfway there):

The drive along the logging road isn’t very nice, no views, logging trucks rumbling by, and rough, jagged terrain.

After turning back, we tried to hit up the SCT via another route… Rainy Day Lake was the destination. We made it to here:

Again, bumpy gravel road that the Veloster could not handle. We gave it a good try, but we had to turn back. Ended up on an empty camp ground, sleeping in the car after a dinner of Mountain House Macaroni and Cheese:

This was quite delicious and extremely simple to make – add water and mix. Lots of cheesy flavour (cheese addiction is a real thing, if you haven’t heard already). I would get this again.  8/10.

Here are some other links to Tin Hat that I found:

http://sunshinecoasttrail.com/tinhat.html

http://www.clubtread.com/routes/Route.aspx?Route=998

http://www.sunshinecoastcanada.com/blog/232-52-weeks-of-trails-week-50

 

I bought the Sunshine Coast Trail Hut-To-Hut Hiking book. All set for next year. BETTER WATCH OUT.

We hiked to Skookumchuk Narrows, and passed by Brown Lake:

We went to both North Point and Roland Point. Roland Point has a closer view of the rapids and kayakers were using this spot to enter the water:

These rapids only occur at certain times, when the tides are right (there’s a tidal schedule somewhere on the Internet).

You probably can’t tell what’s in the titanium pot on the right (H bought this pot for $70. SUPER lightweight), but we had instant noodles in there. Sardines to top off the noodles.

H was covered in sweat during this hike, possibly because he wore his Patagonia down puffer jacket the whole way. It was an easy hike.

Here a few places to look for hikes along the Sunshine Coast:

http://www.sunshine-coast-trails.com/

http://penderharbour.org/Recreation/Trails/trails.html

http://www.sunshinecoast-trail.com/

http://www.sunshinecoastcanada.com/hidden-gems/sunshine-coast-trail

 

We went to pick up groceries at the IGA at Madeira Park afterwards for dinner:

Cedar Creek wine, tortellini, spinach, pepperoni sticks, and crushed up Ruffle cheese chips.

We still had not yet discovered a good coffee place. Coffee on the coast is watery and not effective. Will bring my own next time.

Beautiful day for a drive and a hike, and H & I wanted to take the new Veloster up on the highway, so we decided to hit up Joffre Lake yesterday. I came here last year with L & A: http://luwesa.blogspot.ca/2014/06/joffre-lakes.html 

The lower lake was amazing (the Veloster was amazing too. I really missed it.):

Traffic heading up the Upper Levels highway was horrid, we were side tracked by the Squamish farmer’s market, and there was construction along the Duffy Lake Road, so by the time we arrived at the lake, it was already about 3:30PM. Not enough time to go up and come down before dark. We ate our snacks by the parking lot and left. Harrison brought Astronaut ice cream by Mountain House that came with his Cairn box a while back:

Tasted like real ice cream, but the texture was stickier and well… dry, ‘cause that’s essentially what it was.

Nice day on the water, back in August:

Rented out double fibre glass kayaks from MEC for a day when H’s HK friend came to visit. About $60 for one, including paddles, life jackets, and all the other gear (rates found here). Compared to renting at Deep Cove, it was much more cost effective.

The only thing was we had to figure out how to transport it from the MEC in North Vancouver to the waters of Deep Cove. They gave us hooks and straps, and we somehow drove the boats back to my house to store for a night on H’s Kia Soul. It was a bitch to carry and load, but overall, worth it. Would do again.

Cookie day at work today, check out the oil in this thing:

 

I’m so tired. I can’t wait to get outdoor.