In Vancouver, safe and sound

May 26, 2009

This entry is going to be short because it's been a long day and I'm about to crash. I am currently sitting on my bed in a hostel in downtown Vancouver, after waking up this morning at 6:30 EST, driving to New York City, and flying to Vancouver with a layover in Toronto. We got to see a nice view of Manhattan, as we flew directly above it (especially since I had the window seat on the correct side). My flight from Toronto to Vancouver was unexpectedly cancelled after we had already boarded and prepared ourselves to take off because of a mechanical failure. Luckily for us, there was a plane that landed ten minutes after we had deplaned that was identical to the one in which we were about to fly. We ended up leaving two and a half hours after our initial scheduled departure. The flight, for whatever reason, seemed extremely long. Perhaps because Canada is HUGE (and seemingly has no people outside the major cities). I must say, though, that it is incredibly beautiful. Before even touching ground, I gained a new appreciation for our neighbors to the north and the land which they inhabit. When flying over the Rocky Mountains capped with snow, all I could think about was wanting to get off the plane and explore the mountains. The descent into Vancouver, four and a half hours after taking off, was absolutely magnificent. The city of Vancouver itself looks miniscule and contained when compared with the majestic mountains and wide ocean surrounding it. 

My exhaustion is starting to hit, so I ought to give in for the night. It's almost 11:00 PST, or 2:00 EST! Tomorrow's itinerary includes nothing but retrieving and building my bike. How that will happen exactly, I don't really know, but I trust that it will all work out in the end. After all, the tour doesn't start until Sunday!

May 27, 2009

Somehow I made it through the day today, though I'm honestly not quite sure how. Rather than having Shawn's mother drive me to the USA/Canada border to get Stella like we had talked about, Cody, another Global AFC rider from the border town of White Rock, BC, offered to walk over the border with me. He even offered to help me build up Stella again--something I was not prepared to do by myself. Not realizing until it was almost too late that buses only accept coins, I barely made the 9:42 bus this morning, running in front of it to make sure it wouldn't leave without me (*take note). The $5 CAD fare took me all the way to White Rock and lasted about an hour. Cody met me at the bus stop, and we proceeded to the border by way of his house for breakfast (for him--I had just eaten at the hostel). In the ensuing seven hours, I feel as though we got to know each other quite well. 

I had my doubts that we would be able to get Stella back without complication. Since I am notoriously bad at lying, we each decided to plainly tell both the US and Canadian customs officers exactly what we were doing. That way, when they asked us any follow-up questions, we would not be scrambling for an answer. That decision is one that I do not regret. Walking over the border itself was a bit awkward. First off, it is not clear where the border actually is. There is no fence, but there is an area that appears to be between both countries in which people from both Canada and the US may visit without permission. The is a small obelisk, about three feet tall, that marks the border, but it is unobtrusive compared to the Peace Arch. We strolled under the Peace Arch that was inscribed on the bottom, "May these gates never be closed" and proceeded to US customs. After receiving approval to cross, it was not clear where we were supposed to go. There was no sidewalk or obvious pedestrian path, so we opted to cut through the construction until we eventually found a sidewalk. Blaine Mailboxes Plus is less than half a mile from the actual border--conveniently located indeed. Never did I imagine that I'd be taking the bus and walking there, but it all worked out just fine. 

My bike came in two boxes, the frame and handlebars in one, the wheels in the other, after being repacked by Chase at the FedEx store. Amazing guy, perhaps I'll mention him again later. I certainly would not have known  some of the more subtle nuances of building a bike, but Cody was quite adept at it. I certainly picked up a few things that will be helpful to know later--perhaps even later this summer. Stella was completely put back together in under two hours, and then I took her for a test drive down the street. In addition to the front fender being loose, the fork had quite a lot of extra play in it, which was particularly evident while braking. Cody recommended that I do not ride it back to downtown Vancouver like I was planning on doing, as it would be risky for not only me, but also the bike. And apparently forks are not easy to replace (particularly on a bike that is sold out for the year...). I ended up catching the bus, putting my bike on the front rack, but not before Cody made one of the meanest burgers I've had outside of a restaurant, complete with an egg, bacon, barbecue sauce, cheese, lettuce, onion, and a huge hunk of meat. 

As I had never before put a bike of mine onto a bus, I perpetually reminded myself throughout the entire trip to not forget Stella. Well, my stop came sooner than I remembered it to be, and I instinctively got off the bus at the front, making a point to thank the driver. No sooner had the bus pulled away than I realized that my worst fear had just come true: I forgot Stella!! Frustrated, scared, and on the verge of tears, the pursuit began. Luckily for me, I had only my camelbak and my helmet the carry, not all of my belongings. At some points I was actually ahead of the bus, but I didn't think he would stop anywhere other than an official bus stop. Also fortunately, since the bus made several turns, I was able to always keep it in sight. Finally, when the bus stopped momentarily, I found a gap in the cars going across Burrard Street and ran in front of the bus to make sure he would stay (*sound familiar?). I quickly petitioned the driver about my situation and grabbed Stella, not even waiting for his response. Since the driver had changed mid-route, he did not actually see me put on the bike. But hopefully he did see me get off at the previous stop, and perhaps he even saw me running alongside the bus at times. I was frazzled yet relieved to have Stella back in my possession, to say the least. 

The rest of the day went on more or less as planned. I grabbed sushi for dinner near the hostel before retrieving my panniers and suitcase from the hostel. Graham, another rider on the tour, agreed to take me in for a few days before the tour, along with Anna. I won't be seeing her tonight since she doesn't get in until after midnight. Since Graham's parents are gone, I get my own room, my own futon, and a private balcony overlooking the mountains, the city, and the water. What could be better? I'm completely wiped out again, plus a bit sunburned. Yet I'm excited for orientation tomorrow, and for meeting the rest of the team!