Russell Z.
Yelp
I can understand the appeal of western Canada now. Drive along anywhere along the 99 freeway, and you're bound to come across picturesque, memorable scenery worth the storage on your digital camera or smartphone.
After driving from Richmond all the way up the 99 freeway for almost two hours, the rental car I was driving demanded a break. So did my legs. Stepping out of my rental car in my sneakers, the cold air briskly reminded me of my Southern California ("SoCal") background that demands I wear sneakers in brisk, cold, chilly weather. Snow lay in patches everywhere, a reminder that spring is coming in western Canada.
I stepped in the snow, expecting a soft return and quiet crunch under my foot. Instead, I slipped. The snow had hardened, more the sign that spring is near. After getting up, I continued my walk towards the sound of a waterfall.
Instead, ahead were train tracks. Curiously, I stepped onto the tracks with my city sneakers. Then I laid down at the junction point, where the road and the railroad intersect at. My back, the ground, separated only by a thin T-shirt and jeans. I glanced, looked, and stared at the cloudy but sunny Canada sky. I turned to my left and shot a photo with my phone, see attached.
Moving on, a husky and a small dog could be seen playing. Past them, I came across more epic Canada scenery. A valley below, with a creek running through the middle extending into a river, and likely a lake further down beyond the naked eye. Worth a video capture, also attached to this review.
On the way back to the car, the thought of cities flooded my mind. I'd lived in cities most of my life, and sure I've taken trips out to the boonies every now and then, but this was something special. Something to make me consider making Vancouver something more than just a vacation spot. British Columbia sure has special somethings...