Alouette Mountain Run

That was a big tree!

This is a big rock!

I always chuckle when I see this sign - Maple Ridge is a long way away!

Neil at the Look Out.

The streams were full.

Running up the mountain

There is a memorial to a local man who died at the age of 22 descending Mount Logan (Canada's highest mountain) The family have made a great picnic spot - it is so well maintained with fresh varnish on the picnic table.

Lots of these rock formations since the Olympics!

Enjoying the seat and the view!

This is the memorial picnic table with the plaque in the center of the table.

Andy...is it you building these?? Andy runs here often.

Andy...did you build this one too??

Neil's trip to the West Coast Trail was cancelled due to poor trail conditions and weather. Another adventure was on for him leaving Saturday night back Sunday night but the work demands were too great this weekend. I could feel the pressure building - Thursday night he was late getting home, Friday night he was late getting home and Saturday morning his phone started ringing with farm visits required. I spent Saturday booking our August vacation - 4 nights in London, 4 nights Paris, 4 nights Tours France (Neil is speaking at a conference) and 1 night London. I was disappointed to learn that the hotel we always stay at in London is no longer there! It was a great place, good location, staff were the same for years (Freddie was the best concierge) and fairly reasonably priced (OK a little pricey ;-) but worth it!) The Sheraton Belgravia is no longer!

Once Neil arrived back home - now into the early evening - we went for a run in the pouring rain around Hayward Lake - just over 2 hours. It was getting dark and the misty rain clouds made it even darker. I was glad we snuck that run in. Today we went up Alouette Mountain to the lookout. We started at the Horse Corral and went up the Incline Trail and then up the road to the lookout - back down on the trail and then retraced our steps. 3 hours 15min. Next weekend is the Vancouver 100 which is the KneeKnacker route twice. We are planning to do 50km in the direction that the KneeKnacker goes - from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove. It is a Club Fat Ass event so you can "customize it". We thought we would start in the afternoon so we will take in some night running for the last few hours to check out the headlamps etc...

I started to think about what we ate last year on the WHW. M & S British Ham and Cheese sandwiches were my favourite! I think I had half a sandwich each time we saw our crew. I recall baked potatoes being offered at one of the stops and wow was it good. Crisps, chicken noodle soup and coke also go down well. Last year I recall sipping on coke for most of the second half. ;-) Neil said he liked the M & S sausage rolls. We are both good eaters (obviously) during an ultra event - this year I will try and compile a list of everything I eat.