Don't know where we're going, but we're making great time.
With our last few hours in Victoria, British Columbia we could have stayed home packing wisely for the next phase of our journey, but with beautiful weather and a whole city before us, we just couldn’t do it. Instead, we pursued a trifecta of fun. One last gallop… The weather was cool and overcast when…
While not spoken directly, I got the feeling that someone was suspect of my mission to get a hold of a fish smoker. After all we’re on the road…Viking-style and needing to travel light with just our animal robes and battle axes. That’s all fine and dandy but someone who shall remain nameless decided that…
If you’re unfamiliar with my background, I was a restaurant reviewer for Chicago Bites for about a decade and worked for a handful of large and small restaurant/culinary outfits in marketing communications thereafter. It was my job to know the local restaurant scene and be able to pick a spot off the top of my…
We’ve been fortunate that our host, Steve, was willing to lend us a few bikes for our stay in Victoria. These didn’t come with the original booking, but were offered up after Jan asked about where to buy a couple of cheap bikes. It never hurts to ask! Only one problem…Steve is a 6′ something…
There’s a thriving craft beer scene on Vancouver Island with options ranging from hopped West Coast styles to some innovative sours and barrel aged choices. We decided to do a deep dive into local options, and though we didn’t limit ourselves to just VI, everything we’ve tried is brewed within British Columbia. Admittedly, neither of…
One of the biggest differences in our move from Chicago to Victoria is the acceptance of recycling. I’ve noticed it in the Pacific Northwest, not just Canada, but this is my first time to live in a community that expects people to limit the amount of actual trash they produce. They’re pretty matter of fact…
There’s a bike trail called The Galloping Goose that winds its way from Victoria up the western coast a bit before veering off into the woods. The trail follows an old train route and it’s mostly paved, but gives way in spots to trestle bridges, street routes, and a few dirt roads. Though we have…
Line 1 – Local Icon FOMO can be a powerful thing. When you spot a long line of people waiting patiently for an experience, you begin to wonder what the value of that experience is. I do, though that urge has been fading a bit. Sometimes I get in a line not quite knowing if…
On one of our first trips to Vancouver Island, Jan and I were staying in a cabin in Tofino. It was rainy and cold outside, and Jan couldn’t wait to get a fire going in the fireplace. He’s gleeful about his fires. I let him have at it while I curled up with my Kindle…
Jan and I spend our first few nights in Canada sprawled out in front of the television, trying to adjust to the time zone change. We settled on one of the most mindless shows ever — Netflix’s Amazing Interiors. I think I was down for the count by the start of episode two, but fortunately…