Here for a good time, not a long time

All good things...

If only the Olympics were held so 'close' every year. We talked about how crazy we were for doing this. I have absolutely no doubts anymore - 100% worth it. Honestly, the drive was not bad and totally worth spending my time cramped in such a small space. Odometer reads 4177km as we leave Richmond.

Since I last wrote we've actually experienced some Olympic events.
SIDE NOTE: just so everyone reading this knows, we didn't go on this trip solely for the events. It was more about experiencing the atmosphere and overall Olympic movement. If we were all a little more wealthy we would have gone to many more (and maybe flown).

So last night we went to our first Olympic event - Curling. The Olympic curling venue was pretty amazing and even though we started off somewhat skeptical, by the end we were cheering and getting into the intense action. Great to finally experience the athletic part of the games.

Two nights ago we went to an area of Vancouver called Gastown. I split up with everyone to meet up with a friend of mine Chris Mckenzie from Durham College where we took their version of SPAD. After I chilled with Chris for a bit I went to another place called The Cambie where I met other SPAD students Mike Latty and Alex Lea who are volunteering for Right To Play in Vancouver during the games. The other guys met up with us after an hour or so and we spent the rest of the night debating greatest hockey teams with frenchmen and talking to 80 year old men about the Leafs - great times

I missed a little bit of our adventure after we met up with Dave Bedford and the twins. We went to Lennox pub and met Sean and Lawren. Met some Australians from Perth. One named Jesus who made Muskoka Chairs. Apparently he walked to Perth from Sydney.

Road trip with 4 of my close University friends and one that I've known most of my life but even though we've wanted to kill each other at times I feel like after this road trip we have been brought even closer and changed our outlook towards each other in a good way - I think. Driving through these mountains for some reason I can't stop thinking about a Stan Rogers song "Northwest Passage" and the verse "How then am I so different from the first men through this way? Like them, I left a settled life, I threw it all away. To seek a Northwest Passage at the call of many men. To find there but the road back home again."

I've asked each person to write a short portion on their personal experience; everyone wrote them individually without reading the other's part.

Corey:

The long drive to Vancouver seems like a walk in the park compared to the journey home - a drive that felt like it took months to complete. The excitement is all but gone; we now drive back to Ontario where the cold and snow await us. Almost forgot that it was indeed winter. The weather was beautiful in Van City; only got rained on once and it just so happened to be when we were dressed to the nines. Came on a road trip with almost complete strangers and not really sure how that was going to play out. I think that a 2 day drive will really bring strangers together. Couldn't really ask for a much better crew. Came looking for gold and left with a treasure of memories.

(Glad that was a SHORT post)

Dana:

Despite the fact that I thought I was gonna be driven insane before we even got to Vancouver by the boys and the fact that we are now beginning our drive back to Sudbury, I'm still smiling thinking back to the last week. I can't help but smile, I became part of something beautiful and simply amazing that I'll remember for the rest of my life. Sitting here trying to think of the best part of the trip seems impossible because so many things come to mind. The vibe and hype in the city streets would be enough of a reason to drive 2 days to simply experience it. I couldn't of chose better fellers to come with; they are big reasons as to why I had such an incredible journey. Our laughs were endless despite the lack of sleep at times and the days we weren't feeling so hot after a night on the town. Although we only saw Curling, we still got to experience the Olympic Games knowing that everything was happening so close made it that much more exciting. I've never been so proud to be Canadian. I've done my fare share of traveling and can honestly say that this road trip is placed at the top and wins gold in my book bie. Thanks Mom & Dad!

(Who knew Dana could talk so much, eh?)

Nicole:

From the time we hit the highway in the Sault I looked at Dana and said "Are we really doing this?" In shock and amazement this road trip across the country was actually coming true. I'm not sure if I was more in shock or worried about what could happen to my parents vehicle during the thousands and thousands of kilometers we were about to conquer, and quite possibly how much trouble I would be in if something was to happen. The great sleep from the Sault to Winnipeg put Dana and I in perfect driving status for fourteen hours, all the way to Blonda's in Calgary. Thank you again for her great hospitality. The prairies were flat and foggy but we were entertained by thinking we had a flat tired and getting lost thanks to Garmin (technology isn't so great all the time). The mountains are something everyone should experience in their life - they are breath taking. Debbie, thank you as well for being such a great hostess and for feeding us more than maybe physically possible. Vancouver was electric, having been to the city before I knew what the "normal" crowd of people in the downtown area looked like. This was no where near what we saw. The packed streets of Canadian fans chanting on Granville street showing their true Olympic pride gave me even more of an adrenaline rush than just being at the Olympics. The first time I realized how amazing it was to be sitting in the core of the Olympic host city was when we watched the Women's speed skating for 3000 meters, Kristina Groves brought tears to my eyes as well as Cindy Klassen and just the crowd around us. We are truly blessed to have such a beautiful country, one that I have seen a lot of in the last week and it is true that Canadians are extremely nice people. Being in the city, experiencing the roar of the Olympics and what Vancouver has to offer was an amazing time. But, I think the real experience was spending it with friends and having many, many stories to tell for years to come. I had a great time guys, thank you, and thanks Mom and Dad for the use of Marlene! And now were on the road again....

(Good story, Nicole)

Shannon:

Greetings from Perth,

Coming up with song titles was probably the most challenging part of the trip, but luckily we all put our melons together to solve that little dilemma. There were so many highlights of the trip for me, but the ones that stand out to me are seeing Imran dancing with the Dutch hat on at the Heineken House (NOTE: we got a whole crowd of Dutch people to play the "Invisible Ball game"), going to the Canada house, discovering my new favourite drink, walking through tent city (cause I was not afraid at all), Nicole and I trying to convince Dana to get off the Skytrain and I mean I knew she was a little slow - but I finally realized it, seeing Muk Muk everywhere, how pretyy much every night Jarrod and Corey attempted to walk home, pointing out every Subway along the way, Reuben and Corey in the bathrobes, Debbie's house - UN REAL, just walking through the streets of Vancouver, seeing all the acts like that awesome freestyler, the guy telling the dad with the umbrella in his stroller that he lost his baby, and the old french guy on Tuesday night. I honestly thought I would be ready to kill someone by the end of this trip after such a long drive, but I couldn't have had such a good time with any better friends. Thanks guys, I had a blast.

(Are you from Perth?)

Jarrod:

‎​As my time at the winter games is already over I am sad to be leaving the city I have become quite fond of in my short stay. I'd like to start my reflection with a giving a congratulations to Lynsey Vonn. She is an alpine skier for USA and was unsure if she was going to compete due to a shin injury and ended up with a gold medal.. A decent accomplishment, however I am congratulating her for the spread she did in the new Sports Illustrated swim suit edition. Wow. Just fantastic, what an athlete.
While at the games we were fortunate enough to take in womens curling and consequently fell in love with team Denmark, more specifically the Dupont sisters, man can they curl. In all the trip was an experience of a lifetime, something I'll never forget. From the Heineken House, to the COC's office and even wandering where no tourist should getting a real life glimpse at some of the negatives of the Olympics, these memories are amazing and it certainly feels great to have been a part of the whole experience...

(Good post, Son)

Reuben:

As I write this we are listening to the live broadcast of the Canada v. Swiss shootout on my Blackberry while driving through the Rockies...can it even possibly get any more Canadian?? - that's pride and dedication.

Huge thanks goes out to all our 'sponsors' who made this dream possible:

Brenda
Alan
Steve
Wendy
Stewart
Lisa
Debbie
Larry
Mikell
Lloyd
Lucille
Gordie
David Bedford and the whole COC
Blonda Martin
Debbie MacIntyre
Billy

I may not post on this blog again anytime soon. Its been an interesting experience writing this. Its not only documented the journey forever but its also given me a chance to reflect and think. This trip has brought us together in so many ways. Who knows where we will be in 10 years. Done our degrees and likely apart, but this trip will bond us for life. We will tell our kids of traveling across the country in a 2002 Dodge Caravan with Dana, Corey, Nicole, Jarrod, and Shannon and how it was just the most amazing - each.

Thanks to everyone following our journey and here's to Toronto - 2020.