Vacation Day Two – In PG

It’s our second day on the road, and we haven’t gone anywhere! That’s according to plan, though. We intended to stay one full day in Prince George. It was an opportunity to revisit old stomping grounds and either reinforce or dispel impressions of the place we lived in 19 years ago.

And there’s no better way to visit places than on a bicycle, amirite? After our complimentary breakfast at the hotel, I got my cycling gear on and headed out on a 58 km bike ride. I rode past the house on Skinner Street where Tammy and I first lived in PG, and then up to UNBC, then to the Hart Highlands and past our old townhouse and finally out Northwood Pulp Mill Road to the JD Little Forest Centre, where I worked for the McGregor Model Forest Association.

After I headed out, Tammy and the kids rode up to the University, too. It’s quite the hill and she had never tried it before. As you can see, they were tired but still smiling at the top.

Before I left, I emailed Sean to say I was in town. By the time I got back, he had replied and we arranged that I would meet him at his office. He showed off some stuff he’s been working on. It’s amazing, considering how primitive it was back in the day when Jonesy and I helped him put together his original website and Tammy worked for him, making maps. We had lunch together at a place called Crossroads Brewing.

Hard to believe he’s 50, but then I’m 46. When I got back, Tammy and the kids had had some amazing Japanese food for lunch and were in a food coma in the hotel room.

I enticed them out with a promise to find a bookstore. Miranda jumped at that. We went to Pine Centre first, and I think she was disappointed. But we got to see Mr. PG before ending up at Books & Company, which was much more to everyone’s liking.

Ian, Tammy and Miranda all bought something. Then we went by the school where Tammy used to work for LINC, and saw the parking lot where she found Nochie, so many years ago.

Now we’re back at the hotel. It might be a quieter evening as we prepare for tomorrow’s drive to Prince Rupert.

Updated a little later

I was wrong: it wasn’t a quiet evening (for me): in fact, it was very loud. I went out to Nitro Motorsport Park where there was a Friday night drag racing event on. The main event is Saturday and Sunday, but a lot of drivers, cars and bikes were out and practicing.

It was a large group of cars and bikes. My only regret was barely getting to see the fastest car of the night. It was a sleeper white Mustang with a turbocharged engine. It was about the second race after I arrived and I was fooled by the car. It was a vanilla Mustang and not very loud. But it hooked up and shot down the track. I was going to get a video of it on the next run, but that was the only run it made tonight.

Ian was in the pool again tonight. He just loves that there is a pool right outside the room (inside the atrium).