Having only a few days off between the end of the summer camp and the daily grind, Kiky and I took advantage and went out for a camping trip in the area. From Vancouver it is obvious that the mountains are only an arms reach away, but to really get into them you need a car. Until the day before we planned on going, this was not an issue. In fact, I had just gotten our 20 year old vehicle tuned up in anticipation for this trip. But alas, hours before our planned departure, calamity struck and we were without vehicle. ot giving up on the idea, Kiky and I got a rental car and departed a day late.

Beyond Whistler was essentially unknown territory to us. In our first year in Vancouver, we had taken a quick jaunt up to Lillooet lake, but beyond that we had no idea what to expect. Just after Pemberton, the road started to wind upwards and the adventure truly began. This section of highway 99 wound it’s way up Mt. Currie, ending at Joffre Lakes. The road was immaculate, having recently been repaved. To both sides were mountains competing to keep the sun’s rays from touching the valley floor. On our way down the north side of Mt. Currie, we decided we need to find a camp site. Our guide book accurately pointed us to a small 6 table campsite operated by the Ministry of Transportation. We chose a site bordering along a fast flowing creek, and set up camp with haste. The bugs here made sure we did everything with determination and focus, so that we would not linger and get eaten alive. Despite these pests, the campsite was incredible. The fast flowing river was flanked by high mountainsides, and the chilly breeze made sense after such a scorching day.

The next morning we packed and prepared to head to Lillooet, where we would then decide the fate of the next couple days. Immediately the previous days dramatic vistas were trumped by the winding mountainside road. Each turn led to more convolutions and dangerous precipices waiting for wary drivers to cruise over.

Soon we were at Seton Lake, a large reservoir outside of Lillooet. This reservoir offered free campsites as well, and was much warmer. There was a small beach looking out across the length of the reservoir. On both sides the mountains rose dramatically with few trees to great heights. Despite the campground looking fairly nice, we decided to venture further on.

In Lillooet I finally got the haircut that Kiky has been threatening for the past few weeks. Coming out looking like a drill sergeant, I was ready to hit the road and see what lied ahead. While in town, we had chatted with a number of the locals, and it seemed we had chanced on a good day to see the surroundings. The previous days had been smoky, as large tracts of forest to the east of this town were burning. Lillooet itself had had a large fire only the previous year, and every local we talked to had stories and experiences to share. Being evacuated from your home uncertain if you will have a place to live obviously struck a deep note with the community, and the shared experience still must be talked about frequently.

Progressing up a new canyon, the scenery was changing noticeably. The coastal forests around Whistler had given way to pine dominated forests, which were now slowly being phased out by the dry scrublands of the interior. Sagebrush covered the hills, accompanied by a range of other drought tolerant plants. These guys had lived in the soil for weeks without a single drop of water. The parched climate was not killing the species adapted to live there though. However, there were noticeable effects from the pine bark beetle which has reportedly been ravaging BC’s forests.

Just after lunch we arrived at what would be home for us over the following two days. On the map it showed a dot labeled Marble Canyon Provincial Park, but we had no idea how beautiful this canyon would be. The upper reaches of the canyon wall were whitewashed rocks (limestone?)  with hints of rust and amber running through them. In the valley were 3 lakes, each a different color. Most of the 30 campsites here bordered the lake, and since we arrived early we got a prime location right in front of a gravel beach. Pinnacles of rock supplied eye candy while we floated lazily in the lake. The floating did not last long though, because the lake was COLD! Fortunately, the heat brought us to wash up for the first time on the trip.

On our final day, we wanted to cover the Fraser River canyon. Although this area is really beautiful, I think after the dramatic scenery around Lillooet and Marble Canyon we were a difficult crowd to impress. The road through from Cache Creek onwards was an impressive engineering feat, moving sinuously through the canyon at various heights and inclines. Rolling out onto the lower mainland, we were welcomed to that time honored tradition found in most of the world’s cities: the traffic jam. Having spent the last few days soaking up solitude and natural splendor must have made us at ease, as not a groan was muttered between us about the adversities of city life.

Summer 2010 BC Road Trip

camping out north of Vancouver, taking the the amazing mountains of BC!

36 Photos

When the problem of population growth is broken down like this, it seem clear that it is not a global problem, but rather a class problem. While the most affluent people have essentially stopped their population growth, those who are in the poorest 1/2 of the world’s population continue to reproduce at alarming rates. It makes sense to me. From a completely selfish standpoint, affluent people insure their golden years are padded with the fruit of their labour, while the poorest have never had the opportunity to save a dime for later. Instead, they rely on their brood to take care of them, and the more kids they have the better a chance they get to be able to relax in their old age.

Education and guarantees of social security in old age are the tools which can solve this issue, and locally Pajoka may be able to offer assistance here. One big issue Pajoka wishes to tackle is a widespread education policy in the area of it’s operation. If sustainability is developed within the communities that Pajoka operates, that would also help with social security. My grandmother, who is now well over 80, has always grown her own vegetables. Many other old people here in Canada do this as a hobby and a way to pass the time. The food provided with this, coupled with free renewable energy means little is needed in terms of resources for the elderly to have a good existence despite having little money.

The gist of the lecture is to explore what motivates human beings. Soon after starting up, notions that we are purely profit driven are broken into pieces. In fact, based on studies, profits obfuscates cognitive abilities. One concept in this lecture struck me… if money is taken out of the equation (ie. there is no need for money by the employees) then people are able to perform to their best ability.

Along with open source ideology, a non-profit driven motive may be the best way to build a creative and forward thinking organization. It is with such ideas that I would like to build Pajoka… as a labor of love and desire to improve our environment. So how exactly could this be acheived?

Well, acting as a for-profit corporation would certainly have to be taken out of the mix. However, since Pajoka will generate revenue it should be able to pay contributors and staff well enough to eliminate the profit motive. Mastery and refinement of the product would drive Pajoka to continue to grow and thrive, remaining competitive with other for-profit ventures.

So what would be the motivator for the investor? Just like a contributor, the potential investor wishes to see the organization achieve success. However, while a contributor may have time to invest in the organization, investors would have the other essential ingredient: money. A combination of both of these is critical to the success of any venture in our world today, though one can be substituted for the other.

Through investment, investors not only will see the development of an initiative to build a strong model of sustainable living that spreads into the local community, but will also ensure the area remains appealing for vacationing. If investors were to establish private vacation homes in the area, they would return year upon year to better infrastructure and a healthier community. Compare this to many vacation areas, where walls must be placed between the vacationers and the community due to disparity between those who have and those who have nothing. A social enterprise would not only improve community relations, but would improve security and  sustainability as a whole.

In a world that continuously spouts out propaganda saying that without financial incentives nothing would happen, the open source community has refuted this outright. Any organization that shares their product/knowledge for free with no strings attached  should be lauded as part of the new path forward. Competitiveness will cede to collaboration, and ultimately all will benefit from such an attitude.

This week, discussions about whether to allow a start to commercial whaling will start up again. These magnificent animals used to be a common presence hundreds of years ago across the oceans, but their demise was precipitated by their usefulness during the industrial revolution. Whale oil was used as an industrial lubricant, as well as the predominant source of lamp oil. Being so useful to humans caused the majority of whale populations to plummet to critical levels. At the last minute, most humans were able to agree on a moratorium on whaling. It was one of the first successful international environmental movements, but not one that was entirely altruistic. Incidentally, whales were saved through the adoption oil as a substitute. Thus began the age of oil.

Now we are facing the culmination of that age. Oil has powered the second growth spurt of the industrial revolution, and is now reaching a breaking point. Further widespread use of oil will not only lead to the extinction of a species, but interruptions in many of the world’s biomes. The scale in which we rely on oil in today’s society is that much greater, but so are the consequences from its overuse.

The signs are on the wall: oil is riskier than ever to produce, and will inevitably become a less viable source of energy. The US can testify to this; their gulf coasts communities are plagued with an ongoing problem of oil seeping from deep below the sea and polluting the entire region. Canada can testify to this; large amounts of tundra, which act as a carbon sink, are being torn up to access the bitumen deposits below. These then require 3-5 times more energy to convert into a usable oil. How many more indicators will it take before humanity decides enough is enough.

Interestingly, things lead full circle. Part of the solution to a reduction in greenhouse gases may come from whales. Far from being sources of carbon dioxide, their net effect on the planet is actually carbon negative. Whale feces provides a mineral rich mix that promotes phytoplankton blooms. This ocean fertilization has proved hard for humans to replicate efficiently, but whales are natural pros at doing just this. Their small, regular doses of iron allow for plankton blooms without the subsequent mass death and decomposition of that phytoplankton.

Whales were once saved from widespread extinction by oil. Perhaps now whales can now help save humans from our addiction to that oil.

One of their podcasts which came out last year struck me as particularly sad. It was a fictionalized narrative from a young girl in the future (2065) talking about the then extinct coral reefs. This message, broadcast to dignitaries attending Copenhagen in 2009, was meant to hit a sensitive nerve about the legacy we are leaving for future generations. While it did not seem to resonate enough with state officials to push forward the changes we so desperately need, it left me with a deep sadness about losses which I have witnessed firsthand.

Preserving sensitive ecosystems like this should come as a priority for all. Like a house of cards, when these ecosystems collapse others will follow. It is my hope beyond hopes that the next decade leads to progress in changing our relationship with the environment from that of destroyers to preservers. It is a lot to ask for, but a lot more is at stake.

When Pajoka gets going, the preservation of the local reefs will be one of the top priorities. The immediate reefs in front of Pajoka seem to be in a degrading state, and areas all along the peninsula are suffering from overuse. It is in everybody’s interest to make refuges so that the Marine ecosystem in this area can at least have a stronghold to depend on in the future.

The legacy of the Olympics is rarely seen by Kiky or I, despite living in Vancouver. All the big sports arenas mean little to us even if they are open to the public. The Canada line Skytrain to the airport has come in handy once or twice, but nothing compares to the delight it is to cruise the Sea to Sky highway between Vancouver and Whistler now. Although I was (and still am) against it based on the logic of widening highways over improving the mass transit system, there are no more scary bits on that road, and some of the sections (like passing through Lion’s Bay) are really quite beautiful blends of engineering and nature.

The following morning Kiky and I hit up the Squamish Chief. The weather was not as cooperative as it had been the previous day, but did have the dignity to not rain. For a walk that is around 3 hours of pretty good climbing, I was quite surprised at how busy the trail was. Nearly at no point in the hike were we completely alone. Kiky was happy about this, because she had professed concern about being alone and encountering a bear (especially after seeing one just the day before).

Over the first hour of the climb, we essentially were stuck alongside a raging creek, fed by the quickly melting snow capped peaks above us. For each step forward, we were climbing bit by bit as well. Although the trail was never wet, it was a little challenging. Rocks made up most of the footholds, but some parts were set up with wooden stairs to facilitate the traffic.

By the time we reached the fork in the road between the paths to first and second peaks, the climb got decidedly more interesting. The trees became more sparse, and to every side were stunning vistas. The final slog was scrambling up solid granite, one of my favorite things to do, until one reached the summit. There to greet all successful hikers were a small group of 4 or 5 chipmunks who had become tame enough to hop on the hand of any hiker who showed interest.

With such magnificent views, friendly animals, and ease of access to Vancouver it was little wonder this trail had it’s share of hikers. I think we will certainly come again to hit up the second and third peaks, to get new views and hopefully meet more of the friendly fauna that adorn these slopes.

As shocking as this may be, it is that much more disturbing that America is still the number one polluter on the planet. Furthermore, a large part of China’s economic growth can be attributed to western consumerism and multinational corporations looking for cheap labour and lax industrial standards.

Starting from Bromo, which is about 6 hours east of the straight which divides Bali and Java, we made a late start. Earlier that morning, my mother, Kiky and I awoke at sunrise for a walk across the Sea of Sand to stare into Bromo’s steaming caldera. the Sea of Sand sounds like a place from the Wizard of Oz, and for all intensive purposes could well come out of that story. It is a flat plain which once used to be a massive caldera of an active volcano. In the center of the plain are several active volcanoes of varying heights and activity. The Sea is surrounded by steep cliffs on all sides, guaranteeing that you know that you are standing in the middle of a volcano.

Charlene was the last to get a chance to explore this mysterious place. Both her and my brother had been feeling ill, but that morning Charlene had decided she must see the volcano up close. Fortunately, there were horses available to hasten her crossing of the plain. Having just come back from there, we watched her from the rim of the caldera cross the plain and climb to the top of the active volcano, Bromo. Amazingly, we never really lost sight of her, despite being almost 5 km away!

After satiating our curiosity of Bromo, we got back in the “Antonio”, our trusty vehicle. Descending the slopes of Bromo made us realize how high we had climbed in the previous day of driving. We ended up below the clouds, on roads which would take us back to the usual harrowing highway dance common across Indonesia.

This last leg of our trip involved going along the beach, something which until now we had not done crossing Java. The northern beaches are rather drab, though, so no stopping occurred. However, there as a really interesting part of the ride as we neared Bali. The highway goes through Baluran National Park, which left me agog looking out the window. As far as we could see there were Teak trees and vibrant green foliage flanking the hills. Even though Java is a very green island, almost all of our trip thus far had been through rural human designed landscapes. To finally catch a glimpse of what this island may have looked like before human habitation was astounding.

As the sun set, we reached the ferry to cross to Bali. Along with the setting sun came a number of Mosque goers, walking down to their local mosques for evening prayer. Half an hour later, we were surrounded by Hindus congregating in the streets in celebration for one of the numerous holy days. The religious difference across the water is the most apparent when crossing, but definitely not the most striking.

As night set in we made our way along the northern shore of Bali. The roads here were in perfect condition, and as we cruised along we passed hotel after hotel. Bali is most certainly a tourism island. About two hours from the ferry terminal we finally reached the town of Lovina. This was where Tom, Charlene, and my mom would stay for the next couple days. Kiky and I were heading further south to meet up with friends. Having known the ride we were in for, I probably would have stayed in Lovina till daybreak.

Shortly after leaving Lovina we began to climb up the slopes of another volcano. This one, Gunung Batur, is co-creator of Bali. As we winded up its side it grew apparent to us that they had had a severe storm here. All along the road there was debris such as leaves, sticks, and in some cases entire banana palms. Being the middle of the night meant that our visibility was limited to our headlights, but what we saw was enough to keep Kiky and I gripping the seats in anticipation for some fast stops.

Finally, we reached Denpasar, where we decided to just take a rest. Both of us were exhausted, as well as our driver, Prabto. The next day all of us were in better spirits, and took a short jaunt up to Ubud. Here, we spent the next few days with friends exploring the area around. Although very touristy, Ubud still has a certain charm to it. More importantly to us, the food was incredible. After having mostly fried goods it felt so nice to finally sit down and enjoy a salad. Strangely though, my stomach did not agree with the food and most of my time in Ubud was accompanied with stomach ache. Perhaps it was because there was simply too much good food to eat, and I did not pay heed to how my stomach would cope with it!