Hope Floats Journeys Around Canada

 So I had to trade in my bicycle for these Nordic walking poles as we head into different terrain up North. Pole walking is a great workout. Did you know that you can engage upwards to 90% of your muscles on a correct formed walk. And you'll notice your posture improve too! So important as we age.  Mmmm...I think I used the other 10% of my muscles (face) with a big smile when I found Santa's Polar Express train! Maybe we might run into him?

  Our 3rd week of our journey we decided to stay in Vancouver to see the sights.  Collectively travelling 2,560 kilometers we walked every street and then some!  Find some great self guided walking tours by clicking here.  Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, originally a small sawmilling settlement in the 1870's named Granville now has 651 streets, covering 2,333 kilometers, the longest of which is 13 kilometers in Kingsway, Burnaby. Ok then, when one goal is achieved, another must be set!!! Hope Floats and Supporters Journeys Around Canada!!!!    We have reached Vancouver, we've toured the area and had a tea party with Abreast in a Boat and now we will head north to the Yukon Territory, across the Northwest Territories and into  Nunavut , down to Quebec, paddle across Hudson Bay to Quebec, across Quebec to Newfoundland and Labrador, paddle across the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Island of Newfoundland where we will take the ferry across to Cape Breton, down to Nova Scotia and

We had some pretty windy days this last week but we were still all out there!  Here is a picture of Annie E's sister fighting with her umbrella.

Another great week for our team.  Mary and Eric on their walk walking in Buffalo heading to the Peace Bridge.  Now that we have made it to Vancouver, we will be doing some sight seeing!  

I figured while we are playing tourist in BC this week that I thought I might go down my picture memory lane and see if all these beautiful spots in BC are still here. I'm sure that they are. Every one of them splendid I might add.  I guess I have always been fond of the water and who doesn't love a cute whale! I really hope that my next trip here might be a team trip dragon boat adventure. Anyone else interested? BC ferries to take you from Vancouver to Victoria on the island. They used to give wonderful history tours in the BC Parliament Buildings in Victoria complete with actors cast as Queen Victoria and her Royal Court.  The parliament buildings in Victoria lit up every night of the year! And my number one botanical garden favorite in Canada is the world famous Buchart Gardens. It's always blooming something beautiful! Anyone care to sightsee further up on Vancouver island next?

  Then another step, then another step, and so on! WE DID IT!  We traveled from the Welland International Flatwater Center in two weeks! This week we travelled 3,572 kilometers!    We didn't want to overshoot Vancouver, so we meandered a little. We passed through  Wawanesa, Nesbitt, Souris, oak Lake Verden, Elkhorn, and into Saskatchewan where we continued on :  Moosomin, Whitewood, Broadview, Grenfell, Wolseley, Indian Head, Lumsden, Betheny, Findlater, Domo, Chamberlain, Aylesbury, Craik, Girvin, Davidson, Bladworth, Kenaston, Hanley, Dundern, Saskatoon,  Langham, Borden,Radisson, Fielding, Maymont,Ruddell, Denholm, Battleford, Highgate,Delmas, Bresaylor, Paynton,Maidstone, Waseca, Lashburn, Marshall, and we stopped at a little town called Lloydminster to visit Hope Floats members Sondra Beach.  We miss you Sondra!   It's cold out there!        Sondra's back deck Next we crossed into Alberta: Kitscoty, Vermilion, Minburn, Innisfree, Ranfurly, Lavoy, Vegreville,Mun

“If you can visualize it,  if you can dream it,  there’s some way to do it.” -   Walt Disney We did what????!!!!!!!!!   2,297 kilometers in one week!!!   Oh yes we did!   How amazing is that?   We decided to stop in Stockton Manitoba to blog about our first week of our journey.      This abandoned church in Stockton, built in 1891, seems like a perfect space for us to roll out bedrolls and reflect on the week behind us. Hope Floats crew member Audi and the original Hope Floats supporter Oatie (Sharon) take a walk to Niagara-on-the-Lake enjoying the wineries along the way. Super supporter Roxy spies a deer along the 12 mile creek in St. Catharines Hope Floats crew member Brenda and supporter Gerry.   Brenda gazes across Lake Erie in Crystal Beach wondering if our American crew mates happen to be gazing toward Canada at the same time.    Brenda croaches between the shores of Lake Erie and the old Palmwood Hotel/Restaurant.   The Palmwood is poised to be torn down and replaced with a cond

 Sue and Bruce along with their son and grandchildren all took advantage of the beautiful weather to have fun going on a hike together in St. John's Conservation Park.

 Supporters Doug and Joan share their hiking adventure as they reach the top of this rocky mountain on a previous vacation out west. Beautiful country we live in!

  Today I walked with my husband in honour of his father, a veteran of WWII,  to the Niagara Falls Historical Museum on Lundy's Lane. A beautiful display to see called the Poppy Project stands in honour of all who have served.  The poppies are hand knitted and crocheted and come from all across Canada and even some from overseas! Remembering my father in law, John Joseph Ciancio with love.

 So yesterday we cycled in and around Fonthill. The Steve Bauer trail has a newly paved section. Stopped for a park bench rest in the town square park and came across this wonderful group of women knitting together in the park. Normally they would knit in the Pelham Library as a group of 25-30 but as Covid hit, well that kind of vanished. But outside, a small number of knitters found a way to social distance and form a circle. Some knit for charities including Wellspring! They all wish us success in our Journeys to Vancouver. A couple pics. Ann M.

 On Sunday we packed up a lunch and cycled from Welland to Port Colborne 34 km round trip using the great trails system. I thought I'd share a few pics of the day. And timing is everything as we were fortunate enough to see a ship go through.    Ann M.

 Hi everyone! What a great adventure to be on with all of you.  Today I have some of my supporters with me walking along the canal in Allenburg. Since I'm not so tech savvy I'll get back to you with a pic!  Remember,  " Nothing happens unless something moves."  Albert Einstein