Sadly then, Quesnel was a non event but it did mean that I was awake for Day 2 of the trip which of course would culminate at Whistler! Mac did a quick lap around the train station and held up the departure by 20 seconds taking a few Quesnel shots. And this was back to familiar changes in landscape rather than the monotony of the Cariboo Plains.

Again, the food and drinks are endless. Think we both set new records today for scotch, rum and Baileys. The menu changes for lunch on the trip and I think today was my all time favourite. Mac had a tenderloin steak cooked to perfection that just melted under the knife and I had a dreamy, creamy Prawn Goyozo that I think I could eat for months. Our new dining partners today were the Americans Glen and Colleen who were newly retired.

We spotted our only bear of this journey on Day 2. A little brown bear tucked up on the bill under a tree, sitting on a pile of rocks. But when the "bear on the right" call comes through, everyone jumps to action! It was a wake up call for the morning but despite a number of false alarm calls from the engine driver that was to be our only sighting of the day. Of course, the usual bighorn sheep, deer and goats interspersed with osprey, cranes and eagles keeps the crowd happy.

The devastating effect of the mountain pine beetle could be seen on today's trip. Vast sections of the forest have been attacked by this tiny beetle and this infestation has reached epidemic proportions with swathes of trees flattened on the sides of mountains . The pines turn from their green colour to shades of red and grey as they gradually die off. Extreme cold and fire control the beetle naturally but with the warmer winters experienced in the last few seasons and the control of fire by the forestry department, these beetles are a real threat to the national park ecosystem.

The logging industry is front and centre on the trip today. Huge saw mills with endless piles of timber, plastic wrapped finished product filling endless railway cars and the constant presence of large equipment to handle the timber traffic. But funnily enough we did not see any plantations of this "renewable resource" - these were all tucked behind the hills in large tracts of 3 for 1 stands (for every tree that is taken, three are planted to replace it.)

On our 500 km journey to Whistler today we did learn a little about:

Flying U Ranch: located on the shores of "another" Green Lake, this is Canada's oldest guest ranch
Painted Canyon: a very quick glimpse of the 330 metre canyon created by rushing water as the Ice Age Glaciers retreated
Kelly Lake: (we liked this one because our only female staff member on this trip is Kelly)
Moran: still climbing at nearly 600 metres and approaching an arid area
Bridge River: very obvious meeting of the muddy Fraser and the clear Bridge River, with banks crowded with First Nation Fishing villages. Only the First Nations can fish the rivers of the National Parks
Fraser Bridge: a spectacular long climb and descent with a 48 km climb to Hill Top the line climbs some 820 metres
Seton Lake and the BC Hydro Project: the train hugs a very narrow shelf on the shoreline of Seton Lake as water is diverted from Carpenter Lake to power the underground turbines
Mount Currie: home to the Lilooet First Nations and the largest first Nations Reserve in Canada
Pemberton: lush agricultural area and home of the Pemberton Potato
Whistler: home for Mindy and Ian with 30 ski lifts is North America's largest ski development stretching over 3 300 hectares takes also known for its golf, fishing, whitewater sports and mountain biking. Introduced as a four-season resort .... So that's why they love it!

With usual efficiency we were off the train, in the coach and with luggage taken care of and keys in our hand we were soon in the foyer of "The Four Seasons" - our alternate to The Aspens this time round.

The Four Seasons was an absolute surprise. Mac really wished he had the camera in his hand to capture my range of expressions when I opened the door and explored the room. I glanced right and made a mental note of "oops, small bathroom" but when I looked forward there was an ENORMOUS wood-panelled sitting room complete with fireplace! I was puzzled and totally impressed at the same time. Where was the bedroom? Mac opened the next wood panelled door and there was the bedroom, walk though robe and the BIGGEST bathroom I have seen. And, to top it off, there was a balcony overlooking the pool. Just saying, I LOVE The Four Seasons.

Mindy works in the Concierge Hut of The Four Seasons so was very keen to get up close and personal with the suites so she was down here in a flash and oohed and aahhhed over the luxury with us. We freshened up (no trouble for three of us because we had the small bathroom and the big bathroom to work with) and headed down to Sidecut to meet Ian for dinner. We had to celebrate his appointment to a new job and his next steps towards residency in style!

Who would have thought that we could fit any more in...but we did. And true to Mindy and Ian's promise, this restaurant "does steak" to perfection. It is so specialised that the cooked steak is just presented on a white plate as a work of art! We were connoisseurs of art tonight.

Ended the night with Mindy Moo kisses and cuddles.

So, that's The Rocky Mountaineer Vancouver to Whistler done and dusted. Looking forward to just enjoying The Four Seasons for two nights before completing the loop back to Vancouver. Sort of relieved that I don't have to get in the Mountain Man's bus for the return trip.


Thursday
Temperature: 22
Pedometer: 1430
Bear Sightings = 1

Total Bear Sightings = 12