May 29 – June 8, 2011 (Fort Camping, Brae Island Regional Park, Fort Langley, BC)

We started this week off with a long ride on our new bikes.  We must have ridden close to 20 kms along the Fort-to-Fort Trail, past Denby Reach Regional Park all the way to Edgewater Regional Park.  Much to our surprise we found a beautiful campground there with sites that back onto the Fraser River...really nice but unfortunately much too small for us to get our rig into.  There is also a huge day-use area that was really busy with families enjoying the beautiful Sunday weather.  Actually, the parks and trails were very busy. 

Since we had Chris’ car, I took the opportunity on Monday to go shopping and run some errands...it was nice getting out by myself for a few hours while Steve puttered around the truck and trailer.  Once back home I wanted to go for a bike ride...Steve had already been on one but was game for another, so we rode the trail here in the park to Tavistock Point.  It’s amazing how much the river has risen....  

We were heading over to Victoria Tuesday but decided that we would go over later in the day.  We thought we would get all ready to go and then go for a bike ride.  Of course, as luck would have it, just as we were all finished and ready to go for our ride, it started to rain...sheesh!  So we relaxed inside until about 2:00 and then headed out.  Steve was dropping the truck off at Vancouver Axle so they could try to find a slow air leak. He also wanted them to quote on installing parts that would allow him to put air in the trailer tires using the air compressor already in the truck.  That way he wouldn’t have to buy a separate air compressor...sweet! We have found that every time we have gone to top up the tires in the states you had to pay and many of the air stations wouldn’t go above 75 psi and the hoses too short. It has also been difficult manoeuvring the trailer in some of the stations.  We figured it was a good time to leave the truck with them since we would be away.

We caught the 5:00 p.m. ferry arriving at Rob and Angie’s just after 7:00 p.m.  Rob was still working the 4:00 to midnight shift but we had a nice visit with Angie before calling it a night.  We’d see Rob tomorrow.

Steve decided that since we were going back to Victoria for his biopsy appointment that he should have a cyst in his armpit looked at.  He has had it for well over a year and a half and was told by the doctor that it wasn’t necessary to do anything unless it changed or bothered him but recently it has decided to grow.  The doctor ordered an ultrasound and we found out later Wednesday afternoon that the appointment was scheduled for Monday at 6:00 p.m.  Our original plan had been to go back to Fort Langley after his biopsy Thursday morning but we figured we might as well just stay put rather than dole out money to BC Ferries by going back Thursday afternoon and returning Monday.  Rob and Angie had taken Thursday and Friday off work to make a nice 4 day weekend of camping so we had the house to ourselves.  Our recently unemployed son, Chris came over from Vancouver Sunday to spend a couple of days with us and to see his brother and sister-in-law.

Steve and I got out for some good walks while on the island...both along the waterfront in Sidney, one of my favourites, as well as in the neighbourhood.  The weather was beautiful! 
These are pictures taken along the Sidney waterfront...

Mt. Baker, Washington State...

Washington State Ferry (between Anecortes, Washington and Sidney, BC)...with Mt. Baker in the background...

We returned to our trailer in Fort Langley Tuesday afternoon fully prepared to wait until at least June 16^th for the results of Steve’s biopsy, as well as the outcome of the ultrasound on the cyst in his armpit.  Late Wednesday morning we headed into Langley to check out cameras at both Best Buy and London Drugs.  After lots and lots of research, Steve had decided on the camera he wanted and we were going to see who could give us the best price on the package he wanted.  It turned out London Drugs had the best deal.  While there, my phone rang and it was the doctor’s office...of course, I was on the other side of the store and had to scramble back to the camera department where Steve was.  I thought the call would be about the cyst but it turned out to be the results of the biopsy...and it was great news...all clear!  Wow, what a relief that news was!

We left London Drugs with big smiles on our faces and Steve’s new toy...a DSLR Nikon D5100 camera body, 18-55 mm and 55-300 mm lenses, lens filters and a backpack style case.

Now we just are waiting for the outcome of the ultrasound on the cyst...which we suspect will be a surgery date to have it removed.  That will mean one last trip over to Victoria before we are able to get on with our travels.