Facebook chat, of all things, initiated the sequence of events that inspired this entry.  My afternoon dissolved into cancellations from cold-afflicted friends, and my disappointment prompted a quick social network consultation (you’ve ALL been there 😉 !!).  It just so happened that a friend from high school was online and I was pleasantly surprised when he messaged me.  I was even more surprised when he showed interest in my determination to go for a walk out in the dreary Vancouver downpour.  An hour later, I was parking outside his complex and greeting him with my gigantic yellow umbrella in hand.  Turns out we didn’t need the brolly though – he took me to a trail I’d never walked before in the woods by lower Mosquito Creek.

The water rushed past the path with its boistrous laughter ringing in our ears.  I inhaled the fresh air for what felt like the first time today.  Cool branches caressed my face and hands as I walked, and the slippery logs and rocks teased my balance.  I felt like I’d had every worry or care temporarily hoisted into one of the first trees we’d passed, ready to be reclaimed once I’d  stretched and refreshed myself enough to carry on.  I heard whispers of relief and smelled the beauty of a freedom lost to many urban centres.

All of this glorious purity, right on our doorstop!  Now you know why I LOVE living in Vancouver.  This simple pleasure is one I’ve never turned down, and I’m sure I never will.

We strolled through curtains of leafy branches and rain for about 1.5 hours before returning to the suburban streets around Cap Mall.  It’s amazing how different the noise of traffic is to the (VERY) noisy rushing creek.  I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the glimpse of the city though – especially with the clear sky overhead!

So today I’m thankful for the chance to explore a new trail – a beautiful thread wound within the city’s tapestry of civilization.  I know upper Mosquito Creek so well and love it dearly, so it was fantastic to become acquainted at last with this stretch of it.  The only thing missing was the dog!