The Epic Bridge Modification

I don't know if I can handle any more family bonding...



Dad said this would be an all day job, he wasn't making it up. The morning started out perfectly normally. I followed around after him with my cup of tea waiting for him to give me directions, got the car loaded up, picked up my little brother... and the two of us slept most of the way up Island to Campbell River. At which point the truck finally said "Forget it, it's labour day... I no workee!"

... and we awoke pulling into the gas station to "oh $#!*&... I've got no clutch", so we did the drowsy to awake "which way are you trying to go, we're ready to push!". Well all I can say is thank goodness the truck had been cleaned out because it's still bloody heavy!

I would like to take this moment to thank all the people who *do* work on labour day, even if it should be called 'no labour' day. We regrouped over breakfast and were able to rent a 4x truck, have them pick us up at the gas station, and have the clutchless truck towed somewhere.

We made it up to the job site with little ado and as we started... so did the rain. This is where I grew up hiking, how can you not fall in love with the place?



By the time we were done we'd broken a 1/2" drill bit, bruised a couple knuckles, were covered in mud and dirt... and wet enough, that well our panties were wet. I know that might be a little bit of an overshare... but you're really not that wet unless your underwear is.



I was wringing water out of my sweatshirt by the time we got back to the truck... and not just a little bit of water, it looked like I'd fallen into the creek or something! It just goes to show that true to our upbringing, and lessons learned over the years my little brother and I had *both* brought a full change of clothes that were nice and dry in the truck.

There is nothing better than putting on dry clothes at the end of a very, very, very wet day.

I think for the first time in history Dad didn't have spare clothes, so Mr. Nopants got to sit in the back of the truck and borrow my sweatshirt. I'm sorry Dad I really shouldn't laugh, the number of times you've lent me your spare fuzz or even the one you were wearing when I was cold... well it was nice to finally be able to return the favor. Even if we're going to give you a hard time about it forever ;o)

We ended up in Walmart buying pants, somehow we picked the right size, and the girl didn't check that I wasn't 'David Vincent'... and that the signature D... something scribbles... Vin ... scribble didn't match the one on the back. *phew*



What you call a woman on a shining steed? Mom! She drove the Vangina all the way up to Campbell River to pick us up. We stopped for dinner before everyone wasted away and I had the best burger and beer special, curled up in the back and proceeded to sleep the rest of the way home.

My Mom has this thing with numbers... like how many of the same ones show up on the odometer. Well lets just say, rather than take the car home when we picked it up, and get away from the generator fumes in the trunk... she drove the Vangina just so she could see octuple sevens. I'm not even kidding you.

Weathers changing, it's time to go ready or not. I think tomorrow is the last big shopping trip, fresh food, maybe pack some clothes... try to find somewhere to cram everything. *shakes head* here we go, I'll try to keep you posted!

Found this at the trailhead... my little brother was most disgusted with me ;o)