Hiking Mt. Hope

The first day I was in Hope I hiked up to the mountain's lookout point. It was a pretty difficult hike for my first time and on my first day of arrival when I hadn't gotten used to the mountain air yet, but totally worth it! The view was great and there was a little old box with a guestbook inside. I signed my name and took a short break and then hiked back down.

Hope Memorial Park

Hope Clock

Fraser River

From the lookout

At the top of the lookout

Canada Day Celebrations

This year my roommate Jessica and I celebrated Canada Day (July 1st) by representing Hell's Gate at the Hope Canada Day Celebrations. Over the previous two months we had crafted bracelets to sell for charity to support the Fraser Canyon Hospice Society, Hell's Gate Airtram's charity of choice.
We had a table set up to display and sell all of our products. 100% of the money received went to the Hospice Society.

 After frying in the July sun all day, we took a trip down to the creek for a refreshing swim.

A perfect way to end a hot day in the sun.

And after that, we went to Harrison Hot Springs to enjoy the fireworks.

The hot springs themselves.

Beautiful Harrison Lake

The Canada Day fireworks.

Redo your vacations

I found this on PostSecret and thought it was quite fitting.

It's true. You don't get to do or see everything you want to do. The other person doesn't want to go down that mysterious alley, or hike up that steep trail, or go into that cheesecake boutique, and they certainly don't want to wait 5 minutes for you to get that perfect shot.

I can't say I've ever completely enjoyed going on a trip with someone else, because there's always somewhere or something I want to do, and the other person always holds me back. Or the other way around, where the other person wants to go somewhere and do something and you don't.

When you go by yourself, you rely on yourself and only yourself. The trip is only as good as you yourself make it, and without another person there keeping you from doing things you love, it's all up to you to make it the best it can be.