The Cariboo region of British Columbia may be the only place in the world where you can have a letter stamped “carried by dog sled”.

The 20th anniversary Dog Sled Mail Run is January 20-22, 2012. Photo by Thomas Drasdauskis, courtesy of Barkerville Image Bank

The Dogsled Mail Run, an annual Cariboo event, will celebrate its 20th anniversary January 20-22, 2012. Sledders sworn in as Canada Post mail carriers will carry close to 3,000 Mail Run envelopes by dogsled over the Gold Rush Trail, a former sled dog mail route. The Mail Run envelopes, which include a picture of a musher and dog team by a local artist, will be stamped at points along the trail and then delivered to 20 countries worldwide. Many envelopes will also carry a new Canada Post dogsled stamp issued in May 2011 to commemorate the history of the delivery of mail by dog team throughout Canada.

We’ve all heard about the “Pony Express” in the United States, but how many Canadians know that the arrival of a sled dog “packet” or a “batard”, a narrow 22 foot-long canoe paddled by six skilled Voyageurs, signaled “news” in Canada.  For isolated, lonely people in those early days, the arrival of mail was a huge event despite the fact that the news received was often already 12 months old.

The Stage Race on the Gold Rush Trail is a new addition to the 2012 Dogsled Mail Run. Mushers from all over will challenge themselves and their dogs in this event. Winners will take home real Cariboo gold bullion. Warren Palfrey, a local sled dog outfitter, is the race marshall. His great grandfather, Sam Hourie, delivered mail by dogsled during the Klondike Gold Rush.

A corner block of stamps from Canada Post

Jeffery Dinsdale, a Dogsled Mail Run volunteer, sled dog owner and local historian told me he and other volunteers gather all the envelopes for each Dogsled Mail Run. Each is hand-cancelled with three different cancellation stamps, then packaged for the three-day trip over the Gold Rush Trail route and collected for entry into the regular mail system at Barkerville, a famous Gold Rush town. Five envelopes traveling by dogsled at the 2012 Dogsled Mail Run will be ours. One is addressed to us. Four other envelopes will be sent to family members. Each carries the new Canada Post dogsled stamp. If you want to send a letter by dogsled, log on to http://www.dogsledmailrun.ca/  to find out how. Dogsled stamps are available from Canada Post.

2012 Dog Sled Mail Run envelope with stamps from Canada Post

Next week, we head to Canada’s east coast for another great mail story. Stay tuned.

Not all of the city of Vancouver is by the water, but when I am walking around there, the ocean and the mountains are never very far away.

And the people of Vancouver always seem to be jogging or riding their bikes.

Granville Island is as much for the tourists as it is for the local people.

Vancouver has the highest real-estate prices in Canada.

It is a thriving port city on the Pacific coast of Canada.

The climate in Vancouver is mild (for Canada) and much of the city’s social life takes place out-of-doors.

In Vancouver, the ocean and the mountains are never very far away.

We hooked up with Cathryn Wellner on Twitter. She’s a foodie, environmentalist and blogger living in the Okanagan Valley, in the province of British Columbia, one of the most picturesque places in Canada. You can follow her on Twitter @Storyroute. Here’s what she sent us about her part of the country.

Farms along the Naramata Bench have gradually shifted from orchards to vineyards

Background

When Kelowna sun makes hovering over the computer hard, even someone as connected to a laptop as I am enjoys a mini-vacation. We already live in something of a paradise here in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Our communities are scattered like beads along the 135-km length of Lake Okanagan (map). The valley even offers some of the best weather in this climate-challenged country.

One of my favorite destinations for a day’s outing is the Naramata Bench, a plateau that lies along the southeast corner of the lake. The “Bench” designation is relatively new, linked to the transition from a fruit-growing region to a setting for vineyards and destination wineries.

Naramata named for a beloved wife

The land is traditional territory for the Okanagan people. When the Cariboo Gold Rush lured thousands of hungry miners north, cattlemen discovered the South Okanagan had miles of bunch grass to fatten livestock.

Late afternoon soon paints the Naramata Village beach golden

Plentiful water and a relatively mild climate made farming attractive. Settlers gradually spread out throughout the Okanagan Valley. One of those was John Moore Robinson. The Manitoba newspaper editor purchased a ranch he called Peachland and began selling off parcels for orchards. He went on to found a town named after the ranch, another he called Summerland, and then, in 1907, Naramata.

Moore got the name through a medium, who channeled the spirit of a Sioux Indian Chief. The chief spoke of his beloved wife, Nar-ra-mat-tah (“smile of Manitou”). Moore was so impressed he knew he had a name for the town.

Village of Naramata

But it wasn’t the history that drew me there recently. Friends were visiting from Christchurch, New Zealand. I’d met them through a couple who live here in the Okanagan. They had been so welcoming when my partner and I stopped en route to Australia that I jumped at the chance to return a little of their hospitality.

The gardens of the Naramata Heritage Inn include whimsical found objects, like this bicycle

We stopped first at the north end of our tour, in the village of Naramata, where we had lunch reservations at the Naramata Heritage Inn & Spa. The Cobblestone Restaurant there prides itself on the fresh ingredients (some from their own garden) and carefully paired wines they offer. Our lunch choices were enhanced with local asparagus, greens, walnuts, and a selection of cheeses from the boutique cheesery tucked into the nearby Poplar Grove Vineyard.

Our visitors were travel weary so we did not take the time to wander around the village or stop by Naramata Centre. I’ve taught intergenerational storytelling classes at the Centre, threading the labyrinth and enjoying the lake from the nearby beach. So if we’d had more time, I’d have wanted to stop at a couple of my favorite haunts.

The interior of Village Grounds is warm and inviting

One is the Village Grounds. I’m a fan of good coffee so could never quite accustom myself to the brew-and-sit brown liquid served along with the otherwise delicious fare at the Centre. I’d tuck my notes for the day’s session and my trusty Moleskine notebook into my pack and walk over to the village’s haven for java addicts. Their breakfast and lunch offerings look like standard fare on the menu, but the quality of the ingredients, some special touches, and an appreciation of fresh, wholesome food lifts them above the ordinary.

My other stop would have been Shades of Linen Clothing. Friends who know I’m a reluctant shopper will likely be surprised to know this little shop is a favorite of mine. The locally made, natural-fibre, simply styled clothing from this little shop is attractive, durable, and comfortable. Besides, how often do we get a chance to buy directly from the designer and seamstress, at affordable prices?

Wineries along the Naramata Bench

Except for a road more suitable for four-wheel drive vehicles, the only route in and out of Naramata is the one that leaves Highway 97 in Penticton and winds through small farms, vineyards and wineries. Perspective changes what we see. No one minded having to travel back through sloping farms and vistas that stretch for miles along the lake and the surrounding hills.

We traveled past wineries with such quirky names as Elephant Island, Black Widow, Laughing Stock, and Therapy Vineyards. Our winery destination was the one that welcomed Frank the Baggage Handler, when the anatomically correct sculpture fell victim to some overly sensitive citizens of nearby Penticton. Some of the good burgers figured public money should not be spent on full frontal nudity.

Once the eye of a public storm, Frank the Baggage Handler found a welcoming home at the Red Rooster Winery

The Baggage Handler (whose nickname, Frank, came later) was the eye of a storm, the victim of vandalism, and a magnet for mocking press reports. The talented sculptor, Michael Hermesh, likely felt as if he’d been thrown into a blender on high speed.

The whole episode makes fascinating reading. Fortunately, the good folk at Red Rooster Winery welcomed Frank. Now he stands mute, surrounded by bags, both icon and piece of fine art. He is likely one of the most photographed sculptures on the Bench, along with the mermaid who swims nearby.

This mermaid swims near Frank at the Red Rooster Winery

Within the walls of the winery that welcomed Frank are some of the Okanagan’s finest estate wines, as well as a gallery that features a rotating display of local art. Like other Okanagan vineyards with limited production, Red Rooster offers a wine club that gives members access to fine wines and a bi-monthly addition to the oenophile’s bragging rights.

A day wasn’t nearly enough to sample all the delights of the Naramata Bench, but at least we could give a sampling of the best to our Kiwi guests. As for those of us who live in the Okanagan Valley, we’re keeping the spectacular entrances to our little paradise open. Come for a visit.

The Richmond Olympic Oval will serve as the long track speed skating venue for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games

The sexiest Olympic venue at the 2010 Winter Games!

The Richmond Olympic Oval is a multi-purpose sports facility along the banks of the Fraser River in British Columbia. It is located a few kilometres south of Vancouver on Canada’s west coast, minutes from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) which is across the river on Sea Island.

Although built specifically for the Games, the facility is open to the public for sports activities and spectator events.

One of the most striking architectural aspects of the building is the arching, laminated wooden joists that hold up the roof. The roof itself contains salvaged wood that was damaged by a recent pine-beetle infestation in British Columbia forests. It’s one of the largest timber roofs in the world and covers an open interior space of about 100 by 200 metres (2 hectares, or about 5 acres). It took my breath away. Here are some technical descriptions of the building. Canadians familiar with drafty hockey arenas are going to say “Wow, looks expensive.”

The Oval is also a training and competition centre for many Paralympic sports, including wheelchair basketball. When I was there I got to play some “pickup” ball on one of the courts inside the actual skating oval. No wonder so many able-bodied people play this sport as well, it’s the most fun you are ever going to have sitting in a chair. Check out the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association website for information about joining a league.

Grand entrance way to the Richmond Olympic Oval

The Flying Beaver restaurant

If you’re in the area, drop in at The Flying Beaver for a burger. It’s a restaurant on stilts across the Fraser River from the Oval (map). It’s famous for good casual West Coast seafood, live music, great views and a place where floatplane pilots hang out between jobs.

Aberdeen Center drummer

If you like dim sum and want to experience authentic Asian culture, Fisherman’s Terrace restaurant in the brand new Aberdeen Center on Cambie Road in Richmond is a good bet. The shopping mall itself is a state-of-the-art multicultural experience where you can buy a Lamborghini along with your ginseng and cream puffs.

Commercial fishing and tourism exist side-by-side in Steveston Village.

In February, 2009, I visited Steveston, a historic fishing village in the southwest corner of Lulu Island, British Columbia. It’s not far from the Vancouver International Airport and the city of Vancouver. The village looks out on the south arm of the Fraser River delta. Steveston was founded in the 1880s and became a thriving centre for commercial fishing and canning. At its height there were 15 canneries along the shore packaging millions of pounds of salmon, herring and other species. Hard working fishermen were known to frequent the many hotels and saloons, as well as the occasional bawdy house. Apparently there was some gambling activity and opium consumption as well.

I stopped at Pajo’s Fish & Chips, a popular floating restaurant down among the wharves. It’s a casual place where great seafood comes in a paper cone and seating is on wooden picnic tables. Steveston is still a major fishing port and if your timing is right, fresh and frozen fish can be purchased off the boats. Much work has been done to promote tourism here. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery is a National Historic site right near Pajo’s. I took a bus tour from my hotel in Richmond and a local guide showed us the cannery and some sites along the coast.

Steveston marina in February – home to Canada's largest commercial fishing fleet, comprised of seiners, gillnetters, trawlers and other vessels.

The City of Richmond occupies the north part of Lulu Island closer to Vancouver. Here’s a map. Richmond is accessible from Vancouver on the new SkyTrain, so is the airport (YVR), and the Olympic Oval, but not Steveston.

North arm of the Fraser River from Lulu Island (Richmond) looking towards Vancouver

Check the Steveston Village Community website for more on local attractions and the latest news. Steveston is worth visiting if you are in this part of Canada. Here are some more directions on how to get here.

Flying dirty on approach to YVR

YVR offered a tour to members of the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC) when the association held its annual conference in Richmond a couple of years ago. Richmond is a suburb of Vancouver and YVR was one of several Richmond sites we were invited to visit.

I learned a lot about Canada’s second busiest airport on that tour. Like how it conserves energy. Sidewalks and escalators slow down when they’re not in use. Colours and textures calm crowds and minimize noise. Aquariums are strategically placed to calm as well as entertain. Circular seating areas with flat screen TVs are designed in such a way that when you sit inside the circles you can hear the TVs, outside, you can’t. Each YVR gate has a specially designed counter and foot hold where laptop owners gather to work while waiting for their flights.

Spirit of Haida Gwaii: The Jade Canoe by Bill Reid Photo by: Reinhard Kraasch

A painting of BC forest, mountains and sea by Canadian Group of Seven artist, Lawren Harris, was selected as the colour palette for YVR’s interior. Huge glass curtain walls give travelers spectacular views of the ocean and the mountains. Wood, a British Columbia resource, is widely used throughout. What really impressed me about YVR though, is its outstanding collection of Northwest Coast native art. According to the airport’s art foundation, it’s what drove the vision for the new YVR terminal. Anchoring the collection is Bill Reid‘s The Spirit of Haida Gwaii: The Jade Canoe. Canadians know it from the back of the Canadian $20 bill. I also loved walking through Pacific Passage, an entry point for US travelers. My passage view was dominated by a giant Thunderbird sculpted by Connie Watts.  But it really doesn’t matter what vantage point you enter YVR from, beautiful native art greets you at all points.

In times of troubled international flight, I think YVR is a facility that attempts to lift our spirits to a higher plane. That makes it a welcoming gateway for those headed to Canada’s west coast.