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    Iron Heart Update 2026

    Vancouver, BC (CA)

    Canada
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    • 68degreesorless6
      68degreesorless
      Haraki san Student
      Joined:

      Great vacation decision @Dmart. We did a similar trip a couple years ago and loved it.

      Jasper - Alpine Village is great, simple lodging. Beautiful to sit by the river in Adirondack chairs after hiking. For hiking, Geraldine Lakes trail was challenging but magical. Bear's Paw bakery has good treats.

      Banff - Search for an Airbnb listing called "Banff Log Cabin." Super friendly hosts and they make you tons of the most delicious muffins and coffee each morning. Plus easy walk into town.

      If you can do the drive between Banff and Jasper around sunrise or sunset, you will be happy.

      If you are driving between Banff and Vancouver and looking to breakup the trip, there is fantastic wine tasting in the Okanagan Valley around Kelowna/Penticton. Message me if you want recommendations on specific wineries.

      last edited by 68degreesorless 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • 68degreesorless6
        68degreesorless
        Haraki san Student
        Joined:

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        I recommend pulling over at a random lake by the side of the road and wading out into it.

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        Aforementioned Geraldine Lakes hike

        last edited by 68degreesorless 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • Salted RacerS
          Salted Racer
          Haraki san Prodigy
          Joined:

          If you love the outdoors check out Hinton, Crowsnest Pass, Nordegg, and Drumheller.
          Jasper and Banff are great for sure but these are my favorite places to hike and bike and they are not the typical tourist places that everyone goes to.
          Pick up bear spray if you are hiking long trails.

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • DmartD
            Dmart
            啓蒙家
            Joined:

            Oh wow, didn’t expect so much feedback. I will certainly check out all the recommendations.
            We can’t wait to visit Canada. It has always been a dream.

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • pechelmanP
              pechelman
              啓蒙家
              Joined:

              Don't have much to add other than Victoria Island is a wonderful place. Lots of fun and delicious things in Victoria, Red fish Blue fish in the harbor for fish tacos, get a pickleboat ride in the harbor, grab a beer from Phillips Brewing (Blue Buck in particular!), recall having a great/simple meal on a fantastic patio at Ferris', and then just drive up the coast anywhere and wander on the beaches. I think Viberg has a shop there but recall hearing they never have much in stock.

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • DmartD
                Dmart
                啓蒙家
                Joined:

                We loved Canada. What an amazing and scenic country.
                Met TJ from the shop an got me a Schott Perfecto.

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                last edited by todyT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
                • todyT
                  tody
                  啓蒙家
                  @Dmart
                  Joined:

                  @Dmart Damn, do I miss the place...

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • DmartD
                    Dmart
                    啓蒙家
                    Joined:

                    @tody i am in love. What a great place. Hope we will be back one day.

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • M
                      mr_showclass
                      Raw and Unwashed
                      Joined:

                      TJ is such a good dude. I haven't been to his new location yet, but next time i'm over in Vancouver I'm planning too. We live in Van not too far from his old shop, but moved to Victoria 9 years ago.

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • DmartD
                        Dmart
                        啓蒙家
                        Joined:

                        @mr_showclass The new shop looks nice, although the location in general is borderline…

                        last edited by Dmart M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • M
                          mr_showclass
                          Raw and Unwashed
                          @Dmart
                          Joined:

                          @Dmart haha, yeah. I worked in the Downtown Eastside for many years when I live in Vancouver, and lived just outside of it. It's a hard one for sure, lot's of issues.

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • BrandreaB
                            Brandrea
                            Raw and Unwashed
                            Joined:

                            If you’re spending any time in Vancouver, take a float plane up to Tofino and spend a night at the tip of the island in the Old Growth forest. If you love nature and the outdoors, this is like a spiritual awakening.

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • TobiT
                              Tobi
                              Haraki san Prodigy
                              Joined:

                              We are avoiding the US at the moment, and will spend 3 weeks in BC and Alberta this summer. Early stages of planning, but we might visit old friends in Victoria, and then heading inland. Not sure yet how much of Vancouver island we will try to see. We have been there once, but only Victoria itself. Before that my last trip to Canada was around 1990 and involved a lot of hitchhiking and outdoor stuff.. now I am dragging two teenage daughters along. Will hit the local experts with some questions sometime in the next weeks when the planning gets more detailed.

                              last edited by todyT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • todyT
                                tody
                                啓蒙家
                                @Tobi
                                Joined:

                                @Tobi not local obviously, but i spent time there.
                                Lodge at Bow Lake
                                Inside Passage
                                two of the things i‘d do again instantly

                                last edited by TobiT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • TobiT
                                  Tobi
                                  Haraki san Prodigy
                                  @tody
                                  Joined:

                                  @tody said in Vancouver, BC (CA):

                                  Inside Passage

                                  Thanks! Inside passage as in: somhow partly explore in a boat/cruise? or driving along on-shore?

                                  last edited by todyT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • todyT
                                    tody
                                    啓蒙家
                                    @Tobi
                                    Joined:

                                    @Tobi BC Ferries from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert. Spectacular experience!
                                    https://www.bcferries.com/web_image/images/hca/h24/9020718743582.pdf

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • Denman JohnD
                                      Denman John
                                      Haraki san Prodigy
                                      Joined:

                                      @Tobi I’m about 2 hours north of Victoria. If you have any questions about Vancouver Island or want to meet up, drop me a line and we can try to make something work.

                                      last edited by TobiT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • todyT
                                        tody
                                        啓蒙家
                                        Joined:

                                        Also, to entertain the teenage girls: The first Rambo movie was filmed in Hope. You need to visit the Stallone statue!

                                        last edited by TobiT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • TobiT
                                          Tobi
                                          Haraki san Prodigy
                                          @Denman John
                                          Joined:

                                          @Denman-John thanks for the super friendly offer! If we head this way we will visit our friends in Victoria, and they will be our local guides! Might still take you up on the offer and drop you a question or two at some stage.. Thanks!

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • TobiT
                                            Tobi
                                            Haraki san Prodigy
                                            @tody
                                            Joined:

                                            @tody have you interacted with any teenage girls in the last two decades? 🙂 Rambo/Stallone is seriously in uncool old-guy territory!

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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