My Name Is Jasper

To The Mountains

I lost touch with me

I was and still am fire

Ignite! To the mountains

Live breath sense move

I know it pains me too

Ignite! To the mountains

To The Mountains – Sigrud Wongraven (147)

Another week, another airport. Well technically it is the same airport where my last trip started: Lester B. Pearson Toronto International Airport. I don't feel too good. I am sleep deprived and it feels as if I am still in the stranglehold of an energy drink overdose. Maybe some food will sort me out.

I stare at the fettuccini dish in front of me. The pasta is so oily it would make a massage therapist uncomfortable. The only explanation is I am the victim of a delayed April fools prank... I'm just grumpy I guess. Moments later I am informed that my flight is delayed. Crap, I hope this is not the start of an awful trip.

....

It wasn't. The business part of the trip was very successful, I was able to reconnect with friends and I ate all the seafood I could find. I love seafood, especially sushi. Even in Calgary, the cowboy capital of Canada where I believe not having a steak is considered a sin, I had the Japanese delights twice.

Unlike Alberta's metropolis, Vancouver is famous for its seafood. It's no wonder I indulged myself in the downtown sushi restaurants surrounding the local Microsoft office.

That afternoon I had rented a car and drove the Sea to Sky highway up north to the town of Squamish. I was able to stay the weekend in the Vancouver area, and was looking forward to escape the busy city life after those busy weeks in exchange for mountains, wildlife, and some peace and quiet.

A colleague of mine is a Squamish resident and he gave me some good pointers. Even after living there for over 10 years, he still couldn't mask his excitement when describing his favorite town in the whole world. As I am driving his daily commute, I understand why he'll never move away to another place. The Sea to Sky highway is breathtaking from start to finish. On one side of the road you have the Howe Sound bay, on the other the cliffs of the Rocky Mountains. It's hard to keep my eyes on the road, I am trying to take it all in.

After I checked in my hotel, my colleague calls me up. "Want some company for dinner?" "Sure!" A few minutes later he picks me up. As I step into the car he asks: "Do you like sushi?"

After a fantastic meal we go for some craft beer in the local Howe Sound brewery. It has been a good week. Busy, but good. I can finally blow off some steam and I already look forward doing many hikes in the morning.

I randomly check my phone. I have a message. It's from my dad.... That doesn't make sense, with the time difference it is well before my folks wake up on a Saturday morning.

"I need to call you right now"

This is bad news. I call him from the washroom. "What's going on dad? Something wrong with Oma?" "Yes Jasper, it happened."

...

"Hey Honey... My grandmother passed away last night..." Like the rain that is pouring down from the sky outside, there they are... finally... the tears that didn't come last night. I expected them to come the moment my dad told me what happened. He tried to stay strong on the line, he couldn't. I had walked back to the bar of the brewery. Walking back to the hotel after multiple brews a feeling of guilt and shame was creeping up on me. Why wasn't I more sad?