We toured several gorgeously decorated venues last year featuring themed Christmas trees, incredible gingerbread houses, lovely decorations and finally St. Pauls Hospital lights. This is a camera-friendly event for all ages but be prepared to stay together as a group. We cover approximately 10 km in 3 hours, more or less.

We will gather at Waterfront Station and head out from there. If we need to break for a cuppa something warm along the way we'll decide that as we go. For those who stay to the end, we may decide to have dinner at Earls or somewhere else depending on group size and wishes.

If you are interested in joining us this year, watch for updated details on this posting as they become available.

If you know of any additional attractions downtown within walking distance, please send the details to Rina and we'll see if we can add them to the route.

This event is also posted to REV It Up so if you belong to both groups, you need only reply to one invite.

Three of the venues we will check out:
Gingerbread Lane at Hyatt Regency Hotel on Burrard Street- : http://www.youtube.co...
2009 Festival of Trees - Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver and upper lobby of Pacific Centre
Lights at St Paul's Hospital, also on Burrard, after dark

You will find me outside the station with my pink umbrella, rain or shine. We'll wait the standard 15 minutes and the start walking.

PLEASE do not call my cell if you miss the start: it will be turned off during this event. Text messages cost me $$ and I will not reply.

A volunteer collection will be taken at this event and any money will be split between the two Meetup Groups to help the Organizers fund the websites you enjoy so much. I encourage you to contribute at least a dollar, if you can.

The Annual Cranberry Harvest and Festival in Fort Langley is a seasonal celebration of fruit and fun.
Visit their website for more details.

The plan: gather at Trev Deeley's Motorcycles and travel with the Burnaby/Port Coquitlam Motorcycle Riders.We aim to leave at 10 am sharp. Drivers are welcome to travel with us but PLEASE don't cut in the line of motorbikes riding in close formation: sweepers at the rear are appreciated.

Arrive in Fort Langley at 11 am and search for parking. Allow 1/2 hour to park and walk back into town.

Gather at the Fort Langley Town Hall at 11:30 AM and then roam the town photographing whatever catches your eye. Enjoy the live shows, the festival and the splendid architecture and art that makes Fort Langley a visual treat. Don't forget the Fort Langley Historical Site, if you want to travel back in time to BC's frontier past.

Grab a portable lunch from one of the festival vendors or local restaurants and meet us at 2 pm at the park beside The Train Station Pub at the foot Glover Road before the bridge. Look for my pink umbrella.

Once we've had lunch, you are free to continue enjoying the festival or head back to town at your own pace. Don't miss the Fort Langley Wine Co. just around the corner where you can see the cranberry fields and, if the timing is right, how they harvest the berries. Some great photo ops there, too.

If you carpool, make sure you confirm your travel arrangements with your driver/passenger and exchange phone numbers in case you get separated.

Have a great day, take lots of photos and post your best dozen to the album after the event.

An annual tradition, this Summer Festival has something for everyone! Blueberries, wine, live music, great food, crafts, classic cars & motorcycles, model railroad displays and much, much more.

You haven't lived until you've participated in a blueberry pie eating contest! Test your mettle and take on all comers. See how much pie you can eat in 90 seconds and win a prize!

We'll meet at 11 am near the big barn but you are free to enjoy the event at your own pace for as long as you wish. Sample, sip and savour the day dedicated to berries of the blue variety.

We're planning to travel to the winery by motorcycle, if the weather is nice. We'll gather at Deeley's Motorcycles (1875 Boundary Road) at 9:30 am. If you wish to travel with us, show up before then and we'll travel as a group departing at 10 am sharp.

Carpooling is encouraged. REV and the A List are also invited so you can canvass their site for shared rides coming from your area. Members are responsible for their own way to and from the event.
Translink does have a bus running along Ladner Trunk Road that stops right at 88th Street.
From Vancouver: "601 SOUTH DELTA"
Travelling To: LADNER EXCHANGE BAY 5
Bus Transfer At: LADNER EXCHANGE BAY 6
On Route: "C76 SCOTTSDALE EXCHANGE"
Arriving At: EASTBOUND HWY 10 AT 88 ST
The winery is on 88th Street, about 100 yards along on the east side. There is a BIG sign on the corner and llamas across the street.

The terrain is flat so cycling from Ladner is not far, although Ladner Trunk Road will be busy. If you want to cycle as a group, post it in your RSVP and set it up with other members in advance. REV and the A List will also be joining us so check there if you would like to coordinate with a riding group.

Anyone with a motorbike who would like to join Scott and I for the ride from Deeley's Motorcyles in Burnaby is welcome to meet us at 9:30 am. We will have a short briefing about group riding and depart at 10 am sharp. Be smart, ride safe.

Looking forward to photos taken at this event to be posted in the Albums. Have fun, shutterbugs!

Hoping to see lots of Meetup Members from many groups at this fantastic event. Come out for this free presentation and learn what's involved in creating an artificial reef. Even more, it's right here in BC! If you want a chance to participate directly, you can sign up for one or more of the "working weekends" (one day or both) on board the ship. You will feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day and share an experience that will become part of an historic achievement.

VENUE: La Fontana Caffe in Burnaby at the crossroad of Hastings and Boundary Road. Look for the dandelion fountain.
Food and beverages available.
Free street parking and transit accessible: venue is one block uphill from Kooteny Bus Loop on the northeast corner.
$1 voluntary admission at the door. Change is appreciated.

Sign Up Sheets for Work Days/Weekends will be available at the event. Check your calendar for weekends in July/August so you know when you are free if you wish to sign up.

Howard Robins, President and one of the founding members the Artificial Reef Society of BC, has been an active community diver in BC for over 30 years and has remained close to the scuba dive industry. Howie has extensive wreck diving experience throughout the world and assisted on the underwater video capture of the sinking of the USS Oriskany a distinguished WWII aircraft carrier sunk in Pensacola Florida in 2006.

This year the ARSBC celebrates its 20th year when it began in 1989 as a non-profit volunteer society dedicated to the enhancement of British Columbia's marine environment. The group been successful in sinking a 178 ft coastal freighter, 6 decommissioned 366 ft Canadian built destroyers, a 455 foot WWII Victory ship and most recently the worlds first Boeing 737 resting on a cradle at 90 feet. Through these volunteer programs, the ARSBC has advanced the sport of wreck diving through public education and activism. The ARSBC has pioneered its ship recycling and environmental clean up technology as a home grown entity whose activates have been admired and adopted in other reefing programs outside of Canada. Our successes have become known as the "the Canadian model" for ships to reef programs.

The Evolution of an Artificial Reef
Howie’s presentation will feature their latest project HMCS Annapolis the last of the great steam-driven destroyers and also explain the complexities of creating ships-to-reef projects. You will see a some of the detailed planning for large, complex projects and what they have produced in return to our coastal waters. The ARSBC has become a tourism success story in Canada and around the world. Understand the impact of these "man made reefs" and how they have helped enhance BC's scuba dive tourism industry, the marine ecology and the economic benefits to BC's coastal communities. www.artificialreef.bc.ca

More info can be found at:
Artificial Reef Society of BC
Maritime Museum

The meeting will begin at 7:15 pm when we'll learn what goes into this huge undertaking. Whether you love to photograph ships, scuba dive, or just want to try something really different for a day, come on out and find out how you can become involved in this unique project once or on a repeat basis. You can sign up for one or more of the Work Days during weekends in July and August and perhaps September once they are made available to us.

If you have any questions, please contact the event organizer.

Elevation gain: 5 m max
Terrain: rocky shoreline, trails & some sidewalks.
Time: 2 hours +
Speed: walking speed
Equipment: sturdy walking shoes

This recreational fun family walk can be started anytime between 9:30 -11:30 am but as a group, we'll meet at 10:30 am. The walk takes about 2 hours over beach, trails and streets.

Meet at the SOS tent in Panorama Park in Deep Cove.
Please wear sturdy walking shoes and suitable clothing for weather conditions. Water will be provided along the route.
A free Shuttle Bus will bring you back to Cates Park from either Strathcona or Panorama Park from11:30 to 2:30 pm.
Bring your camera for the Photo Contest. For details click this link.

This event is sponsored by North Shore News and the City of North Vancouver.