Westbound + Wandering | Whistler Village Vibes + My First Downhill Ride | Night 5

The past two days moved fast. Here's how it all unfolded.

We eased into Day Four slowly… and by that, I mean we got dressed in the parking lot and shuffled over to pay for day parking. You won’t believe this—$11 for the whole day. At a tourist hot spot like Whistler, that’s basically charity. Honestly, a smart move to get more people into the village without hammering them with hidden fees.

We kicked things off with breakfast at Hunter Gather, with our good friends. Great food, much-needed tea, and a chance to lay out the day’s game plan. By midday, the boys suited up to hit the mountain while the girls (and the very important five-and-a-half-year-old Emmett) made poolside plans at their condo.

Now, here’s a true story about me: I love the sun. I want to soak in every second of it. But in recent years, the sun has not loved me back. I get heat exhaustion—nausea, migraines, and on the worst days, some elegant, theatrical puking. So I’ve learned to adapt: shade, electrolytes, and strategic dips in the water.

So that’s exactly what I did. Emmett and I spent the afternoon in the pool. I was dominating handstand competitions, practicing back dives, and timing breath-holds (he hit 11 seconds!). It was an easy, feel-good day. Loved hanging with Naomi, Arlene, and this little dude.

Later, I wandered back through the village to our little incognito setup tucked in with the other 'not so legit' campers. Quick shower, hair dried under the AC, some photo sorting, and I got ready for dinner.

We started with cocktails and apps at Raven Room, a cozy little spot with moody lighting and dangerously strong drinks. So far, my favourite meal in the village. Then we wandered over to Oso for round two—sleek, social, and more of a late-night vibe.

A few more snacks, a couple more drinks, and we called it.

Day Five: Downhill Mountain Biking – my first time.

For years, James has wanted me to try downhill riding so we could enjoy it together. I’ve always been too nervous to say yes—partly because of the heat exhaustion thing, and partly because downhill biking is no joke. James casually scrolls through gnarly crash reels like they’re cat videos.

But Whistler is cooler than Southern Ontario, and I trust this crew. We were even meeting up with one of the boys’ friends, Tollman, who offered to take it slow and show me the ropes. Berms were mentioned (burms? still unclear).

I was actually looking forward to doing something new and - more importantly - teaching my body to stop panicking in moments of excitement.

When it was finally time to suit up and ride over to the lift, my nerves fully kicked in. I wasn’t scared of heights or the lift - I was scared of doing something totally unknown.

The ride up was stunning. I’ve been up this mountain in winter, but never summer. Watching the Red Bull and Crankworx jumps from above? Unreal. Those ramps are next-level.

At the top, James helped me grab my bike, we pulled up our knee pads, and I nervously headed to the green trail - Easy Does It.

Tollman took the lead, calling out tips. James stayed behind me like a human safety net. Scott and Naomi hung back with Emmett for his own gentle intro ride, which was super cute to watch.

Despite the nerves and the soaring heart rate, I felt like a little kid again - zooming down the trail, laughing, whooping, and trying to hit the berms just right. The funny thing is, riding berms goes totally against your intuition. Here’s the weird thing about berms: naturally, you don’t want to go up on the side of them—it feels like you’re going to fly off. But ironically, that’s actually the safest place to ride. If you carve up into the berm properly, it holds you and helps carry your speed through the corner. Totally counterintuitive but really fun once you trust it (or are stupid enough to try it).

The technical section in the trees was wild (James's fav kind of downhill)—roots and jagged rocks popping up like little landmines. Tollman kept pulling off to let me catch my breath. I didn’t realize how long I’d been holding it.

Final review: I loved it. Totally doing it again. Downhill-only riding? Yes please. The only thing in my way is the heat - don’t want to push it and end up regretting anything. I want to share a special thanks to Scott, for encouraging me to ride and for purchasing my lift pass - thank you friend. I love how you show love.

After the ride and after the heat-induced nausea passed, the group headed out for another lap. I cruised solo around Whistler, cooling off, getting a better feel for the layout.

Dinner that night was with the full crew—plus Tollman’s lovely better half, Ruth—at Beacon Pub. I had their Cobb salad with halloumi cheese and was very happy with my choice.

Then we all headed back to rest up, because tomorrow morning: white water rafting in Squamish. Photos are few and far between while we were in whistler - we we disconnected and enjoying time with friends - enjoy these few snaps from James and I. *Dope ass photo of James on the slab - taken by Scott.