So far, so good in BC

Posted In: ChiRunning | Me | Running | Wine June 18th, 2011 divider No Comments »

I’ve had a great time so far enjoying all that Beautiful British Columbia has to offer!

I’ve been spending some QT with the Mom’s, enjoying nature through trail running and hiking and even doing some wine tasting at one of my favourite wineries yesterday.

Thursday was fairly low-key as I went for a run in the hills nearby to explore and enjoy the scenery. I also went and saw what downtown Vernon is all about and got to see one of Vernon’s best running stores, “The Starting Block”.

I cooked a nice dinner and then we went and digested it by doing a quick hike around the Ellison Provincial Park nearby. A few deer but still no bear.

We spent part of the day yesterday in and around Kelowna hiking, trail running and eating.We even did a bit of shopping where the Mom’s got to see her first Lululemon store and I got her Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now”.

Then I went for a trail run at night with Vernon’s own running coach, Krystina Pick. She took through some trails at Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park. She ran me into the ground (the climbs were wicked) but the scenery and the runner’s high were well worth it!

Now I’m getting ready for another stroll and for my workshop this afternoon at Vernon Secondary School. I’m expecting a modest turnout but I’m hoping to plant a seed to come back here for another round of workshops in August. Wouldn’t it be nice?

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While at Quails’ Gate (a winery I fell in love with in 2007 while I was in the area watching Ironman Canada), I tried a few of their wines. A beautiful winery with some nice and knowledgable folks. See below for my first impressions:

2009 Pinot Noir
-This was good but not great. Smooth but almost had a bit of an unpleasant aftertaste.

2008 Pinot Noir Stewart Family Reserve
-Wow! This wine is $45/bottle. But trust me, if you can get one, it will be worth it. Such smooth taste, with a wide array of hints and tastes. A big winner in my books and one of my all-time favourites!

2009 Foch
-My first exposure to this grape, it was bold and almost harsh.

2009 Foch Reserve
-Same bold taste but with a strong and sweet finish. We bought a bottle to go with our steak for dinner. Great pairing!

We also checked out Volcanic Hills, a new winery on the way back. They had a good Syrah, a decent Gamay, a good 2008 Pinot and my favourite, their 2009 Pinot. It was fruity with some good texture. We got a few bottles of that one too…