Homeward bound

July 23

Awoke early to finish packing, down a coffee and some oatmeal before going out to the parking lot to meet our guide by 0800hrs. By 0845, Chris was a no show but the local van/bus showed up to pick up someone. David turned out to be the friendliest, most cheerful and informative driver you could ever want to meet. He was raised in Hagensborg, a Norwegian community outside of Bella Coola and still had oodles of relatives in the area. We explained our dilemma and he offered to take us to Chris’s house after dropping off his customer. We knocked at Chris’s door but there was no answer so David took us to his dad’s house as that was the truck he would need to borrow for the tour. This was another strike out but the truck was there so we knew Chris wasn’t enroute. David had a list of pickups so asked if we wanted to go for a ride.  We went right thru Hagensborg where David pointed out the house he grew up in, his uncles house, the church his grandfather preached in, etc. The first stop was on a beautiful property near a creek surrounded by huge cedar trees. The occupant said she was flooded out last fall. A few days ago there was a landslide blocking off the town and it was just reopening today.  I took this photo near her driveway.  I was so impressed by this door to door bus service for $2.50 regardless of the distance.  When David pulled into someone’s driveway and they weren’t outside waiting he would go know on the door to fetch them.  We greeted everyone who got onto the bus and soon if was full. One elder woman said she moved her house over from Vancouver Island 60 years ago via a barge and has lived in it ever since. I got out at the airport as it was only an hour before my departure. David exited the bus for photos with us while I said my farewells to my fellow crew mates.  What a fabulous service for town trips, doctors visits and sightseeing.