Vancouver is a city in British Columbia, Canada. As we ventured through the mountains right outside Vancouver. The North Shore Mountains was one of our key destinations. When we arrived park rangers told us that two trails run into each other. As the competitive people we are we decided to race to see who would get back the quickest.
My Mother and I started before them on the trail of our choice, while my two brothers and father went to the bathroom. After an hour of walking and not seeing anyone else come the other direction we began to worry. The guides told us it would take a half an hour to circle around. We had no food, no water, and no means of communication. So we kept on walking.
Another hour passed and we began to make excuses as to why it would have taken us this long to walk the trail. We crossed a bridge that the park rangers mentioned and we figured we were almost to the end. Off in the distance we say something small and black. 
Instantly I knew we were in trouble. It was a black bear cub and my mom and I walked a little faster away from that area. As we continued down the path the forest began to get more and more dense the further we walked. Then suddenly the trail ended. Worry began to set in as time was going on. Neither of us wanted to turn around and walk another two hours back the way we came. We decided to follow the dirt path next the river until we found civilization again. 
After another thirty minutes of walking we stopped. My mom was so tired she needed to sit down for a bit. I climbed down a little edge to reach the river. I scooped up some water and took a nice long gulp. 
It was truly the best water I had ever tasted in my life. I tried to bring some for my mom but all efforts failed. We continue walking and shortly after we begun we came across an old wooden cabin with signs that said keep out and not trespassing. Scared for our lives we slowly walked to the door and knocked. Surprisingly two mid aged women came to the door. 
With their sweet tones the helped us out. They gave us water and even drove us back to the national park entrance. In total it was three hours we were gone and it was just getting dark. Once we found out family we told the park rangers to call of the search for us because we had just gone down the wrong trail.
After a few uneventful days in Vancouver we traveled down to Birch Bay, Washington. In this region we came across Mount Baker which still had snow from the past winter. It was late June and we went sledding and went to the beach to swim on the same day. We drove a four person bike and stayed away from trails in the middle of no where.
From all the hiking, sledding, swimming, making sand creatures, and going to the aquarium the trip had much adventures. My brothers and I stood next to huge trees in the forest that had be around for hundreds of years. Through the lens of the camera you couldn't get a picture of one full tree. We had witnessed so much and we weren't finished.
While in Seattle, WA we wondered around and visited a fish market and all the tourist sites they had to offer. We visited many waterfalls around the area and all the towns we visited had their own special feel to them. 
Being from Minnesota being able to play in the snow wasn't the strangest thing that had occurred for me. We hiked next to rivers and up mountains to make memories. 
Once we drove back to Birch Bay, Washington we spent one of our last days relaxing and playing mini-golf. This is another activity in which my family can become very competitive at. After that last day we drove back into Canada. We got on a plane and flew back to the east coast. This trip was one of a kind. I got to experience the culture up in Canada and the culture down below in Washington state. Even though some of the trip could've turned out better it still was and educational adventure.
Life Lesson #8: Never go on a trail in the mountains with out water or a cell phone. Even if they say it will only take fifteen minutes, and even if you are in another country.
