Monthly Archives: July 2015

Road Trip!

I had a week of vacation time earlier in the month, so we drove up to Vancouver Island to meet the guys and gals at Cloudhead Games. I’ve worked with them since 2012 (before there was actually a Cloudhead Games!) and it was great to finally to meet them in person.

We drove up through New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington State, then across the border into Canada. We rolled onto the Queen Of Alberni, an enormous ferry, for the hop from the mainland to Vancouver Island.

No, we're NOT gonna need a bigger boat, Brody.

No, we’re NOT gonna need a bigger boat, Brody.

Me and the missus on the ferry.

Me and the missus on the ferry.

The island is beautiful. The guys weren’t kidding when they told us it was paradise. The first thing we did once we got on the island was head to Coombs to drop by the office, meet the guys, and hang out for a bit.

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Blurry selfie of yours truly and Denny Unger

It’s an awesome office. It’s amazing how far the company has come–from a couple of people working out of Denny’s garage in 2012 to over a dozen employees and remote contractors in 2015.

It's a log cabin. With a mounted dragon head on the wall.

It’s a log cabin. With a mounted dragon head on the wall.

The guys at work

The guys at work!

We also attended the second annual Cloudhead summer barbecue at the beach, which was a blast. We got to meet the families and some of the other remote workers there, and it’s nice being able to put a face to everyone’s name now.

Ah, the beach.

Ah, the beach.

Chowtime!

Chowtime!

I’m also jealous of them because they live near what is officially now my favorite grocery store in the world, the Qualicum Foods store in Qualicum Beach. The hot breakfasts there are fit to make a farmer nudge his ox aside, assume the yoke himself, and plow 80 acres before sundown. Coming back to Texas, the HEB seems positively low-rent in comparison.

Yum.

Yum.

We stayed at the Casa Grande Inn in Qualicum Beach, which was delightfully old-fashioned (real keys, not key cards), and had a very nice view of the beach, and even better, a pub right across the street.

Balcony view of the beach!

Balcony view of the beach!

Pub across the street! Beer, here we come!

Pub across the street! Beer, here we come!

On the way back to the U.S. border, we crossed off a major item on our bucket list: we conquered a Timmy’s.

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What? Yes, we’re easily amused.

Protip: When the U.S. border guard asks you if you have any food to declare, "Ooo, ooo, yes, I'm smuggling some Timbits in my colon!" is not the best answer to give.

Protip: When the U.S. border guard asks you if you have any food to declare, “Ooo, ooo, yes, I’m smuggling some Timbits in my colon!” is not the best answer to give.

The return leg of the trip took us through Washington State, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and then back into Texas. We stopped at various places in the States to pick up tchotchkes and mementoes of the trip. I got a couple shots of Gin with a bear on Route 66 and with a bunch of inflatable aliens in Roswell, New Mexico.

Are we there yet? Bearly.

Are we there yet? Bearly.

Aliens. They exist. Albeit in novelty form.

Aliens. They exist. Albeit in novelty form.

It was a great trip. We’re looking forward to visiting the Pacific Northwest and Vancouver Island again!

Bonus feature: some scenic moments during the trip that I captured with my phone.

Rock formation, New Mexico

Rock formation, New Mexico

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Rock formation, Utah

Old cabin, Oregon

Old cabin, Oregon

Bozeman Trail scenic overlook, Montana

Scenic overlook, Washington State

Scenic overlook, Washington State

On board the Queen Of Alberni ferry, aft view

On board the Queen Of Alberni ferry, aft view

Qualicum Beach

Qualicum Beach

Coombs, BC at sunset

Coombs, BC at sunset