Sunrise on BC Ferry
A last little trip before the end of summer, and what a way to spend it! We had the pleasure of driving the 2019 Ford Expedition for a little road trip to Port Renfrew to unplug and recharge before the new week. We started our island getaway with a Ferry trip from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay BRIGHT AND EARLY at 6am. We love starting our trip days early so we can take full advantage of our days when we get to our destination. So of course, we are pretty tired at the start of the trip, lots of yawns. After watching the beautiful sunrise as we pulled away from the city on the ferry sun deck, we decided to take a quick snooze. We tried to get comfy on the ferry seats, but that was next to impossible so we ended up heading back to the Expedition, reclining our seats back and getting our much-needed shut eye before our trip continues. The seats, I have to say, are SO COMFORTABLE. I personally have a 2008 Ford Escape, and this 2019 Expedition has such a roomy cabin. Leather-trimmed heated AND ventilated bucket seats and all the details make the ride feel very luxurious.
Other features that really impressed me is the Panoramic Vista Roof which features two panels over the first and second rows. The front panel opens for an open-air driving experience. It truly made for a very cool road trip experience for me! Even on rainy days, it was nice to look up at the rain drops falling onto the glass (I may be a little weird.) I took every opportunity to poke my head out of the moonroof (see photo below).
Ford Expedition interior - front seats with console
Ford Expedition - third row views
Ford Expedition Panoramic Vista Roof
We were set up to stay in the Tatoosh Yurt for the weekend with Soule Creek Lodge - my first time in a yurt! I kept saying we are camping for the weekend, but really it’s glamping. It was a quaint space equipped with all the necessities you’d find in an AirBnB. The views were absolutely spectacular and made the photographer in me very happy. I was able to capture a beautiful sunset over Port San Juan with mountain views and rolling clouds, as well as stars in the clear night sky. Soule Creek Lodge also included a hot a-la-carte breakfast in the mornings. We also opted in for the dinners there as there isn’t very many options close by for meals. We figured we should enjoy the quiet moments and not go too far. Their meals were delicious and a surprise every night.
Tatoosh Yurt at Soule Creek Lodge
interior of Tatoosh Yurt at Soule Creek Lodge
On our days, we took a walk on the Botanical Park trails at the very end of the island. I have to say, I can’t remember the last time I had driven to the end of a road! It was absolutely amazing getting the fresh air that day being IN nature - very EXPLORE B.C.! As a city girl, I always forget to take a moment to enjoy the beauty that is the west coast. I didn’t even mind the mist that morning!
As we drove away after the hike, we came across an inversion at the top of the mountain (along the highway). I gasped and immediately wanted to get to higher ground to snap a better photo of it. Thank goodness the Ford Expedition is an excellent off-road vehicle, we were able to climb up onto a pile on a logging road. ALSO very happy it has a great back up camera and sensor system. It helped guide us back towards the main road via this narrow windy path we ended up on.
Port Renfrew was such a great little place to unplug and unwind for a few days. It was so quiet you can hear your own thoughts! A big thank you to Ford Canada for supplying us with the Ford Expedition to help us explore areas we never thought we would end up. I can see myself going on many little (or big) adventures with this vehicle. For now, it’s back to the grind, back to reality.
