Day 2 - Grouse Grind and Rehearsal Dinner



At the top of the mountain



Way to be Green

Grouse Mountain is the location of a very popular hiking trail known as the Grouse Grind. It is a steep trail that climbs 2,799 ft over a distance of 2 miles, with an average grade of 17 degrees (or 31%) and short sections of up to 30 degrees. The trail, nicknamed "Mother Nature's Stairmaster", is notoriously gruelling due to its steepness and mountainous terrain. Hikers, who often time themselves on the trail, reach the top in approximately 90 minutes on average although some who are very fit can finish in under 30 minutes.

About 30 people hiked to the top.  I hiked most of the way with Richard who is Tom's step-brother and Best Man. Uncle Tom came in 2nd place - nice work.  Dad hiked a quarter of the way and then turned around and took the gondola.  Uncle Bill and Aunt Sandy made the trek but arrived almost 45 minutes after everyone else.  The 3 brothers were dubbed "the fast one, the slow one, and the smart one."





Richard and Darcy at the top of the mountain.  If you didn't want to hike, you could take a gondola to the top. 

 Here we are at the restaurant at the top of the mountain.  Those who hiked were soaked and shivering but blankets and hot food warmed us right up.

Marianne and Tom charted a bus to take us to and from the mountain.  Here are Kaya and Grandma.

Mom, Dad, Madelaine and Ron Calise all ready for the Rehearsal Dinner at Sun Sui Wah Restaurant. 

Enroute to the restaurant.

Grandpa and Kaya




We gave Tom and Marianne their wedding gift after the Rehearsal Dinner.  It's a queen-sized quilt that I began sewing about a week before the wedding!  Tom's co-worker Ed Emersen had the brilliant idea to dub it a "Fertility Quilt."  Let's hope it works!



The Rehearsal Dinner at Sun Sui Wah Restaurant was quite an experience!  It was 12 courses of authentic Chinese food including fried lobster, bok choy, and tapioca pudding.