Video: British Columbia by Boxster Spyder

Video: British Columbia by Boxster Spyder 4
Photo by Pete Stout
Video: British Columbia by Boxster Spyder 9
The reclamation of industrial Vancouver continues... Photo by Pete Stout
Video: British Columbia by Boxster Spyder 9
Photo by Pete Stout
Video: British Columbia by Boxster Spyder 5
Sea to Sky Highway before Whistler. Photo by Rebekah Stout
Video: British Columbia by Boxster Spyder 9
Photo by Rebekah Stout
Video: British Columbia by Boxster Spyder 9
Photo by Pete Stout
Video: British Columbia by Boxster Spyder 5
Duffey Lake Road past Whistler is where things get good—sports car heaven good. Photo by Rebekah Stout
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Kees and his wife Lorie have a thing for lightweight convertibles, as evidenced by their Mazdaspeed Miata. Photo by Pete Stout
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Kees Nierop contemplates how to keep the borrowed Spyder in his driveway for a bit longer. Photo by Pete Stout

Breathtaking views. Seaplanes. Modern architecture. Historic Gastown. Body art. And, strangely, the most Dodge Vipers you’ve ever seen in one city. It’s got to be Vancouver.

There’s also a 2011 Boxster Spyder waiting for us in the hotel parking garage.

Our plan: Drive the Spyder to Kelowna, British Columbia to visit our old friend — 12 Hours of Sebring winner and factory Le Mans 961 driver Kees Nierop — in his hometown.

Of course, we took the long way, heading for Whistler first then back towards Kelowna via Kamloops. Note #1: The Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler may be the prettiest freeway on earth. Note #2: Skip Whistler and keep going, for ahead lies one of the greatest two-lane roads we’ve encountered in a long time, with scenery that makes Yosemite and Yellowstone feel small. Note #3: The road after Lilooet is a lot less interesting, resembling nothing if not a high arctic desert. It’s still beautiful in a life-size HO trainscape kind of way, but, if you’re not heading to Kelowna to see Kees, turn around at Lilooet. Note #4: There’s a reason they call Kees’ hometown “Kelownafornia” — because this lakeside town is big on boating, watersports, and wine-making.

There are also some great roads, which Kees was all too happy to show us:

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