The two couples smiled at the mention of the cruise ship. One of the cyclists started pumping their tires. This was the new focal point of the journey since nothing could be seen outside. Paul thought “they would have to inflate more the higher they go since the atmosphere is less.” A second glance determined it was the girl cyclist who effortlessly pumped away. Paul thought this looks like a scene from an opera,“I wonder if she will start singing an Itlaian aria,” thought Paul.
“ English bay, and beyond that is Point Grey with the University of British Columbia located at its tip. In the distance, across the Straight of Georgia, you can see the mountains of Vancouver Island.”
The girl student approached Paul with a camera.
“¿Me excusa, fotografía?”Paul took two pictures of the elated students.
“ ¿De dónde usted viene? “ But he didn't understand the first reply. Some where in Mexico he gathered.
“¿Por favor sir, puedo tomar su fotografía?”
Paul posed, hoping he made the mark of a local. He felt the eyes of John Meadows on them. One of the cruisers approached Paul with a sausage food odour and asked in a Germanic accent to take their photograph. Again he didn't quite understand where they came from. Might be Russia but not Russia this week. The trip was starting to become a scene out of a Lonely Planet library video. The cyclist was still pumping her tires. The Mexican students were congregating around John Meadows. He was not sure if they understood a word but he had an audience.
“ Drawing your attention back to the North Shore, to my right are the twin peaks of the Lions. Originally called the sisters, these are the highest peaks in the Capilano River Valley, at 5600 and 5400 feet above sea level.”
Paul lived within walking distance of the Skyride and often travelled it for outdoor activities or to show visitors around the area. Going up any mountain allowed one to see things differently. Was Anne Marie right? Should he apply for the engineering manager position? Would he have to buy a new suit for the interview? Anne Marie said it would be good experience to apply. He liked his job but knew it was insecure. What about a career change? What else could he do? He felt his ears pop as the Skyride went higher. How much longer? Were they half way yet?
“ We are now approaching the first of two towers, and as we pass over the tram will sway slightly, so you may like to steady yourself. This also marks the half waypoint to our trip. As we pass the other car, it may appear it is moving more quickly, but we both attached to the same cable and travel at exactly the same speed.”
There was a fairground ride “woo..” as the air travellers swayed past a tower and passed the other tram. Paul formulated that their relative speed was 32 km/hr and wondered what was their weight? Mass times speed and he would know the momentum. Was he an object type person? Anne Marie said he should try to become a people person.
“If you have any questions on the way up, please don't hesitate to ask. My name is John Meadows, and I will do my best to try to answer them for you.”
This seemed the cue to start eating. The Russians brought out bread and sausages; the Mexican students produced potato chips and oranges. The cyclists swigged from their bottles and Paul munched some trail mix. John Meadows was given potato chips and slices of oranges and would spend the rest of his life in Mexico playing soccer. The higher they went the louder they all talked. Several of the students were helping the cyclists to adjust their disk breaks pointing and speaking without any verbs being spoken. They swayed at the second tower and the grey curtain surrounding them vanished. They were above the clouds and the students cheered and clapped and the Russians stomped their feet. They could see the neighbouring Lions and trees and trees.
Paul thought,“ Well we just need the Vancouver Symphony to belt out a couple of standards, George Harrison's Here comes the Sun, some Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite, or Copland's Appalachian's Spring. And finish with “Running Back to Saskatoon”, by the Guess Who. I wonder if the Symphony folk know it? An orange rolled across to him. Paul thought it would be fun to calculate the orange's speed relative to the ground. The Mexican girl student walked quickly to him to pick it up. She did not smile. Maybe you have problems too, Paul thought. We always think the people younger than ourselves have no problems.
“¡Una qué visión hermosa!” Paul said pointing to the view.
“Si. Mucho senor.” She rushed back to her giggling friends. Maybe I am becoming a people person? Suddenly they were there as the walkway appeared with a queue of download travellers. The Russians quickly hid their food and the cyclists attached their helmets. Uniformed workers with triangular bar code readers opened the doors and everyone disembarked. Their confinement and shared life of 6 minutes was over.
“Over here Paul, the weather looks good so we'll do Goat Mountain. There will be three of us. Hope you didn't mind us coming ahead?” The cyclists were gone and the Russians were indistinguishable from other tourists. The students were rushing down the walkway. The Mexican girl turned back and looked at Paul. She did not smile.
”In a way we have each other's photograph. We are equal. I think Anne Marie must have once looked like you.” He decided he would go for the interview.
“Come on Paul, Let's storm Goat Mountain.”
