This is the year of a milestone birthday for me. My sweet husband wanted it to be unforgettable and it was. This is how he did it....
Step 1: Come up with an amazing plan. Apparently he came up with the idea when he was doing the Whistler GranFondo race last September. I don't know how you can come up with a surprise for your wife when you're biking from Stanley Park to Whistler with 2136m of elevation but that's Simon. He is just incredible.
Step 2: Enlist friends as coconspirators. My best friends lie and tell me that Simon has not included them in whatever secret he is planning. Meanwhile, they have a secret chat group discussing the details, apparently they labelled the chat group "Sheet Metal Man Stuff" or something ridiculous like that so I wouldn't read the texts.
Step 3: Enlist family into the scheme. My parents and sister are in on it too. They message me about getting together to make sushi together one evening. I suggest Friday July 7th not knowing that is the exact date they needed me to land on. I had no idea I made it really easy to walk right into their scheme.
Step 4: Feed into the lies. Simon tells me nothing other than to be available on July 8-9. My Type-A control freak personality was having a bit of a crisis accepting that I didn't have a single clue what was happening. It's my weekly ritual to write down The Plan and schedule all the events every week and I literally wrote “Dad's Super Secret Surprise that Mom knows nothing about” on the calendar for the weekend. Closer to the day, I tried asking questions and Simon gave me no clues...but he said, I would find out after breakfast on Saturday morning. Little did I know that was another lie and the real surprise would actually be the evening before on Friday night.
Step 5: Execute the surprise. I have no idea that Friday evening was actually when Operation 40 was happening. The whole time I thought my parents and my sister are coming over to make sushi like we had talked about. My parents bring over all the ingredients to make sushi. My sister starts looking up the recipe for the rice...
Door Bell Rings.....Simon opens the door and....
My best friends are all standing in the door. They are holding huge trays of catered food. They yell SURPRISE!
*Blink* Blink * Blink *
No words come out of my mouth.
I have no idea why my friends are standing at the door. I'm supposed to be making sushi with my parents and my sister for dinner. I just stand there in my door way stunned.
My dear husband tell says in his best game-show host voice, "Congratulations, you have won a trip for you and your friends to your favourite hotel for the weekend. You will be taking the Peak to Peak gondola and doing the amazing High Note Trail at Whistler tomorrow. You will be leaving right after dinner. Go pack your bag."
*Blink* Blink * Blink *
No words come out of my mouth. I am still so confused and in shock. I am literally holding a bag of Japanese rice while my sister is reviewing the recipe with my daughter. I have a hard time processing that the whole let's-make-sushi-together was just a cover story. My mom had even packed the sushi trays and my sister brought over all the seaweed.
While I am still standing in my house speechless, my friends bring in the trays of the delicious Greek feast and spread it out on the table. There's even calamari. I love calamari! Simon tells me I need to eat first so I can pack and get going on the road.
I eat the scrumptious chicken souvlaki and Greek potatoes and my mind still not comprehending the moment. My sister made me a Tres Leches cake with the strawberries arranged a chicken because she says that even though I may be turning 40, I am still a spring chicken. It was so lovely to have a meal together with friends and family. I still don't say much because my brain is still processing what is happening, I am still in disbelief that everyone in the room was in on this scheme.
I quickly pack my bags and with my friends reminding me of things that I didn't have like pants, underwear and contact solution. It's hard to pack when you're in shock. Eventually, we were on the road and headed to the Pan Pacific hotel in Whistler. We took two vehicles and my friends in the other car greeted me at the hotel with hilarious masks. You know you have lifelong friends when they can put on a crying baby mask and a gorilla mask in front of a swanky hotel.
The most EPIC part of the birthday surprise was the High Note Trail. If you are going to do one hike in Whistler, this is it. The High Note Trail requires a gondola ticket which isn't cheap but what an unforgettable experience. You start by taking the Blackcomb Gondola up. Then you take the Peak to Peak Gondola.
The Express Peak chairlift is the next step but it doesn’t open till 11:00 am so you take your obligatory touristy pictures by the Olympic rings while you wait.
Then you get in line for the Peak Express chairlift. It is so weird being on the chairlift without my ski or snowboard gear and not having any snow on the slopes.
Finally after all that, you get to the start of the hike which in itself is already a breath-taking view of Black Tusk. There's another mandatory photo opportunity with the Inuksuk.
And then you get to the Cloudraker Sky bridge. It is a pretty spectacular suspension bridge overlooking magnificent views. I like being up high, it's pretty epic. And that is how you get to the trail head.
The High Note Trail is 9.4 km long and it is the most EPIC trail because you start in the alpine and the entire hike is breath-taking and gorgeous. There is no waiting to get to a majestic viewpoint, the entire hike is just wow.
You wind along the side of the mountain with spectacular views of the mountain ranges.
You get beautiful views of Cheakamus Lake. The green blue water is just stunning.
There's adventurous parts on the hike with ropes and metal planks and creeks
It was pretty hot even in the alpine elevation. You pass through Symphony Lake where you can go for a swim (even if you're wearing white shorts) because you're here and it's beautiful and there really isn't many other people around
Some hikes you are shrouded in the forest and you eventually get to a view point where everyone crowds around to take a photo. This hike is SPECTACTULAR the entire way and it was wasn't crowded. The snow-capped mountains and the view just makes you want to burst out singing, "The Hills Are Alive" from the Sound of Music.
Photos just don't capture the glory of this hike. It is just amazing from start to finish. The only thing that I did not like were the bugs so douse yourself with bug spray (we had the kind that apparently smelled like pickles) and I limited the damage to 4 bug bites.
And that is the High Note Trail. You will want to have easy access to your phone/camera because you will be taking a picture every 15 seconds. Every time you think that view was the most picturesque view, you turn a corner and wow, the next view is just as beautiful. 
Side note: if you have less time you can take the Half Note trail which leads you back to the gondola as well. Or if you have endless energy and time you can take Musical Bumps trail which takes you to Garibaldi where you can camp overnight. The trails are well marked and you can get a paper map when you buy your lift ticket.
We rewarded our hiking effort with a great dinner at 21 Steps.
We walked around the village and because we are 40 year old ladies we came back to the hotel early, changed into our PJs early and did not want to leave our hotel room after 8:30 pm. Instead, we sat on the couch and chatted and shared good stretches for our backs and hip flexors. Ha ha.
I can't believe that my amazing husband pulled off this spectacular surprise. I am really impressed that he had been planning this for almost a year and managed to keep it top secret for the entire time. So amazing that my family and friends were all colluding together to make this weekend happen. Thank you to everyone involved, my 40th year is starting out on a pretty High Note.
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