Ep 34: Wandering about the West End with Anne
Pickup
With the GranFondo days away, I messaged someone on Facebook Marketplace to pick up a phone mount spacer for my bike. They suggested Nelson Street—a name that didn't immediately ring a bell until I realised it was in the West End, a neighbourhood that always brings back good memories.
After picking up the spacer, I was about to head home, but the beautiful day made me pause. The sun was out, and the air felt just right, and I thought of my friend Anne, who lived downtown.
I reached out and we agreed to meet for a walk. While waiting on a bench near the street, I put on some music and let myself soak in the moment. I took deep breaths, feeling a mix of anxiety and excitement for the 122km cycling marathon ahead.
Exploring the West End
Minutes later, I spotted Anne walking over. We hugged and dove into conversation. It had been a while since we caught up. But as our chat got deeper, we decided to keep talking while moving. The plan was simple: open our Gogomi apps—yeah, she was also a Gogomi tester—and wander through the West End.
The West End, with its walkability score over 90%, is one of Vancouver's most charming neighbourhoods. Stanley Park is just around the corner, the downtown core is close by if you're feeling official, and English Bay offers stunning sunsets and ocean views (*cough let's not talk about the absurd rental prices though).
This was my first time seeing someone else using Gogomi out in the wild. Sure, I'd shared the beta with a few friends, but watching Anne actively use something I'd built was rewarding. We decided to aim for the “reds” (unexplored roads) on our maps, so we could rack up notifications and increase our coverage. It made the walk even more fun like we were on a treasure hunt for new streets.
Catching Sunset
As the day wore on, we walked to English Bay Beach, along the avenue, with the Burrard Inlet stretching out in the background and the sun dipping lower into the horizon. It was lovely.
The beach buzzed with life: people playing pickleball, lounging on the sand, and cyclists cruising along the shoreline. We passed three men blasting a remix of Sean Paul's Get Busy, a perfect snapshot of Vancouver's energetic yet laid-back vibe.
As the sky transitioned to yellow, orange, and purple, we found a log to sit on and joined the other sunset watchers. For a while, we just sat there, soaking it all in. A perfect way to end a spontaneous day.
Farewell
After the sunset, we strolled back downtown, still talking and laughing about life. Before parting ways, we pulled up our Gogomi's and checked out the roads we'd covered. Later that night, a Gogomi notification reminded how even a simple can turn into an adventure when you're open to it :)
