I dropped by the Vancouver waterfront where I saw the famous Pixel Whale right next to the Olympic Torch, watched a few seaplanes take off and land and checked out the Disney Wonder cruise ship that was docked. Then I headed off onto the incredible Sea-to-Sky Highway. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve driven it, it’s still a magical stretch of road to me, and as I do every time I’m there, I stopped at the Galileo Coffee Company to see some friendly smiles and to pick up a hot cup of brew and a freshly roasted pound of beans to take home.

I loved the smooth, linear power of the engine as I headed up some of those steep inclines into the mountains – it accelerates with gusto from a stop, cruises along happily on the highway and explodes into something of an action hero when you put the hammer down, making passing a quick and painless move – at any speed. Ford’s six-speed automatic is decent. It’s not particularly quick, but it’s quick enough, intelligent and very smooth. That’s perfectly fine for a vehicle in this category, although another cog or two would certainly make a difference in the Explorer’s fuel economy.

I decided to make my next stop the stunning Shannon Falls, which are so high, they’re impossible to photograph from the base. The balance between nature’s thundering power and the tranquility of watching the water at the falls’ base flow over rocks and fallen trees makes this short hike a worthy diversion for anyone driving by.

Ford claims this is the quietest Explorer ever, and I don’t doubt that. Even at highway speeds exceeding 120 km/h, there was barely a rush of wind noise and only occasionally, on rougher surfaces, did I hear some very mild road noise. All of this is great, because it allows you to enjoy the outstanding Platinum-specific 12-speaker 500-watt Sony sound system in peace. We were able to check it out at our leisure on the drive, but the demo we got from the Sony rep Tony (how awesome is that?) was mind-blowing. One of the best systems I’ve heard, and even at nearly full volume, nary a rattle was to be heard in the interior. That’s always one of my tests, and I found this reassuring when it comes to the Explorer’s build quality.

My next checkpoint was Whistler, where I explored the Village and its shops, and stopped in at Cow’s for a couple of scoops of their famous ice cream. Then it was back onto the highway to Pemberton, a beautiful little town nestled into a valley. I found my favourite bakery in town, the Blackbird Bakery, and picked up some critical life-sustaining calories disguised as a fresh blueberry strudel. The serene location lulls you into thinking you’re done with the crazy driving. But you’re not.

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