Monday August 29th saw Deana and I return from Vancouver Island via Horseshoe Bay. Arriving in Abbotsford to load up the car with everything, I had the opportuntiy to meet with City of Abbotsford staff.

Mayor Mary Reeves was on hand to present me with an official letter, recognizing the opportunity this Challenge will bring to spread the word on climate change issues.

The City has been very supportive of this project. They are providing some administrative support for events that will happen in other cities, and providing communications and media release services. I want to thank the One-Tonne Challenge Committee for thinking outside of the box with regards to this awareness effort.

Interesting note: There was one tourist from Germany who showed up for the ’sending off’. This fellow arrived in an older Jetta diesel he had bought back east for his travels within Canada. Turns out he had seen a little article in the Abbotsford News about the event - announcing (incorrectly) A ‘100 MPH Challenge’ in a smart car. Needless to say, he turned out to be a Daimler-Chrysler retiree, and also happens to own a rare smart Crossblade. He previously owned a 1998 Limited One smart city coupe. (One of the older/original smart cars in Europe.) Perhaps he will bring the Crossblade here for six months sometime in the future…