Modo to the Markets: Car Sharing at Christmas

Winter brings with it lots of seasonal activities and holiday celebrations, but it also brings its share of foul weather and – in my case – nasty health issues. Nearly three weeks of coughing has knocked me off my running feet. So while I have nothing new to report, having missed two races in two weeks, I’ve decided to talk about some festive fun – thanks to the wonders of car sharing!

Since moving to the Lower Mainland in 2004, we’ve never owned a car. Critical on this journey has been Modo – the Car Coop! With a huge fleet of vehicles in all shapes and sizes, Modo is a one-stop-shop for your non-public transportation needs. And last weekend, licking my wounds after my DNS (‘did not start’) at the Moustache Miler, we decided to do some market-hopping!

Our car of choice was a Nissan Sentra, parked on the 200 block of W 5th in North Vancouver. Some of the places we wanted to go were far-flung, not easily accessible by public transit – and then the rain started to fall.

Modo Hot Tip: Add a bit of extra time at the end of your booking. Things happen, so it’s good to be prepared – and it’s easy to shorten if you get back early!

First on the list – the Holiday Craft Fair at Ridgeway Elementary. Packed full of beautiful crafts and other offerings by local artisans, it was a gift-givers dream. We left with some yummy mixes from Raising John, but not before entering a draw for giant gift basket. (We didn’t win.)

Next stop – Lynn Valley Elementary for their Christmas Market. Again, lots of local artisans, in addition to a ‘junior market’ by some of the students. We wanted so many things, but settled on a candle (Lightwell) and some herb salt and mulling spices (Bowen Island Herb Salts).

Over the bridge now to Burnaby, where the Scandinavian Community Centre hosted a Craft Fair, showcasing Nordic food and crafts. Our single purchase was a Christmas gnome.

Finally, we found ourselves at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre for the Elders’ Winter Bazaar. There was a wide range of indigenous crafts and stunning work by local artists – not to mention some delicious smoked salmon that came home with us. At Cedar Root Gallery – an onsite shop – I picked up some Nass Valley (Nisga’a Lands) Antiviral Tea to help with my cold.

Without Modo, we would never have made it to all of these fantastic events in a single afternoon. We capped off the day by meeting my cousin – in town for work – for a scrumptious vegan meal at Chickpea on Main Street.

Holiday Deal! Use code: ‘BRADLEYONTHERUN’ for $50 in driving credit (usage & mileage) when you sign up online with Modo! Awesome deal for new members!!

Happy December! Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season!!