From Yaletown to the top of Quarry Rocky with Evo Car Share

Yaletown is known for its walkability. With a Walk Score of 89 (beating the citywide rank of 78), you can pretty much saunter your way to the newest restaurant, or hipster café without a car. That’s most of the time.

When the weekend rolls around, that can be a different story, as getting around and out of the city is a hassle, especially when you are sans car.

With the quintessential spring weather making an appearance last week, I wanted to make the most of the weekend and go for a hike up Quarry Rock in North Vancouver, but not before powering through some errands I was determined to scratch off the to-do list.

On the list was a dry cleaning drop off, a Home Depot run and a pedicure taking me from Yaletown to Davie Street, over the Cambie Bridge and then all the way across town to Kits.

With the intent of getting through my list in just under three hours, I knew that walking would not be an option, and opted for Evo, the newest car share program created by BCAA.

Evo is the latest car sharing company in Vancouver that has a few key differentiators: a full-size Toyota Prius Hybrid (seating for five), a roof rack (meaning bike and ski friendly) and decent trunk space (did someone say IKEA Pax Wardrobe).

Evo still offers the ‘pay for what you use’ model, so that means I could get from point A to B, and not worry about returning the car to the same spot, so long as I left it in the approved Home Zone, which is a huge bonus for trip planning and convenience.

First up? Find a car. I was able to easily locate and reserve a rental just one block from my condo using the app. After a quick inspection, I unlocked the car and pressed the Start button to hit the road.

Once on the road, my first stop was at my local dry cleaners to drop off a bag full of work attire. I opted to make it a stopover (essentially, reserving the car to make sure no one else can snag it) and then was quickly en-route to my next destination.

Next up, was Home Depot just over the Cambie Bridge where again, I opted for a stopover. After wandering their garden centre, I picked up a spring cacti with a pink bloom which is just what I was looking for to freshen up my living room.

Finally to cross the last item off my list, I needed to get to my favourite nail bar over in Kits in time for my pedicure appointment. This time knowing that my appointment would take more over an hour, I opted to end my trip and parked for free in one of the Evo designated spots (listed in my app). Given the beauty of Evo, I was able to walk away with my baby cacti in hand, which was admittedly a very liberating feeling!

A shellac pedicure later, I found and reserved another rental that was just a few blocks away. For this next trip, I cruised all down Hastings Street, exiting the Home Zone, with my sights set on North Vancouver’s Deep Cove. And before I knew it, I went from the pedicure chair to the entrance of the Quarry Rock trail.

Along my upward trek, I crossed bridges, scurried along narrow paths, saw waterfalls and giant trees, all of which makes it one of my favourite hikes. About 30 minutes later, I made it to the top, was treated to the epic Deep Cove view, making it just the productive weekend I was hoping for.

 

Vancity Buzz readers get Free Evo Car Share registration + 30 minutes of free driving. Just use promo code EVO2EVO. But join soon because the offer expires April 30.

 

Advertorial. If you are interested in sponsored content, please contact us.