Escape from White Rock BC

I just spent a couple of weeks on a road trip vacation, including a wonderful time in British Columbia.  Returning from Vancouver on 99 south, I still had a chunk of Canadian change (and nice job Canada having real $1 and $2 coins that work and save the government money instead of stupid paper bills) and wanted to make one last visit to a Tim Hortons.  For those unfamiliar with it, Tim Hortons is much like a Dunkin Donuts, starting with donuts and coffee, but has since added healthier fare like sandwiches and soups.  They are renowned for their Timbit donut holes.

"The biggest change in the chain's product focus took place in 1976 with the introduction of the phenomenally successful Timbit (bite-sized donut hole), today available in over 35 different varieties."

 IMO, they rank up there with Ice Hockey and Neil Young as one of Canada's great contributions to civilization.  If you eat in, real people serve you on real plates - no piles of paper waste either!  And frankly, I had a hankering for a donut.  So I turned off at on the King George Highway into White Rock, the last Canadian city before the US border.  Signs boasted "White Rock, next 4 exits".  Little did I know that this "short sidetrip"would turn into a small adventure.

I quickly found a sign saying "Tim Hortons", but it was just a gas station that just had a few of their sandwiches available.  No good.  The girl pointed me downtown for a "real" one.  I headed that way, and saw no Tim Hortons between there and the Strait of Georgia.  And there was some heavy traffic.  Crap.  Come on Tim Hortons, a little marketing advice, I can't be the first Yank wanting to spend their change before returning home, how about a big sign "Last Tim Hortons for 25000 miles"?  Actually, since Canada has joined the 19th century and is metric, that would be "Last Tim Hortons for 40000 km".

So, the primary mission, eating some fried dough, was a failure.  I ate at a Quiznos.  I then headed east, hoping to hook backup with 99 south.  Several roads crossed 99, but none had ramps leading south.  Only north.  Flustered, I backtracked north along King George Highway.  Again, there is no ramp leading south, only north!  By now loudly cursing stupid Canuck incompetence, I headed north, the wrong way.  And north.  And north.  Would I end up trapped in Canada?  Hotel California ("you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.") played through  my mind.  Along with thoughts of "54 40 or fight".  After several miles, and several more minutes of cursing, there was a turnaround, and I managed to get turned around in the right direction.

It turns out that 3 of those 4 exits to White Rock are exits only.  No return to 99 south.  I can't be the only Yank who will ever face this problem, so here's the trick: to escape White Rock, do not attempt to retrace your steps.  Instead, take the King George Highway south.  It hooks up with 99 south near the border.