Canada delights! Toques for warmth, bear spray and sunscreen for protection, butter tarts and lobster rolls!
Last day in Canada (September 17)
Hopewell and Fundy (September 16)
Cavendish and more PEI (September 9)
Entering Prince Edward Island (September 4)
August
August summary
Nova Scotia (August 31)
Into New Brunswick (August 27)
Quebec City (August 23)
Montreal (August 20)
Big city Ottawa (August 18)
The Soo to Algonquin (August 14)
Michigan UP (August 8)
July
July summary
Back in the U.S. (July 11)
Canada Day and Kenora (July 5)
June
June summary
Jetting across the plains (June 30)
Family visit in Canmore (June 26)
Yoho National Park (June 18)
Alberta and Jasper (June 15)
Last days in BC (June 12)
Cooking, cleaning, chores (June 8)
Pinegrove Campground (June 6)
May
May summary
Lac le Jeune (May 28)
Logan Lake (May 23)
Bear Creek (May 20)
Lake Skaha (May 16)
Oh, Canada! (May 11)
Badger Heights (May 6)
On the road again (May 2)
September 17, 2022
Saying "until we meet again" to Canada
Our last day in Canada for this trip. Kind of sad, really. It felt like we had been adopted by Canada and its people.
Saint Stephen is near the Maine border, across from Calais, ME. Previous research had highlighted the Ganong’s Chocolate Factory gave tours of their factory. A great way to end our time in Canada. The tour was fabulous, talking about the two Ganong brothers that started the factory almost 150 years ago and it’s still run by next generation family. We had never heard of the company or their famous Pal-O-Mine bars – two pieces of chocolate-coated fudge so you can share with a “pal.” Some Acadian history is woven into their story and it was fascinating as well as delicious.
With fall-feeling, crisp air, we enjoyed our first pumpkin spice latte and reminisced about our Canada adventures. Though we only explored a tiny part of the country, we loved the people, wild countryside and clean cities. We tried some new foods and have a better understanding of the country’s politics, diversity and challenges. Definitely have to get to Newfoundland/Labrador and see more of the Provinces and Territories.
Hope you have enjoyed reading about our first leg of our 13-month adventure. Contact us with a question if your curiosity is peaked. Find more stories about the East U.S. travels here…
September 16, 2022
On the shores of New Brunswick
After leaving Prince Edward Island via The Confederation Bridge (amazing engineering feat), we stopped in Moncton, New Brunswick, enjoying the waterfront park. This was a good place to view the Tidal Bore along the Petitcodiac River (nicknamed The Chocolate River because of the water color) but we were not aware of this when we were there.
We stopped at Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park at low tide, and walked around the gigantic sea stacks (also referred to as flowerpots).
Fundy National Park campground was our destination for the next four days. Hiking; Bay of Fundy views; a golf course; listening to a ranger talk about moose; seeing a marmot; catching hints of fall colors in the maples; extreme tide changes; a salt water swimming pool (closed for the season); and a beautiful amphitheater where we watched the Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors from PEI (again) perform.
Dickson Falls was a highlight trail — many, many stairs leading into a deep ravine full of emerald green mosses and ferns, a micro climate all its own around the falls. The small town of Alma is within walking distance and offers a great sticky bun from Kelly’s Bakery and more restaurants than the town could support on its own. Tried yet another lobster roll. We met Bruce and Tracy (over a comment about our license plate from WA), a couple from Ottawa who do lots of traveling; swapped stories, solved the problems of the world; compared countries in multiple ways; talked family, fun and adventures.
It was nice to see John Muir’s influence on a trail – “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world” was carved into the boardwalk trail. We left on a rainy morning – the first in quite awhile. By the time we reached Saint John, NB, the skies had cleared.
Staying at a Harvest Host, a wellness center, we had scheduled massages. Smart, right? After those lovely experiences, we drove to Fallsview Park to check out the reversing falls phenomena. Saint John River flows into the Bay of Fundy with a narrow section causing all sorts of tidal havoc. Caused by the highest tides in the world, the river flow reverses and causes the “rapids.” Downtown Saint John was a happening place. Not Becky’s favorite town to drive in, between the unmarked roads, awkwardly arranged road grids and one-way roads, pedestrians that crossed the road whenever they wanted, construction, and not many parking options. Once our feet were on the ground, it was quite fun. We wandered in the marketplace, checking out all the little vendors, finding lunch at The Wild Carrot Cafe; enjoyed the old buildings; noted the number and size of churches; found the pedestrian skybridge system; walked the King’s Park and Queen’s Park (several blocks apart from each other); and marveled at the size of the cruise ship in port. Where many other towns seemed to be lush in ice cream shops, Saint John’s specialty seems to be barber shops and pubs with a few ice cream shops sprinkled in as well.
September 9, 2022
Sunsets, music and potatoes
A campground stay of 6 days gives us lots of relaxation time as well as exploration. We are happy to sit on the beach and watch the antics of seagulls catching small crabs and working to get their meal out of the shell; the surf seemingly changes from day to day – calm to red flag days.
Love walking along the seemingly endless beach; a new shell or rock formation or some unidentified thing floating far out in the water (we seem to forget binoculars a lot) to keep us going. Exploring the trails on foot and bike, testing the route to get to Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place; watching for nesting birds in the dunes; admiring other camping vehicles/sites and noting the flow of campers in and out from day to day. At one point during the week there were four other silver vans lined up in campsites next to us.
We happened upon a presentation by the Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors at the campground amphitheater, sharing stories, songs, dances and teachings. It wasn’t listed on the activities but we heard the drums and wandered over. Added bonus was a gorgeous sunset as a backdrop.
Dave found a dinner-concert event in Charlottetown. We explored Charlottetown for the afternoon, walking the heritage route full of churches and 100-year-old+ houses; learning the history of the Confederation beginnings; trying a Beaver Tail for the first time. The concert was a local singer-songwriter, Shane Pendergast, who sang folk songs about the island. He was releasing a new album, “The House Before the Bridge.” It is a kitchen party format album that they recorded live in the kitchen of Shane’s childhood home on PEI.. We heard those songs and more. His music is of the great story-telling, Irish sort. The band included a couple of acoustic guitars, standup bass, fiddle, mandolin, bagpipes, snare drum, spoons, bagpipes, and recorder/flute. The stories behind the songs were almost as entertaining as the songs themselves. One, “She’s on My Trail,” came from Shane’s time living in Toronto. When a pretty girl walked by their place, Shane’s roommate would always say, “She’s on my trail.” Shane said he would often reply … “then it must be a pretty long trail…”
We did ride our bikes to Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place. Now we may have to read the books! Walked on Lover’s Lane and The Haunted Wood trails; toured through the house and visitor center. The books have touched many people around the globe, for sure.
The last section of PEI we had not explored was the North Cape area. Good thing the Canadian Potato Museum was in the area – sounded like a must see. PEI and New Brunswick
grow 50% of Canada’s potatoes. The red, acidic, sandy soil is perfect for growing spuds. Also stumbled on Stompin’ Tom’s Centre where afternoon live music was happening. Tom Connors is an iconic legend in Canada, a country folk singer who features “only Canada” stories in his lyrics. Lots of fun, quirky music. He has quite a life story, traveling from one end of Canada to the other with his guitar; trying to stand up for musicians rights. He passed away in 2013 and the Centre’s mission is to pass the music torch – something the musician we heard, Kurk Bernard, has done. He sang Tom Connors’ songs, with a few of his own. Maybe you have heard “Hockey Song” or “Bud the Spud?” As we end our time in Canada, we were struck by his lyrics in “Stompin’ Grounds.” We have been asked many times, “What are the highlights of Canada for you?” As Tom sings:
I’ve been all across this country
From the east coast to the west
And I’ve been asked about a thousand times
What places I like best
Well, I’ve had to base my answers
On the friendly people I’ve found
And if you’re inclined to take the time
This is where you’ll find my stompin’ grounds
Just take a little piece of PEI and old Saskatchewan
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Quebec and Newfoundland
Alberta and Manitoba, Ontario and BC
And you’ll have found the stompin’ grounds
Of all my friends and me
When a freight train (RV) was our load
And we found people in this here land
That would help a guy along the road
Some of them lived in the country
And others lived in town
But these are the people that made me proud
To say this is my stompin’ ground
And now you’ve heard my answer
It’s one I hope you’ll understand
It’s just my way of kinda sayin’
Thank you to the people of this land
And it doesn’t matter really where you’re from
Ya can spread the word around
For where ever you find a heart that’s kind
You’re in a part of my stompin’ ground
As much as we were interested in the Wind Interpretive Center, we did not make it all the way to the North Cape, but we did see the wind farm in the distance. The potato museum was full of spud information. Even found potato fudge (and recipe if interested) which was delicious.
Other observations of PEI: The lawns are always green and usually huge. Not a brown section or irrigation to be seen. We always see folks out lawn mowing and wonder when they finish one area, is the other area ready to be mowed again! We have rounded a bend in the road, thinking we are coming up on a golf course (which are also plentiful) and it turns out to be a series of houses with huge lawn areas pristinely kept mowed. The price of gas is the same all over the island, within one cent. They care about the environment and public access to beaches.
September 4, 2022
Island life on PEI
Our first Prince Edward Island stop was the Cape Bear Lighthouse. What is it about lighthouses that captivates the human soul? At least ours… This particular lighthouse was one of the first to hear the distress calls of the Titanic in 1912.
We meandered through several small towns, stopping in Montague for a stroll along the waterfront. We spent some time at Basin Head Beach Provincial Park, soaking up the sun, enjoying the sandy beach and cool Atlantic waters. Ending up at a Harvest Host farm for the night, we delighted in picking and eating tomatoes off the vine. Sitting outside we enjoyed newly dug fingerling potatoes with dinner that night, making sure the hosts’ two Golden Retrievers did not share our meal. It was a long day and by the time we had a shower, we had multiple layers of the day on our bodies – sweat, sun screen, salt water, sand, bug spray, bug bites, dog slobber, and tomato-vine-green.
PEI National Park has several sections. We explored the Greenwich section which boasts a peaceful, floating boardwalk hiking trail and another gorgeous beach. The boardwalk was a feat of engineering with its long curving path, rubberized walking tread, interpretive signs and sitting area with the proverbial Canada Red Chairs. This area is home to the biggest sand dunes on PEI and the parabolic dunes are a rare occurrence in North America. We had experienced the “waves of grain” in Alberta and now the “waves of marsh reeds” blowing in the breeze in this Province.
Side note about the Red Chair Experience Program by Parks Canada. The Adirondack chairs’ innovation was intended to provide more opportunities for visitors to connect with nature, unwind, and truly experience the best of Canada. There was even a contest early on, where the first people to find all 18 pairs won their very own red chairs to enjoy. Now the iconic chairs can be found in over 100 locations in the parks; “a symbol, a metaphor for connections made across invisible boundaries. It is the beckoning hand of civilization, marking the edge of the wildness of nature.” Love it!
The Confederation Trail spans the entire length of PEI (around 300 km), with spurs off the main bike trail here and there. We chose a section of it where we could start in a town and end at the SW shoreline in Summerside. The trail replaced a railroad route so the grade doesn’t exceed 2%. It flows through countryside full of sunny potato fields, tree-shaded lanes and small towns. Perfect for us! Gave us a chance to see yet another color of sandy beaches – red!
Cavendish Campground in the national park is right on the beach with lots of bike/hike trails and near Anne of Green Gables Heritage Center which we plan to visit even though we haven’t read the stories.
August Summary
Parks, provinces and big cities
A little bit of Wisconsin and Michigan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia Provinces.
Lots of people and places visited. The month’s average temperature got us to 75.2 degrees. We visited 42 cities, 73 places, 1,617 miles driven. Enjoyed two national parks, five provincial parks, four provinces and three time zones.
Did not even think about Atlantic Time Zone until we got there. According to google, we walked 54 miles. We met so many nice people along the way.
August 31, 2022
Adventure continues in Nova Scotia
On our way to Nova Scotia, we wanted to stop and stretch our legs for lunch. A quick search revealed Parlee Beach Provincial Park and a Giant Lobster sculpture as two must-sees in Shediac, NB. The water in the bay boasted “the warmest salt water in Canada.” Hesitant to try but curiosity won – pretty warm! We also tried our first lobster roll on this trip, watched a sand sculpture contest, and listened to local musicians.
Amherst was where we slept but the Harvest Host brewery was closed due to lack of staff, so it was a quiet night. While checking out the area for things to do/see, we noted a u-pick farm facebook site that offered a free ice cream cone to anyone named Rebecca! Sunday morning we visited and key lime pie ice cream for breakfast was fabulous. They offered other bakery treats along with raspberry/blueberry picking. Also discovered the Anne Murray Center was close by in Springhill, NS. We love the music and the Center was very well done.
Antigonish was also a brewery where we were scheduled to park at for the night. They boasted closure at 5:00 but turned out they actually closed at 4:00 so we missed them as well! After a good night’s sleep, we drove to Baddeck, NS, to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. Not only did he invent the telephone, he dabbled in air flight and was a big part of the first motorized flight in Canada in 1912. We did not realize how many other inventions were attributed to him. A fascinating stop.
After a night’s stay in Bras d’Or along the waterfront, offering a gorgeous sunset and the calm lapping sound of water, we made our way to Cape Breton and Highlands National Park. We definitely did not allow enough time to explore Nova Scotia. We stayed one night at the Broad Cove campground and drove the rest of the way around the next day. Stopped for a few hikes and viewpoints, and at a bakery where we tried yet another version of the Butter Tart. The scenery is so wild and beautiful.
Shelby Ranch in Scotsburn, NS, offered a place to park for the night and free viewing of the “free range” goats’ antics and
peacocks on the ranch. We arose early the next morning, drove to the ferry at Caribou, NS, that would take us to Prince Edward Island. The crossing is free from that side of the water, but “reservations highly recommended” which came with a cost. We opted to wing it as a first come, first serve vehicle and hope there was room after the semi-trucks and reserved passenger cars were boarded. We got there early enough to have our coffee and breakfast while waiting to board. It was interesting to watch the process of boarding – fitting every inch to its fullest. The 75-minute ferry ride was similar to our WA State Ferry experience, a bit longer is all.
August 27, 2022
From urban to rural and into New Brunswick
Our three heavily urban experiences behind us, we followed the St. Lawrence River toward the sea, through farmland with pristinely kept farm houses and buildings, small towns with much the same care for personal dwellings; and obviously old, well-cared for churches in every town. Following the direction of a city park “brown” sign, we lunched at the tip of a peninsula with a stunning view of the vast river, beautiful layered rock formations in a completely vertical angle; and kelp! Signs of the tidal action and mixing of fresh water and salt water coming from the sea. Destination for the night was Bic Provincial Park (Parc du Bic) where we ate dinner and
played cribbage in front of our firepit while listening to the birds and a squirrel in a tree nearby and slapping mosquitoes. Back to nature!
From Bic, we rolled northeast and stopped in Rimouski where they have a cool decommissioned Canadian submarine up on shore for tours named Onondaga. As our daughter noted, not so “sub”tly, a “sub”optimal location for a sub! Also in the area was a lighthouse and the Empress of Ireland Museum, commemorating the 1914 sinking. Note for the future, they let RVs boondock for free on the pier with a great evening view of the St. Lawrence. We met another Travato in the parking lot. He was from Kelso, Washington. He and his wife are working on the road, and having fun … just like us! After lunch in Rimouski,
we continued up the coast (sticking to the local highway versus the busier freeway). We angled across to the southeast and crossed into New Brunswick, and landed at a boondocker’s location in Charlo. A nice grass setting with a short walk down the road to the beach on Chaleur Bay.
South through New Brunswick the next day, we stopped at Kouchibouguac National Park to see if a campsite was available. Plenty of space! After checking out our spot, and noting the LARGE population of voracious, blood-sucking mosquitos … we drove about a half-hour south to an RV refrigeration specialist to check on a problem we were having with the fridge in propane mode. He took a quick look and said it was most likely a switch problem, but we can make it work until we actually need to replace it someday. No charge and lots of good advice! Gotta love that! Dad’s Marine ad RV Refrigeration … if you find yourself in need in New Brunswick! Back at the campground, our evening at the national park was SUPPOSED to be our first ranger talk of the trip. However, an extreme rain/thunder storm and those nasty mosquitos kept that from happening. Big bummer. This national park needed more exploring, for sure, as they had nice beaches and bike/hike trails.
The daily scenes down the Canadian country roads continue to inspire us regarding the wonderful nature of humanity. Driving down a backroad one late morning, came upon a large grass field where three older gentlemen were each sitting on their parked riding lawnmowers – enjoying a cup of coffee, and probably some great local gossip!
August 23, 2022
This truly tests our French language skills
On the drive from Montreal to Quebec City, we drove the back roads and, of course, had to stop at a bakery in one of the tiny towns along the way, Deschambault, QB. The croissants at Boulangerie Le Soleil Levain (Sourdough Sun Bakery) rivaled Bainbridge Bakers (in their best days) which meant we had to do some walking around town to work off the calories—a beautiful old church with well-kept grounds; a waterfront park with a grand view of the St. Lawrence River; a Little Library where we found a couple children’s books for our grandson (in French, of course); and stumbled upon Julie Vachon Chocolats which we thoroughly investigated. Oh my!
Three nights in Quebec City, mostly exploring Old Quebec City. We planned on biking the 3 miles there on the bike paths but the threat of rain made us chicken out. Hard enough to navigate an unknown city, much less in the rain. The public transit system proved easy enough; we walked back to the RV one day.
Old Quebec City was just what we were hoping for – a walkable adventure down every alley and around every corner! It was fun to poke around the shops; try some “Quebec” foods such as crepes and hot chocolate; watch the street performers; people-watch; walk the fort walls and Citadel area; try out the Funicular cable-lift going up; find the staircases and experience about 1,000 of the more than 3,000 stairs in the area; and enjoy the St. Lawrence views. Dave wore his Seattle Kracken tshirt and Salt Lake City Bees baseball tshirt on which prompted several conversations with other Americans.
August 20, 2022
Bugs, Flowers and Planets in Montreal
Off to Montreal for more French speaking/signs immersion! We stayed with a Boondocker host just east of the city for the first night, and had an evening walk in the residential neighborhood after the heat had dissipated a bit. We ventured into the big city the next morning to The Olympic Park area that includes multiple attractions.
We enjoyed the Botanical Gardens, Insectarium, and a multi-leveled Biodome. Very cool (inside, literally, as it was scorching a bit outside). We toured the gardens in the morning for a cooler walk.
After driving to our boondocking home for the night – about a mile away, we walked back to the park in the evening to a couple of movies at the planetarium theatre. One movie was about the Voyager space exploration program. Voyager 1 and 2 are already outside of the solar system after some amazing information gathering within our system – and they are slowly becoming outside the ability to communicate back to NASA scientists. However, they carry information that could be available for any other intelligent societies existing beyond our galactical horizons. The second movie discussed and presented in amazing cinematography the scientific explanation of how our solar system and planet was formed … a few years ago …
An interesting aside to our evening walk to the planetarium… we were joined by several hundred other walkers who were headed to a Montreal major league soccer game taking place in the stadium next door. Lots of tailgating in the park happening! The walk “home” was much more quiet.
The next morning, headed northeast to Quebec!
August 18, 2022
Big City Craziness!
After a night in a peaceful farm setting in Killaloe, ON, we headed to the big city of Ottawa, capitol of Canada.
We set aside three days to explore the city. Starting with a cruise boat tour on the Ottawa and Gatineau Rivers, viewing the sights from the water, gave us a sense of history and the importance of these rivers. Our guide pointed out many government and embassy buildings; industry and recreation areas; the Locks and Rideau Falls which doubles its use as a hydro power source. Ontario Province on the one side; Quebec Province on the other, we had a chance to explore both.
We tried the hop-on/hop-off tour bus, thinking we could spend the day exploring. Problem became parking the RV. We spent a lot of time finding a spot. One of the few times our van-size caused parking issues. Most of downtown parking was either underground, therefore too low clearance for us, or permitted government official parking only. We found a 3-hour max spot, thinking we could extend the hours. Since that was not the case, our plan was shortened considerably. We did not have the patience or energy to search for more parking. Failed as tourists! LOL. The double-decker driving tour was great; learned a lot. We tried to hop off at the Canadian Mint and tour the facility. The next English speaking tour wait was an hour which we couldn’t spare. The Notre Dame Cathedral Bascilica was conducting a service so we could not enter. We did take pictures of the big “Maman” spider in front of the National Gallery of Canada!
We spent one night in Gatineau, on the Quebec side of the river. Our hosts suggested the nearby Gatineau Park and a bike ride which we did. It’s a very large park with dedicated bike lanes but, as a bonus, it was “no-cars-on-the-park-roads” day as well. We stopped at Pink Lake which is an emerald green color. Learning about Meromictic Lakes, we discovered why the unique color is created. Much like Lake Louise in Banff?
August 14, 2022
Skirting Lake Huron and into Algonquin Provincial
Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, did not have any Harvest Host or Boondocker options, but there was a Walmart! We spent most of the day downtown, viewing the Soo Locks at Soo Locks Park; being tourists in the shopping district; playing a highly competitive 18-hole miniature golf game while sipping a wine slushy; visiting the Shipwreck Museum and discussing the many possible/probable reasons why the Edmond Fitzgerald sunk in 1975; eating delicious crepes; visiting the local Sherman Park and finding enough shade to eat dinner. We opted not to experience the Tower of History or the floating Museum Ship Valley Camp. Arrived at Walmart at 8:30, just enough time to get a few things inside, and get ready for bed.
After completing the ArriveCan app with appropriate info, we were off to Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. Dave needed some assistance clearing out a wax-clogged ear and found a place to do so. No place in the U.S. that we know of where you can get that service for a mere $27! While waiting for that appointment, we enjoyed our first Canadian butter tart at The Queen’s Tarts. Soooo good. The traditional butter tart is similar to a bite sized pecan pie but so much better. This bakery offered a wide variety of other variations and the gentleman suggests we may experience a wide range of renditions in different regions of Canada if we continue trying them. Challenge accepted!
We had pondered the name choice of Chutes Provincial Park. However, after staying there two nights, we understand now. A healthy logging industry, past and present, uses manmade chutes along waterways to ease floating logs down a stretch of rapids or waterfalls. This Provincial Park had many such chutes in the past, hence the name. On a hike along and across the river, we noted the cedar-caused Tannin-colored river, tinges of fall-coloring of foliage on the area trees; and even a crisp, fall feel to the day (yikes, too soon!); and lots of smooth rock formations. We used our propane firepit quite a bit, both evening and with morning coffee. A pleasant temperature!
We located Bell Park at the waterfront in Sudbury for a lunch spot and walk the next day. Seemed to be a local favorite for swimming, picnicking and walking. A Boondocker host nearby was our night’s stop. Doug & Linda invited us onto their back patio and were so fun to talk with. They have traveled quite a bit, both in Canada and the U.S. We shared our love of the Southwest — Utah specifically — and they shared great ideas of things for us to see and do along our route, into the Maritimes, Acadia, etc.
On to Parry Sound, ON, along the Georgian Bay of Lake Ontario. We settled into our Harvest Host site at Trestle Brewing and found the River Walkway into town where we visited the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame. Becky needed a little historical information as to the identity of this hockey legend and hero of Dave’s childhood, but this museum offered that in excess! Interactive displays had Dave swiping hockey pucks into the goal and playing table top games of yesteryear. Other waterfront activity included a large cruise ship and multiple pontoon planes for scenic tourism adventures. After dinner at the Brewery we walked up to the botanical Gardens on Tower Hill and climbed the old fire tower to get a wide-angle view of the Bay. As much as we wanted to explore Bearly Used Books, we decided we’d better not until we finish the books we are currently reading.
Heading east, we had a night at Algonquin Provincial Park. Getting there early in the day and not checking out until 2:00
p.m. the next day allowed us time to give the bikes some much-needed exercise along an old rail trail reconfigured for biking; enjoy the Visitor Center and a bear sighting; explore the Logging Museum and its interpretive trail; and cut Dave’s hair. Alas, we have yet to see a moose in the wild.
August 8, 2022
Upper Peninsula Michigan, heading into Canada once again
On the road again! After a few weeks getting to know our grandson and a trip to Bainbridge for a wedding, we are back in Lena and heading toward Canada via Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan/Canada. Becky ended up testing positive for Covid the morning of the wedding so we missed that wonderful event. Briefly seeing some family and friends, mild symptoms and Dave testing negative were the highlights of that trip. We were able to quarantine easily and sitting on the deck of our friend, Jennie’s, home, was also quite relaxing – watching the local deer and racoon population was entertaining.
After a non-touching farewell (just in case covid tagged along in the airplane) to Allison, Eric and Finley in Eau Claire, we headed to Green Bay, WI, for some vehicle maintenance. It was the warmest, most humid day of our trip so far! A full night of thunder, lightning and heavy rain did provide heat relief, but little sleep! A tire rotation, new wiper blades and oil change later, we headed to Peshtigo and a Harvest Host farm.
Schwittay Farms is a 5th generation dairy and we were impressed by how they treat their cows and their visitors (a gift bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies and cheese samples!). Along our travels, we heard many folks suggest we stop at the farms to get meat/produce anytime we had the chance. We did purchase some here and loved the cheeses, made from these cows’ production, fresh eggs, bratwurst and sausage. Would have purchased more if we had the room. The barn cats were quite welcoming and very affectionate while on our walk around the farm.
We slipped into Michigan along the Great Lake of the same name, and entered the Eastern Time Zone, just to add even more confusion to our day! The destination that afternoon was a beekeeping/lavender farm – Bee Wise Farm – in Newberry in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Took a nice walk in the woods and checked out the many hives.
We bought a couple of jars of the sweet honey for our crammed pantry in Lena! The temps dropped to the upper 40s overnight, so a very comfortable sleep compared to previous heat! We discovered the term “Yooper” is an Upper Peninsula common reference.
July Summary
July much warmer!
The month’s average temperature was 79 degrees Fahrenheit! A little warm for us.
We feel like we sort of cheated since went back to Bainbridge for a week and a half, during a hot spell there.
We visited 23 cities, 55 places, 1,053 miles driven. According to google, we walked 30 miles, though only biked a few miles. The highlight, of course, was meeting our grandbaby for the first time. Such a sweetie and sooooo cuddly!
July 11, 2022
Back in the U.S. . . briefly
that plan (the cruise boats were not yet in the water) and we only spent a day at the visitor centers and some hiking. Another visit is needed for this beautiful park.
Still heading toward Eau Claire, WI, to see our new grandbaby, an organic farm (Harvest Host) was our next stop near Tower, MN. Baby ducks, pigs, bunnies, chickens and guinea hens were quite friendly and unafraid of us. A black cat named Moon befriended us as well, lap nap and all! A reincarnated Merlin saying hello? Next day was a stop in Ely to visit the North American Bear Center before finding our camp spot at
Gooseberry Falls State Park on the shores of Lake Superior. Had a great hike along a lakeshore bluff and up the river toward the falls. The drive along the North Shore (Voyagers) Highway took us to Duluth where we stayed at a Harvest Host, Wild State Cider.
The next day, July 11, we rolled straight to Eau Claire for our much-anticipated first greetings, hugs, kisses and cuddles with grandson Finley! It was great to see Allison and Eric, too! We’ll be spending the next few weeks here with the family and will resume our Canada adventures in August. Stay tuned for more stories about the Canadian Maritimes. . . July 5, 2022
Canada Day, Lake of the Woods and farms
Winnipeg was the destination for July 1, Canada Day. The Forks Historical Park, where two rivers converge, was our choice for celebrating. It was very festive with lots of sun, live music, food booths, etc. Sitting on the grass, Dave played his guitar between the live music sets, but no one threw money at him! Except Becky.
We enjoyed the walking trails in Assiniboine Park. Huge park with English gardens, children’s gardens, sculpture garden, the zoo, railroad rides, and much more.
Leaving the city, we spent the night at a farm and purchased bison steak, sausage, and a few other locally grown/produced items.
At Kenora, Ontario, our next stop, we met Ian and Dianne, friends from Bainbridge, at their cottage on Lake of the Woods.
Three days of swimming, hikes, games, great conversation, an afternoon cruise out of Kenora, and a little shopping. As with most places we’ve been, the water levels in the lake are record breaking. The boathouse, mostly built over the winter, was still missing the decking, but the water is now over the deck so they can’t finish it! Contractors will be busy with all the damaged docks and boathouses around the lake.
The story of how Kenora got its name is quite fun. In 1905, after much debate, the community changed its name to Kenora. Dissatisfaction with the name Rat Portage had been expressed by the residents for years, but reportedly, it took a final push from industry to initiate the change. The Maple Leaf Milling Co. initially refused to build in the area because they didn’t want the word “rat” on their flour bags. The new name was formed by combining the first two letters of KEewatin, a sister town; NOrman, a village adjacent; and RAt Portage.
June Summary
Wow! That was only 30 days?
The month’s average temperature still did not get us to 70 degrees (21.1 Celsius). We made it to an average of 66.4 F which is better than May. Of course, everyone we talked to said it was an unusually cold month.
We hit 22 cities, 74 places, 1,958 miles driven. Visited three national parks and three provinces. Traveled from coastal zone of British Columbia to mountain to prairies. According to google, we walked 63 miles, though only biked a few miles. We met so many nice people along the way. Thanks for making our adventure even better! We hope to cross paths once again with some of our new friends.
June 30, 2022
Jetting across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
After saying goodbye to the kids at the Calgary airport at 4:30 a.m., we headed to Drumheller to experience the Royal Tyrrell Dinosaur Museum of Paleontology. The change from the mountains to the prairie certainly boosted our temperature well into the 70’s. 
The geology of the area is much like the Badlands of South Dakota with “painted hills,” and even cacti. The museum is world-renowned and has one of the largest displays of dinosaur specimens in the world. We recommend it to anyone.
After “land before time,” we drove to Hanna, AB, to another historical site, a little more recent than dinosaurs. The Canadian Northern Railroad abandoned the 1913 Roundhouse in 2013 but the community has rallied to refurbish the buildings and rail turntable. 
They’ve joined Harvest Hosts, so we were able to park in the field next to the turntable and had a pleasant night in the small town.
After giving Lena a bath at a local truck wash, we motored southward to Dinosaur Provincial Park. This is in the Alberta badlands, and another location that is crazy with fossil finds from, mainly, the crustaceous period (I believe). More great knowledge gained … felt like we were back at school!
After the park, we continued southward to visit a couple who are friends of Phil Eisenhauer – a good friend from Eagle Harbor Congregational Church on Bainbridge. Bob and Maureen L. have a multi-faceted operation in Bow Island, AB. 
They have in the vicinity of 15,000 acres with crops, cattle, goats – and rocks … lots of rocks. Turns out, when someone was flying over their property, they recognized that the property probably contained a ton (many, many tons, actually) of gravel, due to a nearby bend in the river. Interesting fun fact – Bow Island was actually misnamed by a misplaced sign by the Canadian Railroad. Somehow, the crew mixed up the signs for rail stops of Bow Island and nearby Grassy Lake. Maureen says she likes the name of Bow Island better anyway! We had a wonderful visit, talking about Phil, who married them in Great Falls, MT, a “few” years ago. Six-degrees of separation?
On our drive to Bow Island, we were intrigued by fields of crops with many small orange tents set out among the crop. We could not figure out what they were. Bob and Maureen explained they were housing leaf cutter bees to pollinate the canola fields. Had never heard of them but seem to be similar to mason bees we have in the NW. By the way, Lena did not look like we gave her a bath only 8 hours earlier. A new layer of bugs, all colors!
A field near the city of Moose Jaw was our resting place the following night. One other camper shared the large space with us, the ground squirrels, birds and the trains. Great conversation with Emily, an elementary ed. PhD student traveling with her dog, El.
Since we are in a bit of a hurry to get to Wisconsin to see our new grandbaby (and kids), we hurried along to Moose Mountain Provincial Park. We did spend a few hours in Regina, visiting the Royal Canada Mounted Police training grounds. 
Sadly, no tours were happening and the Musical Parade won’t begin again until next year, but we did visit the RCMP Heritage Museum and learned some things about the men and women in red uniforms. Moose Mountain PP campground is full of birch and poplar trees, a contrast to the vast prairies we’ve been driving in. Though a warm day, the breeze kept us comfortable.
On to Souris, MB, to a farm for the night. Our host jokingly suggested we encouraged his remaining two expecting cows to give birth today. Our cow whispering skills were lacking, though we tried. The horses lined up for a lovely portrait after we fed them a little green grass each. Cammy, the dog, became our friend after receiving our dog treat. But the barn cats wanted nothing to do with us. We sat in the sun and were mesmerized by the shimmering, moving prairie grasses flowing like water in the wind. Hope to see the bison as we leave tomorrow.
June 26, 2022
Lena gets a rest; we get a family visit in Canmore
Lena got a week’s rest as we met Evan, Kaitlyn and Connie in Canmore, AB. Spent the week exploring Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise area, staying in a condo rather than Lena. The gondola trip to the top of Sulphur Mountain in Banff was packed with stunning views and fascinating exhibits. We even found a geocache on the boardwalk.
Lake Louise and Lake Moraine were beautiful. We started early enough to avoid too many people though it was less crowded midweek. We had anticipated hiking to the Tea House but there was apparently still quite a bit of snow on the trail and crampons were recommended which we did not have. A ranger had recommended an “easy” short hike to a viewpoint. The trail trajectory was all upward! But well worth the effort to see the emerald-green-colored lake from above.
In and around Canmore, we found some great walking paths and tons of cool shops and food. 
Seems like there is an ice cream shop on every corner! We ate at the Grizzly Paw restaurant and pub one night and Evan and Dave returned there the next night to watch one of the Stanley Cup finals games. While the Avalanche (of Colorado) lost that night to Tampa Bay … the Avs came back two nights later to win the cup. We tried to get a discount at Beamer’s Coffee Bar, given the name connection, but the barista gave Dave a blank look.
Nice to have a readily available shower and laundry facilities for a week. The large bed was nice, but we felt a little lost after being so cozy in Lena! Hot tub and pool were a bonus as well.
June 18, 2022
Yoho National Park and Spiral Tunnels
As we left Jasper campground, dropping off recycle on our way out, we noted the cutest red and white trailer pulled by a decorative truck. Closer inspection revealed a pop up bakery/coffee set up! How did Bear’s Paw Bakery know we needed their raspberry-white chocolate scones? Love Jasper!
The Icefield Parkway is a gorgeous drive. With the volume of water high from rains and melt, the waterfalls, such as Tangle Creek, were stunning. We stopped at the Columbia Icefields for the glacier views and information though did not take their tour onto the glacier.
Our next stop was Yoho National Park and Kicking Horse Campground.
Lots of amazing railroad history in this area, tucked between the mountains in the same valley where the Trans-Canada Highway snakes through the Rocky Mountains. The campground was originally a workcamp for the builders of the final connection for the coast-to-coast Canadian Railroad. Funding was low and time was short, so the route up the pass was a straight shot called “The Big Hill.” The grade was around 4.5% … which is twice the normally allowed. The route included some “runaway” switches in case the trains lost control. The switches were defaulted to the escape spur, and only switched over to the main line if the person on duty was sure the train was in control. Yikes! Around the turn of the century, engineers utilized Swiss design and replaced the Big Hill with two spiral tunnels inside the mountain – an amazing feat of precise engineering, the ends finally meeting to within 5 cm. Those tunnels were completed in 1908, and the harrowing trip in and out of the mountains was tamed! Though there were many trains going through while we were there, we did not see them going in/out of those spiral tunnels.
June 15, 2022
Alberta Province and Jasper National Park
Alberta bound, Alberta bound. It’s good to be Alberta bound. For the Gordon Lightfoot fans in the crowd … you’ll understand! We entered Alberta June 12, and arrived in Jasper to Whistler Campground. Although the pine beetle scourge and some other windstorms, etc., have taken away many of the trees in the campground, the place is really quite beautiful. Views of the mountains from every campsite and elk wandering around the area unalarmed. Reminds me of parts of Yellowstone where the animals know they are safe from hunters! Sitting in Lena for dinner, Becky gasped and pointed out the front windshield. Two black bears … one smaller and a cinnamon color … ambled across just in front of Lena. We had the side door open … so we slowly closed it as to not startle the bruins whilst still protecting our dinner. They paid little attention! The shower/bathroom buildings here are quite luxurious! Nice hot (free!) showers and very clean! Time zone change to Mt. time and sunset is nearly 10:30 p.m.!
Athabasca Falls were stunning. More carving of rock with the power of water. Athabasca is a Cree word meaning “place where the reeds grow.” The geology was amazing. Watched a group of rafters getting into the glacial fed river, some with shorts on. Brrrrr…
Miette Hot Springs was a fun adventure. On the drive, Mountain Sheep (or maybe they were goats?) perched on the cliffs right along the roadside. One decided to take a chance and eat the leftover road salts in the very center cracks of the two lanes. She paid no mind to traffic slowly creeping by on both sides, even semi trucks.
The hot springs were a welcome soak, during which, we were treated to a momma black bear with two tiny cubs in the meadow area just outside the hot springs fence. While Dave took a few photos, he realized the guy he was talking to was OUTSIDE the fence, wandering ever closer to the wild sight. An observant life guard sternly told him to retreat and return to the other side of the fence. Don’t mess with lifeguards or momma bears. After the relaxing soak, we followed the trail to the original hot springs source (much hotter than the commercially modified pools) and dilapidated lodge of yesteryear known as Miette Aquacourt. Only ceased operations in 1984, though the degradation of the building reminded us of our local Fort Ward and Fort Warden concrete history.
With so many options of adventures, we headed for some Maligne Canyon hiking after listening to several suggestions. The power of water shooting through narrow crevices in rock is both powerful and beautiful. There are also underground waterways that shoot out into the river along the edges; and a multitude of waterfalls, all heading to the sea. It had rained quite a bit overnight – the trails were soppy but we lucked out and did not get rained on! As soon as we got back to the van, the skies opened up.
June 12, 2022
Last days in British Columbia
Two nights at North Thompson Provincial Park, with river views of the glacial and rain-swelled river. Wildflowers, trails, and relaxing were top activities.
On our way to Valemount, our last British Columbia stop hosted by a boondocker couple, we stopped in Wells Gray Provincial Park, known as the waterfall park with 41 such delights. A quick peek at Spahat Falls before continuing our trek to Valemount. A major pipeline was being laid in multiple phases along the entire route. We marveled at undertaking the huge feat with apparent ease.
Valemount, where three mountain ranges meet and where the basins meet Columbia and Fraser Rivers. The town surprised us with a festival for the weekend. Valemountain Days sported parades; live music; chicken crap bingo (quite the money maker); softball tournament; a hockey rink filled with bouncy houses; and the curling club building became the dance hall for an evening. We ate Poutine from The Funky Goat food truck; watched smiling kids collect candy and super balls from the parade; the cake walk diehards in the sprinkling of rain that produced a beautiful rainbow; and a taste of live music from some local musicians. Aside from the festival, an evening with our hosts was a highlight and a delight. Brad and Audrey were on the receiving end of some “blank” cans of local crafted beer after doing a favor for a friend. Not being huge beer drinkers, it was all about the surprise of what ale we would end up with – dark and heavy? Or amber and light? Along with some added lemonade and great conversation, we talked well into the night. They were full of great entertaining stories. Brad mentioned a work mate having a visit from a curious bear when he was checking the large propane tanks near the lodge. He and the bear played a little game of “circle the tank” until he made a dash for his quad and sped away! We all had a good laugh over that tale! Brad & Audrey winter in Texas – maybe we will meet again in January, on our way through.
Our tastebuds were also drawn to The Swiss Bakery, Gathering Tree Café, and Vale Coffee during our three days. Already parked within the town, we enjoyed walking or biking to all our adventures and explorations.
With several suggestions of sights to see on our way to our next stop, Jasper National Park, we viewed Rearguard Falls, Overlander Falls, and stopped at the Mt. Robson Provincial Park Visitor Center. Walking to the edge of the parking lot, we noted bear scat (poop), took a photo, then realized the bear was right there in the trees! We eyed each other from 50 feet. We were good, well-informed tourists, with a healthy attitude toward self-preservation and did not get closer. The bear was of a likewise mindset and we both ambled in different directions. As we walked back, a family of four approached and we mentioned the bear sighting. They seemed eager to see it as well and the mom said, “We’ve seen black bears – we want to see a grizzly.” What Dave wanted to say was, “I’m sure one wants to see you, too!” But, instead, said nothing…
June 8, 2022
Cooking, cleaning, chores. . . just like home
We have not commented much on RV cooking, cleaning and other chores. Not so glamorous, but still adventuresome at times! We have settled into routines for cooking. A morning mocha, viewing new grandbaby pictures, and Wordle and Heardle challenges take precedence; oatmeal for quick mornings – occasionally Kodiak cakes or eggs. Lunch is typically a sandwich using the powdered peanut butter or cheese; yogurt; protein drink; and/or fruit.
Dinner can be green salad with various toppings; a one-pot stir fry of whatever is in the fridge/pantry; Impossible burger in various dishes; soup; or pasta such as edamame fettuccini, tortellini, or spaghetti noodles.
We have successfully made pizza on naan bread on the stovetop! Mug cakes have been mastered, such as mug brownies and apple crisp, in the microwave (when plugged into a source); and no-bake cookies are made in small batches. In other words, we aren’t starving. We do eat out occasionally, though have moved some of those budget $$ to the gas budget, sadly. Grocery stores have yet to have Grape Nuts cereal, the mocha chocolate brand we usually use, or Kodiak pancake mix. We’ve tried Tim Horton’s coffee and hot chocolate, eh.
Laundry has been working out well. Have been able to utilize campground laundry facilities so far, no town laundromats yet. It has a college-dorm-method feel to it, though. Less care on separating whites and darks – just get it done!
Cleaning the solar panels; digging mud out of the tire flaps; cleaning the seal on the toilet (and emptying gray and black water tanks); following our set up and take down checklist whenever we move; vacuuming and dusting inside constantly; charging all electronics; and keeping organized. All necessary chores, of course. Lena needs a bath, for sure!
June 6, 2022
Pinegrove Campground, Mclure, BC
A week at Pinegrove Campground near Mclure, BC. A lovely family-owned campground with well thought-out sites, activities, gathering spaces, and amenities. Martina and Dave, who own the place, were great hosts. We think they liked having folks stay for more than just a couple nights so they can get to know them. We tried to help out by taking their “grand” dog (Jasper) for a walk, but he wasn’t ready to trust us walking away from Martina. Hey, we tried!
Enjoyed campfire time with Bob & Heather from Williams Lake, BC. Watched Stanley Cup semifinal hockey on the camp porch with Lydia and Les, getting tips for places to eat and visit on our route. Les was quite the story teller. When we told him playfully about taking tuna sandwiches on a day hike into bear country (tuna and bear spray in the backpack) … he said, laughing and shaking his head, “Ah, Yanks! Tuna and bear spray!” Met a couple from Holland, on a 3-week RV trip. Had Zoom time with our new grandbaby and proud parents.
Thought we’d drive to an area with some trails on a sunny day. Orchard Road/Badger Canyon was a dirt/crushed rock track, but seemed stable enough. About 5 clicks (km) up the road, however, we hit some results of the day prior’s thunderstorm and we found ourselves stuck in a soft shoulder next to a pretty good dropoff. We gave it a couple attempts at escape, but rather than getting more stuck, we walked back to the campground and asked for assistance from the campground owners – our heroes! Dave drove us up the hill in his 4wd truck. At the base of the hill, he paused to call out on his mobile radio, “Empty truck headed up Badger Canyon,” then waited for any reply. He explained that logging trucks fly down the mountain, so you really should make sure the way is clear before heading up … Yikes! We were lucky, but since it was a Saturday, we were probably okay. Dave gave us some cable support as we backed off the shoulder, then stayed ahead of us as we backed down to a safe place to turn around. Spent some time cleaning out the mud flaps, but Lena was not injured. Thanks Dave and Martina!!!
Mclure ferry nearby was our first experience traveling across the swift and swelling North Thompson River via a 100-year-old ferry – free, too! Up to two cars at a time, guided by cable and powered mainly by currents, it was such a contrast from the monstrosity Washington State Ferries! We did a walk-on experiment and expected to use it a few days later to put Lena on the cable current-operated ferry. But after watching the “captain” banging on the engine to “fix it,” we were hesitant. We didn’t get the chance, though. Due to rising waters (4” per day), the ferry was closed when we tried to drive that way to Privato Vineyard & Winery. After taking the alternate driving route through Kamloops, the winery offered live music from the Prairie Joggers, a sunny lawn, comfy chairs and peach cider.
Had hours of good guitar playing time outside Lena and up on the porch. The changing temps and temperamental “Pickle” (nickname for the piccolo guitar) makes for continual tuning. Dave may need new strings before this summer is over! The rainy weather would break for some good stretches of sunshine to allow us to get some exercise walking around the campground and playing some cutthroat games of ladder ball, corn hole and croquet.
May 31, 2022
May Summary
One month down; eleven to go. Highlight of the month is becoming first-time grandparents! Such a joy!
Average temps did not get us to 70 degrees (21.1 Celsius). We made it to average of 60.3 F. We hit 19 cities, 46 places, 618 miles driven. According to google, we biked 19 miles and walked 72.5.
We’ve enjoyed the slow pace; meeting other travelers and swapping stories; trying new foods, both dining out and cooking in the RV; discovering new places and trying new adventures; and staying flexible and carefree. We are better able to convert U.S. measurements to metric and visa versa. We try to collect quotes of the day, mostly to review later and laugh at ourselves. We foresee June being warmer and full of fun!
May 28, 2022
Lac Le Jeune and animal encounters
We headed east from Logan Lake a short distance to Lac Le Jeune Provincial Park. After doing a “drive by” of our campsite,
we headed into Kamloops to get some walking indoors at the local mall (rain and cold outside). Seems to be a rather spread-out town with lots of amenities. Back to the campground and bundled in for a cool night. We had a very close serenade from a pack of coyotes at about 3 a.m. Sounded like there may be some young pups testing their vocal chords! For other animal evidence, we saw elk scat (maybe moose?) and signs of beaver logging practices.
The next day was dry – and not too cold, so we enjoyed a walk along a lakefront trail/driveway/road. Met a fellow camper walking his dogs. George and his wife are traveling in a Zion class B van – similar to ours – and he says they are having some issues with the small size of the interior of the van.
“We are 10 days on this trip,” he said, in a thick Czech Republic accent. “And I think about 5 days from divorce!” He was laughing.
May 23, 2022
Logan Lake and Victoria Day
Canadians are celebrating Victoria Day, which seems to just mean a three-day weekend and the start of camping season and summer – much like Memorial Day. The city of Logan Lake has a sweet campground at the end of the same-named lake, within walking distance of the small city. This was suggested to us by Boondocker hosts. Great place, though we failed to review the elevation and there have been a few hail/sleet showers. Cooler than we’d like, but we enjoy watching the fisherman, hiking the trails, and checking out the town. After mention of a mama bear (“and not a small one!”) and her cub in the area, we finally purchased bear spray, hoping to never have to use it. Paying attention to our cell coverage of late, in expectation of grandbaby Finley’s arrival in about 10 days! We spent some time talking with a local down at the fishing dock. He works for the Logan volunteer fire department. Last year, a big forest fire roared past the city – just missing homes, businesses, etc. It was the same fire that totally destroyed the BC town of Lytton. The fire forced the Logan Lake community to close off many hiking/skiing trails due to erosion concerns.
Becky gave Dave an outdoor haircut in the sun. The neighbor looked over and said, “If I’d known we were doing haircuts, I wouldn’t have gotten a trim before this trip.” Then he pulled off his cap, revealing a shiny hairless dome! Forgot to mention in the last blog, Becky did a self-cut of her hair while we were at Bear Creek – using the van windows as a mirror!
May 20, 2022
Bear Creek Provincial Park
After Penticton, we wheeled north along Lake Okanagan, stopping for a walk in Peachland – a quaint little lakeside village. Nice waterfront walkway and nice weather as well! Traveled a bit farther north to Kelowna for some groceries, before heading to Bear Creek Provincial Park along the lake. Our first provincial park experience, and wow … what a treat.
The camp “rangers” really take pride in keeping the grounds and spacious camping sites beautiful and well maintained. After a camping visitor leaves, they use leaf rakes to give each campsite a “Zen Garden” look. Very cool! The showers are free – but not the most comfortable temperature – definitely an invigorating way to start/finish the day!
The river that is Bear Creek flows through a valley out of the rocky, steep hills across the highway from the campground. We got some good hiking miles completed to burn off our “relaxing and reading” lactic acid. Becky’s back is improving so we are excited to be able to hit the trails!
We found a fun radio station from Kelowna (“The Beach” – 103.1), and Dave even took part in a couple of the station’s trivia contests. When the disc jockey recognized that we were texting with a phone from “the states”, he asked about our home base. Dave gave him a quick synopsis of our big trip plans, and he responded “That is my dream. You are living my dream!”
May 16, 2022
On Lake Skaha
Five days in Camp-Along RV park just south of Penticton. Beautiful valley, pristine Skaha Lake. The temps still a little chilly to fully enjoy the beach/lakefront area … but the locals are strutting around in shorts and t-shirts. “Eh, it’s 16 degrees … time to break out the summer togs!” … while we are still sporting fleece and Smartwool. We’ve adjusted our weather station to read in Celsius to help in the whole immersion attempt. While the campground was up on the step above the lake, our site gave us an unobstructed view of the lake … and the city lights in the evening. Big bonus – you can pre-order croissants and cinnamon rolls the night before, and they will be delivered to your rig, fresh, at the time you request in the morning. Wow. We’ve discovered that the most powerful radio stations in the valley are pretty heavy on the country side – which is great as they mostly feature Canadian singer-songwriters.
Finally unveiled the bikes and rode into Kaleden, discovering Frog City Café in the heart of 6-acre Linden Gardens. After a snack (they even let us bring our bikes inside the café) and viewing gardens, goats, pigs and chickens, we located the access point for Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) Bike Trail, which follows along the lake in both directions.
May 11, 2022
Oh Canada!
From Malott to Okanagon and crossing the border into Canada. Several relaxing days with long walks, music, some RV organization and cleaning time. The Canada border crossing went smoothly with a very short line of cars and we entered Osoyoos, BC, trying to make sure we weren’t speeding with the conversion of MPH to KPH! Osoyoos area is the only place in Canada considered to be desert. Parked Lena and as we turned off the ignition, we noticed a zillion insects swarming around the vehicle that we took for mosquitoes just waiting for us to open the door. Yikes! We (meaning Dave) had to add leveling blocks and it was the quickest, most well-rehearsed operation ever. Enjoyed talking with our hosts who informed us the insects were not mosquitoes but a mayfly that is short lived and has no interest in human flesh. After sharing RV adventures, we walked into town to experience the waterfront; a wide-variety-of-goods hardware store; the local favorite coffee shop; and the kindness of people. Osoyoos has been producing fruit in the many orchards for a long time but those orchards seem to be fading toward grape growing. Wineries are as plentiful as fruit stands these days.
A Whole Different Country – Celsius, currency conversion rates, and metric measurements are keeping us on our toes and our math brains active. How fast are we driving; how far we have to travel; comparison
shopping with grams vs. pounds; what is 70 degrees Fahrenheit in Celsius; a liter of gas is how many gallons; then convert Canada dollars to U.S. currency? All reminding us the U.S. was going to convert to metric back in the 1970’s. We are looking for 21.11 degrees Celsius; 50 mph is highway speed in this area; and gas in B.C. is $5.82 per gallon U.S.
May 6, 2022
Basking in Badger Heights
Breathe in the Eastern Washington smells! Sage assaults the senses here much like the smell of salt air at home. It places us far enough from home, but with a familiar sense of welcome, too. The geology of central Washington reminds us of Utah, minus the red coloring of rock – more volcanic but no less rugged. We chose this route and temporary destination of Steamboat Rock State Park for its warmth. Yep, we hit our coveted 70-degree goal and broke out the shorts for the first time in many months! Spring is here with yellow prairie flowers; Canada geese goslings galore (so cute!) and flocks heading north; budding trees; campers to meet and share stories; and quiet. No bugs to speak of (yet). A campground where every spot has a gorgeous view, great trails and birdsong. The prevalence of kildeer in the area remind Dave of the kildeer that used to nest in the area now covered by Winslow Green. His dad would walk the trail through the area and come home telling of the kildeer mimicking a broken wing to draw strangers away from their very vulnerable ground nest. Lots of broken wings here at Steamboat Rock!
After a brief stop at Grand Coulee Dam, taking in the magnitude of construction and the pluses and minuses of altering nature, we settled in for a three day stay at a remote location near Malott, WA.
Our Boondocker hosts moved here a year after the Carlton Complex Fire of 2014. On our walks, we noted evidence of the
May 2, 2022
On the Road Again – Almost to Canada
The condo is rented; Lena (our van) is packed though slightly disorganized; “until we meet again’s” are done; left on the planned May 1st; and made it as far as Fife, WA, on day one. In town there, we parked in the yard of a “Boondockers Welcome”
member who has many miles of RVing under his belt. I think he enjoys sharing his place with fellow travelers to keep him in touch with the RV fellowship. He had a very friendly rescue dog … Frida … who was the very grateful recipient of our first “doggy biscuit” handout. We decided that keeping a supply in the van would help us become friendly with fellow traveler’s canine companions. In turn, that usually encourages more conversation – an ice breaker, of sorts.
Though we are still in familiar territory there is always something new to us. We are expecting to enter Canada via Oroville, WA, and into Osoyoos, BC, around May 9. So, we are forcing ourselves to sloooooow down. We want to take the time to experience each new surrounding, and pause to appreciate each moment.
Driving from Fife up to Snoqualmie Pass, that slow-down mentality was tested as we crawled in a traffic slowdown over the pass – nearly all the way to Cle Elum – had the best slow down view of Keechelus Lake. A brewery in Cle Elum was our destination, so the slow pace was just fine. The Dru Bru Taproom and Brewery offered a great view of the mountains. Unfortunately, we had to park a little too far away to take advantage of the free wi-fi. But, we opted to have dinner inside, try the cranberry cider, and get some blogging done while the Stanley Cup playoffs filled the walls with multiple screens. Still cool up here at the pass, but we will be warm and cozy in Lena for the night!
