They invited Aunt Laura and Uncle Ernie and fed us all a wonderful dinner. It was great to see them all again.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Post #22 Home
We travelled through the southern parts of Manitoba, visiting my Aunt Eleanor, and Uncle Hank at their home in Elm Creek.
They invited Aunt Laura and Uncle Ernie and fed us all a wonderful dinner. It was great to see them all again.
They invited Aunt Laura and Uncle Ernie and fed us all a wonderful dinner. It was great to see them all again.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #21 Friday, July 18, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #21 Friday, July 18, 2014
Destination:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Weather:
-a.m. +19C with some clouds; no more rain
-p.m. +24C - sunny and a bit cool; summer for a few more days
- intense thunder storm with over 3 000 lightning strikes in the Saskatoon area
Wildlife:
- large eared white-tailed rabbits right in town
- a gigantic wild bison in Elk Lake National Park, AB
- coyote on the highway
- ducks, red-tailed hawks in groups of 3
- white swans
Activities:
- cheap gas $113/l.
- walk through the old Fairmont Hotel downtown
- Taste of Saskatoon in downtown on the river
- food samples at reasonable prices
- deep fried crocodile - Harry says it tastes like chicken
- deep fried octopus ( not very nice)
- bison chili with bannock - delicious
- Greek souvlaki
- we see large boulevards lined with beautiful mature elm trees in older part of town
- drive N to Rosthern to stay overnight with Rob and Ruth Ann Koop
- up and away early in the morning
Thanks Rob and Ruth Ann for your warm hospitality.
Destination:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Weather:
-a.m. +19C with some clouds; no more rain
-p.m. +24C - sunny and a bit cool; summer for a few more days
- intense thunder storm with over 3 000 lightning strikes in the Saskatoon area
Wildlife:
- large eared white-tailed rabbits right in town
- a gigantic wild bison in Elk Lake National Park, AB
- coyote on the highway
- ducks, red-tailed hawks in groups of 3
- white swans
Activities:
- cheap gas $113/l.
- walk through the old Fairmont Hotel downtown
- Taste of Saskatoon in downtown on the river
- food samples at reasonable prices
- deep fried crocodile - Harry says it tastes like chicken
- deep fried octopus ( not very nice)
- bison chili with bannock - delicious
- Greek souvlaki
- we see large boulevards lined with beautiful mature elm trees in older part of town
- drive N to Rosthern to stay overnight with Rob and Ruth Ann Koop
- up and away early in the morning
Thanks Rob and Ruth Ann for your warm hospitality.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #20 Thursday, July 17, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #20 Thursday, July 17, 2014
65501 kms
Weather: less smoke, +15C Leaving Jasper for Athabaska First Nation and Edmonton, Alberta
cool all day as we drive east to Edmonton
wildlife:
-wild mountain goat right beside the road
-ravens, purple martins, coyote right beside the 6 - lane highway
-we also see many very large white-tailed rabbits that are so large, that they are like the raccoons we have here. ( This is not a Monty Python movie set, either.)
Activity:
-smoke in my eyes at Hinton, Alberta
-fires are contained in Jasper National Park
-observe expensive road re-building - in every direction; compared to Ontario, where perhaps one overpass is being rebuilt in an area. A lot of $ is being spent on the roads and infrastructure.
- arrive at Four Points Sheraton Gateway in south end of Edmonton
- go to West Edmonton Mall for dinner at the food court - delicious Greek food
- we see: the fun park; the mini-golf; the wave pool for swimming with the zip line; the pirate ship for a show; the indoor skating rink complete with little kids taking lessons.
- the mall is undergoing indoor repair and re-building
-we see many many oil refineries and small wells.
Names:
Wyndswept B&B
Eagle News
Cougar Creek
Edmonton
65501 kms
Weather: less smoke, +15C Leaving Jasper for Athabaska First Nation and Edmonton, Alberta
cool all day as we drive east to Edmonton
wildlife:
-wild mountain goat right beside the road
-ravens, purple martins, coyote right beside the 6 - lane highway
-we also see many very large white-tailed rabbits that are so large, that they are like the raccoons we have here. ( This is not a Monty Python movie set, either.)
Activity:
-smoke in my eyes at Hinton, Alberta
-fires are contained in Jasper National Park
-observe expensive road re-building - in every direction; compared to Ontario, where perhaps one overpass is being rebuilt in an area. A lot of $ is being spent on the roads and infrastructure.
- arrive at Four Points Sheraton Gateway in south end of Edmonton
- go to West Edmonton Mall for dinner at the food court - delicious Greek food
- we see: the fun park; the mini-golf; the wave pool for swimming with the zip line; the pirate ship for a show; the indoor skating rink complete with little kids taking lessons.
- the mall is undergoing indoor repair and re-building
-we see many many oil refineries and small wells.
Names:
Wyndswept B&B
Eagle News
Cougar Creek
Edmonton
Thursday, August 7, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #19 Wed. July 16, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #19 Wednesday, July 16 2014
weather:
Hot - 10 a.m. it is already 29C. The weather has turned and the wind has brought in heavy smoke from forest fires in Alberta; therefor, poor visibility. We can't even see the opposite bank of the Thompson River! Hiway 93 south of Jasper is temporarily closed, so we plan an alternate route across Alberta to go through Jasper and continue on to Edmonton - a city we have never visited.
As we drive north from the city, we pass through T'Kemlup`s First Nation, where the land is dry. It is ranch country, and by 2:00 p.m., it is above 32C. We follow the Thompson River N and here, the river, the road and the railway all fit snugly into the valley.
wildlife:
- red fox along the road
- ravens, and a bald eagle flying over the river
- a full-grown black bear crosses Hwy#5N near Apland, elevation: 2,200m
activities:
- we stop at Carls Roadside Fruit and Veggie Market on Hwy #5 BC,
where we buy fresh local fruits and veggies for our lunch.
- lots of smoke creates some difficult viewing conditions; we can still easily see the road, but surrounding mountains are obscure.
- we eat a snack at Grey Wells Lodge, where the road north to the Provincial Park campground is closed because of forest fire dangers
- we notice interesting place names: Burch Island, Lost Creek, Thunder Creek, Moonbeam Creek, Mileage Creek, Albreda River, Clearwater, Blackwater, Cleavely Creek, Dominion Creek, Rosie`s Roadhouse, Lost Horse Inn, Sleeper Mountain, Mount Robson - veiled in forest fire smoke, Mt. Edith Cavall, Ghita Creek, Ghita Mountain, Mt. Fitzwilliam,
- at home in Orillia, people who drive pickup trucks often have a four-wheeler in the back. Here in the mountains, people have 100 gallon diesel gas tanks and generators in the backs of their trucks.
- we see a road marker - 1,025km E from the Pacific Coast and we`re still heading east toward the mountains and Jasper.
- we see lots of aqua coloured water rushing down from snow-covered mountains. The above-mentioned creeks are short, swift and all are running down to meet the Thompson River. Wait, there must be a change in the elevation, now the rivers aren`t all running back to the Thompson, they`re heading into Alberta.
- now it`s the Athabaska River that we are following, not the Thompson.
- there are more vehicles with broken / damaged windshields
- new Time Zone, Alberta border
- we follow the Rocky Mountaineer Train along the mountain valleys and by Moose Lake
- Hwy 97 S to Banff is closed - - forest fire smoke - it is unusually hot - +32C.
- Jasper for night.
The first hotel we stopped at wanted $367/night for a non- air conditioned room
- The next hotel wanted $104 / night for a queen sized bed.
-our actual room was in the Athabasca Hotel, where the hallways were air-conditioned, but not the rooms. Air conditioning wasn't turned on until it cooled down at night, so the front desk attendant explained that to get our room cooled off, we would have to sleep with our door open to the hallway.
Oh, and we had to share with 10 other hotel rooms for separate men's and ladies' shower / bathrooms.
Our room was so small, there was no closet, no cabinet for storage, no chair - we sat on the bed - and only a sink in the corner. To get around the bed, you almost had to walk sideways. The ceiling fan kept us cool.
-we ate a delicious dinner in the hotel restaurant and while dinner was being served, the smoke rolled into town. We had some coughing going on and our eyes were stinging. Locals remarked about how scarey that was, and we could see the local shops, but all the mountains were veiled by smoke.
- our hotel manager suggested coffee next morning at a nearby laundry mat. What? a laundrymat?
weather:
Hot - 10 a.m. it is already 29C. The weather has turned and the wind has brought in heavy smoke from forest fires in Alberta; therefor, poor visibility. We can't even see the opposite bank of the Thompson River! Hiway 93 south of Jasper is temporarily closed, so we plan an alternate route across Alberta to go through Jasper and continue on to Edmonton - a city we have never visited.
As we drive north from the city, we pass through T'Kemlup`s First Nation, where the land is dry. It is ranch country, and by 2:00 p.m., it is above 32C. We follow the Thompson River N and here, the river, the road and the railway all fit snugly into the valley.
wildlife:
- red fox along the road
- ravens, and a bald eagle flying over the river
- a full-grown black bear crosses Hwy#5N near Apland, elevation: 2,200m
activities:
- we stop at Carls Roadside Fruit and Veggie Market on Hwy #5 BC,
- lots of smoke creates some difficult viewing conditions; we can still easily see the road, but surrounding mountains are obscure.
- we eat a snack at Grey Wells Lodge, where the road north to the Provincial Park campground is closed because of forest fire dangers
- we notice interesting place names: Burch Island, Lost Creek, Thunder Creek, Moonbeam Creek, Mileage Creek, Albreda River, Clearwater, Blackwater, Cleavely Creek, Dominion Creek, Rosie`s Roadhouse, Lost Horse Inn, Sleeper Mountain, Mount Robson - veiled in forest fire smoke, Mt. Edith Cavall, Ghita Creek, Ghita Mountain, Mt. Fitzwilliam,
- at home in Orillia, people who drive pickup trucks often have a four-wheeler in the back. Here in the mountains, people have 100 gallon diesel gas tanks and generators in the backs of their trucks.
- we see a road marker - 1,025km E from the Pacific Coast and we`re still heading east toward the mountains and Jasper.
- we see lots of aqua coloured water rushing down from snow-covered mountains. The above-mentioned creeks are short, swift and all are running down to meet the Thompson River. Wait, there must be a change in the elevation, now the rivers aren`t all running back to the Thompson, they`re heading into Alberta.
- now it`s the Athabaska River that we are following, not the Thompson.
- there are more vehicles with broken / damaged windshields
- new Time Zone, Alberta border
- we follow the Rocky Mountaineer Train along the mountain valleys and by Moose Lake
- Hwy 97 S to Banff is closed - - forest fire smoke - it is unusually hot - +32C.
- Jasper for night.
The first hotel we stopped at wanted $367/night for a non- air conditioned room
- The next hotel wanted $104 / night for a queen sized bed.
-our actual room was in the Athabasca Hotel, where the hallways were air-conditioned, but not the rooms. Air conditioning wasn't turned on until it cooled down at night, so the front desk attendant explained that to get our room cooled off, we would have to sleep with our door open to the hallway.
Oh, and we had to share with 10 other hotel rooms for separate men's and ladies' shower / bathrooms.
Our room was so small, there was no closet, no cabinet for storage, no chair - we sat on the bed - and only a sink in the corner. To get around the bed, you almost had to walk sideways. The ceiling fan kept us cool.
-we ate a delicious dinner in the hotel restaurant and while dinner was being served, the smoke rolled into town. We had some coughing going on and our eyes were stinging. Locals remarked about how scarey that was, and we could see the local shops, but all the mountains were veiled by smoke.
- our hotel manager suggested coffee next morning at a nearby laundry mat. What? a laundrymat?
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #18 Tuesday, July 15, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #18, Tuesday, July 15, 2014
weather:
- sunny and very cool in the a.m. - just 14C - elevation1,609 at the ski village with a gondola ride up to 1,915 at the summit.
- then very hot hot hot! up to 92C by lunchtime at Okenagen Landing on our drive W to Kamloops
wildlife:
-tiny blue butterflies, a small red squirrel, mosquitos, a chipmunk and goldfinches; horseflies.
activities:
-hiked Silver Star Mountain trails and saw a mountain meadow
-drove down the mountain around the top of Lake Okenagen and started to follow the Thompson River W to Kamloops
-visited and had a delicious dinner with our former neighbours from Orillia, Larry and Carol Shank.
-drove to Riverside Park in Kamloops and had dessert at a cool yogurt shop
- saw a beautiful view of the city as the sun set - some haze from forest fire smoke in the valley
weather:
- sunny and very cool in the a.m. - just 14C - elevation1,609 at the ski village with a gondola ride up to 1,915 at the summit.
- then very hot hot hot! up to 92C by lunchtime at Okenagen Landing on our drive W to Kamloops
wildlife:
-tiny blue butterflies, a small red squirrel, mosquitos, a chipmunk and goldfinches; horseflies.
activities:
-hiked Silver Star Mountain trails and saw a mountain meadow
-drove down the mountain around the top of Lake Okenagen and started to follow the Thompson River W to Kamloops
-visited and had a delicious dinner with our former neighbours from Orillia, Larry and Carol Shank.
-drove to Riverside Park in Kamloops and had dessert at a cool yogurt shop
- saw a beautiful view of the city as the sun set - some haze from forest fire smoke in the valley
Monday, July 28, 2014
BC Road Trip Post # 18 Tuesday, July 15, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #18, Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Weather:
a.m. super cool + 14 C in the high mountain elevation with clear skies,
p.m. super hot + 102F or 39C in Kamloops in the evening Hot, Hot, Hot!
Wildlife:
* tiny blue butterflies, dragonflies and horse flies along the mountain trails
* gold finches, and gophers
* one small red squirrel
* a natural artesian well open to the public for free clear drinking water - cool
Activities:
* short hike along mountain trails at Silver STar Ski Resort
* watching bagpipe players ( 350 of them in smaller groups)
* watching downhill cross country - down hill racing bikers zoom past us on the trails
* drove across the south shore of Vernon which is the north shore of Lake Okenagen
* drove up along the river through very dry farmland which was being irrigated
* drove up the long hill with plenty of switch-backs into the Juniper Development of Kamloops
* visit with Larry and Carol Shank, our former neighbours from Orillia
Drive downtown Kamloops to see the Riverside Park Music performance
what a great visit with Carol and Larry. Thanks for a delicious meal and a great tour of your new home town, Kamloops BC.
Weather:
a.m. super cool + 14 C in the high mountain elevation with clear skies,
p.m. super hot + 102F or 39C in Kamloops in the evening Hot, Hot, Hot!
Wildlife:
* tiny blue butterflies, dragonflies and horse flies along the mountain trails
* gold finches, and gophers
* one small red squirrel
* a natural artesian well open to the public for free clear drinking water - cool
Activities:
* short hike along mountain trails at Silver STar Ski Resort
* watching bagpipe players ( 350 of them in smaller groups)
* watching downhill cross country - down hill racing bikers zoom past us on the trails
* drove across the south shore of Vernon which is the north shore of Lake Okenagen
* drove up along the river through very dry farmland which was being irrigated
* drove up the long hill with plenty of switch-backs into the Juniper Development of Kamloops
* visit with Larry and Carol Shank, our former neighbours from Orillia
Drive downtown Kamloops to see the Riverside Park Music performance
what a great visit with Carol and Larry. Thanks for a delicious meal and a great tour of your new home town, Kamloops BC.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
BC Road Trip Post # 17 Monday, July 14, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #17 Monday, July 14, 2014
Weather: cloudy, smoke haze in the valley +25C cooler
Wildlife: small things: a chipmunk, dragonflies, mosquitos, black flies, bats
Activities:
* we thanked Ruth and John for an amazing stay and visit.
Thank you to Arnannquaq ( and James) Aviana, and Naya;
Thank you to Amber ( and Cale and Josie).
* left Kelowna for Silver Star Mountain, N of Lake Okenagen and near Vernon BC. It was hot - +28C.
* saw Lake Kalamalka with unusual shades of vibrant blue water
* up the rise past Vernon, and the temperature began to drop: by the time we reached the ski village, which is elevation 1,600 metres, the temperature was a cool 17C.
* surprise! there is a two - week bagpipe camp / workshop taking place with over 350 bagpipe players up here. What a great place to practice such amazing music! It echoes off the surrounding mountains.
* surprise again! people taking their X country bicycles up the gondolas and riding down the ski trails. They wear expensive safety helmets, gladiator - looking shoulder, elbow and knee pads on top of their clothing. Some of them look like hockey players riding bikes.
* there is a stunning view of the north shore of Lake Okenagen.
* the road is made of switch-backs and is paved, but has NO shoulders and No guard rails. I can't look over that edge!
DINNER: with friends Pauline Cole and Doug Baker at the Castle Mountain B&B
- we ate delicious bbq'd salmon and veggies cooked to perfection by chef Doug.
- Pauline made a salad with Saskatoon berries. We've never eaten them before, and they are delicious!
- the company was excellent, and we had a wonderful time.
- Thank you Pauline and Doug.
Weather: cloudy, smoke haze in the valley +25C cooler
Wildlife: small things: a chipmunk, dragonflies, mosquitos, black flies, bats
Activities:
* we thanked Ruth and John for an amazing stay and visit.
Thank you to Arnannquaq ( and James) Aviana, and Naya;
Thank you to Amber ( and Cale and Josie).
* left Kelowna for Silver Star Mountain, N of Lake Okenagen and near Vernon BC. It was hot - +28C.
* saw Lake Kalamalka with unusual shades of vibrant blue water
* up the rise past Vernon, and the temperature began to drop: by the time we reached the ski village, which is elevation 1,600 metres, the temperature was a cool 17C.
* surprise! there is a two - week bagpipe camp / workshop taking place with over 350 bagpipe players up here. What a great place to practice such amazing music! It echoes off the surrounding mountains.
* surprise again! people taking their X country bicycles up the gondolas and riding down the ski trails. They wear expensive safety helmets, gladiator - looking shoulder, elbow and knee pads on top of their clothing. Some of them look like hockey players riding bikes.
* there is a stunning view of the north shore of Lake Okenagen.
* the road is made of switch-backs and is paved, but has NO shoulders and No guard rails. I can't look over that edge!
DINNER: with friends Pauline Cole and Doug Baker at the Castle Mountain B&B
- we ate delicious bbq'd salmon and veggies cooked to perfection by chef Doug.
- Pauline made a salad with Saskatoon berries. We've never eaten them before, and they are delicious!
- the company was excellent, and we had a wonderful time.
- Thank you Pauline and Doug.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #16 Sunday, July 13, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #16, Sunday July 13, 2014
Weather: in the morning, it was already in the high 20's. By later in the afternoon, Ruth said it was 37.9 C in the shade. Pretty hot and dry. When we walked up the hill after dinner, John and Ruth both said they could see smoke somewhere down in the valley.
Wildlife: everything is trying to keep cool.
Activities:
We walked, and found out what it feels like to have a wind that is actually hot, and not refreshing. We also got hot just sitting outside without any physical activity. That doesn't usually happen where we live. In the afternoon, we did go down to swim in the lake, and it was really refreshing.
Also: FIFA world cup. We watched Argentina try to beat the German team.
Dinner was delicious and Ruth cooked.
Tomorrow, we head out of Kelowna for Silver Star Mountain Ski Resort, just north of Vernon BC.
Weather: in the morning, it was already in the high 20's. By later in the afternoon, Ruth said it was 37.9 C in the shade. Pretty hot and dry. When we walked up the hill after dinner, John and Ruth both said they could see smoke somewhere down in the valley.
Wildlife: everything is trying to keep cool.
Activities:
We walked, and found out what it feels like to have a wind that is actually hot, and not refreshing. We also got hot just sitting outside without any physical activity. That doesn't usually happen where we live. In the afternoon, we did go down to swim in the lake, and it was really refreshing.
Also: FIFA world cup. We watched Argentina try to beat the German team.
Dinner was delicious and Ruth cooked.
Tomorrow, we head out of Kelowna for Silver Star Mountain Ski Resort, just north of Vernon BC.
BC Road Trip Post #15 Friday, July 11, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #15 Friday, July 11, 2014
Weather:
Hot: 34C with some haze in the air
Wildlife:
* some small quail birds with their parents up the hill behind Ruth and John's home in East Kelowna BC.
* an osprey in it's nest
* Ruth saw a mouse in her compost
Activities:
After a breakfast of fresh bagels, we went out to a nearby winery "The View", where they also make apple cider. Then we visited the St. Hubertise Winery, which was just up the hill.
A swim in the Okenagen would have been nice, since it was really hot. We ate supper outside at the Blu Saffron bistro, overlooking the lake; John and Ruth both talked about forest fires in the past. They experienced a terrible fire in 2003, when they almost lost their home.
We came home and went for a walk in the cooler part of the day. Ruth says she often sees deer around the trails in their neighbourhood, and she has the eyes to see them. I didn't.
Thank goodness for air conditioning, since it was really hot.
Weather:
Hot: 34C with some haze in the air
Wildlife:
* some small quail birds with their parents up the hill behind Ruth and John's home in East Kelowna BC.
* an osprey in it's nest
* Ruth saw a mouse in her compost
Activities:
After a breakfast of fresh bagels, we went out to a nearby winery "The View", where they also make apple cider. Then we visited the St. Hubertise Winery, which was just up the hill.
A swim in the Okenagen would have been nice, since it was really hot. We ate supper outside at the Blu Saffron bistro, overlooking the lake; John and Ruth both talked about forest fires in the past. They experienced a terrible fire in 2003, when they almost lost their home.
We came home and went for a walk in the cooler part of the day. Ruth says she often sees deer around the trails in their neighbourhood, and she has the eyes to see them. I didn't.
Thank goodness for air conditioning, since it was really hot.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #14 Thursday, July 10, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #14: Thursday, July 10, 2014
Weather:
no rain, cool in the morning with sun.
warmer in the afternoon with lots of bright sun.
Wildlife:
*we saw the same mom and fawn in the same island location today as yesterday.
* Quarrystone B&B - nice food; stunning ocean view
* shore birds
* rural lambs, goats, horses
Activities:
* delicious breakfast
* some pretty funny and unusual signs:
- Green Eggs and Lamb
- Thistledew Cottage
- Careful: Topless Crossing
- Singing Bird Farm
- Pennie's Poultry
- Dagwood's Diner
- Duthie Gallery
- Foxglove Farm and Garden
* catch the right ferry out of a different harbour in Ganges - not Fulford Harbour. This one is making a few stops, but we don't have to change boats.
* stop to test the anchor on the ferry, so we don't arrive back in Vancouver until 7 p.m.
* call Amber and Cale in Abbotsford for information about where to pick up fresh blueberries. Amber says, Funk's Farm.
* Amber calls back to say she has picked up the blueberries for us.
* Visit to Amber and Cale's Farm in Abbotsford. They have really done work on the farmhouse - painted almost everything and are storing Josie's artwork. Animals on the farm: bunnies, nanny and billy goats, small chicks and ducklings, a cat names Moses and a new 9 week old puppy named Goose, small cows on the hill and no bugs.
Amber greeted us with cool red wine and some fresh baked artisan bread she prepared earlier that day: dark rye with chocolate and fennel. It was delicious. What a tasty dinner. Cale was away working for a few days, so we say 'Hi' to Cale and maybe we'll see him next time.
Wildlife:
- two varieties of hummingbirds at the window feeder
- some more deer
- quail and their babies walking quickly over the edge of the gravel.
We left Abbotsford under a full moon around 9 p.m., hoping not to see any deer or wildlife along the 3 hours of hiway driving north back to Kelowna. Thank God, we didn't see any. Long Day
Thank you Amber, for your warm country hospitality. It was great to see you again.
Weather:
no rain, cool in the morning with sun.
warmer in the afternoon with lots of bright sun.
Wildlife:
*we saw the same mom and fawn in the same island location today as yesterday.
* Quarrystone B&B - nice food; stunning ocean view
* shore birds
* rural lambs, goats, horses
Activities:
* delicious breakfast
* some pretty funny and unusual signs:
- Green Eggs and Lamb
- Thistledew Cottage
- Careful: Topless Crossing
- Singing Bird Farm
- Pennie's Poultry
- Dagwood's Diner
- Duthie Gallery
- Foxglove Farm and Garden
* catch the right ferry out of a different harbour in Ganges - not Fulford Harbour. This one is making a few stops, but we don't have to change boats.
* stop to test the anchor on the ferry, so we don't arrive back in Vancouver until 7 p.m.
* call Amber and Cale in Abbotsford for information about where to pick up fresh blueberries. Amber says, Funk's Farm.
* Amber calls back to say she has picked up the blueberries for us.
* Visit to Amber and Cale's Farm in Abbotsford. They have really done work on the farmhouse - painted almost everything and are storing Josie's artwork. Animals on the farm: bunnies, nanny and billy goats, small chicks and ducklings, a cat names Moses and a new 9 week old puppy named Goose, small cows on the hill and no bugs.
Amber greeted us with cool red wine and some fresh baked artisan bread she prepared earlier that day: dark rye with chocolate and fennel. It was delicious. What a tasty dinner. Cale was away working for a few days, so we say 'Hi' to Cale and maybe we'll see him next time.
Wildlife:
- two varieties of hummingbirds at the window feeder
- some more deer
- quail and their babies walking quickly over the edge of the gravel.
We left Abbotsford under a full moon around 9 p.m., hoping not to see any deer or wildlife along the 3 hours of hiway driving north back to Kelowna. Thank God, we didn't see any. Long Day
Thank you Amber, for your warm country hospitality. It was great to see you again.
BC Road Trip Post #13, Wednesday, July 09 2014
BC Road Trip Post #13, Wednesday, July 09, 2014
Weather:
cool in the a.m., but getting sunny and bright. +22C to start.
Trip on the ferry was very windy and cool - probably +17C, but sunny.
Saltspring Island was warmer +24C in the day, and cooler in the evening.
Wildlife:
Several sightings of deer close to the fences and the main hiway south from Kelowna and through Hope.
* large vultures or hawks circling and never flapping their wings.
* shore birds are all over the place in Vancouver.
* tiny new spotted black-tail fawn with his mom on SaltSpring Island.
our B&B had two young black cows, two horses, 4 nanny goats with 1 billy goat, some cats and many different song birds.
Activity:
-drive down through Hope to Vancouver
-caught the ferry 1 hour early at 12 noon - for a 3 hour ride
- got off first ferry on Vancouver Island and waited an hour for the next boat to the next island. it was a little confusing.
- Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay
- Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour, Saltspring.
- arrived later in the afternoon, and got to our B&B.
drove down the island to Tante Kay's home, where she welcomed us warmly.
- we ate a decadent and lovely meal at her home with her. It was so nice to see her again, and we shared old memories and news.
- Thank you Tante Kay for your warm hospitality.
B&B Quarrystone - on N end of island.
charming and ecclectic business and farm names at roadside stops:
* Frog Valley Farm
*Cozy Woodpecker Cottage
*Ragged Azz Ranch
* Bite Me! Bakery
* Maple Terrace Farm
we drove down to the Yaght Club and dipped our feet into the Pacific Ocean. It was so cold, I had to get out in less than 5 minutes.
Weather:
cool in the a.m., but getting sunny and bright. +22C to start.
Trip on the ferry was very windy and cool - probably +17C, but sunny.
Saltspring Island was warmer +24C in the day, and cooler in the evening.
Wildlife:
Several sightings of deer close to the fences and the main hiway south from Kelowna and through Hope.
* large vultures or hawks circling and never flapping their wings.
* shore birds are all over the place in Vancouver.
* tiny new spotted black-tail fawn with his mom on SaltSpring Island.
our B&B had two young black cows, two horses, 4 nanny goats with 1 billy goat, some cats and many different song birds.
Activity:
-drive down through Hope to Vancouver
-caught the ferry 1 hour early at 12 noon - for a 3 hour ride
- got off first ferry on Vancouver Island and waited an hour for the next boat to the next island. it was a little confusing.
- Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay
- Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour, Saltspring.
- arrived later in the afternoon, and got to our B&B.
drove down the island to Tante Kay's home, where she welcomed us warmly.
- we ate a decadent and lovely meal at her home with her. It was so nice to see her again, and we shared old memories and news.
- Thank you Tante Kay for your warm hospitality.
B&B Quarrystone - on N end of island.
charming and ecclectic business and farm names at roadside stops:
* Frog Valley Farm
*Cozy Woodpecker Cottage
*Ragged Azz Ranch
* Bite Me! Bakery
* Maple Terrace Farm
we drove down to the Yaght Club and dipped our feet into the Pacific Ocean. It was so cold, I had to get out in less than 5 minutes.
BC Road Trip Post #12 Tuesday, July 08 2014
BC Road Trip Post #12 Tuesday, July 08 2014.
Some down time and a chance to get some BC Ferry arrangements made to go see Tante Kay on Saltspring Island. No visit to Jayne and Grieg Garland - - they have a new grandbaby in Ontario, so they're not even home. I would be visiting too :)
Ruth makes a delicious dinner with fresh steamed kale from her abundant backyard garden. We get some shopping done, so we can eat a picnic meal on the ferry tomorrow. Early to bed, because we leave Kelowna bright and super early at 7 tomorrow so we can catch the ferry to SaltSpring via Vancouver Island. Ruth says she's coming with us. What a cool surprise.
Some down time and a chance to get some BC Ferry arrangements made to go see Tante Kay on Saltspring Island. No visit to Jayne and Grieg Garland - - they have a new grandbaby in Ontario, so they're not even home. I would be visiting too :)
Ruth makes a delicious dinner with fresh steamed kale from her abundant backyard garden. We get some shopping done, so we can eat a picnic meal on the ferry tomorrow. Early to bed, because we leave Kelowna bright and super early at 7 tomorrow so we can catch the ferry to SaltSpring via Vancouver Island. Ruth says she's coming with us. What a cool surprise.
BC Road Trip Post #11 Monday, July 07 2014
BC Road Trip Post #11 Monday, July 07 2014
Weather:
sunny, +14C no wind
Activity:
Up early - say good bye to Steve and Brenda. Actually, Steve leaves early for work in downtown Calgary at Talisman, so we said good -bye to him the night before. Ate a quick fresh breakfast, and said good-bye.
Left Bragg Creek around 8 a.m. South West winds to help us travel around the foothills and into the Rockies. North on the hiway to the Trans - Canada HWY #1 up to Banff and further. 63116 kms on the Santa Fe.
9:00 cloud - capped towers ( that's from Shakespeare) above gigantic mountains. I forgot how big they are! + 22C.
West through Banff National Park, past Lake Louise, and around 11 a.m. we stopped in Field B.C. at the roadside visitor info place. We saw some nice examples of old fossils, and pics of many difficult road and railroad building days. + 26C
Kicking Horse River -- super fast high rushing water. Very swift current.
Driving up into higher altitudes, the temperature drops down to +16C. There is snow on some mountains and it is melting quickly. We go through Roger's Pass and mountain tunnels. Roger's Pass Lodge is closed because of avalanche damage earlier this year. 10 mile hill - very steep and kind of scary. Altitude: 1330 metres. More snow on the mountains - but the temp is warming up again to +26C.
Revelstoke to Mountain Meals Cafe for lunch. Fresh homemade bread and chicken salad.
1:50 p.m. time change, and we're in Malakwa good hiway.
Turn S on the Hwy 97A to Kelowna.
4:05 p.m. enter Kelowna after a good day of driving excellent roads, with no construction slow-downs.
Hi to Ruth and John! in their beautiful hillside home on Harrison Court.
Weather:
sunny, +14C no wind
Activity:
Up early - say good bye to Steve and Brenda. Actually, Steve leaves early for work in downtown Calgary at Talisman, so we said good -bye to him the night before. Ate a quick fresh breakfast, and said good-bye.
Left Bragg Creek around 8 a.m. South West winds to help us travel around the foothills and into the Rockies. North on the hiway to the Trans - Canada HWY #1 up to Banff and further. 63116 kms on the Santa Fe.
9:00 cloud - capped towers ( that's from Shakespeare) above gigantic mountains. I forgot how big they are! + 22C.
West through Banff National Park, past Lake Louise, and around 11 a.m. we stopped in Field B.C. at the roadside visitor info place. We saw some nice examples of old fossils, and pics of many difficult road and railroad building days. + 26C
Kicking Horse River -- super fast high rushing water. Very swift current.
Driving up into higher altitudes, the temperature drops down to +16C. There is snow on some mountains and it is melting quickly. We go through Roger's Pass and mountain tunnels. Roger's Pass Lodge is closed because of avalanche damage earlier this year. 10 mile hill - very steep and kind of scary. Altitude: 1330 metres. More snow on the mountains - but the temp is warming up again to +26C.
Revelstoke to Mountain Meals Cafe for lunch. Fresh homemade bread and chicken salad.
1:50 p.m. time change, and we're in Malakwa good hiway.
Turn S on the Hwy 97A to Kelowna.
4:05 p.m. enter Kelowna after a good day of driving excellent roads, with no construction slow-downs.
Hi to Ruth and John! in their beautiful hillside home on Harrison Court.
BC Road Trip Post #10 Sunday, July 06, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #10 Sunday, July 06 2014
Activities:
Stampede Breakfast:
Up and away to Calgary for a free Stampede Breakfast. Brenda was online to search for a location for a free Stampede Breakfast, and there were so many options, that the city map of Calgary was covered with them. She decided on a church in town, Kornerstone Community Church. They closed off the street outside their church, placed tables and chairs, set up a live band with country style music, and started cooking pancakes and sausages. People just showed up, got food and sat around talking and enjoying the sunshine and fine music. We ate with Tamara, Steve and Brenda, and some other Calgarians. It was very laid back and fun.
Bragg Creek Townsite:
Steve and Brenda pointed out places in town that were flooded this time last year. They described how Marcus was home and stranded there for three days because the flooded Elbow was too dangerous to cross. The river flooded during the work day, so Steve and Brenda were stranded on the other side of the river, so they could not go home for those days, and were taken in by friends. Marcus had only the little scooter to travel with, and was able to help many local neighbours and friends. When I asked Steve who did all the clean - up, he said local people just showed up and said, 'what needs to be done?' and they did it. He described one older couple who filled up their van with Tims coffee and food, stopping at work sites and giving out free refreshments. When their van was empty, they went back, filled up and continued to visit people who were volunteering. They told other stories
Hike:
After that, we drove back to Steve and Brenda's place, ate snacks outside on their back deck and caught up with Kaitlyn and Tamara, Steve and Brenda. Steve showed us some of their plans for landscaping their back and front yards, and his amazing garden; complete with potatoes and strawberries. He also pointed out where the local deer like to cross the corner of their property. He feeds them scraps and kitchen veggie peelings; and they particularly like pineapple cores. We hiked up the huge hill on the back of their property to the top of Two Pines Hill over looking the Bragg Creek Townsite. Steve and Brenda showed us where last year's flooding Elbow River roared through town, destroying homes, businesses and covering roads with piles of gravel and debris. We also saw many rolling foothills and the distant Rocky Mountains. The top of the hill had the wild Alberta roses blooming. It was very rugged and beautiful.
Dinner: bbq beer - butt chicken on Steve's grill with some nice salads. It was delicious.
Weather:
hot and sunny, with a small cool wind. + 26C. A few clouds, but no rain. Very cool at night - +10 or 12.
Wildlife:
* mosquitoes in the shade
* stories of Marcus and his friend seeing a Pine Marten on the trail
* stories of Marcus working on the trail, only to notice a large cougar very nearby, just watching him
* deer at the property edge in the shadows of the evening.
* Arnica flowers - prized for their pain relief
* large vultures or hawks wheeling through the up - drafts
Thank you Steve and Brenda, for your warm western Alberta hospitality.
Activities:
Stampede Breakfast:
Up and away to Calgary for a free Stampede Breakfast. Brenda was online to search for a location for a free Stampede Breakfast, and there were so many options, that the city map of Calgary was covered with them. She decided on a church in town, Kornerstone Community Church. They closed off the street outside their church, placed tables and chairs, set up a live band with country style music, and started cooking pancakes and sausages. People just showed up, got food and sat around talking and enjoying the sunshine and fine music. We ate with Tamara, Steve and Brenda, and some other Calgarians. It was very laid back and fun.
Bragg Creek Townsite:
Steve and Brenda pointed out places in town that were flooded this time last year. They described how Marcus was home and stranded there for three days because the flooded Elbow was too dangerous to cross. The river flooded during the work day, so Steve and Brenda were stranded on the other side of the river, so they could not go home for those days, and were taken in by friends. Marcus had only the little scooter to travel with, and was able to help many local neighbours and friends. When I asked Steve who did all the clean - up, he said local people just showed up and said, 'what needs to be done?' and they did it. He described one older couple who filled up their van with Tims coffee and food, stopping at work sites and giving out free refreshments. When their van was empty, they went back, filled up and continued to visit people who were volunteering. They told other stories
Hike:
After that, we drove back to Steve and Brenda's place, ate snacks outside on their back deck and caught up with Kaitlyn and Tamara, Steve and Brenda. Steve showed us some of their plans for landscaping their back and front yards, and his amazing garden; complete with potatoes and strawberries. He also pointed out where the local deer like to cross the corner of their property. He feeds them scraps and kitchen veggie peelings; and they particularly like pineapple cores. We hiked up the huge hill on the back of their property to the top of Two Pines Hill over looking the Bragg Creek Townsite. Steve and Brenda showed us where last year's flooding Elbow River roared through town, destroying homes, businesses and covering roads with piles of gravel and debris. We also saw many rolling foothills and the distant Rocky Mountains. The top of the hill had the wild Alberta roses blooming. It was very rugged and beautiful.
Dinner: bbq beer - butt chicken on Steve's grill with some nice salads. It was delicious.
Weather:
hot and sunny, with a small cool wind. + 26C. A few clouds, but no rain. Very cool at night - +10 or 12.
Wildlife:
* mosquitoes in the shade
* stories of Marcus and his friend seeing a Pine Marten on the trail
* stories of Marcus working on the trail, only to notice a large cougar very nearby, just watching him
* deer at the property edge in the shadows of the evening.
* Arnica flowers - prized for their pain relief
* large vultures or hawks wheeling through the up - drafts
Thank you Steve and Brenda, for your warm western Alberta hospitality.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #9 Saturday, July 05, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #9 Saturday, July 05, 2014
breakfast with Steve and Brenda at their home on Elbow Rise, Bragg Creek.
Tamara works today in town at the Oil and Vinegar Shop. Later, she will be at the ice cream shop. Kaitlyn got up early and will come along with us to see Sulphur Mountain and Banff. We get on the road and see some deer along the way.
Weather:
* super sunny with about +25C. Cooler as we go up. Quite windy and cool at the top of Sulphur Mountain and some sun to warm us up. Later on the patio in Banff - sunny with a few clouds and warm enough to sit outside and eat dinner. Very beautiful.
Wildlife:
* a few deer along the hiway near the fence.
* some pretty cool looking wildlife overpasses to allow them to cross the hiway safely
* HUGE elk along the hiking train down Sulphur Mountain - one must be a 7 point male.
* small warblers and other song birds
* vultures or some large hawks circling in the up-drafts
* a very cute and very well - fed chipmunk charming people at the very summit of Sulphur Mountain
Lunch: a quick salad at Wendy's in Canmore - those mountains are impressive
Dinner; burgers and beer on a roof top patio at the Rose and Crown pub in Banff - delicious! with a stunning view.
Walk through at Banff Springs Hotel, where we see the amazing interior. A medieval hall with amazing art work and suits of armour; an outdoor patio, where they just had a charming wedding; a backdrop of mountains that are breathtaking; some really cool architecture and amazing small spots all over the place. Wow.
Drive home is great with still more splendid views of the Three Sisters Mountains.
Home in time for a bedtime snack of Brenda's rhubarb and berry crisp. Delicious.
Deer in the backyard - very amazing.
breakfast with Steve and Brenda at their home on Elbow Rise, Bragg Creek.
Tamara works today in town at the Oil and Vinegar Shop. Later, she will be at the ice cream shop. Kaitlyn got up early and will come along with us to see Sulphur Mountain and Banff. We get on the road and see some deer along the way.
Weather:
* super sunny with about +25C. Cooler as we go up. Quite windy and cool at the top of Sulphur Mountain and some sun to warm us up. Later on the patio in Banff - sunny with a few clouds and warm enough to sit outside and eat dinner. Very beautiful.
Wildlife:
* a few deer along the hiway near the fence.
* some pretty cool looking wildlife overpasses to allow them to cross the hiway safely
* HUGE elk along the hiking train down Sulphur Mountain - one must be a 7 point male.
* small warblers and other song birds
* vultures or some large hawks circling in the up-drafts
* a very cute and very well - fed chipmunk charming people at the very summit of Sulphur Mountain
Lunch: a quick salad at Wendy's in Canmore - those mountains are impressive
Dinner; burgers and beer on a roof top patio at the Rose and Crown pub in Banff - delicious! with a stunning view.
Walk through at Banff Springs Hotel, where we see the amazing interior. A medieval hall with amazing art work and suits of armour; an outdoor patio, where they just had a charming wedding; a backdrop of mountains that are breathtaking; some really cool architecture and amazing small spots all over the place. Wow.
Drive home is great with still more splendid views of the Three Sisters Mountains.
Home in time for a bedtime snack of Brenda's rhubarb and berry crisp. Delicious.
Deer in the backyard - very amazing.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
! BC Road trip Post #8 Friday, July 04, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #8 Friday, July 04, 2014
Images in this post may or may not successfully appear, since I am a newbie at working on a MAC. So please forgive me if images aren't getting included or are somewhat different than they should be :)
Weather:
cool, but forcast is sunny and some chance of rain later on. Bring along a jacket in case it gets cool.
Sunny! Warm! We haven't really had weather like this yet. In the end, we didn't need jackets, except during the Rodeo Show when it was a bit windy and cooler up in those top seats in the high bleachers.
Wildlife:
plenty of deer and elk around Bragg Creek.
Plenty of horses grazing on the meadows.
An eagle's nest with a family - wow!
Calgary Stampede 2014
Stampede Food:
- elk sausage,
- bison sausage on a bun
- frozen cookie dough on a stick dipped in chocolate - that was a bit decadent, but we had to get into the mood of this celebration.
- popcorn and a candy apple for Brenda
- samples of stuff
-wings and beer at one of the indoor food places
Shows:
Cowboy Rodeo Show with
- bucking bronco horse rides
- bull rides
- rope and tie the calf competitions
- cowgirl barrel races on horseback
- musical band
Quite the show, attended by William Shatner, of Star Trek fame.
Evening Show:
Peking Acrobats perform incredible acts of balance and courage. Crazy!
Later on, home to Bragg Creek.
What a lot of fun. Thank you Steve and Brenda for taking us to see the Stampede - Calgarian style complete with a short train ride into town.
Images in this post may or may not successfully appear, since I am a newbie at working on a MAC. So please forgive me if images aren't getting included or are somewhat different than they should be :)
Weather:
cool, but forcast is sunny and some chance of rain later on. Bring along a jacket in case it gets cool.
Sunny! Warm! We haven't really had weather like this yet. In the end, we didn't need jackets, except during the Rodeo Show when it was a bit windy and cooler up in those top seats in the high bleachers.
Wildlife:
plenty of deer and elk around Bragg Creek.
Plenty of horses grazing on the meadows.
An eagle's nest with a family - wow!
Calgary Stampede 2014
Stampede Food:
- elk sausage,
- bison sausage on a bun
- frozen cookie dough on a stick dipped in chocolate - that was a bit decadent, but we had to get into the mood of this celebration.
- popcorn and a candy apple for Brenda
- samples of stuff
-wings and beer at one of the indoor food places
Shows:
Cowboy Rodeo Show with
- bucking bronco horse rides
- bull rides
- rope and tie the calf competitions
- cowgirl barrel races on horseback
- musical band
Quite the show, attended by William Shatner, of Star Trek fame.
Evening Show:
Peking Acrobats perform incredible acts of balance and courage. Crazy!
Later on, home to Bragg Creek.
What a lot of fun. Thank you Steve and Brenda for taking us to see the Stampede - Calgarian style complete with a short train ride into town.
BC Road Trip Post #7 July 03, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #7 July o3, 2014
I just realized that there are more than one post #5, but right now, I haven't figured out how to fix it, so I'm just going to keep on with the next post.
Thank you, Rob and Ruthann for a wonderful stay.
Left Rosthern around 8 a.m. on the way SW to Bragg Creek, Alberta. Farmers are out on their fields because things aren't as wet here as they were in the more southern part of the province. We decide to drive through Drumheller to see the dinosaur tourist stuff and remember our other visit to the Tyrell Dinosaur Museum.
Weather:
- some clouds, but more sun all the time
+15 c in the a.m. but warming up to about +30C by lunchtime in Drumheller. What a difference!
- intense winds
Wildlife:
Crystal Beach Wildlife Preserve:
* coyote
* several hawks
* shore birds along the water ways.
Osyos Alberta:
picnic lunch at roadside stop- very windy
gas is $ 1.26 / l. - cheapest yet.
Calgary, around 4 p.m. what a lot of new building going on around here.
Bragg Creek, Alberta, at Steve and Brenda Hiebert's country home 67 creek rise
62983 kms.
Delicious dinner with Steve and Brenda; Kaitlyn finishes her shift with Paramedic Team from Drumheller tomorrow a.m. Tamara is working at the oil and vinegar shop, and will be at the ice cream shop tomorrow.
Calgary Stampede opens tomorrow! We're going to see the Rodeo Show!
I just realized that there are more than one post #5, but right now, I haven't figured out how to fix it, so I'm just going to keep on with the next post.
Thank you, Rob and Ruthann for a wonderful stay.
Left Rosthern around 8 a.m. on the way SW to Bragg Creek, Alberta. Farmers are out on their fields because things aren't as wet here as they were in the more southern part of the province. We decide to drive through Drumheller to see the dinosaur tourist stuff and remember our other visit to the Tyrell Dinosaur Museum.
Weather:
- some clouds, but more sun all the time
+15 c in the a.m. but warming up to about +30C by lunchtime in Drumheller. What a difference!
- intense winds
Wildlife:
Crystal Beach Wildlife Preserve:
* coyote
* several hawks
* shore birds along the water ways.
Osyos Alberta:
picnic lunch at roadside stop- very windy
gas is $ 1.26 / l. - cheapest yet.
Calgary, around 4 p.m. what a lot of new building going on around here.
Bragg Creek, Alberta, at Steve and Brenda Hiebert's country home 67 creek rise
62983 kms.
Delicious dinner with Steve and Brenda; Kaitlyn finishes her shift with Paramedic Team from Drumheller tomorrow a.m. Tamara is working at the oil and vinegar shop, and will be at the ice cream shop tomorrow.
Calgary Stampede opens tomorrow! We're going to see the Rodeo Show!
BC Road Trip Post #6 July 02, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #7 July 02, 2014
Weather: sunny and cool but warming up to about 24 C in the afternoon.
Wildlife: small song birds and that's about it.
the Day:
After a nice breakfast, we drove down to Saskatoon with Rob and Ruthann to the city of Saskatoon. On the way, we stop in Warman, a small town where Rob works at a building supply company. The town appears to have been built last year - almost all of it is new housing. Across the street from Rob's work we see a pre - fab home building operation like nothing we've ever seen. Entire new lovely homes ready to be transported to - somewhere, complete with windows, doors, trim. There are many many new homes being built in this province.
Stop in Saskatoon at the Mendel Art Gallery for a walk - through - beautiful collection of specific Group of Seven pieces related to work. Effective and so stunning.
Stop for a few errands and a small walk along the banks of the Saskatchewan River, where we see American White Pelicans fishing.
Walk through the university grounds - they are really beautiful, but there is quite a bit of construction happening.
Meet Rob and Ruthann's daughter, Kimberly and son, Matthew for dinner, where Harry meets an on-site windshield repair guy. We ask to have the crack in our new windshield repaired ( we just bought the truck last week) while we are eating.
Nice evening drive back up north to Rosthern and then to a good night's sleep.
Weather: sunny and cool but warming up to about 24 C in the afternoon.
Wildlife: small song birds and that's about it.
the Day:
After a nice breakfast, we drove down to Saskatoon with Rob and Ruthann to the city of Saskatoon. On the way, we stop in Warman, a small town where Rob works at a building supply company. The town appears to have been built last year - almost all of it is new housing. Across the street from Rob's work we see a pre - fab home building operation like nothing we've ever seen. Entire new lovely homes ready to be transported to - somewhere, complete with windows, doors, trim. There are many many new homes being built in this province.
Stop in Saskatoon at the Mendel Art Gallery for a walk - through - beautiful collection of specific Group of Seven pieces related to work. Effective and so stunning.
Stop for a few errands and a small walk along the banks of the Saskatchewan River, where we see American White Pelicans fishing.
Walk through the university grounds - they are really beautiful, but there is quite a bit of construction happening.
Meet Rob and Ruthann's daughter, Kimberly and son, Matthew for dinner, where Harry meets an on-site windshield repair guy. We ask to have the crack in our new windshield repaired ( we just bought the truck last week) while we are eating.
Nice evening drive back up north to Rosthern and then to a good night's sleep.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
BC Road trip Post #5 July 01 to July 02
BC Road trip Post #6 Tuesday, July 01 - Wed. July 02 Rosthern Sask
Departure: 8:30 a.m.
Destination: Rosthern Sask, past many areas of local flooding.
Weather:
rainy and cool - 61F
skies clearing after noon, with sunny breaks.
by afternoon, very sunny day
strong N winds that keep you paying attention to the road.
FLOODING everywhere: even over the rail lines. small creeks are overflowing with fast currents. Transportation people won't be able to keep up with pumping water, so local groups of farmers are either out on their four-wheelers for inspection, OR they are already working together in teams, using their giant tractors to power enormous pumps. There is a lot of water here. In some areas, up to 50% of the area is covered with water, and it is obvious by the neat rows of tiny plants that this is usually a field, not a small lake.
More people sandbagging around homes, driveways and barns.
Wildlife:
many water birds overhead
saw one deer on the hiway.
Drive:
Got as far as Quill Lake and saw that all the water had gone over the road. We drive through slowly, not really knowing where the edge is.
HWY closed - re - route up hiway 5 to Walden, Sask and take the # 2 west.
HWY 2 west - huge line-up to drive slowly one at a time through shallow flood over the road. No we are going back to Humbolt to go another way.
Humbolt road N is under construction for 34 kms, dirt roads with big soft spots and potholes, but we make it through.
Cross the Saskatchewan River - huge river full to the top, and it is in a big hurry. Thank God, we're safe!
Arrive in Rosthern late - 7:30 even though we've gone through another time zone.
Rob and Ruthann Koop welcome us with a delicious bbq dinner, a good walk through their beautiful town. We watch Canada Day Fireworks display.
Happy Canada Day.
Departure: 8:30 a.m.
Destination: Rosthern Sask, past many areas of local flooding.
Weather:
rainy and cool - 61F
skies clearing after noon, with sunny breaks.
by afternoon, very sunny day
strong N winds that keep you paying attention to the road.
FLOODING everywhere: even over the rail lines. small creeks are overflowing with fast currents. Transportation people won't be able to keep up with pumping water, so local groups of farmers are either out on their four-wheelers for inspection, OR they are already working together in teams, using their giant tractors to power enormous pumps. There is a lot of water here. In some areas, up to 50% of the area is covered with water, and it is obvious by the neat rows of tiny plants that this is usually a field, not a small lake.
More people sandbagging around homes, driveways and barns.
Wildlife:
many water birds overhead
saw one deer on the hiway.
Drive:
Got as far as Quill Lake and saw that all the water had gone over the road. We drive through slowly, not really knowing where the edge is.
HWY closed - re - route up hiway 5 to Walden, Sask and take the # 2 west.
HWY 2 west - huge line-up to drive slowly one at a time through shallow flood over the road. No we are going back to Humbolt to go another way.
Humbolt road N is under construction for 34 kms, dirt roads with big soft spots and potholes, but we make it through.
Cross the Saskatchewan River - huge river full to the top, and it is in a big hurry. Thank God, we're safe!
Arrive in Rosthern late - 7:30 even though we've gone through another time zone.
Rob and Ruthann Koop welcome us with a delicious bbq dinner, a good walk through their beautiful town. We watch Canada Day Fireworks display.
Happy Canada Day.
BC Road Trip Post #5 Monday, June 30, 2014
BC Road Trip Post #4 June 30, 2014
Departure from Barwick, ON around 9 a.m.
Several sitings of helicopter surveillance of flooding in the area - flying right over the hiway. Groups of people sandbagging their properties. Some rain.
Destination: Sanford, Manitoba to visit Kim and Bernie Wiebe, Harry's cousins, and their sons, Matthew and Simon.
We saw smoke coming from the bush near the hiway, and realized the strong winds had just downed a large tree on top of the power line. After turning around on the hiway, we saw the power line on the ground and several locations of flames and lots of thick smoke. Here, there have been 9 days of steady rain, so the bush is soaked, but there is still the danger of a forest fire. Harry calls for help, and minutes later, we meet an OPP office coming to investigate. Now we know things will be taken care of, so we drive on.
Kenora:
We stopped for lunch and walked around the town. What a beautiful city, on Lake of the Woods, with stately older buildings, and a re-vitalized downtown. Art, nature, people - all in the same location. Street closures for CAnada DAy Celebrations, so there were many re-routed cars and trucks. We ate poutine at the chip truck right down by the water near a large entertainment area with an enormous tent/ pavillion. The fries were delicious. Outfitters were putting huge weights on top of their docks to keep them from floating away.
Weather;
cool - 58 F with strong Northerly winds. some drizzle, and grey skies.
Kenora to Manitoba Border:
-sun is breaking through the clouds, but the wind keeps things ' feeling like October' as Maureen describes it.
Arctic Watershed:
we stop for a photo, and discove
r hundreds of huge dragon flies.
Manitoba:
many places with flooding.
huge beautiful farms, but we can hardly see past the rain and mist.
Arrive in Sanford at Kim and Bernie's house, and they are more than welcoming. There is an excellent Canadian bbq for supper, and Karen and Herb Kroeker, my cousins, have come to join us. We eat a delicious meal together, go for a nice walk through town and see the river - almost over the bridge. We sleep excellently well, and next day, Matthew and Simon are still sleeping in.
Good bye to Kim and Bernie. Thank you for a wonderful stay.
More rain.
more helicopters flying over.
Departure from Barwick, ON around 9 a.m.
Several sitings of helicopter surveillance of flooding in the area - flying right over the hiway. Groups of people sandbagging their properties. Some rain.
Destination: Sanford, Manitoba to visit Kim and Bernie Wiebe, Harry's cousins, and their sons, Matthew and Simon.
We saw smoke coming from the bush near the hiway, and realized the strong winds had just downed a large tree on top of the power line. After turning around on the hiway, we saw the power line on the ground and several locations of flames and lots of thick smoke. Here, there have been 9 days of steady rain, so the bush is soaked, but there is still the danger of a forest fire. Harry calls for help, and minutes later, we meet an OPP office coming to investigate. Now we know things will be taken care of, so we drive on.
Kenora:
We stopped for lunch and walked around the town. What a beautiful city, on Lake of the Woods, with stately older buildings, and a re-vitalized downtown. Art, nature, people - all in the same location. Street closures for CAnada DAy Celebrations, so there were many re-routed cars and trucks. We ate poutine at the chip truck right down by the water near a large entertainment area with an enormous tent/ pavillion. The fries were delicious. Outfitters were putting huge weights on top of their docks to keep them from floating away.
Weather;
cool - 58 F with strong Northerly winds. some drizzle, and grey skies.
Kenora to Manitoba Border:
-sun is breaking through the clouds, but the wind keeps things ' feeling like October' as Maureen describes it.
Arctic Watershed:
we stop for a photo, and discove
r hundreds of huge dragon flies.
Manitoba:
many places with flooding.
huge beautiful farms, but we can hardly see past the rain and mist.
Arrive in Sanford at Kim and Bernie's house, and they are more than welcoming. There is an excellent Canadian bbq for supper, and Karen and Herb Kroeker, my cousins, have come to join us. We eat a delicious meal together, go for a nice walk through town and see the river - almost over the bridge. We sleep excellently well, and next day, Matthew and Simon are still sleeping in.
Good bye to Kim and Bernie. Thank you for a wonderful stay.
More rain.
more helicopters flying over.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
BC Road trip Post #4 Sunday, June 29, 2014
BC Road trip Post #4 Sunday, June 29, 2014
Quick breakfast in Thunder Bay, and then on the road to drive out to Emo, and Barwick ON. Big Clouds
very cool weather with strong winds.
Travelled along the #11 hiway to Rainy Lake, where we saw amazing flooding: boat docks had to be weighed down to keep them from floating away. Driveways were blocked.
Stopped in Emo where gas prices are climbing to $1.40/ ltr.
Had a delicious lunch at Chester Chicken where they also serve blueberry bannak.
So much flooding around here.
Arrived in Barwick to see Maureen Froese around 4 pm. She showed us around the village, and we watched a bit of a very competitive baseball game. Then we had dinner and went for another walk. There was more rain. Maureen showed us where the Rainy River had peaked last week - about 10 feet above where it was, but still unusually high. The river current was extremely fast - dangerous.
More strong winds next day. Felt like October. Maureen drove back with us to Emo, where we saw the waste water lagoon that her company is working on, and also the Queen Street rebuild of infrastructure. We left early to be on our way to Manitoba.
Thanks Maureen.
Quick breakfast in Thunder Bay, and then on the road to drive out to Emo, and Barwick ON. Big Clouds
very cool weather with strong winds.
Travelled along the #11 hiway to Rainy Lake, where we saw amazing flooding: boat docks had to be weighed down to keep them from floating away. Driveways were blocked.
Stopped in Emo where gas prices are climbing to $1.40/ ltr.
Had a delicious lunch at Chester Chicken where they also serve blueberry bannak.
So much flooding around here.
Arrived in Barwick to see Maureen Froese around 4 pm. She showed us around the village, and we watched a bit of a very competitive baseball game. Then we had dinner and went for another walk. There was more rain. Maureen showed us where the Rainy River had peaked last week - about 10 feet above where it was, but still unusually high. The river current was extremely fast - dangerous.
More strong winds next day. Felt like October. Maureen drove back with us to Emo, where we saw the waste water lagoon that her company is working on, and also the Queen Street rebuild of infrastructure. We left early to be on our way to Manitoba.
Thanks Maureen.
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