August 13, 2014. Canadian beach time

LOCATION:  Mabel Lake, British Columbia in southern BC

WEATHER:  Summer-like.  Sunny, humid, highs in 90s

We are enjoying our stay with Tony and Jenny at their friends' house.  We started the day with coffee with them.

  Our hosts  have a little side business selling plants at the local farmers' market.

Today is farmers' market day, so they loaded their truck to take to the market

We all went to the market.  It was crowded, with a lot of the nearby resort people buying local fruits and veg

We bought our share, plus a wonderful homemade baguette and focaccia for dinner tonight.

We toured the area.  Years ago, the Indians lived in this area.  In the winter, they built these homes.

Then we stopped by the beach resort.  Almost looks like the Caribbean!

Back home, we relaxed and shared campground suggestions.  

DINNER:  We had a great salad with greens from the market and veg from the hosts' garden.  We made shrimp and grits, a first for Tony and Jenny.  They liked it!

August 12. Piece of Paradise in British Columbia

LOCATION:  Near Enderby, British Columbia, in south central BC

WEATHER:  Sunny and not as hot. Highs in 80s

We left Kamloops and drove about 100 miles, following a chain of beautiful lakes.  Some with cute tourist towns.  We stopped in Salmon Arm when we spotted a brewpub and had a nice lunch, and filled our growler to share with friends we are meeting today.

We are staying with friends of Tony and Jenny, from Nova Scotia.  We met Tony and Jenny about a year ago in two different campgrounds in Newfoundland.  We have kept in touch, and rendezvoused with them in early summer in the Badlands.  They have spent the summer in western USA and Vancouver area.  They are visiting friends here and invited us to join them.  This is a little piece of heaven.  Their friends  live in a log cabin surrounded by beautiful gardens.

 When their children were growing up, they were almost self-sufficient, with cows, chickens, pigs, and a huge vegetable garden.  

They are near another large lake, Mabel Lake, with its resort, golf course, and airstrip.  We will stay here a few days.  There is plenty of space, and we even have electricity!  

We have our own private toilet, too!

DINNER:  Tony was in charge.  He made a yummy Indian chicken dish with zucchini and carrots from the garden.  

We sat on the deck, enjoying the company and a peaceful, perfect summer evening.   

 

August 11, 2014. Canadian desert?

LOCATION:  Kamloops, BC  in south central part of British Columbia

WEATHER:  Sunny and H-O-T!  Highs near 100

We drove about 3 hours south to Kamloops.  It appears to be a prosperous, growing city.  The landscape changed again, very quickly.  We are now in a desert environment.  The hillsides reminded us of Texas....brown with lots of sagebrush.  The irrigated fields make a sharp green contrast.

We quickly found a commercial campground so we could use their electricity, for our refrigerator and for the A/C.  We unhooked and drove back to downtown.  We found a brewpub called the Noble Pig and enjoyed a brewski, and used their WIFI, all in air-conditioned bliss.

I've been trying to keep a little basil plant alive.  I bought it in Homer, Alaska at a farmers' market.  It has had a hard life.  During Its first two days traveling, it fell upside down, once in the bathroom sink and once in the shower.  Still, it seemed to live, after we replanted it.  Then, it survived 3 sets of under-the-radar Customs (Alaska to Canada, Canada to Alaska, then Alaska to Canada again).  We used a few leaves for dinner.  Now while traveling, it sits on the floor in the back seat, not getting much light.  So, right now, it looks pitiful.  We are hoping a few days this week, sitting outside in the shade will revive it!

DINNER:  Even with the A/C, it is too hot to cook.  I just made some paninis on the George Foreman grill, with a salad.  

August 10, South through British Columbia

LOCATION:  Near Williams Lake, British Columbia in central BC

WEATHER:  Sunny and warm. Highs around 80

We left the campground at Fraser Lake and headed south.  Another long day on the road.  The terrain has really changed.  Yesterday was NW rainforest and today are farms with hay bales and cows.  There are lots of beautiful lakes. 

We stopped in one town to use WIFI at Tim Hortons.  This is a Canadian restaurant chain beloved by Canadians.  It must be a gold mine.  Every one that we have been to has at least 10 cars waiting for the drive-through and customers waiting inside in a line that goes out the door.  

We stopped in Prince George a bit, then continued south.  We drove about 6 hours.  Tonight we are in another nice provincial park, in Lac La Hache, on another pretty lake. 

All is well, except we continue to have problems with our trailer battery.  The car motor is supposed to charge it as we drive, but there must be something wrong with the connection.  So, when we set up camp this evening, we encountered a dead battery again.  This means that the refrigerator won't run when we are driving.  And when we are stopped, the lights, fan, and water pump won't work.  What a bummer.  Not sure what we are going to do.  If we stay in commercial campgrounds, we are fine, as the battery charges back up with electricity.

Today really feels like summer.  When we drove by lakes, people were out swimming and boating.  

DINNER:  Sautéed shrimp and mushrooms on the grill.  Served over pasta with pesto in a garlic butter sauce.  

August 9, 2014. Back on land!

LOCATION:  75 miles west of Prince George, British Columbia in north central part of province

WEATHER:  Rain most of the day. Highs in 60s

The Inland Passageway ferry landed on time in Prince Rupert, BC  at 1:00 AM.   We retrieved the car and trailer.  They really pack the vehicles in!

 We cleared customs easily, although I had forgotten that we have a tiny basil plant, and inadvertently answered no to the question about animals and plants.  

We had thought that we would just sleep a few hours in the ferry parking lot, but there was no space.  Another RVer said that unlike most Walmarts, the one in Prince Rupert does not allow RVs to park there.  Another lady said she had read that Safeway grocery stores allow RVers overnight.  It was pitch black and we didn't know where we were going.  We saw the Safeway store, and pulled in.  There were 2 other RVs there, one the lady I had talked to.  So, we quickly did the minimum prep on the Airstream and went to bed.  

No one bothered us, and we got up to go shopping in their store.  I glanced up.....We were parked under a sign that said "1-hour parking only.  All other vehicles will be towed". Yikes!  I think the lady must have been reading about USA Safeways.

It was raining and cool, a good day to be driving, and not spending time outdoors.  We drove through NW rain forests.  Everything is green.  Lots of huge spruce, cedar, ferns and moss.  Really pretty.  The landscape is full of rivers and lakes.  We drove about 8 hours.  Lots of fishermen along the way.

When we stopped for the day, it quit raining.  We are at Fraser Lake, at a provincial park.  Very nice!  George made a campfire and used the grill.  I made fire starters.....stuffed toilet paper rolls with melted wax-covered newspapers.  

As we are farther south, and as the summer is starting to end, we really notice the shorter days.  Here it is getting dark about 9:00 PM. 

DINNER:  Grilled porkchops, baked potato, salad, and sautéed mushrooms.  We ate outside as it was so nice.  

On the SE Alaska Inside Passageway Ferry. August 8, 2014

LOCATION:  Ketchikan, Alaska in SE Alaska

WEATHER:  Cloudy. Highs in 60s

Our ferry route started in Haines at 9:45 yesterday.  We stopped in Juneau to unload and load around 5:00 PM.  In the middle of the night, while we were sleeping, we stopped in Petersburg.  We woke up at 5:00 AM to watch the docking in Wrangell.  Then, we stopped here in Ketchikan around noon today.  We had a 5-hour layover so we went into town.  They say it rains here almost everyday, but we were lucky that we had a sunny day.  

One of the crew recommended a great local restaurant.  We split a halibut wrap, and a smoked salmon chowder.  The wrap was  chock-full of halibut.  It was delicious.

Then, we strolled around town.  Ketchikan is called Alaska's first city, as it is the first one the Gold Rush people encountered  as they came north.  It is famous for its wild old times.  It had a thriving red-light district.  Most of the former bordellos are now shops.  We watched harbor seals catch salmon in the creek that runs through this district. 

 This lady in front of one of the pleasure palaces called Dolly's, chatted up George.

There were 6 cruise ships in town.  They are gigantic.  The cruise people were filling the T-shirt and jewelry stores.

We walked back to the ferry, as we missed the bus.  The ferry departs in a few minutes, around 5:45 PM.  We are scheduled to arrive in Prince Rupert at 1:00 AM.  We did not get a cabin for tonight, so we will try to sleep some in one of lounges. 

HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON THE ROAD! August 7, 2014

LOCATION:  On ferry on Inland Passageway

WEATHER:  Bit rainy. Highs in 50s

We boarded the ferry at Haines and departed at 9:45.  Lots of RVs, and containers with supplies for the towns where we will stop along the way

So far, we have seen an orca whale and sea lion. We stand on the deck or sit in the observation lounge  most of the time, watching the scenery.  

A year ago today, George picked me up from my last day of work with our A-Liner in tow, and we hit the road.  We traveled first through the Upper Peninsula, Michigan, then to visit daughter Meredith in Ann Arbor, then  through Ohio, PA, NY, VT, then to eastern Canada.....Quebec, Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland.  Then down the eastern coast to the Keys in Florida.  Up the coast to the Florida Panhandle, with Meredith visiting at Christmas.  East along the Gulf, stopping in Mississippi to trade the A-Liner for an Airstream.  On to Texas for January.  Highlighted with a visit from daughter Alexis.  Then, north through OK, AR, MO, to South Dakota where we established residency.  Back to Rochester, MN to visit Alexis, friends, former co-workers, and for appointments at Mayo Clinic.  On to northern MN, SD, MT, then central Canada.  We stayed a bit with Uncle Leo and Aunt Martha in Grande Prairie,  Alberta, then NW to BC, Yukon, and Alaska.  Now we are headed back south.  It has been a great trip.  We love life on the road.

We celebrated with a bottle of champagne in our "stateroom"

We stopped in Juneau for 2 hours.  The town is not near the  ferry port, so we did not go into town.

While we are comfy in our room, others sleep in lounges and on the deck