Sunday heading home
No video or pics today, I needed the plug to run the GPS to find my way out of Vancouver. I could not find my BC map after packing the car and so the gps stays on for today. The plan is the fastest way home. About 30 minutes on I pull over thinking I may have left my laptop plug in the hotel. Shortly after finding it I notice a park beside the car. Here in BC at this time of year every park if full of blackberries and nobody seems to be eating them, its crazy. I return to the car an hour later with both hands very purple stained fingers and a few scratches from reaching. Back to side streets as directed by the gps and after several turns there is hwy 1 out of the city than back to hwy 3. I fill-up just short of Abbortford at the lowest in BC $1.249 $90 worth. including spare tank.
The turn of for hwy 3 is easy and for a while its a freeway ending into a narrow winding road, the trees here look like redwoods, tall with thick trunks. For the next 30km hwy 3 is very nice. It goes through a small pass and the trees change to pole pine tall slender trees another pass and again they change to spruce.
Sometime ago I was having fish and chips at a bar and the guy beside me was going on how the indians are all about getting control of the land and ending his comment he said "as if they knew what to do with it if they got it". The irked me at the time. However driving today into Keremeos the start of BC fruit and wine growing area its seems to ring true. The valley start out packed with small 3-6 acre orchard grows and on the dry land wines. Then all working the land ends I enter a native
reserve, the land looks fine water readily available but no activity. A few km later, vineyards and fruits trees again and still another reserve and again no activity. All the sudden the grey tumbleweed rocky high ground become vineyards and the low ground fruit trees.
Into Osoyoos again, and Sunday is very different than Friday, about 2/3 of the people and cars are gone, parking on the main drive is everywhere. I drive on and the first major climb begins rising 1200m in a few kms. Shortly after Grand forks a mother bear and her one club cross the road, I guess she lost on.
At Salno I take a wrong turn onto hwy 6 north and end up in Nelson 40km along. After a major search for the map I discover I need to return to Salmo and take hwy 6 which is joined by 3. I got confused as hwy 6 south sign says US customs and that not what I want. I pull off at a rest area about 80km short of Creston. 607625km 751km today.
Sunday 19 August 2018
Cinnamon Forest Park to Vancouver YW Aug 18th Saturday
The night was good even though my site is right beside the road protected by a thin but thick grouping of trees. I took this site because it has the best view of the fast moving very clean river. This road dies down after sundown, such a twisty road is clearly not a road to drive at night.Waking up early Saturday 6am, nobody will be on the hwy 99 south bound, open road... Hwy 99 in this section is clearly the best drive in all of Canada. I have driven a lot of Canada, James bay, Labrador, all of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia Cabot Trail, but this 90km section of hwy 99 is clearly the best drive Canada has to offer. BC hwy 12 or 8 are good too but not this good.
Driving south with listening to Paul Okenfold Sunrise is perfect, hard on the car but a wonderful drive, I go to the end of the emerald lake and turn around to drive north to the BC hydro bridge near Lillooet turning around again and ending up at my camp just after 8am. I'll post the time lapse on You Tube when I get home.
Back down 99 after something to eat I do get some traffic at the end of the run and into Whistler, skipping the town as I've been to Whistler skiing a lot over the years. The drive to Vancouver here seems like you are driving downhill all the time.
Check in at the YW and meet up with a friend for the afternoon, we meet up again at 8pm and go to west Vancouver to walk the board walk and take pictures of the golden gate bridge at night.
Aug 17th Forest recreation camp to Cinnamon Forest service Park
No trains here at forest recreation site, the camp had filled up I count 11 other campers about twice as many as when I arrived. My lip is still fat, jaw still sore. Continuing to head west on hwy 12, slowing down for very small deer with antlers beside the road.Stopping by a fruit stand for small bite size apricots, prune plums and 2 peaches, $12 seem like a lot but I seen peaches asking $4 each yesterday and that's crazy. Connecting to Trans Canada for a bit and back onto HWY 12 towards Lillooet, the road east bound is very busy with logging trucks I assume are going to Merritt, about 12km down the road I see a forest fire 3/4 up the mountain, no flame but looks of smoke bellowing from the trees.
In Lillooet I go to the new bakery across the tourist information and they are right its the best place in town for what ever one would like I get a real baguette and a latte $8. Next back onto hwy 99 towards Whistler, pulling off in just 12km as the road becomes a long line of cars behind and RV that seems to ignore the traffic law that says if you have 5 cars behind you you need to pull off and let them by. I'm number 8 when I joined the line and 14 cars when I decided to pull off at a Cinnamon forest camp site for lunch.
A great driving road is frequently ruined to inapt RV drivers. 2 Hours later the try again south towards Whistler, and again a slow moving Audi A5, obviously too much car for the driver. 20km later he too decides pull off after seeing me overtake the car behind him. Finally some open road lasted about 10 minutes to a Mazda 2 creeping along, I'm just about to overtake it when I see a RV with flashers on just ahead and realize there is just no use. The last 10km we creep along at 10-15km hour with the smell of brake dust in the air. At the end there is a lovely emerald coloured lake, I drive to the Indian reserve and turn around hoping for some open road.
Not happening today within 5 minutes I get behind an over sized truck creeping along at a pace slow enough that I risk stalling. After 10 minute I pull off to allow the slow train ahead of me extend such that stalling risk is averted. I end up pulling off two more time before the truck decide to pull off and let the close to 50 plus cars to pass. Cars spread out for a while and I'm stuck for a while but do get about 15 minutes of open road before another RV and twenty minutes later I pull off for the night at Cinnamon forest park waiting 1/2 for a Mazda to vacate site one.
Just 308km today for a trip total 15,356km.
Spence Bridge park to HWY 12 Forest service park Aug 16th.
Wake up to the sound of a train blowing its horn, 8am not too bad. Last night a guide with some tourist in tow came to side beside me and down to the rivers edge to do some gold panning. The guide showed how it done and the group seemed to be quite taken by the gold bug. This morning I see the campers next to me have the same fever. Later two fly fisherman appear to try their luck on trout.
I leave heading east on hwy 8 towards to Merritt 63km of twisting Nicola river and mountain side road, with new pavement, the air is thick here with smoke and so few pics are taken. Merritt is a logging town with a mill and a lot of mobile homes. At Merritt I get onto hwy 97 south for a while until 5a turn off, also a curvy road to Princeton, a very scenic town. I take a real time video drive through before heading east on hwy 3 to Osoyoos which must be high season as the last time I'm here
it was a ghost town.
Heading on hwy 97 and area of fruit trees and wineries, visiting one winery for a few samples. Picking the wrong one as they make pink and white wines, I do a fair bit of spitting while the wine tours shuttle appears to make the room very busy. The deal is you pay $5 at the door and that entitles you to 3 1/2 glasses, they are not so good at counting, I have my 3 half glasses and spit out the next 5. No sale to me today, not really into pink wines, they seemed very proud of their rose.
Driving through row after row of wineries and fruits trees to Oliver, a very nice swimming area and onto Penticton where riding a float device seems to be the thing to do. I go to Peachland which does not have any peach trees but a very long beach park area when I do go for a swim.
Driving briefly into west Kelowna a very high traffic area which I really not interested in . The head down hwy 5 to Merritt a freeway posted limited 120km. My car there days can't muscle up the long hill such that I barely manage 90km the whole way. I guess the old car is getting tired. At Merritt I do groceries buying BC red fish, very cheap but given that it comes from the Pacific and cold water should be fine. $4 a pound is really cheap by any standards, they have cod but I know that is not local and likely packed in a salt solution that wipes out any flavor but does give it a couple months self life. Fill-up at $1.31
Back west bound on hwy 12 to a Forest service recreation camp, free again and choice a site by the river. Everything goes fine until I take the last sip from my beer and am stung by a yellow jacket wasp on my inside lip. I now have a fat lip and seem to be affecting my right jaw too. Later that night there is yelping by coyotes once again, I guess they got a kill. auto 606152, 586km today.
I leave heading east on hwy 8 towards to Merritt 63km of twisting Nicola river and mountain side road, with new pavement, the air is thick here with smoke and so few pics are taken. Merritt is a logging town with a mill and a lot of mobile homes. At Merritt I get onto hwy 97 south for a while until 5a turn off, also a curvy road to Princeton, a very scenic town. I take a real time video drive through before heading east on hwy 3 to Osoyoos which must be high season as the last time I'm here
it was a ghost town.
Heading on hwy 97 and area of fruit trees and wineries, visiting one winery for a few samples. Picking the wrong one as they make pink and white wines, I do a fair bit of spitting while the wine tours shuttle appears to make the room very busy. The deal is you pay $5 at the door and that entitles you to 3 1/2 glasses, they are not so good at counting, I have my 3 half glasses and spit out the next 5. No sale to me today, not really into pink wines, they seemed very proud of their rose.
Driving through row after row of wineries and fruits trees to Oliver, a very nice swimming area and onto Penticton where riding a float device seems to be the thing to do. I go to Peachland which does not have any peach trees but a very long beach park area when I do go for a swim.
Driving briefly into west Kelowna a very high traffic area which I really not interested in . The head down hwy 5 to Merritt a freeway posted limited 120km. My car there days can't muscle up the long hill such that I barely manage 90km the whole way. I guess the old car is getting tired. At Merritt I do groceries buying BC red fish, very cheap but given that it comes from the Pacific and cold water should be fine. $4 a pound is really cheap by any standards, they have cod but I know that is not local and likely packed in a salt solution that wipes out any flavor but does give it a couple months self life. Fill-up at $1.31
Back west bound on hwy 12 to a Forest service recreation camp, free again and choice a site by the river. Everything goes fine until I take the last sip from my beer and am stung by a yellow jacket wasp on my inside lip. I now have a fat lip and seem to be affecting my right jaw too. Later that night there is yelping by coyotes once again, I guess they got a kill. auto 606152, 586km today.
Hathaway Lake to Spence Bridge recreation camp Aug 15th
Starting early from Hathaway lake I head for Kamloops don't really want to go there but I need an oil change $85 that's with me providing the oil and filter, a much needed car wash noticing all the paint chips and specs of tar earned along the way.
Then out of town toward hwy 99 the best driving road in Canada. Spirited mountain driving, delayed several times for mud slides usually a 20 minutes wait through each section. That aside still a very fun drive to Lillooet which has a nice library to recharge my dead computer. Next a equally spirited drive up hwy 12 and onto the Trans Canada to Spence Bridge and a river side recreation park no fee to make camp. Filled up at $1.29 and drove 513km.
This park seems to be popular with those into gold panning.
At the library I booked a hotel YW in Vancouver Saturday night $145 regular price parking an extra $18, really the best deal in town given its location right next to BC Place at the beginning of Robson st.
blogging post require that I post text and then go back to edit function and add photos, just so you know.
Then out of town toward hwy 99 the best driving road in Canada. Spirited mountain driving, delayed several times for mud slides usually a 20 minutes wait through each section. That aside still a very fun drive to Lillooet which has a nice library to recharge my dead computer. Next a equally spirited drive up hwy 12 and onto the Trans Canada to Spence Bridge and a river side recreation park no fee to make camp. Filled up at $1.29 and drove 513km.
This park seems to be popular with those into gold panning.
At the library I booked a hotel YW in Vancouver Saturday night $145 regular price parking an extra $18, really the best deal in town given its location right next to BC Place at the beginning of Robson st.
blogging post require that I post text and then go back to edit function and add photos, just so you know.
Tweedsmuir Atnarko to Hathaway Lake Tuesday Aug 14th.
Yep the night was free as again the ranger does not come, I'm told by my neighbors that this camp will close Aug 15th due to the expected bear risk. Getting ready to go, I notice a bear paw print on my passenger window that was not there last night. I did wake up during the night but don't recall hearing anything. The paw print is larger than my hand spread wide, so likely a grizzly, my head was right on the other side of that spot. Camp Atnarko #13 right on the river.
Off to Hagenborg a Norwegian settlement for breakfast $23, should have been $13 but I was short changed, I saw her take 20 out of the till but when I looked much later I saw I only had a ten and 3 fives as change for a fifty. So up 20 on free site down $10 on breakfast.
I visit the fish Hatchery and get a private tour with Chris, who explains that this is a federal site getting a $40.5 million up-grade and they plan to catch 4600 pairs of salmon this season. Mostly Chum but some coho,sockeye, pink,and steel head. They should gross around 23 million eggs and yield 97% into fry, holding over the winter and releasing them in the spring when they are about 1.5" long into 8 local rivers and streams. The Hatchery success rate for returning salmon is 8 to 30 times better than wild salmon. Still this means that of 22 million fry released they hope for 40-90,000 to return one day. They will tag 1/5 by cutting off their adipose fin or second small fin on top and putting a a pin in their head. (4.5 million to be tagged)
Here the interesting thing when the salmon is caught with a missing fin they are instructed to cut off the head and turn it their local fishery office. Depending where the fish was caught preservation raised in both Canada and the USA money will be directed. So that if it caught in Alaska than US$ will be sent to Canada. Chris suggested that a lot of fish hatched here are caught in Alaska
Co-operative Americans, Trump clearly does not know this he needs to end this right away, giving money to Canada for fish Americans catch in their waters, It just not American. Maybe he needs to assign a tariff value for the head pins.
I decide pass on the hiking due to excessive bear warnings, I have spray but why chance it. Leaving Bella Coola up the Hickman pass mostly in 2nd gear. I recorded the climb in real time on the gopro, and a lot of the smoke had cleared enabling me to get the view from the top. The radio says the fire is now approaching Vanderhoof were I drove through just 2 days ago, they have closed the hwy.
Heading south 97 to 100 Mile House than east on 20 and somehow get loss but ending up at lake side camp called Hathaway Lake. There a two loons and several fish jumping for flies. filled up $1.35 drove 740km today.
Bull Canyon to Bella Coola Aug 13th Monday
Need to say the day of the week, as when you don't read any newspapers or online line stuff not remembering the day oft he week get to be a problem
Starting from Bell Canyon camp site #1, the park ranger did come around so I'm $20 lighter this morning. Bug spray was needed last night. Driving to Bella Coola the pavement ended unexpectedly at Anahim Lake, the next 137km was dirt, dry and hard with cows on or near the road. I see a coyote run across the road and later a black bear.
Into the smoke I drive sometimes with headlight on as viability drops to less than 100 feet. Its ranch country here and some wood cutting of burnt trees from fires in the last 4 years. There are several turn off with views but given the smoke I'm sure there is nothing to see. Hickman is a steep drop off from my side, 5000 foot decline to the valley floor and Tweedsmuir park in just 13km. The road is loose gravel with no guard rail with declines of 10 to 16%, with several no stop zones for rock fall areas also one lane areas with a sheer cliff on one side. Not a section of road for a skittish driver and I'm happy I don't have an RV.
I check out the first camp Atnarko and decide it works for me, a site right on the river, maybe even some bears fishing on the other side. I check out the fishing hole and again no bears or fish. Onto to
Bella Coola, for lunch and a rest at the BC hydro park located at the very end of the road. Take pics of the old cannery on the other side of the bay and I count 7 seals bobbing their heads off shore. Load up my spare fuel and top up locally for $1.47. The camp ranger fails to come by so my spot is free. Driving just 435km today.
Starting from Bell Canyon camp site #1, the park ranger did come around so I'm $20 lighter this morning. Bug spray was needed last night. Driving to Bella Coola the pavement ended unexpectedly at Anahim Lake, the next 137km was dirt, dry and hard with cows on or near the road. I see a coyote run across the road and later a black bear.
Into the smoke I drive sometimes with headlight on as viability drops to less than 100 feet. Its ranch country here and some wood cutting of burnt trees from fires in the last 4 years. There are several turn off with views but given the smoke I'm sure there is nothing to see. Hickman is a steep drop off from my side, 5000 foot decline to the valley floor and Tweedsmuir park in just 13km. The road is loose gravel with no guard rail with declines of 10 to 16%, with several no stop zones for rock fall areas also one lane areas with a sheer cliff on one side. Not a section of road for a skittish driver and I'm happy I don't have an RV.
I check out the first camp Atnarko and decide it works for me, a site right on the river, maybe even some bears fishing on the other side. I check out the fishing hole and again no bears or fish. Onto to
Bella Coola, for lunch and a rest at the BC hydro park located at the very end of the road. Take pics of the old cannery on the other side of the bay and I count 7 seals bobbing their heads off shore. Load up my spare fuel and top up locally for $1.47. The camp ranger fails to come by so my spot is free. Driving just 435km today.
Aug 12th Bc Seeley to BC Bull Canyon on the way the Bella Coola and Tweedsmuir
Starting after 8am from Seeley lake park I continued down hwy 16 to Smithers a ski town that fancies itself as the Swiss town in northern BC. Arrive early Sunday morning its a ghost town with Swiss flags from every telephone post. To be fair its early Sunday morning so maybe in the few hours there is some action.
From there driving through a series of town that either cut forest or ranch. Almost hit a fawn at Tekwa no sign to watch for deer but the fawn ran for the driver side door, fell down due to the draft and I looking back got up right away. I saw 5 other deer follow it across the road, so likely ok. Filled up Vanderhoof $1.27 cheaper than Alberta, topped up again at Prince George $1.26 including reserve.
Bc north interior is more ranch country, mountain view are blocked with fire smoke haze. At Williams Lake I decide to go to Bella Coola again, said to be the grizzly capital of the world. The place where I set up my car to sleep in by ripping out the back seat, reclining the passenger seat and fixing a sheet on plywood stretching from the front to the boot. No tenting of any kind is
allowed at Tweedsmuir not even RV campers with a pop up tents is allowed.
I have seen 2 grizzles so far and taken pic of one in the Yukon but last time here there were none. The salmon are starting their run, chum, pinks and coho are running so maybe this time there will be good viewing. As I drive east on hwy 20 the forest fire smoke returns and get thicker as I travel down the road. Stopping at Bull Canyon BC park, right beside the Chilcotin River a very fast moving river with rapids in the straight.
Since my last visit here three forest fires have gone through and now it would seen the forth is upon us. The drive on hwy 20 is through burned areas and these area are now being forested to salvage what wood can be sold. I wonder if they will re-plant or will the land become ranch grazing lands.
Total driving today 818km car total 603,878km trip total 12,774km.
From there driving through a series of town that either cut forest or ranch. Almost hit a fawn at Tekwa no sign to watch for deer but the fawn ran for the driver side door, fell down due to the draft and I looking back got up right away. I saw 5 other deer follow it across the road, so likely ok. Filled up Vanderhoof $1.27 cheaper than Alberta, topped up again at Prince George $1.26 including reserve.
Bc north interior is more ranch country, mountain view are blocked with fire smoke haze. At Williams Lake I decide to go to Bella Coola again, said to be the grizzly capital of the world. The place where I set up my car to sleep in by ripping out the back seat, reclining the passenger seat and fixing a sheet on plywood stretching from the front to the boot. No tenting of any kind is
allowed at Tweedsmuir not even RV campers with a pop up tents is allowed.
I have seen 2 grizzles so far and taken pic of one in the Yukon but last time here there were none. The salmon are starting their run, chum, pinks and coho are running so maybe this time there will be good viewing. As I drive east on hwy 20 the forest fire smoke returns and get thicker as I travel down the road. Stopping at Bull Canyon BC park, right beside the Chilcotin River a very fast moving river with rapids in the straight.
Since my last visit here three forest fires have gone through and now it would seen the forth is upon us. The drive on hwy 20 is through burned areas and these area are now being forested to salvage what wood can be sold. I wonder if they will re-plant or will the land become ranch grazing lands.
Total driving today 818km car total 603,878km trip total 12,774km.
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