West continued

 

When we first were planning this trip, there was a week that wasn’t booked.  We could go home, but why?  Instead, we continued west.

After leaving Kinbasket Resort, parting ways with Bob and Donna, Dave and I went into Golden for fuel and to explore the town a bit. 

Coffee and books.  Can't get better than that!

We camped at Canyon Hot Springs for a couple of nights, enjoying the hot pools and just generally relaxing.  Because of the smoke, it didn’t have the ambience of being outside surrounded by mountains, but just a hot pool.

Campgrounds are either near a highway or a railway.  Guess what?  It was trains this time!!

We got lucky and were in Revelstoke on the right day for a farmer's market.  It was part of a relaxing and enjoyable day of wandering the town, enjoying lunch, tasting beer at the Mt.Begbie Brewing Co.  It was one of those days where you said:  "What time is it anyway?"

The next few days were spent with our friends at their cabin on Shuswap Lake.  Life at the lake.  It can't get better than that,

Mike wasn't so sure because the boat hadn't arrived yet.

The boat is here.  Yes, let's get this party started!

While the men motored back to the cabin from Sicamous dock, Gayle and I stopped at a greenhouse to buy some plants for the cabin.  She also added some fruit bushes.  Hopefully everything will take and it will be beautiful.

We spent an afternoon cruising around on the lake with our friends, enjoying a lunch on board and stopping to look at the pictographs on the rocks.  What a beautiful day. 

As much as we enjoyed life on the Shuswap, it was time to carry on.  We didn't go far, stopping at the Lake Front Campground on Swan Lake outside of Vernon for a couple of days. It was a time to relax and catch up with some long lost cousins too.

The weather had turned hot so the shade trees and the swimming pool at the campground were a wonderful treat.

The pattern continues.  Another farmer's market to stock up on fresh produce and admire the handcrafts.

What a beautiful view as we sat on the deck in the hot shade visiting with family, sampling the grape juice and dessert wine from Anthony's Vineyard, overlooking Kelowna.

One last stop at a fruit stand as we continued down the Okanagan valley.

One last look at the Okanagan Valley from above Osooyos.  

With the temperature in the mid-30s, the truck complained a bit about pulling the trailer up that road!

I don't know why it takes us all day just to get from Vernon to Castlegar, but then again, what's the hurry?  We stopped for rest breaks, fruit stands and ice cream, fuel for body and vehicle and before you know it the day was gone. 

We camped just on the edge of town at the Castlegar RV Park and Campground, for a couple of nights giving us time to explore the town a bit.  The downtown had a lovely little farmer's market, coffee shop and many interesting sculptures.  

Zuckerberg Island had an interesting vibe.  First of all, it was a poorly marked alley entrance to the parking.  Then, the swinging bridge was closed but the causeway nearby was walkable.  But now where?  The trails went off in all directions, some looking more or less travelled.  We picked one which wasn’t the best for skirt and flipflops!  We stumbled upon the house that Alexander Zuckerberg had built.  It was a very eccentric looking place and then the woman who came up the path to invite us in looked like someone from the 1960s.  It felt like a Hansel and Gretel moment and we fled to the river instead.  This island was on the confluence of the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers. We made our way back to the truck and headed to camp to relax for the rest of the day.

Going off in all directions - Part 3 West - Fishing with Bob and Donna

 

And we’re off again – this time heading west.

We joined together with our good friends, Bob and Donna, for about ten days of camping and fishing in B.C.  We had a great time together.  The fishing, on the other hand, wasn’t as dramatic as others would have you believe.  Bob was feeling that there weren’t any fish in B.C. Period.

Our first night was Boondocking at the elevators in Nanton, booked through Harvest Host.  We met a passerby who was visiting from the Lake district in the United Kingdom.  He wanted a photo of our rig just to show the folks back home that these things would not fit on their local roadways!

We camped in Creston at Scottie's RV and Campground for a few days.  While the men took the boat out to fish on Kootenay Lake, Donna and I explored the town. 

Always time for a coffee

The elevator has been restored as an art gallery and gift shop.

Time for some wine tasting at Baillie-Grohman Winery.

We also took time together with the guys to walk around the Wildlife Management Area,  and play some mini-golf.

At the Creston Museum we learned something about the history of the area and about some eccentric pioneers. Creston has a varied and unique history: from taming the river for agricultural development, to forestry and mining, all in the same area.  

After the three days of fishing, and only one pikeminnow to show for it, we went to the popular Tim's Fish and Chips for lunch and had cod fish.

Moving on - over the mountains to Nakusp Hot Springs campground.  Enroute we stopped at this lovely cabin for a picnic lunch at the top of the Kootenay Pass.

We had a wonderful time relaxing in the hot springs, camped right alongside the river, listening to the rushing water all night long.  That is the way to holiday and relax!

The next day we went on a beautiful hike to find the source of the hot springs and the original hot pools before rewarding ourselves with another soak in the hot springs pool. 

Rested and refreshed, it was on to Kinbasket Lake RV Resort near Golden.  To get there from Nakusp involved a ferry ride across Arrow Lakes.  The last bit was a 4 km steep gravel switchback forestry road down to the campground at the lake which took almost half an hour to negotiate!  The camp spot view was worth the effort.  The guys got the boat wet and us girls enjoyed relaxing on shore!

Kinbasket Lake is a reservoir on the Columbia River created by the Mica Dam.  It's huge, reaching almost from Valemount to Golden!  At this time of year the water levels were quite low and the campground didn't have the dock in yet.  

What a difference a day makes as the smoke rolled in.

Bob and Donna headed home and we continued on our adventures.