Elk Falls

When we drove to Campbell River the other day we passed signs for Elk Falls. It’s a nice day for a picnic! So we drove up to see the provincial park.  The falls on the Campbell River are accessed by a suspension bridge over the canyon, then a short hike down hill to a view point above the falls. 

There was another hike through old growth forest that I walked later that afternoon by myself while John napped in the car. It’s so peaceful and cool among all those tall trees. I was able to spot a second set of waterfalls called Deer Falls but couldn’t get close enough for a good picture.

The only tables available for our picnic were in the sun so we drove up the road looking for a more shaded area.  We found lots of shade around a couple of lakes but no tables so we ended up in a campground overlooking Campbell Lake and used one of their tables.

Comox County

Thinking that maybe bike riding wouldn’t make John’s leg hurt so much Tuesday afternoon we rode through the town of Comox with plans to go out on Goose Spit. Unfortunately the ride had lots of hills and by the time we got to the top of the hill leading down to the spit, John was in too much pain to add one more hill and his battery was down below 20%.  We turned around. A different route back through Comox helped us see more of this village.

Immediately after parking our bikes we got in the car and drove back out to Goose Spit.  A lot of folks were enjoying the rocky but shallow beach on one side of the spit while others were sailing or paddle boarding on the other side.  

Today I did laundry while John did some minor chores around the RV then we drove the 10 minutes to Cumberland for a short walk around town.  John drove up Cumberland Road towards the lake where people lined the road with parked cars while fishing in the river.  On the other side of the road were the remnants of a Chinese village and a Japanese Village where immigrant workers/miners were housed.

Campbell River and Mt. Washington

I love going to Farmers Markets (have I said that before?) so we wondered through a very popular market on Saturday in Courtenay where I filled my bag with freshness.  We then rode our bikes around town and along the river getting acquainted with traffic patterns and neighborhoods.

It seemed like a good day on Sunday to drive up the coast to the town of Campbell River. There are several beautiful beaches along the way one of which was named Miracle Beach.  We stopped at a rest area to stretch and an older gentleman drew us into a long but friendly conversation.  While the men talked I took pictures of a driftwood whale and wood carvings. We strolled around town before heading onto their fishing pier. A fisherman informed us that the pink salmon are starting to gather at the mouth of rivers for their annual migration to spawning grounds just waiting for the rains to fill the rivers.

Monday found us traveling up to Mount Washington, a local ski destination with hiking trails in the Strathcona Provincial Park. We found a nice hike through the woods and around a mountain pond.  John’s leg was bothering him so it was a short hike. With a picnic lunch in the back seat we were determined to find a shady spot to eat but ended up on the mountain top, in the sun and wind, watching the zip line and mountain bikes. 

On the return trip we passed by a very popular spot called Nymph Falls where multitudes of folks were gathering to swim and sunbathe, hike and explore. 

Courtenay By Ferry

Our last few days in Vancouver were days of leisure with some bike rides, shopping, Farmer’s Market and eating out.

Friday morning we took the 2-hour ferry ride from Vancouver to Nanaimo (pronounced “Na-Nigh-mo”) then drove up to Courtenay where we are camped just a mile or so from downtown on the Puntledge River.  This will be our base for day trips to explore the middle of Vancouver Island.  

Our Mission Not Impossible

John and I can make the best of a bad situation wherever we land.  John took the car to the Jeep dealer early Tuesday morning and since it was a rainy day we walked to the mall and went to the movies!  If you know John, this was a very rare event for us but what a great show to see on the big screen.  The good news is that during a slow part of the movie the Jeep dealer called to report that they found the problem with the Jeep (a loose ground wire again caused by shoddy workmanship at home) and we could pick it up!

We got our car back the next morning and headed north along the coast and into the mountains to Whistler Mountain, a ski town in the winter and a vacation destination in the summer.  What a beautiful drive.  The weather was still gloomy when we left but by the time we got to Whistler the clouds had cleared overhead, but not over the mountains which made for some great pictures.

We walked around the village, had lunch, checked out the ski area and drove home.

Ruined Day

Today is a national holiday for all of Canada.  Each Provence celebrates this Civic Holiday so a lot of businesses are closed including the Jeep dealer.  

I mention the Jeep dealer because as we were preparing to drive up to Whistler Mountain for the day the Jeep’s power steering crapped out again and there was no fixing it by John.  We will have to take it in tomorrow. 

As John was looking over the engine he noticed numerous loose wire connectors that hadn’t been replaced to their proper places when we had the transmission replaced back in Sedalia in June.  A very big disappointment!

Luckily we have our bikes and it is easy to get around.

City Tour of Vancouver

Since walking was not good for John, we rode our bikes all around Vancouver.  John had found some self-guided art tours that we adapted to our bike ride.

After crossing Lion’s Gate Bridge and riding through Stanley Island we found our way along the seawall with a short rest in front of the sea plane terminal.  There was one taking off or landing almost constantly.  Some were for sightseeing but most were to get folks to the outer reaches of British Columbia.

The bike lanes are clearly marked most of the time so riding in the city was relatively easy and with it being a Sunday there was less traffic than on a weekday.  We rode through China Town and Gas Town were we saw the Steam Powered Clock.  Then we circled the end of False Creek down to Granville Island.  This is another not-real island where the Vancouver Market is held along with numerous shops, restaurants, playgrounds and touristy places.  We had a delightful lunch at the Sandbar Seafood Restaurant while overlooking False Creek with all its boats, water taxis and kayakers.

As we made our way back to Lion’s Gate Bridge we rode on roads that were closed to cars.  We found out that we had missed the Pride Festival Parade.  Darn.

It was a long, fun and interesting day but a nap was necessary to make it through the evening without falling asleep on the couch.

Markets and a Lighthouse

Saturdays are for farmer’s markets, at least that is our thinking.  We rode our bikes to where we thought was the Saturday market and it was not there so we had to turn around and go back towards the RV park and ride the other direction to that farmer’s market.  

We dropped off the goodies and rode our bikes back to the first stop and just past there was the annual Arts and Music Festival, a ten day event.  I love shopping at all the booths, looking at art work, jewelry, pottery and clothing.  John on the other hand could care less! The music venues didn’t start until later in the day.

Around 4PM we were bored and decided to drive up Marine Road towards Horseshoe Bay but along the way we got sidetracked by a lighthouse.  The half mile walk to view the lighthouse and the bay was all downhill.  And it was just a view through the trees to see the lighthouse since it was a working light and closed to visitors.  The hike back up was fairly strenuous and did not do well for John’s bum leg.  That called for cocktails when we got back for medicinal purposes. 

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

For way too much money we thought we should visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park to experience the rainforest tree tops and to sway on one of the world’s longest suspension bridges that spans the Capilano River and canyon.  

At 460 feet long with 100 people walking across it at the same time it moves a lot!  With it hanging 230 feet above the river I got a beautiful view of a river that at one time held a flue for moving logs downstream.  Once we were on the other side we could climb and walk along the many elevated board walks, some were 110 feet above the forest floor.  As an example of some of the birds who inhabit the forest, rangers held a hawk and a barred owl.  Many signs explained why we need to conserve these areas.

We returned to the starting point and then walked along and around the cliff sides of the canyon on more boardwalks.

This is a major draw for tourists with over a million visitors a year.  I think we joined several thousand today!

Stanley Island

Stanley Island is not a true island but more of a peninsula.  Vancouver has preserved it in its natural state except for the Bridge and highway that runs through it to go into the main part of the city.  The bridge is called Lion’s Gate Bridge and is only 3 lanes wide with pedestrian sidewalks on both sides.  The traffic flow is directed according to the busy times so in the morning its two lanes going into the city and one lane coming our while in the afternoon it is reversed.  Since the RV park is near the bridge we can see the grid lock on the bridge at all times of the day.

It’s a relatively easy bike ride over the bay and then we follow the road to the far side of the island where it connects with the Seawall Trail that encircles the whole island and is pedestrian and bikes only. Some of the popular sights along the seawall are the Totem Poles of the Squamish people, two lighthouses, three beaches and a swimming pool, and the art work of a girl in a wetsuit on a rock.  If we were so inclined there was also a lake and many wooded pathways criss crossing the island that we could ride on.  Maybe another day.

When we got back to the RV we got a call that our car was ready to be picked up.  They found several loose electrical connections in the engine.  It appears that when we had the transmission replaced the workman did shoddy work and the wire connectors were able to work loose.  Fingers crossed that they were able to fix it but no guarantees.

Biking Everywhere

Having no car has not been a bad thing as we are in the center of town and near almost everything we need. 

We rode our bikes up the water front for several kilometers and found a nice place for a picnic and then discovered a nice restaurant.  Reservations are for the next evening.  We also walked to the shopping mall and found a good place to eat there as well as a Whole Foods Grocery, a liquor store and, of course, shops!

John needed to get some shorts repaired so we found that shop nearby as well.  We are learning how to get around this town quite easily.  Tomorrow we expand our explorations.

Vancouver Shipyard District

The Capilano RV Park is practically under the Lion’s Gate Bridge and next door to North Vancouver’s largest shopping mall.  It is also right on the Spirit Trail bike path that runs to the Shipyards in one direction and all along the shoreline for several kilometers in the other direction.

Our first evening we biked to the Shipyards where there are tons of restaurants, bars, breweries and a market area that includes a fresh Farmer’s Market every Saturday.  There are two splash pads for kids and an open amphitheater for live music every weekend.  

Saturday morning found us biking the other direction to another market along the shoreline with lots of fruit, veggies and other goodies.  We rode through the shopping district but not much of interest there except a carry out Japanese Sushi market.

Monday morning we were in the waiting room of the Urgent Care Clinic at 8 AM. Six hours later John was seen by a nurse practitioner about the pain in his left buttock that travels around to the front and down to his knee and ankle.  She recommended that he take some anti-inflammatory meds, do some stretching exercises and see how he’s doing in two weeks. If not better she recommended an MRI which will tell what is going on.  When we got to the underground garage where we had parked we found a $70 parking ticket and then when we started the car it had no power steering and lots of red lights.  An hour later we were at the only Jeep dealer in North Vancouver where we left the car.  Not a good day but at least we have our bikes and everything we need is within biking distance.

E. C. Manning Provincial Park

Kelowna is a lovely place to visit but we were ready to move on a day early and John was able to get us a wilderness campsite in E. C. Manning Provincial Park in the Northern Cascades Mountains.  Ahh! Fresh air, cooler weather and quiet, no traffic noise, no sirens, no truck engines blasting past.

As soon as we got set up we went to the visitor’s center, then drove up a small mountain to take in the view.  But the campground drew us back for a lovely evening without a campfire (none allowed as it’s too dry).

The next day we chose to hike around Lightening Lake.  We thought it would be about a 3 mile trek but it turned out to be about 6 miles and we got caught in pouring rain for the last mile.  I was not happy as we thought we would beat the rain so we didn’t bring our rain jackets.  But overall it was a lovely walk and the lake was so calm and peaceful - nothing like its name.

Knox Mtn., Mission Hills and Mission Creek

We try to get a little exercise everyday and to visit interesting parts of the city.  For instance, on Sunday, even thought it was pretty hot, we walked a ways up Knox Mountain in downtown Kelowna.  It’s a popular hiking destination as well as a lovely park along the lake front.  We didn’t make it to the top as John’s leg was really hurting but the views of the lake from up high were pretty and we could see the layout of the city.

Several people have recommended that we should visit Mission Hills Winery Estate and Bell Tower, not just to try their wine but to explore their expansive estate.  We did it one better and had a wine paired lunch on their open terrace with views of the vineyard and lake on one side and the mission style buildings and the bell tower on the other side.  Their wines were good and the food paired well with them.  It was a lovely afternoon.

The weather, as I said earlier, has been hot so early on Tuesday we walked along the Mission Creek Trail but this time it was away from the city.  It was a lovely walk with shade trees, flowering bushes and a gurgling stream.  John’s leg is still bothering him so we stopped often to take in the quiet and peacefulness of the area.

Dog Days of Summer

My interpretation of Dog Days is to take it easy and find things to do when it’s hot.

One day I did laundry while John worked on the bike tire, we went grocery shopping and basically just hung out at the RV.  The next morning we rode along the Mission Creek park trail which was a good 8 miles down then back up.  We are so glad we have e-bikes on those up-hill rides! It was a very pleasant ride on shady paths next to the river.

A private wine tour in West Kelowna filled our day on Thursday.  The first two stops - Quail’s Gate and The Gallery Vineyards - had beautiful tasting rooms and some decent wine so we got a few bottles.  Our lunch at Nineteen Steakhouse overlooking their golf course was very nice.  We could easily have taken a nap but we had two more wineries to visit.  Neither one had very good wine but one was on the lake shore and the other was run by First Nations people. 

The Farmers Market opened at 8 on Saturday and we were there at 8:30 so I could get some fresh, fresh peaches!  Then we headed south along the west side of Okanagan Lake through Peachland and Summerland to the southern point of the lake at the town of Penticton where we had reservations for a wine tasting and a tapas lunch.

Da Silva Vineyards is owned by a family originally from Portugal and they now owns a large portion of the vineyards in the area.  They make a lot of their blended wines the same way they do in Portugal by putting all the grapes together before crushing instead of mixing the juices.  We liked their white wines and had an okay Pinot Noir with our lunch.

Myra Canyon

Yesterday (Sunday) it was too hot to do much of anything except some wine tasting.  The first place we tasted 4 whites and 3 reds, but liked the whites better, so we each got a glass and ordered tacos from the food truck.  While we waited for the food we enjoyed live music from a soloist and her guitar. The next winery was more elegant but we did not care for any of their wines.

Thinking that Mondays are usually quieter days for sightseeing (it wasn’t) we loaded up the bikes and headed to Myra Canyon to ride on the Kettle Valley Railway Trail of Trestles.  This rails-to-trails was originally built in 1912-1914 to carry freight and passengers thru Myra Canyon.  The tracks were removed in 1980. The trail runs around the rim of the canyon so is relatively flat. It contains 18 trestles and 2 tunnels, several rock cuts and a few land bridges. In 2003 wildfires swept thru the canyon and destroyed or badly damaged most of the trestles. They have all been replaced or repaired.  Several are now steel trestles, the rest are all wood.

It was a cool day and even cooler in the canyon but such a pretty ride.  It was a good day until 2 km from the car John got a flat tire on his bike. We stopped 3 times to pump it up enough to ride. At the car John had tools and patches to repair the tube but we couldn’t find the hole.  So he got out the spare tube, punctured it trying to put it in the tire, and could not fix the puncture.  Still couldn’t find the hole in the first tube.  So we put the bike on the rack and hoped it would not fall off on the way back.  When we got into town we drove to Walmart to get a new tube, no luck there.  On the way to a bike shop the Jeep overheated! We found a gas station, got some radiator fluid and that’s when we discovered that the radiator cap was loose likely never installed properly from the transmission service right before we left Sedalia. By the time we got home it was after 6 but that didn’t stop us from have a couple of cocktails to take the edge off the bad day. 

Kelowna on the Okanagan Lake

The drive to Kelowna could have been beautiful except for the hazy, smokey air.  The Karma RV Park is part of a company that makes fruit juices, carbonated fruit drinks and vodka infused ciders from all kinds of locally grown fruits.  I’ve tasted pear, peach and cherry with cherry being my favorite so far.

 John has been having some serious pain down his leg and I suspect it’s a pinched nerve.  It finally got bad enough that he was able to call and get an appointment with a chiropractor on Friday. She tried some minor adjustments, gave him a brace and some exercises.  Until he can get an MRI, that’s about all she can do and in Canada it will be a year before he could get the test.  That’s not a typo - a one year waiting time!  Hope the brace helps!

This whole area is renowned for its fruits, vegetables and grapes.  We had expected flat country but it’s very hilly and mountainous.  The Kelowna Farmer’s Market is every Saturday and Wednesday and is huge.  Cherries are in full season and boy are they sweet!  It’s like eating candy!

I have to tell a funny from Saturday night. We ate at a nice restaurant then walked along the lake shore, watching people enjoying the evening .  Shortly after we sat on the bench a man about our age stops to talk to us - not with us but to us. And we’re not sure what all he is saying,  partly because we couldn’t understand him and partly because he made no sense.  As he walked off after 10 minutes of chatting I burst out giggling!  Oh my, what a character!  Then another man with his small dog sits down with us!  He throws a ball for his dog who immediately runs in the opposite direction. He did have a conversation with us, nice guy.  When he leaves, we get up, I’m still giggling, and John indicates we should leave before any more crazy people sit by us!  Good evening!

Golden Rules

We walked back to the RV in rain on Monday evening after the big Stampede Show and woke to more rain as we traveled across the Rocky Mountains through Banff and Lake Louise.  It was very disappointing not to see those majestic mountains and to get mud all over the RV because of construction on the Trans Canada Highway 1!

We stopped in Golden for two nights before going on to Kelowna.  It rained both nights but not during the day.  Golden is a ski town in the winter and a nice quiet place to visit in the summer.  They have a lot of mountain biking trails but a nice bike path circles the town and follows the Kicking Horse River. The river is a glacial river so it looks very muddy but it is running really fast.

Stampede Showdown

When we were in Fredericksburg Texas last fall we met a nice couple who live a couple of hours north of Calgary.  I reached out to let them know we were near and they very graciously drove down and took us out to lunch.  We spent a delightful several hour with Dave and Marilyn.

The evening show included Chuck wagon races, relay races, and a very elaborate Grand Stand Showdown.

There were nine heats for the chuck wagon races with three wagons in each heat.  These competitors will race three more nights to determine a grand champion and tonight was just the beginning.  It is quite interesting to watch.  Each wagon has four horses followed by two outriders - men on horses who help “load” the wagon before they take off racing. The wagons have to circle a barrel and then race around the oval.  Best time was 1 min 11 sec.  That is fast!

Then the Horse relay race where men and women raced bareback around the track, jumped off and onto a different horse. Once more around the track and then onto a third horse.  And the horses didn’t always want to do what the rider wanted.  Very exciting!

Then just as its getting dark they roll a stage and lighting system to the front and an extravaganza of a show begins.  The stage has a rotating circle, fire, water and elevating platforms on either side.  They feature a live band, singers and at least 150 men and women dancing with a total light show enhancing all that they do.  The very end is a huge fireworks display going off while the music and dancing is in full swing.  So much happening all at once!

Stampede Rodeo

Since Saturday is a free day for us John took advantage of being in the big city to find and buy a new bike rack. The old one is not traveling well and we are worried the bikes are not riding safely.  Turns out the best rack available is made in Springfield, MO!  And it is very nice with a ramp, locking cable, and tail lights.

That afternoon we decided to visit the Stampede.  What a mad house!  We ended up getting fried chicken sandwiches for lunch since that was the shortest line.  The carnival covered every street around and between the buildings making it very difficult to see where we wanted to go and what to see.  We ended up in an air conditioned arena to watch draft horses!  

Canadians are very aware of the Native Americans or First Nations who lived on this land first so a large part of the Stampede grounds houses the natives in their Teepees and a stage for their dances.

When we left the fair grounds, we walked downtown until we came to a very inviting restaurant that was thankfully air conditioned.

Sunday afternoon we watched some very exciting and professional rodeo.  Bareback bronco busting, saddle bronco busting, bull riding, barrel racing and cow roping.  Yaaaa Hooooo!!