Mostly sunny and mild, chilly beside the lake in the evening.
We had a very definite plan for today. But ... did not follow the plan much at all. This morning we finished preparing for departure, then headed into Keremeos to run a few errands before leaving on a camping / fishing adventure on the way to Joanne catching a train on Wednesday in Kamloops. We refilled a our water jug and picked up a new prescription of mine at the pharmacy, then headed back home to drop off the water jug and pick up Sully.
We headed west on Hwy. 3 towards Princeton, stopping to have a picnic lunch at Bromley Rock Provincial Park, one of our favourite local spots. At Princeton we turned northwest on Hwy. 5A to Merritt. At Merritt we refilled with diesel, then headed north on Hwy 5A along the east side of Nicola Lake. At the north end of Trapp Lake we turned east on a gravel road leading about 12 km. to Roche Lake Provincial Park, and the three campgrounds within the park.
We found our way to the remote Horseshoe Lake campground, with five unserviced sites. Tough to get to, but this is why we bought the truck camper ! We had Horseshoe Lake all to ourselves. We selected a site then I went fishing before supper. I fly fished for awhile with no success. I barbecued supper on a new, small barbecue I recently bought. What a piece of junk ! I hope I can get a refund ! The barbecue is now used, and I no longer have the packaging. After supper I went fishing again for awhile, this time using my old spinning rod and reel, again with no success. HMPH ... so much for Horseshoe Lake's claim to "world class trout fishing".
It was daylight until 9:40 PM !
Monday ; Horseshoe Lake to Paul Lake Provincial Park
Chilly, overcast all day, raining all afternoon and evening. A yucky day ! We had a very definite plan for today, and once again did not follow the plan at all.
This morning we left Horseshoe Lake and drove a few miles on a very rough road to the west side of Roche Lake, to Roche Lake West Campground. The road was as bad as anything we've ever encountered in Mexico. Odd for a provincial park to have such bad roads. We checked out the campground, decided it wasn't to our liking and continued on.
We drove around Roche Lake, to the east side, to Roche Lake North Campground ( go figure ! ). Another few miles ... maybe a bit more ... of very bad road. This campground was even more not to our liking. Despite the alleged "world class trout fishing" of Roche Lake, we left. We drove back to Hwy. 5A, then north on Hwy. 5A to Kamloops. We stopped at the Visitor Centre and had lunch in their parking lot before dumping our grey waste holding tank and refilling our freshwater holding tank at the Visitor Centre's RV sani-dump station.
We drove through Kamloops and headed north on Hwy. 5 until a few miles north of the city and found our way to Kamloops North Via Rail Station where Joanne has to catch a train at 6 AM on Wednesday. We wanted to be certain of where the train station was, and to see if it was possible to boondock there overnight. It is !
After Via Rail we drove about 20 km. or so east to Paul Lake Provincial Park. By then it was raining steadily. We drove around the campground looking for a campsite to select, then drove to the lake nearby where there was a day use picnic area, boat launch and fishing dock. Why would the Province of B.C. develop the campground so far away from the lake ? ! ? I contemplated fishing for awhile off the dock, but ... it was raining.
We returned to the campground, selected a site, then ... spent the rest of the afternoon and evening inside the camper, avoiding the rain and cold outdoors ! Camping can be so much fun !
Tuesday ; Paul Lake Provincial Park and Kamloops
Sunny and warm today.
We got a slow start to the day. We left our campsite about noon and drove over to the day use / picnic / beach area and parked. I spent the entire afternoon fishing off the dock. I didn't catch anything, but the weather was nice, the scenery was great, a family of loons kept me company for much of the afternoon, calling plaintively on a frequent basis. Nothing relaxes like a loon call.
At 6 PM we left Paul Lake Provincial Park and drove back to Kamloops. At the Visitor Centre we dumped our waste holding tanks and refilled our freshwater tank. I made a couple of phone calls. We went to Canadian Tire and did some shopping. We went to Swiss Chalet for supper. We went to Wal-Mart and did some shopping. We drove to the Via Rail station to boondock there overnight, arriving there shortly after 10 PM.
Wednesday ; Joanne on Via Rail "Canadian" heading east to Winnipeg, Daniel from Kamloops to Harmon Lake
10th Anniversary of retirement / full time RV'ing / homeless, unemployed vagabonds
WOW ... we're ten years into our two year plan ! HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA !
We were up at 5:30 AM for Joanne to catch the 6:35 AM eastbound train, the Via Rail "Canadian", running from Vancouver to Toronto. First time she will be taking a train across the Rockies. The scenery from Kamloops to Edmonton should be spectacular ! ! !
The train arrived 35 minutes late, at 6:35 AM, and departed 40 minutes late, at 7:15 AM. I returned to the camper, showered and took care of morning chores. I drove back into Kamloops and went to shop for a few advertised specials at Princess Auto. After Princess Auto ... oh ... there's a Shopper's Drug Mart. I need something there. Oh ... and Cooper's Foods. I need a few grocery items. Oh ... and Dollarama ... I need something there. I drove to the Visitor's Centre to refill freshwater and dump grey waste. By the time I left Kamloops ... it was noon !
I drove south on Hwy. 5A back towards Merritt. Near Quilchena ... which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere ... there was an RCMP roadblock. Many RCMP officers .... apparently looking for .... drunk drivers ? In the middle of nowhere ? On a Wednesday afternoon ? My tax dollars at work ! ! !
My objective for today was the campground at Peter Hope Lake North. Had never been there before. When I arrived ... the scruffy little campground with 25 campsites was ... full ! I continued southbound to Merritt where I refilled with diesel. A bit southeast of Merritt I turned off the highway to go look for Marquart Lake. Didn't like it, didn't stay. Then Lundblom Lake. Didn't like it, didn't stay. Then Kane Lake. Didn't like it, didn't stay. Then Harmon Lake. Liked it, stayed ! Been here before.
Chilly and windy tonight at Harmon Lake, same as previous visit. Tried fishing, but wind made it difficult. Started a campfire, roasted wieners for hot dogs for supper. Campfire and wiener roast not much fun without Joanne's companionship. Miss her already !
Thursday ; Harmon Lake to home
Cloudy and cool in the morning, becoming sunny and warm in the afternoon.
This morning I left Harmon Lake, and continued exploring on the way home. Stopped at Kentucky / Alleyne Provinicial Park. Drove around Kentucky Lake Campground. Fished briefly at Alleyne Lake. Stopped for lunch at Gulliford Lake Rest Area. Fished for awhile after lunch. HA HA HA ... caught three teensy Rainbow Trout, much too small to keep.
Stopped in Princeton to buy some groceries at Cooper's Foods and fishing flies at Princeton Outdoor Supply. Arrived back home about 6:30 PM, just about the same time Joanne would have been arriving in Winnipeg ( 8:30 PM CDT ). For supper I barbecued some Sockeye Salmon I bought in Kamloops yesterday. AWESOME ! ! !
Wildlife viewed in the last few days ; many deer, many marmots, quite a few loon families ( male, female, and baby), Bald Eagles, and one beaver.
Friday ; Started out sunny and warm, became windy and cool in the afternoon.
This morning I went into town to run some errands and get a haircut and beard trim.
I washed the lower part of the truck and the camper at a self-serve car wash. Haven't used a self-serve car wash in many years. Did a poor job of cleaning mud and road grime off the truck. I'll have to manually wash it at home with soapy water and a scrub mitt.
After lunch and a long nap I harvested lettuce and radishes from our garden. Processed photos. Unloaded the truck and camper.
Saturday ; Sunny and warm, a very pleasant summer solstice day.
Spent the day puttering around with minor maintenance chores. Late in the evening Joanne's 93 year old friend Eilene, her friend Dorothy, and her daughter Alice arrived from Williams Lake. Fourteen hours on the road ! Would have been a couple hours less than that if they hadn't made a wrong turn when they arrived at the village of Keremeos ... and ended up in Osoyoos. They were here to spend the night in one of our park's guest suites on their way home to Oregon.
OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH ! ! ! I banged my head and split my scalp open on the corner of an open cupboard door. If I've told her once, I've told her a million times ... "SHUT THE ****ING CUPBOARD DOORS ! ! !" Wait a minute ... she's not here, she's in Winnipeg. Well then ... who the hell left that cupboard door open ? ! ?
DSK
No comments:
Post a Comment