Hello again from the Hippyhome. It is now Monday August 5th and it is our last night on Vancouver Island. Tomorrow morning we will catch the 11a.m. ferry to Tswassen and then start are way home.
Since my last post we spent our 7 days at Living Forest. The brochures all show very tranquil scenes and well they are there , this time of year is anything but tranquil. I love that families are out camping and in nature but I wish there were more parental control on the kids. The site we had probably did not help matters, we were at the confluence of two roads. The kids are just wild on their bikes and skooters  flying up and down and through stop signs. Getting them to quiet down in the hours near 9pm would be a great improvement also. I would go back here but not in the summer.
We left Living Forest on Saturday morning and took our time coming back down to Victoria.
We decided to go see the murals in Chemainus and that was a really good choice. There are approx. 50 murals on the buildings downtown. We saw a great many but not all. They are something to be seen if you are in the area. They also have an amazing performing arts building that seats about 300 people. Anne and I both really liked the feel of the town. I will put an album on Facebook just of the murals that I took pictures of.
From there we travelled south and stopped at a couple of local vineyards. One was  very small and I need they need some help on their wines but the other was very nice and very good wines. It was called Averill Creek Vineyard.  We headed up a washboard gravel narrow road and wondered if we were on the right path. Up a ways the road took a turn to the right and in the  distance we saw a gate closed across the road. I said to Anne great and there was no way we could turn around. As we got closer we were relieved to see a sign that said punch in code 1234 and gate will open and so we did and up the road we continued. When we rounded the end of the row of vines we saw their very nice building with patio etc. The staff were very good and said the patio was for picnic lunches that you bring if you want or they were selling some cheeses and meats. We bought some wine but passed on the patio and had our lunch in a closed weigh station.
On an off topic I think something crawled up Cash`s arse as things are smelling off in here right now and it is not me or Anne.
From lunch we motored on to our next rv site which was Ft Victoria RV park in the community of View Royal . The sign says the town of but it seems like it is a suburb of Victoria.
As luck would have it this place was within a 15 min walk or 5 min ride to the Galopping Goose Trail that Anne so badly wanted to ride. We walked part of it Saturday night when we went looking for it and then on Sunday we did 18km return. A beautiful path build on a old rail line from the 1920`s. Next time we are here we will do another part of it. It links up with another trail and you can ride from downtown Victoria all the way out to Sooke.
We left Ft Vic this morning and went to Langford to a huge wine store called Anything Wine. They apparently have one in Edmonton and Red Deer and Lethbridge. They are trying to get into Calgary.
Topped up the gas well in Langford as well. Gas Buddy showed a Petro Canada there at $ 1.32 and 8min away in View Royal a Petro Canada at $1.41. Go figure that one out.
Killed enough time off for check in at West Bay Marine Village and RV park which is right on the harbour. Since I had taken Cash for an 80 min walk in the morning we felt ok leaving him to guard the Hippyhome. We took a water taxi from West Bay Marina and it dropped us off right where we were going for lunch, The Wharfside Eatery. After a great lunch they had a market going on the dock area so we went and browsed that . Then took the water ferry back to West Bay Marina and opened the door to a downward dog. He obviously was having a good snooze. What a great traveller he is.
I almost forgot but when Anne and I were riding the Galopping Goose yesterday I should have stopped and got a picture. I would have titled it "how you know you are on Vancouver Island" It was two ladies walking a llama.
As I said this is our last night on the island. I must say the island people are very friendly and l look forward to our next visit here.
Tomorrow will be a big drive day, Victoria to Logan Lake which is just outside Kamloops. The children of Anne`s parents old next door neighbours in London Ontario own a resort there that has some campsites. We will be there for two nights then on to Canyon Hot Springs then on to Calgary and the end of another Hippyhome Adventure.
I will do one more blog probably from home.
Ciao for now