Well another adventure is over and as I write this final post I am once again at home after having taken the Hippyhome up to storage for a few weeks.
In my last post we were about to head to the mainland and then on to Logan Lake. Well we got into Tswassen to pick up some groceries and I set the GPS on my phone for Tunkwa Lake Resort. When you end up going through Surrey and Langley you realize just how big the greater Vancouver area is. It seemed like ages until we were back in what I would call the country side.
We found a nice rest area just before Chilliwack and stopped for lunch. Not much shade and all the picnic tables were out under the sun which was smoking hot so we chose to eat inside with our windows cracked and our Fantastic Fan running.
From there we headed to Hope for some propane since we were low and Tunkwa Lake was going to be two nights at an unserviced site.
It broke my heart not to stop at the Home restaurant in Hope where they have those huge pieces of pie but when you travel with the food police sometimes you just have to pass things up.
Up the Coquahalla( not sure of spelling) and up is not the word for it. There was one uphill part where the semis could not have been doing anymore than about 5-10kph. It was also hot out like in the high 20`s and there were several vehicles over with their hoods up, not just people pulling trailers but older cars as well. The Hippyhome boogied up no problems and the temp gage stayed right in the middle so I was pleased. It has run really well over the time we have had it.
At Merritt we turned off and followed directions on some pretty winding and vacant secondary highways. For some reason we thought Tunkwa Lake Resort was in or on Logan Lake. We came to an intersection, right for Logan Lake and straight ahead for what we assumed was Tunkwa. By the time we got to this point we were in and out of cell reception and so my GPS was a little unnerving as we appeared to be going further in to the bush with no sign of a lake. The GPS would say 5 more k and then run out of K. We decided to go another 10 min and if we found nothing turn around and head back. On the way we had passed by many residences single and also trailer parks seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Later we found out their are mines in Logan Lake and many people in the surrounding area work there.
Anyway we kept going and finally came across a sign that said Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park. We turned off and just a bit in was the gravel road and sign for Tunkwa Lake Resort.
This is a fishing lodge. If you know me you know I don`t fish and don`t like to eat them. We stopped here so we could meet up with the old neighbours of Anne`s parents who spend the summer out here.
Very remote. This was another place on our trip though where I could actually see bald eagles flying around. when you see them land in a tree you get some perspective on how big these guys are.
One day we took Cash for a walk down the road to the Provincial Park. Aside from the nice gravel pads this is a rustic park like the ones I went to with my parents back in the 50`s and 60`s. Pit toilets, no power and drinking water was from an old fashion hand pump. Good to know as if we ever stayed there , you would want to make sure you topped up your fresh water tank before you got there as it would be a trick getting it in out of a hand pump.
John and Anne own and canoe and let us go out in it. Anne(my Anne) and I paddled a good route around the lake and Anne was thrilled to hear the call of the Loon and we were able to get close enough to see its markings and the fish it had in its mouth. Hard to do this kind of thing with a noisy power boat.
From Tunkwa we headed to Kamloops for gas and a break. Coming out of Tunkwa and heading north on a road that for those of you familiar with the Thunder Bay area, this road was like the road to Silver Islet before they straightened it out. Certainly keeps you alert while up and down and around in a |Class C motorhome, especially the last extremely steep hill without guardrails.
Filled up in Kamloops for $1.23 per litre which was a deal after paying mostly $1.34-1.39 for most of the trip and just down the highway in Revelstoke it was back up to $1.34. I actually did not fill up again till Calgary. I was between 1/4 and empty but made it 621km on a tank.
We both found signage in BC a little lacking on advance notice and just about overshot the second entrance to Canyon Hot Springs RV park.
Another hot night but we had some trees around us and it cooled off as the evening came in. Walked down by the train tracks and Cash got an up close look at a train going by. He has been very curious on this trip when he has heard the sound of a train in the distance, always looking to see what the sound is, well now he knows.
The old saying " small world" truly is. I was sitting in the rv having something to eat as I see this family going by heading to the hot spring pool and I realize I know the son, so I jump out of the rv and say hi Thomas, see you in September. Thomas is one of my Junior High kids on my school bus route.
Onward home from here, lots of construction repairs on the number one between here and Lake Louise then pretty much clear sailing the rest of the way.
It was our first time through the Canmore area since the big flood and you can still see all the damage that occurred and streams rerouted etc.
Well that takes care of another summer of travel or at least long distance travel . We will go out a few more times before winterizing the unit. Where will we go next year? Maybe back east but go up to Edmonton and across the top as neither of us have been that way before.
Thanks to all who follow us on our little journeys. We still would love to meet some friends who could travel with us.
Ciao for now.