The journey down the "Sunshine Coast" was interesting as it required 3 more ferries along the way. I drove from Powell River to Saltery Bay where I stayed at a Provincial park. It was not open for the season yet, and with no services it was free for campers. It was a beautiful forested park right along the water. There were only 3 of us camping amongst the 42 sites.
The next ferry to Earl's Cove took less than an hour and that followed by another short drive to Creekside RV park where I stayed 2 nights. It was a cozy place with many blossoming bushes. There were several people parked there long term as the monthly rate was about $550 including water, dump site, electric, and WiFi. They had showers, laundry and garbage disposal. No wonder so many RVing Snowbirds stay at such campgrounds all winter!
It took only about 20 min to drive south to Gibsons to catch the ferry for Horseshoe Bay. I did not have reservations for any of the ferries and got on without any problems. It helps to get to the terminal early and I'm sure it will be much busier in the summer.
Views from the ferries along the Sunshine Coast.
The drive from Horseshoe Bay to my friends' place took me over the Lion's Gate bridge, past Stanley park, and through downtown Vancouver. The drive was quite nerve racking due to the heavy traffic, narrow streets and numerous stoplights. The city streets are also lined with trees on both sides, often overhanging the road and I had to be careful to avoid scraping my roof.
It was a relief to finally reach a quieter area of the city where I had a very happy reunion with my friends Maddy and Steve who I have known for many years.
I parked on the side of the street and stayed a few days, sharing stories, eating fabulous meals, and exploring the city. There is a lot of construction happening, with many of the smaller homes being torn down to make room for larger homes or condos. Despite the growth of the city, ( in 2011, the pop of Vancouver and greater area was 2.3 million), I was impressed by the many parks and green areas. Being there during the spring blossoms made it even more spectacular.
We spent one day visiting Queen Elizabeth park:
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| A beautiful sculpture |
I happened to be there in time for the annual "Vaisakhi" festival on April 24th ( an important Sikh celebration) in Surrey. This year had a record turnout of 350,000 people! Maddy and I decided to take the Sky train there and had to walk several blocks to catch up with the parade which was moving extremely slowly due to the crowds. We felt like a minority there as most women wore saris and the men turbans. It was very colorful and the atmosphere festive and peaceful. I was impressed by how well everything was organized. There were many food stalls lining the roads and the food was given out free as per their custom. Some people went around with garbage bags and we could not see any litter on the road.
It was quite the experience to be among such a large crowd of people celebrating!
The founder of the Sikh religion was Guru Nanak ( 1469-1539). He saw the many problems that existed in the state of Punjab with the people being persecuted.
He taught that God is one, the father of all, and that all humans are brothers and equal. His followers were called Sikhs, or the disciples.
Punjab is in northern India, bordering on Pakistan, and is the seat of India's Sikh community.
The experience gave me a deeper appreciation of their culture.
After a good visit in Vancouver, I was ready to drive east on the trans Canada hwy, stopping at a rest stop near Abbotsford for the night, then on to Chilliwack and a Walmart for the next night. The traffic eased as I drove east and the scenery was pretty along the Fraser Valley. I then decided to visit Harrison Hot Springs on Harrison Lake, a lovely village with many intersting shops, restaurants, the hotsprings resort and a public hot springs pool. I stopped in at the visitors' centre and was given all kinds of information about the area, including stories of Sasquatch sightings. I was given a sheet with the warning that " You are entering Sasquatch country" and what to do if you see one. It stated that the Sasquatch are generally shy and will avoid contact with people. It warned that if you provoke them, they may throw rocks and howl or scream. On the wall there was a framed photo of "a female Sasquatch". It was quite a fuzzy picture and I was told that the photographer tripped while he was trying to take the photo...........
I then went for a relaxing soak in the public hot springs pool, a pleasure after all my driving. Later I had a very nice walk along the beach, watching some geese and admiring the mountains.
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| View from Harrison Hot Springs The only places to park overnight were rather expensive campgrounds so I decided to carry on to Hope and found the more economical Telte-Yet RV park just a few km from the city. I needed to dump my tanks and it was a relief to be hooked up. From my campsite I had a fantastic view of the mountains. I stayed only one night as was eager to visit friends in the Okanagan Valley. From Hope, I had the choice of taking the Coquihalla Hwy (#5) NE to Kamloops or the Crowsnest Hwy ( #3) SE to Osoyoos. I was tempted to go toward Kamloops but was eager to get to Osoyoos, so SE I went. Along the way, I came across the Pickard Creek Rec area which allows overnight camping. I found out that many recreation areas allow free camping but most are in the forests quite far from the highways. This one was just off the highway and along a river, a very pleasant place to camp. There were no hook ups and I could see a few other RVs nearby. The highway then led through a valley between 2 mountain ranges and over a pass where I could see snow on both sides of the road. Signs earlier had required truck drivers to carry chains and I was happy to have a set. Luckily,the road was clear and I didn't need to put them on. The countryside became more lush as I arrived at the Okanagan Valley. I passed by many vineyards and fruit orchards. Apple,pear, peach, apricot, and cherry trees covered numerous acres of land on both sides of the road. Every few km I saw a fruit stand but they were all still closed. It would be good to drive through there when the fruit is ripe. The weather had been warm and sunny ever since I left Vancouver and I enjoyed the sunshine and scenery of Osoyoos. |
The road to my friends' place was steep and windy and it took me about 20 min to reach their place high up on a mountain. It was fun connecting again after last seeing them at the "Sleepy Hollow" campground near Yuma, Arizona. Since then they had spent the last part of the winter in the Baja peninsula. Wolfgang and Lolita are a hard-working couple in their 80s, having come over to the US from Germany many years ago. They bought some acreage and built their house which looks out over snow capped mountains in the distance. I spent a few days there enjoying the German style cooking, going for walks, and helping in the garden. I have always loved weeding, particularly when there are no mosquitoes!
From there, I drove north on Hwy 97 through the Okanagan Valley with its lush orchards and vineyards, following along the small lakes. I stopped at a rest stop one night then I finally reached Kelowna, a pretty city of about 100,000 on the shores of Lake Okanagan. I was grateful to be able to park at a friend's place and we had a few days to catch up on our lives and prepare for my journey east. I had decided to leave my RV in Kelowna and fly to Nova Scotia and Ontario. It is such a long distance to drive and I want to spend the summer exploring BC.
So now I am cleaning my RV and packing for my trip, leaving on May 11. I'll be back in time for a 3 day RV seminar I have registered for at the Okanagan college in Kelowna. It will be a good opportunity for learning more about the various aspects of RV living and maintenance. I definitely want to get my electrical system sorted out.
I'm looking forward to visiting many of my family and friends over the next few weeks and then continuing my RV journey after I return.
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| Kelowna, BC |
"I am only one, but still I am one.
I cannot do everything, but still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do something that I can do."
--- Helen Keller
" Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak.
Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."
--- Winston Churchill
"Start by doing what's necessary;
Then do what's possible;
And suddenly you are doing the impossible."
--- St Francis of Assisi
Don't forget to laugh every day!
Maria
whyknotrvmaria@gmail.com
