Port Angeles, WA

Left the comfort of Cape Lazo this morning, 20 minutes ahead of schedule and with a little tear in my eye. So many great memories in this part of the world. Such a great visit. Will be back, soon I hope.

The weather was not great, and it rained lightly most of the way which meant I couldn’t use cruise control, but otherwise a good trip down island. The highways all along the island are outstanding and the routes are well signed. I arrived in Victoria, British Columbia’s capital, just in time to get a couple of pics of the Legislature and the Empress before I had to check in at the ferry terminal.

Black Ball Ferry runs the ferry between Victoria’s inner harbour and Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. Taking the MV Coho meant I could miss driving the trailer through Vancouver and Seattle and it got me right on to Washington Route 101 which I’ll take down the coast. For more info on the ferry you can click here. Highly recommend taking it. https://www.cohoferry.com/

The folks at Black Ball Ferry were very friendly and efficient, and the check in process, which involved pre-clearing US customs, went very smoothly. You sit in your car and the customs people come to you and then you go in to get your passport processed. Getting on the ferry was faster than the much larger BC Ferries. My Prolite was at the end of the line of the overheights and now has 2 ferries under its belt. Don’t anticipate any more ferry crossings on the trip, but you never know.

The ferry itself has seen better days, with some of the seat backs laying on the seat bottoms unattached. I guess waiting for service. I went up on deck to take some pictures and as I was taking one of the old dame, the Empress Hotel, with the Canadian flag proudly flying over it, and we started to head out, it suddenly became real to me that I was actually leaving and would be away from the country for 6 months!

My immediate plan is to travel down the coastal highway as much as possible all the way to San Diego and take my time. I have travelled on much, if not all, of the coastal road through Washington, Oregon and California at various times in the past, but doing it in one fell swoop will be new. I have reservations at an RV Resort in Palm Desert for the month of December but aside from that I’m flying without a net.

On the short trip over I watched for whales given I had seen so many on the run between Nanaimo and Horseshoe Bay the last two times, but alas, none came into view. I did see a US submarine being escorted by a couple of other military ships in the distance though.

The ferry arrived on time in Port Angeles as the sun was getting really low in the sky and some blue was starting to show and you could just barely make out the Olympic Mountains in behind Port Angeles. It must be a fantastic sight when it’s clear and there is more daylight. I headed immediately for my campsite to get set up before the light disappeared completely, so I didn’t get a chance to look around Port Angeles.

The campsite is quite empty and the office was closed, although they had left my reservation paperwork and site map on the bulletin board. I didn’t really get a chance to look around much in the dark, but am here for two nights so will check things out tomorrow.

After setting up I did head back into town to grab some dinner and pick up some groceries. I had a lovely salad and cup of chowder at a H2O Bistro, yes, it’s down on the water in Port Angeles. It was dark so not exactly sure what the view was like but the food was great! Very generous portions. I must be in the US of A. Couldn’t find a website but you can find it by Googling H2O Bistro. And I stopped at Safeway to pick up some basic groceries so I can have my breakfast at home tomorrow morning before heading out and about for the day.

Victoria, Canada

Comox, Canada

Today is the last day of my stay in the beautiful Comox valley. Tomorrow I start the next phase of my No Fixed Address North American Tour (NFA NA Tour).

I last blogged about the NFA NA Tour in August. Then I was in Clearwater, BC, near Wells Grey Provincial Park. I headed into the greater Vancouver area the next day to stay for a few days with my long time friends Karen and Allen in North Vancouver. Since then some things I had planned happened and some things that weren’t part of the plan inserted themselves.

First of all, I had planned to spent a couple of weeks in the lower mainland camping and visiting with my friends and family. And I planned to head to Vancouver Island to visit family there toward the end of September, after my trip to the Balkins. However, since my Mom had a fall earlier in the summer and was in hospital recovering I decided to make a quick 3 day trip over to the island as soon as I arrived in the lower mainland. Probably the best decision of my life.

Mom was doing great, in a bed in the transition unit having decided to wait for a spot in the Comox valley where she could get a little more care. I went up to see her the first day I arrived and had a great visit as well as an even better one the next day. She was animated and had asked the nursing staff to help her change into one of her nicest outfits in anticipation of my visit. We had a lovely visit in the garden of the extended care facility at St Joseph’s Hospital in Comox.

The following day my sister, Charlene, and I were on our way to her previous residence to finalize things there before going up to see Mom again in the afternoon when we received word that Mom had suffered a massive stroke. She never recovered and I stayed with her for the next few days until she passed away really peacefully on August 28 with Charlene and I at her side. I am so thankful that I had a great visit before her stroke and that I could be there with her at the end. Also thankful that my sister Charlene, who was a nurse before her retirement, was there as well, for Mom, but also for me! And Char’s husband, Leif, was a rock for us. Couldn’t have ask for more support. And great that other family Lori, Jo-Anne, Danika and Noah came to see Mom in the final days as well.

Plans were made for my brother, Rae, to fly to Comox from Winnipeg the following weekend, and my friends Karen and Allen were so gracious as to suggest that I stay with them rather than camping alone in the lower mainland for the week. I was more than good with that, and appreciate their support more than they’ll know. I’m sorry I wan’t in touch with anyone at that time, but as you would imagine I wasn’t great company.

So after a family dinner in Comox to celebrate Mom’s life privately and a couple of great hikes, which Mom would have approved wholeheartedly, the following weekend, it was back to North Vancouver to prepare for my trip to the Balkans. I blogged about that trip in a separate entry which you can read on my blog site if you’re interested.

After the Balkans I came back to the Comox Valley and have been here, at a great campsite on the ocean for the past three weeks.

The campground was completely revamped 2 years ago and has great facilities, and probably the biggest and cleanest bathrooms I’ve seen in my travels across the country.

During that time it’s been great to spend extended time here. I’ve met some friends of my family, gone to a local theatre production, done some dinners and lunches with a couple of my friends, had a great Thanksgiving dinner at Charlene and Leif’s, and gone on some great hikes.

But now it’s time to get on the road again! Next stop, the United States of America. By the way, this was always part of the plan and isn’t because of the results of the election yesterday.

Nanaimo, Canada

North Vancouver, Canada

Clearwater, Canada

Today’s drive was short and very sweet. I travelled from Valemount south on Highway 5 to Clearwater, just a couple of hundred kms away because I wanted to spend some time in Wells Gray Provincial Park. So I’m here at the Clearwater KOA for two nights. It’s a mediocre KOA with the usual amenities, but rather crowded and the facilities could use a make over. They’re kind of tired. And the wifi is so bad, I’m once again using my personal hotspot. Today after quickly setting up camp and doing a reconnoiter of Clearwater, I headed into Wells Gray Provincial Park. I wasn’t planning on going in until tomorrow, but because the forecast is for overcast and rain all day tomorrow, I decided to go see as much as I could before the heavens opened. From my pictures you’ll see a small sampling of why this park’s nickname is “Waterfalls Park”. It is home of Canada’s fourth highest waterfall, Helmcken Falls, and 38 other falls that have been deemed substantial enough to be named. The Clearwater Valley is in the Cariboo Mountains in east central B.C. and it runs between forested hills that are less rugged than those in the Rockies but beautiful nonetheless. This area is an outdoor enthusiasts paradise: whitewater rafting (not over the falls presumably!), horseback riding, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, and just generally room to breath. The town of Clearwater provides services for all these activities. For dinner this evening I stopped at a place that was recommended by the visitors centre, called the Painted Turtle. It’s part of a Good Sam campground and cabins which is right on Dutch Lake and it’s got a huge deck overlooking the lake. I was good and had a salad for my main, but then indulged in profiteroles for dessert. Yum. Highly recommended if you’re in the Clearwater area. Tomorrow is chore day, since I’ll be arriving into Vancouver on Saturday and storing my home on wheels for a bit. This will likely be the last of my blogs for a while since I’ll just be visiting with family and friends in the lower mainland and Vancouver Island for a couple of weeks. Then Sept 8th I’m taking a vacation from my vacation and letting someone else plan my life for a couple of weeks. I’m heading on a G-Adventures Tour with my friend, Nanci to Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia. I don’t think I’ll manage to do a blog for that journey but you can bet I’ll be taking lots of pictures. Then I’ll be back in BC until mid-October before resuming the North America No Fixed Address Tour. So until then, thanks for your likes and comments, and suggestions. Keep them coming.

Valemount, Canada

What a great day. I can’t begin to describe and do justice to the amazing scenery I’ve seen today. Tourists travel from far away lands to come and see the breathtaking scenery of our country, and today’s route is right up there on the top of most of their lists. I heard all sorts of languages spoken along the way and several varieties of English. I even ran into a New Zealand couple that I’d chatted with at the hot springs yesterday, at the top of the Jasper Skytram.

Entering Jasper National Park again this morning I travelled some of the road I had taken to the hot springs yesterday, but with different light on it, it all looked new again. Through valleys and over passes and past rivers and lakes, and past cute little tourist cabins, each curve in the road providing a new vista to take in.

My first stop was at the townsite of Jasper. I, along with hoards of others, found a great cafe on the main drag that had awesome sticky buns and I devoured one while reviewing a “What to do in Jasper National Park” brochure. I have been to the Ice Fields several times and since it was 100km each way, out of my way, I decided to do something I hadn’t done before and that was to go up Whistlers Mountain on the Jasper Skytram. It’s located just ten minutes or so south of Jasper and it is named after the marmots who live there and who make a whistling sound when alarmed.

The road up to the Skytram was short and well paved but very narrow and windy. At the parking lot, I was in luck and was able to find a double parking spot to pull into so I didn’t have to do the dreaded backing up. I purchased my “flight” ticket and waited patiently (well, OK, not patiently) for my allotted flight. The cable cars are very small and with only 2 of them running and a 7 minute ride, it took a while to get the crowds up and back down again. The views were of course spectacular. The Jasper Skytram is apparently the highest and longest aerial tramway located in Canada. It was built in 1964 and goes to a height of 2,277 m (7,472 ft) above sea level. Once you get off the tram there is a hike of about 1.5 km to the top of the mountain and I have to admit that I didn’t make it to the top. I gave up about half way up for a plethera of reasons.

I jumped in the car and headed west along the Yellowhead Highway and before too long, there was the marker that my trailer was about to step foot (or wheel) into its 9th province. And as the sign said, “The Best Place on Earth”. Feels like coming home. 🙂

Of course the scenery kept on coming and up next was Mount Robson. I stopped for a lunch break and the compulsory Kodak moment. Mount Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies and rarely are you able to actually see that peak because of clouds or fog. Today we could see most of the mountain, but the peak was clouded over. There were several bus loads of tourists, all looking for that perfect shot and using the limited washrooms.

Not far down the road, I headed onto Highway 5 which heads sound from Highway 16 (which continues on to Prince George). I am overnighting in the town of Valemount, BC. Not far from here, is the genesis of the mighty Fraser River, and in a stream called Swift Creek at the back of the campsite I’m in, there are dozens of Chinook salmon who have made the trek up the Fraser and into the McLennan River to get into this stream to spawn. There is a deep pool where dozens of them wait their turn at the more shallow water up stream in which to spawn. Their attempts are marked by much splashing as they fight against the current to get to that exact spot where they will lay their eggs or fertilize those already laid, only to die immediately after. It’s been 3 months and 1280 km since they left the Pacific Ocean without stopping to eat anything, and they are spent from the voyage.

Not quite as dramatic, but I’m spent from my voyage today, and I believe it’s nap time.

Hinton, Canada

The drive from southern Alberta to northern was uneventful and really that’s the best kind of drives. It was a nice day, no rain, very little construction on a straightforward highway (Hwy 2) for the most part and White Spot for lunch in Leduc. White Spot is one of the things I miss about the west coast. Legendary burgers. Hmmm good.

The Edmonton area was my next stop. Well Stoney Plain to be precise. Here I stayed at possibly the nicest campground I’ve encountered so far, appropriately called Camp’n Class. The location wasn’t terribly inspiring (just off 16A west of Spruce Grove) but it was convenient to all sorts of shopping and just a short distance out of Edmonton. It is obviously a relatively new park, and so the facilities are fresh and sparkling clean. Showers are roomy and bright, with a couple of accessible washroom/showers that are by definition huge. One nit-picky negative is that they charge $1 for each 6 min for the showers which is a pain. The park itself is really well laid out and even has hedges between each site to hide the utility hook ups. Each spot has a gravel pull through with a concrete pad for a patio. The grounds are meticulous and they have grass that is so green that it doesn’t look real. I actually went up and touched it to see!

My mission in the Edmonton area was to have dinner with my niece Lisa, and her daughter Amber, so that we could celebrate our birthdays belatedly. We’re all Leos, along with Lisa’s twin sister, Lara and her other daughter Victoria. We decided that it’s amazing we all get on so well. Lisa and I are even willing to fess up to being bossy and so fitting the Leo stereotype.

Lisa and Amber stopped by the park before we departed for dinner to see my trailer and we got all wild and crazy and shared some bubbly in birthday celebration. (Thanks Janelle and Elizabeth!) Unfortunately it had to be consumed out of plastic glasses since my champaign flutes were excess baggage.

Then it was off to do a drive-by of Lisa and Doug’s new home in Spruce Grove. It’s in a lovely neighbourhood and has plenty of room for all their “toys”. We checked out the pub at the nearest intersection to their place called “The Beer Hunter”. If you know Lisa and Doug you know how appropriate that is. It’s really comfortable with good pub food and I expect it will become a regular haunt. It was great to be able to get together in Edmonton area, since we’re not sure when we might run into each other again and where.

All evening the clouds were gathering and darkening and we had another thunderstorm with rain overnight.

Tuesday’s dawn brought clear, blue skies and cool temperatures, which warmed up to 22 degrees throughout the day. The drive today was a really easy one as I just meandered west down the Yellowhead highway (Hwy 16) to just west of Hinton. I didn’t get on the road until 10 am I arrived just after 1 pm and after a quick set up of the trailer, I headed into Jasper National Park to Miette Hot Springs.

I’ve been to Radium Hot Springs and the ones at Banff but this was a new one for me in this area. It’s up a pretty, meandering mountain road with lots of twists and turns, 17 km into the valley and up the other side, It’s the hottest of the hot springs in the Rockies and the water comes out of the mountain at 54 degrees, but they cool it down to 40 degrees in the hottest pool and then have others cooler than that and one that is absolutely frigid.

I lazed around in the middle temperature one that was just warmer than body temperature and had lunch on a beautiful patio overlooking the pool and the mountains surrounding the Fiddle Valley (something about the wind making fiddling sounds coming down the valley). Not a lot of more perfect ways to spend an afternoon which was only enhanced by a nap back at the trailer to sleep off the effects of the warm water and chemicals.

Tonight I’m at the Hinton/Jasper KOA and it’s a lovely park, built in 2004 after many battles for the owners. The local land owners were not keen about a trailer park in this upscale area of homes on acreage. They finally got over the legal hurdles and have done a great job of making it as attractive as possible, and the facilities are really well maintained. The one downside is they have to rely on satellite wifi which is definitely not high-speed. I’ll try getting this uploaded but it may be Wednesday before you see it.

Stony Plain, Canada

Leduc, Canada