In October last year I drove our good old Honda CRV from Fonthill to North Vancouver to visit Hilary and Shayd. I decided to leave the CRV there and come back this summer to make the drive back. Well, the good old CRV made it all the way back again. One of Shayd's friends, Steve, was so good to have me park the car next to his house in Pemberton, a bit north of Whistler. During the winter there was so much snow, they could not see the car anymore, but the CRV withstood the winter well. In late May I flew to Vancouver and Shayd brought me to Steve's place to see how the car was holding up. Shayd refitted my self-made bed and Steve recharged the battery. When he started the engine, it appeared that the alternator was frozen up and a belt broke. We ordered a mechanic to have a look at that later. Shayd and I drove back and made a dinner stop in Whistler in one of Shayd's favorite eat-places, where they make original recipe New Zealand style pies: "Peaked Pies"....
It was good to see Shayd dig in with gusto....; It was a nice first day back in the Rockies.
Back in the condo building in North Vancouver, it was nice to bring Poncho on a few walks again, while Hilary was doing her job from home with BC Doctors. I went for a few walks in the parks of North Vancouver and took the ferry over to downtown Vancouver one day.
One of the few remaining cruise ships of the once mighty Holland America Line was harbored. It still offers Alaska cruises from Vancouver. The view over North Vancouver from downtown....
And I hang out a full day in my favorite community called Deep Cove on a nice inlet about half an hour by car from North Vancouver. This place has my kind of vibes. After a week in the guest unit of the condo building, Hilary drove me again to Pemberton to see if the CRV was travel ready. Steve surprised us by having fixed the alternator and belt on his own. I don't know how he did it, but he did. The car was ready to begin the 3,500 kilometers back to Niagara again...
From Pemberton I drove a bit further north and then east, and then south again on the N1. Along the way there was still snow on the ground in early June in a few places + bear warnings. Beautiful sights along the way (photos can hardly do it justice...).
Along the N1 route, I passed a small town which was burned to the ground during the wild fires of last summer. This spring it has been more wet than usual, so hopefully no forest forest fires this summer. I stopped for the first night a a wild camping site just passed the town of Hope. It started raining during the night, so not a great first night in the improved mini bed (imagine going out in the rain to pee...).
No rain a bit further east in the city of Osoyoos, which appears to be an extension of a desert region stretching into Canada from the USA. It felt like driving into a town in Mexico or California. The 2nd night was in a small provincial park along Christina Lake.
Just when I had started my little camp fire, it started raining again. This time it lasted only an hour and afterwards I enjoyed my night with the fire contemplating life. In the East Kootenay region I boarded a short ferry ride across Lake Kootenay; a beautiful area.
In the town of Cranbrook, West Kootenay, I had lunch with Graham, a former colleague with whom we undertook several international training projects when he worked for College of the Rockies. That night - after three nights camping in the CRV mini-bed - I treated myself with a hotel in Fernie, a popular ski, hiking and mountain-biking town. I had a room with a view....
Via the Crowsnest Pass I entered the province of Alberta. Bye-bye beautiful BC, hello prairies....
Passing through southern Alberta in about four hours driving, I found a nice small municipal camping ground in Gull Lake (a small town with no lake). The camping ground had an honor system whereby campers put $20/night in an envelope in a small office mailbox. In town there was a summer fest with a folk singer who sang out his heart.
Most mornings were peanut butter and jam sandwiches, but every now and then I spoiled myself. In Manitoba I had picked a camp ground along a large lake, but when I arrived there it was literally black of the mosquitos. I escaped the beasts and ended up again in a municipal camping ground in Portage de Prairie, not far from Winnipeg.
And after five days and nights, I entered Ontario again. I ended up just going past Thunder Bay in the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, a place I hope to return for a longer stay maybe next year. Along the way that day several stops near the many small lakes, and Sleeping Giant park is located on a peninsula along Lake Superior with several small lakes in the park.
June is the month after the rains so mosquitos everywhere. Can't camp without "Off". The provincial park campground also has a few "roofer accommodations", something Mary and I should check out next year. My cell phone had no service in the park, so I gave Mary a call on a public phone. I came to the machine with quarters, but it showed my age. No coins anymore; credit cards only. And for $5 per minute!! It was a short call....
On the public beach of the camp ground the mosquitos were not too bad because of the wind, but next time I am coming back in September: Indian summer weather and no mosquitos! The drive along Lake Superior on Highway 17 was again wonderful despite a few torrential rains. The views on this road are probably among the nicest in Ontario. After saying hi again to the giant goose in Wawa, I ended up on Manitoulin Island that evening, treating myself again with a motel room after three nights in the CRV mini-bed. From my room I could see the ferry landing right across the street.
The next morning I was lucky getting a ticket for the ferry to Tobermory, because the boat was fully booked. They squeezed me in, so even though I was the last one to book, I was the first one to line up
Day nine of this road trip started with a huge "brunch" at 11:30 AM on board of the ferry. The hour and half ferry ride was mostly spent on the upper deck enjoying the sunny day and nice views.
After the last four hours from Tobermory to Niagara, it was home sweet home. The next day I cleaned up the good old CRV. This cross-Canada drive had been on my bucket list. Done!
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