Canada Farewell Tour

We went south from Revelstoke toward Nakusp, a small town on Arrow Lake, which I understand is the product of a dam of the Columbia River further south. Going there required a roughly 30-minute ferry ride across the lake. We waited for the ferry about 30 minutes as well. The weather was nice, as per usual on this trip, so waiting wasn't a daunting task. We fixed lunch, made coffee, and took Kenting for a walk in the intermission.  We were first in line for the ferry. A small victory, for sure. Kenting had his sights on the lake water upon arrival. After some contemplation and testing the wind, he decided it was worth a taste. The ride itself was pleasant. I didn't think we would be allowed out of the vehicle, but indeed we were and had a nice view. For whatever reason our time in BC was accompanied throughout with a hazy horizon that prevented the mountain view enjoyed in Jasper and Banff. At the same time, the haze leant to somewhat of a mystical aura on the lake. For a free r...

We left our quiet little spot along a branch of the Columbia River in Spillimacheen and traveled northwest to Mount Revelstoke National Park, where we intended to let our hair down for a few nights at the Snowforest Campground within. This campsite was notable for having recently banned tents or any "softsided" vehicles that are not fully covered with metal due to the bear activity in the region. But, just like Lake Louise, there would be no bears the three nights we stayed. The site was also notable for its facilities, which were by far the nicest of any campground we visited on the trip. The washrooms were reminiscent of a hotel. In each bathroom stall they had an informative panel on one of the various creatures inhabiting the mountain. On one productive foray I learned that the region was known as "place of the chickadees" by the Ktunaxa people, and that four species of the little bird lived there. This was news to me, as I only ever knew the one kind that used ...

We said our final (?) goodbyes to Alberta and drove through the rockies one last time. We turned left before Lake Louise, headed through Kooteney National Park, down perhaps the longest steady downward slope we've ever driven, and eventually settled along an offshoot of the Columbia River in a little place called Spillimacheen. On the way to the Rockies we stopped in Canmore, which I judged to be a nice mountain town. Then we headed on into BC. It was a bit of a detour as there was a section of the Trans-Canada Highway closed heading into BC. I'm certain it was the more scenic route. It took more like 5 hours to get to our destination as it was a single land highway with several large trucks backing up traffic. This was another boondocking site. Just a little side road of a side road off the highway. It was a pretty area, but definitely just a stopover for the night. The most notable event was when I took Kenting out to pee before bed and saw a steady stream of starlike objects...