Day 19 – Thursday, July 4th - Driving North through British Columbia

 

Happy Fourth of July!

We left the home of our gracious hosts, Lisa and Ernie.  We truly enjoyed our stay with them.  It was nice to relax in a “home” and not in our 4-wheel apartment for a day. 

We headed east to cross the border at Sumas.  For some reason I always get a bit nervous crossing into Canada.  I filled up on gas before I went across and sat in line for only 20 minutes.  I handed the gentleman my passport and Buck’s vaccination certificates.  He asked where I was from and where I was going.  We walked away with my papers, but returned shortly later and bid me to have a good day.

Once in Sumas, Canada I found the Walmart and stocked up on groceries, since I couldn’t bring much across the border. 

Heading east, north-east I stopped in Chilliwack and found a library to post my blogs.  We drove up the Coquihalla Interstate.  There were numerous signs warning that this was High Mountain Country and to watch for extreme weather changes.  Lots of areas to “chain up” or “take chains off”.  I have always enjoyed watching Rescue 101 on the Weather Channel about tow truck drivers that work this stretch of highway in the Winter.  I passed through the avalanche tunnel.  Kept driving on Canadian 1 and then 5.  Passed through Kamloops.  This was a surprisingly large town.  I just couldn’t believe that there were mountains on both sides that just kept going on forever.

I wanted to push to camp at Blackpool, but decided instead to stop at Pine Grove Campground just shy of Barriere.  The campground host showed me a Saskatoon tree and told me to pick all I wanted, so I did.  They had a bit of a nutty taste because of the seeds, and weren’t real sweet, but tasty.