Day 24 - August 28

Up at 7 this morning and on the road at 8.  I slept terrible in the parking lot.  Very noisy.  Pete slept fine.  Things started to get quite busy on the road after we left highway 11 at Orillia.  Everyone is trying to beat the long weekend rush.  We were glad to be through it on a Thursday and we arrived home around 1:30 p.m.  The end of a long journey.  We drove over 11,000 km and the van performed beautifully.  It was easy to drive and very cosy inside.  We loved living in it.  What a wonderful trip we had.  We saw so many beautiful things!  God is good and he has given us a beautiful world in which to live and we are so thankful for the opportunity to see some of it and we are thankful for our safe travels.  We are also thankful to have shared our journey with you and we hope to be able to share in some of your experiences again too.  Thanks for coming along with us!  Love, Pete and Angela

p.s.  This great van is now available to anyone who wishes to use it next!

Day 23 - August 27

So we didn't get away terribly early this morning.  We were on the road by about 9 and then stopped at McDonald's for breakfast and computer update and we on the road again by 10.  Not much to say about the northern route to Cochrane, trees, rocks, lakes, trees, rocks, lakes and lots of transport trucks.  We arrived in Cochrane around 5:30 p.m. and looked around for about an hour.  I saw pretty much everything I wanted to see, our house, the hospital, the church, the lake in town, Struyk's farm, the school (which is gone - both Commando and Ferguson).  We decided to carry on driving.  We ended up in a Walmart parking lot in New Liskard.  About 5 hours from home!  By this time it was almost 10  and we hadn't eaten anything since coffee time in the afternoon.  I fried some eggs with peppers and onions which we ate and then we went to bed.  A very long day!

Day 22 - August 26

We were on the road this morning around 9.  We keep loosing an hour and are finding it harder to wake up early in the morning!  We arrived in Carmen around 10 at VanderVeen's Greenhouses.  We met Nathan's oldest brother and his parents Calvin and Chris.  We had a tour of their greenhouse operation which is huge and impressive!  We are mere hobbiests in the greenhouse world.  They are very nice people and we felt very much at home with them.  On the road again around 12 and we made coffee and lunch on the move.  It's time to make some miles!  We travelled all the way to Kakabeka Falls and slept in the provincial park there.  We lost another hour, so it was about 9 p.m. when we arrived.  A long day and we were ready to be horizontal!  Unfortunately we forget to take the camera in to the greenhouses and so have no pictures.  Major omission!  We are going the Northern route and hope to be in Cochrane tonight.

Day 21 - August 25

Happy Birthday Mom!  Hope you had a great day.  Last night we slept in Swift Current, Sask.  It was raining like crazy most of the day yesterday and most of the night.  Sunday was only 9 degrees and the night was much colder.  We were quite cold when we got to bed after several rounds of rummy, but quickly warmed up and stayed warm all night.  Our campground had a terrible WIFI so nothing could be done on the computer and we were worried about the bathrooms in the morning, but they turned out better than expected.  We didn't get on the road again until about 9.  Right outside of Swift Current there was a cute young guy hitch hiking, so I turned around and picked him up.  He was a really nice kid, only 17 years old, turning 18 in 2 days.  He was from Sherbrooke, QC and had been hitchhiking and travelling for 3 mths.  He was now on his way home again.  He was 'wwoofing' his way across Canada (world wide opportunities on organic farms) which is you work for shelter and food.  He had a great time, no bad experiences so far.  We brought him as far as Moose Jaw where we stopped to visit Katie and Rob Boers and family.  We heard noise in the back yard, so went to the gate and Elisabeth was outside with another boy that Katie babysits.  She said right away 'I know those people' and just had to get at us.  So cute!  All was well there.  Nickolas is growing like a weed. They showed us their home renovations to date and we showed them our little home.  Elisabeth thought she should travel with us home, that she could easily sleep with us, but we reminded her about school starting and she reluctantly stayed.  Goodbyes are tough, but we had a nice visit.  We carried on to the air force base where Rob works and watched planes take off and land for a while.  Quite entertaining.  We then stopped in Rouleau, SA at the sight of the TV Dog River and Corner Gas show.  That was neat to see.  We drove east the rest of the day.  We saw our first fields of sunflowers and also another crop that we need some of the farmers to identify for us.  There were also tons of oil derricks in southeast Saskatchewan which was quite a surprise. We

are now in Treherne, Manitoba, close to Carmen.  We'll stop there in the morning to see Nathan VanderVeen's family greenhouse.

Day 20 - August 24

We stayed in such a nice clean campground this morning.  Cleanest bathrooms yet, such a pleasure.  Up and on the road for church by 9:40, lots of chores to do this morning.  We went to church at the Granum CRC.  It is the oldest CRC in Canada apparently.  The minister is young, Henry Veldboom.  He went to school with my cousin Ivan and his wife is related to Ben's wife Lorraine from Smithville.  We also met Amy, the pianist in church, who is good friends with Trish Poole and lots of other friendly people.  The praise team was great and a really nice service!  We are now on the road East again.  Just stopped in Taber, AB at the McDonald's to update our blog.  We are having lunch here.  We are certainly out of the mountains now and it feels quite good to see further and wider.  The driving is also great on these flat, flat roads.  Well, that's all for now.  Sabbath blessings to you all.  Love, Pete and Angela

Day 19 - August 23

We left Golden this morning around 8:30.  Had a really good sleep despite the trains thankfully.  We stopped at Lake Louise around 10:00 a.m.  Had a walk around there, did pictures for others and had some taken of us by them.  Made coffee in the van and carried on again.  Arrived in High River, AB around 1, had lunch in the van in a parking lot and found the visitor information.  We knew there was a Rodeo in town but it only said at the Rodeo arena but no address and our tourist information book did not provide any camping in High River.  The info people gave us a great map of High River and directed us to camping down the road in Claresholm.  I called the Claresholm campground and made reservations and then we found the rodeo arena and parked there until the gates opened around 3.  Napped in the van.  The reason there is no camping in High River is because of the big flood last summer.  They will not completely recover from this for the next 10 years they think.  We could certainly see all the abandoned houses boarded up and their downtown seems to be in reconstruction mode.  They are also re-contouring the banks/levies of the river.  Lots of work.  As we were finding our spot in the grandstand, we hear our names being called and there is Rick and Tania VanderPloeg and their 4 children! They used to live in Owen Sound.  So cool.  We did know that they lived in High River during the flood, but weren't sure if they remained.  We sat with them during the rodeo.  Really nice.  The rodeo was good, semi-professional.  The horses and bulls sure were impressive as well as the folks who got on them.  Now we are at our campground in Claresholm and think we will attend the CRC  near Granum tomorrow morning.  Good night everyone!

Day 18 - August 22

We hightailed it out of our campsite and were on the road by 8.  We stopped in Kamloops for coffee and an update of the blog.  At lunch time we stopped at the place where they drove the last spike for the railroad.  It is named after a scottish town Craigellachie.  In 1985 they commemorated 100 years by building a cairn with a rock from each province and a rock from Craigellachie in Scotland.  It is really neat.  While we were there a train went by, so that was cool. We drove through Roger's Pass which we seem to recall from school.  The glacier picture below is in from there. We carried on driving until Golden, BC and are now in a nice park right in town beside the Kicking Horse River.  There is actually a triple set of railroad tracks right at the other side of the river and during the first hour of being here at least 3 trains have gone by.  It should be an interesting night!  There certainly is lots to keep our attention during waking hours.  We have now lost an hour because of the first time change.

Day 17 - August 21

Left Riverside Resort Campground around 9 this morning and parked at Whistler Village.  Walked through the village, saw the Olympic rings, the flame thingy and the big stage area used during the olympics and we had our morning coffee in the village.  So beautiful!  It is like Disney World, all groomed and quaint and expensive.  Then we went up Whistler Mountain in a gondola to where the peak to peak gondola is.  While up there we went on a guided hike for over an hour and saw a glacial lake, glaciers and other flora and fauna.  Very enjoyable and some steep descents and ascents!  Then we took a chair lift to the summit of Whistler and hiked around up there.  We had to hike downhill to reach the chairlift about 1 km and then up again when we came back.  At the summit you could look in any direction and it was nothing but mountains.  Awesome!  It was quite cold too.  Luckily we both brought a sweater and jacket.  Then we had lunch at the Roundhouse Lodge on the mountain and watched a movie about the building of the Peak to Peak Gondola.  Then we rode the Peak to Peak Gondola which goes from Whistler Mountain to Blackcomb Mountain, 4.4 km with over 3 km unsuspended....an amazing experience.  The we rode down Blackcomb on 2 different chair lifts.  The heights are just unbelievable, words and pictures cannot convey it!  We then had coffee in the van and drove to Lilloet on the banks of the Fraser River.  Sketchy little campground on an Indian Reserve.  Right now we are in Kamloops having our morning coffee.  We hope to get to at least Banff today.  Love to you all.  Pete and Angela

Day 16 - August 20

Up at 6:30 to get out early.  Need to be in line for the ferry to Horseshoe Bay by 7:45.  The ferry was great!  Very smooth and lovely seating.  When we arrived, we tried to call Don & Gwen (former owners of our greenhouse) to see if they were home as we would need another ferry to get to Gibsons where they live.  No answer, so we went to Vancouver for the day.  We rented bicycles and biked along the harbour and sea wall and through Stanley Park.  We did 2 loops, about 18 km total.  We had lunch in the Park by the public pool.  It was all so fun!
Afterwards we went back to Horseshoe Bay to try Don and Gwen again but still no answer.  We decided to carry on to Whistler (site of the 2010 Winter Olympics).  We got there around 4 and got a spot in the Riverside Resort.  Very nice!  There is a fire ban everywhere in BC.  Very dry.  We are now planning our day for tomorrow.  We will probably do the peak to peak gondola ride and some hiking and a walk through the Village at Whistler.  The Olympic rings are there so should be cool to see.  Love you all.  Pete and Angela

Day 15 - August 19

On the road about 9.  Heading towards Nanaimo.  Stopped at a tourist information place around Duncan.  We asked them about Tofino.  They said it was very busy and recommended Port Renfrew instead.  The drive there sounded quite precarious, 60 km of nothing for a time, they gave us mile marker instructions to keep us on course!  We then did some grocery shopping at Walmart & updated the blog at their McD's.  Very slow, it took a long time.  We decided to just make Nanaimo our goal and not go to the Pacific side of Vancouver Island at all.  Arrived in Nanaimo around 2:30, got a site at Westwood Lake Campground.  A family run campground, near a great water reservoir called Westwood Lake.  Lots of biking and walking trails around it and great swimming.  We then went down to the harbour area and walked all along the paths there.  Great busy spot, 3 navy ships came in, busy water airport, lots of boating, fishing (pink salmon)(crab) Could easily sit there for hours watching all the activity!  Went back to the park, made supper, watched a movie & bed.  Early wake up call for the ferry in the morning!

Day 14 - August 18

We got a spot at the KOA in Port Angeles last night and were up at 5 a.m. to go to the ferry line for the 8:15 ferry to VIctoria, BC.  We were first in line.  The ferry started loading around 7:45 am and departed on time.  It was built in 1959 and has been travelling back and forth ever since.  It was really different travelling on the ocean, though.  Lots of side to side motion.  We both felt fine though.  We arrived in Victoria at 9:45.  It is a beautiful city.  We went for a harbour tour on a small boat.  That was really nice.  They also have the busiest sea plane airport in the habour and have at least 2 areas of floating homes.  Really neat.  They were walked through the Empress Hotel, passed on the high tea and walked around some more.  Had lunch at a restaurant beside the harbour on an outside patio.  Had to have fish.  Delicious!  Then we carried on to Butchart Gardens.  It was really lovely, but we really didn't have the energy for it, so didn't stay long.  Carried on to find a spot in Bamberton Provincial Park.  It was a  lovely park with beautiful, sites and a nice beach (although the beach was downhill for at least 1 km which we walked on a steep path and had to walk up again) .  The downside was only outhouses, no showers, water only at taps near the outhouses.  Yuck!  We had to wash from a pail this morning and no blow drying!  I hate that.  We are now near Duncan on Vancouver Island, trying to decide where to go next.  To Tofino where it is very busy or to Port Renfrew which sound very primitive or just stay on the inside side of the island?  We'll let you know how this turns out.

Day 13 - August 17

We did get a spot in a state park in Washington.  The Lewis and Clark State Park.  It is located within an old growth forest.  Very beautiful!  We do not have hydro or water but that is really not much of an issue for us.  Just can't charge our devices.  Got up this morning and drove to Centralia for church.  We attended the Harrison Square Presbyterian Church.  They were very welcoming although the congregation was small.  The service was excellent, great praise team and very good minister.  The service was very familiar to our own.  Then we went to the local outlet mall and now we are in McDonald's for lunch so that we can update our blog.  There is a picture below for Greg Lougheed as there is a Tesla charging station right here with 10 stations and there were 2 Tesla's in!  Pretty cool.  We are now going to head to Port Angeles where the ferry is to Victoria, BC.  We'll see if we can make it in time for a crossing yet today, but if not we'll book passage for tomorrow.  Hope you all have a blessed Sabbath!  Love, Pete and Angela

Day 12 - August 16

We we on the road again by 8:30 and started heading North. Our first stop was at Cape Kiwanda.  It is a great beach on the ocean were there is a boat lauch, lots of surfing and a huge sand hill (400 feet).  We got to see how to launch and return to shore in a boat on the ocean and a sandy beach.  Quite something, especially with all the waves rolling in.  We also climbed the sand hill which was quite an effort, but the view was worth it.  The bay also had a huge rock in it.  Running back down the hill was really fun.  We made coffee in the van and then were on our way again.  We hoped to stay in a State Park in Oregon yet, but they were all full.  We did spend some time day in a day use park called Fort Stevens where we made our lunch.  This park is at the mouth of the Columbia River on a peninsula of land between the river and the ocean.  Quite interesting.  Because of the fishing there is no room anywhere for camping, so we decided to carry on north. We crossed the Columbia from Astoria on a very long bridge. We are now in Longview, Washington and hoping to find a spot in one of 2 state parks between here and Tacoma.

Day 11 - August 15

This morning we were on the road by about 8:30.  Our first stop, for coffee, was in a section of old growth forest, Douglas Firs.  They were amazing.  There was a trail there which we walked and we saw lots of huge trees.  They were awe inspiring and I'm sure our pictures will not do them justice.
We stopped and made lunch in Sweet Home and then arrived at Newport around 1:30 in the afternoon.  Finally the Pacific Ocean!  Our first choice for a camp ground was a state park called Beverley Beach.  It was full and they said the other state park close by was also full.  They did, however, give us a list of private campgrounds which they recommended and we found a spot in the first one. It is on the Siletz River which is currently running with salmon, the same salmon we have a home. We then drove back to some of the day use state parks we had passed and spent time walking the beach, watching surfers and even whale watching!  We saw our first grey whale at the Boiler Bay scenic look out and then we carried on to a little town called Depoe Bay and watched grey whale feed for at least half an hour.  It was quite close to shore.  Amazing!

We also walked through the Depoe marina where the Coast Guard is stationed.  They have several rescue boats there.

Then back to our park, made supper, had a walk around, talked to some kids fishing who were from Vancouver and now Pete is doing the dishes.  Another really good day.  Hope all is well with you all.  Love, Pete and Angela 
p.s.  Having trouble downloading pictures.  Will do that tomorrow.