OH CANADA.......

THIS POST ISN'T FINISHED... BUT I THOUGHT I'D GET IT STARTED.....

Enchanting, fascinating, beautiful, unequalled, matchless, magnificent, gorgeous, exquisite divine, radiant, spectacular, panoramic, staggering, breath-taking, picturesque, striking, grand, wondrous, extraordinary, remarkable, phenomenal, vivid, brilliant, smashing, glorious, divine, sensational, marvelous, dramatic.

Alright, So I consulted my “Synonym Finder” but I couldn’t come up with the words to describe everything I encountered over the weekend. My friend Scott from Olympia (south of Seattle) drove over Friday, picked me up around 7:00 p.m. and we drove up to Vernon Canada. Along the way I at least 100 deer, two elk, barely, saw them, on the side of the road, they both had stubby lil’ antlers. I missed a coyote, that too would have been the first LIVE one I have seen.

(this was taken just past home, in Usk, Washington.)

We arrived in Vernon just shy of 3:00 a.m. Oddly enough, Scott and I were the first ones up. The plan was to camp in Kamloops, but the forecast called for rain all weekend, and here I was all ready for a weekend of rain in my new customized rain gear. We discussed our sightseeing options, and settled on first visiting the Hot Springs.

After a short Ferry ride, Marty called out that he saw a bear on the side of the road. On my behalf, he turned the van around and we pulled up next to a little bear cub. That little guy looked up, with a yellow flower in his mouth, and darted into the woods. Here’s the photo I took of him…

He’s there, I swear… just beyond the greenery, and running fast to get away from the humans… J

The springs are not marked so Marty passed them right up. Once back on track, we headed up the side of a mountain, where another bear cub ran out into the road, then another! Before I was able to click the camera, the first was in the brush, but I did actually get a shot of the second one… Biggest problem.. where’s Mamma? We rolled up the windows, and sped on by, with no sight of her.

If it hadn’t been for the cars parked on the side of the road, you never would have known that there was a trail heading down the side of the mountain. We backed up our towels and water, then started the trek down the path. I was surprised how steep it was. Quite a ways down, I spotted the spring. 40 years or so ago, engineers poured concrete into two separate pools, one right at the opening of the spring, just big enough to fit two people. Down the slope, a cooler pool, large enough for a dozen or so, had a pipe running cooler spring water into it, so it’s a bit more comfortable.
I took off down a trail, as the guys headed into the warmth of the spring water. After being gone for a long period of time, looking for the river that raged below, I figured I best start my ascent back up, before they got the idea that I was mauled by mamma bear. I was able to get some fantastic photos though.

Back at the pool, I still wasn’t up for getting in the water, so I hung out and took pictures. They were harassing me about getting in. I jokingly told them I’d disrobe at the waterfall later, but wasn’t feeling comfortable around the people that were there.

We all wanted to go back and see a waterfall that we passed on the way, so hours after we arrived, we climbed back up the mountainside, exhausted by the heat of the water, and the climb. There were two great falls, each one spectacular in it’s own way. At the larger fall, the guys reminded me that I said I would jump in that water…. This wasn’t any hot spring, this was freezing mountain water falling. Unfortunately it doesn’t take much to provoke me, so I stripped down to my underwear, and ran on in!!! WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?????? But at least I have pictures to prove it.

After, I toweled off, and we headed for the next ferry on our way to dinner. Just standing on the rocks waiting, there were countless photos to be taken. Marty nestled in against the rocks and rested.

This ferry ride… I can’t even explain it. The views, seeing the rain fall in the distance, the snow capped mountains, it was….. everything I started this post with….

On the other side, we had a good thirty-some-odd mile drive to dinner. The town, who’s name I have forgotten, was clean and quaint. Heading into the restaurant, I realized I didn’t have my wallet…. Back at the van, it wasn’t there either… that meant it was laying by the water fall….. We jumped in the van, and hightailed it to the ferry, trying to get there by the 9 p.m. launch. Careening down the highway at 160 km per hour (over 100 miles per hour) the three of us looked for deer in the road, while Marty attentively kept his eyes on the road. We arrived just after the ferry left. So, another hours wait. Long after, we finally arrived at the falls, and found my overspray-soaked wallet, and something else, but that’s a story for another beer. Now remember, I was in Canada… If I hadn’t found my wallet with my birth certificate in it, I wouldn’t have been allowed back in the U.S.

We didn’t arrive home until 2 a.m. another long day, and late night……

Sunday came, we all slept in for much needed rest. Marty and I suited up for a ride on his motorcycle. This too was a first for me. Now, I’m gonna have to get me one o’ these. It was to be a short trip around the town, but instead, he took me up a mountain, near a ski resort so we could look down upon the town of Vernon. Once back down we toured the town, after quite some time, headed home. The shear exhilaration was incomparable to anything I’ve ever done. Putting you full trust in someone while leaning, and flying around corners……. It’s amazing.










What a Wonderful Memorial Day Weekend......