It was
a day of flurry and excitement. Still packing luggage til after midnight,
5AM came early. My wife set her alarm even earlier, to do the things that
women "need" to do, like washing hair, and face painting until the Taxi
drove in at 5:30AM. We arrived at the Halifax Airport by six AM to check
our luggage for the 7AM flight to Victoria.
Now,
one always meets someone that they know, at an airport: we ran across "The
Iris" from our Computer
Club, on her way to Toronto, to make connections for France. I saw
several Military acquaintances, and faces that were "oh, so familiar".
We had the two seats nearest the window on the Starboard side of the Canadian
Airlines jet, and as my wife sat with her nosed pressed to the glass, pointing
out things that were always out of my field of vision, I quietly comforted
those in earshot, with stories of double checking the emergency exits,
and "wonder if we should have gotten that flight insurance" stuff.
After
a timely takeoff, and a short 90 minutes to Toronto, we had been given
50 minutes on the ground, so irate smokers could inhale a few packs prior
to the non-smoking, extended trip to Victoria. I used that time to make
a quick phone call to my friend Margaret, who was good enough to send a
few cases of wine to us, from Hamilton, via my ship. She has become a lifetime
friend after working for me as a Reservist, in 1991 and proved to be one
of the best female workers I have ever met. A lineup of Aircraft littered
the taxiway and airfield as we jockeyed for position to leave Pearson International.
The
continuing flight, was indeed, a lengthy one. My wife took the usual cursory
look at the in-flight movie, "Til I Met You", before adjusting my shoulder,
for a semi-comfortable nap. I hate sleep, I liked the movie, and because
it was sunny and bright outside, my internal clock wouldn't allow me the
opportunity to sleep. So, I watched the obnoxious and pompous travelling
neighbour to my left, as he took up half the isle and seemed to make a
point of letting the Stewardesses wait for him at every passing, reminding
them, that, at least in his own mind, he was someone important. There was
a spectacular view of the Rockies, and we took out the maps, to verify,
where each snow-capped peak, really was. We had a total of two egg related
meals, either omelet at breakfast, or quiche at brunch, and finally landed
safely on Vancouver Island, at Victoria Airport.
Now,
the first appearance to the untrained tired eye, might be, that we were
in Jamaica again, with the rush of balmy breezes and bright sunshine, just
outside the air conditioned terminal. It was 26 Deg Celsius, and busses
were lined up to exploit the final few dollars out of travellers, to take
them into the city of Victoria.
Juice vendors and taxicabs had joined the commercial opportunity, to make
a fast buck. We had booked a Rent-A-Car in advance, but a really fast queue
had developed at the desk and I was tempted to give them my authorization
number at the express counter, since the reservations were supposed to
be set up. Well, I guess that price quote, Geo Metro, and itinerary were
not needed, as we took the time to get new prices (possibly even cheaper)
based on Corporate Rate, and adding insurance costs to meet the discounted
savings. Anyway, they were still cleaning up our Toyota Tercel, and making
me sign waiver after waiver, particularly pointing out that the cars were
not allowed on gravel roads anywhere. Suddenly they wanted to know where
we were going to be around Victoria. A car with unlimited miles, rented
for 12 days, was I going to stay in town? Not likely.
Photo Radar is used in British Columbia, and if you are captured on camera,
while speeding behind everyone else, your ticket will come in the mail.
The Rental Car folks had reminded us, that the renter, pays all speeding
tickets. We just kept up with traffic, on the way to the Ferry from the
Island to Vancouver City. Now, I might add, that the signs in BC tell a
limited story of where, and when, to turn for ferry terminals, and other
attractions. So many people have missed it, that they have a bigger sign,
that tells you how far back the highway, you have to go, to make a U-turn,
to try to get to the lineups that are only a few feet away, on the other
side of that fence. I got it right, in under three attempts. I think those
others were following me, because they found the way back too. The Cheaters!
It is a 90 minute trip on the car carrying ferries, to the mainland. The
decks are littered with half naked sun worshippers, often detracting from
the scenery of the bays, and mountains, which were also, breath taking.
After returning once to the car, to get a camera and binoculars, it nearly
turned out to be the last time we saw that Tercel. The various decks and
locations are marked, but when everyone leaves the cafeteria, weather decks,
and lounge areas, things get very confusing. Seems, if we had found that
one special staircase, we would have gotten one deck lower, than the one
we walked, from end to end, looking for the lost Tercel. Thankfully, we
got there in time to join in the staring, at those others, that hadn't
been as lucky, and were beginning to hold up the timely exit of every other
car.
How do you pronounce Tsawwassen? What kind of a name is that for a white
anglo-saxon tourist to repeat? Well, they had a McDonald's Restaurant,
where the prices of the Full Meal Deal, were less than the cost of a pizza
slice on the ferry, so we dined there. Now, this would be an excellent
time to point out, that since our honeymoon, I knew better than to entrust
my wife with a map. She has a lot of skills, and navigation is not one
of them. I could see the City of Vancouver, just over there, in the distance,
in the valley of that magnificent snow capped mountain. It turned out to
be easier to follow the mountains, than the road map, and I have a better
chance of viewing the map correctly, while speeding along at 100 Klicks,
than she does.... We never actually saw, the city, but made a note of its
location, and we would return there on the way back. 'Sides, everywhere
I stopped to get a picture, I had to step over roadside garbage to get
a good shot of what we are told, is the beauty of BC.
Those alluring mountains just had to be reached, and we soon we reached
heights, never encountered since the plane had landed. The sheer cliff
faces, and summits were quite a reminder of the beauty of nature, and the
unconquered peaks all around us. Everyone drives like a madman, and if
Photo Radar was in place, I should get my first tickets in about 3 weeks.
We stopped at scenic Look Offs, and rest areas, along the next unserviced
150 kilometre trail. Finally deciding that the furthest we would like to
travel, was Kelowna, we branched from Highway 99, to the # 97C. I had a
list of reasonable rate hotels, but surprisingly, if you didn't ask about
specials, and corporate rates, they added another $60 to your bill. As
the sun turned to shadows, in the valley, the reality of the time change
began to set in. We stayed at the Big White Motor Lodge, in Kelowna, and
a short trip to the Chinese Restaurant got us enough take-out food to have
supper and breakfast too. Did you know, you can warm takeout on the top
of a lamp? Like we cared. I called ahead, to let Pat know we were coming,
having not seen her in 23 years, this could prove interesting. She booked
us our next hotel in downtown Armstrong.
Before we left our hotel, we had a morning dip in the pool, and we stopped
to see Zellars, and Future Shop in Kelowna, before the Cybermind Cafe opened
up, and we were able to pay $5 per half hour, to get our EMAIL from the
Internet. The two finger typist, got her mail first, so I bought another
half hour, to get my own EMAIL messages. It was already another sweltering
hot day, and I expect, every day, is like that, if they don't get rain.
I think the overly inflated prices on everything, was due to the "Sun Tax",
obviously a price to pay for the nice climate.
Ok, here's where things get interesting. Pat had agreed to meet me in town
an take me out to her house. I knew we could find it easier ourselves.
We passed the street where we were supposed to turn off, and got the scenic
tour around the backside of the mountain, in a round-about way. Found her
house, eventually, and called her from the driveway to ask her when she
was coming to meet me. But we were right outside her door. She lives on
the lower hill, at the foot of a mountain. Dave, her boyfriend, lives up
the side of the mountain, with "No Trespassing" signs marking his privacy
point. I never did meet him at that time, but hoped to, before I left.
We met Pat's daughters, 16, 14, and 4, and had supper with her. She raises
chickens, and makes a modest living selling her garden produce. She showed
us the horses, Dave's horses, her favourite, and the other two, one being
a huge Clydesdale looking beast, with a shyness for people. She had this
huge white dog, kinda looking like a large cross between a Golden Retriever
and a Great Dane. Supposed to be a type of sheepdog, it was a goofy, lovable
monster, that had the usual dog aroma, and a cold nose, which she insisted
on poking everywhere, and drooled. The funniest part, is that the dog liked
to lay against your leg, sucking up, and put her entire weight there. If
you moved, she instantly keeled over on her side, like she had been shot,
and fell to the ground with a thud. Then she would lay there, til you stood
still again, and repeat the process.
Now with every tranquil setting, there is a side most tourists never see,
and as we passed Otter Lake, we were informed that city sewer run off,
still goes into the lake, and waste by-products of the Armstrong cheese
plant. So they have these funny coloured huge Carp, that no one would consider
catching, and whose colour was a painted example of what industrial waste
does to the wildlife, and our environment. Patty, (She hates the name that
she was called as a teen) hadn't changed too much. Still pretty and full
of life, but longing to think of herself as "getting up there in years"
even though no visible signs were showing.
Now, after supper, we thought that we should check into this hotel. A little
earlier, when we drove through Armstrong, I had seen one old PUB Hotel,
the looked like an historical property. It didn't look like they had running
water, and sure enough, that was the hotel she had in mind. It was cheap,
but rather humorous. Thei rooms were already open, we were encouraged to
go on up, and pick out our own room, the ones with, or without blinds.
A bathroom adjoined only two of the rooms, and the rest used common bathrooms
across the hall. We picked the room with the adjoining bathroom, that had
its very own cast iron tub, and everything appeared very much like a Bed
and Breakfast. The small room, had only one plug, and no table, so I took
my laptop with me, to walk the town centre at 5:30AM, right after the 5AM
train screamed through our bedroom. I had a chance to type my journal at
the A&W down the road, while having Coffee, and just before that annoying
beep turned into a scream, signalling the life of my laptop battery, had
come to an end. I brought a coffee back for Grumpy and continued to type
at the foot of the bed, closest to that solitary plug, mounted on the light
switch 5 feet up the wall.
We had one more little visit with Patty, because I forgot to get pictures
the day before. After 23 years, there was still a little twinge there,
for my former girlfriend. So, after missing the pixs, when she was dressed
pretty, in a denim skirt at supper, I waited til the next morning as we
were departing, to get the pictures of her and the girls. A fine sight,
I am surprised she let me take them, in tattered clothes and covered in
mud, out plucking the Pickling Cucumbers from the garden. The girls were
helping, and in various arrays of dress. Sam (Samantha) was more worried
about being showered before a photo shoot, but Angela still had her PJ's
on, which had become muddy in the garden. Little Michaela was the smart
one who hid her face from the menacing camera. I cleverly forgot to drop
off the key to the hotel, which was in my pocket, and perhaps on the return
trip, we would pass through again, and when I returned the keys, I would
catch Patty and the girls, in a more photogenic state.
Lake Louise. The highlight of the day. Not that the
mountains weren't spectacular, all by themselves, but as we rose to above
the 5000 foot mark, the never-ending heat, disappeared quickly. The air
was cool, and there was a dark cloud quickly passing over the peak of the
mountain. As other tourists donned their sweaters and guestimated the time
we might expect rain, we quietly enjoyed some lunch. The wait was perfectly
timed. Within minutes, we were pelted with heavy hail. While it was short-lived,
it cooled, the already frigid air. By the time we ventured out for pictures,
the other tourists were returning cold and wet, to their cars. Lake Louise
gets an average of one night in three, of frost and snow, any time of the
year. But what an awesome view. Glacier-like deposits of ice and snow,
looming on the mountains rising straight up from the lake, known for its
unusual green colour. Full of minerals or mountain deposits, probably the
reason for the green colour, it was extremely cold water. As the chill
became unbearable in shorts and T-shirt, I decided an hour at the lakeside
was enough, and we headed off to Calgary, heater blazing.
Now, we heard, from sources before we left, that there was going to be
wildlife, everywhere along the Banff National Park. Well, except for those
ground squirrel thingies, not much more. These small curious creatures
resembling a long squirrel, were at a rest stop, occupying a small mound
of grass, near the picnic tables. They were exceedingly curious, and if
you could whistle, they would appear and disappear from either side of
the mound, with only one, that remained throughout. Very photogenic, he
insisted on facing every camera, sitting up on his hind legs, very much
like begging for food. The others whistled at us, but he just remained
frozen in position and we joined the others in wasting film on this big
ham. We couldn't be sure, if those little dots of white, way up the mountain,
were moving or not, but later, my wife caught a glimpse of a grayish-white
animal, that was undoubtedly, a mountain goat. All I saw were the white
metal signs, in the shape of the animal, warning of their crossing in the
road. How do they get those goats to cross at the signs? Well, long into
Alberta, we started to see big furry dear-like creatures, that I can only
assume were the Elk, that were so frequently advertised. No bears, turtles,
sasquoches, or other interesting stuff.. well, yet.
Like
every major city, there was a span of the highway, leading into Calgary,
that had a hotel-motel, every 500 yards. Don't be mislead. While I barely
cared how much, we were on a budget, which seemed to be set at around $200
a day. The name like Econo Hotel, and Budget Motel, were the most expensive
on the block. After hearing one was $135 without a discount for corporate
rate, nor specials of any kind, I said I would go to the next block, and
look at 4 more, before I would jump at this great deal. They quickly added,
they could give me a corporate rate of $95, but I was on my way out the
door. Down the road, the next motel, didn't offer discounts either, but
their regular price was $67, for a room with two king sized beds, and an
exceptionally large room. It pays to check more than one. As the morning
sun got hotter by the minute, Calgary looked like a day's worth of sightseeing
and shopping.
The
Downtown area of Calgary, is a 10 minute visit, to see the whole city centre.
Another half hour to find your way back to the highway through the one-way
street mazes. Apple Auto Glass, where are you? There were 10 cars waiting
at the light. 5 had badly cracked windshields and 2 had punctured "spiders"
in front of the driver's face. Almost every second car had half a windshield
left. And what is this "Love for the Left Lane"? Everyone drives the left
lane on the highway, regardless of intent to pass.
We called
up Lori, who organized the reunion of "Lahrbrats" for those people who
lived in Germany, as Military Dependents. We had just missed the reunion,
two days before we flew out to Victoria, and Lori had been in contact through
EMAIL since April. I had never met her, but she knew my sister. We met
at a Hotel, and followed them home, where we talked over burgers and hospitality.
Don and Lori were still in the never-ending party of the Reunion, and some
had just left. People had come from as far away as Portugal, and we watched
the video, and saw the pictures. What a bunch of old people! Three or four
women, seemed to have forgotten time, looked too young, and had not aged
externally like the rest. The men were all sporting haircuts like mine,
I knew it would come into fashion, that "Eggshell Blonde" look. Well, we
stayed a little too long, and had to get off to Edmonton. Unfortunately,
the number two highway, is the straightest, flattest, most boring road
we travelled this trip. Although, only another 2 hours to Edmonton, we
decided to stay in Red Deer, because we were getting tired. We wanted to
explore the Edmonton Mall in the morning, before I called my old buddy
Joe, who should be at work anyway, during the day.
Edmonton is
a city worth seeing. After an inexpensive stay in Red Deer, we proceeded
north to Edmonton, visiting Patty's mum briefly, before looking for Joe's
place in the North East end. My wife absolutely insisted we have a room
with a pool, but the 10 Hotels closest to Joe's place didn't have pools.
Don't be fooled by the luxury hotels, we wound up in the Alberta
Place Hotel, right downtown, with a pool on the 5th floor and a room
that runs on forever, for about $55 plus tax, a day. We were planning to
stay two to three days here before heading back. Full kitchen, with stove,
fridge, microwave, coffee pot and coffee, can opener, kitchen sink, bathroom
and walk in closet, right at the end of the long hallway in our bedroom,
cable, morning papers..the works. Best hotel yet, and the best price since
we left. We visited with Joe, and his wife Jean, and left about midnight.
A morning dip in the pool, and then off to the West
Edmonton Mall, which is a "must see" even if it is an overrated attraction.
We decided to stay a third day here, before beginning the long route back
through Jasper Park, the alternate route, to the one we came in on. I called
home early in the morning, Alberta time, to check on the kids, and see
if the house was intact. Everything was fine. As with Red Deer, it had
rained overnight, a barely noticeable event from a hotel room, or heated
car. We lived in shorts and T-shirts, and while my wife donned her sweater
by times, I hadn't even bothered to bring anything with sleeves. It was
only cool a few times, since Lake Louise, and with heavy plains winds,
there was a nip in the air, along with blowing sand, I didn't know if that
was unusual or not. We dropped in a coffee shop, something like a "Second
Cup" in Edmonton, where they had steins of flavored malted coffee, and
leather sofa's and easy chairs. Very nice for a cafe, just off of Stoney
Plain Road. One curious question: Why is there a Saskatchewan River in
Edmonton?
Well, even
after we finally decided we might stay another day in Edmonton, we couldn't
get the room another day. So the decision was made for us. We spent about
$45 getting the three rolls of film developed at the West Edmonton Mall.
This Mall goes on forever. Another hour spent just looking for the store
that had our film. the Roller Coasters with full amusement park, dolphins
and other aquatic show, and the miles of specialty shops and department
stores. About three food courts with 20-30
vendors. Full restaurants, and more. It was raining
all day, so a good time to spend indoors, and finally, when we left, we
lost our hotel..again! Ten trips around the block where we knew that it
was located, just off Jasper and between 101 Street, or Avenue..it was
so confusing with Avenues running east-west, Streets North South, and sometimes
100 Ave would cross 100 Street, and not being able to see larger buildings,
like Hudson Bay, across the road, because of fog. Well, suffice to say,
when we visited Joe, it was about 4 hours later than we had expected, around
10 PM. I called his wife Jean, every name that started with a "J", at first
thinking she was Joan, instead of Jean, then being bad enough to call her
Judy (Her sister's name) then Joanne, and finally I bid goodbye to Joe,
and his wife Janice. The morning we departed, I had to sleep in. The usual
5-5:30 AM waking, was distorted by the late hours we kept, and the darkness
of the room, with drapes drawn tight. It was 7:30 AM when I woke up, and
that changed some of the preparations I had planned to make before leaving.
And off we went to Jasper.
Another interesting
day, was on the way through Jasper
Park. When people say there is wildlife there, they don't mean Jasper
Park, they mean the town of Jasper. All the Elk were right in town, sleeping
and bucking across the roadways, and by the time we had gotten into town,
there were three large "Bucks" and a half dozen "Doe" and "Offspring".
We saw another 50 right in town, and 10 Mountain Goats. So we bought more
film for the park, and never saw another animal after that. As a matter
of fact, Ms. Navigator, wanted to get a picture of that RCMP officer that
gave me the speeding ticket. A hefty $113, just a dollar a kilometre, I
guess, but I should have only had to pay $ 23 as the posted speed limit
was 90 Kms. Well, I just don't want it to affect my license points in Nova
Scotia. By the time the Photo Radar ones get mailed out, I will be walking
again.
Then we headed
back to Armstrong to see Patty, and this time, finally met Dave, as they
go to the pub on Saturday Nights, and we arrived to stay another night.
We already had the room key, but we called ahead to make sure we had a
room. A three piece band was playing, and we had about two danceable waltz
songs, so, to be on the safe side, I took my wife for the first, and Patty
on the second, but she didn't like dancing with me with my wife sitting
there, I guess, so she quickly returned to her seat. After giving her pictures
of ourselves at Lake Louise, and her Mum, and Niece that we visited in
Edmonton, and collecting more, we headed out. I have a Step-sister I never
met, in Nelson, so we took the scenic route along the #6 Highway out of
Vernon. It drives the narrowest, scariest, but most scenic along the way.
Complete with a Ferry crossing and a dozen small communities on the highway.
We stayed too long in Nelson, and I should have gotten a hotel there, but
instead we decided to find something before Cranbrook, where we were going
to visit Delores and John, more friends from Germany. There were no gas
pumps open, and after seeing empty in the next town, I decided that I was
going to have to get a hotel room there, because we couldn't go further,
til we got gas. We did see some type of wildcat sitting in the rocks on
the edge of the road, but by the time we turned around and fiddled with
the flash on the camera, it was gone. Half a mile further, what we believe
was a large fox, or more likely a Coyote, and before the big cougars come
out, we stayed at the Reno Motel. Last room in town, lucky break. With
reasonable rates, the rooms are all pine boards, furnishings and all, made
I suspect, but Rob, the owner. He and his wife are running the place and
really did a nice job of the rooms. Light housekeeping fridge, with coffee
pots and sink, and all, in two rooms. We can either push those twin beds
together, or share one. Not that I had anyone to call, but there wasn't
a phone. Big deal, I could have used my Cell phone if I really needed to
wake someone at 10 PM, or maybe it was 11PM, there was another time change
somewhere here in the middle of the lake, and I think we could have been
on Mountain time. I wasn't resetting my watch, its not a big deal what
time it is, if the gas pumps and hotels are closed anyway. And Rob talked
about leaving car alarms off (Like we had one) because a big 250 lb cougar
comes in to lay on the warm cars at night, like any housecat. Well, I think
he slept on my hood overnight, because I have these *little* paw prints,
you know, the dents that are too small to push out, but big enough to notice.
And the Rental Office is going to love us anyway. The 21000 Km checkup
was due on the car as we drove through Nelson, and we still had 3000 to
go, in return.
From
the time we left Salmo, and headed to Cranbrook, there were less Elk, or
any other wildlife, except deer. We saw several light coloured doe, and
fawns, almost a lighter shade of a red fox. We stopped to feed the Ground
Squirrels again, on the top of mountain heading to Cranbrook. Along the
way, in Creston, we saw two large turtles dead on the shoulder of the road.
I stopped, and found as many as nine large skeletal remains of the poor
creatures who didn't get enough run-on, to make it safely across the road.
I felt they should have had a sign, indicating that it was a turtle crossing,
as it was a travesty to see so many, in a 20 foot path, crippled and crushed
by speeding motorists. There was a murky green pond on either side of the
road, between farms, and these hapless creatures were being ignored in
the Wildlife Conservation plans of the BC region. I was still intent to
write BC Wildlife, and ask them to put up a warning sign to save at least
a few, by drawing the tourists attention to the problem. Delores and John
were not home in Cranbrook, and we waited as long as we could, before leaving
for Montana.
Now,
I glanced at the Rental Agreement, none of which I was aware of, when I
booked this unlimited car, but we were not supposed to be leaving BC without
written permission. Thinking I wouldn't get a chance to do this again,
we left for Montana, where rumour had it, there were no speed limits. More
steep grades, up and down the mountains, and it turns out there is a speed
limit. It is "Prudent" during the day, adjusting to weather conditions,
and then limited at night to 55 MPH. Also, Montana is known for Clan activity,
and as one motel owner told us, we were OK, because we were white, but
my wife pointed out, that I wasn't aware I was white, and I thought about
changing my Bob Marley T-shirt, in case someone with a gun rack, and a
space in their front teeth, decided to play "Dueling Banjos". It was pretty
country, but I have no use for the Clue-Clue Clueless, nor bigots of any
kind, so we stayed in Idaho. The drive through the north of Montana took
all of an hour and a half, and that included coaxing deer up closer to
our cameras. We saw spectacular rainbows over the mountains, and hopefully,
the pictures will reflect the true beauty of double arcs of colors over
the mountains.
Now,
Americans, unlike Canadians, must not be regulated by the same hotel-motel
standards as we have. Except for the International Chains, like Best Western,
or Sandman, the hotel we picked would never have made it through Government
standards. With rough plywood shelving and semi-exposed wiring and crooked
wood paneling, it was the second last room available in town. I might not
have gotten a room, the others were filled up, but I saw the other two
cars pulling into the parking lot, and I reached the counter first. Everyone
except us, had left around 6AM, probably because the rooms weren't worth
staying in, any longer. We knew we would be spending a second night stateside,
before heading up to Vancouver again, and we weren't in as big a rush.
So we had breakfast out of our room, with salads and snacks packed and
prepared for the rest of the day. We didn't want to drive more than 5 hours
in a day, and for the most part, we didn't, unless the evening location
had little to offer, then we would go to the next town or so. If we weren't
flying back, some of the produce was cheap, and although I expected Potatoes
to be the inexpensive item, so was Tomatoes, Watermelon, and other garden
veggies and stuff. My guide said she wasn't even aware that Idaho was known
for potatoes, but I asked her to look up the Potato capital, Boise, Idaho.
It was easy to locate, being the only city showing on our map at all, right
in the Centre of Idaho. We were 600 miles north of it. Guess you could
imagine, its mostly farm land, and not big on towns.
What
do you picture when you think of Washington State? It started like a desert,
with tundra like surroundings, numerous small sand mounds, like molehills
along the otherwise plain-like farmland. Idaho is the potato capital, but
farming was even more prevalent in Washington State. We were surprised
to see tornados forming along the farmland, all along the highway. Some
were a good size, but we lost count after a dozen or more that we noticed.
It seems that Montana had this "No Speed Limit" rumour, but Washington
had a speed limit. 70 MPH, with average speeds at 85 MPH. Really good highways,
often 3 lanes each way, sometimes 5 lanes near town entrances. Spokane
fooled us, by being a very big city, with 7 or 8 lanes travelling through,
and taking nearly an hour to drive out of town. In between Idaho to Spokane
were plains, and Spokane to Seattle, there was mountain ranges again. They
have very nice Rest Areas, with sheltered picnic tables, and facilities.
The community groups set up tables to offer free coffee, cookies and juice.
After more than 5 hours of high speed driving, between Spokane and Seattle,
every 3rd rest stop should be considered. Temperatures are extreme along
the plains, reaching 98 Deg F. and with both windows open on the car, the
heat seemed unbearable. Within minutes, after sighting the mountains, and
beginning to enter the mountain pass, temperatures dropped nearly 20 degrees
in the valleys and shade of the cliffs and trees.
While
expecting to stay in Seattle, and take the ferry across to Victoria, we
found traffic, even as late as 6PM was bumper-to-bumper, taking us an hour
to find and price the ferry crossing. It would only go to Victoria at 1PM,
for a four and a half hour crossing, costing $110 Canadian, including the
car and two adults. The crossing in Vancouver was 90 minutes and $48. It
was about a two hour drive to Vancouver, so it wasn't very cost effective
to travel back to Canada by Ferry. We drove North, out of town, to get
as close to the border as possible, giving us just highway, and a few hours
drive, to Vancouver. We wanted to get to the Island quickly, as it was
Dave's birthday on the 20th, and sleeping beauty was having her birthday
on the 21st. If we all got together, we could celebrate them both, and
relax for the last two days of our vacation. So, we were off speeding along
to get to the Island on time, with Mount St. Helen's looming off in the
distance, beyond the City of Seattle (Sure hope the picture comes out).
Going
across the border, the Customs girl was surprised when I told her that
we had come through Montana, Idaho, and Washington, so she would know we
had been there 48 hours. She said "you did all that in 48 hours?". Yea,
it wasn't even a really long drive, except from Spokane to Seattle. Anyway,
back across the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria, and I called to wish
David a Happy Birthday, and let him know I was in town. We decided to stay
a few blocks up from downtown, right on Douglas Street, and took a jaunt
over to the Senior Ranks Mess on the Naval Base Esquimalt. My travelling
companion had become ill, for unknown reasons, and spent the evening talking
to "Ralph" on the porcelain telephone. I went out alone to meet with David,
his friends, and sister Candy. They had a little pub on the other side
of the island, where Dave was a regular, and ironically, while standing
at the bar, I met a guy who knew exactly where to locate "Misty", another
computer club friend. She became a sailorette last year, and is in Esquimalt
on course. We had lost touch with a former neighbour, and friend, who's
kids had almost become part of our family. Early the next morning, I headed
out for the base before my sleeping companion opened her eyes. You see,
that was her birthday, and I think her eyes are going too dim to have seen
me slipping out, even if they were open. Actually, she did get up early
this time, ironically, and I was out tracking down her old friend. It took
some doing, but I found Dee, and called her at work, asking her to wake
up the birthday girl, before I got back to the room. We spent an hour in
the pool, got our laundry done at the same time, and unfortunately, set
out for another busy day, of trying to visit, see town, and enjoy the last
day of our vacation and hotel, before we had to leave for the airport again.
Dee and the kids came to our room, and we spent a few hours with them chatting
about changes in our lives over the last 7 years or so. We picked up Misty,
and brought her over to our hotel for a night swim in the pool before it
closed. Then off to see David at Smuggler's Cove Pub, before calling it
a night. His brother Peter was on the same flight with us, and we met him
and his wife Rita, the night before the flight. Oh, and we took the rental
through the car wash to try to make it look better, in spite of the high
mileage. I actually got "Windex" to clean up the interior, and of course
we had to fill the tank with gas.
