Jun 29, 2021
The last of our visit to the lower mainland
Our last day in Fort Langley on Wednesday the 24th was a full one. It started with a 9AM visit from long time friend Ferne who lives in the area and whom we met on the Isla. Our allotted two hours flew by but Ferne had to head off to an important luncheon. We were so involved in our conversation and the visit that no photos were taken. Suffice to say that we all looked wonderful.
We then headed off for a short walk along the trail next to the RV park.
Both the girls and us were enjoying the moment as we walked.
We just kept walking until we came to Tavistock Point on the Fraser River, at the tip of Brae Island. I think that those are the North Shore Mountains.
The water wasn’t exactly clean so we didn’t let the girls in. A lovely walk in the midst of the forest with glimpses of sunshine.
Then we had to head back. Our short hike ended up taking a few hours.
I was surprised to find that we did 2.36 miles return. The dogs were sleepy.
A long haired dachshund dropped in to say hello. There was some barking involved but not too much. They soon realized that this was a cousin.
Once again we were so involved with our next set of special visitors ( they were all so very unique ) that we totally forgot to take photos. But we had a wonderful few hours together over dinner. Time passes much too fast.
Colin began to pack up as soon as they left. Thursday morning could be a problem. It was announced on the 18th that Jasper National Park was opening ( it was closed for major renovations last year ) on Thursday the 24th for reservations. I was on the phone 5 -6 hours when we booked Banff ( back in March ) and did not get what we wanted. I did some research and it turns out that if you get up at 3AM or so and log in you are in a queue to make your reservation. It took every fibre of will power to get up at 3:30AM and log in. I was up again at 6:30AM ( reservations opened at 7AM MST ) It turned out that I was 4857 in the queue. Colin continued to pack up as I monitored where I was in the queue. We had an 11AM checkout and really needed to get the Jasper reservation done ASAP so that we could get on the road back to Kelowna and home. By 9AM I was done and we got the only possible reservation left. Our next and final trip of the season is from July 8th – 22nd. We are going to have some very fun adventures and see places that we have never been.
We were ready to pull out at 11AM and the girls were ready to roll.
Sleeping positions were soon assumed.
Mount Baker is always majestic. It is a 10,781 ft active glacier-covered andesitic stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the North Cascades of Washington and very visible from the Vancouver area.
Lot’s of these signs along our route.
A variety of sleeping positions on the way home, one on the dash and one between my legs on the recliner.
They were constantly on the move. We hope to have them travel on this dog bed set between us on a stool as we drive.
It was yet another long drive ( 6ish hours ), we did drive into the park gates here about 4:50PM. It was so hot that we could hardly breathe. We drove 468 miles round trip. We knew that the heat was going to be increasing in the days to come so we pushed ourselves to empty to RV by 8PM. Colin cleaned the RV on the Friday and did some repairs ( it only got t 99F ) and I did laundry, etc. By late afternoon the RV was back in storage. We took Saturday off to do odd chores and hide from the heat. Sunday as I have previously mentioned we got our second Pfizer shots. We both had sore arms but no other side effects.
Back to real time, it has been hot 🙁 I’m sure that you all have heard about the heat dome over us. Basically it is like we are being baked in an oven. I was shocked to read that there were 233 deaths ( many related to the heat ) between last Friday to 3PM this past Monday. Not everyone has air conditioning and many ( if they can afford it ) are checking into hotels for the night. I heard of someone who lost power in their home not too far from us here in the park and they spent the night in their car so that they ( and their pets ) could be cool. Another lady today was asking if anyone could loan her a fan. Her RV kept blowing fuses because of the heat and she had two small pets. These are unheard of conditions, a first for Canada. This past Sunday we reached 109F, Monday we were at 113F and today was the highest at 117F. I want to add that many many areas of BC and of course Canada have no air conditioning mostly because it never gets hot enough to need it. This is why this heat wave is so dangerous.
Of course today would be the day that the Jeep’s A/C stopped cooling. All four of us were headed to the upper Mission area for hair cuts etc. We didn’t even go a mile when the heat became unbearable, the girls were in distress as was I. So we headed back home. It took close to an hour to find someone willing to look at the Jeep tomorrow. So later in the afternoon today, Colin towed the Jeep behind the RV to West Kelowna to Freightliner to have them repair an exhaust leak. It needs to be repaired before we leave on the 8th. He then dropped the car at the only place in town that could fit us in re the A/C. I left the girls here alone at home and met Colin at the car repair facility and back home we came. It was a long and hot and stressful day. Right now at 11PM it is still 95F. Our normal high at this time of year is 22C /71.6 F and at night it cools to 12C/53F. We are so far off the charts 😯 I actually forgot, Colin did an outdoor photography job today complete with thick socks and steel toe boots, long sleeves and so on. I suggested to him yesterday that he start earlier re the heat. Instead of 8:30AM they got going at 7:30 AM and even then it was sweltering and oppressive.
It breaks my heart to read this.
Of course the extreme heat and dryness is going to lead to forest fires. So far the fire crews have been right on top if it all. The red is extreme and the orange is high. We are all praying that the temps will cool down and so the possibility of fire.
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Contessa,
I just had to tell you that the photo of you walking on the trail to the point is beautiful, you look like a movie star in that dress, you must wear it more often. So pretty!
Oh thank you. It is a new sundress and it was the first time I wore it. Very cool n the heat.
The girls are just soooooooo cute….. cant wait til the next cuddle.
They do love to cuddle. You can have first dibs on the Isla.
Isn’t it awful? Got to babysit grand niece n they have AC…. So days have been ok, but then when get home feel like I am in an oven! Walk about with cold/ wet hand towel around my neck. Luci also has her wet towel and she likes it! Which is good as she was getting distressed… Will NOT complain again about being too cold!!
At least you have some relief but to go home to heat is so hard on you. I feel so badly for you and Luci. I agree, I think heat is worse than the cold.
Yes. There’s no place to go when it’s hot. No hunkering down with a down cover if you’ve got one. Just hiding out from the sun and hoping for the best, especially in such heat as you are having. I thought about you when I first read the numbers. Hotter than Texas at its hottest.
Wow, hotter then Texas, eh! I just wish everyone was able to have a place to relax and cool down.
We reached 108 the other day here in Klamath, luckily we have AC in the camper and are able to keep ourselves and the pups cooled down. It would be unbearable without it!
I feel so badly for those with no A/C, how can they survive this? Happy that you are all staying cool. The thing is the pups just want to be outside and run around. They don’t get the confinement. Yet it takes less than five minuted for them to start panting.