Ellensburg, Washington

8/30/13

This morning we decide that the road ahead may not be the best for a motor home knowing Highway 20 had been closed due to a landslide on August 11^th (now re-opened).  So we decided we would both feel better if we took the long way around back down to Mt. Vernon, down I-5 to Seattle, and the I-90 east even though a few extra hours were required.

The weather was beautiful as we headed through the Seattle area.  On I-90 east of Seattle we encountered a major traffic jam due to an accident.  One thing we have learned is that slow or stopped traffic while you are traveling in a motor home is no problem!  Sit back, have lunch, use the restroom – all right at your fingertips.  Joy found a great campsite at the Ellensburg, WA KOA facing directly on to the Yakima River now about 12 feet from our windshield.  We will stay a few days as this is Labor Day weekend.

Southbound on I-5 near Seattle

Eastbound on I=90 southeast of Seattle

Snowqualimie Pass area on I-90

Settled in at the Ellensburg, WA KOA with a great view out the windshield

Joy enjoys the afternoon in the shade with a book (iPad)

North Cascades National Park

8/29/13

We depart Mt. Vernon late morning for a short 63-mile drive up into the Cascade Mountain Range today.  It is foggy and rainy during the drive.  We arrive during a relatively heavy rain and setup camp quickly.

We tour the visitor’s center in the North Cascades National Park and drive through the area to get our bearings.  Most of this park is wilderness, with ample hiking trails and two rivers that supply hydroelectric power (mostly to Seattle/Tacoma).  Moderate rains falls all night on our camp.

Clouds and rain greet us heading northeast of Highway 20

A welcome brief moment of sunshine

Joy closes in on being in ALL the National Parks

Tucked in at our campsite as the rains begin falling

Diablo Lake in Cascades National Park

The view of glacial water makes Joy fondly remember Alaskan glacial rivers

Northwestern Washington

8/28/13

This morning we are up early to get the motor home to Valley Freightliner to get our ABS braking checked.  They find the little computer has lost its memory and “re-flash” the software and we are in business once again.

Joy traveled to Seattle to see her cousin Leslie whom she had not seen for a number of years.  They enjoy an afternoon lunch catching up of their lives.  Don returns to the RV Park and sets up for tonight’s stay and Joy joins him to do laundry before we head out into the mountains.  Tomorrow we will travel east to the North Cascades National Park for Thursday and Friday at the Newhalem Campground, Loop B-48. 

We have decided to continue toward Spokane, WA, then south through Idaho to Boise, before continuing toward Salt Lake City and eventually home.

Joy and her cousin Leslie near Seattle waterfront

Back in the USA

8/27/13

We cross the border back into the US today with a minor incident – Joy had to surrender 4 lemons and 2 green peppers.  Stinging from the financial loss of fruits and vegetables, we stop in Mt. Vernon at one of the largest farm stands we have seen and purchase an ample amount of fruits and vegetables as replacements at a much cheaper price than was available in Canada.

We stop at Costco one last time on our trip before settling in at the Mt. Vernon RV Park.

Crossing the border at US Customs

All settled in at Mt. Vernon RV Park

Vancouver, British Columbia

8/26/13

Joy and I departed the motorhome this morning for a day in Vancouver about 60 miles away using our Jeep.  We stopped at Stanley Park (an island between downtown and North Vancouver across the Fraser River.  Rain threatened later today but we made the best of it walking along the harbor downtown and circling Stanley Park.  We enjoyed a wonderful lunch near the seaplane docks at Whistler Brewing Company.

On the way home Joy had to stop at Swiss Chalet (a rotisserie restaurant we discovered on an earlier trip thru eastern provinces) for some chicken for dinner.  The area around Chilliwack, BC where we are staying is very much like the central valley of California with abundant produce including corn, hazelnut orchards, all kinds of berries, and vegetables.  Fresh sweet corn is on the menu for tonight.

Tomorrow morning we will return to the United States via the Suma, Washington US Customs checkpoint.  We will be in Mt. Vernon, Washington for the next two nights while our coach gets some much needed lubrication and minor maintenance at the Freightliner shop before we continue our homeward journey.

Toll bridge entering Vancouver on Trans-Canada 1

We enjoy a nice day walking along the harbor in downtown Vancouver

A beautiful modern city

Lunch at Whistler Brewing Company

Joy contemplates lunch

So does Don

View north toward North Vancouver

Joy "has to have" some more roasted chicken for dinner

Success!!!!

Boston Bar to Vancouver, BC

8/25/13

Sunday dawns with a beautiful blue sky in the Canyon as we continue south now to join Trans-Canada 1 westbound toward Vancouver.  We stop at Minter Gardens in Chilliwack, BC for a tour and lunch with our friends.  The gardens are beautiful, but we learn that they will close in October after being open since 1980 due to the economy.  Following lunch our traveling companions turn south to cross the US border at Suma, WA.

Joy and I travel just a few miles stopping in Chilliwack at the Cottonwoods RV Park.  Monday we plan to tour Vancouver before returning to the US.

We park at Minter Gardens together one last time

Sharon and Joy dressed as twins

We walk the gardens on a beautiful day

As they say "stop and smell the roses" along life's way

Bob and Sharon wave goodbye for now

Off they go

Joy is left to ponder the future of our trip left with only the "same old man" she has lived with for the past 40 something years

Prince George to Boston Bar, British Columbia

8/24/13

We depart the civility of Prince George today to continue south along Highway 97 toward the Fraser River Canyon area.  Roadways are good with wider shoulders as we climb and descend a modestly rolling countryside.  As we pass Grand Cache we note this area is referred to as the Arizona of British Columbia as the area is desert-like except directly along the river valley where hay bales are in abundance is quite green irrigated pastures.

South of Grand Cache we enter deeper into Fraser River Canyon with towering majestic mountains now again surrounding us.  We stop for the evening in Boston Bar, BC at the Canyon Alpine RV Park.  We enjoy our last evening with our traveling companions Bob and Sharon Relyea celebrating our trip with a dinner at a local restaurant.

Hay bales along the highway everywhere

Approaching Cache Creek

Entering the Fraser River Valley

Fraser River overlook

Deeper into the canyon

Beauty everywhere you look

We celebrate our last night together after three months on the road in Alaska