Bailey

Picture this:  I’m sitting at my desk,  Allan gets up, walks towards me (also the front of the bus), excited says “Dear” to me, nope to the deer visiting.

Today’s adventure, explore Centennial Park in downtown 100 Mile House.

At the park’s entrance there is a large open green space featuring a splash park, swings, playground.

The trail winds in the woods and ends by a waterfall.

So powerful!

Yahoo reward time!                 

We arrive back at camp, there are 3 more deer.  Wasn’t fast enough to get the 3rd deer or their faces.

Bailey awaits us         

We’ve been concerned about the exhaust pipe, even more so since Allan pointed out, it could detach and hit Bob and we would not even know.  The bolt holding it on is rusted.  Allan has attempted the removal several times.  How happy is this face??

Forgot to add to yesterday’s post, we bought Bailey the cheapest gift ($4.99), we’ll ever give her, ta da….Issues to still deal with 1) steps not coming in completely 2) exhaust pipe has seperated from the muffler         This pipe is the problem

Unintentional self portrait while  taking above photos

Drive is 2.38m  Leave at 1015, 70,836k

After getting heck for being at the Sicamous KOA before the scheduled check in time of 2p Allan makes sure we do not arrive early.  We’re hoping the mice like it here better and stay.

 Bye bye, Kamloops

We stop for fuel a few minutes down the road at a PetroPass.  We did check yesterday and they accept credit cards not just a PetroPass card.  BUT, it is not accepting our credit card.  Allan goes in to inquire, the attendant will come out to check in about 10m.  10m turns into 5, good thing! 30 minutes later it’s finally figured out.  On the road again, 1050

So many long trains

The long, tight corners, a little scary road!  T’is scenicInto everyone life a little rain must fall, better if it includes sunshine!

70 Mile, appears they love their antiques

We are on the Gold Rush Trail but kept missing those signs, got this one100 Mile House (don’t blink)100 Mile House established its name because it was located 100 Miles from Lillooet (Mile 0) of the Cariboo Waggon Road.

It’s really too bad we don’t fish.

We arrive at Big Country Campground at 142.  Fortunately, Allan didn’t get heck for checking in before 2.

Bob is filthy.  The filthiest from any tow yet.  Photo doesn’t do the windshild justice. Love the hand drawn map

We like this set up much better than the last.  Peaceful with only 3 other sites filled. 

Fire time!

I wake up before my alarm, I’m not a really good sleeper at the best of times.  I shower/dress, wake Allan.  We are on the road by 8.  We like to arrive at 820ish to avoid the 8a line ups. 

This was our best experience.  We breeze right in, there is almost no one in the store.  We finish up super quick, head back to Bailey to unload.

Off again now to (to return some mouse poison, we couldn’t get the trap to open to insert the poison), yes sadly and inexplicably we still have mice.  Did one manage to catch a ride from Sicamous?  A mystery! We still have some of the original poison, hopefully enough to get rid of them.   

We  make a few purchases, now off to explore downtown Kamloops.   We walk around a bit before heading for lunch at Kelly O’Bryan’s.  Food and service were great!

With full bellies, we head to Riverside Park. 

What’s that on the hill?  We can’t make it out, looks like a hole-y building.  Allan uses his new 30x zoom on his cell…Still no clue, another mystery.

Sightseeing done, we head back at about 2.   So many trains here.

Allan is so excited to FINALLY seen a bear!  Looks like he’s scratching his elbow!!   Better than looking at us!!!

An observant eye will have noticed the metal stake behind the bear 🙂

We decided to go to    to see a bear!  We saw 4 Allan is happy.

Bear, sad he just wants out   He continually walked the fence line. 

Some of the others there 

I have waaayyy more photos but will not bore you with them. LOL

We had a big, action packed day!  Ended up with more than 17,000 steps! Time to rest up for our drive to Lac la Hache.  Hoping the mouse/mice stay in Kamloops!

Today we leave Sicamous for Kamloops.  We enjoyed the area, town and campground.  Mostly, exception the long weekend, there were no more than 4 sites occupied.  We didn’t even have to close our blinds cause no one was near.

Start off by giving Bailey a much required bath.  Allan got it done quicker than the last time we were at one of these.  Last time it was $60.       

Clean Bailey! Only issue, yes there is always an issue, the stairs aren’t going in completely.  Fortunately, they go in far enough.  We’ll see what we can do about them upon arrival in Kamloops.

We pass a sign “Blasting ahead, expect 30 minute delay”.  We’ve passed many of these signs, none had any delays.  Turn a corner…View to the right 

Delay was more like 15 minutes, this is the blasting area causing the delay.

Arrive at Kamloops RV Park 

Check in   

   #7 our spot, will we even fit?

Barely !     

We arrive Tuesday, leave Thursday.  Main purpose is to stock up at Costco so we’re good.  Would have been disappointed if we were here for a while.

Adjacent to the park is the BC Wildlife Park.  We walk over and find this tidbit and learn the last entry is 430, park closes at 5.  Not enough time to go today,  maybe tomorrow.The view across the street         

           The plan for the morning is to be at Costco for 815a tomorrow. 

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Today’s outing, in the gloomy weather.  The Last Spike.

To get to see these sites we must cross this bridge…  Classic CYA

We proceed, looks like a sturdy bridge

My cousin shared an intersting history when I posted this photo on FB, click to read

Love these!  Gobblers!

June 01 – Start the month visiting D. Dutchment Dairy.  We take the long way down what we call Bear Road cause not only are there supposed to be  bears & deer (never saw one yet) but now turtles.  

Eagle eye, Allan spots some on a log. Yahoo!  We get out to take a photo 🙂

Allan taking the money shoot!   

20 things you didn’t know about turtles.  These guys are engaging in #17.

Where do turtles go for the winter?  Most turtles go underwater in the winter. They can spend over 100 days underwater. Turtles usually swim to the bottom of the pond or river under the frozen surface. Turtles winter in the water because the temperature is much more stable (and usually warmer) than the temperature of the air.

Feeling giddy that we finally saw something, we head to the dairy. Turns out they have tons of delicious cheeses and even more flavours of ice cream.

Their dairy cows, housed behind the store, smell so very, very bad.  We took the photos and ran.

Fast forward to tomorrow:  Allan is still smelling them, I suggest he uses Vicks – does the trick!

I don’t know anything about cows but this one looks like it should have been milked already!           

Done here we head off to give Bob a much needed bath.   They call this the “tropical wash”

June 02 – Today is chore day.   I tackle Bob’s windshield and grill that was laden with splattered bugs.  Yet another Jeep thing!   

This makes the job easy…   

Allan doctoring Bailey’s tow receiver

And Bob’s receptacle   

Bailey windshield time, Windex then Rainex

Worked hard enough today!  Dinner time, Allan watching Davy come to temp!  This photo makes me smile way too much!  Love you!!

Finally fire time!!

And now something completely useless!

They both made an appearance on May 30th.

I prepared a cucumber salad when I first woke up, so I know there was no mouse poop in the drawer.

Being on the West Coast brings the advantage of seeing the race at 945a.  We celebrate the pending start with Bailey’s and coffee.  Kyle brought us each a chocolate on a stick that is meant to be dipped in coffee.  Today is the day we dip!  It was delicious!!   

Allan sets up outdoors            Love it!

We’re racing!  It’s a exciting/disconcerting seeing the 135,000 fans in the stands!

A butterfly come by to visit.  When he left, he took a break on our awning.  🦋The winner, Helio!!  He raced for Roger Penske until he was removed and put on Roger’s Nascar team.  He had something to prove, he did.  Allan likes him, me not so much.

It was an exciting race, especially so as Josef finished 12^th (I expected much more from him), Colton 16^th.

Inside, after the race, I open the cutlery drawer to find 🐭💩    We have no mouse deterrent, we each had coffee & baileys = no driving for us today.  We know we will be overpaying but head to the little store on the grounds to see if they have mouse ☠  They do, but not for sale for their own use.  They give us a block, super nice of them!!  Bob, the camp host, recommends using Empty the drawers, add the mouse nummies, wash everything and hope to never see a mouse or it’s poop again.

Dinner making time.  Smoke never gets old!

Steak, Kyle’s garlic butter, cucumber salad and tomatoes. 

            Fire time   

The evening sky

Reflections   

May 18th  BOO  Hail     

May 19 – Drive to the outskirts of Sicamous, this guy hitched a rideStop to enjoy the view.  This drive taught us is route is the faster one to Salmon Arm.

on May 26th

The prairie dogs that had free reign of the mini golf area are now being trapped.  Hope they are being relocated.  We’re sad they were fun to watch.

Whoops – I posted instead of just saving the draft.  Wait there is more! LOL

Here I continue!

A first!  Watch TV on the iPad. We wanted to have a fire & watch the news, iPad hooked up quicker than the TV would. That’s my 🔥 god grabbing a flame!

May 27th – Rain rain go away.  What better way to spend a rainy day?   Nails all done for a bit!

That’s all for now folks!

Our first ducking in Sicamous.  Duck #35Back at the park we take a walk.  There is a nice wooded area meant for tent camping.  This is the smasllest park we’ve been in, we walk its entirety in under 15 minutes.  We notice the adjacent campsite has a fire ring with holes on the side which helps the fire breathe, our doesn’t have any holes.  Allan gets to work with the exchange.

The park is home to these cuties, prairie dogs.   

They live under, what was, pre-covid, a mini golf course.

Little fellows standing tall.  🙂

It’s now race time!  Allan hooks up the outdoor TV.

This is my guy!  Josef Newgarden.  GO Josef!!

We’re green!     

Clever advertising!  Conor Daly, the driver, was first diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 14, he is the only known U.S. professional racing driver who competes full-time while living with T1D. 

This is the view looking up from our chairs!

And the winner is!!  Rinus VeeKay!!  Not bad for a 20 year old.

All that really matters though is, Josef came in 4th.  Allan’s driver Colton Herta cam in 13th.  Woohoo my car, on the dash, stays in the lead!!

Next race, May 30,  The 105th Indianapolis 500.  It is the most prestigious race of the series.  Fingers are crossed for a Josef win.

The bear viewing road (our camp host told us we’d see bears & deer for sure-we still haven’t) we use to get to Sicamous is being repaved, we were delayed on Tuesday.  They have a large chunk to go so we refrained from using. It’s Sunday-they won’t be working.  We were hugely surprised they were done!  Only thing left, paint the centre line.  This would have taken much longer in Ontario.

We have to cross the tracks, trains here are super long. We turn onto a road we’ve never been on before, alternate route to Sicamous perhaps?

May have stuck 🐻 gold! 

Not an alternate route but a great find!

An interesting read about bears in the Shuswap.  I didn’t know about Karelian Bear Dog.  The bears in the tree video (at the end of the write up) are cute, they are certainly comfortable in trees.

Just found WARP (Wildlife Alert Reporting Program) website.  Bears everywhere! Except if you change it to Sicamous, none reported.  It’s fun playing with the locations.

All of BC: Black bears, cougars, wolvesSicamous:  none reported Prince Rupert: only wolf sighting reported

Back to the drive, the road ends at   

Remember Sicamous is Canada’s Houseboat Capital, there are many moured here. I was curious about rates, turns out they range from $800 – $2000/night!!  Rates

• Damage Deposit – A $5,000 refundable deposit is required upon check-in. The deposit is a hold placed on a credit card or we accept cash. Debit cannot be used for the deposit. The damage deposit cannot be held on multiple credit cards.

Adventure done we head to Sicamous.