Merritt to Clearwater, BC

Packing up the RV for the next leg of the journey is always exciting. All the details that have to be remembered, go through the mental checklist. While I'm preparing the outside of the RV, Laura's inside stowing. Gilbert runs to and fro so eventually gets put in the truck where he's not in the way.

We're getting pretty good at hooking up the ball on the truck hitch to the the female end on the camper. There's the in truck video that helps the allignment and Laura watches outside just in case I back up too far. This time went just sweet. All the chains and electrical were attached and Laura gave me thumbs up when we tested brakes and turn signals. We're off!

It's a heavy beast as we leave the Moonshadow RV Park looking forward to our return. What a terrific place it is. On the highway we turned onto 5 going north. Kamloops was only 90 or so km away. Uphill on the Coquahalla wasn't too bad with only a few windy places. On the way back last year from Sturges North Rock Festival the wind had been horrific coming down this stretch. I find the wind harder going down hill too.

Now the country side between Merritt and Kamloops is spectacular, brown hills with bunches of pine and spruce. Real rolling cowboy ranch lands. As we got further north the occasional little lake appeared. Then we were already coming into Kamloops. I remembered I'd motorcycled here on the Buell for a rally a few years back and loved all sage tumbleweed outside the town.

We stopped at the Safeway and Zeller's parking lot where there was plenty of room for the RV. Zeller's had pretty well everything we needed in terms of food and some clothing and household items that were lacking. At Safeway we simply picked up delli lunches for the ride, really fine food compared to the fast food we'd normally have.

I love the Thompson River. It's a marvellous winding calm Mark Twain type river this far north. Not the raging white water monster we all know in the south. The valley is beautiful too with great ranch land and lots of horses. I can just imagine how the Indians and early settlers loved this country. It's still so pristine. As we got into Wells Gray country the forest had closed in. It was definitely still wild.

It was hard not to stop at some of the great RV sites along the 5 highway up the valley. We loved Barriere and Little Fort. Logging and ranching are the mainstay.



Then we came to Clearwater. I'd just seen it on the map and now here we were. What a paradise. At the Zellers the cashier had told us she'd stayed a week at Dutch Lake Resort. So that's where we stopped. What a wonderland. The beautiful blond at the front office was enthusiastic and friendly and we were in love with the place. They had a drive through with all the hook ups looking at the lake and there were canoes out there too.

We signed up for three nights but will likely stay the duration. Tom and Luke would love this place. We're a very short drive from all the likely looking hunting logging roads.


Laura and I got the RV set up and then I took the canoe down to the lake. Dropping it off there with the electric motor I found a ridge and lined up the truck with the rails so I could drive the Honda Big Ruckus off the back. Everything is ready.

So Gilbert and I got out in the boat and tried our hand at fishing, after the fish had stopped feeding and folk were starting wood fires. It was exciting nonetheless. Too quickly I had to get back. I walked the canoe up to the RV on my shoulders remembering all those Manitoba portages.

Laura now has pea soup ready so I'd best leave off.











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