I slept in an hour. Laura arrived at 9. I had to figure out how to mount the KTM690 on the front of the truck. I forgot I had to take off one of the aluminum panniers to make it work. Laura helped me push the KTM onto the rack.
Loading gear. I’d gone off and brought home the Winchester Coyote and the Sexcaliber the night before. I loaded them with their companions. I loaded the Honda generator then just had Laura and my travel bags and my computer case. It was l0 am.
I don’t know why traffic was slow. Laura said it wasn’t rush hour. But still the Langley bottleneck black hole was twilight zoning the freeway. I gassed up in Abbotsford. $200 will get me 650 KM. Justin Trudeau money. I remember yesterday. before Jihadi Justin, when a hundred dollars filled my tank and gave me 900 km. Now there’s going to be a gay loonie. I sure hope it’s sexy. We could use anything now to make Justin Trudeau’s Quebec UN sponsored economic rape more appealing.
News reported unprecedented line ups at the border too. Everyone is crossing to get American oil that despite the inflationary Canadian money is worth the trip for a tank of gas.
I was delighted to get to Chilliwack RV STorage. John is one of the finest most trustworthy men I know. His wife is beautiful and very intelligent while his son is everything a family could want. He reminds me of the my nephews.
I’d forgotten to take the tail gate off the Ford. It weights more than the truck itself. Laura and I did a Laurel and Hardy routine getting it off.
I next found the remote for the Happy Jacks. But I didn’t remember the ‘trick’ to turning it on. I vaguely remembered it needed to be pressed in two places. Laura was skimming the Adventure Camper manual when I truly just lucked out and got the light on the remote to work. The Easy Jacks didn’t work though. Then I remembered I needed to turn on the battery. It took me a minute to remember the battery wasn’t where the old camper battery was and then to locate the switch. Voila!
What a happy sound the Happy Jacks make as they lift the camper to a height where we can ease the truck box under the truck. That was a whole other adventure. I’d totally destroyed the previous camper crashing into it so was intent on not doing a personal Rambo on my new camper.
We’d learned from the fabulous fellow at Frazerway where our glorious Adventurer Camper came from ,that the best way to ease back very slowly with back and forth movements and getting out of the truck to check every foot or so of progress. Laura was immensely helpful repeatedly screaming “Stop. Stop.”
It really worked. Together we got the camper properly positioned in the truck box. Then with the easy jacks we lowered the camper. Voila!
I found the skookum tie downs and forgetting a bit jury rigged a second attachment. All’s well that ends well.
Laura with the strength that women have lifting trucks off babies, helped me get the Ford tailgate into the camper to leave with John. At the office, John agreed to stow the tailgate and lifted it like Samson into his office, letting me carry a bit to save face.
“Have a great weekend camping,” he said as I pulled away.
We’re away.
We stopped at Canadian Tire in Chilliwack for a hammer. I have several hammers, just not one with me. I love hammers. A Thor thing. Next Stop Husky. Filed the jerry cans with gas and then filled the camper with water.
“I feel Shannon’s vibes’, Laura said. She called her daughter who was serendipitously nearby. I said I wanted steak from Superstore. She was blocks away and joined Laura there.
I got my steaks, potatoes, coffee cream, Chocolate bars, croissants, and all the other necessities we generally need when we’re roughing it in the Canadian wilderness.
“Ham is the Traditional Easter dish,” Laura said. I had a ham for us and picked up a smoked honey ham Easter gift for Shannon and her oodles of children.
When I got back to the truck she was there. She had Evie with her. One of Laura’s 6 grand children. The youngest. 1 1/2 years old Cutest smiling little angel I’ve seen in a dog’s age. Gilbert was in love. He loves little children. Thinks he’s one himself. They hit it off immediately I loved seeing the Grandmother, Daughter, Grandaughter combination. All beautiful and very Celtic.
Hugs and kisses.
“I forgot to take pictures. I was so happy to see my children.” Laura said as we were driving away.
We were headed up the Number 3 Highway past Hope to Princeton.
The evergreens were beautiful and the air was so fresh.
“On the Road again. One more time I’m on the road again. I”m on the road again.” I sang.
“Whose song is that, “ I asked Laura who was still glowing from her motherly encounter.
“Willie Nelson.” She said.
“I’ve been singing that song forever. Probably sang it when I hitchhiked across Canada as a hippie in early 1970’s” on our way to wear flower in our hair in San Francsisco.
“We’re on a road trip.” Laura said filled with greed and setting Gilbert to barking delightfully.
“I love road trips.”
“On the Road again. One more time I’m on the road again. I”m on the road again.”
The rain and gloom hit us in Manning Park with high piles of snow and drifts along the river. It was looking grim until we came over Sunday Summit and the sky cleared. Blue sky and white clouds. Coming down into the Princeton Valley it was beautiful breath takingly beautiful. A grand rainbow crossed the whole sky.
“Rainbows are always appearing at Easter. You see them in cards with a Lamb.” Laura said as we continued driving west. The wilderness campgrounds were full till we found this one. It’s perfect. Gilbert made it his with a great poop in the middle of the little road that ran beside the picnic table.
Now I’ve made a coffee and written a bit. I found the grinder and have Ethiopian coffee beans set aside for the morning. They’re the best coffee beans in the world. So we’ll just have to rough it a bit more. Laura is reading in the bed. The air is truly delicious. The sound of the river running nearby is heavenly. Our furnace goes on and off. It’s so cozy. I’m so happy. Good FRiday. Hallelujah.
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