Princeton

The elevation here is a 600 meters rather than the 900 meters of 100 mile House.  Gilbert is happy. The drive down was a delight going through the Interlake region to Little Fort and Kamloops. We had such fond memories of our Hwy 5A motorcycle trips on these winding forest and lake roads. I’d done this trip on my Buell . Laura and I had done it on Harley Roadster.  The wind on that route had lifted us up and deposited us half a lane over.  With the Ford Truck and Camper we even felt the cross winds on the high open plains.

Now we are at the Municipal Campgrounds in Princeton where we used to come on the Roadster with a pup tent and enjoy long weekends years past.  It’s busier here.  The administrator was delightful.  We’re booked now. I love looking out on the river. Water and electricity. A Sani dump across the way.  Our black holding tank is good for days.  We could have gone to wilderness sites but I just wanted ease. I like not worrying about water rationing. I like showering.   I wanted to be on wifi and cell. The 2.4 g wifi so far hasn’t worked but cell coverage is good.    

I rode the KTM into town and brought back a pizza from the spectacular Princeton pizza place. We’ve enjoyed their pizzas for a decade. Laura was so pleased. A nice surprise. She’s been eating my cooking for a week. Except yesterday.  We had A&W hamburgers, a tradition for road trips.  Gilbert prefers MacDonalds.  Laura likes the onion rings. I liked the chips. We also listened to a Johnstone’s western on audio, “a movie in your mind.”  Western’s go with the terrain.  I’m reading a western on Kindle, .45 caliber by Peter Brandvold. 

Gilbert had me up at 3:30 in the morning. I think the diuretic kicks in and the coughing gets worse. Mostly it comes from him trying to climb up on the high bed with us. He gets frightened and likes to be in the bed. I climbed down and walked him about.  He pees for ever.  Then settled we go back to bed.  When I wake in the morning I have that feeling I used to know too well after nights on call.  Focused yet cobwebs.  This morning knowing he was coughing because he was trying to climb up, hoping I’d come down and lift him up so he could be with his true love, I just told him to lie down. He did. I slept in.  What a luxury.  I took him out for a walk at 9 and it was warm and sunny and summer.  I love Princeton.I love this vacation.  

I’d put the gear out last night to go bear hunting this morning.  I’ve radio, shells and binoculars all ready for an early morning ride up into the backwoods.  Ha! There’s such a disconnect between what I ‘think’ I’ll do in the morning on this trip, and what I really end up doing in the morning.  Not once did I get fishing before evening. Morning’s have been drinking coffee reading and occasionally some work.  I think any fishing and hunting plans are just excuses to get out and do something. I’ve not had any of the old desire to harvest.  I’m happy to play the games, I guess. Nothing to prove.  Just enjoying the motions.  I expect I’ll get out with the rifle and do some target practice when the bears are asleep.  I do like shooting.  I will be so glad in the fall to eat venison and grouse again.  

Now I’m thinking a little lie down on a lounger in the sun is the only thing I’ll schedule. Maybe another dog walk. I don’t think that will cause me to feel too pressured and harried.