We’re not roughing it by any means. Laura stoically joined me for all the tenting days when I’d leave her with a rifle and go off bear hunting in bear country. She stayed in the truck one time. Another time a freak snow storm collapsed the tent roof and I found her sitting inside beside the heater read. She loves to read. Another time while myself and the guys were out hunting grouse one landed on the picnic table and she shot it with her 22. We were skunked and she had the grouse.
I love this Riverhaven RV Campground. It has all the services, electricity, city water supply, sewage. We can also access the ATV trails and back woods off the RV site. There’s a beach and all the kids are down there all day. Yesterday was hot and sunny. I’d thought to jump into the cool stream but missed my opportunity. Today it’s overcast. Lots of folk are down swimming and playing by the water. But I’m passing. I only like cold water when it’s hot and sunny outside. I did just get out of a heavenly hot shower in the Adventurer camper. I love the Adventurer Camper.
It was all day getting out here on Thursday. We had errands in the morning, and had to load the camper at John’s. I also had to hook up the Lowe’s Store Utility Trailer with the Honda 420 Tracker ATV. There’s keys and locks for everything so it’s always a mental Alzheimer’s test trying to remember all the details. I keep meaning to get a flight checklist but forget to do it only to have to remember again next time. We’d stopped at Cabelas on the way out only to find there was almost no ammunition. None for my rifles. Thankfully I found what I wanted at Canadian tire. 30:06 180 grain Nussler Partition. What a find? I bought four boxes. I’ve not been able to find any for a year but luckily have had leftovers from previous years. The 300 Win Mag Short is all sold out too.
It’s bow hunting, dear and elk but rifle for bear hunting. I found the bear banger gifts but the ammo was sold out. I got a solid lock for the new electric bicycle. I hadn’t brought the Vespa so if we didn’t have something we’d have to do with out. I was thinking this when we got to Hope to provision. At Chilliwack we noticed the price of gas is way up. Being older and knowing the country before Trudeau’s waste and mismanagement I remember $100 paid for a weekend of gas. Now it’s more like $400. All the food prices have gone up too because of all the taxes on primary processes and inflation. I’m okay. I’m still working yet I no longer feel clean paying taxes. Paying the terrorist ten million dollars for killing the American medic never sat well with me. When my taxes went to roads, defence and hospitals I was okay. Not okay but now it’s scandalous. All the people who don’t work and don’t want to work are being rewarded and we’re suffering more and more taxes and less and less income. Same with legal gun owners, high costs and impeccable behaviour while the criminals get a pass from the government.
Oh well, I’m far from the maddening crowd. I love it here. Families and children and no loud music. A really well run campground. Lovely owners. So helpful.
At Hope I really loaded a lot of food. People are stockpiling canned food again as fall is coming on and more and more shortages are appearing in the stores. Other than ammo we’ve been fortunate. I’ve used Amazon to get some sweet items for camping. Motion sensitive portable lights. Also a soft Kolpin ATV gear bag seat that’s just skookum. I like Kolpin.
The ride up through Manning Park was a delight on a sunny day. It wasn’t at all like the smoky surreal world I passed through last month. There was still some smouldering fire at East gate. There had been major flames before and black billowing smoke. Now it was just a little grey smoke. A last stop at the Princeton store for sandwich meats. That’s all I’d forgotten at Hope.
The refridgerator is working well again thanks to Nick at Far Out RV in Hope.
We finally made it to Riverhaven at dusk. A beautiful river side site. Lots of room. I was able to put the trailer beside the Camper and Ford F-350. We’d had MacDonald’s from Hope so weren’t hungry. I did eat a cold cheese burger left over and that satisfied me. Laura wasn’t hungry after the quarter pounder late afternoon. It was so quiet and the stars were out.
Madigan cried half the night. He wanted to be on the bed. He was bored. He was upset. I woke at 2:30 am with a cramp, took him for a walk and downed several Alleve. I slept in. 930 am.
Yesterday was a great day. I actually went through all the gear and sorted it out. It’s the first day of hunting and it’s always like this. I did get the net tent up. Laura doesn’t like mosquitoes so I got this skookum net tent with bright lime roof. Caravan Canopy Screen House10 ft by 10ft. I put it up myself. Only takes one person. Modern design and really light weight. I love it. Laura loves it.
When I was all set up I headed out with Madigan on the ATV. I had to go through a rancher’s field and open and close the barb wire fence. Magpies and steller’s jays were in the trees. Maybe even a whiskey jack. I’d see all of those and more. Lots of birds. We stopped where we did in the spring. Madigan is fine with rifles. I sited in the Ruger and it was good enough. Nice pattern a hundred years. A couple of inches high and to the right. It was okay. I tried the old and new ammunition and it was okay. Then I shot an arrow from the Excalibur hitting in the second ring from bullseye, first shot standing, 30 yards. Good enough. Madigan was having fun running around off leash.
I just rode the Honda 420 all over the mountain. I saw a rabbit. I raised a covey of grouse and got pictures. Grouse season opens in a week. I saw one doe climbing up the mountain. No bear. Lots of cows. I was surprised by two beautiful young women in a Jeep wearing cammo. I’d not heard them as the ATV motor the Jeep’s quiet engine. They stopped and smiled and we shared about seeing lots of cows. I don’t know if they were hunting but they could have been. First time then for me seeing two girls out hunting together. Always two or more guys or a couple. I came across them again near dusk when I was heading back. I’d stopped to scope a black lump on a mountain side. They passed me while I was stopped.
It was 8 pm when I got back. Dark. I barbecued some steaks and we used the cold salads I’d bought in Princeton. A lovely meal. Not much longer we were in bed and Madigan slept well. The park was really quiet. I ‘d walked Madigan before I went to bed around 10. Everyone was turned in by then except for a couple of campsites where folks were sitting around the dead fire pit talking quietly. There’s a fire ban. Madigan slept and I slept and Laura slept. It was a glorious sleep.
This morning I was up at 6 am but I didn’t get going till 7:30. Dawn was 630 . Supposed to be in position ready to ambush the dear at dawn. I actually got up the mountain and find a place to watch for deer. Madigan was learning how to walk behind me and did his best to sit still. Not very good. He would get 3-5 minutes before his attention broke and he had to look at something or chew a pine cone or climb on me. He did well. Normally I’m meditative and don’t move at all waiting for deer. I was distracted but last an hour and a half before I got back on the ATV. I drove all over the mountain after that. I stopped to let Madigan have some pond water. I had a couple of stops for coffee. Scanning the valley an clearings. It was chilly at first but warmed up.
More grouse. a Rabbit . Doves. No elk, deer or bear. But. I was there.
I came down the mountain after noon. It feels safe here and I didn’t mind leaving stuff on my ATV. I put the bow and rifle in the locked truck but didn’t feel the need to unload. I’d just put a tarp over the ATV the night before and found nothing disturbed in the morning.
I’d been hankering after eggs and bacon so barbecued some back bacon while Laura made scrambled eggs. We ate together outside under the Screen Tent.
I had a lovely shower. It’s so dusty on the back trails. I loved getting clean.
Now I’ll head up for evening hunt in an hour or two. I might have a nap first. It’s so peaceful here.
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