Camping and driving

As usual I can't believe it is July and my last post was on June 4th!  I promised to keep myself up to date with the "training" for the half marathon.  Well there wasn't much to report.  My training regimen went sideways but I did manage to do a few long walks with the group.  The mosquitoes remained vicious as ever and on one particular outing a couple of weeks ago no amount of bug spray could keep them from circling and biting. 
A group of us started off from our house, walked clear across town and back and then headed north up to the road that goes to the garbage dump.  Bernie said it would be about 15 km if we did that.  Of course I got left behind in the dust because my feet do not allow me to go very fast - but I plugged along.  I tried to move as fast as I could thinking that the blood suckers would not be able to catch me but I wasn't very successful with that plan.  I made it there and back and I walked even faster when I saw our car approaching.  It was Bernie, being kind, asking if I wanted a ride to escape the mosquitoes.  I got mad and told him no thank you, I could walk just like anybody else......On I marched, bitten but not defeated.

The time has just gone by so fast and my long awaited vacation arrived.  I never took vacations before since I always worked for everybody else in the summer time.  I worked hard to get ready and we finally left on July 4th in the wind.  Yes, the wind howled all night and we put off leaving until close to noon because the weather report said it would be calmer by then.  Pulling a trailer on a windy day is no picnic, but then I wasn`t driving either. 

We drove all the way to Golden, stopping for gas once and a couple of times to let the dogs air out a bit.  I packed a lunch and we ate on the run.  We had a spot at the Whispering Spruce Campground, the same place we stayed ten years ago when we did the Tour du Canada.  We remembered it somewhat, but things have changed in ten years, including the highway which is better now. 

We got settled in to our spot and I opened the freezer to take something out to barbecue for supper only to discover melted ice cream and a fridge that was not operating.  AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH.  Lovely.  I was mad at the world, and hungry.  I eventually got it cleaned up and we ate and even had time for a walk.  The fridge is working now...........the propane was turned off and it needs to be on to run the fridge when we are driving........I thought he knew that......I guess not.  Well, we should have gone on a weekend test run with the trailer so Bernie could reacquaint himself with our little holiday trailer.  We also had water problems and we still need a new plug to really fix the situation.  Of course we only knew we were going away at this time about six months ago and that surely wasn`t enough time to get things road worthy......Oh and did I mention that we only had one full tank of propane??  Gee I guess we needed to get ready last year by the sounds of it. 

The day after we got settled in we drove in to Golden and found a place that would fill our propane tank.  We also bought some more water and I felt so lucky that I also bought a lottery ticket.  Anyway, if you need to get propane whilst travelling west on Highway One at Golden just go to Free Energy which is right beside the A&W. 

We left for points south on July 6th.  We had a nice drive through Roger's Pass, first time we drove in a vehicle going this way.  The first time was on our bikes and it sure is seen from a different perspective.  We ate on the run again.  The day got hotter and hotter and Bernie finally gave in and turned the air conditioning on.  I think he was concerned for the dogs.......The longest drive was from Kelowna to Penticton due to the high volume of traffic.  We got to the Camp Along rv resort and campground in good time and then the problems began!

After much maneuvering Bernie finally got the trailer parked.  Suffice it to say we won't be staying here again....we'll be lucky if we get out!  I had a hard time getting to sleep last night; visions of a truck trying to push a trailer into a spot that was as big as a postage stamp with trees on both sides....visions of our truck at a right angle to the trailer.....visions of our truck's left fender tucked right into a tree stump that served as a petunia planter......watching helplessly as he finaly got the sway bars off (I actually suggested that he do that before he started twisting our trailer around at unnatural angles......what do I know?)  I tossed and turned and finally got to sleep about 2 a.m.

Anyway, the neighbour helped him out a bit and for that I am grateful since it saved me getting hollered at for not giving the right hand signals!  Laugh out loud!!

After we got parked - snugged right up to a tree branch, but that's okay since there is no damage to anything else thank god - I served cold beers on the patio.  We got a new mat to put beside the trailer and I really like it.  That and our gravity chairs made me feel better; not to mention the three beers I had before I cooked supper.  The fridge was working splendidly since I convinced him that the propane had to be turned on at all times.  We have cable t.v., wifi, water, power and thankfully the air conditioning works.

Today we drove into Penticton so Bernie can get his race package for the Granfondo which he is cycling in tomorrow.  I hope he does all right in this heat - it is thirty degrees C. right now at six in the afternoon. 

Our neighbours to the left gave us cherries they grew in their back yard.  They have two dogs and one isn't very friendly.  Our dogs are behaving all right so far.  The neighbours to our right are not home much, but the guy did help us out yesterday.

Well I will try and post some pictures of our little adventure here in B.C. and I will blog later on, maybe after we get home.