On the road south–at last!

 

After the final flight, it was time to take to the roads, before the weather turned bad again.

The camper had been mostly loaded and getting restless for quite a while now.

And Hailey assumed her travel position as co-pilot.

Driving through Banff and Kootenay Parks, we got to act lake tourists where we used to toil away for a meagre wage.

We headed south in British Columbia, before stopping at the world famous St. Mary’s River B&B  between Cranbrook and Kimberley, to visit the owners and managers Doug and Dale. 

After an evening of fine food and hospitality we were on the move southbound again in the morning, but not before pouring in the last 5 gallons of premium Canadian diesel fuel in, to enable us to make it across the border. Border crossing was smooth, with only a fridge check, that showed no contraband avocados (or firewood) were aboard.

After topping off the tanks again south of the line, we hooked up on I-90 westbound through Spokane, then south on 395 to the Columbia River.  It was dark by this time, but we found our favourite boondocking spot just below the John Day dam – on the mighty Columbia River, on the Washington side, which is much quieter than the Oregon side.  But the barges do slide by in the night, close up to the shore as they manoeuvre in and out of the locks to pass the dam.

There was a bit of rain overnight, but the temps stayed well above freezing, so I think we have crossed the threshhold when the camper no longer needs to be winterized – Yay!

There were some Native fishing structures along the shore, so Hailey thought she would try her luck, but there were no fish to be seen.

Headed for Portland and the coast …

(Tried to publish this for two hours in Biggs, Or, and it refused to go online …)