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Being on the road and boondocking in remote places doesn't make it easy to use the internet. We arrived to the Kentucky Alleyne Provincial Park and decided on a spot. It wasn't much later that Derek, Teresa and Cassia showed up to welcome us. The park is a beautiful spot and we were parked right on the edge of the lake with a great view. All the sites are primitive, no water, no electric. There is a water station in each loop so if you really need it, it's there. What a great park and what a great job they have.
The first night, Teresa invited us over for dinner. She prepared Pad Thai, very delicious. We sat around the campfire for a short spell and then headed home. It was cold and windy. We slept really well and we had no neighbors. We were dreading Friday as it was the start of the weekend and the fishermen come up from Merritt. Not an issue, our loop was very quiet and only a few campers.
On Friday we fixed breakfast for everyone and later that day went for a hike with the family around the lake. Pretty cool to see a five year old tell you what plants and animals there are and can point things out. She is really growing and gets prettier every day. Rufus came along on the hike and I think he enjoyed it more than anyone else. He loves to run on the trails.
In the evening, we headed back over to their compound for a great campfire. We didn't get home until after 10:30. Saturday morning, Juan and I took a hike around another lake and before we knew it, we had been gone over two hours. Time to pack up and head out for Colin and Contessa's place in Kelowna. It was a lot of fun and it was hard saying goodbye to them. Good thing is, we may see them this winter in Mexico!
We made it to Colin and Contessa's around 2 p.m. When we left Derek and Teresa, we were low on gas but we sailed in to West Kelowna with a little fuel to spare. I think we are going to leave Canada after we visit Kevin and Ruth and travel through the U.S. entering back into Canada in Ontario. Fuel is ridiculously high. From one side to the other the difference is as much as $2 a gallon. We will then continue on to Quebec and Nova Scotia.
It's such a shame to have put all that effort into crossing the border and to go through it multiple more times to save on the cost of fuel, something that should have been budgeted as part of your Canada experience. You're here and when else are you going to have the chance to travel straight across Canada?
ReplyDeleteYou seem to enjoy more remote RVing and you'll get that through the Prairies and especially across northern Ontario. On the U.S. side, it'll be a much more harried pace. If you decide to cross into Ontario at the Sault, you will get a nice, but very, very, very slow drive through northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan through the U.P. But if you decide to cross even further east, you'll have to find a way to avoid Chicagoland.
You've experienced parts of BC and will experience a bit of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Each province is absolutely unique and you won't get a real feel for what Canada is without sampling a little of every province. You will also miss out on experiencing the dramatic shift from west to eastern mentality as well as getting a feel for the sheer size of this country by driving it from coast to coast.
If you do decide to go the U.S. route, I'm about 4 hours SE of Kevin and Ruth right between the tiny Opheim and Scobey, MT border crossings (about 35 miles north of the border), as well as about five hours from the much large Portal ND crossing. You're welcome to stop in to top off water and charge your batteries.
A pretty bold statement Rae. Money is not an issue, we knew going into this about the price of gas. It's more about principal than anything else. It grates on my nerves knowing at some points, fuel is $2 less across the border. Also, we have been told on this trip by just about everyone that bugs are endemic this time of year through the central part of Canada. Before we started this trip, most people advised us to dip out of Canada for better fuel and alcohol prices. When people drive all the way to Mexico (the same distance) they don't visit every Mexican state on their trip. This trip is more about visiting friends than anything else. Kevin and Ruth happen to be on that list and that is why we are going to see them before leaving Canada. Nothing is written in cement.
DeleteWe think you're doing things totally the right way Chris. We've done both routes, and so we can say that based on experience, the route south of Lake Superior and crossing at Sault Ste Marie is the one we would take. Of course either route would be a new experience for you, so you can take that benefit and mix it with the lower fuel and booze prices on the southern route for a win-win.
DeleteGlad you had fun with Derek, Teresa, and Cassia!
I too find gas prices so different, but if I want to see all these wonderful places I say close your eyes to the price and keep going. It would be nice if we could all revolt, but as we know the governments are all the same in all our countries. I am on my way to Alaska and I know we are going to have to suck it up, but my friend Rita from Texas is so excited about this trip and she feels it will be the only time she will have this opportunity. I was hoping to see you guys at Kevin & Ruths but we had to get further hope in the winter we can meet.
ReplyDeleteI started a blog also it is wendysmoosejawtraveler.blogspot.ca hope you follow
Happy Travels whatever your plans Wendy
There is no question that Canada discourages tourism with their ridiculous gas prices. It is very annoying to realize we pay less for Alberta fuel in Texas than we do in Edmonton. Most oil producing nations give their citizens a break on the price of their own natural resource and making their profit when they export it. Canada take the opposite approach, sticking it to their own citizens while exporting their product at close to cost. If I were crossing to the east coast, I would probably cross the more boring areas by dipping down south of the border.
ReplyDelete$1.50 per liter here in Langley!
ReplyDeleteDavid
ReplyDeleteAnd miss out on North of Superior, well maybe you can do it next time,,!!,,
ReplyDeleteDavid
Don't know when you'll be this far east, but we're up near Caribou, Maine for the summer. Hoping to see you on your way through...
ReplyDeleteWe are going to Nova Scotia and then coming to see you guys!
DeleteYou only live once, Suck it up and check out all of Canada!
ReplyDelete