How deep is the ocean.
How high is the sky...
We are almost ready to touch the ocean- or at least cruise across part of it to get to Nanaimo on the Island. However, that's tomorrow's story.
Today, on the Coquihalla you could almost reach out and touch the sky. This major freeway travels down the Rockies from Kamloops- a beautiful city, to Hope BC at the bottom.
The views?
Spectacular. Mind-boggling. Beautiful. Stupendous. Breath-taking. Out of this world. Like nothing I have seen before and on and on.
And...this is in 'Our Canada!"
At the top of the Coquihalla- just past Kamloops and near Lac La Jeune, it was like Tom and I were travelling through a desert. More Badlands. Dry. Very dry. Scrub growth and hot.
Overhead, there was a big, bright, blue sky that went on forever and ever.
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| What?? This is Our Canada? |
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| Scrub Trees and Burnt Hillsides at the top near Kamloops |
Then, the Coquihalla journey. Up and down. Then more up and more down.
1200 metres at the Summit.
Cars, Trucks, Campers, Motorhomes and more travelling north towards Kamloops or Sicamous where we had spent last night at a KOA.
Just as many more vehicles were accompanying us all the way down to Hope and beyond.
What an gargantuan feat to build this amazing roadway down the centre of the Canadian Rockies.
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| Runaway Lanes for trucks- and vehicles, in case of brake failure Heaven and Earth forbid!! |
More than an hour and a half of driving at speeds up to 110 km per hour. Most of the way the maximum is posted as 120 km per hour. That speed only reduced at areas of construction or when going through a tunnel.
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| You'll want to "Stay the Course" and not go over the side. It's a very long way down! |
I'm not sure I would want to do the trip on a regular basis. Here's what Tom and I sounded like during the drive. I was behind the wheel:
Tom: Slow Down!!!!
Me: I am only going 107!
Tom: Well, you're going too fast!!
Me: What the &*&^? I am the one behind the wheel not you!!
Tom: Then, maybe I'll just shut my mouth!!
Me: Could you? I mean, would you?
~PAUSE~
Tom: Look I'm getting nervous now. Slow down!
Me: I had to pass that transport because I have a ^&^%$#$ car on my tail...
Tom: Just slow down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me: Look why don't you shut up!! I am the one in the driver's seat and I know how Priscilla feels...
Anyway...that went on and on for a bit.
Maybe a bit longer.
Finally, we passed Hope after Tom nearly lost all Hope and travelled along on the TCH through Chilliwack and Langley. We listened attentively to the GPS voice as she took us through Surrey towards the Peace Arch RV Park in White Rock- all part of Delta BC and yes, it can get confusing.
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| At Peace Arch RV Park. Yes, those are Palms behind me!! |
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| And this- A Banana Plant and Palm. Bee-You-Tea-Full |
Enjoy the photos.
Tomorrow, we'll be picking up our van- which arrived from Toronto by rail yesterday. Then we hop on the 1245 noon ferry for the crossing to Nanaimo. The trip takes 2 hours. It's another 1/2 hour drive to Country Maples RV Park just south of Chemainus. That's where we'll be spending the next 6 weeks as our house in Duncan is being completed.
The adventure continues....
