After a hearty breakfast with Anne and Stan, we said our farewells, and started our journey. During the drive through Peachland and Summerland, the reality sank in, we were finally on the road after months of hard work. We happily settled into our driving day groove, taking in the spectacular scenery.
Mile after mile, row upon row, the grape vines, apple trees, and cherry trees, all standing to attention in straight lines, reaching for the sky, to ultimately bear a bounty of fruit.
The emerald green irrigated crops contrasting with the dry foothills. Wild olive trees dot the landscape with their silver green foliage like exclamation points on the landscape. We roll through the small towns, Penticton, Okanagan Falls, Oliver and Osoyoos. Each with their own history, personality, and friendly people.
One has to savour the seasonal fruit when it’s available, until the next crop blossoms, and presents it’s fruits. Today, we ate cherries, and felt content.
Mile after mile, after each turn in the road, a new panorama unfolds, to impress the observer. We stop in Osoyoos for a washroom break, and pick up a cold drink, thinking back to how this all started.
We wanted to buy five acres of land around Osoyoos and build a four suite bed and breakfast. The deal fell through because the water well quality and quantity was insufficient for our needs. This forced us to re-examine our priorities, and decide if we wanted to be tied down for the next decade building a business or travel. Thankfully, we both had the same dream. They say things happen for a reason, and here we are – making our travel dreams come true.
From Osoyoos, we headed east, climbing up the Crowsnest Highway, navigating switchback after switchback, climbing and climbing, until we crest Anarchist Summit, then meander through Bridesville and Rock Creek, stopping for lunch in the quaint village of Midway.
After lunch, we get back on the road, and continue heading east. We enter the West Kootenay Boundary, steeped in mining history. Greenwood with its tall red brick smelting chimney standing guard on the hillside, overlooking the town like a wise old man. The main street is lined with old buildings, each holding stories in their walls.
We continue, passing through Grand Forks, past Christina Lake and arrive in Castlegar for one night. The lush adult oriented Kootenay River RV Campground is amazing. The staff are friendly, the lawns are manicured, the sites are well laid out with gravel pads, and the facilities are clean.
We were booked in for two nights, but delayed our departure from West Kelowna by one day to squeeze in a medical appointment in North Vancouver. I’m sure if we had a spare day, we would have taken some side trips to Rossland, Trail, and Fruitvale, to explore their history.
We backed into the site in one pass, with other campers watching from behind tinted camper glass, wondering how many times we had done this. Little do they know.
Our next leg takes us to Cranbrook, to visit with more close friends I consider as family.