My half-cousin in Del Mar emailed me a while ago and asked if we could pet sit her 18 year old cat for the last two weeks in December. Ordinarily we wouldn’t pet sit while we winter in Arizona, but this time we made an exception. We were a bit apprehensive due to Choco’s age and that he has had moments with health issues. Fortunately, he was stable the entire time we were there.
The drive is long and boring, about seven hours plus stops. It was uneventful and we arrived in time for dinner. Diana and Don welcomed us warmly and we became reacquainted with Choco whom we had met a few years ago. Gosh, he is quite skeletal but his weigh was better than it had been. He loves to be held and snuggle with us on the sofa while we watch TV. We were introduced to the show “Ted Lasso” which we binged on the entire time. Choco would snuggle with me or Bill and sometimes went back and forth. Normally he was upstairs sleeping soundly but would descend when he heard the TV come on knowing it was family time.
Choco AKA Choco Loco
Diana’s duplex has a partial view of the ocean in between the two duplexes in front of them at the top of the cliff. The timing was great to see the sun setting from the living room/deck as it was the time of year do to that. Otherwise, one would have to go to the top of thecliff to see it.
The day after we arrived we took two walks with our hosts; one was in Solano Beach around the lagoon and at the end of the afternoon we did a 3.5 mile loop down to the beach, along it, and back up at low tide to see the sunset from down there. They treated us to lunch after the first walk and then we enjoyed fresh swordfish for dinner. Ice Cream from Trader Joe’s was also on the menu which we got to finish off while they were traveling. That night we began watching “Ted Lasso” which I had been curious about. It turned out to be wonderful; it wasn’t just a light comedy but became quite deeply emotional as well. Ted is very insightful and helped transform all the characters with his perspective on life and helping everyone become their best selves.
Diana, Bill, Don
It turned out Jane and Cynthia were pet sitting on Coronado Island our last week and being just a half hour away, were able to come visit for lunch and then do the beach loop as low tide had timed itself well to do that. It was wonderful to see them. We had seen Jane a couple of months before in Flagstaff but it had been about twenty years since we had seen Cynthia. What a treat!!
Cynthia and Bill (Jane doesn’t like photos)
During our stay we were also able to spend time with Jenny Giddy who we had met in Costa Rica and then visited her in New York and Vancouver while pet sitting in those places. She travels a lot; no moss grows on her! We drove down to her son’s place where we had bagels, cream cheese, lox, and berries. The plan had been to then hike in Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve but given the crowds the day after Christmas, we opted to go to our place and walk the cliff. Jenny’s other son accompanied us, and although I suspect he wasn’t thrilled with the idea he was certainly pleasant and interesting to talk with.
Most of our daily walks were just in the hood/along the cliff. One day early on we drove back to Solano Beach to hike the very short slot canyon, Annie’s. We did it twice as it is one way, very narrow, and Bill wanted photos but there were a fair number of people on the trail. Afterwards we walked another part of the lagoon and this time there were more ducks and a couple of egrets.
Trains pass multiple times a day, sheer cliffBill in Annie’s Slot Canyon
The weather had been forecasted to be low 70’s the first two or three days and then be ten degrees cooler. That didn’t happen so I had too many cold weather clothes and not enough warm weather ones. Thank goodness for a washer and dryer. We had one day of rain and it was all at night, although Jane said they had rain that afternoon on the island, as well. The last few days had a large surf warning which the surfers seemed to appreciate. One of the last days we drove north a bit to Encinitas where pelicans were dive bombing despite the numerous surfers in their fishing area. Immediately, smaller birds would rush to where the pelican entered the water in hopes of stealing the fish.
The last day we could take a cliff walk we noticed an old motor boat at the bottom of the cliff being moved about by the waves. When we told Diana and Don about it upon their return, they said it likely belonged to illegal Mexicans who come up the coast at night and then abandon their craft.
Besides pelicans and other sea birds, including wimbrels, I was lucky to see a pod of dolphins heading south. I had been walking the cliff when I saw a woman pointing out to sea trying to help her partner see what she saw. Fins!! I was able to get a few photos and videos before dashing home to tell Bill and get the binoculars. That was the only time I saw them.
On the way south from Bryce to the next pet sit, we made two stops. The first was to revisit the Toadstool Hoodoos in southern Utah as Bill had lost his photos from our stop there a couple of years ago. It was another hot sunny day, and this time there were only a few people meandering about. We enjoyed being able to get more photos without people having a picnic in the shade of the rock formations we wanted to photograph, though there was a young, cool, buff couple who had to climb one formation for selfies.
From there we continued on to Flagstaff for the night and to visit my sister, Jane, the next morning. We met her at Buffalo Park and made the two mile loop in the sunshine while we caught up with each other’s lives. While doing that, I received a message from the next pet sit client who asked us to a rrive later that evening than originally planned. That gave us more time with Jane. We drove about a half hour to the Snowbowl and found a wooded trail to follow. We didn’t really go very far as we kept stopping to talk. The soaring aspen with golden leaves looked bright and luminous in the sunshine against the azure sky. After a pee break, we drove back into town for lunch at Wildflower. It is quite similar to Panera Bread, but better. Jane kindly treated us to our lunch, a mix of salads, sandwich, and soup. Then it was time to begin the drive to Green Valley, meet the owners, and learn about Rocky.
Rocky is a Yorkipoo, full of energy, life, and love. To keep him entertained indoors, the owners bought him a ball launcher. It took some training by them to teach him how to use it on his own, and now he plays with it several times a day. Turning it on and off still takes human intervention, as does the few times the ball ends up under a piece of furniture. Once, just as I was about to straighten the machine to correct the direction of the launch, the ball flew into a small lamp which fell to the floor and broke the bulb. Fortunately, that was all as we later learned that one time, when the launcher was aimed in the opposite direction, the ball had hit the wall clock over the fireplace which shoved a heavy purple crystal off the mantel. That crashed into the bottom ledge of the tile fireplace surround, making a ghastly break. So glad that didn’t happen on our watch. Rocky loves to go for walks around the neighborhood and trots proudly as though he owns the joint. At night he very quietly slept at the foot of our bed. In the morning he would slowly creep closer to us for a good morning snuggle and belly rub. The day we went to Tupac to visit the artist community, he did well sitting on my lap as Bill drove. We didn’t sty long as it was too got for all of us and not much of interest. Even the used items store, Jane’s Closet, was pricey.
Green Valley is basically a retirement community for those 55+. Rocky’s neighborhood is very quiet, although the further end does get highway noise. His house overlooks the tenth tee and we hardly saw or heard anyone. A perk of home ownership which interested us, is the membership in the Green Valley Recreation group which, for a nominal fee per club, allows one to join as many as one likes. Numerous clubs offer activities such as pickleball, photography, line dancing, and regional groups such as those for people from New England. What a great chance to socialize and make friends. The dozens of groups was very appealing. Green Valley, more brown than green, is hot, though. We were there around the third week of October and the temperatures were well into the 90’s. A covey of quail came a couple of times to snack on the bird seed on the patio
After leaving Salt Lake City, we drove to tiny Panguich where we spent two nights in a motel. We asked for a quiet room and were given the one at the end furthest from the road. The town had just been inundated with crowds of people who had come to view the solar eclipse as in this location one could see a complete ring of the sun. Although that would have been great to see, the hoards of people and vastly escalated prices would have been a turnoff.
Being a Sunday, most restaurants were closed. There was food truck, Subway, and a grill. We chose the grill and called in our order. Well, on Sunday, they make the burger Bill wanted but not the one I wanted as they get too busy. Then I ordered a quesadilla with meat but they don’t make that on Sundays either. Grrrr. I ordered the child’s cheese quesadilla. When I went in to pick up the food, there were two tables occupied. Yes, they are very busy on Sundays….. The next night there was one other place open and the food truck gone. We ordered takeout from the smokehouse across the street. The place was packed and a young boy, who turned out to be fourteen, took our order with his handheld machine. My trout was so-so but seemed to have been in the freezer a bit too long. Bill liked his pulled pork.
We had one full day to explore Bryce which we had been to many years ago. Just outside the park we h ad a preview of the rock formations and drove through two arches. With our America the Beautiful pass we entered freely and parked near Sunset Point. The lot was full so we had to circle around and lucked upon someone leaving. Being a popular spot and having trails descending way way down to the bottom, there were too many people. Perhaps they were leftovers from the eclipse viewers. We stayed up on the rim photographing the hoodoos from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point and back. Then we decided to take a trail down but it was quite steep and at 8000 feet I was afraid the oxygen level would take its toll on my heart rate. We took a few switchbacks, Bill taking more than I, and then we retraced our steps SLOWLY. Although only 70 degrees, the sun was hot and relentless. Even with sun screen and a wide brimmed hat, my face got a bit red, perhaps due to the reflection off the white sand on the ground. Back at the car I checked my O2 level and it was 88. Taking some deep breaths got it up to 91. We stopped at a couple of other view points which were much less crowded and enjoyed the scenery. Once we got back down to 6000 feet in Panguitch, I did feel better and my O2 returned to the upper 90’s.
Fortunately, we didn’t get the predicted overnight snow when we were to leave Yellowstone and make our way to SLC where we were to sit for two dogs for a few days. The drive was uneventful and with a bit of time to fill before we were due to arrive, we stopped at a bird sanctuary. Not having time for the drive through it, we ambled about on the trails where there were some flocks of small birds coming and going from the tall reeds in the ponds. The mountains in the background had patches of orange from the deciduous trees changing their colors for fall.
The homeowners are a young couple in a modest house in a quiet neighborhood. They have two mixed breeds, both with black lab as part of their DNA, who are very well-behaved, quiet, sweet, and loving. JPeg is a rescue and can be dog reactive when she comes upon one when out for walks. If this happened unexpectedly, Bill had to keep a tight hold on her leash and walk away. If a dog was in the distance, across the street or down the block, then there wasn’t a problem. JPeg wears a muzzle when out and about, but as Bill pointed out this prevents her from defending herself if she is attacked. She loves to roll in the grass and Cora loves to sniff most things. At home, they enjoyed spending time in the fenced backyard, JPeg relaxing in the sunshine and Cora smelling everything. They get along, but the only time they would share a bed or sofa, was when each took a distant corner. They both like the owners’ bed, but JPeg seemed to take it over most of the time. When she wasn’t on it, Cora was sure to take advantage of the opportunity to claim it as hers.
CoraJPeg
As we had just a few days, we didn’t do anything other than take the dogs for a walk or ourselves in the neighborhood. We did go to Kohl’s as I needed a different pair of sneakers. Bill bought some pants and we also purchased socks. This gave us $30 in Kohl’s cash to spend the following week. The lunar eclipse was happening during our stay but we just saw a partial, like a crescent moon. I loved seeing the Rocky Mountains, some with snowy peaks. The sit gave us a respite from being in the car. At that point we had driven about 17,000 miles since we left Arizona late in April.
With a couple of nights to fill, we headed to YNP from Seattle. In de Borgia, Montana we spent the night at a BnB. Although it was more on the rustic casual side, it was very comfortable, quiet, and the best stocked BnB we have met. There were multiple types of coffee and shampoo, first aid for any basic need, all types of hair dryers/stylers, etc. She also had in the freezer huckleberry muffins for us each to enjoy for breakfast. This place was attached to the main house via a pass through so no one overhead and no shared walls.
The weather for YNP was not predicted to be the best, although my photographer husband might disagree with that. The forecast for our one day there was for rain and chilly temperatures. In actuality, the sky eventually cleared and we had some sun, albeit not a lot. The afternoon we arrived we took advantage of the respite from area storms so that if the next day was a washout, we would have at least a bit of time to see some of the sites.
With our America Beautiful lifetime senior pass, our entry was free. The road from the west entrance to the first intersection is 14 miles. Towards the end of that we saw a bison by the side of the road; such a hulking creature. When we did get to the intersection and turned right, there was another one off from the road slowly making its’ way to the river. From the short bridge we got the best shots. Bill went back to drive the car around to the pull off on the other side of the river where the bison exited the stream after a short wade. We made one quick stop to see some of the hot springs but when thunder and lightning started, we booked it back to the car. By then it was time to return to the hotel and order takeout, personal size pizzas. As we ate, the rain settled in for the night.
The next morning was cold and wet so I donned my “hazmat”, AKA rain gear suit, and we drove back to the park, just two blocks away. We decided to take the southern loop which would take us past the turnoff to Old Faithful. We stopped again to see the first available hot springs and a small geyser. Back on the road there was a traffic slowdown for a bison at the side of the road. By the time we got to it, it had decided to cross the road. Fortunately, it kept its’ cool and slowly made its’ way passing the front of our car and not deciding to ram it. For the rest of the day we walked around the various boardwalks to view the springs, geysers, and golden coppery mud flats. There were a few waterfalls, as well. Towards the end of the day, we walked around some bubbling mud springs and up the hill came close to a herd of bison lounging around. As we went around the curved boardwalk, one massive mister ambled over to check out the humans. Fortunately, he didn’t feel a need to get too close and we were sure to keep our respective distance. While driving up the road just a bit, many cars were pulled over to the side and down in the valley was a very large herd of over a hundred bison, young and old, resting in the grass. So cool! Further up the road I spied some trumpeter swans in the distance and was able to get some photos/videos while Bill was in the outhouse. Towards the end of the drive, going towards the park exit, we saw more cars pulled over. This time it was for several elk up the hilly field having their dinner salad. One bull had an impressive rack! We then saw just a few in two different places and then four bison by the side of the road whose breath I could see in the cold. All in all, it was a good day with lots of great photos taken.
The drive from Revelstoke to Sumas, Washington was about six hours with a few stops. We were in and out of rain which was ok as the route we were on was a repeat. The border crossing was easy. We were asked a few questions and the agent must engage in conversation in effort to make the day more interesting. Our lodging was just a few blocks ahead and Sumas Mountain Resort, not well named, proved to be quiet, comfortable, and the room spacious. Bob’s Burgers is the in-house restaurant and provided good food for dinner and again for breakfast, at extra cost. It was a bit of a reverse culture shock to not be able to subtract 25% from the menu prices (Canada’s dollar is worth about seventy-five US cents). The next day we had time to fill before getting the rear brake pads replaced in Bellingham. Bill found Whatcom Park which allowed us to stretch our legs for a while. We also bought a few items at Trader Joe’s. Once Old Blue was ready, we checked into our hotel and later enjoyed a Mexican dinner to which we could walk.
Again, we had time to fill the next day as our pet sit wasn’t far and we didn’t need to arrive until 3. We lingered in our room and then took a somewhat scenic route. Chickanut Drive is very overgrown with trees and the two pull offs gave so-so open views of the water. We stopped for a bite to eat in Bow, a small town with several places to eat. I thought the Farm to Market Bakery would just be breads and pastries but turned out to offer sandwiches on baguettes and pastries/cookies. I chose a small sandwich and Bill liked the Senegalese Soup which he found quite spicy. Afterwards I bought a baguette to take with us and passed on the pastries which were expensive and the cinnamon rolls were a bit burned. The state parks near the island and on it all require the Discover Pass, $10/day or $30/year. Hoping the owners at the pet sit would share their pass, as happened a few years ago, we opted to pass by.
The north part of Whidbey Island contains Deception Pass State Park, which was crowded on a Saturday. Oak Harbor is nothing interesting but once we turned onto Ebey’s Reserve, the atmosphere I had hoped for materialized. The house is right in the middle of it on the shore of Penn Cove. Mussel decks are in rows of eight and are the view from the large living room windows. The owners have a small table set up right next to them where they, and we, eat to enjoy the scene. They have seen orcas swim by but not very often at this time of year.
Jake is a ten year old Labrador Retriever who is currently suffering arthritis. He really can’t do much for exercise and has trouble with stairs. Currently, he is suffering from allergies. He licks his paws frequently and scratches his ears. We give him Benadryl to help calm the itching, but it might not help too much. We noted, though, that when he was outside lying around, he never licked them; it was only when he was inside and not sound asleep. In the morning he was fine until after he got up to eat his breakfast and do his business. Once he was back in he immediately began smacking. Rather annoying for all involved…I also wipe his ears as he gets a buildup of something unpleasant for him. He loves to be groomed and is shedding quite a bit for this time of year. With all of that, he is a sweet boy and gave me kisses from time to time.
Stella is a young gorgeous cat who is petite and affectionate. She spends most of her day outdoors and we keep her in after dinner as there are coyotes around. In the evening she goes upstairs to get our bed warm. Bill always goes up first and when I get there, she is snuggled against him. By the time I am ready to get in bed, she has moved to a chair where she spends the night. One morning, about 4 AM after I had gotten up to walk off a leg cramp, Stella hopped right onto the bed and made her way up to snuggle on me. I felt honored!Jake sleeps downstairs where we can’t hear the licking and does bark from time to time, with no known reason.
The first day was sunny and mild so we walked the mile into Coupeville. On the way we stopped to look at the mussel decks from the top of the steep drop-off and Bill spied a harbor seal before it dove down. Coupeville is tiny with a block of old buildings, now stores, galleries, small restaurants, wine tastings, and cidery. The dock with a building at the end houses a souvenir shop, information about the sea life, and a restaurant. From the high dock we saw a belted kingfisher on the hunt and a plethora of starfish just hanging out. A couple of crabs were also visible. There is a view of Mt. Baker, which we saw from a few places on the island. We perused all the businesses and treated ourselves to a lunch of ice cream. For $5 one could get three scoops and mix the flavors as desired. I opted for two of pumpkin and one of vanilla bean. Bill chose two sweeter flavors. Back up the hill a bit we stopped at Red Hen Bakery where we chose hand pies to take back for an evening dessert. Bill’s had peaches and mine had apples which I topped with a slice of cheddar all warmed in the microwave. Good thing we just had salmon salad for supper!
The next day was cold and rainy so we stayed put other than going into town for groceries. Gosh, they seemed expensive!! We interviewed for a three week pet sit in northeastern England for late next summer and were accepted!
Two days we hiked in Deception Pass State Park. Our hosts were generous in allowing us to use their annual pass to all the state parks. It is good for two vehicles and they had only written in one license plate. Not once were we asked to write in our license on the remaining line, but perhaps no official took note as all we had to do was hang if from the rear view mirror.
There are two bridges going from the mainland over to Whidbey Island. The first time we hiked in this state park, we first walked onto the bridge a little ways. Way below us were several habour seals swimming about and one great blue heron looking for a tasty meal. The hike we took on the perimeter of a peninsula was moderate and had several ascents and descents through the forest. A ways around we did see another seal watching us, but that was it for other sea life. Once back at the parking lot, we ambled to the shore, which brought us to a beach just around the bend from where we had seen all the seals and heron earlier. More seals were hanging out there as well as what was probably the same heron. The heron was perched on a small rock, and its feet just fit on the exposed part. At one point a seal surfaced and peeked at it, and quickly dove down and away.
The second time we hiked in the park we explored the northern section. The Rosario peninsula has a trail going up to the highest point and then it turns and goes back down on the other side. The views were mildly interesting. Back in the parking lot we took another trail along the coast, up in the trees on the cliff. We didn’t see much there and ended up turning around to return to the car. Then we drove to the next parking lot, near where we made the about face, and took another hike. After a level stretch, we had to make a steep climb and descent as the tide was too high to just walk the beach. Eventually we came to the top of a cliff with a wide open area. In the far distance I could see a couple of seagulls resting on the water and suddenly there were what looked like a fin belonging to a mammal. The body dove down and it looked like a porpoise. A few minutes later I saw what looked to be a seal head, which also disappeared. A minute later, just below us, a huge Northern fur seal surfaced, rolled over, and dove down and away. It came up for air quite a ways away and that was it. As we went up the trail a bit Bill could see the porpoise I had seen, but just for a few seconds. We never saw it again as motor boats came zooming along and likely scared away all we wanted to see. We continued on the trail, always checking the water for more sightings, but nothing else showed up. We finished the trail, having to repeat the steep part in reverse, and totaled just over three miles.
Fort Casey Historical State Park was constructed in the late 1800’s, equipped for defense, and used as a training facility until the mid-1940’s. There is a long line of bunkers and batteries. One of them is named the Kingsbury Battery, named in honor of Henry Walter Kingsbury who died in 1862 of many wounds during the Civil War. According to Family Search, he is my sixth cousin five times removed through the Miner/Peckham lineage! He was born in Waterbury CT, commanded the 11th Connecticut Infantry, and died a colonel. He was described as being a “brilliant, honorable, and brave soldier”. Of course he was! The other exciting part of that day was seeing several sea lions out in the water, not far from shore. We were able to get down there from the cliff top and take many photos and videos of the many hungry massive sea lions. A few opportunistic seagulls hovered around them hoping for any fish remains. After watching them quite a while I saw one massive sea lion come up with a large fish, perhaps a salmon, in its mouth, smack it around on the surface of the water, and then swallow it right on down. Cool!
The only other hike we took was on Ebey’s Landing where there is a 3.5 mile loop trail that goes along the beach and the top of the bluff. I had read to take the beach section first, which we did. It wasn’t too bad to walk on but we never did see any exciting sea life. We finally reached the switchbacks which would take us to the top of the bluff where we enjoyed an aerial view of the water and the mountains across the way. All we saw were a few hawks soaring below us. The exercise was good for us and the day sunny and cool. When we reached the other side of the rise, just before we began the make our way down, off to the right was a magnificent view of Mt. Baker. It was unexpected and we were able to enjoy its majesty most of the way down and back to the car.
Mt. Baker
One of the positive aspects of spending so much time in Canada, is the friendliness of the people. Just the week we spent in Washington, I have evidenced the same level and found it quite refreshing. Every time we passed people on trails, they were always took a few seconds to say hello and comment on the day. Today, while we were stopped to admire Mt. Baker, a man came up the other way and started chatting to us about the views and how glad he was that his daughter recommended he get out of Seattle and take this hike. Uncle Buzz was good about saying hello to strangers, which in my younger days I found curious. New Englanders don’t generally do that.
All in all, a week on Widbey Island was sufficient. Now I have a feel for the locale and am glad to have had this chance to get to know it. Parts are more rural while Oak Harbor is full of malls, like urban sprawl. Groceries seem expensive. The wildlife is varied. We never saw whales or orcas but it is not the best time of year.
While on the island, a friend from Camp Mohawk who I had not seen in 43 years, saw on Facebook that we were in the area and not far from her house. She contacted me and the end result was staying at her AirBnB for free as renovations are just being completed. The house was built in 1905 and in a very quiet residential area. After being caught in a long slow down on the drive from Whidbey, we finally arrived and enjoyed catching up over Thai food she picked up and I paid for. She has had a good life and basically inherited the house from her mother recently.
In the morning we walked down to the arboretum, and I mean DOWN. Many people were enjoying the mild weather but it wasn’t crowded. After walking all through that and appreciating the spotty fall colors, we trudged back up the hill. Over four miles was good exercise for us. While back at home and getting some nourishment, I researched getting to the fish market and found we could take the bus and the ride would be less than a half hour.
Being seniors, we were able to ride the bus for $1, good for 2.5 hours. While waiting for it, I started talking with another older person about the bus. She has a heavy accent and limited English. Being curious, I asked her where she was from. She has been in Seattle for three years but is originally from Armenia. She said Seattle used to be a nice place but is now plagued by homeless, etc. We rode the bus down to Pike Place and enjoyed revisiting it. The last time was in 1997. The fish are still tossed from time to time at the fish market. Jumbo lobster tails, about two pounds, were available at $79.99 per pound and Dungeness crabs were about $17 per pound. There is an expansive “gum wall” outside, if you care to chew gum and add it. There are scads of flower vendors. The original Starbucks had a long line down the block but I did enter the gelato store for a free sample. Oh, my. The lemon was heavenly! Rich, thick, creamy, and tangy. I decided that would be enough to last me the day.
After a quick cleaning the next morning, we headed east to Yellowstone.
The original plan was to sit in Salmon Arm and then, a week after leaving, spend ten days sitting in Coldstream, not far away. We needed to fill that week and originally thought of going to Whistler. That would mean a five hour drive to get there from Salmon Arm and five hours back to Coldstream. To save all that time on the road, we opted to rent a condo in Revelstoke, just an hour and a half away. We booked that and it was non-refundable. While in Salmon Arm, the sit in Coldstream was cancelled. Due to major basement repairs they were having to do because of water damage, there was going to be a lot of noise and dust upstairs from the drywalling to go on during our stay. The owners were honest about the situation and gave us a chance to decline the sit. Their backup plan was to take the dogs with them on vacation and have someone come in to check on the cats. Since that seemed to be an easy fix for them and the dogs, we took the opportunity to decline the situation. That meant having another ten days to fill so I looked on TrustedHousesitters for another sit. Since we didn’t need to stay in Canada, I looked at the US and found one on Whidbey Island, off the Washington coast. I applied and was quickly accepted. It turns out that their sitter for the two week trip to Japan had to cancel. One of the owners’ kids will sit the second week, but they needed someone the first week. We came to their rescue and they to ours! They were getting nervous about finding someone, but it all worked well for all. It turns out we could have gone to Whistler, directly north of Widbey Island….
The modern condo in Revelstoke is very pleasant with plenty of space and a stunning view of the craggy mountain peaks in the distance despite the parking lot and other buildings in the foreground. We have our own narrow garage and a large deck. The walls are thin and we could hear people on either side of us, drawers sliding open and close, and dogs crying, barking, and even sighing. None of the occurrences lasted long, but they were several times a day.
The day after we arrived was to have the best weather by far so we took the opportunity to drive to the top parking lot of Revelstoke National Park and hike for a while in the woods. Some of the trails were closed due to bear activity so we took the one that was open. We were both a bit perplexed as this one was abutting the area of the closed trails and we did see bear scat and tracks in the mud by the pond at the beginning of our trail. The trail went into the woods and down, down, down the mountain. I kept ringing the bike bear bell a few times every fifteen seconds or so. We never did see or hear any bears, but we did come upon what I think were two grouse of some sort, maybe Spruce Grouse. They didn’t seem very concerned by us and kept investigating the area while we stopped and photographed them. We all went down the trail a ways together until they went off into the shrubs and we trundled on down the steep slope. Through the towering trees we had glimpses of mountain peaks in the far distance but didn’t get any clear views until we finally began the ascent part of the loop. That was a bit tough going but not as steep as the descent had been. We stopped several times and were treated to a few red breasted nuthatches looking for insects in a rotting tree. Eventually we reached the end of the trail back up by the parking lot, weary to say the least.
Every day after that had hours of light rain with a break now and then. The second morning was raining and when it paused for a while, we headed into town to see what was there. Being Saturday, there was a small farmers’ market for two or three blocks. I bought a bunch of rainbow chard, six molasses/ginger cookies, and Bill chose a double chocolate cherry muffin. At the liquor store we got a few bottles of wine. There are several outdoor mountain stores and one was having a big sale. Even at that, skiing has become an astronomically expensive sport since my days well over forty years ago. I did buy a piece of clothing marked down from USD 75 to 15, which was a steal. By the time we got back to the condo, there was a bit more rain.
The next day we returned to Revelstoke National Park. Our first stop was to see the location of the former ski jump where Nels Nelson and others participated in championship competitions from 1916-1975. The jump is long since gone, but there is a platform where one can stand behind and lean forward on an angled metal cutout of a ski jumper’s outfit, with Nel’s number 88, place feet onto the metal skis and realize the view of a jumper about to take off. Silly me had to hold onto the railings and not put full faith the structure would hold me as it meant being at quite an angle over the cliff. From there we headed up the mountain with clouds slowly lifting obscuring the views for the most part but making for interesting photos. We walked the 1 km up to the summit at 6360 feet. The former fire tower, which housed those who kept an eye out for fires, is no longer put to that use once technology took over. We enjoyed a few other trails up there which would have given stupendous panoramic views of the mountain range, some of the peaks with snow, except for the lingering clouds. We were given glimpses for a few seconds from time to time of a peak or two. This was a wonderful fresh air, albeit chilly at 40 degrees, adventure and we were both glad to have done this. We actually walked three miles in all.
With more rain threatening we stayed home the next day and worked on finding accommodation for next summer. We also drove into town to get a few groceries. The following morning there was more rain and when it lifted for a bit, we returned to the park to walk Inspiration Trail, all in the woods. After a bit of drizzle, the clouds took a rest as we trundled up a steep longish section, and were greeted with sunshine for several minutes. The bits of view were still obscured and as we headed down the loop trail, the sun went under cover again. We hiked about two miles and with the steep sections, felt as though we had gotten enough exercise as it took us an hour and a half. Just after we arrived back at the car, the rain returned. We really had good timing for this chance to get some exercise for the day.
The last day we had to hike was still a bit damp but there seemed to be some sunshine coming. The first hike we took in the park was Broken Bridge. It is said to be steep in parts and to take about 40 minutes round trip. Well, it was steep 95% of the way to the end at the broken bridge. We had to stop several times and the views were rather obscured with trees and clouds. The stream at the end was small with a short waterfall a bit further up. After that we continued the drive to the summit where we revisited the viewpoints we had hiked to before and were rewarded with spectacular snowy mountain ranges in the distance. There was a bit of crystalline snow on the ground at our feet and the air damp and cold, but we warmed by the photogenic scenery.
All in all, we enjoyed Revelstoke and were grateful the weather cooperated enough for us to explore the area. Of course, Bill liked the clouds for photographic interest. We hope to never have to live in a condo or apartment.
Ruby is a four year old labradoodle who is quite well-behaved and easy to take on walks. She will stay in the yard and liked to lie on the deck keeping an eye on the property. Fetch she still hasn’t learned even with extra balls thrown in hopes she will drop the one she chased initially.
Magog is nine and gets to come and go as he pleases. Like Neko in West Kelowna, he was immediately comfortable with us but this guy is a real snuggler. The first night he came to visit us in bed but didn’t stay long. The second night when I went to get ready for bed, there he was snuggled in Bill’s arm! A few minutes later before, he had been right up against Bill’s ear and purring madly. In the early morning he returned for another warm cuddle. That night he snuggled up under my chin and let the purring motor roar. I am surprised Bill didn’t hear him because it was LOUD. Whenever Bill sat in the recliner, up Magog hopped for another cuddle session. He had tried my lap first but didn’t find it quite as comfy.
Taking Ruby on walks was a dream. She always stayed around, would wait for us at intersections to know which way to go, and the best part is she would always respond to calls and whistles if she got too far off the trail or had stopped to thoroughly investigate some intriguing bit of nature. She had a beeper collar on but we rarely used it and that was only when we met another dog or humans while hiking and she was too excited. Ruby is another dog with an oral need to have to something in her mouth when excited, be that at the house or when out hiking. Once she carried a small log for quite a distance back to the yard.
Ruby with Shuswap Lake behind her
On the property are trails which go into the woods and end up at a ballfield behind an RV park. It only took less than half an hour round trip unless we got lost. That happened a couple of times as there are many trails. I finally laid sticks across the beginning of the wrong trails so I wouldn’t become confused when I took her out there alone. We also enjoyed long moderate difficulty walks on the Parks Trail systems about a five minute drive from here. This is another complex of trails so we had to consult maps.me often to know which diversion to take. The first time we went we met an older woman just as we all were finishing. While chatting she mentioned Trump and said that when she had been a teacher there was no way she would have allowed a student to act like him; she would never hit him but, boy, would she like to!
The ranch style house was built in the 60’s and the owners have done a great job tearing down walls to create a pleasing open concept in the living spaces. She is an interior decorator and her skills are wonderful. I could live quite happily here. The doors are fir and the floors are spruce. The deck has an extensive pergola and trellis with grape vines and several hanging baskets. The basement is an apartment they rent to resident doctors and we never saw or heard anyone. He is a hospitalist who was raised in the States and attended Duke and Harvard. There has been a recent increase in COVID cases in the hospital and he firmly believes those who have been vaccinated and boostered have a much easier time overcoming the virus. As a thank you, Dee left us a pack of six gluten free brownies and a bottle of white wine. Each night for dessert, we both savored a brownie with HaagenDaz vanilla ice cream we purchased. Yum!
The sit was so easy and the house/property so pleasant, we easily could have stayed for two weeks. Having such easy loving animals is a real treat. Ruby is a puller on lead, but since she didn’t need it on the trails, only on roads where we didn’t walk, we had no frustrations with her.
The night we left we returned to Blind Bay to spend the night at the same place we had two months previously. Hannie is about our age and Dutch. Her son, Randy, lives with her and does the maintenance and helps with cooking the breakfasts. He is a chef at the local golf course but due to the wildfires, it has shut down so he is out of work. As Bill and I shared the platter of cheese and crackers with a glass of wine on their deck overlooking the river, we had a chance to really converse with them. Their basement has been turned into rooms for guests and during the worst phases of the nearby fire, there were many cancellations. Once they thought they needed to evacuate and drove east. The one available hotel was going to charge them a thousand dollars, purely out of greed, so they ended up trying to sleep in a rest area parking lot. Bill and I both had the Dutch pancakes for breakfast, which I had enjoyed previously. The thick cut bacon was cooked to perfect crispiness. When we left, we felt as though we were leaving new friends. We worry about Hannie’s health as she moves with difficulty and Randy said when we went to the front door to say good-bye, that was in the bathroom getting sick. Fortunately, she then came around the corner.
Since we had lots of time before we could check-in in Revelstoke, less than two hours away, we stopped back in Salmon Arm to check out a few stores. The bakery where I had planned to get some true sourdough bread was closed for vacation. In the complex was cider brewery where Bill bought some 4-packs of the dry and semi-dry apple cider. Many choices were flavored, one with lavender which seemed disgusting. We also stopped at a large fruit stand/store where we bought a few juicy nectarines and a couple of sweet MacIntosh apples.
Right after our few days in Kaslo, we drove due south to pet sit Earl, the long-haired gray cat, in Fruitvale for a week. The town is small but has the basics. I could walk to the PO to get their mail in about six minutes each way. It is just a few miles from the US border. The owners had invited us to dinner the night before they left and served lasagna, garlic bread, and a salad. They are quite the fun loving couple. If the curling rink had been open, they would have taken us there to show us how it is played. They didn’t leave the following day until early afternoon so we had a lot of time to visit on and off as they packed and did a few chores. Cathy volunteers at the old age home and is insightful and a great listener. She gave us her perspective on Bill’s mother which basically is that there is nothing we can do to change her ways and just let her be. She was appalled at the cost in the US as in Canada they have to pay very little in comparison, eighty percent of their income no matter how much they have in banks, investments, etc.
Earl used to live up the street where a toddler kept pestering him which he didn’t like. Cathy and Larry took him in where he is much happier but still doesn’t like a lot of petting and don’t ever try to pick him up. In his former life he was called Bruno, but Larry came up with the suggestion of “Earl” as he is grey, like the tea. I was to comb Earl in the morning, just his back, sides, and all around his fluffy neck. Some times he was tolerant and other times he wasn’t, but I learned to gauge his temper before he lost it. A tiny bowl of treats was his reward for being groomed. Of course, with so much long fur in places I wasn’t to touch, he was a puker. The first time was on the kitchen floor but the second time was at 4 AM on Larry’s upholstered chair. As he likes to hide, he has a blanket fort on one of the sofas. He initially hid downstairs from us, but within a day or so he was out and about, generally liking to be where we were. By the third night, he was snuggling against my leg as I sat on the sofa. I am afraid he might have kidney issues as he drinks a lot of water and the balls of pee in the clumping litter are enormous, very typical of cats with that disease. As he is twelve, it wouldn’t be surprising.
Earl in his blanket fort
Cathy gave us a few suggestions for hiking in the area. The first time we went to Antennae Hill. The trail was exposed, rocky, and parts were quite steep. We saw some bear scat but had the bear spray and bike bell. The latter Bill was given in a liquor store in Kaslo by the company who makes the cider he bought. We don’t have bikes but I had the idea to use it to warn bears to move along. Bill attached it to my hiking pole and I would ring it pretty frequently. Bill thought the bears might come running to buy some ice cream from us! The views were hazy due to smoke from wildfires but we could see the Columbia River and some distant towns. A few days later we did the Miral/Aspen Loop trail a bit further south which took us to a viewpoint of one of those more distant towns. Just across the river is a smeltery where scraps of iron, lead, and gold are processed. A young woman was sitting on a bench and was telling us what she knows of the town. Years ago miners, after a strenuous day’s work, gathered any scrap wood, including pallets, they came across. They toted them to where they were building a house, another exhausting task when they were already tired. Renovating the houses leads to finding all sorts of interesting bits in the walls used to construct them.
On the way down a man and his young golden retriever came along and we ended up chatting. His dog, Gia, was patient and leaned against me while she waited for Dad to finish. Just after they walked on ahead, Bill tripped and fell, smashing his iPhone he had in his hand. He was ok and thankfully his camera wasn’t damaged. The glass protector on the phone was badly shattered and there were two small holes revealing the inner bits. Fortunately the phone still worked. We thanked the man for coming to check on us. Such a nice man! When we got home, Bill took off the glass protector only to find the phone glass was also damaged. Later he put on another protector and it seemed to hold it together. When we get back to Arizona, he might either use it that way or buy a refurbished one from Apple. It’s amazing it still functions just fine.
We also hiked at Champion Provincial Park a few times. There are three lakes there with trails connecting them. Most of the time the views are somewhat obscured by the trees. As the shaded trails were chilly in the morning, I lingered in the few patches of sunlight to warm up for a few seconds. The most interesting nature we saw were some water birds way out in one of the lakes. Due to their behavior, we think they were loons. They might be Pacific loons but this area is not in their normal range. Perhaps the wildfires have deterred them. One in particular would flap wildly as it skimmed across the surface of the water making it impossible to see it through the splashes. Then it would stop and dive under. There is also a shorter steep trail to get to a viewpoint with a panoramic view which we also enjoyed.
A week here was plenty as there are not a lot of different trails or other things to do. The people we met on the trails were very friendly, much more so than my fellow citizens. It always makes me think of Uncle Buzz and Dad who would often wave to and speak with strangers. The sky was sunny and very blue, something we hadn’t seen in a while, and the air hot by midday.
While there I finally heard back from the owner at the next sit when I asked about the times we should arrive and depart. Turns out they are leaving a day later than originally planned, but I had never been told her husband couldn’t find someone to cover his on-call duty that day. We could have arrived that night but they seemed busy and we weren’t sure if we had to share a bathroom. That meant another AirBnB stay somewhere. The day before we were to leave Fruitvale, the owner said they were going to spend an extra night and we could just leave Earl plenty of food and water. Then she said we could spend another night, but by then we had a non refundable reservation. Dang. We could have saved a hundred dollars. This lifestyle certainly requires flexibility! The sit was fine for a week and it was certainly less stressful just having a cat who was content to be on his own and didn’t bother us at all.
As we had a few days between the pet sit in West Kelowna and the one in Fruitvale, we returned to the mountains for refreshing air and interesting hikes. As we drove east, we were a bit worried as the air was rather smoky in the distance, but after a while, it was much clearer. For the first time we had to make a ferry crossing, free as it is part of the road system, that uses a cable on each side to pull it which runs under water.
When we arrived at the cabin, on the outskirts of the village, we were met by the elderly owner, Karl, and equally elderly neighbor who was out walking with his dog and cat. Yes, sure enough, as they headed home, the orange and white cat accompanied them. Karl talked with us a bit and mentioned a bear had been out front that morning. We never saw it, but that first night I was awakened by a large noise. In the morning I saw the small porch table by the blackberry bushes had been knocked over. A couple of days later I saw the cat sitting on the side of the road. As I talked to it, it meandered over, lay down, and let me pet it. Even though it rolled over on its’ back, the stomach was off limits.
The view from the front porch is a mountainous panorama which we enjoyed every day. Besides the few remaining blackberries the size of a small grape, were tomato plants along the side of the house. We picked a few and gosh, were they flavorful! Though the kitchen was small, the living room and bedroom were spacious. The bathroom had a Japanese washlet which was fun and brought back memories of our time in Japan. A heated toilet seat, spray, and a dryer make for a pleasant experience. As there was no detergent, I used my laundry egg for two loads of laundry. Having our own washer and dryer were a great amenity. The wifi wasn’t great. I had better luck with it than Bill, despite having twin iPads bought at the same time. He had to use his phone as a hot spot pretty much all the time in the cabin. While on the front porch he had better luck with the wifi signal being sent over from Karl’s place.
Kaslo turned out to be a pretty interesting village right on Kootenay Lake. There is a wonderful sense of community with people all knowing each other and folks sitting outside of establishments enjoying the sunshine. There are restaurants, a great grocery store, gift shop, outdoor clothing store, health stores, etc. From 1989 until 1957 there were some sternwheelers on the lake which carried passengers and freight. The SS Moyie is housed on the shore right in Kaslo and is the oldest intact passenger steam vessel of its type anywhere. We both felt we could spend several summer months in this cool village. In 2024 we are returning to Europe for six months and are strongly considering spending our six months travel in 2025 in Kaslo.
During WWII, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and Canada declared war against the Japanese, Kaslo became an internment camp. One multi-storied building housed everyone, one family per room regardless of the number of members. Men had often been put in jail, yet they were never found to be guilty of doing anything illegal. The kids had a great time, though, forming clubs, swimming, etc. The building now houses a museum telling of that time with many photos and audio displays. Also in the building is another arts museum and at times there are films shown, musical performances, and even plays.
We took two walks, thankful the predicted high chance of rain turned out to be minimal and often the sky was sunny. Most of the rain happened overnight. We did the same trail but in opposite directions. It took us across a magenta wooden bridge at either end to traverse the river, and then up into the forest. At the upper section are some playful sculptures playing Hide and Seek. We photographed them all and then the next day as we did the route in reverse, I noticed one we both had missed the day before. When we got to the bottom of the trail Bill turned around to look at the signs and there was one stating not to go that way because there is an active bear! Oh, my! Glad we didn’t run into it unexpectedly! The next day we detoured around that area.
The following photos were displayed in a town building window on the Main Street. I found the information interesting.
The day we left we had several hours to fill before we were to arrive in Fruitvale. We decided to drive north a bit, along the lake with magnificent views of the mountains. Just a couple of miles from Meadow Creek is a spawning channel where people can drive along the twisty shaded stream and view bright red Kokanee, a type of fish. The channel is open to the public from 10-2 daily, unless there is an unusual amount of bear activity. Signs are all over warning of grizzly bears and electric fences keep everyone where they should be. Multiple signs say people are to stay in their cars. Close to the end of the drive there is a section without the fence. Suddenly, when we both looked forward after checking out the back of a sign, one, two, three grizzly bears dashed across the road going from the stream into the woods! It was a mama and two older cubs. That was pretty cool! As it was so quick we didn’t get any photos. We drove the circuit again but it seems they had been too spooked to return to the salmon feast that quickly. That sighting made my day!
Retired and Living the Life Nomadic 