An Ex-perience, The Final Chapter

We have been home now for 5 days and some of the events of "Trippin with the Ex" are starting to fade. What hasn't faded are the memories of the sights and sounds of our beautiful province. When you consider we travelled approximately 3800 kms in 10 days, we saw a lot, experienced many different weather conditions and did a road trip that I have been dreaming about for 4 years.

While travelling with an ex-girlfriend was at times a little trying, we did come home without causing each other any bodily harm and, to my knowledge, we are still speaking. It was my intention to have a good time, see my province at an age where I will remember what I saw and to share it with someone I like, keep in mind there is a reason we are ex's and that will not change.

I would like to share some of the best places we visitied starting with the Wells Hotel in the Barkerville area, if you want to get away from it all, this is the place to go, no TV, no Cell service and no in room telephones. It was quaint, quiet and offered the visitor a little taste of the past. The service is very laid back and I think that added to the ambiance. The best place for hot springs was Miette, in the middle of the mountains, half hour drive from civilization and it had the most to offer, 4 pools which accommodated a lot of people so you didn't feel like you were sitting on top of each other. We travelled to 4 hot springs and Bev went into each one. I only went in Miette and Radium and she went into Fairmont and Ainsworth. The strangest weather goes to the Rocky Mountains, you never know what weather a mountain pass will serve you. There was a sign that did mention the weather changes suddenly when travelling through mountains passes, no kidding. The most comfortable bed goes to the Holiday Inn in Osoyoos, it was also the most expensive hotel. The view of the lake from our balcony and the softness of the bed made my last night of the road trip the most comfortable.

Each and everyday offered us something new, different and exciting, from the smoke filled valley's near Quesnel, to the snow covered mountains of the Rockies. in my eye, it was all new. I will cherish the memories for a long time, I am also looking forward to doing again. There are some wonderful romantic places to visit and folks, I am going to go back and enjoy it all over again... maybe a honeymoon or whatever...

I hope you all enjoyed my adventures because I sure did enjoy sharing it with you...till next time ...

Trippin with the Ex

Well folks we are at 9 days, but hey, who's counting. We are still in Nelson and tonight we are staying at the Hume Hotel which Bev tells me is haunted. I told her if I see a ghost she will be the first to know.

This morning was spent in Winlaw with Norma and Helen and this afternoon was spent at Ainsworth Hot Springs, I haven't been feeling well today so I didn't go into the springs, however Bev did and seem to have a good time. A record for her 4 hot springs on one holiday. I think the driving is catching up to me, too much travel not enough rest. We have put on almost 3000 kms and I am tired of looking at asphalt, I am looking forward to coming home and sleeping in my own bed. Don't get me wrong, this has been a wonderful experience and wouldn't change a thing (well almost) I got to do something that I have wanted to do for a very long time, I did a road trip of our great province. Driving through the Rockies, seeing those majestic mountains (new snow) I felt a sense of awe and about how little I am in the great big universe. It was a very spiritual experience.

The other thing I learned, you really must give a lot of thought to picking a travel companion. Don't read too much into that statement however, it is true. You spend 24/7 with someone for 10 days you'd better have set up some sort of ground rules well in advance or at some point of the holiday things could get a little testy. Let me leave that thought there as it is something I must give more time too...

I am off to have a bath (really I am not feeling well) and I am hoping with a bath and a good nights sleep I will be ready for tomorrow's journey...

Goon night all...

Funky town - Nelson

Sadly we are in the home stretch. Today was spent travelling from Radium Hot Springs to a little place called Winlaw just outside Nelson. We are staying with friends of Bev's, Norma and Helen, who live in a log house. It has recently gone uuder some reno's in the kitchen and bathroom and it is so wonderful done by a very talented craftsman. These folks are very hospitable and make you feel right at home, thank you for opening your house to us.

Bev spent an hour and a bit in the hot springs in Fairmont. We travelled thru Cranbrook, Creston and other small places on todays journey, we took to scenic route from Creston to Nelson and took the ferry across Kootenay Lake. On the ferry ride there was a very cute older couple who were obviously head over heels in love. She looked as if she has Parkinson Disease and it may have been there final journey together, it was a very heart warming yet sad sight to witness.

I will sign off early tonight as I am using the host's computer... will write more tomorrow...

And another hot springs

You know your on holidays when...you have already spent several hours in two different hot springs in two different provinces in two different national parks. It was a short driving day today, only an hour or so, we quickly found a very comfortable motel at a reasonable rate (that's really important) and settled in. Of course, Bev had to go shopping (has anyone been to Radium Hot Springs) I don't believe there are any more than a couple of actual shops on the "strip", a day without some sort of shopping is like a day without sunshine, that, I believe, is a shoppers motto.

I can really feel the difference in being tired from driving and tired from hot springs. It is a nice relaxing feeling that over takes the body after relaxing in the hot springs. Today I went between the regular (cold) pool and the hot pool. It certainly makes the circulation in your body work... as well as your heart...

Tonight as I type in my blog I am going to reflect on something which is important to me. As you all know I now spend a good portion of my day dealing with the public and I have made the comment, "the more poeple I meet the more I like my dog". People are just rude, sometimes for no obvious reason. Over the past few days another issue stands out and is rather disturbing, the lack of manners. I am amazed on how many people do not say please or thank you and have the most disgusting table manners. When I was growing up we were taught to say please and thank you and that putting your elbows on the table might get you a very nasty look or comment. If you need to put your head in your hand and then put your elbow on the table to prop your head up, go to bed! I'm sorry folks but some things just piss me off and that is one of them, you might call it a pet peeve...some people might say I have a lot of those. I'm getting old and I am allowed to pontivicate. (sorry I am not the pope).

And now the lighter side...Bev and I are having a very domestic evening, I am writing in my blog and she is reading the newspaper, Calgary Herald and we are listening to Simon and Gurfunkel...this is just too domestic, we didn't even do this stuff when we were together. It's amazing what a little road trip will do...and we are still talking to each other, who woulda thonk!

Going to sign off for the evening, Bev looking a little too involved in her newspaper, time to start harassing her.... have a great nite all...

It is Winter in the Rockies

Well after many attempts to get online tonight, I have success.

We left the Pocahantas Cabins (an hour east of Jasper) this morning heading for points south, todays final destination Golden BC. We travelled south along Hwy 93, the scenic route between Jasper and Lake Louise. It was the usual uneventful drive until we arrived at the Athabasca Glacier at the Columbia Icefields. It started to snow, yes folks, snow... when I post the pictures it will look like fog, but it's snow. It was so cold I had on my new fleece vest, my Canucks jacket and I finally retired my shorts for a pair of jeans. BRRRRRRR... windy, snowy cold. Last week it was so scorching hot and this weekend Winter. Actually throughout the day we experienced the full weather cycle, all seasons were heard from. We leave air icefields heading to Lake Louise and again... another snowstorm, actually it was more like a blizzard, it lasted about 15-20 minutes and the snow was accumulating on the windshield and I started to think about snow tires. Who would have thought that in one day two snowstorms...

After all that we finally arrived in Lake Louise, what a beautiful place, the lake, the glacier and the hotel, very beautiful. Bev explored the hotel, while I did my usual, people watch. There was a wedding happening and I thought it was a outdoor wedding, there was lots of pacing back and forth thru the lobby (it was spitting rain off and on) and finally we left and I don't know the outcome.

Tonight I am sitting in a motel room in Golden, next room over are a gaggle of women having a giggle session, I thinking this could be a long night. Bev is lying on her bed reading a book and I am watching the football game... a nice evening, just not quiet. Take care all, I am off to bed... too much travelling not enough resting...

No one is writing...

Good evening blog fans,

Today was an exciting day, we left Jasper and headed to Miet Hot Springs where we spent a couple of hours relaxing in the hot springs, you would think wow, nice, not so fast fans, we were in the pool for 10 minutes and then everyone got kicked out because a thunder and lightning storm broke out and there was one flash right over head so out you get and then you wait... and wait... and wait, they kick you out for 30 minutes and if within that time there is more lightning close by then you wait another 30 minutes, I think we waited about an hour, sitting in the dressing room in a cold wet bathing suit socializing with everybody around. It was fun...

This evening I am blogging on a public computer as where we are staying does not have wireless in the room. I am also being suzy homemaker and doing laundry at the same time, multi tasking.... yah... Oh, tonight we have a TV in our room, the first since Sunday, it will be a treat to watch some television before bed...

And for you sport fans... the score is still zero-zero, no runners on and no score!

I'm back...

Today was a great day, to start the day a continental breakfast (which translates into sort of healthy) Bev went exploring Wells and I finally got on the computer (guessed you figured that out by now too). I dropped Bev off at Barkerville at noon, sent her off with a tuna/cream cheese bagel for lunch and the rest of the afternoon was mine! Wow, time to explore... I took the turn off for the Bowron Lakes and off I went on an adventure. It was a great day for a drive into the wilderness until I realized I didn't tell anybody where I was going, not such a great idea except I had in my car, two bagels, cream cheese, three cans of tuna, water and a blanket, I could survive a day or two if something happen so I continue. I went to the beginning of the Bowron Lake chain and then a little further. I cannot believe how many recreational lots are available in the middle of nowhere. I am sure for a few thousand dollars you can own a piece of property with no power, no running water and only 2 hours from the grocery store, I could do that with some preparation... ok a lot of preparation...anyway I returned to Wells save and sound, blogged for a couple of hours and remember to go retrieve Bev. I did spend a little more time in Barkerville, got some pictures, yes Joan, Barkerville does exist, did a very spontaneous thing and dressed as a mean old miserable trapper and had my picture taken, something Mom can put on the mantle and be proud of her outlaw daughter.

Bev is sitting in the parlour reading her British newspaper, sipping on a cup of tea and I think I am going to finish the blog for the day. Tomorrow we are off again travelling to Golden... will write again tomorrow....