Sunday, October 17, 2010

Roosevelt Dam to Idaho,Montana and Wyoming

Sept. 30th to Oct.2.nd---Leaving Roosevelt Lake we traveled towards Spokane and through the pan-handle of northern Idaho stopping at points of interest along the way. The scenery was spectacular with fall starting to turn the forest into brilliant colors of red and yellow. Entering Montana, "The Treasure State", we headed south to Wyoming and the gateway to Yellowstone National Park.


Spokane, Washington the gateway to northern Idaho

Welcome to Idaho a new State that we have not travelled.
It seems that Idaho has a lot of everything Mountains, Rivers and fertile grasslands.


Montana is the 4th largest state and ranks 44th in population with only 958 thousand residents. As we traveled south the mountains gave way to large fertile valleys that supported ranching and farming.

Butte Montana the capital

The Ranches in Montana are huge some containing thousands of acres

The Mountains of Montana

As we were leaving Livingston Montana, just north of the entrance to Yellowstone, a pick-up truck pulled up beside us and told us that we had a huge bulge in the sidewall of our inside rear driver side tire. After alerting us he advised where we could get it fixed and we were on our way in a hour. What luck firstly that he was able to spot it and also that he would take the time to follow and inform us. Could have been real trouble if it had blown in the Mountains.


Our Backyard Oct 1st. Yellowstone Edge R.V. Park on the Yellowstone River.
.

Vancouver Island to Coulee Dam and Roosevelt Lake

Sept. 27th to Sept. 30th--After over six months in Canada and a beautiful summer on Vancouver Island we are ready to travel to the United States for the winter. On the first leg of our journey we are driving to Osoyoos where we will cross the Border and make our way through Eastern Washington state to the Coulee
Dam and Roosevelt Lake.

The Hope Princeton Highway

The Woods are lovely, cool and deep but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.

This fellow wandered out of the bush about 25 feet from Alvina while we were stopped on the Hope-Princeton Hwy.

OH! Canada

Scenery in Washington State

A beautiful spray of Wild flowers.

A Memorial To Chief Joseph.

The Grand Coulee Dam

Lake Roosevelt backing-up behind the Coulee Dam

Our Back Yard Tonight


A Really Great Campground in Eastern Washington State

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Prawn Fishing,Thetis Island,Porch building and old ladies dancing

Wow! August went quickly and we are already five days into September. The days are getting shorter,the trees are starting to turn and you can feel fall in the crisp night air. We,like hundreds of other Snowbirds {R.V.ers} across Canada,are starting to prepare to escape the Canadian winter and follow the sun across the southern United States. We have now been living in our motorhome for a year as of Sept 2nd and I can assure everyone as Elton John says "It's no sacrifice at all".

Alvina's mother 86 and Annie 89 picking Blackberries at Gay's

Signy and Annie dancing on the new deck. Girls just want to have fun

Brad and Mat putting siding on and building a new deck on Gay's house

Ian and Mom checking out the new deck

Brad the architect and master builder of Gay's house.

Mat the world traveler and chief assistant to the master builder.

We took Larry's flat bottom 21 ft. boat out prawning off Thetis Island. Note the ocean is as flat as a mill pond.

Using five traps we managed to get 400 Prawns in 4-5 hours

Scooby checking out the catch

Bounty from the Sea

A beautiful day on the water

You gotta love the mechanized trap puller. The traps are down over 200 ft. and it's quite a job pulling them by hand.

A ocean freighter. I wonder where it's going?

Beautiful scenery

Boats at anchor in the lea of the Island

The nice thing about prawn fishing is you set the traps and while they are soaking for 3-4 hours there is lots of time to explore the area.

Lori just found out we are heading to the pub on Thetis Island to have lunch.

Alvina on the dock at Thetis Island.

Thetis Island

Just another day in Paradise. What a Day! See Ya

Monday, August 9, 2010

Llama's, Fishing,Canning and Black Bears

August 9th---Lazy days of summer on Vancouver Island. July was a scorcher with temperatures reaching 100 degrees F. for a couple of days and not a cloud in sight. August has thus far been overcast and cooler with a few days of rain that is most welcome as there are some 400 forest fires burning in British Columbia. Larry and Lori have been busy working on Lori's duplex building the forms and laying the re-bar in preparation for the pouring of the concrete parking pad. We managed to get away a couple of times to fish at port Renfrew but the fishing in that area has been spotty with very few large Chinook being caught--at least while we have been there. Only seven more weeks left before we head back on the road. First stop will be "The Grand Canyon" Take good care and will blog again in Sept.

What's for Breakfast?

Llamas on the farm just behind our motorhome.

Another small Chinook Salmon.

No Fish biting so might as well read.

You may think he's sleeping but he's actually thinking really hard.

Scooby will let us know when the fish hit our lines.

A Sample of some of the canning Alvina did in preparation for our upcoming trip to the U.S.

Blueberry Jam, Apricot Jam, Antipasto,strawberry Jam,Pickles and salmon.


We encountered a Black Bear Fishing as we left the Marina on our way to the ocean.

Warning from B.C. Parks Read carefully.
We advise the outdoorsman to wear little noisy bells on clothing so as to give advanced warning to any bears that might be close so you don't take them by surprise.

We also advise anyone using the out-of-doors to carry "Pepper Spray" with them in case of an encounter with a bear.

Outdoorsmen should also be on the watch for fresh bear activity, and be able to tell the difference between black bear feces and grizzly bear feces. Black bear feces is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear shit has bells in it and smells like pepper.


Scooby watching the Bear.

Larry and Lori all dressed up and heading for a wedding up-island. What! Wait! It is Larry. That old Cowboy cleans up really well.

Great read--Bryce Courtenay--"Persimmon"

Lori cleaning the roof. Actually she has so much fir pitch on her feet she can't move.