Repair effected, we’re on the road again. South through Cariboo it was a bucolic scene.
Reminded me of Gold Country in CA.
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Slightly less bucolic was a sign in one of the towns we passed through. It was a roadside advertisement for a local dining establishment:
“Road Kill BBQ” Yum…
We were headed for Lac La Hache for the night. Down the road we saw storm clouds over a hill. Then it came into view. Notice the patch of blue to the right. We were NOT headed for that part.
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And then we entered the fray…
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But made it through to the campground.
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Our schedule was getting a bit compressed from the 2-day delay. We decided to head for Chilliwack next because A) it’s a great name, and B) it’s near the Canadian border for an early crossing into the U.S.
Now, on a paper map Andy had consulted early in the planning process for this trip he had marked a section of the upcoming road “Do Not Miss.” He didn’t remember why, but we figured it must be good.
Frazier/Thompson Canyon was carved by the Frazier/Thompson River. (Don’t ask.) But we now know why it’s a Do Not Miss. In ways it’s a mimic of the Grand Canyon. This massive river rushes down this equally massive canyon, carved by centuries. The highway climbs the mountain that frames the canyon, climbing until the railroad tracks running on either side of the river looks like an HO model train set. Gradually you descend, until you are parallel to the tracks again.
There was no way to capture the enormity of this canyon and river. I shamelessly copied some stock photos, but even they barely convey the majesty.
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We again travel the valley floor. It is lovely, peaceful, and green. Suddenly, right in front of us is a glacier peak, rising from the forest frame.
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I swear these are my notes:
“Coming out of the verdant canyon is a looming black mountain. It seems like a malevolent entity, peeking around corners and then popping up again suddenly.”
Cue Twilight Zone music…
Then we are back in the land of fields and acres of berries, and reach our campground.
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In the AM we crossed the border into the U.S. (Personal note: for a split second I found myself wondering if, all things considered, I really wanted to come back to the USA. And, sigh, I decided I did.)
Got to our campground in Hoquiam, near Aberdeen, about halfway down Washington State. Getting through Seattle was a nightmare (traffic? Huh?) but the campground was lovely and the hosts were fantastic. It was located along a river, and there was a “secret” walk through a miniature rain forest, You can guess that I spent some quality time in there!
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Onwards to Oregon…
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