Summer Vacation Part 2: Revelstoke

We discovered when we arrived in Revelstoke two hours before check-in time - a set-in-stone time that would not be amended - that most of what we wanted to do in Revelstoke centered around the outdoors, but we also didn't want to get back in the car to get to any of the hiking trails. So we ended up doing this roundabout wander through residential and industrial parts of town. It was a unique tour.

When we did get into our room, it was time for a quick meal cobbled together from what we'd brought and a change of clothes, because we were heading out to our sunset kayak adventure. We found Natural Escapes somehow online, and it has a perfect 5 stars. We were the only group on this trip out. When the owner Terry heard we were essentially novice kayakers, he led us through a quick lesson and gave us a few options of where we could kayak that wouldn't be too daunting. We had left all electronics and things that could go overboard in the car, so the only photos we got came from him (note, Natural Escapes uploads all the photos from the kayak trips to their site for each group and they can be downloaded for free. A very nice touch). One highlight of the trip was when we looked far into the distance and saw something we thought was an eagle. We paddled as quickly and quietly as we could and saw that yes, it was a bald eagle!  Looking as regal as they do, it watched us a bit then flew away. Magical.

Next day was our (Terry and me, not the kids) much anticipated day at the Meadows in the Sky park. Totally by accident, our trip coincided with the height of wildflower season and we were excited for the beauty and possible photo opportunities. Things started off OK and we even got some family photos. Then they rocketed downhill, right around the time Terry and I ate lunch but the kids said they weren't hungry. (but the grumpiness didn't have anything to do with being hungry and we know nothing. Tween.) We decided to try dinner at Mt. Begbie Brewing Co., even though we weren't thrilled to get back in the car. But, the beautiful view from the well-spaced outdoor seating, the tasty but limited food menu, and the wide selection of cold frosty beverages turned things around for everyone. Terry and I each got a flight of beers, although mine was truly just for tasting as I drove home. Things turned around so well that we stopped at the Sugar Shack for ice cream all around when we got back to town.

At least I like logic games

 Disclaimer: this is not a complaint. I am thrilled that my children's schools are doing what they can to start the year off slowly and safely.

The first week of school is going to be massively confusing, especially for people who have left the house at regular times, or not at all, for the last six months.  Return to school activities are to be staggered for small group interactions as they get things off the ground. This is awesome. 

However.  

One child's school is working off an alphabetical-by-surname schedule. One is working off a grade-level schedule. One school is all or nothing - the kids come in for a full day or not at all. The other school will have all children present on Day 1, just at different times.

It's like a logic game ... so it's good that we like logic games.

Summer vacation part 2: B.C. - Kelowna

That's British Columbia. See, the week before our vacation Terry was supposed to TDY to Vancouver. This of course means we were all supposed to be in Vancouver for a week. Then we planned to spend a week meandering around B.C. on our way home. Vancouver is allegedly 11 or so driving hours away.

Before it was even officially canned (only a few weeks ago, because of course) we decided to revamp. So on Monday we hauled ourselves to Kelowna, the beach-y area in Okanagan that was also about as far as we were comfortable driving in one day. Funny story, we stopped at this random rest area for lunch and it turns out to be right where the very last spike of the Canadian railroad was laid and there's a whole  monument. It was cool. We would not have made a special stop for it, but stumbling on things like this are what make epic road trips so epic.

We got to Kelowna right in time to check in, then went to check out the town. At the City Park we let the kids play in the water up to their knees, as we hadn't brought bathing suits or towels. And we were heading straight to dinner afterward. After dinner we tried Moo Lix, the ice creamery recommended by the waitress at the restaurant where we had dinner. My lavender honey ice cream was unique and really tasty, but the homemade waffle cone was too thick and bland.

First stop next day was the kangaroo farm. Folks at work had recommended that and we thought it looked cool but were totally unprepared for how much we would actually enjoy it. In one pen were animals that did not like to be touched, and another pen had the animals that could be pet.  We also got to watch the antics of the parrots, parakeets and cockatoos and learned that if Zoltan were reincarnated as an animal he'd choose to be a macaw. There was a capybara and her baby that we were not allowed to pet, with a farm employee hanging around to make sure nobody got too close. She was holding a joey who looked to  be too big for the pouch anymore, but apparently wasn't, so we all got to get close to other cuteness. She said she was giving the mom a break.

We promised the kids we could spend the afternoon at the beach. There is a playground right by the shoreline at Boyce-Gyro Beach and a zipline that drops you into the water. We were shocked that the kids never tried the zipline, but they said the line was always too long so I guess they do take after their parents a bit. There were also rentals of various watercraft, and Terry and the kids each got on a solo kayak. The kids loved that part, which was good as we had booked a kayak trip on our next stop.

In Alberta, we all know the best produce comes from B.C. and especially Okanagan county. So the next morning we got up and went to the farmers market for local fruit. They also had linden honey, which we had eaten tons of in Russia but always creamed, and this was liquid, and I was fascinated. It is indeed very delicious. Then it was time for the kids to play at the hotel pool. Pool time could have been longer, but we got the call that we were able to get a reservation at the Red Fox Club, restaurant to the Indigenous World Winery. Lunch was sublime, the view was lovely (outdoor seating always prime in the COVID era) and we left feeling very stuffed and happy. We (well, I, because Terry was driving and doesn't really care much for wine anyway) ended up trying only one winery - Rollingdale. It is super small, and the gentleman who handled the tasting was super knowledgeable and had a good sense of humor. I don't know what they do to their wined but it was the most unique experience I have ever had, and I bought wines made from grapes I've never liked before. I absolutely want to go back again.

Our hotel was across the street from a German deli/butcher that got great reviews. Knowing that we'd need to have some meals on the go and not wanting them all to come from A&W, we had brought some sandwich fixings, Terry's homemade sourdough bread, and a cooler on our trip. We decided this was a great opportunity to restock. And it was.

Next day was pretty much get up, pack up, and head to the next stop.

Failures in Sourdough

More accurately, "failure" as it has only been one attempt. We decided to play around with dehydrating the starter just in case we go away for more than a week and are unable to get the thing fed when it gets hungry. The drying was super easy! Just smear a bunch of the discard on a piece of parchment paper and leave it out until it's all dried. Calgary being what it is, that took about a day. Just kidding. But it wasn't long.

The next step of course is trying to re-hydrate it. This is where things got a bit rocky. Mostly because we didn't follow instructions and didn't actually measure/weigh anything. We were just adding water and flour all willy-nilly. It started out looking like it might work, and eventually became clear we had sludge.

Back to the drawing board!

Welp, we have a new (to us) car

In all our years living overseas, we have always had exactly one car. In the U.S. there are always many, many justifications that ensure we always had two vehicles, but overseas it seemed superfluous. And sometimes clear impossible.

Then came COVID, and some unknown issue with our car, and closed-down auto mechanics. Actually they may have been open, but we weren't interacting with anyone we didn't live with or were otherwise required to interact with (for example, when Terry had to go to the office). The hiking trails opened up before most businesses did, but we did not go because we were not sure the car would make it.  We realized we didn't want to have to give up the mountains that we only got three years to enjoy.

So, the problem with the car was fixable and we were back on our feet - or technically off our feet - and the search for a second car began. Did we want another SUV (mountains!) or a sedan (commute!) Would we require the customs and EPA stickers that ensured we could drive this car back to the U.S. at the end of the tour, thus narrowing the potential make/model options? Did we want a nice car we'd want to keep, or a beater car we just hope lasts the two years we still have here?

After a couple of months of dithering and Terry running hither and yon test driving cars, we chose a used RAV4.

It is now sitting in the garage until we can call our insurance company and get them to add this one to our policy (tomorrow) then go to the registry with the proof of insurance and bill of sale to obtain a license plate. This order of events seems a little bass-ackwards compared to what we're used to, but Canada has continually been deceptive on what's just like home and what's nothing at all like it. And we are very happy to have the garage, because an unregistered car certainly can't sit on the street so that would be a whole new set of logistics to work through. Terry is very motivated to get this accomplished so  he can have his shop back - otherwise known as the garage. He's almost finished with our new TV stand, or rather, accoutrements-to-the-TV stand.

Troll Falls: the difference 6 months can make

One of our summer plans was to revisit the frozen waterfalls we hiked this winter now that they are flowing. We finally got around to visiting Troll Falls this weekend.

In the winter, the little one complained incessantly about the bulky winter gear and being so tired he needed to stop and "snowbank" practically every 10 meters. In the summer, it was mosquitoes and the heat that absorbed his negative energy. On the flip side, the "hike" took the practically no time at all I was pretty sure was its true nature.

Something unhappy must have happened in the last six months, because there were a ton of downed trees on the sides of the trail and clogging the stream (river?) There were bridges that had not been there in February as well as a barrier between the lookout area and the falls itself. Signs warning of rock falls and the closure of the route to the upper falls completed the sense of doom and gloom.

Acknowledging that it was likely quite foolhardy at lunchtime on the Saturday of a long weekend, on the way home we decided to try checking out Barrier Lake.  Silly us, there was no way to get to the lake with anything less than a mile's walk. Meh. We turned out attention to any picnic area where we could eat our lunch outside the car, and thus stumbled onto the Widowmaker Trail.

Parking lot practically empty? Check. Picnic table that stood in at least a sliver of shade? Check. Bathrooms that didn't smell? Check!

After a quick lunch we decided to find the source of rushing water we heard from the other side of the trees. And there it was, a stunningly blue patch of river with small whitewater peaks and a few little "coves" of calm water. It made me really regret not having acted on my impulse to leave a few beach towels in the car through the summer, although Zoltan was happy to have brought his water shoes. Glacially cold, but refreshing in the relentless sunshine. We merely dipped our feet and watched the water flow, while also keeping an eye on the group getting rafts prepared to launch (Zoltan wanted to watch the rafts launch, but they seemed in no hurry so we eventually gave up).

Summer vacation days 6-8 - Lower Lake and Sibbald Lake campgrounds

A short while before we pulled into our campsite at the Lower Lake it started to rain. We thought to unload the car and realized that would be a bad idea, better to sit it out and hope it ended soon. When the first break in the clouds came, we raced to put up the tents like it was a game show. Within 10 minutes we had both up including ours wrapped in tarps. Yay!

This was, hands-down, the best camping experience of the trip. We have learned some hard lessons about choosing distances to water and bathrooms, walk-in vs. pull-in, and campground amenities. This one had drinking water, and it was right by our campsite. Our site also had a tiny creek running through it, which was both pretty and a nice source of white noise. Terry and I took a few short walks to various points around the campground - this one had several hikes that started from the grounds - and admired the lake and the mountains. The campground next door had showers (!!!) and for next year we want to aim for that one. Right now I think my tolerance for not showering is about 3 nights, during this trip we only had two consecutive campground nights so we didn't push that threshold.

Although we have become expert on the speedy tent setup, the other efforts of putting together a campsite and making it livable have led us to swear that in the future we will only camp if it is at least 2 nights but preferably 3-4. Excepting our next camping adventure, as it is only one night and the campground has no availability the day before or after. Oops.

It stayed dry enough for dinner and s'mores, but started raining a bit before bedtime and this is when the downside to having two tents really showed itself. The going back and forth for goodnight rituals became a big wet pain. The sound of the rain on the tent was nice, and things only got a bit wet on the edges or where things touched the outside of the tent. We hadn't staked the rain shields because of the gravel pads we had to set up on - next trip we will carry better stakes and a hammer or mallet to drive them in - and if they has been held away from the tent body I am pretty sure things would have stayed a bit drier. As it was, it wasn't a big deal.

The next morning was gray and grumpy. We did a short hike that nobody appreciated, broke up camp, and headed out to the next place.

Sibbald Lake is mentioned here as a good beach to visit from Calgary. It being more in the prairie than the mountains we'd been in all week, we figured it might be warmer and a dip could be possible. It's really cute that the article mentions digging in the sand and there being a beach. We circumnavigated the entire pond. This is not a thing, or if it is a thing it is in the part of the waterfront set aside for the Boys and Girls Club. We did walk through it because we were already halfway through before we saw signs telling us it was private property, so we wandered quickly, but only noticed one sandy bit that could hold maybe 5 people. And a guy was fishing there, below the sign asking people not to trespass or fish. As we were trespassing, I shouldn't really get too judgy.

By the time that jaunt was over it was close enough to checkin time to head to our campsite and set up. As we used our provisions and realized we weren't getting into clean clothing every day, the number of bags and bins we needed to unearth each day got a bit smaller, and setting up camp got a bit faster and easier. The major downside of this campground for us is that we were as far from the bathrooms as we could possibly be. This could explain why all campsites were full except for about 3-4 that flanked us. It was almost a 20 minute round trip.

As our last day on the road, we had an "anything goes" attitude. I didn't make anyone hike anything. And of course there were s'mores after dinner.

Summer vacation days 5-6 - mostly driving, but a little Fernie

We decided not to cancel our hotel reservation in Fernie, British Columbia, when we modified our trip. That was pretty dumb, in hindsight, as it was a lot of backtracking and driving to get there and from there to the next place. We spent one night there. On the other hand,it was informative and we definitely want to go back for a full weekend or more. We decided to take the scenic route driving, so stayed on route 40 rather than the less gravelly and slightly smoother and faster route 22. That was eye-opening and useful because the advice on Crown land camping is often "drive along route 40 and find a good looking spot". We saw a ton of campers and tents relatively close off the road, or further back we'd catch glimpses through a break in trees. Actually seeing where people set up and what the setup looked like was helpful in planning if we ever want to try this ourselves. Crown land camping is basically just total backcountry, go into the woods and find somewhere to pitch a tent camping. Called crown land because it's government land, technically still held by the Crown. I think you need a permit to do this and finding a spot can be tricky - apparently the best spots are way back from the road and some get overrun and you have to find somewhere else. It also appears to be mostly folks with campers, rather than tenters like us.

But I digress.

The hotel in Fernie had an indoor pool with waterslide and when we first got there (about 20 minutes after checkin) the four of us were the only people in the area. I left them to go shower - the first one in 3 days - and apparently more people did come later. When we left later to go to dinner it was pretty full, definitely past the 12 person capacity the hotel requested. There is practically no COVID in BC so often we were the only ones in masks anywhere we went wearing one.

Our neighbor is either from Fernie, or lived there for some portion of his life, and had a list of recommendations we could never get to in the span of time we planned to be there. We dined at a recommended restaurant, then started a little hike but didn't get far, and ended up with ice cream. A number of benches outside various restaurants are actually old ski lift chairs, a testament to the fact that Fernie is apparently more a skiing hub than a summertime destination. Next day we walked around the main street area - 2nd Ave - bought some chocolate - and hit the road. In the nearby town of Sparwood is "the largest truck in the world" and we stopped for photos. Also because it was in the same parking lot as our bank and we needed cash for buying firewood at campsites.

Summer vacation days 3-5 - Etherington Creek Provincial Park

We got to the campsite around 6pm and top priority was simultaneously setting up the tents and getting the cooking started. Oh, and we had opted for the tent-only walk-in section so the site was a few minutes' walk from the car. Terry got the kids started on setting up the tents, he started getting the coals hot and the marinaded chicken onto the shashlik skewers (we had bought a portable shashlik setup either in Russia or Kazakhstan, we forget which. It's pretty awesome) while I shuttled bins and backpacks from the car to the site. Being essentially novice campers we packed both too much and too little. We have now realized that for camping the priority items are (1) tent; (2) sleeping bags; (3) a source of heat; and (4) camp chairs.  We did not have room for the camp chairs and went without the whole week. It was a definite downer.

A number of rookie mistakes dogged this week's camping experience - many relating to attire and equipment. We had no idea how cold it would actually get at night. We didn't realize how cold the air mattress would get. We did not know how great the gap would be between the heat rating of the sleeping bags and the actual warmth it provided at low temperatures - although we did know enough to be skeptical so I guess that's a half point for us. Terry and I probably slept a total of 3.5 hours the first night, having a hard time falling asleep in the first place, then waking to the cold, then thinking to try one thing to get warmer, and dozing off, waking up cold, and thinking to try some other thing. At least we got all the kinks out in one night, so the standard setup every night thereafter was air mattress, with the waterproof-on-one-side picnic blanket between that and the sleeping bags. Then the extra sleeping bag (we did know to bring some extra warmth) unzipped and spread over both of us. Also, it was a summer tent (for camping in July! hahahahaha!) This means it had a lot (LOT) of mesh/venting. Yes, a rain shield, but that is for the rain. Not the wind, not the freezing-or-below temps. We sacrificed three tarps to essentially wrap the tent and create something like insulation.  Note, I also slept in the following: wool socks, flannel pj bottoms, a T shirt, long sleeved T shirt, and thin wool sweater. Some nights I also had my flannel button down and I think one night I also had my fleece jacket. Next time camping I am bringing a beanie hat. With all these modifications it was pretty cozy and we slept decently well. I have alluded to this a couple of times but it cannot be emphasized enough: during the night the temperature dropped below freezing. Inside the tent. We had a little thermometer. If someone said to me, "let's go camping in sub-zero (Celsius) temps" I would have said "hells no". And yet.

During the first night there was a point around midnight where both Terry and I needed the bathroom so we wandered up to the facilities together. On the way back he pointed up ... it was a clear night, the campsite was pitch black and in the middle of nowhere, and I have never seen so many stars.

We decided the next night we'd get the kids up to stargaze. Given that when we went to sleep around 10:30pm there was still light in the sky we decided to have bedtime as usual, and then set the alarm. We figured 11:30pm would be late enough to be sure of darkness. Yeah, this is the downside to northern latitudes in the summer. It was another clear night - the only other one of the trip so we were lucky! We were probably only out for about 20 minutes, but it was magical. We pointed at the few constellations we knew and tried to figure out which blinking bright things were the planets (if any).  Then trudged back up to bed.

During the day in between the velvet nights, the kids read, roamed the campground, and generally hung out and relaxed. They build a little shelter/lean to out of tarps and some rope and the picnic blanket and a lot of the clothespins we brilliantly thought to bring (Terry's idea, so I can call it brilliant). Due to my chilly and horrid sleep the first night I took a couple of naps in the sun and watched prairie dogs in the field. We roasted marshmallows and ate s'mores. Terry and I sipped from adult beverages by the campfire after dinner. We had no cell phone service. This was definitely the kind of camping experience I had hoped we'd have. Although it would have been better with camp chairs.

Summer vacation days 2 and 3 - Waterton

The next morning we headed out to what was supposed to be the highlight of a trip to Waterton - Red Rock Canyon. Well, our kids have an innate ability to be miserable and fight-y and whiny during "highlights" and this was no exception. The iconic part where most photos are taken was packed with people and we wandered around other parts of the canyon. "We" meaning Terry and me, and to be fair this part was lovely. Thinking to cut our losses, we headed back before lunchtime and stopped at the Copper Mine picnic area to eat lunch (picnic area = tables but no bathrooms). A little creek runs by the picnic area and ... yep. We spent hours playing in the creek and among the rocks, and enjoying the small waterfall downstream. This was probably only 3 miles from Red Rock.

When we got back to town, we wandered to a little waterfall in town that was only a few blocks away. Terry and the kids went to look for a creek to play in while I took a small hike alongside the waterfall. Dinner was the Mexican place in town that was surprisingly good.

I should also mention we saw and enjoyed watching prairie dogs once again. Having seen them in Banff and Waterton and never in Calgary, they seem to be more like "mountain dogs" or "foothill dogs" than having any actual ties to the prairie.

From Waterton we would head to our first camping adventure. We didn't want to get to the campsite before checkin time, because we're still green and thought there were people checking us in and paying attention to such things.

First thing in the morning we retraced the previous day's steps to some particularly scenic spots and tried for family photos. It remains to be seen if any of them came out well. At least we bribed the kids well enough that nobody would look too grumpy in the shots. We tackled the Bear Hump mountain next. It was less elevation than Tunnel Mountain but attained in a fraction of the time, so I was still huffing and puffing and swearing to start running when we got back to Calgary. It was a good trek and relatively short as hikes go. Stunning views from the top and a vicious wind.

As we still had some time after this hike, we checked out Driftwood Beach on our way out of town. Once again, what we thought would be a quick stop entranced the children. Alex decided to put her outdoor camp knowledge from last year to good use and started constructing a lean-to with the driftwood - there were already several along the beach, but she wanted her own. Terry and I looked for the perfect walking stick for each family member until we saw the sign that warned against taking any of the wood from the beach. Darn.

Because the kids were having such a good time we stayed later than planned and thus got to the campsite later than planned. More on that next.

Of note: We have every intention of returning to Waterton, the mountains are as beautiful as any of the other Alberta attractions and it is as cute a town and relaxed an atmosphere as any of the other mountain getaways we've visited.