The last "Hurrah" of Summer

Mrs. RedTigre made our plans for the weekend Wednesday night... "I'm tired of here, let's go to Canada" Friday after work.

Sounds like a plan to me....

So Friday 4:30 PM we hit the road on a race up the 97 for the border thinking maybe a room in Oroville, but nope, all full... ok, Osoyoos then, nope again... totally "No Vacancy" status.  Hmmmm Oliver is the next place North so  it's no-go on the first three to get into town and see a hotel sign lit up over "Spuds Liquor and Murphys Irish Pub & Grill". This place looks like fun!

Sure enough, you check in at liquor store (they have only been reopened for 3 weeks with remodeled rooms), get your room key, change your clothes and go find a bite to eat. Went down to the old firehouse brewery and had some of the best ribs, sautéed vegetables and chips that we've had in a long time chased down by 2 pints of very delicious stout drafts.

The next morning brought a great breakfast and little clearer sky as we took the 3 West over to Princeton and then the 5A up to Aspen Grove (great road) and then the 97C to Merritt. We began to realize that our plans of going up to Cache Creek and Lilluoot/Whistler was not going to happen because there is no way we will make it back to Wenatchee the next day, so we elected to take the 8 to Spences Bridge, since we were running low to find out if there was fuel at one time oh great mentor Garmin, there isn't anymore.

The one thing I wish Canada would do with their fuel/food/lodging signs is update them because any place you ever thought there might be fuel based on the woefully incorrect signage and GPS information, there isn't anymore too many times. So we took the 1 South to Lytton and thankfully found fuel there even though 3 of 4 stations were shut. As we continued south, we started winding through some of the most beautiful canyons of North Bend, Boston Bar, and Hells gate. There is a cable car that took you down into Hells Gate but unfortunately it was closed although I would sure love to come back when they are open.



From Highway 1 we hopped on to Highway 7 and followed it to Mission thinking we would drop down to Abbotsford and spend the night. I have never been to Abbotsford before and I honestly doubt I will ever go back that way again because it was just simply too crowded too noisy and too much a university town. We did a popping over to Safeway for a baguette, herbal goat cheese, and prosciutto with a nice bottle of wine from Okanogan festival of grapes region of BC.

Sunday morning found us with a little cooler temperature and an hour and 45 minute probable wait at the border crossing at Abbotsford. We decided to bag that and turned around back to highway 1 East where we had breakfast in the nice little town of Hope. Continuing East on the Crows Nest highway (3) going east through Sunshine Valley and EC Manning Provincial Park found us back to Princeton
and then continuing until the Nighthawk exit where we met a very bored border guard who wanted to know everything about us. After getting all our stuff back together we took the old highway 7 around Tonasket, back on the 97 to Malott, down the old 97 and into Pateros for a great Pizza there at the Sunshine Bakery. We hit the winds just past Wells Dam and we got bounced around a little bit but stayed on the road well enough. It turned dusk just about Orondo and we rolled in at a quarter to 8:00 Pm  this evening. We did almost 1000 miles in less than 2 1/2 days and mistress turned over 115,000 miles by the end of this trip running strong and reliable as ever. Every time I think I'm moving to another bike I and up staying very impressed with the one I have. Maybe someday I'll be ready for something lighter, but it's not today.

Do I really have to go to work tomorrow?