what a great trip! though lots of time in the car (mostly while Sasha napped) we certainly got to walk a lot too...as you can see in this awe-some pic Sasha is lookin' pretty confident on her feet these days (at some point i'll remember to get a pic of her actually on her own two feet...which she is...far more often now...)
the day we left vancouver was the first day of rain in weeks...great time to start a vacation ;)
we played hide and seek with rain clouds throughout our long drive...one valley sunny...next rainy...next a mix of both...kept us guessin - will we be dry tonight? will we see the stars?
our first destination was Clinton to see our friend Shon...however we had spontaneously decided to drive through Whistler to drop off a couple of things to Monica...hoping to catch a few hugs if anyone was home (we did get to squeeze Dean!)...and the highway construction ended up slowing us down big time (over 3 hours to get to whistler!!!! usually only 1 1/2 max for those who don't know) we averaged 50 km/h the whole way...much smoother sailin after pemberton...
so our first night we camped at Marble Canyon, just before Cache Creek. Mark and I had actually camped here many years back (with Bailey dog) so nice to be in a familiar place at the last minute...and we got to see some stars through the cloudy night...and were dry :)
here is Mark setting up camp with Sasha's help.we made it to Clinton for an afternoon visit with Shon...got to check out his new digs and see and learn all about his continued efforts to live sustainably. it was great to have lunch with him and catch up...and next time we will be sure to spend at least a night! (a few hours does little to make up for almost two years without seeing a good friend!)
here we are in the greenhouse...just one of the garden plots that help sustain Shon and his friends.
and sasha in her new hemp hat - too cute
the next stop on our journey was to Chase...a visit to my friend Tristan and the organic farm he has taken over from his dad...Golden Ears Farm...and given it was the rainiest day and night of our trip - we were so very grateful to stay in their home!
it was such a positive environment...and Tristan, Adam (thanks for feeding us and giving up your bed for us Adam!), Ollie, Monique and Carl were great company...and great musicians...soooooo nice to relax to good live tunes and great conversation!
Sasha seems to have an inherent rhythm and impressed the guys with her natural beats :)
i wish I had gotten a better pic of us Tristan! darn camera and it's fussy abilities indoors!
because of the rain we didn't really explore as much of the farm as we would have liked (next time!!) we did get to introduce Sasha to a couple of sheep, a few llamas and a bunch of chickens...and she giggled like crazy at the chickens...as they clucked at her waiting for food i expect...
the next day we were on the road again...
a leisurely drive around Shuswap Lake...a meander through Salmon Arm...through Revelestoke...a ferry across a lake (with scenery that reminded me of the Georgia Straight a bit)...
and then we decided to camp out at Blanket Creek...Sasha played for a surprisingly long time with rocks and dirt while we set up camp...wisely having set up the tarps first...and while we worked it began to rain...and then it poured!
and then...the skies lightened...just before getting dark...and we were dry and warm by the fire after being chilled to the bone...and we got to see stars! :)
friday morning we packed up and moved on...stopping for a picnic lunch and toe dip in a cool lake...and later in the day a visit to the Little Slocan Ranch...a straw bale lodge and gorgeous getaway (my camera can't do it justice...and inside we were so caught up in the stories that Heather told us about the place that I didn't even think of taking pics...not even when Sasha laughed wildly while playing chase with Mark!)...we decided we'll be staying here next time a round for sure!!
these balancing rocks between the lodge and a beautiful waterfall were the same height as Sasha...but we thought better of having her pose beside them ;)
our final destination for the day was Syringa...just outside of Castlegar...to camp with one of my best buds Yanive and Shannon and Ayden...and Shannon's mom Bonnie...and the dogs! and the mountain goats we saw every time we came and left the park...sweet!
as you can see in these pics that follow...one common theme to pics of Sasha for this week is that she is either dirty or wet...or both...but loving it all...except for the really cold lake water...not too fond of that ;)
the camp side acoustic performance by Yanive and Shannon was only a warm up for Sunday...the motivation on our timing of this trip was to be a part of a Rock for the Cure benefit concert that Yanive organized with his friend Corey. Yanive is the frontman for Day by Day...Shannon plays guitar in the band too...Corey is the drummer...and the band has an alter ego...a cover band called the Magically Hip - teehee
Rock for the Cure was a day full of a great variety of local musical talent and plenty of family fun! when we arrived we found the mayor of Castlegar being dunked in the water tank...i too had my turn to cool off...very nice on a hot & sunny day...the perfect kinda day for an outdoor concert :)
and congratulations to our friends for organizing a successful community event...and raising a couple of thousand dollars for their local cancer society...you guys rock...in many more ways than one...you rock stars you...smooch
Sasha made another new friend...and barely sat still preferring to stroll around the park all day...
and we got a really good scare when she was hunted down by wasps!! i was taking this pic just 'cuz it was cute to watch her play with the remnants of our smoothie...until she was surrounded by 4 wasps (didn't realize until i downloaded it that the wasp was on her face in this pic!)...who followed us all the way back to the blanket...and Mark had to keep shooing them away while I cleaned her off! crazy crazy wasps! fortunately she wasn't stung...
until the next morning! while packing up camp she was stung on her arm. aside from a screech with the initial sting she didn't seem bothered by it...though i certainly kept a close eye on it!
after three dry nights and a couple of starry nights at Syringa (some clouds had us doubting) we hit the road on the way home...had lunch in Grand Forks...we did plan on spending one last night under the stars at Manning Park...however it was insanely grey...and totally downpouring...not at all tempting...so we had dinner in Hope and arrived home by the end of the day...
now its time to come to terms with being on strike...tomorrow is the first day on the picket lines for me...Mark may be soon to follow...and who knows how long this will go on for...
i'm feelin really good though...full of positive energy from a great trip full of good times with Mark and Sasha...and good friends :)
we were sad that Che couldn't be with us on this journey...thought about him alot on the road...but we would love to do this trip again...and have many great ideas on how it can be even better next time...with him!
on my other blog i've got plenty to write about after this journey too...more thoughts on sustainability...community...complexity of organic labeling...plastic...wonderful to have great experiences to reflect on and help me grow as an agent for positive change!
soooooooooooo full of gratitude right now...
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