But to back up. Our last day in Washington State ended very nicely. We left our r.v. site outside of Forks, and drove to a wonderful beach on the coast, Rialto Beach, on the Makah Tribe Reserve. Loaded with huge old trees that have washed up on shore; a golden eagle, a baldie, and a seal in the river behind the beach along with large waves, made for a pleasant time, especially since it was sunny and warm. From there we decided to finish off in style by driving up the coast 45 miles to the furthermost northwest point in the contiguous U.S., to Cape Flattery. It involved a nice hike to the point, beautiful views of limestone caves and caverns opened up by the wave action pounding the shore, with vast reaches of the Pacific in front of us, stretching to imagined places. It was a tight windy road in rather poor condition to get there, but well worth it for the experience.
Ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria. Land in the heart of the city, almost in front of the Empress Hotel, and on to the next ferry from Sydney, to get to Pender Island. As we did three years ago, the plan was to leave our r.v. on Pender, make our way home, then go back out to pick up where we left off in August or September. Gail's sister Diane and her husband Dan came over from Vancouver to generously host us, leading to three fine days on the island. Great weather, some hikes, sunning on the deck, good food, games, a great time on this beautiful Gulf Island. Wouldn't be hard to spend a lot of time there some summer.
Then on to Vancouver, full of blossoming trees, green grass, budding trees. We drove up to Squamish to see Gail's nephew Kevin and his family, and really enjoyed seeing their two twins, who are a delight. These five year olds are full of energy, inquisitive, playful, fun to be with. So that was a treat. That evening, Gail's niece Shannon and her partner Stephen came for dinner, and we had a great evening with them. Both are doing well with good jobs, but face the prospect of having to move, and are dealing with the quandary of how to deal with the high cost of homes vs. the high cost of renting. As is the case in Toronto, it's very tough for young people to consider ownership due to the huge costs of homes. I talked to one of the ferry guys before we went on board in Victoria, who told me he lived in his van for a year and a half, parked on the side of the road, even though he had a job. He now lives in a mobile, as it's all he can afford. And he has a good job with B.C. Ferries.
The flight home went fine, even though we had middle seats. We took the train from the airport to Union Station, and then the train to Belleville, and stayed at Jeff's for the night, enjoying a reunion with all three grand-daughters as well as a chance to meet Clare's boyfriend Evan. He's a very nice guy, so gets the stamp of approval from Grandpa.
That's it. Home is in good shape, cars started, with thanks to good friends and neighbours. No snow on the ground, but I do have an inch of ice in my storage shed, so all of the stuff in there is well embedded. Hopefully it'll soon melt away with a little help. Got a haircut yesterday after more than 4 months, and received a rather horrified greeting from my barber when I walked in the door. "What on earth happened to you?" was my greeting. I look much more civilized now, which is no fun at all.
All in all, it was a great trip, and we were almost sorry to see it end. Some might wonder how two people could manage to survive with each other in a 25 foot r.v., but we got along just fine, and look forward to hitting the road again later this year. We enjoy the process of exploration, new places and old, always something interesting to fill the day. Even managed to lose a few pounds along the way, and achieved a pretty good fitness level.
I'll post a few pictures in closing. If you've been a faithful or occasional reader of these ramblings, thanks for coming along with us. It's great to have had your good company.
Below, the first picture is Gail with Keiran and Kaley, her sister Diane's grand-kids. Next, a small sample of the cherry blossoms decorating the streets of Vancouver. Then Gail with Diane and Dan on their beach, a lovely quiet spot not far from their house on Pender Island. Following is a nice sunrise over the harbour in Port Angeles. Next, Diane and Gail enjoying the view after our hike up Mt. Norman, an 800 foot vertical that left me puffing. Finally, Victoria Beach in western Washington, and then the view at Cape Flattery, a wonderful vantage point in the far north-west of the state.
That's it for now. Plans for later this year are up in the air for now, as there are several options to be built around our cruise to Alaska in September. Edmonton is definitely part of it. Possible trip north is also possible. And we'll eventually have to get the r.v. home, route to be determined. So stay tuned. More later this summer.
