Thursday, November 27, 2014

British Columbia Road Trip - From the Heart of the Columbia Valley to the Sea To Sky Corridor

I can't believe it's been more than a month since my last blog post! So much has happened! Here's what I've been up to, with a lot of help on the home front from Mum:

- packed up our house in Invermere,

- resigned from the only job in the world (besides being a full time photographer, of course!) that is PERFECT for me,

- helped find my replacement at Eagle-Eye Tours,

- spent a week or so camping in our empty Castle Rock place while I finished up at work,

- again with a lot of help from Mum, cleaned the unit to within an inch of its life,

- while squeezing in three days to give basic training to my replacement,

- then spent two long days driving from the Columbia Valley through the Thompson-Nicola region to the north end of the Sea To Sky Corridor!

We (Mum and I, in two vehicles) tried to stop as much as we could along the way, but we were thwarted by aggressive tailgaters (Mainroads Highways vehicles on several occasions, especially in the Columbia Valley and between Golden and Kamloops!), and the fact that the speed limit was too high to allow a safe bail off the narrow and often shoulderless highway at a decent viewpoint!

Grab yourself a cuppa - here are some of my fav photos from the trip (as always, click to on the images enlarge view):

Second-Last Photo in the Columbia Valley - Taken from the Castle Rock garbage bins!
Last Photo from the Columbia Valley - a Rare Fellow Baja at Timmie's in Golden! (Mine on the Right)
On the Road through Glacier National Park

Also GNP - Mum's Car



The Mountains Tower above us - Snow Sheds & Vehicles give Perspective!

Frosty & Sunless Down Here, Too!

Roger's Pass - Magnificent - and Darned Cold!


A Blizzard of Ice Crystals!


Leaving Revelstoke

The "Wild West" at Three Valleys

And a Random Antique Fire Engine1



After a night at the Super 8 in Kamloops, we hit the road again ... ever-changing climate zones and landscapes ... reminiscent of the Karoo/Highveld, for those of who familiar with RSA!

At the Kamloops Lake Viewpoint


Yes, That's Steam Rising Off the Lake - It Was Cold!

I thought that was a large bird atop the tree, but it's not - still like the colours in this one!



Love this one, with the Train!



A Few Minutes At Marble Canyon







East of Lillooet



The Lillooet River

Quick Stop (Too Cold & Windy!) at Seton Lake to try to spot Mountain Goats (no luck!)

Then we Climbed the Duffey Lake Road



Stopped for Several Minutes' Rest at the gorgeous Duffey Lake




Stellar Jay - one of my fav birds!

Whiskey Jack - cheeky, and brazen, little squirt!
Rest Stop at the Joffre Lakes Trailhead


About half an hour after leaving Joffre Lakes, we were in Pemberton!

Today, we're comfortably ensconced in our new rental unit in Pemberton. 99% of the boxes are unpacked - the ones that are going to be unpacked, that is. It's a much smaller place, so a lot of non-essentials (eg: pictures) will remain stored in the garage and any other nook/cranny that isn't taken up by something more vital.

More about Pemberton coming soon ...