Thursday, August 29, 2013

Sask to Souris


Kevan’s version:
 
Saskatchewan sucks. The weather is fucking 35c and the campground we found at Estevan was shit. No showers, flies and mosquitoes the size of small birds and $40 a night. It was that or the Wal-Mart parking lot; if they had one. There is a big oil and gas boom on and the campgrounds are full of workers along with most of the motel/hotels.

But we suffered through, got up at daylight and got the hell out of there.
And the roads sucked. I have driven/ridden better roads in Mexico than I did is Sask. Now granted they did warn us with a sign that said the road was not well maintained but holly fuck some of the potholes would swallow the tire off of a semi!

Luckily I should not have to return ever again to southern Sask and if I do it will be with a rental car.

The offset is that all the people we met were very pleasant and all said yes it was unseasonably hot. Yes low to mid 30c is hot. And even hotter in an old Toyota with no air conditioning. Note to anyone looking to come to the prairies: make sure your air conditioning works !

Karen’s addendum: It’s all true and yet I got to go back to my families home town of yes: Big Beaver Sask!! Have you finished laughing yet? Stopped for lunch at the general store with 10 min to spare, as it is only open from 9-12 on Wed. Through the Badlands and onward to Manitoba towards another hot day!!     
Pictures to share:            http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view/11854293768-1377826886-93489/
 
Still on the road and seeking below 30C!!!
Kevan and Karen

Nakusp 2013


Nakusp 2013

Sorry for the tardiness lack of Wifi!!

Well what a time!! Met interesting people from all over the world that were on their own adventures.  Across Canada you say- we are going across Mongolia on motorbikes!! Great times and many more ideas for future travel, I wonder how many leaves of absence I can get!!??

Finally toured the mighty Moye (sternwheeler) in Kaslo, BC after a night of epic wind/thunder/lightening storms!! The nasty weather is still following us; wish it were warmer-careful what you wish for!!
We landed in Gull Lake Alberta via Sparwood, BC and the mighty truck!!

Kevan’s version:

I got to spend the weekend end with 270 of my best riding friends. This was a record year for attendance at HU Nakusp!

The highlights were seeing Grant and Susan Johnston and having dinner with them on Wednesday night (actually Karen cooked in Rattletrap) along with Mark and Nevil. Actually Nevil was still working off the hang over from the night before was we killed of the last of my Tequila.

The night afterward we initiated a new Horizons Unlimited ritual: HUritas. That is Horizons Unlimited margaritas made and served in the campsite. Thank you Miles!

Although the weekend is stressful making sure the presentations all come off on time and I don’t put my big foot in my mouth while acting as MC I really enjoy the event.
 
Til next time K&K  and Ryanne

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Barkerville and Sheridan Lake


Gold Mines and Great Theatre!!

Yes we made it to Barkerville! A full day of activities including a wonderful live theatre shows in the evening. Light show was included later that night with torrential thunderstorms!! Rattletrap didn’t appreciate the 9% grades on the hills though!

Stayed in Sheridan Lake for a night to visit Kevan’s family (uncles, aunts and cousins) a family reunion of sorts!! No fishing due to the 40-50km/hr winds and 2-3 foot waves alas Margaritas were had instead!!

Onward ho to Nakusp with a short stop for new muffler piece in Vernon and overnight stay in Lumby.

Photos to date: http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view/11854288872-1377206631-88915

Til next entry

Karen, Kevan, and Ryanne
Still on the road!!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Holly cob chucking Batman !!


So after a couple of blistering days of traveling up country through the heartland of BC, better known as the Fraser Canyon and the Caribou district we ended up at our good friends Ian and Heather’s place in Burns Lake.
 
Ian on a recent trip down to Chilliwack returned with 150 pound of fresh corn. He asked for a “little help” with preparing it for the freezer. Karen and I being the volunteering type thought sure, how bad can it be to shuck 150 pounds of corn. What we didn’t think to ask was how he was preparing it for the freezer.

In the end we ended up shucking, blanching, ice chilling, de-kernelling (if that is really a word) and then packaging into freezer bags. 30 bags worth. About 3 hours of hot, steamy work over a hot stove. Lots of fun with good friends.


For those motorhead friends a little update on Rattle Trap. Only thing to break so far is the entrance step; Karen did that J. We got 19 MPG coming up the Caribou. Not bad for a 15 year old motorhome !

We are off to Barkerville later this week then off to Nakusp for the Horizons Unlimited meeting.

Till next time.

Kevan and Karen
On the road to Newfoundland.