Marvelous Missoula... and MORE SMOKE in VanGo

We're in the neat little town of Missoula, MT, now, and will be for a few more days until we can try to get the ongoing problem with the heater/AC/defroster figured out. We've had smoke coming out of the  vents twice now. And the blower fan has burnt out twice. So something must be causing it.  I've found a mechanic who can look at it on Wednesday morning, so cross fingers we can get it fixed a little more permanently than two days ago.

Missoula is a fun university town.  We went to a downtown music fest last evening, and would you believe we walked by a lady who looked vaguely familiar, so I turned around, stopped her and asked if she lived in Annapolis.  Turns out she's a woman I met with a hiking group in Annapolis several years ago! She has the most strikingly beautiful hair or I don't think I ever would have recognized her in the crowd.   So she showed us around and gave us lots of insider tips for Missoula.

Montana is all about outdoor sports, particularly fly fishing, and I have wanted to try fly fishing since I saw "A River Runs Through It".   Would you believe the lady I ran into last night has a son who fly fishes, and he offered to give me a lesson sometime, so I just may get my wish one of these days!

Gail and Julie Devlin from Annapolis

SMOKIN' van, Waterton/Glacier and Whitefish, Montana

No internet for the past few days, so will try to catch up again.  And by the way, if you didn't already know this, you can click on a photo to enlarge it. 

Linda and I departed Calgary airport on Tuesday afternoon, and several hours later arrived in lovely Waterton Park, where we spent the night before heading south across the border to Glacier.

On our way down to the border SMOKE started pouring through the vents.  We turned everything off and pulled to the side of the road.  Canadian Parks rangers stopped and tried to help us, but couldn't identify anything. While we were able to drive the van, we had no heat, no air conditioner and no defroster.  So, being out in the middle of nowhere with no services, off we went to Glacier for a three day stay, hiking each day, dining at Lake McDonald Lodge (one of the wonderful Park lodges built by the Great Northern Railroad) each evening, and driving the Going to the Sun road eastward to Logan Pass early in the morning, when we virtually had this incredibly scenic (and narrow!) road to ourselves.  It couldn't have been more spectacular.   We saw big horn sheep (where they belonged rather than wandering down the road), mountain goats and even a marmot.  As well as the most beautiful array of wildflowers I've ever seen.

Then we came out of the park and into Whitefish, Montana on Friday. My first stop was an auto repair place recommended by someone at Lake McDonald Lodge. They confirmed my suspicion that the blower motor had gone out. We were able to get one shipped overnight from Billings and it is being repaired this morning. PHEW!!! (pls cross fingers that it works ok)

Spectacular scenery on the Going to the Sun road

On the way to Hidden Lake, Glacier Park  

The Marmot on the Hidden Lake hike

Waterton Lakes Peace Park

Gail and Linda make it to the top on the Hidden Lake hike

A big horn sheep, right were it belongs

Linda and Elli at Waterton Lake

Olympic Park, Medicare Birthday, and farewell to Carol and Garry

After hiking to the Hoodoos and then playing cards for an entire rainy Sunday afternoon, we drove from Banff to Calgary yesterday, discovering the darling little town of Canmore along the way.  Our first stop in Calgary was Olympic Park, used for the Luge, Bobsled, Ski Jump and other events in the 1988 Olympics.  We spent the afternoon touring the facility, which is still open for camps and various other sports activities.

Then off to celebrate my birthday, at what turned out to be a very hip and fun Japanese restaurant called Shikiji, near downtown Calgary.  Great fun and yummy meal. Thank you, Carol and Garry!   (and thank you, Medicare, for the birthday greeting in my e-mail ;->>

And then... after this lovely dinner, as I was trimming Carol's hair outside, somehow ELLI decided to jump out of the van and head off on her own adventure.  We didn't notice this until the hair-trimming was complete.  And slight panic ensued as we spread out in all directions trying to locate her.  Well, true to form, she came leaping and bounding back to the van a short time later.  We put her back into the van,   looked at each other, and heaved a great sigh of relief (Dorothy; I'm sure you especially can appreciate this story!)

Carol and Garry departed for Saskatoon this morning. We've had a great week together and I miss them already! The adventure continues though, as Linda (friend from Annapolis) flies into Calgary this afternoon, and we point VanGo towards Waterton Park, and subsequently back into the US at Glacier Park.

Carol and Gail at the top of the Luge run

Farewell and safe travels to Carol and Garry (PTH) 

The errant Elli

The 1988 Olympic competitors

Gail, Garry and Carol, on the Olympic Podium

Elk, Big Horn Sheep and SMOKE everywhere

No internet from Kamloops until now, so will try to catch up a bit.  VanGo has behaved herself over the many passes since I learned to turn the heat ON when climbing.  Uncomfortable as it is, it does seem to make a difference.  I came into Lake Louise on Monday night and had morning tea at he most beautiful lake setting I may have ever seen in my life.  It's truly as spectacular as the photos we've all seen.  Pics all out of order.  Not sure why.

Reflections on the Icefields Parkway

Elk in the campground

Reflection of Lake Louise

Elli goes to Lake Louise

Carol, Garry, Elli and Gail on a trail near Jasper

Morning sun over Lake Louise

And then Elli and I headed up the Icefields Parkway to meet Carol and Garry in Jasper.   Carol is an old friend from secondary school.  She and her husband, Garry, have been on a six-month adventure to Alaska in a custom travel van similar to mine.  We've been together for the past five nights and are having a wonderful time exploring Jasper, Lake Louise, and now Banff.  The scenery has been beautiful, save the smoke from the 300+ forest fires burning in British Columbia. 

We've seen elk in our campground and big horn sheep on the side of the road.  We've seen spectacular waterfalls and glaciers over a thousand feet deep.  We've seen the gorgeous lodges built by the Canadian Railway in all three towns, and are currently hanging out at the Banff Springs Hotel.












  

The turkeys and the pass

Elli and the wild turkeys 

After a restful sleep over in La Conner, we got up to see wild turkeys crossing the street right behind us.  Elli's never seen wild turkeys before, so she just kind of sat there wondering what to do.

We then headed north for the border and decided to cross on Route 9 at Abbottsford instead of going Interstate 5 toward Vancouver.  There were only two cars ahead of us, and while the questions were tedious and lengthy, it all went smoothly.  So we headed off to Harrison Hot Springs, with the thought of staying overnight.  Beautiful as it is, with Lake Harrison using the Cascades as a backdrop, it was overrun with tourists on this warm and sunny August day, so we decided to push on.

Lake Harrison with the Cascades as a backdrop

And then the challenge began.   Poor little VanGo did not have enough oomph to make it to the top of Coquihalla Pass without losing her steam, slowing to under 35, and almost overheating.  Was I nervous, or what!!   There are absolutely  no services between Hope and Merritt, and I was envisioning all kinds of things, not the least of which was having to be towed over the pass.  There are no photos to support this, though the van was traveling slowly enough that I almost could have gotten out and snapped a few.  There was no shade and the temp was close to 100, which was apparently part of the problem.  When I finally got to Kamploops, I had my fluids checked and asked them what to do if it happens again.  They said that given the heat of today, and the steepness of the grade, that I should have turned my heat on to help cycle fluids through the engine (or something like that).   I must say this makes me a little nervous for the trip through the Rockies.  Cross fingers that the temps cool down a bit!   

   

La Conner and Anacortes

Wow!  What a beautiful day.  We traveled north to La Conner today. It's a sweet little artsy town with a wonderful quilt and textile museum.  The museum is in an old mansion, and currently has a delightful Japanese exhibit going on.  The fabrics are beautiful and the detail work is exquisite.

After touring the town and museum, I headed over to Anacortes, and to my surprise, it took my breath away.  There is a city park at the end of town that could be designated a national treasure.  It is right on the water and overlooks the San Juan Islands.  The day was perfect, the water beautiful, and the surrounding mountains made it picture perfect.  Wish I would have had the time to take the ferry to Friday Harbor.

San Juan Islands from Anacortes, ferry in the distance

From the scenic loop trail at Anacortes

At the Quilt and Textile Museum in La Conner

Beach at Anacortes Washington park

  

Yakima and Deception Falls

It was a wonderful three-day visit with the guys in Yakima.  I hadn't seen my favorite 'little boy' in almost 14 years, since shortly after his mom (my best friend) died in 1996.  Jones is now almost 28! 

Snow in the crevices of the Cascades

I came back over Stevens Pass today, getting ready to head north to La Conner and then to Canada. It was a gorgeous day, which made for a wonderful hike in Deception Falls.  Not sure what the deception is/was, though it sure was beautiful. 

My favorite guys in Yakima

At Deception Falls

On to Leavenworth

Down by the riverside

The trip across the Cascades turned spectacular after crossing Stevens Pass and beginning the descent down the east side.  It was a beautiful ride into Leavenworth, a quaint (and touristy) little Bavarian town near Lake Wenatchee, that successfully recreated itself as such during an economic downturn in the 60's.  It appears to be booming.  I joined 25 other Roadtreks gathering for a rally at Icicle River.  We have a wonderful site right on the river. 

We journeyed up the mountain Friday evening and saw an outdoor production of "The Sound of Music".  Quite honestly, it was spectacular.  It couldn't have been a more beautiful setting, and the production itself was quite well done.  I will never again think of this play without thinking of this wonderful setting.  The next day brought a visit to town, and then to the fish hatchery.  Pretty interesting to see the little salmon fry (fries?).

Our group being delivered to the play in our stretch limo

Chinook Salmon early in their lifecycle

     

Portland to Seatlle and Billy Idol

After dinner with Claire and a visit to the hospital to see trooper Sandy recovering from her stroke, Elli and I headed for Pike Place Market this morning. The trip was uneventful until we got near Seattle, and then the traffic was so bad I could have sworn I was in LA. We finally made it to market and had a wonderful time checking out all the samples. What can beat a trip to Pike Place, the oldest continaully operating market in the country. With a bagful of local nectarines and Ranier cherries, then we headed north beyond Everett, stopping at Tulalip Casino to stay overnight. What a surprise to learn there was a Billy Idol concert in the outdoor amphitheatre. No matter that I didn't have tickets, it could be heard everywhere! 

Pike Place Market 

Annapolis to Portland

Guess I need to unpack the suitcase, all the way!

Elli and I flew to Portland yesterday and got reunited with VanGo.  We plugged in at friend Amy's last night and started to check out the house systems.  She's needs a good wash, and is otherwise (seemingly) ready to go.  Amy lives in a wonderful neighborhood of Portland called Alameda.  Everything is accessible by foot - groceries, theatre, doggie park, etc.  Many people have gardens, including veggie gardens, on the small strips of land between the sidewalk and the curb. And there is a wonderful school nearby that's been converted into a brewpub called McMenamins.   It has a restaurant, theatre, soaking tub, music, and rooms, some even with chalkboards still in them.   Apparently two brothers have been converting schools and historic buildings in Oregon and Washington into brewpubs for 20 some odd years now.  What a great idea.

Portland, the city of roses

Mt Hood from the plane

BWI

Elli waiting for the plane at BWI