Sunday dawned bright and shiny. The sun was shining and the temperature was going to be rising. It was going to be hot!!
The party continued today as some of Lorne and Marilyn's kids (and their friends) arrived as they had seen John's posts on facebook and had decided that we were having more fun than they were so decided to crash our party!! It was good to see Kelsey again and some of her friends.
The kids stayed for a while and then had other places they "had" to be.
We enjoyed the river bank, took a million pictures and visited as only good friends can. We even had a few of Lorne and Marilyn's friends stop by for a quick visit. All too soon, the sun waned and we were having to deal with supper. It was steak and baked potato night and soon, the air was filled with all sorts of delicious smells. The meal was delicious and with our bellies full......we were all getting tired and our beds were calling. Another great day was coming to a close here in British Columbia.
Monday found us heading over to Walter and Heather's for cocktails and snacks. The weather was incredible and the evening was delightful. I got to see Heather's studio and was impressed at her work space. She makes jewellery and has quite a nice set up. We stopped at "The Fernie Hotel" for supper as no one was too interested in going home and cooking. With supper done, we headed home and I think all of us were ready for a quiet evening and an early bedtime.
Wayne and Teresa had hooked up to their RV and headed to Montana today. They were going to spend a few days at Kookanoosa Lake and we were to be meeting them for a visit and some sightseeing.
Tuesday brought a quiet morning for us. Lorne had to work for the morning but when he arrived back home we were off in the tracker for yet another adventure!! Of course we didn't realize that our adventures would start even before we got out of the town of Fernie!! Marilyn and I were sitting in the backseat of the tracker minding our own business when John mentioned to Lorne that the cops were behind us with their lights flashing. Apparently we were being pulled over!! Marilyn and I did not have our seat belts on but how the heck would the cop know that since they were lap belts....or so we thought!! Well, the young woman walked up to us and flicked her finger on the shoulder harness apparatus and said. "Do you ladies know what this is for?" Well I looked to see what she was referring to and imagine my surprise when I saw that damn thing!! I said "Of course we do and we know better than to not use it!!" She continued to inform Marilyn and I that had we been in an accident at highway speed, we would be the first to be ejected from the vehicle. She then informed Lorne that we were facing three charges and proceeded to rattle them off!! She then said, "I'm not saying I am going to charge you but it is "under consideration". Man, we sooo knew better!! As it turned out, she let us "off" with just a warning and for that we were very grateful.
We continued on and were soon on a dirt road and enjoying the incredible beauty of the back country around Fernie. Our first destination was Hartley Lake. A marshy little lake that the fish and wildlife folks stock with trout. It was quiet and lovely. It was a one beer stop and we continued on following Sulphur Creek. The scenery was incredible and we eventually ended up at "The Stinkhole" where mountain goats gather and, we were blessed to see eight of them lounging on the surrounding rocks. They didn't seem to mind being the center of attention and soon settled down for some rest. We took several pictures and moved on.
We soon saw where the creek emptied into the mighty Bull River. The River is renowned for its beauty and its ruggedness. It has claimed lives and often does not relinquish what it takes. One of Lorne's close friends became a victim to this River many years ago when the river flooded, claiming the road and the fellow inadvertently drove into the water. Searchers found his truck but his body was never recovered. Lorne said they searched for days and he walked miles of shoreline during that search. We stopped along the road at his memorial and had a beverage with him!!
Eventually, we ended up at the Bull River Bar and stopped for a beverage and decided to stay for supper. It was great and the decor was second to none. It was unique with all the stuffed animal heads and paraphernalia on the walls. It certainly gave us something to look at!!
Eventually we headed for home and the peace and quiet of the airstrip but not before we had a great ride!! Lorne is like a commentator on the trail. He is the area historian and has a tale for every thing we see. I love going on these trips with him and Marilyn.
 |
| Marilyn's little tracker |
 |
| beautiful back roads |
 |
| Sulphur Creek |
 |
| mountain goats at "the stinkhole" |
 |
| The Bull River |
Wednesday found us on our way to Montana. Booko was diagnosed with Valley Fever before we left Arizona. That is a fungal infection in his lungs and although is curable (kind of), requires treatment with antifungal medication for a period of at least a year. I had brought some home with me when we left Arizona but found out that it was VERY pricey here in Canada. 160 bucks a month Canadian as opposed to 45 bucks a month American. That being said, I called the Pet Pharmacy in Arizona and ordered a four month supply and asked them to send it to The Shipping Company in Eureka, Montana. So, this was one of the reasons we were headed to Montana. Of course Wayne and Teresa were camping on the American side of Kookanoosa Lake and they had asked us to stop by for a visit as well!!
We arrived in Eureka in time for lunch and stopped at Trapper's saloon. It is one of Lorne and Marilyn's favourite spots to stop. The food was good and the atmosphere was great. Old country western was the theme.
We arrived at the Shipping Company and got the dog's meds then headed to the campground to meet up with Wayne and Teresa. They were down at the beach when we arrived but it wasn't too long before we were at their camp and having a beverage. We soon headed to the Frontier Bar for supper and then it was time to scoot back across the border back into Canada. The crossing was uneventful and we were soon back on the airstrip and enjoying the peace and quiet. It had been a long day - hell - it has been a long few days!! LOL
 |
| Cocktails at the Ingram's |
 |
| Chillin at Heather and Walter's |
 |
| enjoying the sunshine |
 |
| Had to borrow Walter's hat to keep the sun out of my eyes |
 |
| Selfie with the cop car |
 |
| Marilyn and the cop car!! |
 |
| Hartley Lake |
 |
| The mighty Bow River |
 |
| The Bull River Bar |
 |
| wonderful decor |
 |
| A stuffed cougar still decorated from Canada Day |
 |
| a moose antler cribbage board |
 |
| Need one of these signs |
 |
| more pics of the Bull River |
 |
| more scenery |
 |
| Nightime on the airstrip |
 |
| Off to Montana |
 |
| The tunnel near Lorne and Marilyn's on Highway 3 |
 |
| One of the many Canada/Montana border crossings |
 |
| Trapper's Saloon - lunch time |
 |
| more incredible and unique decor |
 |
| coming into Eureka, Montana |
 |
| The Marina at Lake Kookanoosa |
 |
| Wayne and Teresa's campsite |
 |
| The Frontier Bar near the lake |
 |
| Marilyn and Teresa |
 |
| Wayne and Marie |
 |
| Lorne and Marilyn |
Thursday morning was another quiet one as Lorne was once again working for the morning. I have come to value these quiet mornings watching the deer and the elk cross the airstrip and just listening to the Elk River meander past. It truly is quite heavenly. This morning, I got to see four baby crows trying to learn how to fly. They were busy trying to keep their balance when they landed and there were a few "crashes" when they tried to land on top of each other!! They were very vocal as well and I was glad when Mom arrived and flew them all away!!
Lorne arrived home in the early afternoon and we took another road trip. Today, we headed over to what he refers to as "The Ranch". This is where he was raised on the family homestead in Newgate, B.C. It was an awesome trip and again we were regaled with Lorne's commentary and his incredible knowledge of the area. The scenery of course was its usual shade of awesome and when we finally arrived back at home, John cooked us chicken and some of my "special" potatoes with carrots, onions and corn on the cob combined and cooked to meld the flavours. Supper was delicious and was a great end to yet another great day!!
 |
Baby crows on the airstrip - they were trying out
their new wings and were VERY noisy |
 |
| The "Canadian" side of Lake Kookanoosa |
 |
| Looking towards Montana |
 |
| The marina at Sandy Shores near Newgate |
 |
| Million dollar homes on the lake shore.......no trees here!! |
 |
| One of the many houseboats available for rent on the lake |
 |
| There is a wild turkey in there |
 |
| An old shed on Lorne's parents homestead. |
 |
Beautiful pasture land. Lorne's family were hay farmers
and spent their summers haying the many fields on their land |
 |
| Another Kodak moment |
 |
A shot of the "old" house in the distance. This land has now
been turned over to fish and wildlife to be returned back to the
wildlife. The gate was locked so we were unable to get to the
house unless we climbed the fence. |
 |
| Linkletter Creek |
 |
One of the little ponds on the creek. This was where Lorne and i
saw a baby beaver swimming around enjoying his life!! |
 |
| Kelsey and Tyler's loveshack on the 10 acres Lorne still owns at Newgate |
 |
| Lorne and Marie enjoying the swing that was hauled from his parent's homestead |
 |
| the fire pit area at Jordan and Sheri's cabin on the creek |
 |
| such a sweet little creek. A great place for a cabin |
 |
| Lorne's old school |
 |
| A phone booth!! One does not see these hardly anymore!! |
 |
| More shots of Lake Kookanoosa |
 |
| Lorne and Marie posing on the edge of a very high cliff above "the Kook" |
 |
| The Labey's home |
Friday found us enjoying the company of Jim and Bonnie Labey. They have a beautiful home that sits on several acres above the town of Fernie. It is on the market for sale with a pretty price tag I might add!! We had a great time with them and we even got to go for a swim in their indoor swimming pool. Such a beautiful home but Bonnie says it is just getting "too much" for them to maintain. Bonnie does all her own cleaning and the numerous stairs in the place is killing her. Jim maintains the house with all its plumbing and boilers, etc. and he too is finding it more a chore now. Anyway, we spent a pleasant time with them chatting, swimming and having a few beverages. It is so nice to be embraced by Lorne and Marilyn's friends and made to feel so welcome. How blessed we are.
 |
| Nestled in the pines above Fernie |
 |
| Their back yard complete with fish pond |
 |
| The covered patio |
 |
| Loved the fish pond |
 |
| Bonnie and Marie swimming in the indoor pool |
On Saturday, we headed over to Wayne and Teresa's for supper. Of course this would be the gold at the end of the rainbow as Teresa loves to cook and makes all her own food. No way, would she be caught buying ready made spaghetti sauce.....oh no, she has to make her own and in turn, make the rest of us look bad!! It is a Teresa thing!! Wayne and Teresa sit above the town of Fernie as well and they too have their own little chunk of heaven that they have called home for several years.
Sitting on the patio and enjoying the view with good friends and cold beers is really something to treasure. It was great and supper of course was delicious. Homemade pasta, gnocchi and ribs along with fresh made french bread was on the menu and we ate till we were full and overflowing!! Teresa gave John a loaf of the fresh bread to take home and he actually hugged it all the way home.!! Good Grief!! He did mention something about sleeping with it and I am now convinced that there really is something "wrong" with him!! LOL And, if anyone is wondering......NO, I am not going to start baking bread!! I am okay with it being a "Teresa Thing"!!
