Prince Rupert

Second day in Prince Rupert. So far internet access is very spotty. Ferry up Inside Passage was great.  They said there were a couple of humpbacks but we didn't spot them. So many many islands!! Getting ready to hit Cow Bay district here in P.R. leaving tomorow for Smithers area.

Telegraph Cove and Port Hardy

On Dad's recommendation we stopped at a tiny little town called Telegraph Cove about an hour outside Port Hardy for a pitstop.  

Sign says: "It Isn't easy being green.. and short - Kermit"

Quatse River estuary in Port Hardy on northern tip of Vancouver Island.  Easy, flat bike trail and we saw Great Blue Herons and Canada Geese.

Finally!  Driving on to the Port Hards to Prince Rupert ferry - our home for the next 15 hours

Beautiful weather to start the ferry ride up the Inside Passage

One of many lighthouses that dot the islands.

Oh, Canada

We're off!  I'll have to wait to post pics later - it's been an eventful few days and no internet access.  or when there was internet access no charged devices.   So we're sitting at a MickeyD's in Campbell River.

Crossing the border at Blaine was no problem... until we realized that the "thunk-a-thunka" we'd been hearing for the last 10 miles was NOT due to buckling roads.  But buckling radial tire on the left front.  Blow out on the hwy to Tsawwassan ferry terminal .  Couldn't get anyone from Progressive roadside assist to help.  We had enabled voice roaming in Canada on our cellphones but they were undergoing system maintenance and kept dropping our calls everytime we got connected.  Had better luck with USAA roadside assist even though they don't insure our motorhome.  They couldn't find anybody to help change the spare but could arrange a tow.  They at least gave us the name of a tire shop in Vancouver, BC ... who couldn't help but gave us the number of a tow company... who said they knew a tire company who could come help with the spare.  Couple of hours later and the nice guy from Fountain Tire showed up, got us on our way to the ferry, and had called ahead to one of their Vancouver Island stores who had som of our rare sized tires in stock.

We had missed the last sailing, of course so had to wait 2 hours until 5:45.   Lovely time at the terminal until somebody pointed out the giant blue, stinky puddle originating from one of the camper's rear orifices.

Half a roll of duct tape, nasty paper towels and we crawled, shamedly onto the ferry. Made the crossing in 2 hours with minimal leakage.

Entrance Island Lighthouse from Nanaimo Ferry

 Pulled into Rathtrevor Beach about 8:30 or so. Time to shower, get settled and watch the sunset.  No electrical hookups, though.  Duncan's going through withdrawals.

Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park

Yesterday we made it to Courtenay and more nice folks at Fountain Tire again.  Turns out we only needed two replaced - we were expecting to do all 5 that were left.  But good to get checked out anyway.

Last night we were at Miracle Beach.  Was nice and quiet until the engines began revving up in the distance.  Turns out there is a speedway just down the road. Flushed the sewer lines and all seems OK with the pipe.  Curt thinks it was just residual gunk from the last time the plunger was pulled.

Have seen lots of deer - one right in our campground.  No bears yet :)   On the road to Port Hardy now.  Big ferry trip tomorow!!!

Camping for Wildlife!

We've pledged to join National Wildlife's   "The Great American Backyard Campout"  on June 28th.



We'll just be in Mother Nature's backyard instead of our own.   Somewhere in the Jasper National park vicinity.     Hope to see lots of other Happy Campers join us. They even have cool songs and stories and recipes and all kinds of other fun stuff:   http://www.nwf.org/Great-American-Backyard-Campout/Get-Ready/Songs-and-Stories.aspx

Lake Mayfield

We had a great time at Lake Mayfield, a gorgeous  jewel halfway between Portland and Seattle up Hwy 12 toward White Pass.    Less than an hour and a half away it's just the right distance for a quick weekend retreat.

We stayed at one of the waterfront RV spots at the Lake Mayfield Resort and Marina.  They've got it all here - rustic inn, cabins, RV hookups, tent camping, restaurant, meeting spaces and marina.   We were there on one of the few Saturday nights they don't have a DJ and music playing in the lakeside dance pavilion - so we'll definitely be back!  This is an ideal site for family reunions.

Duncan swears he saw a baby otter when we rented the little aluminum chriscraft for an hour.

He also swears he saw some rabbits. If Eva's subsequent headstand into a rabbit hole was any indication she saw them too. Then again she's known to dive headfirst at any slimy slimy slug, snail or stinky thing so it may have just been some more worm guts left by an eager angler.    Lake Mayfield is known for their trophy Tiger Muskee. We did see several fish jumping right below us next to the dock.  Both boys tried their luck, got a few bites but no joy.

Headed to Lake Mayfield

Dogs are getting quite used to the Happy Camper

KUDOS to Progressive Insurance's road side assistance

We took the Happy Camper to Grandma's campground in Florence, Oregon for Memorial Day weekend. Had a great trip down. Whopping 9 mpg!  On the way home we intended to stop at Shreiner's Iris Gardens in Brooks to get some cut flowers to take up to the family graveyard on the way home.  We stopped all right.... when we had a blown tire right before the Brooks exit. But roadside assist got us up and running in an hour.

View of the Iris fields from the roadside:

The Tale of the Happy Camper (prologue)

According to Merriam Webster:

happy camper

Full Definition of HAPPY CAMPER

 noun

: someone who is pleased or happy

:  one who is content

Examples of HAPPY CAMPER

: I was one happy camper when I heard the news.

First Known Use of HAPPY CAMPER

:1984



Our brand new (to us.....) Mobile Traveler RV was also manufactured in 1984. Coincidence? I think not. But we'll find out!

 A month ago we found a terrific deal on Craigslist for a used, but very well maintained 26' Class A RV to take on our planned 2-week family camping adventure at the end of June.

 Our vagabond journey began when my parents began planning their own last big, grand summer sailing voyage up to Alaska and asked if we wanted to meet them for a day or two "somewhere" on the coast of British Columbia when school let out. The timing was not great - in order to catch them we'd either have to drive 24 hours straight, fly, or take an expensive ferry up the BC Coast.

 Last year we had purchased a very rustic, but serviceable little Coleman pop-up trailer that has done very well for us at the Oregon Coast and thought what the heck? Why not take it on a grand adventure up on the B.C. Ferry, meet the parents in Prince Rupert then drive home, camping via the Canadian Rockies (Jasper, Banff, etc.)??? My husband, Curt has never been to the Canadian Rockies, and I very much want to see the glaciers with our son, Duncan before they all melt.

Jasper National Park 

 So why not take the pop-up? I'll tell you one reason why... BEARS!!! Once I started researching campgrounds and saw a few where "soft-sided" tents/pop-ups had to be kept in special bear-proof enclosures we began thinking of upgrading to a harder shell.

 Another reason? As I began planning an itinerary I realized we'd likely be moving every night or every other night to cover the distance. The probability of having to break /make camp during unexpected bad weather was high and that meant the chances of having some very UNHAPPY campers was pretty high, too.

 Final reason... on the Ferry to Prince Rupert you have to pay extra for rigs over 20 ft. By the foot. That means truck + trailer. We usually haul the pop-up with our Ford F-150 however it's a little cramped on long drives. But the combo would have us pushing 40'. In that case, every foot is precious... if I'm going to pay an extra $40 for a foot of space that space should include A/C, a generator to run it and it's own toilet!

 So the Yogi Bear Snack Shack was returned to the magical land of Craigslist from whence he came and we're in the process of getting to know our new best friend forever (cute nickname to be determined). We've taken the RV on two short shakedown "cruises".

Not ours, but looks just like it!

First to a lovely little private lakeside retreat called Silver Lake Resort at the foot of Mt. St. Helens. Besides the RV hook ups they have cute little cabins and a quaint hotel. And bass. BIG BASS I'm told. Which Curtis and Duncan are determined to catch this summer so I'm sure we'll be back. Less than an hour north of Portland, at the Castle Rock exit (interesting factoid... they filmed the movie "Stand By Me" in Castle Rock).

 Next overnight trip was to an immaculate RV park on the Columbia River just outside of Woodland called, appropriately enough, Columbia Riverfront RV park where you can sit and watch the big river traffic go by. Cargo ships and tugboats and fisherfolks. Even an old-style luxury steamboat that was recently bought by a Mississippi outfit, thoroughly revamped and renamed the the American Empress..

 They even have a swimming pool open in the summer - so we are definitely adding that park to our list of "get out of town quick" destinations.