Holy Coquihalla

November 6

We are both up early in anticipation our drive home, and in fact we were both tossing and turning all night.  Jutta takes care of indoors, and I do the outside disconnect, trailer hookup, and all the guy stuff.  It is no surprise that with all our practice that we are ready to go by just after 7am, and hit the road towards the ferry terminal to catch a 9am ferry…….we are way to early, but as it happens, we arrive in time to catch the 8 o’clock.  Discussion ensues and we figure that based on my last email exchange with the Airstream Crew in Langley, all they are going to do is make sure we are roadworthy……no removing bent rollers, or support posts…..and we would have to wait until 1pm for our appointment.  Hmmmmm……we decide to roll the dice, and trust that I have secured everything properly myself, and we are going for it.

The ferry is nearly empty, which means a short lineup for breakfast at Coastal Cafe…….always a good breakfast there, and today is no exception.  The crossing is non-eventful except for a few rough spots crossing the channel, and we are back in the truck ready to disembark in no time.  Our target last night, with the Langley stop included was Kamloops, and that counted on a quick turnaround fixing Plan B, but now we are thinking about knocking out a mountain pass or two before calling it a day.

 The so so views in the Fraser Valley are quickly replaced by stunning vistas as we turn north on Hwy 5, The Coquihalla Hwy……..The Coq (Coke)……a stretch of highway with a reputation for becoming quite dangerous with sudden and severe weather changes.  It is long, steep (both up and down), very exposed, and quite turny in sections. Today however, the skies are clear, the sun is out, and even though it is quite cool outside, conditions couldn’t be better for a quick sprint north.  What an incredible road and a really nice drive in good weather, with such stunning views……..made great time.  There is one thing though…….just before you commit to the Coq, there is a sign that warns the next fuel service is 120km away in Merritt………I guessed I had  a quarter of a tank, and figured I was at least good enough to get there………easy….easy.  When the low fuel alarm went off and we were still about 40km out, I realized immediately that this truck sure sucks a lot of fuel climbing those hills pulling Plan B.  I could tell that Jutta was a solid mixture of worried and pissed off (more the latter), but we rolled in to Merritt with at least a couple of litres to spare and life was good once again, and we both had a chuckle.  I am now required to fill up any time we even get within sniffing distance of 1/4 full…….Jutta would say 3/4 empty.

An interesting looking cloud hovered above the valley leading out of Sicamous…….at one point we though it might be smoke, but no, it was a layer of cold moist cloud that complicated our drive almost all the way to Revelstoke.  In Revy, we had a decision to make……now dark……up and over Rogers Pass, or camp out here and take it on in the morning.  Of course we went for it, and I settled in behind a transport tuck or two and made the crossing easily, but was shitting myself on the downhill……..we had decided that Golden was a good spot to spend the night, and I sit here now, actually in Donald a few km west, in an almost vacant RV park, -2 outside, pouring my heart out to you.

Yesterday in Victoria we grabbed a vat of frozen seafood chowder + a couple of salmon pies from Finest at Sea ………Jutta is working on those, and dinner will be along soon.  I load Roy Orbison Black and White in the player, and we enjoy watching it as the chowder slowly defrosts in the pan.  Some troubling weather news has arrived telling us about a severe but concentrated system in the prairies east of Calgary……travel advisories and blizzard warnings are out all over the place, so tomorrow’s plans will have to remain flexible.  They are calling for a shitload of snow, and I know you are all sitting at home wondering whether or not to re-open the pool, but we will let you know. Could be we will be following this system as it moves east, but I won’t be trailering in blizzard conditions……no way. There is a good chance we will make Medicine Hat, maybe Swift Current, but probably no further than that.  Dinner is ready………I’m out.    

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