Journey to Alaska - Crossing into Canada

We left Warm Beach, WA on April 26th expecting to cross the Canadian Border at Sumas by Noon which we did.  Before we cross over, a dairy bar was highly recommended to us to visit because of their wonderful icecream, and indeed it was everything we had imagined!  Crossing the border was a little unnerving as we had many questions asked of us that we were able to answer honestly!  No produce, gun(s), ammo, or raw meat and no more than $7,000 on board.  We are here to visit, vacation and sightsee!

Just when we thought Oregon and Washington were mouth droppers, we ain't seen nothing yet!  And the signs along the road - Bullwinkle lives here?  We have never seen so much logging & lumber activity in trucks and in lumberyards.  Huge logs, like we have seen log houses/buildings but never the size of these nor in abundance.  The logs are beautiful, make sense?  They are a creamy light brown and contrast that with evergreens, it's spectacular.

Our first Canada picture.  Notice the mountains are growing up into the clouds!

Notice great roads, large shoulders and break out
passing lanes constantly for slow RVs!

                             

Now we have an arid climate
and we are traveling right next to 
the Frasier River.  It flows fast
and furious.

Our first night we stopped at Willow Springs Campground just South of Clinton, BC on Hwy. 1.  It was a bare bones campground, nice, quiet, and on a small lake.  We built a fire and watched red winged blackbirds carry on as they must of had a nest close to the shore.  We were only one of about 5 campers in the whole site.  We found that since it is so early in the season many campgrounds have not opened up yet.

The next day we continued to follow the Frasier River passing 70, 100, and 150 Mile House.  Williams Lake was next.

Second night we stayed just north of Quesnel in Hixon at Canyon Creek Campground.  The man who owned the campground suggested we take a short hike up to the Hixon Falls nearby.

Wayne pitching horse shoes.

Gorgeous place to park right 
next to the Canyon River which flows into the Frasier River.

We have arrived at Ness Lake Bible Camp just above Prince George, BC.  The campground is on approx. 160 acres right on the water.  Just 2 weeks ago we have been told there was ice on the lake.  They say within the next week the giant mosquitoes will be hatching out so get prepared!  Today we took a stroll next to the Nechako River which joins the Frasier River in the middle of Prince George.  Prince George has all the amenities that a big city offers, Walmart, malls, theaters, wineries, you name it.

There is another couple with us, Bill & Ginny Sutherland, from Idaho.  They will be caravanning with us to Alaska along with another couple Roy & Sue Anderson at the end of May.

We have to smack ourselves on the jaw occasionally to remind ourselves that we really are in Canada and that our long awaited journey to Alaska has finally arrived.  It is amazing that people live in these parts year round but they love their homeland.  The weather man says near 80 degrees on Monday.......stay tuned, it's hard to believe May 2nd in British Columbia!

April 2016 - Warm Beach Camp & Conference Center, Stanwood, WA

We left Mission Springs C & C Center to drive to Grants Pass, OR the first day.  There we met up with friends that we had worked with briefly at Mission Springs, Rick & Melissa Young.  The scenery in Oregon quickly changed to evergreens, larger peaks with a little snow and gorgeous rivers that would eventually feed into the Pacific Ocean.  God gave us clear skies until we reached higher altitudes and then just a few flakes of snow, but not enough to make us quit driving.

We stayed in Grants Pass for 2 nights so that we could go to visit Crater Lake.  Snow on both sides of the road at least 20 ft. deep.  No joke!  Feeling a little claustrophobic!

Crater Lake

And of course the further we got over the border into Oregon & Washington more snow began to appear on the mountains and much higher peaks!  I will never tire of this beautiful scenery.

The highways, bridges and overpasses

are very ornate in the west.

Now we are following Spring up the coast and God is giving us a palette of beautiful flowers.

And now oceans and mountains are appearing in the same picture.

So different from the East Coast where it is flat and sandy.

Now that's what I call a big piece of driftwood.

 Heather in bloom.

 So many versions of rhododendrons.

Murals in Arlington, WA.

Eating at Nutty's Junkyard Grill.
The absolute best hamburgers and shakes ever. 

Then we spent a day in Seattle experiencing the Ballard Locks, the Needle, City Market where they throw fish when you make a purchase, very inexpensive flowers from all over the world, eating at Ivar's fish market, taking a ferry ride to Bainbridge, eating lava cake with ice cream, back on the ferry at sunset and then home by way of the floating bridge (yes, made with hollow concrete slabs and it floats on water).

City Market

The first Starbucks.

Bunches of flowers for no more
than $10 each. 

Eating lava cake with ice cream!
Don't tell our kids - it was our dinner!

Coming back on the ferry
with the sun setting behind us.

Never tire of the mountains on

all four sides, even the ocean side.

The Needle (part of the World's Fair in the 60s) and a little

information about the restaurant at the top and how it turns!

City Market 

Ocean side ferris wheel.

A ferry ride with the Olympic Mtns.
in the background.  Snow never 
completely melts.

 Seattle from the ferry.

 Sunset coming back from Bainbridge, WA.

Our resident tour guide, Judy!

She knows more than anybody from this area.

Off to the Tulip Festival, whole month of April. The Skagit Valley produces more tulips and ships more than Holland.

My favorite!

Then I went back to Seattle for a peak at the

Chihuly Glass Exhibit.  I had seen it before in

Phoenix but one never tires of it.

Deception Pass

This is where the Skagit River flows

into the ocean with torrential currents

and high winds.

Below is another chain of mountains
to the East. 

Then off to see the Boeing Aircraft Center.

This is the newest model Boeing
is making which can carry cargo at
the same time it carries passengers.
Lighter weight, faster and costs less
to make.

The 6 hangers used to exit the new planes

for a test run.  They are flown with a Boeing

employee pilot and a pilot from the buyer!

Now we really did come to Washington to work a project!  Below is the other couple who worked with us Walt & Rosanna Jacoby from Nampa, Idaho.  And a huge welcome to them as this was their very first project.  They worked hard, played hard, ate, sightseeing (!) and rested hard!  They are going to make great SOWERs.

Left: Us

Right:  Rosanna & Walt Jacoby

The men.......
                     formed a new 
                     garbage dumpster pad near
                     the mailboxes,

painted this whole barn, top to bottom, 

(during)

(after)

resurfaced the tops and replaced the skids on 40 wood boxes placed in various locations on the campus, 

here they are being 

loaded then relocated,

repaired benches in the arena
that had been damaged by fallen trees, 

landscaped in the 

volunteer RV park,

and painted the front of the big barn.
Walt on his knees begging the GL to 
let him go home to eat lunch!!!!!

The ladies repainted one of 

the signs at the stables,

reglittered many animals for the
Lights of Christmas displays, 

Remade about 10 hula hoop

decorations that are hung from 

trees for summer camps,

repainted several Christmas scenes, and

worked on a picture page project that the campers will be working on during the summer months.

Can't say enough about the Spring flowers.

God made such beautiful things in the 

State of Washington for us to admire.

He is the Creator of it all.

To God be the glory.

So now we are packing things up, pulling in the slides, putting the tray tables in the upright position and getting ready for another trek to Prince George, BC.  Yes, over the border into Canada.  We hope to get to Cache Creek the first night, then Williams Lake, then Barkerville and on into Prince George.  The end of May we will meet up with our Alaskan caravan friends, Roy & Sue Anderson.  They will be traveling with us into Alaska and through Alaska for the entire summer.  RVcrazy or what? We will let you know in September!