Monday, July 30, 2012 (Lac le Jeune Provincial Park, Kamloops, BC)

We had a very relaxing start to the day.  The sun was shining when we got up but it was chilly (10C/53F inside)...we actually opened the trailer door to let the sunshine in to help warm it up.  We ate our breakfast outside in the sunshine...we haven’t done that for awhile...

While I was cleaning up the kitchen, Steve offloaded the bikes from the back of the trailer, pumped up low tires and got them ready...we thought we would take a ride around the campground.

This is a view from another campsite...there are some great views from a lot of the sites...

The boat launch...

There is a fishing pier...

The beach and swim area...

It's quite a long pier...

After checking out the day-use area, we were back on our bikes...time to go uphill now...

Steve spent most of the afternoon on the laptop catching up on emails now that we have internet (yes, our Telus MiFi is picking up a signal...although it has dropped off a couple of times; but it returned, thank goodness).  I read my book outside for the most part but it was actually a little chilly as a big cloud covered the sun so I had to put a sweater on.

After dinner, we went for a power walk around the campground, taking the outer loop all the way around.  Here are some evening pictures of the lake...

It's amazing how the sky completely clears at the end of the day...there had been a lot of broken clouds throughout most of the day...

And we are back...

Sunday, July 29, 2012 (Travel to Lac le Jeune Provincial Park, Kamloops, BC)

It was exactly 10:00 when we pulled out of the campground and headed back down the mountain towards highway 5...a beautiful day for travelling... (click on pictures to enlarge for better viewing)



The highway took us through Kamloops...

We arrived at Lac le Jeune just before 11:30 and pulled into the sani-dump area at the entrance so that we could fill up with fresh water.  That took forever...very low water pressure, we were told.  We learned from other campers that were emptying their tanks and leaving that our best bet would be to drive the outer loop first because the sites tend to be larger and the road is wider.


Once the tank was full (a good 20 minutes later), we started our search for a site that first of all would be big enough for us but also was a “non-reservable” site.  Site 32 looked like it would fit the bill, but we decided to keep that one in mind and carry on.  After doing the full outer loop, we decided to park in site 32 and walk an inner loop to see if there was anything else (we were a little wary of taking the rig into the inner roads because of the warning that they were a lot narrower).

After manoeuvring the rig back into the campsite...somewhat more difficult because, first of all, we had left the radios inside the trailer, and secondly, the actual driveway is fairly narrow.  But we managed it and then set off for a walk.  We ended up finding another site that was really nice and provided a little more shade than site 32...but it didn’t have the view.  Both sites were really nice...hmmmm...after much humming and hawing we decided to move down to this one so I stayed at the site and Steve walked back up to get the rig.  I took this picture from the campsite looking up at where our rig is in site 32...the fireweed is gorgeous!

Once back up at our rig, Steve changed his mind...we will stay put.  Site 32 is perched up on the hillside and although lacking shade, the view is spectacular.  So finally getting my attention, he waved me back up and we started our unhitching/unpacking process.

Such a lovely campground!  I guess most of the trees had to be taken down because of the pine beetle problem but the vegetation is coming back and the fireweed is just beautiful.  We actually prefer a more open environment rather than the heavily treed campgrounds like most BC provincial parks.  It’s quite “hilly” so we are going to get our exercise walking and riding our bikes!  Steve decided to climb up on the roof of the trailer to take a few pictures...

Ahhh...happy hour at the Colibaba`s...

Saturday, July 28, 2012 (Hitch ‘n Rail Family Resort, Heffley Lake, BC)

I was still sitting in my chair enjoying my coffee...laptop on my lap as usual...when Steve, who has already had his breakfast and showered, asks me if I’m going to help him offload the boat.  Oh...okay...guess I had better make myself presentable to the public!

Steve decided that he was going to go out fishing today.  So he drove the truck down to the boat launch area and we offloaded the boat, motor...and all his fishing paraphernalia...and he was set.  It was around 9:30 when he headed out on the lake.

I moved the laptop to the dining table and resumed work on our blog.   I know it sounds like that is all I have been doing...and it is...but with no (or limited) internet, I am way behind.  I wish that I could prepare the postings (text and pictures) without an internet connection so that all I have to do is publish when we have service but unfortunately, I need an internet connection to access blogger.  But today, I plan on having all entries ready so that Steve can do his final review (my editor) before publishing.

We seem to have a pretty good Wi-Fi connection here at the campground...in the morning, that is...and then come the afternoon, it starts acting up.  Today it was early afternoon when we started losing the signal...sheesh!  Steve had returned from a few hours on the lake and was reading one of the entries when we started losing the internet connection.  Frustrated, I closed down the laptop...enough for now...and joined Steve relaxing outside.

Since the office doesn’t open until 11:00 a.m. and we plan on leaving tomorrow morning around 9:00, we went up to pay our bill and find out where the sani-dump is.  I took these pictures while up there...they also have a restaurant...

We also learned that Dave (the owner) has the resort up for sale and was saying that it looks like someone is interested in it and will be closing the resort and building a private home on it.

We lazed around outside for awhile and then had an early dinner...Steve is going out for one final fish before loading up the boat.

When I moved the laptop from the dining table to its station at the back of the trailer and turned it on I found that I had an internet signal again...hmmm...interesting, it seems that is the “hotspot”...later on when I moved it back to the table, I lost service.

So while Steve was out fishing, I finalized the last of our postings...so he would just have to have a quick read of them when he got back and they could be published...yay!

Steve had an interesting couple of hours out on the lake.  He didn’t catch any fish but an eagle put on quite the show for him.  I guess the eagle had been sitting in a tree waiting and watching for a fish to be caught by a fellow in a nearby boat.  When the fellow caught a fish, the eagle tried to get it...well, he decided to keep the big fish that he caught and give it to the eagle...after all, she had a couple of eaglets up in the nest that needed some food.  He got some great pictures...

Others (non-fisher types) out enjoying an evening on the lake...

He was back shortly after 8:00...time to load up...

Once that was all done, we sat outside enjoying a campfire...

A lovely way to end our stay at Heffley Lake.

Friday, July 27, 2012 (Hitch ‘n Rail Family Resort, Heffley Lake, BC)

We had a pretty relaxing morning...as a matter of fact I think it was after 10:00 before I finally got into the shower.  I had been working non-stop on our blog now that we have wifi...uploading all the pictures seems to take forever!  Mind you, picking out which ones to upload takes considerable time too!

Eileen called at about 12:15 to say that she and Gunter would be here in about 15 minutes.  So we walked up to the office to meet them...and tell Dave that we were having visitors but they would only be coming down to see our rig and then we would be leaving.  We wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to charge the $5/visitor fee.

When Gunter and Eileen arrived, we walked them down to our site and showed them our truck and fifth-wheel.  They were quite taken by the size of us!  After the tour, we walked back to their jeep and we were off to Sun Peaks Resort about another 15 kms further up the road.  On our way, Gunter drove through the forestry recreation area campground.  Where some of the sites would be large enough for us, we wouldn’t be able to make the turn into the camping area.  Oh well, glad we saw it.

Sun Peaks is really a lovely place...with lots of huge beautiful homes...it has really grown into quite the ski resort in the winter/golf resort in the summer.

Steve loves log houses...this one looks like a beauty...

...and look at the size of this place...

The ski runs...

A covered bridge...

Gunter parked the jeep in the village and we got out for a walk...

It seems to be fairly quiet in the summer time...not all restaurants and shops are open...

The Delta Hotel...

It’s quite the area!

After our tour of Sun Peaks we headed to Gunter and Eileen’s lakefront home on Heffley Lake...wow...it`s just gorgeous!  Gunter has put an awful lot of hard work into the place.  I understand he bought the property in 1975 and it only had a small cottage on it.  Well, he expanded the cottage into a lovely home.

The backyard...

The master bedroom is in the loft...

Looking down to the livingroom from the loft...

Unfortunately, the only picture I took of the kitchen isn't a very good picture of Eileen (as she gets things packed to take out on our raft trip on the lake)...

Guest bedroom...

And now for the very best part...a wine cellar in the basement...

Steve and Gunter are getting the raft ready...what a great way to see the lake...and it's such a beautiful day!

And we're off (that's their house in the background)...

Eileen is setting out munchies...and wine...

Steve is opening a bottle of wine for us...

Now how wonderful is this?  Blue sky...sunshine...wine, cheese, crackers...ahhh...

Lots of homes dot the shoreline...Eileen and Gunter lead quite an active life in this wonderful little community...

Some fishermen trying out their luck...what a gorgeous day...

We were out on the lake for two hours...so nice!  Once home, Eileen and Gunter started getting dinner ready while Steve and I took more pictures...and admired the view from the deck.

Then it was dinner time...we were going to eat outside on the deck but the wind came up so we decided to eat inside...

What an absolutely lovely afternoon and evening...Eileen and Gunter, thank you so very much for your gracious hospitality.  We had a wonderful time!