Tuesday, April 9 to Wednesday, April 24, 2024 (Puntledge RV Park, Courtenay, BC)

We woke up to mainly sunny skies Tuesday (April 9)...a real change from yesterday! Since it was so nice out, we decided to go on a bike ride instead of our usual walk. We had a great 9km ride...and good timing because by the time we got home, the clouds had rolled in. The rest of the day was a mixed bag of rain on and off between spurts of sunshine.

The next couple of days were mixed with sun, clouds and light rain occasionally but we still managed to get out for our morning walks.

Friday (April 12) morning we packed our suitcases and took care of some odds and ends before we took off in the truck down island to Nanoose Bay (just south of Parksville). We are attending the Vancouver Island Outdoor Show...specifically parking there to "show off" our truck in hopes of a sale. 

One of the organizers of the Show who greeted us in the parking lot didn't like where we were parking and quickly figured out we were there to sell our truck. He basically shrugged his shoulders and left us alone. We did have "for sale" signs on it. 

The Show started at 1:00, so we spent until about 5:00 wandering around. At that point, the small crowd of mainly retirees was thinning out so we headed into Parksville and The Tide's Inn where we would spend the next 2 nights. It has a cute patio with a BBQ and sitting areas with fire tables. We were on the second floor in a small room...nothing luxurious but it will be fine. 

Saturday (April 13) morning the Show opened at 10:00, so after stopping for breakfast, we arrived at Arbutus Meadows Event Centre. This time, though, Steve parked just outside the entrance to the parking area. It was a large pull-off on the road and worked perfectly since most of the traffic coming in and exiting would have to pass us. We were also able to open the box up so people could have a better idea of what it was.

We spent the day split between sitting out in the sun on a beautiful, but breezy, day...and going into the Show. 

Outside the front entrance to the Show...

There was parking on both sides of the building...this is the side we were on parked in the distant left...

Inside the Show...some kids were excited to meet the mascot while others were afraid.

The show vendors had OHV's, RV's, boats, hunting, fishing, archery, wildlife tours, campgrounds, survival equipment, and spas, to name a few...

We packed it up around 5:00 again. The Vancouver Canucks are playing the Edmonton Oilers tonight, so Steve was texting with Dave and Leslie. The Oilers are "their team" so there was quite a bit of bantering going back and forth. Cheers to Dave and Leslie, may the best team win! 

The Canucks won 3-1 😁

Sunday (April 14) morning Earl and Allison arrived at the Show just after 10:30. We left the truck parked (in the same place as yesterday) and walked through the Show with them and then went for lunch. The Rocking Horse Pub is not far away and one we have been to a couple of times. We enjoyed a great visit and lunch with them and then they dropped us back off at the Show. Thanks so much, guys! It was a wonderful way to break up our day rather than just sitting at the truck!

This beauty was parked outside the pub...

The Show ended at 4:00 and as it was clearing out pretty quickly, we headed off just after 3:30...time to drive back up to Courtenay and home. Other than lookie-loo's we only had a couple of people stopping for a thorough tour, unfortunately the phone is not ringing off the hook.

Steve took this picture of our beautiful sunset that evening...

Monday (April 15) morning we decided to go to Nymph Falls Nature Park for a hike. It was a cloudy, cool, breezy day.

Skunk cabbage has started to grow...

Looks pretty but rather stinky...

Tuesday (April 16) and Wednesday (April 17) were both beautiful sunny days but chilly in the mornings with temps down to freezing. Both days were pretty routine...out for our walks, shopping, etc...nothing spectacular.

We spent Thursday (April 18) getting ready for our company to arrive...my brother and sister-in-law from West Kelowna are coming for a visit. Dennis and Suzanne arrived around 4:30. After big hugs, we helped them bring in their suitcases...and then it was time to relax and get started on catching up.

Dinner time...

After dinner, we took a walk down to the river...

Friday (April 19) was an absolutely beautiful day...Dennis and Suzanne could not have picked a better time to come out for a 3 day visit!

After changing their bedroom back into our living room (airbed deflated and everything put in our bedroom), we had our coffee, breakfast and showers. Our plan for today is to drive up to Campbell River and show Dennis and Suzanne Elk Falls. The drive north took just under an hour. The Falls were beautiful but not nearly as big as they had been last time we were there.

At the lower viewing platform...

Two guys above the falls...

Look at those crazy guys down there!

The suspension bridge...Steve and Dennis walked across, leaving Suzanne and I safely on the platform. Steve took this picture from the other side of me venturing out a short way (and hanging on for dear life!)...

It was a great little hike in a beautiful park...and the first time for Dennis and Suzanne. Always fun showing off the beautiful area we live in.

On our way to lunch, we took a little detour to Tyee Spit and parked at the end to take a walk...

Lunch was at the Riptide Pub...no picture taken inside, but Steve took one of Dennis, Suzanne and I out front at the Octopus...

View of Quadra Island in front of the Pub...

Our next stop was at the Discovery Fishing Pier Lookout. The Discovery Passage Aquarium is at the entrance...

Unfortunately the ice-cream shop in the blue building was closed...

Large salmon are caught at the pier...

That ended our tour of the Campbell River area. We drove back home, parked the car...and walked up to the Gladstone Brewery. Afterall, we have to show our guests all of our favourite spots! 

We were all stuffed from eating a late lunch, so no dinner was required...munching on some snacks did the trick.

Saturday (April 20) was another day of walking and showing our guests the area. We started with walking part of the Airpark so we could show them the view of the Comox Glacier. It was much cloudier by the time we got there, but at least you could see it. Great shot as a small plane was taking off in the foreground...

Tides out!

From there, we drove to Nymph Falls Nature Park for another great hike...

Next was Cumberland...we drove through to Comox Lake and wandered around the day-use area that's not open yet...

And then stopped in Cumberland at the Cumberland Brewery for a brew. The walls have dozens and dozens of growler jugs on shelves from other brew pubs in Canada and the US...

Cool saw blade light fixture on the ceiling...

There really isn't much of a food menu at the brewery, so after our beer we walked to the bakery...Dennis and Steve had sausage rolls while Suzanne and I, croissants. We had heard how good the pastries are at the Cumberland Bakery...must be the sweet ones like jelly donuts, etc that they are known for. Our savory picks were okay but not great. So we had to go to Love's Ice Cream...now their ice cream is yummy. All made on the premises... 

After all that touring, we headed home. Suzanne and I dropped the guys off and went out to run a few errands. While parked in a lot, we came back out to find someone had bashed their car door into the front passenger door of my car. I just couldn't believe it!  I had even parked in a spot on the end, close to the curb leaving lots of room on the passenger side...ugh! And to top it all off, the person who did it didn't have the decency to leave a note with their phone number....hit and run, thanks! Grrr....

We tried to see if any of the surrounding stores had security cameras that would have captured it but had no luck. Guess we'll be going to ICBC (Insurance Corporation of BC) on Monday and filing a claim.

Dinner was at The Flying Canoe Pub, taking advantage of their $6.95 dinner menu...and $5 sleeves of beer. Steve had a burger with fries...the rest of us had a quesadilla which was very small, more like an appetizer. I have had it before and it was a much larger portion. It was tasty but we certainly weren't stuffed.

We had a very relaxing start to the day Sunday (April 21)...enjoying our last morning together. We are going down to Bowser to my other brother's place...Don and Rhonda's...this afternoon. Dennis and Suzanne will be staying with them for a few days...Rhonda had invited us for dinner. 

After a quick lunch at Fluid Bar and Grill, we arrived at Don and Rhonda's at 2:00 and spent a lovely afternoon catching up with them.

Don, Steve and Dennis...

Such a beautiful view from their sundeck...

Don showing me how well his garlic is growing...

Rhonda served a delicious ham dinner...(me, Dennis, Suzanne, Don and Rhonda)

Don's birthday isn't for another few weeks (May 11) but neither Dennis and Suzanne, nor Steve and I will be here, so we decided to celebrate it early...

Happy (almost) 74 Don!

The NHL playoffs started tonight...our Vancouver Canucks are playing the Nashville Predators. So everyone was glued to the TV...

At the end of the first period, we said our goodbyes and headed home. Thanks so much for dinner, Rhonda and Don...and wonderful having you visit with us Suzanne and Dennis! Enjoy the rest of your trip! 

It takes about 40 minutes to drive home, so we missed the start of the second period. The Predators had been ahead but the Canucks pulled up their socks and ended up winning...Yay!

We had more sun over the next few of days...we didn't do anything special other than take the car into an autobody shop so they could do an estimate for ICBC. Unfortunately, we couldn't get an appointment until May 7 but a fellow came out to have a quick look and gave us a preliminary estimate of $2500...yikes! Glad we have insurance but it cheeses me off that we still have to pay a $500 deductible to repair something that someone else did. 

Other than that, life here was pretty routine...

Friday, March 22 to Monday, April 8, 2024 (Puntledge RV Park, Courtenay, BC)

Again, another couple of weeks have flown by...and it's been pretty routine, as usual. We've had a real mixed bag of weather...from rain, wind and clouds to some sun. 

Friday (Mar. 22) was a very cloudy, rainy day so we decided to drive down to Nanaimo and do a little shopping. Steve picked up some new hunting boots from Cabela's and rain pants from Mark's. I was also successful at Mark's, finding a winter coat...all in preparation for an upcoming day in the snow.

After our shopping spree, we had lunch at Boston Pizza and were back home just before 3:30.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (Mar. 23-26) we had mainly cloudy days with rain off and on but we still managed to get out for our morning walks.

A couple of float planes tied up at the marina, beside the airpark...

Wednesday (Mar. 27) morning we woke to rain pounding on the roof...and wind! It was a very nasty day so we stayed in all day watching movies.

Thursday (Mar. 28) and more rain...but after being inside all day yesterday, we decided to go out for a drive. The highlight of the day was stopping at Tim Horton's for coffee and a pastry...LOL!

Friday (Mar. 29)...a day we were really looking forward to! Steve and I had talked about taking the bus up to Mount Washington Alpine Resort and going "tubing". When Angie said she, Rob and the boys were going up today, we decided to join them...and what a blast we had!

We caught the bus at 9:20 in front of the Native Sons Hall, not far from our Park. We could have walked but it was sprinkling out so decided it would be better to drive the car and leave it parked at the lot behind the hall.

Up the mountain we go! Decades ago we brought our boys up here for skiing lessons and remember the roadside snow was higher than the bus...not this year! Vancouver Island's snowpack is at 46% of normal.

This is the lower ski run before getting up to the top and main resort area. Steve took it out the window, so there is a bit of a reflection...

It's about a half-hour drive up to the resort. We got off the bus and walked down to the main lodge...it is very busy being the end of Spring Break and the Easter long weekend...

People lining up for the chair lift...

We found an area in the basement of the lodge where they have a bunch of lockers and tables, so we put our rain pants on, got ourselves organized and stored our backpack in a locker. The tubes and the run is to the left. It's $20 for an hour for ages 13+ and $15 for ages 2-12.

We all have an 11:00 to noon time slot to tube down the hill...and we were ready right at 11! We had just finished our first run and were back up top when Rob, Angie and the boys arrived. Like us, they had trouble getting their tickets...you order them on-line, then scan the code at a "box" and it is supposed to spew out your tickets. Unfortunately, it didn't work and they, like us, had to go to customer service to get them.

Steve took GoPro videos each time we tubed down the hill and put together a great compilation of the fun we all had (5:10 minutes)...

Unfortunately with the temperature hovering around 0C/32F the tube run was a little sticky. Occasionally some of us managed to make it over the hump to the end of the run but Steve never did. Well, after an hour of tubing, we were exhausted! We must have done about 6-8 runs down the hill. Even with the escalator "carpet" that takes you back up to the top, walking in the snow from the end of the tube run up to it is quite a hike. Thank goodness they have it because having to walk all of the way back up to the top would be really tough!

We had picked the perfect time to go tubing because at noon, there was quite a line-up of people and all the tubes were taken. Steve and I headed back into the lodge to take our raingear off and head to Ted's Bar and Grill for lunch. Rob, Angie and the boys stayed for another run down the hill which worked out well, because there was a long line waiting to get into the restaurant and we had just got seated at a table for 6 when they arrived.

Steve, me, Bryce, Conner, Rob and Angie...

Rob, Conner and Bryce have ski lessons so we watched as they got all set up with their boots, skis and helmets. That sun was blinding!

We had decided to take the 3:15 bus back down the mountain, so with big hugs, we said goodbye to Rob, Angie and the boys. They will be there for a few more hours with their lessons and skiing. I understand from Angie, the boys didn't want to leave, they were having such a great time skiing!

Steve took a few more pictures as we walked back up to the bus...

Just one of the many condos...

We'll be back when the snow is gone to hike Paradise Meadows and Steve wants to do the Zipline...

Although the bus ride up the mountain was only a half hour, the ride back took an hour...since we were the last stop on his route. Such a great day!  

Saturday (Mar. 30) morning I made a salad for the first annual guest appreciation barbeque that the Park is hosting. Puntledge RV Park is supplying hamburgers and hot dogs and the attendees bring sides...a potluck. Unfortunately, it was the Easter long weekend so there were only about a dozen people, including the manager and staff who attended. But it was still nice meeting and chatting with them. They are planning on making this an annual event and eventually monthly once the clubhouse and pool are built.

The food table...

Tim, the manager cooking burgers, hot dogs and kabobs...Lisa, Tim's girlfriend, and Lee who lives here and has recently been hired for park maintenance...

Steve and Craig sitting at the table...unfortunately, I can't remember the 2 women's names behind them...

Tom and Dawn...

After their fun on Mount Washington Friday, Rob, Angie and the boys went to Campbell River (about 40 minutes north of us) to visit and stay a couple of nights with Angie's "island family", Emery and Glenda. So on Sunday (Mar. 31) they stopped for a visit with us on their way home. We had another great visit...thanks for stopping guys!

Bryce goofing off...time for a haircut buddy! LOL

Earl and Allison invited us over for Easter Sunday dinner. Allison's sister, Helen, and her husband, Don, were also there. We enjoyed a great visit with them all and a wonderful dinner...unfortunately no pictures were taken, except one I took (and emailed to Angie) of Bryce's buddy...Cedar. Thanks Earl and Allison!

Monday (April 1) and Tuesday (April 2) were pretty routine...morning walks, odds and ends around the trailer...I even cleaned out my clothes closet and took a garbage bag full of old clothes to the thrift store.

 The chance of rain and angry looking clouds on one of our morning walks...

Wednesday (April 3) morning Steve had an early dental appointment and then we went for a hike at Nymph Falls Nature Park. It's one of our favourites in the area...

Thursday (April 4) was a sunny, but very windy day. It would not be a great day to walk the riverfront, so decided on another hike...this time at the Wildwood Forest.

Other than walking to the laundry room, the afternoon was an inside day...enjoying the blue sky and sunshine from inside because of the wind.

Friday (April 5) was another sunny day and still quite breezy but not as bad as yesterday. So we got out for our walk along the river at the Airpark and Riverway Path. 

By late afternoon, the wind wasn't too bad and we even managed to have our Friday night happy hour outside in the sunshine.

Saturday (April 6) morning and we're back to clouds...but no rain, in the morning at least. We decided on a bike ride for a change. We rode from our place, taking the sidewalk under the bridge, and catching the Riverway path...to the end and back, a great 8.5 km/5.25 miles.

On the way back, we checked out the new equipment at Riverside Fit Park. Maybe it's just our timing but we've never seen anyone use the old or new equipment!

Dinner was at the Flying Canoe Pub for their Saturday night Special Menu...$6.95 and $5.00 sleeves of beer. Earl and Allison joined us...

Sunday (April 7) morning we got out for our usual walk and then I worked on truck ad updates. We had a fellow very interested in buying it but he called this morning and backed out due to an issue with his finances. We were trying not to get our hopes up but it was still deflating when he called with that news. Oh well...time to reduce the price a bit and update a couple of things on the ad. Next weekend we're taking it to the 3 day long Vancouver Island Outdoor Show. Hopefully this time we won't be told we can't have a For Sale sign on it!

Monday (April 8) and a very windy, rainy day...you guessed it, an inside day for the most part. And that brings us up-to-date again...time for me to make a quick run to Costco!