Living the Dream...: Tuesday, August 31 and Wednesday, September 1, 2021 (Trip to Vancouver Island - Royston, BC

We had the car all packed up and were ready to go by 10:00 a.m....and after big hugs, we said goodbye to Deb and Ray and hit the road. Thanks so much for your hospitality and a great couple of days...we thoroughly enjoyed our visit!

We headed east back to highway 1 and turned north. Our first stop today was in Nanaimo to visit folks we met last summer while staying here at Peach Arch RV Park...Roland and Carol were our next door neighbours. They spent the winter in the Nanaimo area and ended up purchasing an RV lot at Westwood Lake. We found their new home at Resort On The Lake. The resort has mainly Park Model homes with some RV's intermingled.

Roly and Carol, along with Cody and Mr. B, greeted us and after a few minutes of chatting, they took us on a walk around the resort and down to Westwood Lake.

After our tour, we sat and visited for awhile and then said our goodbyes...great seeing you both and your new home!

We continued our trip up-island, stopping in Parksville for a quick bite, and arrived in Royston (just south of Courtenay) at Earl and Allison's place just before 3:00 p.m. They are the very first people we met in Quartzsite, AZ back in January, 2012 upon our arrival to La Posa South LTVA. We have been fast friends ever since, mainly meeting up with them back in Q every year. Over the past few years, though, we have also connected here on the island occasionally. So regular readers have seen them many times in our winter blogs.

After getting settled in the guestroom, we joined them in a walk around the neighbourhood with Abbey. It's a lovely area where Earl and Allison have lived for 20 years, one of the main draws being the friendly neighbours...they seem to know everybody.

With Abbey having had her late day walk, we returned home where Earl and Allison cooked us a delicious dinner and then we cleared the table, and brought out the Rummikub game! Allison was the big winner tonight...I think Earl may have won one or two but Steve and I, nothing! Our excuse...we haven't played much since we were last in Q with them! LOL

Wednesday (Sept. 1) Steve and I were up early, as usual, but the coffee pot was all ready to be turned on...thanks guys! About an hour or so later, Earl joined us...and then Allison.

Abbey had a grooming appointment this morning but this afternoon, we drove up to

Mount Washington Alpine Resort to hike one of the many great trails. Some of the trails require overnight camping to complete the long distances. We started off on the trail thru Paradise Meadows...

Most of this trail was on a boardwalk and hardpacked gravel...

These aluminum ramps are a new addition since we hiked here last. The trails are accessible to wheelchairs with the use of a Free Wheel attachment. You just have to be careful not to trip on them :)

We veered off to the trail that took us to the viewing area overlooking Battleship Lake...

The Whiskey Jacks (Grey Jay) are fearless...

Always looking for a free meal...

Island in the lake...

There were lots of trout rising keeping these fishers hopeful...

We backtracked back down to the trail in the meadows...

A small stream and pool where we spotted a trout...

Mt. Washington ski hill in the distance...

A couple of hours later and 6.5 kms/4 miles of up and down we were back at the car...a great hike on a beautiful day!

Before heading back down the mountain, we took a drive up to check out Mt. Washington Alpine Resort. It's no Whistler Blackcomb but has lots of outdoor activity even in the summertime!

Tube run...

To the left of the ski lift they have a zipline...

You can rent a bike if you don't have your own and take a lift and ride down the mountain...

The road below as we drive back. In the distance to the right, the communities of Courtenay and Comox...across the hazy Strait of Georgia is the city of Powell River on mainland BC...

We were back home around 4:30...in time to get cleaned up and enjoy happy hour out on the deck. Neighbours, Len and Fran, who we met on our last trip down to Quartzsite, joined us for drinks and dinner. So great to see them again!

Earl and Allison prepared another delicious dinner...