Well...another couple of weeks have gone by here at Tunkwa Lake...Steve has managed to get out fishing a little more, I have gotten out for a few more walks with Tucker and we have even gone on a few short bike rides. I'll just give a recap of some of the highlights.
Saturday (19th) Steve helped Doug, Brian and Barb with a project here in the compound...insulating the pump house. In the spring and fall it can get pretty cold in the mornings up here (elevation over 4000 ft), the water pump sometimes freezes...it's well insulated now so hopefully they won't have that problem anymore!
We got out for a walk around the campground after dinner...
No campers on the spit...
Sunday morning we both worked...Steve emptied garbage bins and cleaned sites at Tunkwa (since Hugh was away for a few days), while I cleaned outhouses. That afternoon we drove into Logan Lake for a few groceries...but first, we stopped at the Pick and Shovel Pub for a beer. The Lions Club happened to be having a meat draw so we purchased tickets and waited for the draw. We thought our odds were pretty good since there was only about a dozen folks there, but...nope, with all of the ticket numbers she called, none was ours. Oh well!
Of course, Monday (21st) was the big event...a solar eclipse! Since we didn't think of getting any of the proper eye protection to watch it, Steve made his own projection...with a pin hole camera.
We are too far north for a total eclipse. Even though there was only a small portion of the sun showing at the height of the eclipse it stayed surprisingly bright out...
Once that was all over, Steve headed out fishing...nice 15" trout!
And I took Tucker for a walk and a swim...
Later that afternoon, we had company come over for a visit and dinner. Mark and Patty are fellow RV-Dreamers that we met at the September 2012 rally in Harrisburg, Oregon. We haven't seen them since then but have kept up with each other via Facebook and blogs. They are on their way to Vancouver where they will be taking an
Alaska Cruise so decided to stop at Logan Lake and have a visit with us! They've had quite a trip so far...by the time they hit Vancouver this Friday, they will have gone coast to coast, leaving New Jersey 12 weeks ago. It was wonderful seeing you both, just sorry you were not feeling well for the remainder of your stay here, Patty. Enjoy your cruise...looking forward to seeing your pictures!
Tuesday morning we worked while Doug and Sue made their weekly trip into Kamloops. Then Wednesday, it was our turn to make the trip into the "big city" to stock up. I took a couple of pictures of the "wild life" out on Tunkwa Road on our way home...
Oh, oh...smoke from the Elephant Hill wildfire is on the horizon...again! This fire has been burning since July 6th...
Thursday (August 24th)...Happy 62nd Birthday to my sweetie! Steve worked that morning, giving Doug a hand with the park road cleanup...Doug used the weed-eater trimming the weeds along the shoulder of the road while Steve followed with the blower, cleaning the roadway into the park.
The afternoon saw a cold front come through with much cooler temperatures (down to 9C/48F) and even a brief major hail/rain storm. It was 30C/86F yesterday! Luckily the storm had moved on when it was time for Steve's birthday celebration....a nice gathering of the folks working here.
Steve cooked the burgers on the barbecue. I know...I know...why is the birthday boy cooking on his birthday? Well, I offered but he is the master of our grill...and he didn't want to chance the burgers being under/over cooked!
Birthday cake time...first time I have baked a birthday cake in our trailer!
Helping Steve celebrate are (left to right) Sue, Doug, Barb, Brian, Hugh...and Steve...
Opening of the birthday card. Hugh and Steve...
Doug tormenting his dog...LOL! Poor Tucker wanted that cookie so bad he was drooling!
My handsome dog, Tucker....oh, okay...Sue and Doug's handsome dog...
Friday morning Steve and I cleaned all of the outhouses and then Steve went out fishing...no pictures, so nothing noteworthy if under 15 inches, only caught one!
Saturday while Steve was out fishing (again he only caught one), I took Tucker for a walk and a swim. See his throw-toy at the lake edge? He's doing laps back and forth...he likes to fetch the toy when I throw it but after a while, he just leaves it on shore and heads back out to just swim. He loves the water...and swimming!
After dinner, we decided to go for a bike ride...other than a couple of rides around Tunkwa campground, we haven't used them much since Steve took them off the back of the trailer and pumped up the tires last June...
Free range cattle are everywhere around the park...
Sunday...and Steve was back out on the lake fishing. This time we have some lovely scenery pictures of the lake...but no fish pictures.
Here we go again...the Elephant Hill wildfire...
Smoke off to the right as well...
Monday (28th) after doing a few chores around here, we headed to Paska Lake to visit Ray and Deb. They finally hit the road after being stationary in Surrey since last March. A busy time for them dealing with aging parents...Ray's 93 year old mom passed away this summer. They arrived at Paska Lake last Saturday...and are only about 40 minutes away from us. Deb had lunch ready when we arrived...chili done in her Instant Pot (they are very popular with a lot of our RV friends...I am seriously considering getting one too!) The chili was fabulous, Deb...thanks so much!
I had to try out Deb's Sea Eagle Kayak...
...and so did Steve. Very nice...I've asked Steve to find room in our rig to store one!
We spent a lovely afternoon catching up with Deb and Ray...and reconnecting with Paul, Giselle and Chris, who we first met when we camped here a few years ago. We also met Jerome and Pauline who were camped next to Ray and Deb. Jerome took one look at the truck and says "you have a blog, I follow it"...too funny!
Steve stopped on our way out and took this picture...Paska Lake Forestry Campground. We followed Ray and Deb here a few years ago. Nice having buddies that scout out spots big enough for our rig! It's a nice spot on the lake, however it hasn't been very well maintained...lots of fish though, but they are small.
I took this picture as we were coming down to the highway (I say "down"...Paska Lake is uphill and there is a resort there called the Mile High Resort, aptly named)...
The free range cattle are all around the park, luckily the cattle guards keep them out of the campgrounds...
Tuesday morning we both worked...we did the outhouses together and then Steve had a couple of other things to take care of while I went out collecting from campers. I had pretty well finished when we got a call from Brian over at Leighton Lake saying that some campers (who were due to pay) were back in from fishing (a lot of time is spent "chasing" campers who are due to pay because they are out fishing all day). So off to Leighton, I went. Just as I was nearing the campground, a couple of RV's stopped me...the fellow in the first one asked me what my last name was. Hmmm...interesting...I told him and he says "you are who we are looking for!" He said that Emery and Glenda are behind him. Well Emery and Glenda are Angie's (our daughter-in-law's) "island parents" (in other words very good friends with Angie's parents and when Angie moved to Victoria from Winnipeg, they basically took her "under their wing"). What a nice surprise!
To make this even more interesting, the folks in the first RV, Warren and Elsbeth know my brother and sister-in-law, Dennis and Suzanne. Warren has an RV lot at Outdoor Resorts in Indio, CA where Dennis and Suzanne had a lot (they just sold it this last winter). As a matter of fact, Dennis and Suzanne had just visited them in Campbell River last month!
They all were on their way to a rodeo in Armstrong, BC and decided to stop by for a visit. Thanks so much for going out of your way to look us up, guys! We had a nice visit for about an hour or so and after big hugs, they headed off...not before a picture, though. Left to right...Warren, Elsbeth, Glenda and Emery...
Wednesday found Steve back out in his boat on the lake fishing...again! He caught 3 and lost a couple. I didn't do much...a little this and a little that.
Thursday Steve and I spent just over an hour cleaning all of the outhouses...much faster when you have two people doing them!
As soon as we were finished, Steve grabbed all of his fishing stuff and headed off down to the lake. I decided it was time for more exercise so took Tucker for a hike over to Leighton Lake. Here's Tucker having a water break at the water pump at Leighton Lake campground...
Friday morning we were planning on doing our resistance exercises when Steve checked and found out that the best time for fishing today was from around 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Guess we'll forgo those exercises today...darn!
Steve was out on the lake just before 9:00. I did what little recycling there was and then got ready to go for a walk. Today, Tucker and I hiked up to the bench across the lake up on the bluff.
We made it! Such a beautiful view of both lakes from up here! We had a rest, shared a bottle of water and then headed back down the hill..
Tucker decided to have a rest as he waited for me to catch up...
Just before the fork in the trail where one goes to Tunkwa Campground and the other goes towards Leighton Lake, we took the latter so Tucker could have a swim at the spot on Leighton Lake where I like to take him. We got home shortly before noon...a good hike! Time for a shower!
Shortly after I had finished my shower and dried my hair, Steve returned. Looks like he had a nice morning out on the lake...
Fish on!
Steve's largest to date...17 1/2"! Today he caught 3 and lost 3...
We had lunch, Steve had a shower and then he settled outside in the shade to read while I got to work on this blog update. It's the start of the long weekend, so it'll be interesting to see how busy the park gets. After dinner we went for a bike ride around the campground...it's filling up but there is still lots of room. The Leighton Lake campgrounds are pretty quiet though.
And again, we are up-to-date! We have one more week to go here at Tunkwa Provincial Park...heading down to Fort Langley next Friday, September 8.
This being a long weekend, the park was a little busier. Steve and I worked a split shift, cleaning all of the outhouses both in the morning and late afternoon. In between, we had a visit from Ray and Deb...they will be leaving Paska Lake Thursday and wanted to get one last visit in with us before they continue on with their fall/winter travel plans...
Wednesday morning we did our final round of cleaning outhouses. The smoke was really bad and our breathing was difficult at times.
Once we were finished, Steve headed out on the lake for one final fish. Normally he wouldn't go out with so much smoke. Also in the last few days the lake has become a mess with a blue-green algae bloom. Unfortunately it has killed 3 cows and a dog. Warnings have gone out to everyone in the park to keep their kids and pets away from the water and the ranchers have been busy rounding up their cattle and stringing a temporary electric fence.
