Homeward Bound

Tuesday, September 10, we had left Victoria Island at 5:55 pm on the ferry to Anacortes, Washington. The ferry had stopped at San Juan Island to let people off, we had arrived at Anacortes around 9 pm. We had driven down to the marina to find a camping area and stayed there for the night.


San Juan Harbor


National Geographic ship, Sea Lion


Sunsetting sky looking at Mt. Baker, Washington

While driving east, we had stopped at Glacier, Montana and drove the west part of The Sun to the Highway to Logan Pass, we had rode the east side on the caravan and wanted to drive the west side, nice scenery.





Ready for winter, check the poles





Mountain goat at Logan Pass

We had stayed at Wal-Mart, town park, Flying J, national park, RV Museum, and Penn Woods before arriving at home. We had a great trip and some long days driving home, but will be glad to be home again, will be home September 19, we are now home.


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Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC

Saturday, September 7, we were not to leave too early from our campsite, didn't have too far to drive to Victoria and we had to come into the new campsites one at a time, not enough room for more than that. We ended up leaving around 11:15 and then stopping on the way with two other trailers at Whippletree Junction, these are speciality shops and restaurants set within 14 restored buildings from the early 1900's. We only got to go into the restaurant, after talking to a couple that are planning on buying an Airstream after he retires in a couple of months. After getting into the campground, we got set up, walked around, we are parked in a marina across from Victoria, so we can see the city and cruise ships coming into the dock, watch the sea planes and the water taxi's. Behind us are parked houseboats, very nice looking, I wouldn't want to live like that though. We had a social hour, dressed like pirates, and watched a cruise ship come into port.


Leaders dressed as pirates


Cruise ship


Houseboats parked behind us

Sunday, September 8, we had tickets for Butchart Gardens, so we rode with another couple and went to visit the gardens, we walked around a few hours, beautiful gardens which are privately owned.









After leaving the gardens, we drove into Victoria, fouled a parking spot I a garage and got onto the double-decker bus, which we have a two day pass to ride on. We had ridden the whole way around the town on the bus, got off and then drove down to Fisherman's Wharf, we had planned to get fish n chips but another person in our group was planning a get together at 5:30, so we passed on the fish n chips and just got ice cream. We had walked around and looked at the houseboats and fishing boats before going back into town to meet the other group. When we got there and saw there menu, which wasn't much, we decided to go elsewhere. We finally got back at 7 pm, all tired and ready to rest and relax for the night.


Empress hotel


Parliament Building


Pirates on a boat at Fisherman's Wharf


Houseboats on Fisherman's Wharf

Monday, September 9, we got water ferry tickets to return from the harbor today. We had a pajama party at breakfast this morning at the restaurant inside the campground, really good breakfast. We then met at the water, three small water ferries came picked us all up and had a tour of the inner harbor.


Some of our group getting ready to get on the water ferry


Unloading halibut, see the tails


A bridge they plan to tear down in the next year


Training sail boats

After arriving at the harbor, we had a free day to do whatever we wanted to do. We had another day on the double decker bus, so we got on and rode to the first stop and got off. We had walked about a half block and went to the Tilley hat store, I had bought another hat made of hemp, seems a lot cooler than the other one I have. We then walked back to the harbor, got back on the bus and rode around town again, different bus driver than yesterday and different points of interest.


Killer whale bush shapes


Chinatown


China school where they teach English


Mile marker 0, Canadian Transcontinental Highway, from here to St. John's, Newfoundland


Navy ship, with Washington mountains in the background


Float plane, plenty of them landing in the harbor

After our ride around town, we got the ferry and went back to camp, rested, did laundry, and talked to another guy in our group. We later had our final banquet in the restaurant in the campground, we could order whatever we wanted on the menu, fish was very good. After saying our goodbyes, we had walked out to see the lights of the town and saw another cruise ship, which they say was leaving at 11 pm. Nice campground right along the water across from the harbor, would stay here again if in the area again. Had a great time on Vancouver Island on the Island Treasures Caravan, it is now in the past.

Tuesday, September 10, we watched everyone else leave this morning, our ferry doesn't leave until 5:55, so we are staying at the campground until noon and then will be pulling out and making the short trip to the ferry. We are to get to Anacortes, Washington around 8 pm, plan to stay at the marina for the night before proceeding onto route 2 to head home. Don't know how often I will be blogging on the way home, will put in when we do get home.


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Crofton, Vancouver Island, BC

Friday, September 6, we left the campground this morning around 10 am heading south to the next spot, we only had to drive about one hour. We had to back quite a way to get to our spot, but we are overlooking the water where a ferry is going back and forth to an island, which we can see from ur site.


View from our campsite, low tide

We only had a short time until we needed to be in town for a horse and buggy ride. The town of Chemainus, has gained world-wide acclaim for the integrity and superb artistry of its huge depictions of the town's history with 42 outdoor murals plus carvings and statues.


Guided tour on horse and buggy ride


Carving of the logging in town


Water wheel park


Mural


Another mural of First Nations

After our tour, we drove to Kinsol Trestle, this is one of eight trestles along the Cowichan Valley Trail route and by far the largest and most spectacular. It is one of the tallest free-standing and most spectacular timber rail trestle structures in the world. It is 614 ft. in length and standing 145 ft. above the salmon bearing Koksilah River.


Kinsol Trestle


Walkway over the trestle


Walkway at bottom


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Parksville, Vancouver Island, BC

Wednesday, September 4, today was move day again, we pulled out of camp around 9:20 am and headed west for a short time to a bison farm. All 20 units had stopped for a guided tour, the owners are a young couple with four children ages 16 - 6 and they all help feed and tend the bison and water buffalo. They have one bison which they call Bob the babysitter, he stays with the young bison after they are weaned off their mothers for about two years. He also told us of a fight between three bison, one was killed and she was pregnant, but they took the calf and hand fed it. Another bison was stabbed, it lived until it delivered the calf and then they had to destroy it before it got infection, they also hand fed that calf. They told and showed us how they pen and put tags into their ears with the squeeze machine which calms them down. This was really a learning experience for us all on how they raise bison and water buffalo. After the tour, we all went into the shop and bought some meat, Mennonite loaf, kielbasa, sticks, sausage, and bison burgers.


Bison store with Airstreams parked in front


Bob the Babysitter and calves


Owner and water buffalo


Bison calf, one of the ones they hand fed


Owners wife with 2 water buffalo and 2 bison calves and potbelly pig


The squeeze machine

After leaving the bison farm, we headed south for about 1 hour and arrived at our next campground. We didn't have much time to setup and we were off again on another tour, Rainforest Woodies. This is a place where a guy takes the chassis of old cars and redoes the wood on the inside and out. It was interesting to see some of the restoration, but this was a guy thing.


Woodie car


Backend of the woodie


Inside header of a new woodie that he's working on

After the tour, we walked across the road to a coffee shop, where they had large coffee grinders, and a sitting area.


Coffee shop


Large coffee grinders


Sitting area

We then went to a Wildlife Recovery Center, which was started in 1984, when a great horned owl entangled in a neighbors fence, it's wing mangled and in need of emergency care. In 1986, the newly formed association moved to an eight acre parcel of land, hoping to serve the north end of the island, not knowing at the time they would be receiving animals from as far away as Saskatchewan. They house and try to release the wild animals back to their habitat after their injuries are taken care of, if they can't be released they live out their life here.


Display of different animals


Owls


Bald eagl

Afterwards, we went to dinner at the White Spot, a restaurant that is seen in British Columbia and few here on the island. They serve burgers, spaghetti, and breakfast until 4 pm. Good food. After returning to camp, Ken and I walked out to the boardwalk, just on the other side of the campground. Sat and watched the water, saw a cruise ship headed north from Vancouver, probably going to Alaska. An older woman stopped by and talked to us, she just moved here from Port Alberni, west of here, her husband died a few years ago and she seemed lonely, so we just left her talk, very friendly. Saw another rainbow, must of been raining in the distance and looked like it could rain here also.


Rainbow and cruise ship far in the background

Thursday, September 5, we had a bun-on-a-run breakfast, like an egg sandwich, with fruit and yogurt. We then were on our own until 4 pm, we went with another couple to Goats on the Roof Country Market. The market had different kind of canned foods, out of the ordinary items, like rugs, candles, glass items,wind chimes, and other stuff. We then walked around the other shops that were there, clothes, tourist stuff, large wooden items, large stone ornaments.


Goats on the Roof Country Market


Large stone ornaments

We had visited Tim Horton's for lunch, went to grocery store and the back to camp. Today is Mardi Gras day, at social hour and drivers meeting, everyone dressed for Mardi Gras, and skits were played out.


Dressed for Mardi Gras


One of the skits being played out

We later had a Mardi Gras dinner with jambalaya, salads, desserts, it was pot luck, all very good. After dinner, Ken went to play pickle ball with two other guys, I finished the dishes and then walked on the boardwalk to the court where they were playing.


Ken and the other guys playing pickle ball

While walking on the boardwalk, there was two windsurfers in the water and the sun was setting, which made the sky and water look red, just beautiful.


Beautiful sky and water color when sun was setting


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