September 11, 2008
Drove from Cache Creek, B.C., Canada to
Bellingham RV Park, Bellingham, Washington
Wow!! We crossed the border earlier this afternoon and I had mixed emotions about it. A part of me was happy to be back in the U.S., but another part of me was sad that a major part of our trip was over. More than likely we will never go back to Alaska and maybe not even into Canada, so it was bitter sweet when we actually crossed the border.
It was another beautiful day today. The temperature was in the mid 70's and the sun was shining all day. The drive from Cache Creek, B.C. to Bellingham, Washington was wonderful. Once again we saw so many changes in scenery. Everything from the dry, arid, stark mountains around Cache Creek to beautiful farm land in Canada right before we crossed the border at Sumas, Washington. From Sumas to Bellingham, we saw lots of farm land and neat old barns. We also saw lots of old barns in Canada close to where we crossed the border. Of course, we HAD to take pictures of ALL of them. Or, at least Merrell was sure we had taken pictures of all of them, but we told him that because he was driving so fast, we only actually got pictures of about 10% of the ones we were taking. :>)
I have a question for you. How many people does it take (no this is not a wv joke) to tell time?? Undoubtedly it takes more than 4. As you know, for the past six days, we have been traveling through Canada. And after awhile, days and time just seem to blend together in a blur. In order to get back to the States, we had been going to bed early and getting up early so we could get on the road at a decent hour. For most of the time we were in Alaska, it stayed daylight until 10 or 11 p.m. and got daylight really early in the morning (4 a.m.). Well, when we were traveling through Canada things started to change. It was getting dark so early in the evening (around 5:30) and we were going to bed early because we were tired from the long days of driving. It was getting daylight really early (around 4 a.m.) , so we were getting up at 6 and 7 and getting back on the road. I was so proud of myself for getting up early. Everyone else was proud of me too!! We were usually back on the road by 8 or 9 a.m. and stopped when it got dark!!! LOL
Well, today we crossed the border and we all turned our cell phones back on. We checked messages and Carolee called Lisa to see how things were going with her. It was 4:30 our time, so it would only have been 7:30 WV time so Carolee knew Lisa would still be up because she didn't go to bed until 8:30 or 9 and Lisa never mentioned time while they were talking. (Lisa has to get up early to go to work) Carolee then called Jamie and in their conversation, time was mentioned and he told her it was 9:30 there, not 7:30. She looked at her watch and it showed it was 4:30 our time, which should have made it 7:30 Jamie's time. I never wear a watch, so I depend on others to tell me what time it is. I opened my cell phone (which hadn't been on since we left Alaska) and since it automatically sets the time for whatever time zone you are in, I knew it would be right. Well, it was 6:30, not 4:30. To make a long story short (well, maybe not short) we had been going by the wrong time for the past week. They all set their watches wrong when we left Alaska and we weren't going to bed at 9:30, we were going to bed at 11:30 and we certainly weren't getting up at 6 and 7, we were getting up at 8 and 9 and getting on the road at 10 and 11. I thought Carolee and I were going to die laughing when we figured out what we had done. Merrell and Chuck were in the RV office checking us in, so they weren't there to see us practically laying in the floor laughing at ourselves when we finally figured out WHY it had been getting dark at 5:30, which would be 8:30 WV time................................. Now do you know how many people it takes to tell time???? More than 4!!! Teeheehee Merrell took responsibility for the mistake in time. He said he must have thought we were on RUSSIAN time!!! LOL
If you think that's funny, I have another Carolee story............................... As you know by now, Carolee and I both take a lot of pictures. Well, Carolee has been using a regular digital camera for most of the trip and I've been using one too, but I've also been using the camcorder. When Carolee takes pictures, she sometimes turns her camera sideways so she can take pictures of taller stuff. The day we left Alaska, we were at the sign and she was taking pictures as usual and I was using the camcorder. I needed to take some regular pictures with my digital camera, so I gave her the camcorder to use. She decided to film me and she also wanted the tall mountains in the background, so she turns the camcorder sideways and is just filming away. Now, mind you I am sideways on the camcorder screen and she is still just filming away before she realizes that you can't turn a camcorder like you can a camera. :>) :>) Of course, she was just making another memory, right?? So, if any of us happen to be showing you some of the video of our trip and you see me floating sideways in the air, you will know WHY!!! Teeheehee
We saw a group of mountain goats grazing beside the road on our way from Cache Creek to the U.S. border. I can't remember the name of the little town where we saw them, but see them we did.
This was also taken not too far from Cache Creek, B.C. on our way to the U.S. border.
This picture was taken from a HIGH mountain road in Frasier Canyon, B.C., Canada. Once again I just had to turn my head and aim the camera out of the window and click, click, click............ LOL
This picture was also taken from out the window of the motor home and it was also HIGH up!!! At least they had concrete guard rails on most of the mountain.
We thought this was an interesting mountainside. This was also in B.C., Canada somewhere in the Frasier Canyon area, I think.
This church was in a little town called Yale (Yep, we can all say we went to Yale and be telling the truth). It was built around 1863 and is the second oldest church in B.C. that is still standing on it's original foundation.
About 30 miles from the U.S. border we stopped at Minter Gardens. We didn't tour the 32 acre grounds because we didn't have time to do it all. We just toured the entry to the building. They had tons of flower beds. Everything from herbs to large trees. It was beautiful.
Carolee and I sitting on one of the raised flower beds at Minter Gardens, B.C..
Also taken at the Minter Gardens, B.C. They had huge pots of flowers sitting all around the entryway and parking lots.
I may post more pictures later, but I'm ready to hit the sack. It's REALLY 11 p.m. here now!! Teeheehee
Love,
US
