Scenes Through a Dirty Windshield #3 – Kamloops to Vancouver

NOTE: This post contains slideshows and if you are reading it on your phone, it is best viewed direct from the SITE, rather than in the READER.

All photos taken on July 20, 2021.

Our hotel included breakfast and we wondered how they would handle this so soon after Covid. Their solution was a brown paper bag breakfast, so after a cup of watery brown liquid from the in room coffee machine, I went down to grab our bags. Back in the room, we found that they contained (1) large juice box, a gummy stick to your teeth Cellophane bagged muffin, a granola bar and either a thick peeled orange or a green apple. Heck, at least it was something. But, what?

Given the quick breakfast, we found ourselves on the road by 7:15 AM and once we had gassed up at the local Mobil for $1.55/liter. Yikes! The cost of fuel would only get higher as we approached our final destination.

Turning onto the Coquihalla Highway, we were soon zipping along at the posted speed of 120 k/h (75 m/h). Road signs flicked past the car window as we steadily climbed upward.

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As they say, What goes up, must come down. Who are they, you ask? I don’t know. Some guys. A long descent followed our long climb. Away from Kamloops, things seemed to green up, partly from the cooler climate and partly from irrigation. The smoke seemed to be lessening a bit, as well.

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The road might not look it, but it had a fairly steep descent. To handle semi tractor brake failure, there were frequent Runaway Lanes to the side.

Dry hilly pasture conditions again began to appear about halfway between Kamloops and Merritt.

Warning sign about possible winter road conditions.

Downhill again. Our hybrid burned a ton of fuel going up the hills and no fuel going downhill. I would say, it all evened out.

Interlude at Britton Creek rest area. Thank goodness for Public Rest Stops

More downhill. It seemed there was a construction site slow down about every 20 km, so workers could repair damage done to the road during the long winter months.

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One of the steeper areas with another Runaway lane

Heavy concrete snow sheds are built over the road at high avalanche zones, such as this one.

Going into the snow shed

Inside the snow shed. The columns were mesmerizing in the dark tunnel as they flicked by the windows.

The final descent before Hope

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It was somewhere near Hope that we realized we would have some time to spare before our reserved ferry crossing to Vancouver Island. We opted to head for Pajo’s fish and chips in Steveston, a suburb of Richmond. The route took us through Surrey, past the Patullo and much older Alex Fraser bridges and then into Delta, past fields of potatoes and corn. This area grows a lot of Canada’s fresh veggies. After a bit of GPS and driver error, we were on the right track to Steveston and lunch.

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