This was our summer Road Trip to Nanaimo now that COVID is basically done.
We traveled through BC and camped in Salmon Arm, Nanaimo, and Osoyoos and spent time
enjoying a great Canadian road trip.
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First a look at Henry's cool space ship before we left Cochrane.
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Walter couldn't be outdone and had to make one too.
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Our first stop was lunch at the Natural Bridge in Yoho National Park. Or at least we
intended to have lunch here but there was exactly one picnic table so we went back to
the excellent visitor centre in Field instead.
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Walter and the raging Kicking Horse River.
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Even though the Giant Cedars Boardwalk was still closed from the snow and deadfall,
we were still able to see a few of the big trees from the parking area.
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We had dinner in Revelstoke at a little cafe that (weirdly) closes at 4pm.
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But then the boys got to see the Revelstoke Train Museum, which they were pretty jacked
about. This is a big steam engine that they're standing beside.
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A very cool map of the Canadian Pacific Railway, along with three other US railways too.
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Sitting on a garden tractor painted up like a tractor at D Dutchman in Sicamous, BC.
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Walter also thought the tractors were cool.
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Having ice cream near the source of the dairy for the ice cream.
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Pretending to drive tractors was quite fun for our boys.
Hidden Valley Campground, Salmon Arm, BC
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I was quite proud of myself for having found this campground in Salmon Arm. It had a big stag
welcoming us to the site, along with huge old trees and a creek below us.
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The boys loved this bear (that I think came from Canadian Tire) at the campsite in
Salmon Arm - Hidden Valley Campground and RV park.
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One of the boys' favourite finds of the trip was snails in Salmon Arm. This is fine to
enjoy snails - it's less fine to hide them in the car for safe keeping and to bring home
as pets.
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Walter liked hiding inside this old growth cedar stump. Someone had also put walnut
shells in here so that was a party to move them around.
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Immediately below our campsite was a stream that these boys just loved to play in.
It's all fun and games until Walter eats it and falls down there, but I'd still stay
here again.
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Natalia and Walter kicking it in the hammock.
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Walter is a big fan of his new bike helmet. In the foreground is a random kid whose
parents we didn't see the whole time we stayed here, but he happily played with Walter.
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We took the boys mini golfing in Salmon Arm which, of course, was a big hit.
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It must have been something when it was built, but the foam monuments were a little tired
and it just seemed like someone is 'harvesting' this investment.
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Then they got to try go-kart racing, which was also a pretty big hit.
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Getting ready for their 10 minute race! I'm not sure why Henry is giving thumbs down here
as he quite liked the go-kart.
Video of the kids at the go-kart track
Video of Henry rounding corners on go-karts
Video of Walter rounding corners on go-karts
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Natalia and Shuswap Lake, BC, July 2022. The water was still quite high from the
spring runoff and so the beaches here were basically submerged.
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This was the only campsite we had a campfire at, and Walter was excited to have marshmallows.
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Henry with his snail coming out of the shell.
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Leaving Salmon Arm, we took the Kamloops through the Coquihalla and stopped and had lunch
at an excellent splash park in Merritt, BC.
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The boys getting cooled off before the rest of our drive.
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We made it to the ferry in time to cross without being in the dark. Henry was NOT a
fan of being on the sun deck and only did this briefly for a photo op.
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Walter, on the other hand, thought it was pretty cool to hang out on top of the ferry.
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Walter in the sun with another ferry behind him.
In Nanaimo at the Living Forest Campground
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While I did have to set the tent up in the dark, we still think this campground is a pretty
cool place to visit. These are some Star Wars and Star Trek-themed junk welded together.
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Walter is pretty excited to show off a crab that he caught at the ocean. This was his
first run-in with crabs and he thought they were pretty awesome.
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Walter liked to ride at the Stevie Smith bike park in Nanaimo. This is a sweet Velo
installation with two different sizes of pump tracks along with a dirt jump park too.
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Walter is hitting the corners with speed.
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A non-profit called Nanaimo Science had their microscopes and tanks set up at the beach
on this day which was stellar. Henry got to identify some of the wildlife he had found.
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Walter and a totem pole arch at the beach.
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Walter loves doing crafts and here he is with reckless abandon having fun with tape.
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Playing soccer and eating popsicles in the yard.
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Henry and I went for a bike ride to let Walter fall asleep in the tent. Henry thinks
being up later than his brother is pretty awesome.
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A huge piece of industrial waste that's pretty neat. Near here, I looked down and
found $5 and Henry was SO excited to get to try blue raspberry at one of the nicest
campground-hosted cafes with an ocean view.
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And he also got to try my rainbow sherbet for the first time.
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On the ferry leaving Nanaimo in the front upper deck. Henry was happier to have this area
closed in, but still he didn't stay here long.
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Peach trees near Osoyoos. This is looking into the Cathedral area that I'd love to explore
more at some point. We took the south route through EH Manning and while the road was a bit
more rugged, it was a much more pleasant drive than the Coquihalla for me.
.
Osoyoos, BC
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Of course, pretty much every day our boys got ice cream. This is in Osoyoos
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Henry is proudly showing off his ice cream.
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The campsite in Osoyoos wins the award for weirdest. Cabana Beach rents cabanas with your
campsite that also have fridges and running water. Downside is that the running water had
a BC Health notice that it needed to be boiled.
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This is the most serene you'll ever see Walter. He wakes up raring to go and really
doesn't stop moving until he's in bed, asleep. We'd rather that than him being lethargic
and sick for sure, but see this little angel, when he's sleeping.
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By the time we got the campsite set up it was getting towards dark, so Henry and
I took a wander while Walter settled down.
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Yup, here's the fridge you can rent. Note that the temperature isn't guaranteed.
This place is the definition of 'harvest mode' for a business.
Video of the bathrooms at Cabana Beach Campground
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Henry enjoying his floaty toy at the beach.
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On our bike ride home from Rattlesnake Canyon. Note the vineyards all over this valley.
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Having chippies and playing cards in our cabana.
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Enroute home, we decided to take the shorter route back through Kelowna. We stopped for
lunch at Davison Orchards and the boys got to stretch their legs. Walter thought this tractor
on tracks was cool.
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Playing a pumping game. Unlike Butterfield Acres in Calgary, these guys don't charge to get
into their property, but they happily charge for everything else, like rubber ducks to race with.
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Henry on another garden tractor with apple trees behind him in Vernon, BC.
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Me and the boys at Davison Orchards. All in all, this was the best road trip we've taken
as the boys are older and more able to keep themselves amused in the car. For future
reference, Salmon Arm campsite was terrific, Nanaimo was busy island camping, and Osoyoos
was a weird cramped campground, but on a gorgeous lake and private beach.
