Driving the BC Interior
We are officially back from our summer adventure! In a nutshell, it was the most amazing thing we could have done for ourselves. It was far better than any trip to Hawaii in fact.
I have so many amazing things to show you! But my biggest pleasure will be to share the stories that unfolded. Remember Part 1 When a miracle happens? Many more miracles happened during this trip and some details just way too good to miss. So I hope you don’t mind a little story telling this week, because it’s the best way to deliver this series. Grab your coffee, tea or coke with each segment, it’ll be like reading a novel! 🙂
About “Our Summer Adventure”
A blogger who mentally can’t pause her social media world. A boy who lives for video games. This is the story of how an absolute miracle brought a mom and her son into a much quieter, simpler world, far far away from their own internet driven world. With no wifi. Will they survive? You’ll soon find out!
Visit all Summer Adventure instalments HERE
Driving the BC Interior
Part 3 – Let’s NOT get lost.
So remember my fear of getting lost in Part 2? I won’t lie… I was dreading leaving town. I was in fact mentally delaying the trip doing this and that. But when noon approached, I knew we had to punch out those doors or not go. So one last check around the house, and out the door we went. And you can bet the fear of the unknown followed me.
We decided to leave ZoomZoom (thanks Winthrop Audrey, I love that name!) and Zoomier (the cats) home this round because of the long drive out. It was so so so SO hard to leave those furry little faces behind! But I told myself this was about them this round, not us. It was better for them to stay with a great house sitter. I hoped they wouldn’t peer out the window as we pulled out and thankfully they didn’t, otherwise that would have done. me. in! 🙂
Our first stop was the local deli. Janice smiled as we walked in as she had encouraged me to stop there before we head out on our trip. We chose our goodies (a tradition we have before a road trip), with that sweet girl treating us on her tab to some of them to send us off, and we were on our way.
Flicking on the GPS, thinking we had it made in the shade…. it didn’t do what it was suppose to. It wouldn’t take a Salmon Arm address, so I eyed the crumpled up hand drawn map, turned to Cody and said, “Here goes nothin!”
BRAINSTORM… I fired up the Google Map thing on the iPhone and.. bingo! That thing was jibber jabbering to us like no one’s business. We were set. It was time to get serious and actually get out of town. Gulp…
Hay fields in the BC interior.
1 hour. 2 hours. Traffic was awesome and comfortable. But then the stomache ache part arrived…. you know the part where you know what you’re suppose to do but the signs mess with your head because they taunt you with different information?! Yes, THAT!
“Are we on the right highway?”, I ask my non driving son that really isn’t paying attention to any such road signs whatsoever.
“I don’t know.”
{ mild panic }
“Why did google call the road that? That’s not what it’s called!”
“I don’t know.”
{ MORE panic }
6 lanes deep. On the top of a mountain no less with so many speeders! What’s your hurry people?! With nothing else to do but go the right way, or the wrong way or over the cliff way… (pure drama, I know)
BAH!! Much like jumping into the deep end, you just go and hope you didn’t just choose the 5 hour detour. And know what? I guessed right! It was like winning a lottery!
Or rather, I listened to Karen’s advice. “Go straight. And stay to the left. But go straight.” And just like that, the hard part was over. It was time to finally stop panicking and enjoy the ride and what was about to unfold before us.
One road. Many towns. That’s it. One road. I can do this. I WILL do this!
And so we did.
The gorgeous Nicola Valley, near Merritt, BC, Canada.
I won’t lie. It was a long LONG trip. 6 hours including a stop for dinner. But… man oh man… if my son had been driving age, he’d have been at the wheel because the pictures I missed out on?! It was the most beautiful pain I’ve ever felt.
We basically drove half way across BC, which brought us into the desert like interior. We left the tall green trees and lush mountains for very rolling tumbleweed filled hills with sparse trees. They were very different and very beautiful in their own way. It truly felt like driving into another world.
I’ve been on road tours with my parents as a kid MANY times. We drove clear through to Saskatchewan one summer. But it’s a whole other experience when you’re an adult driver vs. a short kid in the back seat, holding an empty Premium Crackers box in case you get car sick because the only thing you can see is a blur to the side of you.
This was Cody’s first time seeing the BC interior, so it did me good to witness his expression seeing everything new for the first time.
A new adventure is truly the best gift
you can give your kids.
Drive drive drive. Drive drive drive drive drive. x even more drive. We stopped once for a quick bite to eat, but then kept at it. I wanted to be there before dark.
And then we passed the Salmon Arm sign. WE MADE IT!
But first we had to find the little house we were staying at. All I knew was it was a cottage on 100 acres. Cool… but where in the world… our course led us up a twisty little mountain road that soon turned to gravel. Uh oh… I don’t remember this part of the conversation… did Karen say gravel? Are we in Alberta or even Montana at this point?!
Reaching for the phone, I spotted the name of the road up ahead. Smiling, we were good to go. Not really having any idea what to expect house and land wise, we pulled in.
At Karen’s house, in Salmon Arm, BC Canada
At Karen’s house, in Salmon Arm, BC Canada
Sweet!! Spinning around, taking in the view, including the horses grazing in the field, I knew we were in for a very special time. This place felt like I came home. This is what it is like when you grow up on 40 acres. It was so quiet it hurt your ears.
And then there’s the house… we were told it was an older home, fixed up, filled with thrift store treasures. A DIY blogger’s dream, no?! Reaching for the adorable sage green front door, we cranked the knob and it creaked wiiiide open… and what greeted us inside I would have never expected…
That’s next up in part 3! 🙂
What a coincidence! I spent a night in Salmon Arm BC this August, all the way from Arkansas, USA! I drove from Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway and missed out on a lot of beautiful photos as well.
Oh wow! Did you make it to Enderby? Wait till you hear about our little road trip there!
Oh my…..I can’t WAIT to see what unfolds! What exciting adventures are ahead for a woman who has the courage to move through fear?
All growth lies just outside of the familiar.
Ohhh girl… isn’t it funny that you have to read about it on my blog rather than chat about it on the phone?! haha
This is so fun! We spent July in Montana and took a 3 day trip up into Canada. First day drove 9 hours straight up to the Canadian Glacier National Park, what a beautiful place!! When you live in Florida and see those beautiful mountains and valley’s it’s crazy. Can’t wait to read and see more of your trip!
GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS!!!! Your photos of the gorgeous interior BC are just so beautiful to behold. And your storytelling ain’t bad either! 🙂 Enjoyed the journey, can’t wait til ‘The House’ episode. Thanks for sharing this wonderful experience of yours with us all.
You are a good story teller. And I’m glad you took this trip! I love a road trip, and jump at the chance to try a new adventure in a new place.
And your quote (is that from you) “A new adventure is truly the best gift you can give your kids”, I believe is absolutely true!
Waiting for part 4!
Ohhh…. cliffhanger! You left me wanting more. Since we did not take a vacation this summer, I am vicariously living through yours. Can’t wait until tomorrow!
Hi Donna, I enjoyed reading of your adventure trip to Salmon Arm. Beautiful photos of the scenery. We have driven that route from Calgary to Chilliwack before and it’s such a diverse landscape. Looking forward to you next instalment. 🙂 We were in Chilliwack for a week this month and I did some blogposts about it, then we flew to Calgary to visit our daughter and family. We saw some very beautiful parts of our country.
Blessings,
Pam
Sweet! Glad you had a wonderful time. Thanks for the memories, I once lived in the Nicola Valley, I’ve driven the Coquihalla from Kamloops to Van so many times I can still see the whole drive when I close my eyes!!
Good for you facing your fears like that. Come to Kimberley for your next trip!!!
You’ve got me hooked!! What an adventure. Your pictures are gorgeous, as always and I’m dying to see the house you stayed in!! I’ll be tuning in next time with my coffee and muffin. 🙂
This is just awesome, Donna! Thanks for sharing (and continuing to share) your journeys. The beauty there is just breath taking!
Many blessings to you and your son!
We traveled from Central Alberta to Vancouver last year pulling our fifth wheel. It was the most amazing trip. Our kids loved it. It was roughly a 16-18 hour drive. But we stopped in so many great places. Golden, Scotch creek, etc. We all wanted to do it again. So worth the drive!!
I love the stories… you have me hanging!!!The beauty and all your courage inspires me…I too have the fear of getting lost! I call it; “directionally challenged” and I, like yourself started using my smartphone to read aloud the directions for me!! To answer the question you asked about “reading it on your blog” vs “chatting on the phone”?? Hey I’ll take what I can get!!!
I can’t wait for part #3. I feel I am along on the trip with you.
I grew up in Salmon Arm and my Mom and brother live there-please post more pics cause I am stuck in Oklahoma and very homesick..have a great trip Donna
I’ve got some lovely pics of Salmon Arm area coming soon! 🙂
ohhhh suspense.
Well I am glad you enjoyed travelling through the Nicola Valley, the place where I call home. Born & raised, moved away and moved back to raise my family. There are over 200 lakes in the area, and tons of hiking, biking trails. Beautiful mountains to climb in the middle of summer and come across snow & wildflowers. We usually travel the Coquihalla to Kamloops once a month and sometimes even once a week. Next time you can also take the lower road to Kamloops which takes you along the Nicola Lake which is in one of your photos. Lots more scenery on that road, and less traffic. It is only 10 minutes longer that way. I love discovering our beautiful Province of BC. I was just down near Hope on the Trans Canada to Hells Gate and we stopped along the way to take photos and visit the Alexandria Bridge. Quite breathtaking. We do lots of Sunday drives, and always take my camera!