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Showing posts from July, 2026

Grand Tour 2026 - pt 3

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Grizzlies Grizzly mum with cub born earlier this year Not uninvited ones you'll appreciate, but wild nevertheless.  More later. A relic at the awful 'one night only' campsite -  a project probably long planned and never started We've been exploring the top of Vancouver Island in the last few days, having driven up via four nights at Qualicum Beach.   In fact we had an extra day there as we escaped the previous camp a day earlier than planned.  Not a location we felt comfortable in. Our past visits to southern Vancouver Island, largely along the coast road, have not been that inspiring, so this trip we were determined to explore more widely and inland and some islands.  With the exception of our first night's campsite it has been much more rewarding.   The main town of Qualicum Beach, as distinct from the part of town on the coast highway, was full of character and though the RV resort was ok, it gave us a good base to explore from.   Nic...

Grand Tour 2026 - pt 2

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Duffey Lake Rollercoaster Duffey Lake Rd/Hwy 99 If  Hwy 16 between Jasper and Prince George,  aka the Yellowhead Route, was as 'dull as ditchwater', the road between Cache Creek and Whistler, mostly Hwy 99, was more 'seat-of-the-pants' stuff.   I'm not sure I'd want to drive it again with an 8500lb trailer behind me.   With significant changes in elevation and direction (there were quite a few switchbacks/hairpin bends) and a speed restriction of 60 kmh max, down to as low as 10 kmh on the tight turns on the steepest sections, the focus for me was on the driving, not the scenery.  It was though a stunning drive if not hard work.   Spotted Sandpiper We started this 2nd leg of our Grand Tour 2026 in Prince George.  Not a town we'd rush back to, though we had a good campsite out of town.   Spotlessly clean with manicured gardens, friendly and well-planned individual campsites.  The campsite ponds had a lovely collection of w...