Our trip to Kamloops.....

My weekend in Kamloops was great. Seeing my girlfriend after four years was just wonderful, it was as though time had stood still. We just picked up where we left off. Her daughter and toddler son drove from Kelowna for the visit as well.

Our day had begun with an early get up as we wanted to catch the first ferry, for which we made. We picked up youngest daughter and made a couple of stops before heading out. We were on the Trans Canada Hwy by 1030 in the morning. I still can't believe all the traffic. Gosh I lived in Vancouver for over 40 years and yes I knew it was big and busy, but when you haven't been there for awhile you forget, but it quickly comes back and I realize why I love the Island life.

We decided to take the leisurely Canyon Route rather than the faster pace route of the Coquihalla Highway. The canyon route follows the mighty Fraser which then turns into the North Thomson.

Our first stop was Bridal Falls which is about 20 mins from Hope. I have passed these falls thousands of times but never have stopped. This trip we decided to stop and I am so glad we did.

A view of the falls from the Highway

It was a 15 min. walk up to the falls, you can have picnics here the picture just don't do it justice

Youngest daughter and I weren't really dressed for the walk....it's very lush and green you can see the moss hanging from the trees.

After the falls we got back into the truck and headed towards Hope and the Fraser Canyon.

I find the sights along the breath taking....nature at it's finest. In the photo above we have the mountains in the background the the Mighty Fraser in the fore ground just spectacular. One of the things I like about the drive up to Kamloops is the dramatic change in vegetation. With in a few hours you go from the lush green of the coast to the arid dry sage brush countryside of Kamloops which is situated in the Thomson/Okanagan district. Within the Okanagan you have Canada's only desert which is Oysoyoos. Travelling the Fraser Canyon route we travel through one of BC's hot spots named Lytton temperature can sore into the 40's Celsius during the hot summer months. During this time of year the rivers are raging a white water rapid fanatics dream, the run off from the mountains rise the river water levels and the water runs extremely fast and it is icy cold. Not a journey for lighthearted. Whenever I make this route I often think of the early travelers and the adventures they must have endured, such as Sir Fraser (whom the Fraser River is named after). We made a stop where they had displays of how Sir Fraser with the Indian guides manoeuvres these rivers, without any bridges to cross, they scaled the side of the mountains by walking along tree branches which had been suspend with rope and tied to a tree above.....I truly don't know how they could have done that.

The two above photos gives you a look at the changing vegetation and the quickness in which the river is flowing. You can see the railway tracks above, can you imagine being involved in building the route through the mountains, many lost their lives building these train routes through the canyon. It was a long day, but a very enjoyable one. We stopped when we wanted and enjoyed the sights and smells that surrounded us. Another roadside waterfall, it is these waterfalls that feeds the vegetation throughout the hot summer months. This is photo is looking north east towards Kamloops

My next post I will share more of our trip, we decided to take the Coquihalla home and our travels through the mountains.