Day 1 Fry Baby Fry

The mountains are calling and I must go! John Muir

Ready to go!

Also ready to go.

230 miles- Home to Red Hill Rest Area. After a late start I hit the road north to Sumas. It didn’t help that there was a huge traffic back up from Conway through Mt. Vernon. Then somehow I managed to take the slow route to the border arriving even later; only to be pulled aside for a search. Apparently the 3 weeks to Alaska from Washington State meant this hippie-looking tattooed woman was likely either gun-toting or pot-smoking or both. What a time that was. They even searched my purse and made me empty my pockets. I tried to tell them I’m too old and broke for pot but guess they didn’t believe me. I’m pretty sure they got really excited, though when they found the white sage in a little pouch with my Sedona stones. It took me a few minutes to figure out what was all over the truck seat. Once I finally survived that ordeal I hit the road toward Hope B.C. - right into a huge traffic backup! Things were not going well. Then, I didn’t realize my route didn’t take me through Hope and I was low on gas. That’s when one is not picky and stops at whatever station appears. Of course, the credit union debit card was rejected (many times). Apparently, the office and the security people didn’t talk about my trip so they locked up the card which just happens to have the most money in the account! Fortunately, I had a few bucks in my bank account and credit cards.

Highway 1 follows the Fraser River and later the Thompson River through some pretty spectacular scenery. Much like the Yakima Canyon outside of Ellensburg Washington. There were even signs warning of bighorn sheep on the road. I never did see any.

Lots of tunnels along this highway!

View along the way.

It was a very long day and we only made it 230 miles. I decided to stop at the Red Hill Rest Area just south of Ashcroft. It has a bank of clean outhouses and a picnic area located a ways from them. I can’t believe how hot it was; well into the 90s. Even the breeze was hot. Plus- I wasn’t expecting a sagebrush-ponderosa pine-rabbit brush landscape! It was a miserably hot night for both Templeton and me. I kept the 12v fan on all night which provided minor relief.

Dinner at 6:15 in the heat (don’t ask what I ate). I rearranged the weight load in the truck in the morning because the 5 gallons of gas, ice chest, and generator were too much weight at the back of the truck bed. I have a 5 gallon container of water at the front of the bed so I put the gas can on the other side to balance it. This made a tremendous difference in how the truck handles. Braking is better but next time I want the electric brakes hooked into my truck.

Our camp spot near the picnic area

Lesson #1- always go pee before crossing the border. If they decide to pull you over they will not let you go until they have asked you a million questions over and over and searched your purse and person.