“USA 🇺🇸 ~Through Canada 🇨🇦 ~Fourth Leg / Returning to the Lower 48 from Alaska via Valemount and Merritt, British Columbia to Hope, British Columbia”

• August 25, 2023
• By Pen
• 6 Comments

Heading Back to The Lower 48 From Alaska

Day 1 of 2

The Route:
From Valemount, British Columbia to Merritt, British Columbia

Day 1 of 2

I woke up early on this departure day from our overnight in Valemount BC, so I could catch up on blogging.
Mission accomplished!

It also started raining, again last night, and looks like it will continue.  We can tell it’s pretty smokey, though. As we drove further on Hwy 5, which is also called Yellowhead, like Hwy 16 is called, we drove away from the rain and had dry pavement for the day. There was so much construction today, but it’s for repaving, though. Always good for those coming through after us.

There is an air quality alert that’s been issued, due to smoke and we are not quite ready to unpack our “bug-out” bags yet, but we have made it this far!

We left around 10AM from Valemount, so we could get as close to Hope, BC as possible, making tomorrow an easy day of travel, if the route continues to stay open, so we can to arrive at check-in; by noon. We are ready to get off the road for awhile!

We are starting to see some color changes in the trees, on this trip, back to the lower 48, and it is very cool in the mornings, enough so we turn on some heat. The afternoons are the warmest we have felt these last few days, since, well, I can’t remember! Ha! We pretty much did not experience summer this year, up north.

Mile after mile, after mile. We drove. We filled-up with diesel and drove some more. Canada prices for fuel are around the equivalent of $5.10/gal. It’s about a dollar more per gallon, driving down through Canada than what it was going up, in May. Alaska fuel prices were around $4.50/gal on average, and as high as $6.00/gal in more remote areas like Haines, Alaska.

We definitely left the wilderness by this point and are in the country with farm lands and more residential areas.
We came through the area just before Kamloops and saw the fire devastation. It was not a gigantic area, and I didn’t see any homes destroyed. The closest, active fire to us, is the Kookipi fire. It is above the other Kelowa fire, so yes, we’ve been driving towards these fires for days….

Skirting around the city of Kamloops today, was a huge burst of civilization we have not been around for so long, it felt a bit odd. AND, what comes with more population, is less places to boondock. We drove extra time, looking, but 5.5 hours was plenty long of a day, again for Daryl, with no Power Nap this time, so we got another campground for the night. We have wifi and it worked pretty good. We have full-hookups with 30amp, so might as well run the dishwasher and do a load of laundry.

We are in Merritt, BC at Moon Shadow RV Park and Campground. It’s got lots of trees, and it’s by a creek. The host was super nice. We had a relaxing evening with sunshine and less smoke. This campground is super fun for war- weather camping for families. The creek is still, with swimming holes. Parents were sitting in lawn chairs in the shallows, and the kids were having a ball!

We are now only a few hours drive to our campground in Hope, BC. We are hoping the fires improve, and will not get any worse. 🙏

Wildlife Sightings:

zilch

Photo Dump ~Day 1

Part of the construction phase of this drive involved the putting in of some kind of gas line. This has gone on for awhile and covered a hundred miles or more. Trees had to be cut down, and the ground dug up for burrying pipes. The beautification process is something I’ve never seen, before. Taking the slag from tree cutting, placing it around and leaving it. Stumps, roots, and timber pieces.  I suppose it will keep people from driving across the open area and making a mess, till new trees grow

More construction delays…how weird

I have to say the lack of viewing any Moose, for this entire trip, down from Alaska is a bit of a shock. There are many signs warning of Moose in the area, and to drive carefully. The perfect Moose habitat covers this entire way!  Maybe it’s the construction? Poaching? Over hunting? Who knows?

Entering the recent fire area

Moon Shadows RV Park and Campground. Recommend!!

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Day 2 of 2

The Route:
From Merritt, British Columbia to Hope, British Columbia

We broke camp around 10:30AM from Moon Shadows RV Park and Campground in Merritt. We had sunshine, and it looked like the wind had shifted, so the smoke was less. It did not last.

We got underway and we were so happy to only have this one more shorter drive of a few hours, to get to Hope, where we could set up camp for a little while, and not leave again in the morning!

We are both done and a bit frazzled from the last week of dealing with fire threats, driving routes, rain, construction, and smokey skies…and we both need some down time to rest, and reboot the brains, so we can get the final push done, crossing the border back to the USA. After that, and a rest up in Washington for a few days, we head for Oregon, where we get to stay for a week, between two stops there. My brother has cancer and just got out of the hospital. He is in for a long recovery, and I look forward to seeing him, again and hugging his neck! My mom got into a car accident. It was with an uninsured driver, who was in the wrong. So I need to see my mom, too. She is okay, but at 86 years young, she could have lived without the drama.

I wish I could say we get to stop for a while, but that is not in the cards. After we are done visiting in Washington and Oregon, we have to get back to our house in California to take care of some business, and get a few things from our garage we stored there; prior to this trip, to lighten the load (to help with mileage) …we now need to pick up a few of those item, for our everyday (like E-bikes); now that we are back in the USA. That will be an additional 1,000 miles. 

From there, we have to return to Kingman, Arizona (335 more miles) and leave Jonah for two weeks to correct some issues, not related to anything we have dealt with, thus far. More specifically, we spent about three grand for an A/C unit we have never been able to use, because the installation isn’t correct and the vibration from A/C compressor when the belt was on it, dented our motor hood, (creating a hole). So, the compressor needs to be reinstalled further back, next to the engine. There’s more, but the guy has two weeks and we can only hope it goes well.

Incidentally, we will have total miles traveled and other data for when we get to Kingman. It was from there, we headed for Alaska, choosing to go through Montana for a visit to Glacier National Park.
After Arizona, we get to go to Mexico for a month. Those miles I will not mind one bit, to go some place new and different, by this point. AND THIS will be our real respite, after a very hard spring and summer, and beyond. Who knows, maybe we will actually get some sunshine in Mexico. We will be parked RIGHT ON THE BEACH.

After Mexico, we get to head to Florida, to enjoy by November, sometime, and perhaps more sunshine, there. Then we drive up to the grandkids and their folks new house, to stay by Christmas, through the new year. I don’t even care that North Carolina does not have super great weather in the winter, because we get to be with our grandchildren! Its been too long and we miss then like crazy!!

Anyway, back to now. We are in actual civilization, so pictures are not as exciting, but just showing a means to an end, as we continue to travel in our home on wheels to complete the Alaska round-trip. We are determined to get back to a place, where there is more good, than there is bad and ugly to report. This is for sure!

I will finish this travel series; us returning to the USA, next week, after we rest up. It feels like such an accomplishment to have gotten this far, with all the challenges.  As I’ve said a few time “on a wing and a prayer!”

I do notice I am going through withdrawals of some kind, since I haven’t seen a Bear for six day, now. 🤣 The VERY good parts from this whole three-plus month trip, involved Wildlife, and or animals and for that, I am very filled-up and feeling so grateful to have had the experience of a lifetime in that category.

Happy Trails,

D n P 

Wildlife Sightings:

zilch

Photo Dump ~Day 2

Canada does a good job of creating wildlife fencing with bridges, and underground passageways to avoid wildlife-human collisions on roadways

I’ve never seen “wild” fire damage on just trees, where the ground is still fine. Justsaying

350 miles of construction on this super highway of 16

We began to see what looked like “bunkers” of some kind, along this highway. I do not know Canadian war history enough to for when they were used.  If I had internet I could investigate, further

Vancouver, Canada..not Washington

The top totem face is me, trying to stay positive, when not feeling very positive. The bottom totem face is Daryl trying to stay positive, living with me

We arrived at the WildRose Campground and RV Park in Hope, British Columbia, and I was so happy to get here! It’s a nice park with a friendly host and wifi is okay. We have a five-night stay, but may leave early. We will see how we feel next week!

It started raining a few hours ago. Again, this is good for the fires and smoke

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British Columbia