Saturday, May 13 to Wednesday, May 17, 2017 (Tunkwa Provincial Park, Logan Lake, BC)

We spent Saturday and Sunday getting settled into our new spot. We were anxious to get out for a walk around Tunkwa Campground...

Unfortunately, I didn't get far before my foot gave out...geez! I sat down for a few minutes and then tried to carry on but...nope...the pain wouldn't go away, so I hobbled back to the compound while Steve continued on his walk around the campground...


Nasty looking clouds headed this way!

The fishing is really good right now as the ice has only been off the lake for about 3 weeks now...

As we all know these guys leave quite the mess...

This is the work yard beside the compound...

Veteran Volunteer, Hugh, heading out in the gator...

Doug...

Sue showing me the recycling area...

Steve cleaned the outside of the windows...guess I'd better do the inside!

This is a great gathering spot for the workers...the wood stove is kept stoked on these chilly days...

Did I say chilly?  Yes...that's snow! We have had everything from sunshine to clouds, to hail, to rain to wind...the whole gammit!

Doug and Sue cooked us dinner Saturday night...

Something not quite right...they are working, we are not (yet)...and they cook dinner! Thanks guys! So great getting caught up with you!

Sunday, Sue took me for a ride around all of  the campgrounds...she had hand-drawn maps of the 3 campgrounds to help us acquaint ourselves with the layout and site numbers.

That afternoon, Steve and I off-loaded the boat down at the boat launch. After that was done and all of the accompanying paraphernalia put in it, Steve decided to take it out for a little fishing. Unfortunately, he no sooner got out there and the wind really came up, forcing him back in. With work starting tomorrow, the cold wet weather and the busy May long weekend coming up, he hopes to get out next week.

Monday morning...our first day of work! We will be working part time....20 hours each/week. For the most part, Sue takes care of the Tunkwa Lake campground and Doug, the two Leighton Lake campgrounds...so I headed off with Sue and Steve with Doug. They showed us each the ropes...cleaning outhouses and collecting. The park volunteers, Hugh at Tunkwa and Brian at Leighton, empty the garbage and clean the sites. We will  also be helping out with other maintenance jobs...painting, weed-whacking, firewood, etc.

Steve and Doug filling the trailer with firewood...

 Steve, Doug (and Tucker)...

Tuesday morning, we woke to snow! The night temps have been pretty darned cold, our water lines were frozen the first 3 mornngs! But snow? Sheesh...it's May! It didn't stay around long...thank goodness! View out our back window...

Doug and Sue headed into Kamloops...leaving us to clean outhouses and collect (if we felt comfortable). Steve and I did all three campgrounds together...and all went well. Oh...okay, there were a couple of oops' but for the most part, I think we did pretty well :-)

Wednesday was our day off, so we headed into Logan Lake and then carried onto Kamloops to run a bunch of errands. This is Logan Lake...

 The campground at the end of Logan Lake with a golf course...

Highway 97D about 10 kms east of Logan Lake had a bridge wash out so had been closed until they could get a bridge brought in. They recently opened it to single lane traffic.

The water is really gushing through. That's the original culvert with a couple of more pieces at the edge...

We reached the Coquihalla highway and continued north to Kamloops.

We started off at Best Buy to drop our laptop off so the Geek Squad could transfer the recovered data from the defective drive. After a bunch of other stops, we picked up the laptop, made one final stop at Costco and then started the trek back to Tunkwa.

This is the Thompson River that runs through Kamloops...

Kamloops as we head up out of the river valley...

 Yikes!

Sure enough, we ran into rain and eventually a little hail or snow was visible on the hills and roadside ...and it had started off being such a beautiful sunny day!  We made our last stop at the Logan Lake sani dump to fill up our drinking water containers. It was going on 5:00 when we pulled back into the compound. A good day...with a lot accomplished!

One of the stops we had made was at Jubilee RV to pick up a new Hi Limit/Thermostat switch for the hotwater tank. Just before leaving Fort Langley the electric side of the hot water tank stopped working. Steve researched troubleshooting it online and it said to first try pushing the reset located under the black cover. The thermostat is suppose to cut off at 130 F and if it doesn't, the hi limit will trip off at 180F. That did the trick once but the high limit continued to trip intermittently, so Steve purchased a new one in Langley and was going to install it once we arrived here.

Turned out the switch he was given was for the propane side, on the right. Thinking they looked the same they should be interchangeable, right? Wrong! The switch on the left had different size terminals that were on the opposite side. Oh well...we did have the propane side trip on us once in Quartzsite too, so now they are both new...

Back to work tomorrow...and the start of the very busy May long weekend!

Friday, May 12, 2017 (Travel to Tunkwa Provincial Park, Logan Lake, BC)

Friday, May 12 has arrived...time to head up to Tunkwa Provincial Park for the summer! It was a pretty cloudy start...but at least it wasn't pouring rain like it was yesterday morning!

We pulled out of our site at Fort Camping and made our way to the Trans-Canada Highway 1, east. We hadn't been on the freeway long when we heard a loud hissing sound upon acceleration...oh, geez, what is that?! It persisted, getting louder...so we decided we'd better turn around and head back to Langley and Gold Key. We're towing the trailer, so getting into their lot should be interesting! Unfortunately, there were no exits to turn around until we reached the outskirts of Abbotsford where the ever present squealing returned. Geez..will this ever end!!!!!!!!!

Getting into Gold Key's lot wasn't as bad as we were expecting. Dave told Steve to pull up in front of the service bays. They were all impressed as it was the first time they had seen us all hooked up for travel. We off-loaded the boat so the fellows could move the loader and tilt the cab. After having a look and firing it up, they couldn't tell what the issue was, so they put "it all back together again" and Steve took the mechanic out for a test drive. The hissing sound was immediate and the mechanic said it sounded like a turbo issue. It turned out to be a tear in the turbo hose...a quick fix, after stealing a new hose off of one of the other trucks since they didn't have any in stock.

Okay so that's one issue fixed but we are still going to have the squeal. On our previous service visit a week ago Steve had said that if Isuzu doesn't fix or replace the engine if that's what it takes, he will be contacting the press and a lawyer. Well, Steve had gotten a phone call from Gold Key shortly afterwards saying not to do anything just yet as the BC Isuzu rep was heading to a meeting in San Antonio the following week and would see what he could do. Isuzu had already blown us off once so we don't have much confidence in them.

It was going on noon by the time we were back on the road...fingers-crossed that we don't have any more problems! Beautiful scenery as we go through the Fraser Valley...

Fraser River as we near Hope, BC...

Still some snow on the mountains as we head near a snow shed on the Coquihala highway (hwy 5)...

If your a fan of the TV show Highway Thru Hell...this is it!

A semi-trailer was on fire...too bad the blue semi was in the way as I snapped this picture. The driver had time to disconnect the trailers and the tractor. There were flames engulfing the rear of the trailer as we passed by...

The Nicola Valley as we near Merritt, BC...

We left highway 5 at Merritt and took highway 97C...this is Mamette Lake...

On Tunkwa Lake Road now...

We arrived at Tunkwa Provincial Park at 4:00 and were greeted by Doug, Sue and Tucker. After big hugs, we walked into the compound to check out the maneuverability Steve would have towing if we drive straight in. He contemplated backing all of the way in but decided that he'd have enough room to drive in and back into our spot. He managed it but it was very close getting through the fence gate and having to turn...the back end of the trailer just made it!

We got all set up...including the "peanut butter mouse trap" outside and packets of Fresh Cab into where the slide room rails go into the trailer frame...

Our new home for next four months!

Saturday, May 6 to Thursday, May 11, 2017 (Fort Camping, Brae Island Regional Park, Fort Langley, BC)

Our last week here in Fort Langley has gone by quickly as we get in some final visits with family before we head off for the summer.

Saturday I managed to get some errands taken care of all while enjoying some time with a "cousin-in-law" and good friend, Glenna. She arrived out here at about 11:30, and after a short visit with Steve, the two of us headed back into Coquitlam.

I picked up my custom orthotics, and then went to a nearby Running Room store and was fitted for new footware. With my errands done, it was time for lunch...and one of our favourite spots, The Boathouse at Rocky Point.in Port Moody.

After a great lunch, we headed back out to Fort Langley where we wandered around the quaint little town checking out the shops. It was about 5:30 when Glenna dropped me off. Thanks for a wonderful afternoon, Glenna...and chauffeuring me so I could take care of my errands.

While I was gone, Steve drove to Abbotsford to drop the quads off for servicing and do a little shopping at Cabela's.

Sunday morning we got out for a nice walk in the sunshine. I didn't manage to do the full loop that Steve walks...guess it will take a little time adjusting to the new shoes and orthotics.

We chilled the rest of the day until it was time to head into Chris and Angela's for an early Mother's Day dinner. It was a beautiful drive over the Port Mann bridge (crosses the Fraser River)...

 We sat outside on their sundeck...until it was time for dinner. Steve, Lucy, Luigi, Chris, Nonna, Angela, Joe and Mark (Angela's brothers)...

A wonderful evening! Thanks for a delicious dinner, Chris and Angela! It was going on 8:00 when we said goodbye...see you all again in September!

Monday just zipped by...of course, it was going on 11:00 by the time we were ready to go out and take care of a little shopping. After a couple of stops, we went to Mark's Work Wear to find a pair of steel-toed boots Steve will need for our workamping gig this summer. We ended up driving out to another Mark's in South Surrey where Steve found what he was after...and next thing we knew, it was 4:00! Wow, what happened to that day!

Tuesday morning, we put the boat back on the truck and then puttered around doing odds and ends. Just before 1:00 we walked into Fort Langley to meet Steve's cousins at The Fort Pub for lunch. Rob, Bev, Cheryl, me and Steve. Thanks for popping out guys and we'll see ya in the fall!

Wednesday was another day of doing odds and ends around the trailer. Steve checked and put air in the tires...I did a load of laundry.  A very exciting day...LOL!

Shortly after 4:00, Deb and Ray arrived for one final visit and dinner before we leave the area. We sat outside for a bit until it started raining and then headed inside.
Dinner is served!

Another great evening with them. Hope to see you sometime this summer! Unfortunately the evening didn't end well for them...a phone call to let them know that Ray's Mom had fallen and was taken to the hospital. (We learned the next day that she had actually had a stroke but with a "clot busting" drug, is doing much better.)

Thursday it just poured...we certainly hope it's not doing this tomorrow morning when we have to pack up. It would make for a pretty miserable travel day!

We ran a few errands, I picked up a few more groceries and then late that afternoon we drove out to Abbotsford to pick up the quads...finished just in the nick of time! We needed them today!

And that pretty well brings us up to-date on our time here in Fort Langley. We head to our part-time summer gig up at Tunkwa Provincial Park tomorrow.