It All Works Out
~Sunday, September 25, 2022~
Day 833
Day 97 of Alaska Trip
We were a bit cozy last night not extending the slides out on the trailer, so we wouldn’t call attention to our hidden parking spot for the night. Jeff, me and the dog are just one big happy family. It actually worked out well, that our mad scramble in trying to find a place to rest our weary heads, happened to NOT be a school night. Whew!
Now to get a move on to a more permanent location…….Nairn Falls Provincial Park, where checkout was 11:00 a.m. And since most RVer’s seem to check out early, we were sure to find one, especially on Sunday! We only had a 5-minute drive from Pemberton to the campground so that made it easy. Our mission was to get site #46 since we had already booked the following 2 days online at that particular site. The B.C. Parks system does not allow you to book online for the same day….first come, first serve only. Bingo. The site was available. So now we were guaranteed Site #46 for the block of days we wanted,
without having to move. It may not have been on the river, but it was within earshot of the soothing sound. Now for backing in.
Getting into our campsite was a little challenging since we had a few trees framing the site’s entrance and a few shallow ditches we preferred not getting stuck in. It only took 1 try. Good teamwork!! We couldn’t help but give eachother an enthusiastic high-five after all the challenges it took to get here, feeling like we’d just overcome a number of obstacles. Plus, Hank and Billie Jean were really due for some rest. Jeff said if anyone ever asked for advice in taking that route of Duffey Lake Road, he’d make sure to tell them to come with empty tanks on their RV and to not make the trek without a diesel tow vehicle. That’s why we bought Hank. That engine only tows a fraction of what it's able to. Would much rather have too much than not enough power. Plus, the diesel engines last way longer. I pay a great homage to that truck of ours since it allowed us to do all we did in Alaska and beyond. And we have at least until April to go. Hitting almost 75,000 in 2-½ years, he’s due for a major tune-up/inspection when we’re back in California..
After we got all settled in, we felt deserving of a relaxing day with the temps an astounding 82 degrees. “What is that yellow orb in the sky?” as we’ve had many overcast rainy days most of the summer. And what do you do on a relaxing, sunny day other than check out another local brewery?
I swear Jeff seeks these out way before our arrival. Dog friendly, we brought our pooch with us to a highly rated joint called Coast Mountain Brewing which got a 4.9 out of 5 for their beer AND their music. It hit the mark with their lovely outdoor patio, fun Calypso music and great beer. We were secretly hoping there’d be a food truck or something, having only eaten a small bowl of cereal and toast. No luck there. But it didn’t matter since everything else was great.
Knowing that Whistler would be teeming with great restaurants, being a world-class resort, we decided to make up our anniversary, which was on September 14th, there. We found a local and tourist favorite called RimRock Cafe near the Whistler Village, so we made a reservation for Tuesday night (our final night in the area). Getting just a little glimpse of the village of Whistler, it reminds us a little of Lake Tahoe. And the ski resort is HUGE!!
On the way back to the campground, we stopped in Pemberton for gas (still around $2.14/liter), and reasonably priced organic milk. Before launching into dinner mode, we were able to talk to the grandkids, Hannah and Devin. Miss them oh so much and everyone’s doing terrific! While Jeff made a dinner of
salmon, mashed potatoes and asparagus, Sadie and I took a walk around the 97-site campground. It appears to be about 50% full…..not bad for September. And Whistler is exactly how I had envisioned it…….dense, healthy forests, dramatic, steep mountain slopes and beautiful architecture….a little like Vail, but not as hoity- toity as Aspen.