We are nearing the end of our westbound travels and the halfway point to the drive. Some how it seems longer than we remember it. Perhaps it is that we were younger when we last mode this trip, 14 years younger. We have been in Vancouver more recently but travelled by air. There is something special about road trips. We talk to almost everyone, some local and some travellers, like us. We met a man in the hotel elevator this morning whose job is to count mountain sheep. Yes that is a thing.
For those of you who have not had the pleasure of visiting the interior of British Columbia know that it is mostly mountains. The Rocky Mountains form the boundary between B.C. and Alberta. As we traveled westward today we passed just north of the Purcell Range and the Selkirk Range; through the Columbia Range and the Monashees into the Okanagan Valley. The Fraser Plateau fills the gap between the Okanagan Valley and the Pacific Ranges which extend onto Vancouver Island, tomorrow’s destination.
Today began with some overcast but now rain. Gradually, the sun broke through to brighten the mountain tops leaving us in the shadows as the highway wound through the valleys. The entirety of Highway #1 in B.C. is being reconstructed. It takes tons of dynamite, or whatever the current construction explosive of choice, to turn mountain side into road beds. It looks like some of the rock removed helps fill the voids. The enormity of the project makes construction equipment look like Tonka toys.
There are a few more photos in the album a couple of which show one of the many snowsheds that direct winter avalanches away from the highway. With a bit of luck we may complete tomorrow’s journey without wildfire delay.
Audrey Niffenegger, Her Fearful Symmetry
There are several ways toreact to being lost. One is to panic: this was usually Valentina’s first impulse. Another is to abandon yourself to lostness, to allow the fact that you’ve misplaced yourself to change the way you experience the world.
The photos didn’t seem to show much smoke haze. But endless construction isn’t fun.
Tonight we will reach a low of 7 under clear skies and little wind.
Sorry about the stops in Banff and Jasper which were a bit of disappointment I’m thinking drive on safely.
Is “low mountain” an oxymoron? 😁