Heading into the USA tomorrow.

We’ve spent almost a week in Kelowna visiting with family, shopping and getting ready for the next leg of the journey. 

I saw my rheumatologist on Tuesday for a check-up and that will be the last time I’ll see him unless bad things happen again.  I came off prednisone over the summer and am now without any type of anti-inflammatory drugs.  I had been on prednisone for almost two years for polymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritis.  My blood tests are okay and the only symptoms I have are not related to the original problems.  I have been very sore and tired over the past few months but hopefully some of that will improve as my body gets used to being prednisone free.  Coming off prednisone is not a fun thing to do as the body really likes it and gets very dependant.  I now also have the added problem of Barrett’s esophagus – see following link http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/barretts/ which was discovered on a routine upper G.I. scope which I had done while I was having a routine colonoscopy.  Following the scope I developed horrible esophagitis which I am still struggling with.  I never had any reflux disease that I was aware of before but the prednisone and other anti-inflammatory drugs that I took may have contributed to the problem.  So….long story short I must continue on Nexium (proton pump inhibitor for acid suppression) and am not not able to take much of the drugs like ibuprofen that help me with pain.  Swell!  I thought Dr. Shojania would have been more helpful about my pain level but since I don’t have arthritis I guess I’m on my own.   End of health update! Hopefully warm weather, walking and sunshine will help. 

We will cross the border at Osoyoos tomorrow and make our usual first night stop in Othello, Washington at the Wal-Mart.  The weather looks okay and hopefully the snow in the Ely, Nevada area will be gone by the time we get there in the middle of next week.  Once we are down the big hill (7000 ft.) at Ely it will warm up and the possibility of snow will vanish. 

The weather here in Kelowna hasn’t been great but it hasn’t been horrible either. Eric has been riding his bicycle and I have been shopping. I also got to spend a day with my sister Anne so that was nice.  We have enjoyed our stay but it is time to hit the road!  

Parked in Ian & Linda’s driveway in Kelowna

It rained over Saturday night in Cache Creek and was still a bit drizzly on Sunday morning and the temperature was mild at about 10C.  We didn’t leave the Brookside RV park until about 10am as we didn’t have far to go. It did rain as we travelled along to Kamloops but at least it wasn’t snow!

Heading up the hill out of Cache Creek.

Coming into Savona on Kamloops Lake.

We take Highway 97 through Falkland which comes out just north of Vernon.  We avoid the connector from Kamloops to Merritt as there is usually snow between Merritt and Kelowna at this time of the year. 

Coming through Falkland….a very pretty little valley.

South of Vernon heading into Kelowna and the sun is shining.

It turned out to be a nice afternoon and we were set up in our usual driveway spot by 3pm and ready to relax with a beer and catch up on Ian and Linda’s news.  Good to be here.

We are in Cache Creek

It was above freezing and not raining when we left Prince George this morning around 9am.  The traffic was light as it was Saturday morning and things didn’t look too bad.  Just south of Prince George it started to rain and very shortly it turned to snow.  The temperature stayed steady around 2C and it continued to snow, sometimes light and sometimes heavy.  It didn’t stick to the road but it was on the ground in some areas.  Not nice.  I didn’t take pictures as it stresses me out when it snows.  Eric takes it in stride as he spent most of his working career driving big trucks in the winter.  Good thing. 

When we pulled into Williams Lake around noon it was still snowing but looking lighter to the south.  We got fuel and carried on.  Just south of Williams Lake the snow and rain quit and it warmed up a bit.

Leaving Williams Lake.

 

Coming into 100 mile house and the temperature is about 6C.

We expected snow between 100 mile House and Clinton as you are up high….but it was all clear.

The road dried up and it didn’t look too bad. 

We pulled into the Brookside RV park in Cache Creek around 3:30 and we are now all set for the night. $20 for the night but no water or sewer but we have 30amp electricity and high speed internet which is a luxury for us after dial up at home. 

It has clouded over and there is light rain but tomorrow doesn’t look too bad.  Eric got the satellite dish set up and we’ll watch game four of the World Series.  A stressful morning drive but the day is done.

We are in Prince George

It is now 10pm and it is time for me to go to bed.  I do my blog posts from Windows Live Writer and it would no longer post as it said my user name or password were incorrect.  They were correct but it took me hours to figure out how to fix it.  Google had decided to enhance security and protect me from myself!!!  I finally found someone on the internet who told me where to go to change a setting and now I am back in business. 

So long story short we left home at about 8am this morning and arrived at the Bon Voyage Motel/RV park in Prince George at about 3:30pm.  We had a little fog in the morning but for the most part it was a sunny drive.  Tomorrow we will travel to Cache Creek and it will be a rainy day.  Sunday we will head for Kelowna.  If the internet is good tomorrow night I will update the blog. 

I have more to say and also pictures of the day but I am now too tired and need to go to bed. 

Nighty night.

P.S.

I added these the next day.

8am in the morning and it isn’t raining and the house and garden look good.  It has been pouring rain for over three weeks so it will be nice to drive to Prince George without a deluge.

 

 

The Cyclone hooked up and ready to leave it’s summer home for the winter.

 

All the machinery is stowed away out of the elements. 

All is quiet in the fields.

We have just pulled out onto the highway and there is fog ahead.

Well at least it’s not rain.

Coming into Hazelton and it’s all clear.

 

A pretty day and the road is clear.

Hudson’s Bay mountain in Smithers.

South of Vanderhoof.

No more pictures but it was a nice day and tomorrow will not be a nice day.  We had dinner in the Bon Voyage restaurant and it was packed.  The motel is full as there is lot’s going on in Prince George.  The Doobie Brothers and Sara McLaughlin are in town and numerous other events.  Food was good and tomorrow is another day. 

Prince George to Terrace …a pictorial journey!

or

Terrace to Prince George if you start at the end!

Okay so I promised to keep the blog up this summer when we were home….well it didn’t happen.  Not enough time…and dial up internet and …well you get the picture.  When I get time I will fill you in on what happened while we were home but now is not the time.

So these are the pictures of our trip from Prince George to Terrace in May and if you just start at the end and go to the beginning you will find us back in Prince George but now it is the 24th of October and we are heading south again!   That’s cheating but what can I say. 

   

 

For those of you who don’t know….this is bear poop!  

Every year we have about 5 geese show up and they are already here.