la Sept 29 – Kelowna to Ellensburg 

We woke up after a restful night on the Hideaway bed at Charlene’s place (it folds right up and out of the way into a compact side table) and had some excellent omelette du Jour à la chef Charlene.  Yum.

After our à la prochaine (because, apparently, there will be a ‘prochaine’ … and sooner than later as it looks like we will be returning for a ski trip in Feb 2017), we headed off on a small back-track to visit Kangaroo Creek Farm. We thought about going in Feb but they will be closed then so we decided to make the visit now.  What is it?  Well, check it out…

Chris tried to pop the baby roo into her backpack but, apparently, the staff were wise to that old chestnut.  Alas, we remain kangaroo-less on our voyage.

Then it was drive, drive, drive as we had to make some kilometers and miles today.  Yes, miles!  Today we crossed into the United States of America.  They were more on the ball at the border than we were, though…

Border agent: “How long have you been traveling?”
Us: “Do you remember?  No, do you remember? What day of the week is it?”
Border agent: “How long will you be in the U.S.?”
Us: “We haven’t decided yet.  Somewhere between one month and three.”
Border agent: “When were you last in the U.S.?”
Me: “A few days before we left on this trip.” (the date of which I didn’t remember)
Chris: “When we went to Vermont.” (neither of us could remember when that was)
Border agent: (rolled eyes) “Do you have any fruits or vegetables?”
Us: “We have some sliced peppers in a zip-lock bag in the cooler.”
Border agent: “THOSE PEPPERS ARE PROHIBITED GOODS, sir!”
Border agent: (after we left) “Stupid Canadians!”
Us: (after we crossed) — “haha, he missed the banana!”

Then we drove, drove, drove.  Probably further and longer than we should have since it was dark and we had to go over a high mountainy pass.  (See how the Prius’s gas consumption mimics the climb up the pass…)  Then peaking over the top of the hill — whoosh, whoosh — the first of many wind turbine blades rising out of the dark and the mist.  It was absolutely surreal.  Next thing we are surrounded by turbines silently (from our vantage point) collecting energy and injecting it into the grid.

We finally got to Ellensburg (not an intended “destination” per-se but a destination for tonight none-the-less).  DQ supplied dinner and the local Kampgrounds (sic) of America (KOA) provided the plot of land for our tent.