A drive to remember
Kelowna is five hours from Lynden, separated by a couple layers of both rugged and soft-featured mountain ranges. The first significant pass along the way the Coquihalla highway (between Hope and Merritt). The incredible alpine vista the Coquihalla offers is matched in my experience only by Washington Pass along Highway 20 in this state.
This leg of the journey ends in Merritt--a sprawling place right on the edge of the east side hill-country. The change at that point is striking...the green of the early spring grass on the sparse hills will probably turn a bright tan in the summer, but for now it is a sight to behold--with the darker clumping of brush adding character and also perspective on the expansiveness of it all. What a sharp contrast and relief (if relief were needed) from the bold, imposing, tree-robed peaks along the Coquihalla!
The drive from there to Kelowna is relatively downhill... I coasted for a long time...saving a significant amount of gas.
On the drive back, you realize just how low Kelowna is, compared to the surrounding Okanogan ranges. The first major climb is a real killer: a consistently high-grade climb that lasts for about 20 minutes--all this, when the speed limit is set at about 70 mph (translated from kph), makes for a huge vehicular challenge, requiring Smokey to do 3.5k rpm in order to keep a consistent speed--which I maintained at about 60 mph in 4th gear...I must have burned almost a quarter of my tank in that 20 minutes!
Regarding the conference itself, I'd do better to direct you to Gloria's blog posts here and here, because I have the same exact set of pictures she does, due to a few instances of "file-sharing" over the weekend.
This leg of the journey ends in Merritt--a sprawling place right on the edge of the east side hill-country. The change at that point is striking...the green of the early spring grass on the sparse hills will probably turn a bright tan in the summer, but for now it is a sight to behold--with the darker clumping of brush adding character and also perspective on the expansiveness of it all. What a sharp contrast and relief (if relief were needed) from the bold, imposing, tree-robed peaks along the Coquihalla!
The drive from there to Kelowna is relatively downhill... I coasted for a long time...saving a significant amount of gas.
On the drive back, you realize just how low Kelowna is, compared to the surrounding Okanogan ranges. The first major climb is a real killer: a consistently high-grade climb that lasts for about 20 minutes--all this, when the speed limit is set at about 70 mph (translated from kph), makes for a huge vehicular challenge, requiring Smokey to do 3.5k rpm in order to keep a consistent speed--which I maintained at about 60 mph in 4th gear...I must have burned almost a quarter of my tank in that 20 minutes!
Regarding the conference itself, I'd do better to direct you to Gloria's blog posts here and here, because I have the same exact set of pictures she does, due to a few instances of "file-sharing" over the weekend.
posted by Mark at 8:18 PM
Thankyou for taking that ride over to Kelowna. It is a great boost to help us keep going. I hope everyone had a great beneficial and fun weekend, and I hope you will all come again!
Driving through Washington and BC is defnitely awesome...Only done it a litle bit myself, but it was great anyways.
Reminds me of a West to East Washington trip I took so long ago. Awesome that two such extremes exist within such small proximity! (Your river valleys on the other hand are about as exciting as a beach ball.)
You know what? I only posted like 27 pictures on my blog. And in total I have over a hundred. *sigh* I'm a picture taking nut. Thank you once again for being our guide.
Was that an insult? or are beach balls very exciting for you?
Wow Mike, you're so quick :P The valleys are flat as a board and its "hills" pop out here and there like pimples... Your mountains, on the other hand, are something else :)
Now Ruth, I admit I don't know about Ontario, but I married a guy from Upstate NY and I have to admit that their "mountains" remind me of the hills in our river valleys. Don't get me wrong: I think they are beautiful, but a bit tame when compared to the ruggedness of WA. I hope you and Mark come down to the Finger Lakes next August and see for yourself. The scenery is so picturesque - probably because of all the Old-order Mennonites in the area.
Good point, Sarah. I bow out of the argument: I guess I was smarting a bit from that earlier glowing description of Washington :P As for the Fingerlakes --simply gorgeous! My parents have been there twice and the pictures they returned with are dazzling. It's a good hope :)
But I love our mountains. They are just gorgous. I don't see where the argument is. I'm sure that other mountains are nice too. But.. I just don't see the argument.
It's okay, Gloria, it is just a friendly discussion about East vs. West. You know, the question that I get asked most often about the NW is "Doesn't it rain 9 months out the year there?"
Ruth: Excellent - looking forward to it. Oh, and you will get to meet the newest Miller. (who will be almost 2 months by then, D.V.)
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