Lakes and mountains galore

Following a lazy morning in Nakusp we watched a kids’ swimming lesson in the lake and then headed to Nelson. We visited a beautiful, flower-filled Gyro park overlooking the town and lake and where a kid’s outdoor swimming pool operating by donation only. How brilliant!

Then we took ourselves on a tour of the town’s breweries. After a few “flights” of several beers and some potent cider, we drunkenly weaved our way back to Fred where beer muchies kicked in. The next morning we headed to the Lakeside Park and mooched about nursing hangovers while being mesmerised by bald eagles flying right over us. A trip to Save on Foods resulted in us buying an inflatable kayak that we had seen being used in a lake recently. The kayak, paddle and bouyancy aid for $125 – what a bargain! That afternoon we rented a SUP for only $12 for the afternoon from the community subsidised outlet on the lake (did I say that I loved Nelson?) and off we went. Me in the kayak, Pete on the SUP.

It got a bit windy and choppy in places and Pete did really well, staying dry. Then we swapped over. I was playing around with different canoe strokes and suddenly I was in for a dip. Of course, Pete thought this was hilarious! I could manage a Tree yoga pose on it though.

We decided to treat ourselves to a rare dinner out as we’d seen a Morrocan place. Ooh yum! And then a visit to the one last brewery we’d not been able to make the night before (and a revisit to a second one). Another meandering back to the van followed!

After breakfast on the lakeside, while watching some softball, we headed to Castlegar. We took a look at the Brilliant Suspension bridge and then onto the Merry Trails for some mountain biking. It was a relentless climb up the Merry Go Round and then Mr Greens Jeans but the downs of Mr Greens Jeans and Hail Merry seemed worth it.

The wood structures on the black trails looked pretty gnarly and we saw the result of what happened when you fell short of the gap jump – eek !  Thank goodness that didn’t happen to our Wal-Mart bikes – bad enough that Pete’s handlebars keep trying to come off!

We found a nice quiet park for dinner and then were recommended, by a friendly local, a place right on the Columbian Riverfront to stay for the night. Strange to think we’d followed the same river in Oregon, America. Once all the fishermen left, we had the place to ourselves and it was so peaceful and the stars were amazing too.

We crossed the river to Millenium Park the next morning just in time for me to join a free yoga class – how ace!!!

We drove to Christina Lake and “splashed out” on a lakeside campsite. Pete had a nap while I kayaked to the far end of the lake and back.

After a quick dip in the lake and fuelled by an ice cream, we cycled up (and up and up) to old Fife Station on the Kettle Railway Trail and cycled over two old trestle bridges to Cascade Gorge and waterfall.

We got back to the campground for dinner on the communal campsite BBQ. What a treat!

The next morning we squeezed Rubber Ducky into Fred and set of in death of another lake. We didn’t have to go far and soon I was launching the kayak on Jewel Lake. There was some eerie animal calls which turned out to be Loons (a large bird with a black head and white ringed collar), but they did sound a bit like wolves for a minute.

Although I set off in bright sunshine, the weather looked a bit dodgy and soon the wind picked up. Fine when it was behind me but not great as a headwind in a kayak that doesnt track too well. As I was near the far end of the lake, I decided to turn around and head back and soon the rain started, then the thunder.

I got back to shore in the rain and Pete was waiting having decided the Provincial Park campsite had too many mossies. We decided to deflate Rubber Ducky and carry on West.

We found a lovely, riverside campsite at a recreation area called Jolly Creek which was, not only free of mossies, but also free of charge for the night. Pete was a very happy camper!