North on Rt 1 and 97 in British Columbia

Wednesday and Thursday, June 29-30, 2022

Ironic sign in the rest area in Abbotsford that we spent the night in - several of these look like they've been here more than one day.

First stop was Bridal Falls Provincial Park

Cool flush restrooms at the trail entrance

New growth using old 

Fraser Canyon

Lots of evidence of recent fire here

Spotted on our way to The Chasm

The Chasm

Boondocked all by ourselves in the Provincial Park beside The Chasm. It was a chilly morning so Matthew utilized the subtle cap that our friend Christy Kurtz, the Paddle KC dynamo, gave him.

Lac la Hache

Unfortunately we are now spending the weekend at yet another Ford Dealership in Williams Lake as our alternator has seemed to have died, taking our battery with it. *Tomorrow, Friday, is Canada Day, their independence day so no work tomorrow, none over the weekend, and Monday will be it we hope. Luckily they have a nicely secluded parking lot for us to camp in for the next few days and Williams Lake is celebrating Stampede Days, complete with a rodeo and fireworks.

* They worked us in, found a new alternator, replaced the now dead battery, and we are back on the road at 5:30 pm pdt!

Portland, UUA GA, and Finally Canada

Fri - Tues, June 24 - 27, 2022 Portland, OR

We came to Portland so I could attend the Unitarian Universalist Association's annual General Assembly. The West Hills Fellowship was kind enough to let us camp in the parking lot of their beautiful grounds. At Matthew's urging I approached a woman who walked into the parking lot and asked if she was going to GA and could I get a ride.  She introduced me to her ride and my transportation for the weekend was set. I lucked out with Cass and Merridy, they were lovely companions! 

Hops

Mt. Hood

West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

The birds singing us awake in the morning

This first UUA GA since COVID had about half the in-person attendees and sessions were hybrid live stream/in-person, but I still enjoyed myself.

And joy of joys, I got to spend time with Kelly Wilson with a bonus of seeing her daughter Stephanie. Kelly and I can't get together for lunch in Kansas City but we can visit in Portland, OR 😆

While I did GA Matthew went for a long hike at Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge.

We spent Monday dealing with battery issues, fixed by a generous young vanlifer,  Then the AC seemed to blow so we spent the night outside the Ford dealership. Luckily it was a quick, but not cheap, then had a front end alignment, done to fix a high speed wobble. After a visit with Kendyl, who's in the hospital after having a stroke at GA, we finally headed north. Spent the night in a rest area outside of Abbotsford, BC.

Portland, UUA GA, and Finally Canada

Fri - Tues, June 24 - 27, 2022 Portland, OR

We came to Portland so I could attend the Unitarian Universalist Association's annual General Assembly. The West Hills Fellowship was kind enough to let us camp in the parking lot of their beautiful grounds. At Matthew's urging I approached a woman who walked into the parking lot and asked if she was going to GA and could I get a ride.  She introduced me to her ride and my transportation for the weekend was set. I lucked out with Cass and Merridy, they were lovely companions! 

Hops

Mt Hood

The first in-person GA since COVID had about half the in-person attendees and most everything was a hybrid of online and in person. 

Silver Falls State Park

Friday, June 24

Left Springfield/Eugene area for Portland and made a stop at Silver Falls State Park. Only did the one easy access falls since we wanted to get to Portland and visit our minister, Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons,  who had a stroke after arriving in Portland for the UUA General Assembly. 

Lupines

Friends and Waterfalls

Tuesday, June 21, Umpqua National Forest

Had the delight of meeting up with Sarah and Alan Barlow for the day. This is our 3rd state outside of Missouri that we've met up (Georgia and New Mexico being the others) and it's always so nice and comfortable to spend time with them. They took us for a hike to Trestle Creek Falls, which was gorgeous. Four mile and quite a climb, but I made it, slowly but surely.

A great hike should be followed by a great banh mi and beer

Which should then be followed by yummy ice cream at Salt and Straw

Wedding and Family

 June 14- 20 Springfield, Oregon

We've been hanging out at Matthew's brother and sister-in-law's as everyone preps for neice Cessna's wedding to Balin. 

Me, Cessna, Rux's cousin Mariuca, Forrest taking our order, Nate, Rux, and Mariuca's son Alex

Brother Jake and firance Christina

One of Rux's roses - the way roses florish here may actually be a reason for me to live here

Mother of the bride, Rux, and her sister Mirella - Rux was running around making everything perfect so this is the only photo I have of her

Father of the Bride, Nate, and Cessna

The happily wedded couple

Family and Dentists

 Tuesday, June 14, 2022 Springfield, Oregon

Morning spent with family, lunch with the bride-to-be, a short walk around downtown Springfield to see some of their murals, and then Matthew spent 4 1/2 hours in the dental chair getting an emergency root canal. Luckily he isn't in pain and there is not even any swelling.