I've gone on several extended trips with my friends Rob and Brad. The first time we went it was just for a couple of days, hiking in Kananaskis. Then we went to Utah twice... the first time in 2013, and then again in 2015. Since early this summer we have been making plans for another trip together. With the exchange rates being what they are at the moment... and the uncertain political environment south of the 49th, we decided to stay in Canada this year. I booked a week at the Courtenay Beach House, out on Vancouver Island. The girls and I stayed here back in the spring of 2016 and were really impressed with the place. It is a large home, right on the beach in Courtenay, and is very central to a number of excellent locations nearby.
On Friday October 18th, Brad met me at the shop. We spotted his car in the yard and hit the road in my truck. We got a pretty early start and were out of the city shortly after 7:00AM. We traveled south and then west... through Rocky Mountain House, Nordegg, Saskatchewan Crossing and joined the Trans Canada Highway at Lake Louise. From there we continued west through Field, Golden, Revelstoke and on to Sicamous. There we turned south off the Trans Canada and headed down through Armstrong and Enderby and on to Vernon. Rob used to live in Beaumont, south of Edmonton, but moved to Vernon shortly before our 2015 trip to Utah.
We arrived in Vernon in the late afternoon, just as the fall light was fading. We stayed at Robs place that Friday night. Rob and his wife Monique put on a big spread for us with steaks, potatoes, corn, salad and grilled veggies. We sat up for a while in the evening visiting and discussing our plans for the upcoming week.
It was nice to get back together again and rekindle the friendship and camaraderie that we had developed over our previous adventures. Rob and Brad have known each other for around 30 years and I am the relative newcomer to this group. Brad and I got stuck in Butte Montana for three days back in 2015 when the clutch dropped out of my truck on the way home from Utah. Needless to say we spent a lot of time together there, waiting for the truck to be repaired. We all hit it off nicely together and I really enjoy getting together with these guys. This will definitely not be our last trip together and we hope to make it an annual event from now on.... or at least semi-annual....
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