Day 250 - Fri 3 Apr 2020 - Canada, eh!

We're all keen as custard today and are driving before 9am. We head east to Vantage and then head north along a canyon called the lower Grand Coulee.

Millions of years ago fingers of glacial ice extended all the way into present day USA. Repeated flooding stripped the land of all soil and carved deep canyons into the landscape. The region is known as the Channeled Scablands. Today a chain of lakes of various sizes remain in the ancient river bed. Soap Lake at the southern end of the Grand Coulee is pretty unique in that it has two distinct layers that have not mixed thousands of years!

We climb out of the canyon along State Route 17 and cross the Columbia river again. Then we join the US Route 97 where the Okanagan river (or Okanogan and the Americans call it) empties into the Columbia river. We now follow the Okanagan river all the way to Lake Okanagan and Kelowna.

We stop off in Omak for some lunch and the very last supplies. The border crossing is surprisingly easy. Now hazmat suits, just a friendly border patrol agent welcoming us back to Canada.

The drive is very scenic with beautiful lakes and lots of wineries. Then we finally get our view over Lake Okanagan, it is absolutely huge.

We are all super excited that we managed to make it to our apartment before dinner time so we unpack and settle in.

Since we are in quarantine and not sure how things will change over the next few weeks this will be the last blog post for now. We will be working on adding the missing days from the beginning of our trip. If and when travel is back on the menu we will continue with the blog again.

Thank you all for your interest in our travels!

Be safe!

Today: 463km - 6h38m

Total: 29,766km - 574h33m

Day 249 - Thu 2 Apr 2020 - Ready, Set

Another day spent indoors. The kids try all the TV channels. Janine manages to get the last supplies for the pantry. All set for quarantine in Canada... sounds exciting...

Today: 0km - 0h

Total: 29,303km - 567h55m

Day 248 - Wed 1 Apr 2020 - Washington

We follow the Columbia river for another half an hour on the Oregon side, then we cross into Washington State.

We immediately rise up out of the gorge onto a plateau. The temperature drops and soon we find ourselves in snow again!

Just as sudden, the snow is gone again. The drive is very scenic and the steep gorges have made way for rounded grassy hills. Many kilometers of nothing and then we drive through a pass and approach Ellensburg which is surrounded by hills.

We'll be staying here in our hotel for 2 nights before our big drive to Kelowna, BC. Again we are able to plug the trailer into electricity!

Today: 222km - 2h57m

Total: 29,303km - 567h55m

Day 247 - Tue 31 Mar 2020 - Moving on (Updated with history)

We pack up and are on our way to The Dalles in the Columbia River Gorge. We stop at a few supermarkets along the way and finally manage to replenish our flour stock!! We are filling our pantry in preparation for our 14 day quarantine when we get back to Canada.

Unfortunately all the scenic stops, viewpoints and waterfall trails are closed along the gorge. Another place to come back to, it is stunning. It is also still very wet outside. At one point we are pommeled with hail. We can see Washington State on the other side of the Columbia river.

Thomas Jefferson acquired Louisiana from Napoleon in 1803 and funded the famous Lewis & Clark expeditions from 1804-06 to find a route from the Missouri river to the Pacific ocean. They blazed a trail connecting to the Columbia river gorge and onto the pacific providing a route for the american fur trade using what would be known as the Oregon Trail. The British however also laid claim to the Columbia river watershed in 1811 as part of their fur trade in the Columbia District and had established Fort Vancouver. For many years the "Oregon Dispute" would go on.

By the late 1840 the fur trade started to slow down due to fashion changes and the value of the area diminished for the British. Few British subjects were willing to move 2,500 km to settle in the area. The Americans were far more successful in convincing settlers with the promise of fertile lands in "the garden of the world" and by 1843 the first permanent settlers started to arrive using the Oregon Trail. In 1846 Britain and America signed the Oregon Treaty and Oregon (including what is now Washington State) was ceded to the Americans whilst still retaining good anchorage for the British in Victoria (Vancouver Island). The border was established at the 49th parallel.

We have been reading a book from a travel writer that retraced Lewis & Clark's expedition using their detailed notes. It is nice to be able to see it for ourselves now. Such a shame all the trails and historic sites are closed.

We're staying in a hotel tonight and they are kind enough to let us plug-in the trailer so we can run the fridge and spare the battery.

Today: 265km - 3h46m

Total: 29,081km - 564h57m

Day 246 - Mon 30 Mar 2020 - More rain

It's really is coming down hard today so another day inside.

Today: 0km - 0h

Total: 28,816km - 561h11m

Day 245 - Sun 29 Mar 2020 - Caught in the rain (Updated with photos)

We make a break for it and see the seals on the beach.

But then it starts raining so we double time back to the trailer.

Today: 0km - 0h

Total: 28,816km - 561h11m

Day 244 - Sat 28 Mar - Shopping attempt

Janine tries to restock at the supermarket but the shelves are pretty bare.

Today: 25km - 36m
Total: 28,816km - 561h11m