Day 2 Smoke, detours, and surprises

So thick the view disappears across the road.

Day 2  Aug 13

We made it as far as Lac Le Jeune PP south of Kamloops last night, about half way round our long detour route.  High on the Coquihalla highway, it was lovely and cool overnight - 7 C. this am in the camper.  Good thing we brought the thickest down duvet, but who knew we'd need it so soon.

This morning we came back to the Thompson River at Kamloops.  Here, above the mud slides, the river is again a deep and beautiful green.  The air is still smokey, at times visibility is reduced to 100 m.  On the radio we hear that there are 600 wildfires burning in the province, including 150 that started this past weekend.  On the internet, the Fire Service map looks like the whole of BC is aflame.

There was no sunset last night, no sun was even visible.  No Perseid meteor shower for us tonight.  The smoke is acrid at times and my eyes are constantly stinging. Wonder how long this will last?

From the Fraser Canyon and then along the Thompson, we've been following the transcontinental rail lines.  CPR built the first one to unite John A Macdonald's country in 1885, then CN had to build much later on the opposite bank.  The two rail lines still crisscross the canyons at times, but now one is for northbound trains, the other for south.

For two days we've passed 100 car trains filled with goods - grain, coal, sulphur, oil, car carriers and long strands of container cars.  We occupy ourselves imagining what lies within!

By noon we pull into 100 Mile, finally back on our original route after the long scenic detour.  Lunch is at the Chartreuse Moose.  (Why so many Moose themed coffee shops on our travels?)  Sipping my coffee, I look up to see Johanna Wagstaff and Ian Hanomansing walk through the door!  I nearly fell off my stool - my CBC favourites appearing in the most unlikely place!

Ian was chatty and kind to my astonished inquiry "What are you doing here?"  Only afterward did I consider the utter madness of approaching him with my gobsmacked smile, camperized hairdo, and only one earring.  (I'd lost the other one in the camper in the morning and wanted to remember to look for it later.)

So far, our wildlife tally is 2 marmots, several deer, 1 pileated woodpecker, and 2 celebrities.