April 2015 - Fort Langley

 

April 9th - Fort Camping at Brae Island Regional Park

We crossed the border without much fanfare at the Aldergrove crossing Wednesday morning and arrived at our campsite shortly thereafter. I handed over 2 dozen farm eggs though. I knew about the poultry being exempt but did not think about eggs. Oh well.

Ray pulled the coach up to the office at 11:00am and they were busy switching offices from the General Store where they were set up for the winter to the gate for the Spring/Summer season. The campsite that they had earmarked for us with 50amp service, (that we paid 50% for the beginning of January) had "horders" in the spot that had not left yet. They tried to get them to move out for 2 days before we arrived. What a mess. The whole front of the site was mud as they parked 2 vehicles there all winter and tore up the grass. We ended up with our campsite we had last fall (30amp) and watched the process. After taking away 3 pickup loads of junk (to where I do not know) and apparently filled up 2 of the dumpsters that was not allowed, finally at 3:30 pm a tow truck arrived to tow the old trailer away.  They say you cannot reserve sites ahead of time only give them suggestions of the sites you would prefer and would not give us a 50amp 2 spots over that was empty so quite a kerfuffle between Ray and the manager. Oh well we decided to just stay with the same spot as moving everything again into a site that was not acceptable (muddy) we would just have to put up with 30amp service.

The side of our lot.

This is the last load of junk! Originally you could not see the ground as the pile was 4 feet high!

        

        

                                                                    There goes the last load!

It even hailed shortly after we set up. Welcome to the cold wet north!

April 9th - Busy Week, Easter and trip to Vancouver Island

It has been a busy week catching up with family. Last Thursday we popped in to see my Dad and Betty for a couple of hours. It was great to see them again after 5 1/2 months. Friday, grocery shopping was in order as Garrett was coming to stay for the weekend to celebrate his birthday (it was on March 31st).  I made Chicken Oscar, Saturday morning it was time to make Garrett's favorite breakfast, eggs bene. Later on Saturday we picked up Ray's mom and brought her back to the campsite to visit and then she took all of us out to the Beatnik Bistro here in Fort Langley for Garrett's birthday dinner. A great feast was had by all.

We started out with smoked tuna carpaccio and coconut prawns.

That's my boy, hard to believe he is 34

Sunday after french toast with bacon (boy that boy loves to eat!) we sent Garrett on his way and drove into Coquitlam to see my Aunt Norma and Uncle Ken as they were leaving on Monday for a 2 week cruise and we did not want to miss seeing them. We took them and their friend Judy out for lunch at one of their favorite places to eat, the John B Pub. We spent a lovely couple of hours catching up and then I drove us home. Ray was pretty well spent sitting at the restaurant even with his back support. So to bed with him on ice.

Monday we loaded the car with the stuff we were taking back to the island storage locker (changing out the Christmas stuff and bringing back the fishing stuff). We stayed at Garrett's overnight in North Van and left Freya with him so we could stay at hotels for the next 2 days and not worry about having to walk her. What a kid ... puts clean sheets on his bed for us and he sleeps on the couch. While waiting for Garrett to come home from work we parked at Cate's Park on the water.

Tuesday, Ray, and I were out the door by 5:45 am to catch the 7am sailing from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo. After picking up mail (thanks Ryan!) and exchanging storage items, we checked into the Howard Johnson Hotel in Nanaimo (never again!) and went to our doctor's appointment. (The main reason we had to go to Nanaimo.) Later in the afternoon we took a walk through Maffeo-Sutton Park to stretch our legs. It was an absolutely stellar day with the weather, warm and sunny.

View at the back of the hotel.

Dinner was at our favorite sushi place, Nori's by Costco. Yumm.

After dinner we stopped at our friends Janice and Gary's for a surprise visit to catch up. (We did not call anyone as we were unsure how Ray was going to be after a long day, but with me doing all of the driving and Ray able to have rest periods at the hotel it was okay.)

Wednesday morning it was back to the doctors for Ray's second appointment and then I drove us to Victoria for his physiotherapist appointment. Again the weather was beautiful for the drive down island. First stop was lunch at the Spinnaker's Brew Pub. Ray and I shared a flight of their brews (mostly me) and had a wonderful lunch.

The hotel I booked in Victoria was the Stathcona Hotel where the well-known Sticky Wicket Pub is located. A very old hotel wonderfully restored with updated rooms. Here is a picture of a church across the street.

After checking in and relaxing, Ray went to his physio appointment that was only a few blocks away. By dinner time we were so tired of eating large meals we decided to find this little restaurant in China Town that we had been to before and ate War Wonton Soup. It was fabulous and just the thing after a busy couple of days.

China Town

We were again up fairly early and checked out by 7:30 am to catch the 9am ferry back to the mainland.

Passing the other ferry in Active Pass

We picked up Freya from Garrett's and were home by 12:30 to the coach. It was sure nice to just sit in the afternoon sun and do nothing! (Well laundry was going and the stuff was put away so not quite nothing!)

Hopefully this week things will settle down a bit.

April 11th - Tulip Festival Agassiz

Ray happened to notice a small article on the Vancouver Sun website regarding a Tulip Festival in Agassiz for the first 2 weeks of April. We decided to go and see it yesterday before the rains came and the last day was Sunday. What a beautiful walk. The fields are on Native land and they bus you to the fields. Parking was $5 and $3 each to see the fields. Very cheap entertainment.

After we left the fields on the way back to Fort Langley we stopped in to see some RV friends of ours, Bill and Pam Freckleton, and had a good chin wag regarding what we all had done for the last year. It was great catching up. Loved to see you guys.

April 17th - Alouette Lake

 

Yesterday was dental appointment day. Being new patients here in Fort Langley, we were there for 3 hours. Yuck! Anyways after our teeth were cleaned, polished, and checked by the dentist and we were back home at noon. It was such a gorgeous day we decided to do a bit of a road trip to Alouette Lake on the other side of the Fraser River.  It has been years since we were there.

Once we drove over the new Golden Ears Bridge, we stopped at a Restaurant just across the river from Fort Camping (but you have to drive all the way around), called the Kingfisher Waterfront Bar and Grill. They have great beers on tap, a great menu and very reasonable prices. Great view of the old ferry dock on the other side right by Fort Camping. It would've taken a 5 minute ferry ride but took about 1/2 an hour to drive around  plus $3 each way on the bridge since the ferry no longer operates the crossing. They should institute a passenger ferry in the summer, I am sure it would greatly benefit the restaurant with all of the tourists at Fort Langley and campers as well as Fort Langley would benefit as the Maple Ridge residents that used to take the ferry over here for the day for ice cream etc.

Pretty non-descript back of restaurant. The views are all from the sundeck. It sure was nice to see kids able to come in and eat as well with the new liquor laws.

View from the sundeck of the old ferry dock on the Fort Langley side of the river. Our campsite is only 1/4 mile from there.

Anyways after a wonderful lunch of fish and chips we were off to Alouette Lake.

As you can see a gorgeous view. There sure is not very much snow on the mountains though. Ray commented on how low the lake is by the dam. Looks like it is down several feet overall.

On the way back to the Golden Ears Bridge we stopped at a place by the restaurant we were told about and picked up a bunch of firewood (cedar) for $30. I loaded it up while Ray walked Freya. It filled up 1/2 of the back of the car so Freya was a little squished coming home. Again it was directly across the river from us too bad no ferry! When we got back home I started a fire and we spent a couple hours relaxing outside in our loungers. A great day.

April 18th - Taking Mom to Granville Island 

On Friday afternoon Ray and I picked up Mom and went downtown to Granville Island to walk around. It sure was a beautiful day, although windy on the water. Found a parking spot in the shade for Freya and then we walked around and looked at all of the produce and meat. Wow, we could have spent a fortune, but as we were going out for dinner afterwards we did not buy anything as it would have been hard to keep it cool. (Also, Freya may have helped herself to the meat as she can open the cooler with her nose!) There are lots of interesting shops surrounding the actual market. They even had one that made brooms ... Ray thought I should get one!

Walking towards the market we passed the Ocean Concrete Company with their painted silos.

In August 2014, Ocean Concrete, a company who has been on Granville Island since 1917 has transformed it’s six dull concrete silos into one big piece of public art with the help of two Brazilian street artists known as Os Gemeos. The duo are twin brothers from Sao Paolo, Brazil, and this mural is their first project in Canada.

On to the market.

Look at those luscious strawberries.

No mam we are Dussa's not Dusso's who are just across the isle.

Next, we took a walk outside to look at the waterfront activities.

The park where we walked Freya before heading back downtown for dinner.

The Vancouver City Library

One of Mom's favorite places to eat in an old historic house. 

A wonderful day and fantastic meal. Thanks Mom!

April 20th - Dinner at the Cactus Club with Dad, Betty and Garrett

Garrett spent the weekend washing and hand waxing the roof for us, which included removing all of the solar panels. Took all day Saturday. On Sunday after reinstalling the solar panels with all new screws I helped him wash the sides of the coach so we are done with the roof for another year. This is the first time we have waxed the roof since we purchased the coach 2 years ago (did not know we were supposed to) and by looking at it Ray does not think the previous owners did it either. Oh well, it is done properly now with all of the oxidization removed. Thank you Garrett!

We finally managed to convince Dad to come out for dinner Sunday night to treat both him and Betty to a meal as she always cooks a great one for Ray and I when we are in town. Garrett was able to come as well. The Cactus Club in Langley was our chosen destination. We had great food and good conversation. Even Dad enjoyed his meal of Steelhead and sent back compliments to the chef.

April 22nd - The Birthplace of British Columbia

Ray here at the wheel... err keyboard again. For some reason Deb doesn't do old forts, go figure. Sooo... off I go to the Fort Langley National Historic Site established in 1923.  Fort  Langley was built in 1827 at its original location, chosen by Governor Sir James Douglas, near Derby on the Fraser River.  The Commander of the Royal Engineers, Colonel Richard Moody, decided this location to be impossible to defend and moved the fort to its current location on Bedford Channel of the Fraser River.  Construction began in 1859.

15' Outer Wall with corner Turrets

Trading window where goods were bought or sold without citizens entering the fort.

Storage and housing buildings 

Apartment building for employees and servants

View from the Commanders Residence Porch 

Storage building circa 1840 (the only remaining original building)

The fort was used as a trading post by the Hudson Bay Company and used to garner the trade away from the Americans and thus influence the coming border settlement with the United States.  When the furs started to abate, the first nation chief pressed the HBC to accept salmon and cranberries.  Salted salmon began shipping to Hawaii and cranberries to California.  These new products posed a challenge for storage and shipping.  The HBC employees (called coopers) made wooden barrels to export the goods, a key to the forts success. The fort had a large farm, worked by the first nations peoples, that produced enough produce to export these as well provide for the fort.

Barrel construction workshop. 

Barrels and barrels of barrels (sorry I just had to say that)

Cranberries and salmon

Furs

The amount of planking and lumber needed for the fort and all these barrels created a job that continued daily.

Rack for cutting lumber 

Many of the goods brought to the fort and supplies purchased and brought back to various settlements were transported by a "Bateau".  It took eight men five days to paddle up the Fraser River from Fort Langley to Fort Hope.

The fort took on the moniker of "The Birthplace of British Columbia".  In 1858, the discovery of gold changed the fort from a modest trade and provisioning post to the center of the gold rush.  Fearful of an American takeover of the resource-rich region, the British government quickly made a move.  At the fort on November 19, 1858, the newly-sworn-in Governor James Douglas proclaimed the Colony of British Columbia.  Eight years later, in 1866, the Colony of British Columbia merged with the Colony of Vancouver Island, with Victoria as the capital.

Original painting of the British Columbia Proclamation

Well worth the $7.80 admission.

April 26th - British Motor Car Invasion

 

Garrett came for a visit yesterday (Saturday) in time for breakfast and stayed until after Mom fed him breakfast on Sunday.  The three of us went to visit Dad and Betty for coffee and very yummy cinnamon buns.  Thanks Betty!  While he was here I... yes Ray again at the keyboard, captured a picture of two "angels".

"Two" cute, Freya and sister from another mister, Kira.

When Garrett left, he pulled over to call us that a British Motor Car invasion had occurred at the Fort Langley City Hall.  Deb and I decided to hop in the car for a visit.  Here's a few pictures...

Love those grills!

My day was capped by seeing a 1964 Mustang, similar to my first car except mine had a V6 rather than the small block V8 289.  I'd love to have one in convertible!