Manning Park and the BC Hydro Blues: Sunday, May 5th!

Just as a cautious businessman avoids tying up all his capital in one concern, so, perhaps, worldly wisdom will advise us not to look for the whole of our satisfaction from a single aspiration. -Sigmund Freud, neurologist, founder of psychoanalysis (6 May 1856-1939)

Hi Dave and Patrizzia! I apologize for not answering sooner. Hope your back is not ailing you, too, too much. We were away this past weekend, attending a close friend's 65th surprise birthday, in Gibsons, on the Sunshine Coat, a forty minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay terminal, towards Whistler, out of Vancouver. Lady Dar was already in Vancouver, having driven down the Sunday before, [to attend her book club and meet with two couples she will marry this summer], so I drove down with Chloë on Friday. For our two nights in town we stayed with close friend, Elaine.
 

This morning, we were both up reasonably early, just after 7:00 am, to shower and change. Elaine had another incredible breakfast spread waiting: designer yogurt with fresh raspberries and blueberries, a huge turntable filled with cheese/cold cuts and fruit plus her always sought-after baking soda biscuits, warm from the oven. A cup of her wonderful cappuccino and I was in 7th Heaven! Her two close friends, Suzanne and Liz, joined us as they were having a planning session for their trip to Japan this coming October. I told them I would put them in contact with Toshi, our former boarder, [Here for a brief visit in February, on a business trip at a conference in Whistler, beforehand.], as I know she can offer them all sorts of advice about travelling in this wonderful country.

Around 10:00 am we thanked our ever generous host for such a full, delightful stay, and made our goodbyes. Traffic was fairly light on 12th and continued to be so on the highway. Lovely, lovely day and we sped along. Had around 430 km worth of charge when we left Bayswater and felt we had enough juice to reach Manning Park where we knew there was a BC Hydro free charging station as Lady Dar had used it on her way down to Vancouver the previous Sunday. Due to the fact that we were climbing, most of the time, once we left the Fraser Valley outside Chilliwack, most of the way to Manning Park, I was a tad worried that we would have enough in reserve. 

Plus the added fact that I was driving like Sterling Moss, going the speed limit, 110 km/h, and more! [This, of course, uses more juice than driving at a lower speed!] Rare for me but I find the car handles so well that I couldn't help my macho self. Particularly like the fact that one doesn't really need to brake, coming into curves and hairpins as engine does it for you. If Level 1 or 2 or 3 "paddles" are engaged, car slows extremely quickly so one can travel at posted speed right up until one needs to slow safely. As well, the battery is being recharged on any downhill grades so I had fun, at various times, seeing how far I could go without dropping below a certain level, making money, so to speak on the recharging runs. Probably don't need to tell you, Tesla King, any of this stuff, but as a neophyte electric car owner/user everything is a learning experience.

At any rate, we "limped" into Manning with but 52 km on the clock so now know that this run, at speeds I travelled, is very doable. Once we hooked up to charging station we knew that we had about an hour to wait for 80% of full charge to be realized. I took the opportunity to go into the pleasant complex to buy a java and obtain a large cup of hot water for Lady Dar's tea. [She carries her own special blend of Darjeeling which she has imported at great expense, from her favourite plantation in India, charging the considerable fees to our monthly household expenses! A one-way financial street as she won't allow me to claim my malt purchases, even for medicinal purposes!!!] 

The young woman at the counter was from Australia, [here on a work-travel visa for two years], and in chatting with her I discovered she was from Buderim, north of Brisbane, on the Sunshine Coast. [We, of course had just come from "our" Sunshine Coast!] She was surprised that I knew the town but I told her we had good friends there and had visited the area, at least three times, over the years, and even enjoyed a tour of the fascinating ginger factory there.

On the way back to the car I thought I recognized an acquaintance, Rob McKenzie, and his wife, Wendy, walking towards their own car so I called out and we stopped to chat. They were heading in to Vancouver and I mentioned we had just come from there, stopping to recharge. They are interested in an electric vehicle but are waiting for a 4WD vehicle to come on the market. Apparently Tesla will be producing such a one in the near future. [Do you know if this is the case, O Tesla Guru?] 

They feel they need one as the driveway to their home is up a very steep incline, particularly challenging in winter with snow and ice at their elevation, above Naramata Road. I knew this as on one occasion we had talked about the fact that they purchased electric-assist bicycles for just this reason. When they drove away I noticed they had these bikes on the rear rack of their car.

Back at our vehicle I gave Lady Dar her hot water and after finishing my java, snacked on some Old Dutch Ripple Chips, my favourites! As soon as I took the first chip out of the package, a huge raven flew out of one of the surrounding trees and landed a few feet away from me, its glorious feathers glistening, iridescently, in the sunshine, its bright eyes and menacing beak laser focused on the bag. Threw a few towards the bird and it immediately approached closer to "vacuum" the chips, ever so fastidiously, leaving not a single broken bit behind. 

On the next handout, the bird actually gathered all the chips, of various sizes, into its beak and flew off. I presumed it might be taking the food back to a nest.
Shortly thereafter, a car backed into the spot beside us and I started to chat with one of the women from the vehicle. The two couples had been at the Pig Out Festival which they had enjoyed immensely: Between 1-4pm the chefs will be showcasing their hog roasting skills at the outdoor-tented festival, which takes place in the beautiful organic vineyards of Covert Farm in Oliver. A cornucopia of dishes featuring local ingredients will be offered alongside the wineries of the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association, pouring new releases and fan favourites. 

They had to wait for the charger we were using as although there were two stations the plug they needed was the one we had. They were driving a Tesla, [not sure which model], and this was their first long, highway trip. As soon as we were charged we unhooked and much to their dismay the car owner found that the adapter he had did not fit the plug on the BC Hydro "nozzle".  Not quite sure why but he surmised it might have had something to do with the next generation of the charging station, [Not a SuperCharger but very, very quick as we received our 80% charge in just under an hour.], apparently 3rd generation, so perhaps Tesla adapter was configured for an older model. 
 

Anyway, we wished them luck. They had 72 km in the tank and Hope was about 67 km south, [They had SuperCharged here, on way up.], mostly downhill, so driver was confident that they could make it there. Told them we'd see them at Pig Out Fest next year to hear how they managed!

Rest of trip went by in almost a blur as with a full charge I sped along, playing games with those I passed, once a safe opportunity presented itself. The acceleration of the electric motor is quite exhilarating and I zoomed ahead, leaving the gas-guzzlers in the dust! Even though the speed limits on the Hope-Princeton are far lower than on the Coquihalla I think that with the Kona, [discounting an hour for charging], I have come closer to the travel time one can achieve on the Coquihalla, by virtue of being able to negotiate the twists and turns at now higher speeds.

At any rate, the route, always preferable in terms of scenery, has now become a very, very pleasant driving experience. While I'm no engineer, I think that the weight of the batteries, situated mid-vehicle, gives the low slung car extra stability so that it handles like a Formula One winner! I better not let Sarge drive as he really is a speed demon! Really looking forward to charting out our next extended highway trip, presumably to LA, for Christmas. Unfortunately, with Lady Dar's wedding commitments, and our trip to Europe, with Flamin' and Sarge, at the end of August, nothing sooner is likely or even possible.

Back home to be ignored by Etta and Duke, miffed, I suppose, at being abandoned for almost three days and to nights! Great to be home and find that all the plants and flowers had not suffered in our absence. In fact, with the ever warming days, everything is simply thriving.
 
Trust all goes well with you two, other than your back, Dave. Almost nothing worse, in my experience, when I've suffered from such, often squash induced, lower back muscle spasms. I am to see the physio at the Penticton regional Hospital tomorrow at 2:00 pm for an assessment of my shoulder and then begin a program of rehabilitative exercises. Can hardly wait as am itching to be back in the saddle of my road bike. Felt it was necessary to be given go ahead once my right arm and shoulder are strengthened enough as I certainly don't want to do anything that might compromise surgery. 

Fondestos from Lady Dar, busy in the garden, weeding and putting the bedding plants we bought, a little over a week ago, now that overnight temperatures won't be dropping to potentially damaging levels. Stay well. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pics: Breakfast with Elaine, Suzanne and Liz; Manning Park with Tesla People; Etta supervising Lady Dar, when actually working! Being picked up at ferry terminal in Gibsons.                                            Hi all, Yes, I am back in the land of warmth, sun, and beautiful wildflowers. Good to be home! My thanks to Pete for his dedication to Thursday hiking. It is muchly appreciated. I know that the suggestion for this Thursday’s hike is Eagle Bluff. However, after trying some less severe territory a few days ago, I am going to listen to my knee and opt for something a bit more tame. If anyone wishes to pursue plans to hike at Eagle Bluff, please feel free to do so. However, I am going to lead a hike to the Grand Oro mine site on the west side of Orofino Mountain. Hopefully the balsam root will still be in bloom. 

We will: -meet at Home Hardware north parking lot in Penticton at 0900 (0840 at IGA in Summerland). -carpool and drive up the Grand Oro Road, south of Twin Lakes. -explore the area and hopefully find the mine site and a few good views of the surroundings. -return and find a suitable place for debriefing and refreshment. Are you interested? Just send me a quick heads-up to let me know. Cheers, Jim