All posts by Dave

Naramata

Gallery April 12, 2022 Dave Leave a comment

Backstory

This summer after having my birthday, I decided to make a few little goals to work towards as I approach a year that makes me somewhat uncomfortable (dancing around the mid-life years can be such an unexpected mind-F!). I have always prided myself on living an active lifestyle and have come to enjoy the pains and pleasure that come with distance running. I decided that I would throw some actual focus on properly training for a 13 mile trail run. I have achieved this distance in the past but always was certain to choose flat courses during fair weather months. I’m getting more used to powering through the rain and inclement weather as I have lived in WA for 12+ years now, however running in the rain or snow and cold is NOT my jam. My guy is an avid trail runner and offered to help me find a trail to run with views to help make this goal even more satisfying. In my mind, I thought I would be going for a run in the late spring/early summer or something. You know, when it’s warming up. He suggested a run that he had done in the past that was in October outside of Vernon. I technically had enough time to train, quieted the rational voices in my head and went for it.

He did the planning and we ended up torturing, I mean enjoying ourselves, through the trails around Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park. The course was an original that he came up with based on races he had done with the Dirty Feet Running Club. It was one of the hardest things I have ever physically done, but wow, it was spectacular. We ended up with perfect fall weather, encountered few other people and I achieved my first birthday goal. I would absolutely recommend checking out Lake Kalamalka. There were all levels of trails making it accessible to everyone.

As a reward for my achievement, I knew I had a surprise waiting for me on the other end. He does this for me sometimes (which drives me a bit crazy but I completely love it), where he tells me he has a surprise and I get one guess per day leading up to it. I will be the first to admit, he would corroborate this for sure, I am not a professional class guesser. It usually goes something like this- 1) Are going someplace? 2) Are we driving? 3) Have I been there? 4) Is it North/South/East/West?…. You get the idea. He is sweet, humors me and eventually time is on my side, and I get my surprise. After getting a “yes” to the first question of “Are we going somewhere? “, guessing was futile as my geographical knowledge of BC is limited to say the least. So after the run, I hobbled myself to the car, melted into the seat and stared out the window watching the gorgeous fall day unfold on the way to my well-earned surprise.

Getting there…

As we made our way from Lake Kalamalka down highway 97 towards Kelowna, it was easy to get lost in the beautiful scenery passing by….even if your muscles are aching and your head isn’t quite right from just running 13 miles. As a Californian transplant to the Pacific Northwest, the shoulder seasons continually surprise and delight me in so many ways. The fall colors that decorate the tall mountains and lakes are truly spectacular. If you have never experienced a road trip through southern British Columbia in the Fall, you are missing out. I threw out a guess that we were going to Kelowna for my surprise and was quickly shot down. We continued down the highway which borders the Okanagan lake, and after passing through some cute little lake towns I spied a plateau across the lake that had a series of orchards and vineyards all the way to the edge. Being that it was Fall, the colors were in full effect. Yellows, oranges, different shades of rust, it was gorgeous. I commented on how beautiful it was and asked what it was, and that was when I got my smile that told me I had discovered where we were going. He said we were going to Naramata, which still meant nothing to me, but I was excited to find out.

Where we stayed….

The best part of being surprised is that I didn’t have to do any of the arrangements! We rolled through town and made our way to an adorable house that had the AirBNB we would be spending the next few days. It was named The Naramata Creek Guest House and it was ADORABLE. The hosts were thoughtful about every detail and embodied the spirit of the area. It was a bed and breakfast, so we were able to put in our requests for home made treats such as muffins, crepes, sausage, coffee/lattes that arrived through an adorable pass through closet at our requested time. Apparently, the house is blessed with magical treat fairies, and we were surprised on a few occasions by chocolates and wine. The bed was comfortable and the hot tub was exactly what my sore body needed. Outside of having to walk up a steep flight of stairs to get to the suite, it was perfect. I hope to go again sometime, it was really special.

What we ate….

We arrived right after the end of the season and many wineries and restaurants were closed for the winter. By the time we arrived on the day of the epic run, it was fairly late so our choices for food were dictated by what was open. The universe was smiling on us because we lucked out and ended up at The Bistro at Hillside Winery. We were able to sit outside with the heaters and the ambiance of the tall, wooden winery was hard to beat. The server was friendly and attentive and put no rush on us despite it being the end of the evening. We shared a special for 2 with lamb that was amazing. She paired it with a red wine and I have zero complaints on anything that evening.

Breakfasts were taken care of at the suite, and every morning was better than the previous. It is such a treat to not have to cook or go anywhere for that first meal of the day. It is even more of a treat, when you get to enjoy it in a cozy robe after a morning hot tub too! The Naramata Creek Guest House is next level…. GO THERE! You’re welcome.

We enjoyed a lovely charcuterie platter and pasta with a glass of white wine at Serendipity Winery. The grounds were beautiful and there was a great covered patio that we were able to sit at. The service couldn’t compare to the previous evening and you did get the sense that the staff was winding down for the off season. Being in wine country does put me in such a good mood that the view made up for anything that was lacking on the service side.

2 other places we visited on this weekend getaway were Therapy Vineyards and Legends Distillery. The property at Therapy was more memorable than the wine for me. The vineyards stretch out over the plateau with the lake beyond it. It was easy to just stare out there and half ignore the quirky but nice enough person pouring our tastings. The gin at Legends distillery was excellent. The person serving was friendly and knowledgeable about the history of the distillery and the spirits they make there. The building was full of personality and we purchased a nice bottle of gin to take home as a souvenir.

Our final dinner wasn’t the highlight of the trip but it was fun nevertheless. Reservations were a must for the popular restaurants so we ended up with 2nd choice. We made the short drive down to Penticton, hoping to try out Elma’s ( a cool looking Turkish restaurant) but ended a few doors down at Salty’s Beach House. The food was just ok for bar type fare, as were the drinks, but people watching was fun as our neighboring patron was super stoned and wasn’t trying to hide it. It is likely a blast in the summer being right on the beach, but for a romantic weekend trip I would pass next time.

One last winery we hit up on our way out of town worth mentioning was 50th Parallel Estate Winery and BLOCK ONE restaurant located between Kelowna and Vernon. It was a bit off the highway but the modern building nestled in the vineyards overlooking the north part of the Okanagan Lake was something to be seen. The food and service was as good as the surroundings. We didn’t partake in any tastings but the bustling tasting room led me to believe that it was topnotch.

What we did….

I have to say the activities mostly involved eating, drinking and enjoying the Guesthouse, but there were plenty of trails and scenery to enjoy nearby as well. We took some lovely drives to check out the new mansions and estates that occupy the area. We followed some roads up on the north end of town that provided spectacular views of the lake and the plateau.

We visited Creek Park, which was a lovely little trail right off the main road that led us to a waterfall. We also took a nice, flat recovery run on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail. Everything was green and the paths were all well kept with few people around, just how we like it.

Parting thoughts…

I have such warm feelings when thinking back on our visit to Naramata. I love discovering new places and feeling that appreciation for how much is out there in the world to be seen. I have been to wine country in California, which is lovely, but the combination of the sparkling water and the manicured agriculture in this region of British Columbia was something else. I hope to take another trip here, maybe in the summertime to experience it during the on season, but Fall was great for avoiding the crowds and seeing how nature unfolds before winter. This trip was perfect in so many ways and I couldn’t be more grateful for my guy’s knack for knowing how to surprise me with new and wonderful places.

-P.R.

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Lobster Spaghetti at Taverna Luma Not Good

Gallery November 1, 2021 Dave Leave a comment

Lost the photo.

British Columbia

Houseboat For Sale in Salmon Arm

Gallery August 28, 2014 Dave Leave a comment

There are 2 staterooms like this. Another one with a raised bed and closet. There are 3 cuddy sleeping areas with double beds and a room with a double size bunk bed.

The hot tub makes the boat fun even in the rain and cooler months of the year.

There are 2 bathrooms. The main bathroom has a shower as well.

63 Foot Vessel of Fun

Your new houseboat is better than a cabin at the lake for a lot less! With capacity to sleep 17 people, you can host your entire family! You have all the amenities of home with a fully furnished and ready to enjoy houseboat. The kitchen is fully stocked with 2 dual power fridges, a microwave, coffee maker, toaster, full size propane stove, pots, pans, dishes, utensils, glasses, cups, and even stemware.

I already replaced all these items with new replacements, so you don’t have to worry about them:
Major leg service. Required dry dock and disconnecting from engine. Over $3000.
Starter
Alternator
Distributor
Starter Battery
Bank of 6, 6V Batteries. Over $1200.
Engine Water Pump
Engine Impeller
Hot Tub Heater. This is a rare unit worth over $1500 including install.
Top deck outside speakers.
Furnace Thermostat.

Specs
Model: Waterway Houseboats Mirage, built in 1996
Sleeps: 17
3 staterooms with double beds.
3 cuddies with double beds.
1 room with 2 double bunk beds.
1 96” sofa in the living room.

Kitchen: fully equipped
Dishes, cups, glasses, wine glasses, utensils, etc.
Propane stove – 4 burners and full size oven.
2 Dometic dual power fridges. Run on propane and/or electricity.
Microwave
Coffeemaker
BBQ on the deck.

Living and Dining Area
Dining table with leaf to seat 6.
2 Barstools
Large 96 inch sofa.
Wet bar.
TV & DVD player.
Stereo with auxiliary input.
Steering helm with VHF radio and fish finder.
18 life vests.

Bathrooms
3 piece bath includes shower, sink, and toilet.
2 piece bath includes sink and toilet.
Hot Tub: 8 person. Fills from lake and heats within 2 – 4 hours with efficient and new propane heater.
Top Deck – large and open with the 8 person hot tub and a bimini cover for the front area of the deck which is not shown in any of the pictures as I prefer the sunshine. The cover is included. There’s also a steering helm and stereo for the top deck. As noted, the top deck speakers were replaced with top rated Pioneer marine grade speakers.

Maintenance Costs
Winterize and summerize: $200 – $300 each.
Insurance: $1450 per year.
Park Fees: $15 per night is the cost to park at any of the provincial parks on the Shuswap Lake system. A season pass can be purchased for about $600.
Taxes: $0. This is another benefit over a cabin on the lake.

Length: 63’
Width: 16’
Height: 18’ to top of bimini, 12’ to top of structure. (Approximate.)
Weight: 26,000 pounds (Approximate.)
Fuel Capacity: 750 litres (Approximate.)
Holding Tank: 800 litres (Approximate.)
Engine: Volvo Penta 3L
Power: 6 x 6 volt deep cycle cabin batteries charged by alternator or shore power. System includes battery isolator and Heart Interface power inverter for 110V.
Propane: 4 x 60 pound tanks.

Make this amazing floating cabin yours for way less than any waterfront property on the Shuswap. Call, text or email to setup a viewing. It’s currently moored in Canoe, near Salmon Arm.
Yours for $89,900! Call Dave today at 250-574-2932.

British Columbia

Sicamous from Kamloops by Houseboat

Gallery June 12, 2014 Dave Leave a comment

The Crew: Jonas, Kent, and I.
The Mission: Voyage our 63′ houseboat 157 kms from the Dot Calm Marina in Kamloops to Waterways Houseboats in Sicamous.

First I spent days preparing for the journey by making sure all the components on the boat were operational after the winter. Fuel also needed to be hauled to the boat, so I made several trips to transfer fuel to fill the tank for the long, upstream voyage.

The other major challenge was getting the CN Rail bridge in downtown Kamloops opened. My first contacts with CN were useless. Finally through some personal connections I reached Sheridan Walker (250-371-1612), who coordinated the necessary crew. Robin Marcello (250-318-1399) was also instrumental in getting the bridge opened.

We embarked early Thursday morning to make sure we’d have plenty of daylight time on the water. Our first stop was Riverside Park where we tied to a piling while we waited for the bridge to be opened. It hadn’t been opened for some time, so replacement parts needed to be installed by the railway crew. Finally around 12:30 we passed through the bridge. (Jonas or Kent, you have pics of that?) It was a beautiful warm day of 28 degrees celsius as we plodded up the South Thompson. Kent made his exit at the LaFarge bridge around 16:30. Shortly after dropping Kent, we were cutting corners to try and make up time. That’s when we ran the front up on a sandbar a couple feet under the surface. It took about 30 minutes of manoeuvring to dislodge the boat and we were back on our way. Jonas and I continued on to Pritchard where we landed in the dark a little after 22:00. Luckily Amanda met us with some cold beer and we shared a late dinner of steak.

It was another early morning on the second day. (Amanda departed for the day, to return later in the evening.) Jonas and I had an uneventful morning until the S-curves leading into Chase. That’s where the current picked up a lot and we had to up the RPM’s to 3000 to make painstakingly slow progress. After an hour battling the current of the S-curves, we sailed into Little Shuswap Lake. As it was Friday, we spent most of the afternoon coordinating with our party crew; where to pick them up, what to bring, how they’d get back. St. Ives was the chosen pick-up and drop-off. Later in the afternoon a storm chased us across the lake and gave us a good tailwind. We met Amanda, Carly, Christina, Marcel, & Virginia at St. Ives around 21:00. After quickly installing and testing new marine speakers for the top deck, we continued on to Nielsen Beach. Again we made landfall shortly after 22:00 in the twilight. After a family dinner, a quick drinking game, (What was that called? No teeth!), and filling our cups for a wander up the beach to meet our neighbours. All in all, a pretty uneventful night.

Morning brought rain and we had to get moving to stay on the sailing schedule. After dropping everyone back at St. Ives, I continued on solo to Waterways, just past Sicamous. Two and a half days, 34 boating hours, and 157kms later, I arrived at Waterways! Epic Voyage of a lifetime!
(See below photos for customized route map.)

It's a perfect day on the Thompson River in Kamloops as we embark on a 3 day voyage to Waterway's in Sicamous. — It’s a perfect day on the Thompson River in Kamloops as we embark on a 3 day voyage to Waterway’s in Sicamous.

Looking back as we power up the South Thompson River.

On the morning of the second day, the sun rises over the Pritchard bridge.

The trestle bridge in Pritchard is an icon. It marks the beginning of our second day.

View from the Captain's helm of the houseboat. — View from the Captain’s helm of the houseboat.

We're about to pass under the bridge in Chase that crosses the South Thompson River. — We’re about to pass under the bridge in Chase that crosses the South Thompson River.

Around noon of the second day, we entered the calm waters of Little Shuswap Lake.

Jonas watches for deadheads. We were pretty happy to be off the river and enjoy some easy lake boating.

Little Shuswap makes for easy sailing compared to the South Thompson River.

A storm blew in from behind as we chugged up the Shuswap to pick-up our crew in St. Ives.

On the third day we woke up to rain on the Shuswap.

Shipmates cuddle while some of us cook breakfast.

Map of 157 km Epic Voyage by Houseboat:

Travel

Medellin, Colombia

Gallery May 3, 2014 Dave 3 Comments

A serene walk in the woods of Arvi Park. There's a small and excellent market at the top, outside the tram stop. — A serene walk in the woods of Arvi Park. There’s a small and excellent market at the top, outside the tram station.

The unique style of Botero.

The square in El Centro has more Botero statues than you can fit in a photo.

An amazing city to look out over as it stretches far in the distance and up the sides of the valley.

Botero statue of a woman laying on her side.

The hills are steep, but people still cram the hillside with homes.

Unique chequered brick work. Anyone know what this building is?

Stand off. Neither one was backing down either.

The tram ride is quite affordable. The first big section is included in your metro ticket.

That's the library at the top. Kind of felt like we were peering into people's lives as we could see in their windows and back porches from the tram above. — That’s the library at the top. Kind of felt like we were peering into people’s lives as we could see in their windows and back porches from the tram above.

As the 2nd largest city in Colombia, Medellin is big and busy. We found it to be extremely clean, organized, and safe.

Originally, we had planned to party all weekend. On the Friday night we went to Lleras which was busy and fun. That was it for that weekend though as we discovered the election on Sunday meant no alcohol sales until Monday morning. We ended up going to an interesting live music and visual arts show in a small theatre on Saturday night.

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nabuur.com – Innovation to connect those who can help with communities that have asked for help.

Gallery April 18, 2014 Dave Leave a comment

Click on over to nabuur.com to learn about it first hand. A great idea worth spreading! I’m registered!

Travel

Cartagena, Colombia: Beach and Kite Surfing

Gallery April 11, 2014 Dave Leave a comment

Las playas! Magnifico.

The old wall is quite wide in spots. They have cafes setup on top with amazing views. In the evenings, its a popular place to have some cervezas.

Vince Vaughn is recruiting for Dodgeball Deux

This door is a big deal. Know who else is a big deal?

Street in the walled city. Very typical.

This kite surfing school had several packages available.

Amigos on an evening city tour. You can buy tickets from Pedro, the Denzel Washington look (and act) alike in the city square.

Here’s a page with lots of info on Kite Surfing in Colombia, including Cartagena.

Travel

Ciudad Perdida, Colombia – The Lost City

Gallery April 9, 2014 Dave 2 Comments

Ciudad Perdida was one of the highlights of our trip and I highly recommend it to people who enjoy a good 4 to 5 day hike. We had great weather with no rain, which meant hot afternoons. In the mornings, we were up around 5am to be on the trail by 6am. This was to avoid the heat and catch the sun rise. Although hiking in the heat was hard work, the waterfall swimming pools at the end of every day (except the last) were a magnificent reward. Amazing water and then catch some rays in the sun.

The camps were very basic as were the meals. Two of the three nights, we slept in hammocks. Much better than the ground, but very difficult to get a consistent sleep; an experience nonetheless.

There are many amazing views along the way as you climb up and down mountain ridges and across streams in the valleys. Occasionally you’ll meet some indigenous folks along the path who still live their lives off the land in the mountains.

Ciudad Perdida itself is amazing, set in a stunning mountain landscape with a waterfall flowing not far away. The photos can not do justice to this amazing ancient city. It’s very spread out, so you cannot capture the scope of it in a picture.

There are several tour companies that supposedly all charge the same, 600,000 COP. That covers everything; transport, park entrance, food, and a place to sleep. There are 4, 5, & 6 day options, but it’s very reasonable to do it in 4 days. You don’t need to book in advance really from what we could tell. Day before is what we did.

Sorry about the order of the images, way too time consuming to sort in WordPress.

In the small town of Machete where you start and end your trek, is a pool hall, bar, and butcher shop all in one. We played some Tejo there on our way back, but passed on the meat.

Tucking into bed the night before Ciudad Perdida.

The morning before hiking to Ciudad Perdida, we ate breakfast in the dark - early. — The morning before hiking to Ciudad Perdida, we ate breakfast in the dark – early.

Sign reads: The first of many, many rocks.

1200 steep rock steps lead to the Lost City.

They built their homes on these rock circles. The bigger the circle, the bigger the family.

You're going to see a lot of rocks. — You’re going to see a lot of rocks.

It's a big rock . . . shaped like a frog. The Tayrona worshipped it. — It’s a big rock . . . shaped like a frog. The Tayrona worshipped it.

Lots of rock walls. Amazing landscapers.

Our guide Carlos sits on the sacred throne.

Tools for grinding grain and corn were made out of, you guessed it, rocks.

The white dots are cattle grazing on the hill side.

Ciudad Perdida stretches out below. It extends beyond that terrace and down both sides of the mountain and up behind where the picture was taken from.

Pictured from one of the higher terraces at Ciudad Perdida.

A settlement of the Tayrona we passed on the hike. The huts are made of mud with thatched roofs.

From a high ridge, you can see the valleys and mountains beyond mountains. Montanas.

Keep your eyes open for huts and locals.

This was the camp for our first night. Hammocks are close enough to cuddle.

This throne is big, though the people were small.

A map of the region is carved on this rock.

This large frog shaped boulder was worshipped by the people who inhabited this ancient city.

Here are a few good articles for more info:
https://adinaontheroad.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/la-ciudad-perdida-trek-the-lost-city-colombia/comment-page-1/

http://tradingvoyageur.com/travel-blog/hiking-to-ciudad-perdida-the-lost-city-of-colombia/

http://grattanmaslin.blogspot.ca/2013/07/ciudad-perdida-lost-city-in-colombia.html

http://sotcblog.com/2013/02/27/first-time-trek-ciudad-perdida/

Travel

Taganga and Santa Marta

Gallery April 4, 2014 Dave Leave a comment

Taganga is a small town on a beautiful bay a 10 minute drive from Santa Marta. Some people we met said it reminded them of Koh Tao in Thailand. We say, “No way!” It’s still a nice change of pace from Santa Marta and you can stay at a hostel on the beach and sit in the sun and drink for no mucho dinero. Our favourite experience in Taganga was Babaganoush! It’s an open air restaurant located on the top floor of a building. It has an amazing view of the bay which is perfect at sunset. The food is beyond amazing! The beef carpaccio was delicious and a generous serving. The Fillet Mignon was perfect and also a good size. It was so damn good, we went back for more a few days later. There are several options on the menu which I’m sure are also delicious. You will thank yourself for finding Babaganoush!

In Santa Marta, we ate at a tasty Mexican restaurante next to La Brisa Loca and drank at Charlie’s Bar (say Hi to Charlie for me) and La Brisa Loca.

Breakfast and Olympic hockey wins for these Canadians!

Watching Olympic hockey at the Dropbear. Found the inscriptions on the wall pretty amusing too.

Met Janine at Dropbear. Turns out she knows a good friend of mine from Salmon Arm. Let's drink to that! — Met Janine at Dropbear. Turns out she knows a good friend of mine from Salmon Arm. Let’s drink to that!

Old boats on the beach make an interesting statement, don't you think? — Old boats on the beach make an interesting statement, don’t you think?

Let's hit the high seas . . . — Let’s hit the high seas . . .

Blue sky and warm sand. (View from my beach chair.)

Taganga at dusk from Babaganoush. Eat there!

Travel

Bahia Concha and a Family Visit

Image April 2, 2014 Dave 1 Comment

On one of our first days in Santa Marta, we decided to dig into the local culture. For a reasonable fee, a local guide agreed to show us a secluded swimming spot near Bahia Concha, the beach itself, and include a typical Colombian lunch with his family in a suburb of Santa Marta. The lunch might have been the most interesting part of the day. There were 11 people, including 6 kids, living in a 600 square foot, 3 room house, with concrete floors. They had electricity and running water, albeit they said it hadn’t been installed for their neighbourhood until 10 years ago. Very welcoming and friendly folks!