Short update (into Washington)

Raindrops on snowberry (November 1)

I know it's been quite some time since I've written, and I hope to fill in the blanks soon. Impending cold and snow caused me to make tracks south from Alaska, and the combination of miles of driving, shortening days, and inability to find wifi/electricity meant that my ability to post was compromised.

I'm now in Washington — rainy Washington — and am attempting to get back on track.

Yes, a lot has happened. A lot of rain has come down!

Watching for birds at Vaseaux Lake

I'll start this catchup at the US border, and get back to Alaska, Yukon and British Columbia while more rain falls, I guess.

Vaseaux Lake, BC: October 11

I took a rare opportunity to camp along Vaseaux Lake at a tiny roadside campground squished between the Hwy 97 and the lake. It was a perfect campsite: private and spacious, even with a beach! My neighbors had well-behaved dogs, including a somewhat rambunctious puppy. 

Good bird-watching opportunities were supposed to abound at the lake, so I set off in the morning along the trail. Unfortunately, the boardwalk that went over the marshy bits was under construction, so I wasn't able to go very far. There were some ducks out on the lake, but they were too far out to see, even with the scope. Still, pretty place!

I'm not sure why it is, but I seem to see more wildlife at places that are NOT "refuges."

Salmon(!!) in the Okanogan River

Inkaneep Park, BC

Not to be deterred, I stopped at another small park, Inkaneep Park. 

As so many of the BC parks are now in mid-October, it was gated and closed to camping, but it did seem that it was okay to go in and explore.

It's always fun, as you just never know what you are going to find. 

Like the previous evening's campground, Inkaneep Park is sandwiched between farmland (mostly vineyards) and the Okanogan River, which I've been following for some time. I'm glad that these parks have been saved for public use, but they do almost seem to be after thoughts.

The sound of rushing water drew me to the river, and I was so surprised to see SALMON in the river! I hadn't thought that there would be salmon runs into October, but evidently there are. 

Snake in the rocks

I've only had a few opportunities to watch salmon, so considered this quite educational. At first glance, the fish didn't appear to be all that lively. The current was strong, and, although they were evidently swimming against the it, they didn't seem to be making a lot of progress. 

Occasionally, something would happen so that one was carried downstream. I'd see a splash, sometimes a fin, and they would only stop their downstream slide when they flipped themselves so that they were oriented fish-face forward again and resumed swimming upstream. 

So they have to swim, just to keep from going backwards and then have to expend MORE energy just to get back to where they stopped. Having had to kayak against a current, I know what this is like!

"Duh" moment: It had been a misconception of mine that the fish swam upstream continuously, but obviously they have to stop and rest at times. In fact, they might be "resting" most of the times that we see them. And I know realize, that even when they are "resting" they are still having to swim and expend energy against the current.

Poison ivy berries

After watching these fish here, I have new and profound respect for the long migrations these fish make.

It did occur to me, in looking at these fish that there might be bears about, so I didn't linger as long as I might have liked, even though seeing bears fishing has been on my bucket list.

Also, poison ivy.  

I've been very happy to be away from the "poison" plants for the past six months. I'm really not liking having to watch every step when exploring off trail. 

It's particularly problematic, because at this time of the year, the leaves have fallen off, so these plants are harder to identify. Fortunately, poison ivy has clusters of waxy white berries on leafless stalks, so it's fairly easy to keep away from them. Although that's not saying anything about the stalks that aren't "fruitful." I felt it was best to just stay on the trodden path here.

Agriculture

Grapes near Osoyoos

The Okanogan valley is a prime agricultural area. While the area is classified as semi-arid, irrigation has enabled the development of orchards and vineyards on either side of the river, and farmers have taken advantage of it. 

It did remind me of the Napa/Sonoma region. I stopped at Haynes Point Park in the middle of Lake Osoyoos to enjoy the view. Again, the gates were closed, although one could still walk in.

Crossing the border at Lake Osoyoos

The border crossing was easy, although a little intimidating. There are very serious barriers, twisty paths that one's vehicle is supposed to follow, lots of cameras, and the US Customs officials look like they spent time in the military. 

While there was very little traffic at the time I went through (one RV ahead of me that was pulled over and searched), I can see that it would be crowded during the summer rush. 

I don't envy the border patrol folks, at all. I was asked questions about citrus (I didn't have any). In anticipation of crossing, I'd consumed most of my fresh vegetables, but my one avocado and the remains of a red pepper were confiscated. No questions about eggs, meat, or milk. I was interrogated by the officer about what was in the kayak (paddle, backrest), where I'd been, where I was going, and how much cash I was carrying. I guess these are standard questions, and I guess I don't look too shifty. She did dig around in my suitcases and icebox.

Loonies & two-nies

It was all fine, but it was the most thorough crossing I've been through on this trip.

Back in the Lower 48

- No more loonies and two-nies. 

- No more kilometers and degrees centigrade.

- No more relying only on wifi for communication.  

It definitely is somewhat bittersweet being back in the USA.

While I'm glad to be here and to have made it back, on the other hand, it means that time is passing and that this trip is, while not "over," it has definitely passed its apogee. 

I don't have quite the same excitement, and the need for speeding south has eased considerably. The pressure, at least until the weather takes a turn for the worse, is off. I can relax a bit.

I stopped to get another red pepper at the local market, and also stopped and took stock to check phone messages and email at another local city park in Oroville. 

The day had been beautiful, and I guess the best way to look at it is that it's less of an ending than a new start.

Yellow-rumped warbler at Shady Park, Oroville