Spoffords Travel

Day 28 July 29, 2025 Pendleton Oregon to Boise Idaho 270 miles

As we were leaving Pendleton we saw a sign saying it was 9:06 AM and 78 degrees. Sure is going to be a hot one. We purchased a mobile thermometer for our next trip. However, it may be better if we don’t know how hot it gets. We elected to continue on the backroads rather than the freeway. Pretty sure we were never on some of these roads before.

The grain fields around Pendleton have been harvested thank goodness. The grain dust and regular dust can make visibility pretty bad.

We began seeing some evergreen trees as we entered the Battle Mountain Scenic Corridor. This wanders through the Blue Mountains following a small stream. The stream has very little water and we can see the rocks at the bottom.

We climbed and descended at least two low passes. They were only about 4000 feet. Compared to where we have been this was not much. The grade wasn’t steep either.

We did have to stop for a couple of minutes for a crew trimming some trees. We couldn’t tell if they had fallen in a storm or if they were just being removed.

We stopped at a small turn out for a break and lunch. While sitting there a doe came running down the hill, sailed over the fence and continued with her fawn. The fawn had been waiting in a protected area.

We stopped for gas in Unity Oregon. The cost was $5.909 per gallon. Similar in price to northern Canada. We also got popsicles which melted as fast as we could eat them. They tasted pretty good.

The farmland around Vale, Ontario and Nyssa didn’t seem any cooler. Sometimes the irrigated fields help with the temperature. It was even too hot to stop at the quilt shop in Nyssa even though we drove right past it.

We arrived home about 5:00 pm. Glad to be here. The house air conditioner has been doing its job.

In summary

28 days on the road

329 gallons of gas used

$4.87 average price per gallon

6,444 miles driven

$1,602.23 spent on fuel

18.83 average miles per gallon

230 average miles driven per day

1 flat tire but not damaged

2 small rock chips in the windshield

2 rock hits in the radiator but no coolant leaks

1 broken headlight lens

Unknown transmission problem

8 nights in the trailer

The Canadians we met were all very friendly and helpful

Day 27 July 28, 2025 Osoyoos British Columbia to Pendleton Oregon 298 miles

The skies are mostly blue. The temperature is already warm. It’s going to be a hot one for sure.

We ate breakfast at A&W Canada. They have a similar menu to the other fast food places. It was easier to get to than McDonald’s. Then we went next door and filled the gas tank.

On the way out of town we drove through much of the residential area and then along the lake. Lots of options for recreation.

We are barely out of town when we reached the border. The only vehicle in front of us is a semi. We thought we might have to wait awhile but the truck breezed right through. We didn’t spend long either. Usual simple questions. Glad we didn’t purchase any of the fruit at the stands we just passed.

In a yard just down the road are two Big Foot metal yard art with a dog. Both Big Foots have on hard hats. I guess they are off to work.

A family of birds that were either quail or ptarmigans were attempting to cross the road in front of us. Thankfully they took flight before we got there. Even the chicks flew. There must have been at least eight chicks and two adults.

Numerous semis loaded with big square bales of hay are headed north. Can’t imagine they are going to Canada based on all the hay we saw up there.

Several long stretches of highway had the ruts in the road filled in with asphalt. Obviously cheaper than resurfacing the entire highway. It sure made the driving for us difficult with the narrow tires on the car. We wiggled back and forth all the time. You might think Rob was a drunk driver.

To the west of us and up on a ridge was a big collection of satellite dishes. They were all different sizes placed close together. Oh maybe one for every streaming channel provider?

For several miles we still see orchards and vineyards. Eventually however that gives way to grain fields. They are very large and appear to be dry land farming. No sprinklers.

We passed by the Chief Joseph Dam. Also came to the sign for Grand Coulee Dam but we chose not to go there.

We stopped for lunch at a wide turnout overlooking a small town and a canyon of some sort. We are close to the town of Soap Lake. The canyon most likely has a river flowing into the lake. This was one of the few turnouts we even saw. It didn’t have a trash can nor a toilet. The back roads just don’t have many rest stops.

We drove along what must be Soap Lake. Quite a bit of activity for a week day. Lots of RV parks with a lot of RVs in them. Very popular spot.

The grain has given way to fields of corn. The corn fields do have sprinkler systems running. Then we came to two large dairies only about a mile apart. No subdivision In the area.

The hills are dry with very few if any trees. Some sage brush and dry grass. Not the beautiful scenery from a few days ago.

We followed Lake Wallula for several miles. It looks like a nice lake but no activity in the area we were.

The last part of the journey was through rolling hills of grain. Most had been harvested. Then we arrived in Pendleton. We drove right down the Main Street of town past the stampede grounds. Then up the hill to our hotel for the night.

Then woodie ran well today. The temperature was in the mid nineties and it did not overheat. The transmission is making more noise but is still working. Time will tell.

Day 26 July 27, 2025 100 Mile House British Columbia to Osoyoos British Columbia 268 miles

The town is foggy but as soon as we started up the hill the fog cleared and the skies were partly sunny.

We came to our first big hill. It was a very long slow drive. Thankfully there was a passing lane. It’s a busy road with four lanes most of the time. In fact traffic today was much more than we have been experiencing. We decided some of that is because today is Sunday and the weather is nice.

Lots of motorcycles are out. Some in groups of six or more but others are one or two. Some are out for the day and others are packed for a long ride.

As we came down the hill we could see a deep canyon. Two of the hills in the canyon had flat tops. Different crops were being raised on the top with the aide of sprinklers.

The trees have thinned out and have been replaced with sagebrush. The ground cover is no longer green and lush. We can still see mountains but no more snow.

We have not been on this road before because we came to a very strange lake. Well we think it is a lake. It looks more like the Salt Lake in color. Lots of what appears to be white sand surrounds the lake. Then we came to a huge mining operation. It’s an open pit mine to mine copper. Several of the mountains have been systematically carved away. We read later they expect to mine there for another 21 years.

On the opposite side of the road and down a little further is a large gathering of horse trailers. There are a few horses and people standing around. Would be interesting to know what was going on.

Oh no. Another big long hill. It’s lunch time and there have been no rest areas. At the top of the hill is a rest stop on the opposite side of the road. It’s not intended to be used by people going up the hill. It’s real purpose is to give semis a place to check their brakes. There is one outhouse. We pulled in anyway. Then we saw the signs that said to limit your stay to 15 minutes. Well we stayed longer because we ate lunch. Maybe the limit ment 15 minutes for each person? A big sign said this was Hamilton Hill with a 6% grade and a stop sign at the bottom.

The next area was dotted with numerous small lakes. They were like mirrors. One of these had numerous paddle boarders at one end. There was a nice beach there too.

Canada deserves some real credit for the number of electrical vehicles charging stations they have. Some are even at rest stops. Small towns may have one or two as well. Not sure how many electric vehicles there are. We rarely saw any at the fuel points.

We passed another odd lake. The sign said its called Spot Lake. Sure enough there were large spots floating on the surface. An internet search revealed that it is a saline endothermic alkali lake. It is full of minerals too. Then it changes colors.

Now we are in a large area of orchards and vineyards. One small town had more fruit stands than anything else. Cherries and peaches seem to be the current highlight.

We got to the hotel a little before 5:00 pm. Check-in is not till 5:00. We think that is the latest we have ever seen for a check-in.

The car took the hills slowly and did not overheat. However, the gears are grinding more than normal. Hopefully we can make it home without any major problems.

Day 25 July 26, 2025 Vanderhoof British Columbia to 100 Mile House British Columbia 270 miles

The clouds this morning are absolutely incredible. They are huge white puffy shapes. The sky directly overhead is mixed clouds and blue sky.

A deer jumped over the barrier and ran across the road in front of us. Not close enough for concern thankfully. Rob did honk the horn at it. That might have hurried it along.

We went through an area where rain was falling. Thankfully it didn’t last long. The passing trucks put out a lot of spray and help wash away some of the mud from the Dempster Highway.

One section of road is being resurfaced. Nobody seems to be working today so the flaggers and pilot cars aren’t there.

We noticed several saw mills along the way. Sure is a lot of logs and lumber stacked up. Makes you wonder why it costs so much at home. (Unknown excise taxes?) Thousands of board feet just sitting there.

We went through the town of Quesnel. The sidewalks are lined with beautiful petunias. Flower baskets hang from the buildings.

We stopped for lunch at one of the rest areas. One lady came over with her dog to talk. The dog is a working service dog but not on duty. He sure likes to be petted.

We see more livestock. One yard had a pen full of turkeys. Rob tried to say they were wild turkeys but I don’t think wild turkeys are white.

We checked into the hotel and then went in search of the laundromat. We missed it the first time, but eventually got there. Another customer gave us clues as to the best machines to use. We loaded up the washing machine which cost $8.00 CA ($5.84 US). I have never heard such noise. I thought the building was coming apart. The dryer cost $2.00 CA ($1.46 US). We loaded up and returned to the hotel to eat our leftover pizza. Pizza two nights in a row. It was good but not as good as Flying Pie Pizza in Boise.

The car ran fine today with the exception of the transmission. Now it grinds a little when you downshift from 3rd to 2nd. At least it is not sticking in 3rd. We do have a cracked headlight lens and a couple of new rock hits on what used to be a new radiator. Oh, and a couple of very small rock hits on the windshield.

Day 24 July 25, 2025 Kitwanga British Columbia to Vanderhoof British Colombia 241 miles

We were getting up and loaded up when a man in a jeep pulling a small trailer came into the campground. He wanted to show Rob what he bought an what he panned to do with it. He had talked to Rob yesterday.

While he was talking three logging trucks went the same direction on the nearby road. Two were empty and one was loaded. There is some kind of mill further down the road from the campground. We could hear the noise from it. This town is so small that at least one member of every family must work there.

The skies are cloudy again today but not much rain. The clouds make the mountains difficult to see. They also make for some interesting photos.

The volume of traffic has increased significantly. There are more towns and increasing is size along the way. Fuel prices are dropping the further south we go.

One of the mountains to the west of the town of Smithers has a visible glacier. Too bad the side curtain is so dirty the photo just looks out of focus. The blue tint to the snow and ice is clearly visible.

The landscape now has more open space for ranching. We saw lots of grass hay both in bales and dry rows ready to bale. We also saw more cattle.

A bird actually hit the passenger side door near the windshield. We are pretty sure it died. We have had some come close but this was the first solid hit.

The road is being resurfaced for a few miles. They use a pilot car to lead the one lane flow. Traffic really backs up. There must have been close to a mile of vehicles behind us.

When we got to the hotel a couple came up to us and asked if we had been on the Dempster recently. We talked with them for several minutes.

The town has what sounded like a wonderful bakery. Unfortunately they are closed until August 4. Then we tried the laundromat. It closes in 1.5 hours and we don’t have everything located. Therefore it must be time to go have pizza. My, but that was a busy place. The crew was all hustling. Most of the orders were take out until a little later in the evening. Then the dining area filled up. We ordered their special and have enough leftovers for tomorrow.

Since the mosquito population here was less Rob spent time adjusting the brakes. He also bolted the license plate back on. Lots of things need tightened up after a thousand miles of gravel road.

Day 23 July 24, 2025 Dease Lake British Columbia to Kitwanga British Columbia 307 miles

Today is very cloudy. We had rain off and on most of the day. Good thing Rob put on more RainEx.

We ate half the cinnamon roll for breakfast. Rob had tea and Connie had luke warm coffee. We are beginning to think that is the way Canadians like it.

After filling with gas we went in the little store and bought more cookies and crackers plus a Dease Lake T-shirt. You can never have enough T-shirts.

Our exciting wildlife for the day was a rabbit and several ground squirrels. A fox may have been on the side but it ran into the brush too soon to know for sure.

Not as much construction today. One section however was good gravel road but it was on a hairpin turn going up hill. We really had to slow down causing us to lose our momentum.

The mountains along our drive are breathtaking. Still some snow in streaks going down the sides. The forest on them is thick. The tops of the taller peaks are craggy. Some of the snow patches look like former glaciers. Many times the tops are covered with clouds.

Two big logging trucks are parked in one of the pullouts. When we stopped at the junction to fuel they went by. They are headed for Stewart where the logs will be placed in the river and then barged somewhere.

As we left the fuel point we thought there was a new noise. Rob checked around but couldn’t find anything. We think it might be the passenger side door. It will not stay closed. In fact we Velcro it closed. Since the roads are so bumpy it makes a lot of noise. The headsets with a story sure help with that.

We came to the small community of Kitwanga. Connie thought there might be some lodging here but no. They do have a small free campsite. We went to the gas station which was further than expected and returned to the campsite. They actually had one pull thru and we used it.

While at the gas station a pickup pulling a flat bed trailer with 14 large round bales stopped in. We have seen the bales in the fields but this is the first we have seen loaded and transported.

The microwave isn’t working so Rob walked the short distance to the General Store to get something for supper. Turns out it closed at six and it’s now a few minutes after that. So we decided a cup of soup would do. Somehow those didn’t get packed. We ended up with the Chunky Campbell soup that the couple in the nearby camper heated for us.

The campground had one camper, one motorcyclist, one bicyclist, one pickup and us. A minivan pulled in after we went to bed. A gentleman who voluntarily maintains the campground stopped by and chatted for quite. Another very friendly Canadian.

Day 22 July 23, 2025 Teslin Yukon to Dease Lake British Columbia 295 miles

It’s mostly cloudy today. It rained some in the night but everything is still covered in mud. Good that it doesn’t show as badly as it could.

We stopped for gas at the Continental Divide Motel where we have stayed in the past. A group of Hells Angles motorcyclists had stopped for a break. They were so excited to see the car. They all took pictures. The gas attendant was telling everyone about the car. She had paid good attention because she had the story down really well.

The weather rained on and off all day. Never really heavy thank goodness because we still don’t have a windshield wiper installed. The droplets managed to clear off before the next storm.

The north bound traffic seems to have more motor homes. Up on the Dempster the preferred camping equipment was pickups with campers. Quite a few of those were rentals. It costs $5000.00 Canadian ($3675.00 US) for 13 days. The motor homes didn’t go up on the Dempster. Lots of motorcycles with camping gear.

A black bear ran across the road up a ways. A cub followed and then a second cub. By the time we got to the spot they couldn’t be seen. Lots of places to hide.

A little further down the road a fox was on the side of the road. It also quickly ran into the brush. It probably did not like the sounds we make.

We had to stop briefly for some one lane road work. The flagger said a bear was just in front in the brush. The driver of the car behind us was out with his camera. He said it was a cinnamon black bear. We never saw the bear.

We got to our hotel about 5:30. We went across the road to the food truck that serves chow mein, spring rolls, kebabs, and a bbq pork. The lady who runs it is Philippino. It’s the best place in town. (There are only two choices.) Both are take out only. We ate in the break area of the hotel. (No mosquitoes.)