THE HEDLEY, BC CRUISE & CAMP-OUT

Good friends Bob & Dar organized a 4-day camp-out over the Labor Day long weekend with invitations sent to more than 30 couples…2 dozen or so accepted. Earlier in the summer our hosts with another couple scoped the RV parks from Hope to Penticton, BC and selected the exclusive Nendick’s Park on the Similkameen River, about 5 miles west of historic Hedley, BC. As convenience was more in line for this trip, Charlotte and I hooked our 17′ Boler trailer to our loaded up truck and headed east on Hwy.7 from our Hatzic Lake home. It was a warm sunny morning with little traffic as we motored up the scenic north side of the Fraser River, past Lake Errock, through Agassiz, Sea Bird Island and into Hope. We headed straight to one of our favorite eating spots, the Home Cafe, for breakfast. This small mountainous city is famous for the setting of the movie ‘First Blood’ where Sylvester Stallone played Rambo, starring Richard Crenna and Brian Denehey.

From here, we head out the Hope to Princeton Hwy. A good 2-lane road with lots of pullouts and passing lanes. The leaves are already beginning to turn color and with all the fir and pine trees, make a beautiful drive as we start our rise into the mountains. We pass the famous Hope Slide, now a tourist stop where more than 60 people were caught in the tons of earth rock and trees that cascaded down the north mountainside, wiping out the road at the bottom and moving the river a mile to the south. Those that perished were never recovered and there is a monument to their memory at the site. Next we enter Manning Park, which is thousands of acres of provincial parkland and travel upwards to the summit where the Manning Park Lodge is a favorite stopping place for travelers’ in the summer and skiers in the winter. For the hardy campers there are several provincial park sites that only cater to small units and tenters with very limited facilities, but very clean and well maintained. Reasonable too.

Our next stop is in Princeton, BC for fuel and a stretch. It is a small city and home to one of BC’s largest operating copper mines which you pass on the downhill route into town. Another point of interest here is a tour of a now defunct lime kiln where the old cement structures still stand. Back on the road, it winds along the Similkameen River dotted with old homesteads, small trailer courts from the ’50s, cattle ranches and rusty relics. We have to watch closely for the small sign to our destination as the owners don’t advertise and only cater to small pre-registered groups like us. A sharp turn onto their driveway, past a couple of old houses, full of antiques, through a grove of old firs, past Ben’s house, barns, tractors and his topless T Touring still used as transportation around the park. The road slopes to the river’s edge and all the grassy sites where our early party has already set up their trailers and covers. Our designated space completes a circle of Boler’ and Trilliums and with our awing out, provides a nice sheltered area.

A little note of explanation regarding the glass trailers; Boler’s began life as a 2-piece 13′ X 6′ oval septic tank manufactured first in ’73 in Edmonton, Alberta. The company owner placed one on a set of wheels, added some windows, equipped it with a small fridge, stove, lights, a hitch and went camping. The idea caught on and the septic tank business became a trailer business. Their 13′ was the most popular but they also made some 15′, 17’ and a very few 21′ models. Our 17′ Boler is fully self-contained, sleeps 6 and is done on a Route 66 theme. Another company copied the fiberglass units and began making Trilliums, a little better structurally, not as rounded a body and more amenities. They are more popular now than ever, because of their lightweight, easy maneuverability, number for sale re-furbished, easily stored and ability to be towed with front wheel drive vehicles. They are a favorite vehicle with street rodder’s for all of the above reasons, which has heightened their attraction and upped the purchase prices too.

The park spaces are filling up as our friends arrive during the sunny afternoon, there is limited water and power but we brought a generator to use for cooking. The biffy is co-ed (when the outside light is on, its busy) with a sink for washing and lots of reading material!!! There’s lots of hugging, hand shaking and back slapping as old and new friends arrive, then about 4pm as the sun begins to go behind the mountain, happy hour begins and the evening repast is finger food that everyone donates. For the next few hours its yakking, tales and rod talk but its lights out for most of us after the days drive and we’re lulled to sleep by the whispering evergreens and the rippling river.

Friday we wake to the aroma of perking coffee and sizzling Canadian bacon (I just had to throw that in there, LOL) as Bob and Jerry have breakfast on the go. Naturally the busiest place is the ’1 holer’ by those that aren’t self contained (no reading please!!!). The fare is Dar’s homemade scones used as McMuffins with eggs, bacon and cheese filling…2 of these scrumptious buns and you’re full.
After clean-up, Jerry took some of the girls into Hedley for some fresh supplies and let them check out the limited shopping places while the rest of just visited and relaxed. Charlotte bought me a beautiful knit Hedley T shirt, at 1st I thought “just what I need, another T- shirt” but I must admit, it is high quality and one of the most comfortable I own!!! As the sun went down it was time to prepare dinner…it was fit for a king, a complete roasted turkey meal with all the fixing’s, some feed. Feeding the 50 went surprisingly easy, buffet style and we’re fed and cleaned up before 6pm.
Several of us gathered at the fire pit where the Nendick’s have supplied a huge pile of mill cuttings for us and soon a roaring fire lights the night sky and we continue to relate our events and stories while sipping our favorite libations. By 10 the crowd thins out and the camp is dark (well almost).

Saturday was another beautiful sunrise and we’re all up and ready for breakfast by 8am. Our cooks, Bob and Jerry are at the grilles and this morning its eggs to order, more bacon, cottage fries, toast, jam and coffee, coffee, coffee!!! We’re all done and cleaned-up by 9:30 ready for a tour by 10.

The weekend hi-lite is planned for today as we’re in our rides and all parade east on Hwy.3, through Hedley, through Keremeos and heading for the small community of Cawston, don’t blink or you’ll miss it. Our leader takes us along the foothills narrow road past some beautiful peach, pear, apple and apricot orchards till we pull into a 15 acre apple orchard and park on a lush green lawn in front of the owners sprawling rancher. A spry old farmer (he’s wearing cut-off bib overalls) sporting a Santa-like beard and comes out to welcome out entourage. To my surprise, he’s an old work mate of mine, Ken Helm who I haven’t seen for about 20 years. After introductions, we head to his closest 4 car garage where he opens a fridge and hands us all a 16 oz. Kokanee 6% beer…my kind of guy, eh? He tells us that about 10 acres of his spread is covered with 2 varieties of Gala apple trees that keep him and his family busy 8 months of the year since his retirement from the telephone company in 1995, we both worked for. Ken’s hobby is collecting old vehicles and in the past 20 years, has amassed over 300 vintage relics of all description that now cover over an acre of land. After a look through his shop where he’s constructing a Corvair powered Ford frame and various Ford suspension parts, with a Cushman being restored next to it, Ken and I recalled some of the good old days when we worked together. His shop walls and shelves are covered old signs, old speed equipment, old car parts, old tools and old photos. From here, our gang is free to roam the adjacent buildings and grounds to view his vast collection at our leisure. The accompanying photo show doesn’t nearly cover the hundreds of cars, trucks, buses, tractors, bikes, bodies, frames, pumps, old RV’s and out buildings crammed full with thousands of engines, tranny’s, front/rear ends, fenders, hoods, decks, dashes, rads and various parts and just plain junk he’s amassed. The majority of these treasures will never see the road or run again as they rest comfortably on his farm and slowly deteriorate. On the end of one building, he has built a ‘pigeon hole’ like structure with 4′ wide, 5’ high by 6′ deep shelves. There are over 30 slots, each containing an ‘A’ or ‘T’ roadster, p/u, coupe, 2 door, phaeton or cabriolet body in almost complete condition. Any one of them would make a street rodder drool with envy to use as a project car. Due to the low humidity factor of the Interior, only light surface rust is evident on these open-air pieces. Along with all the vintage tin, there is a long row of ‘newer’ cars and p/u’s (circa ’40 to ’50s). Another barn houses a rare complete ’39 Lincoln 2 door fast back, a ’36 Ford 3 window coupe and sedan that Ken says he has plans for???

One of our group ask, “How on earth do you get all these pieces?” Ken casually replies, ‘every time I go to town (Keremeos, in his daily driver, a ’29 Ford roadster p/u sans top, filled with boxes of Gala apples he delivers to the roadside fruit stands) some guy comes up and says he has an old car or parts, does Ken want it??? You already know his answer!!! When the ladies got tired of waiting for us to ogle, drool, snoop, marvel, wander and photograph this phenomenal array of vintage tin, we were all invited to take a carton and fill it with his apples we could pick right off the trees, most of us took up the offer as they don’t get any better than this. We bid a fond farewell to Ken and his wife, vowing to see them next year at the Keremeos car show. On the return trip, we were on our own so Charlotte and I went by the Grist Mill. This still working grainery offers home made breads, buns, scones and cookies made on the premises. They also sell special spices, mixes and local crafts not seen elsewhere, at reasonable prices. They also have limited RV parking for those that want to stay there. We cruised through Keremeos, a one street, highway town about 3 miles long lined with fresh fruit and vegetable stands on both sides. In the past, we have attended their ‘Kars Under the K’ (so named for the huge white K on the black rock hillside over-looking the town) 250 vehicle car show a couple of times, held at the community park in the center of town. On cruising back to our temporary digs, we decide to stop in ‘Downtown Hedley’. This town is known to be the largest gold strike ever and for many years produced the most ever gold mined. Parts of the mine access is still visible up the steep side of the mountain and there are guided tours still available for tourists, if you’re up to the heights. We opted to take photos then visit the oldest antique shop in town. We were treated to a 1st hand explanation and old photo collection by the storeowner where we learned more about this historic city. He showed us some of the early newspaper items and photos from the ’20s and ’30s backed up with original info we’d not seen anywhere else. Next, we drove up and down the local streets to view the old homes that make up 200-person population.

Back at the RV park, after happy hour, we dug into an American favorite, burgers, dogs and chips plus all the usual fixing’s. That night, we experienced a summer storm of heavy winds, thunder, lightening and a great light show that rumbled through the valley, but we were spared any further rain or inclement weather. Most of us hit the sack early after another full day of excitement.
Sunday, Bill had the ‘Tim Horton’s’ coffee brewing (its a local blend from a BC chain us BC’ers enjoy) and was already whipping up his great omelet recipe. With a cup of Java in hand, all us campers gathered for another super breakfast. I must explain that cooking is a joint effort and almost everyone pitches in, in some manner sharing the load and contributing in some way.

The next activity (after clean-up of course) was Earl and Shirley’s Treasure hunt. All of us were off and running trying to gather up the crazy articles almost un-obtainable to complete our tray. As usual in these events, there were cheaters, but fortunately, our game guides had anticipated this and taken steps to avoid them. The winners were a couple deserving of the lousy prize and we all had a great time and a lot of laughs from the exercise. Dinner was another masterpiece from our hosts, tender ham, salads, rolls etc. and an array of desserts to please the fussiest diners!!! We enjoyed our last fireside chat get-to-gether and talked about all the people that weren’t there!!! Again, it was an early tuck-in and only the hardy drinkers sat up to the wee hours.

Monday, the Canadian Labor Day holiday, began with a breakfast of leftovers and donations from other campers..it was unusal but tasty to say the least. Like a car show, we can break camp a lot quicker than the set-up and we’re saying our good-byes, see you again’s and getting our last hugs and kisses (we’re closer now, LOL) till we meet again’s good-byes and heading for the exit.

The Nendick family are lined on the road out to say good-bye to us all and thank us for coming, we in turn thanks them so much for having us at their swell site for the weekend. On the way west, we take a quick pit stop at the Manning Park rest area, say bye-bye to our closest friends and thank them for another wonderful weekend, then drive to Hope where Char and I stop for a dinner at the Hope Cafe, fantastic meat loaf dinner (we only get to stop here 3 or 4 times a year, so have to take advantage of the trips through when we can, we ordered the regular meal, not the seniors too so we could bring some home) and cruised down the north side of the Fraser River home, arriving home at 9pm. What a super trip, great, gastronomic, glutinous grub and fantastic, friendly fountains of fellows on a super, swell, stupendous, soiree of sumptuous savre-fairre at a really restful, RV park where we all had a great good time!!! Thanks again to our hosts, Bob/Dar, Jerry/Donna for all your work to make this a weekend to remember