Kamloops, BC, Canada

1Kamloops – British Columbia, Canada - Aug 9-10

We purchased Diesel fuel before leaving Revelstoke, Canada  –  WOAH!!!

We were told by friends that preceded us on this trip through Canada that we should fill up our tanks in the US before coming to Canada, knowing that we would still need to buy Diesel before we got out of Canada. We only get about 7.5 miles per gallon, so with our 100 gallon tank we can only go about 700 miles before having to fill-up again.  We filled up the Coach in Kalispell, Montana at  $3.94/gal. We refilled in Revelstoke with the gauge showing just less than half full, at $1.329 Canadian per litre, and the fill-up cost $288.88 charged to our US Credit Card, plus $1.45 credit card foreign currency conversion fee??. The conversion to US Gallons revealed that we got 57.423 US Gallons worth of diesel fuel, which works out to $5.06 per US gallon.   YIKES!!

The drive from Revlestoke to Kamloops on Canada Route 1 is an enjoyable drive with some different and varied scenery. You pass through areas with names like Malakwa, Sicamous, Canoe, Salmon Arm, Shuswap Lake, Neskolith Indian Reserve, Quaaout Indian Reserve, Chase, Monte Creek, not to mention Revelstoke and Kamloops. Lots of Native American influence up here.

I don’t know what they are called, but there are lots of these formations along the river road.

With beautiful homes/farms right on the river,

And the ever-present railroad tracks.

That night in Kamloops, on the river beside the RV Park there was a beautiful sunset with wispy clouds.

Right beside the RV Park there was a Wildlife Park where they rehabilitate injured or abandoned animals.

I thought it would be great to go over there and take pictures that looked like they were taken in the wild, but no such luck with the chain link fencing everywhere, and the bands on their legs, etc.. but here is some of what we saw.

This Red Tailed Hawk had his left eye damaged, so I took his good side.

This Burrowing Owl had a damaged right wing, so was only a temporary resident in the park.

When the handler moved her arm down two inches this little guys eyes never changed position as his neck stretched up two inches to make up the difference. She moved her arm up and down and only his neck stretched up and down. His eyes never changed in altitude, fixed completely on whatever he was looking at. Really eerie to watch..  Wouldn’t want him peeved at me….

They also had two 'deserted at birth' Canadian Lynx.

They had an adult black bear and two youths housed in the same area, behind plexiglass which makes them very difficult to photograph. These 3 bears all came to the park as orphaned cubs, the two youngest having arrived in the last couple years. Since they have become accustomed to humans, they cannot be released back into the wild.

They also have 2 Grizzly Bear cubs that lost their mother a couple months ago. There is a washtub full of water in their cage and both cubs took turns getting in it to cool off.

They spend a lot of time ‘playing’, and seemed to get along pretty well considering they are bear cubs.

However we stayed there until feeding time, and the cubs were not real friendly when there was food involved. The attendant gave each of them treats to teach them to stand up and sit down, and they each ate what was given to them.

But when the attendant tossed dry dog food into the cage, the cubs started growling and fighting in an effort to get the most food. They really seem to love dog food.

The Park also had a large ‘Birds of Prey’ section, featuring a Bald Eagle who had a damaged wing.

And they had a large selection of owls. One that just looked at you.

One that looked at you quizzically through the bushes – Verrry Interrresting…

Two that looked like you startled them.

And one that looked at you very angrily, like he would bite your hand off if you got too close.

They also had a large assortment of common barnyard animals, but I've bored you enough already.