Day 34 – Wednesday June 21/17  - The Summer Solstice

(Yes, we do realize that astronomically the solstice happened on June 20 this year, but we had geared up to celebrate on the more common date of the 21^st.)

A travel day and touring day today - from Mount Fernie Provincial Park to Premiere Lake Provincial Park, and touring in the Premiere Lake area. (Map)

Blue is the route; green the start/finish, and touring

A great shower at Mount Fernie Provincial Park. (If we ever do a trip like this one again, we will rate the quality of the showers at the parks we stay in. This one was excellent with lots of hot, high pressure water that cycled off fairly frequently allowing time for washing and not wasting water. There were sufficient hooks for towels and clothes, a bench for sitting while you undress and dress, a shower curtain that kept the water in the stall, good drainage so that belongings sitting on the floor weren’t inundated. The building was clean and well maintained. Definitely an "A+".) (Sorry, no photos!!😝)

Unfortunately we had to back track into town to use the dump station and fresh water fill-up as these services were not located in the park. We also stopped to do some grocery shopping and fill up with gas. That meant that we really didn’t hit the road until noon. But the day was lovely as we followed the road and the (Elk) river south, then west (through a short tunnel), then north up the next (Kootenay) valley. The mountains and rivers are magnificent. Michael, who has never seen the Rockies before, is still in awe. Nancy who has visited this area a

few times finds her soul and body connect and come alive in this landscape. (photos - okay, Michael, how many photos of mountains do you need????)

We stopped for lunch at a roadside rest area beside a small lake. But what was this? There were 4 other cars, and other people, already there!!!! We realize we have been spoiled by our early season travelling where we had facilities almost always to ourselves. Now it seems, we will have to learn to share.

We arrived at our destination for the day – Premiere Lake Provincial Park - after only 150 km at about 3:30 pm. We made a picnic supper of egg salad sandwiches, gathered beach towels and paraphernalia for a visit to a hot spring and items to ritually mark the solstice. Then we headed off about 4:30.

Being the curious adventurers that we are, we decided to do a little exploring by taking a gravel road marked on a BC Parks map that led to the Top of the World Campground. A sign at the beginning of the trail (or a very basic, gravel/mud track) said the road was closed but that didn’t stop us in our sturdy Ram 1500 4X4.(photo - taken after we came back out!)

An hour later, after travelling 11 km we reached the end – a dead end. (photos) 

A stream had washed out the road and we weren’t prepared to have the Ram 1500, sturdy as she is with 4-wheel low range, ford the stream. So back we turned. We now retraced our route down the track (with some wonderful views!!!) (photo) 

and drove to our original destination - a natural hot spring in White Swan Provincial Park. The road here was somewhat better but at points only a single lane with a sheer drop off on one side. Adventure galore today.

We got to the springs and noticed 5 other cars there. When we walked down the steep path to the pool we found it literally full of 20-something year old young men and women who were having a party. There wasn’t room for us to fit in (literally, chronologically, and metaphorically) so we trudged back up to the truck. Nancy had visited this beautiful location 4 years ago with her friend Lynn Janacek and had wanted Michael to experience the energizing essence of the water that she had found there. Unfortunately that was not to be. Another lesson in being able to go with the flow and not be too attached to what was planned.

We drove farther into the park and found a lovely lake with picnic tables where we decided to have our supper. 

We began with a celebration of the Solstice. As we read, a phrase from the book “The Circle of Life” by Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr struck us:

“Blessed are you, summer,

Host of a star that shines with passion.

Sun-soaked, we reach for your energy

That drives us upward and onward.

We celebrated with champagne (a small bottle) and chocolate.  It was too windy to light candles.  As we were eating a moose walked out of the forest and into the lake. It was a young one and beautiful to see. She or he ate calmly dipping its head under the water for prolonged periods, about 200 – 300 m away from us. (photos)

Her or his presence added to the calm and beauty of our meal. We watched the shadow of the setting sun climb higher and higher up the mountains that surrounded us. This is a Solstice we won’t soon forget, even though it wasn’t as planned.

It was after 10 by the time we got back to Rocinante II. So it was make coffee for the morning and head straight to bed. A full day! Again!!