Sunday, November 05, 2006

Fraser Canyon Wanderings


Fraser Canyon Wanderings



Monday was a holiday in Canada, so that created a long weekend that was very welcome in my house.
Saturday started off slow in the weather department, but Sunday was good weather and Monday was great! It was 75 degrees in the Vancouver area and summer was here.

I had been a good boy and got all the yard chores done on Saturday, Sunday I spent some quality time with the younguns, well, teenagers now, and even found time for a 15 mile bike ride with Annette, followed up with steaks on the barbie with Annette's sister over for dinner and a visit that night.

Monday I woke up at 7.30 AM, aware that this had the makings of a hot summer day. What better way to enjoy the summer then a Backroads drive!!!
ROAD TRIP !!!

I called my friend Ron Patrick, checked with his wife Donna Mae to see if he was allowed to come out to play..he was, so I scooped him up and we headed to the Fraser Canyon.



If you haven't heard of the Fraser Canyon, it is a wild gorge that lasts for 30 miles, with the Fraser River crashing and boiling it's way all along.


We meandered along up the Canyon, stopping at places like Emory Creek, where the Chinese, that were brought over to work on the railway in the 1800's, worked over supposedly played out sand bars and meticuously (sp) strained even more gold from the river.


We then headed up river and visited the old Alexandra Bridge. The first bridge was built in 1863, but was washed away by floods and rebuilt twice, the last in 1926. It was used until 1962, when the road through the Canyon was rebuilt and a new higher bridge was built.


The it was up to Hell's Gate for a quick look around, snapped some pics of the tram cars and the buildings below in the gorge, then back down the Canyon and a side trip to the Hope Slide which occured in 1965.


If all this sounds familiar, it's because this trip was a pre-amble to the Hell's Gate tour I am leading on July 21 Saturday with the PNW Backroad Drivers. It should be the same type of weather then, beautiful summer, lots of sunshine and stunning views to be had.........

Hope you enjoy them, I had a GREAT day getting them......!!!!
Eddie in Vancouver BC

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