Going to the Races

Sunday June 18, 2017

A lot of times when we take a tour we pack a lunch and make a day of it. But today was a bit cloudy so we said we would only be away for a few hours.

The destination was the new race track just up the highway in Oliver, BC. Area 27 web page can be found at area 27

We really  did not know what to expect before we arrived. There has been an influx of sporty fast cars in and around Osoyoos since the track opened.

So here is a short video for the cars, and sounds the I heard at the track.  Make sure to turn up the volume at the :57 second mark, it's a scream.

Until next time remember to "Discover It and Live It."

Experiencing Summerland BC

Sunday May 28, 2017

We were up at 6:00 am to be greeted by a sunny, calm morning. Today was a planned Osoyoos Photo Club outing so we packed a picnic lunch and Randal organized his camera equipment for a day of photo shooting.

We left Osoyoos at 7:30 am driving north to the Ornamental Gardens in Summerland to join other members of the Osoyoos Photo Club. 

   

There was a Tai Chi group very intent on their graceful session. It gave a feeling of relaxation just to watch them. 

  

The history of the Summerland Gardens goes back almost a hundred years.

In 1916, when Agriculture Canada laid out the ornamental gardens around its two-year-old experimental laboratory just south of Summerland, the Kettle Valley Railway link to the coast had just been completed. Roads, at best, were rough tracks. Immigrants were coming to the Okanagan by rail and lake sternwheeler ship. Irrigation systems were being built because any agriculture more intensive than ranching had to have water.

After taking more than a hundred photos we drove into the town of Summerland. Our destination was find the Kettle Valley Railway and Trans Canada Trail. We certainly saw more of Summerland than we do when driving along highway 97.

'Bottleneck Drive' was most interesting with all the orchards, wineries and horse ranches. By noon we had finally arrived at the Kettle Valley Railway terminal.

The train had just finished its morning run so we purchased a ticket for a ride on the 3716 steam train. With more that an hour before we boarded we pulled out the picnic lunch and ate the same time the engineer and conductors had their break.

By 1:15 we boarded with a good size group of other customers for the 90 minute nostalgic journey through the rural beauty of Summerland and onto Trout Creek Canyon.

The train stopped on the Trestle which we saw when we were in the Ornamental Gardens. Then headed back. 

So until next time remember to "Discover it and Live It". 

Harvest Time

NK'MIP Cellars

Here is a look at the grape harvest that we witnessed last September at NK'MIP  Cellars.

 

So until next time remember "Discover It and Live It".

Wrong Turn

Sunday Drive - March 19, 2017

A drive on a sunny day was most rewarding especially when the Sun is out.

Stopped on the way at a lookout point on #3 close to Osoyoos.

We took High #3 through Similkameen Valley to Keremeos.

Hedley, Keremeos, Cawston TOP 10 EXPERIENCES

• Sip, swirl, and sniff your way through the Similkameen Wine region on your own or by a guided tour.
• Explore the region's history on a tour of the Snazalst Discovery Centre and Mascot Mines in Hedley.
• Float or paddle the Similkameen River from the Red Bridge in Keremeos to Pine Park or all the way to Kobau Park in Cawston.
• Taste your way through our signature events including the Similkameen BBQ King and the Similkameen Sizzle.
• Take in a summer concert beneath the stars, tour the gardens or watch the wheat being ground at the Grist Mill and Gardens in Keremeos, the last heritage mill of its kind in BC.
• Shop for homemade jerky and handcrafted sausage at famed Doug's Homestead near Hedley.
• Travel the Red Bridge near Keremeos, your gateway to mountain hiking adventures at Cathedral Lakes.
• Shop for locally grown and organic produce at our fruit stands and farm markets of Cawston - Canada's organic farming capital, and in Keremeos - the fruit stand capital of Canada.
• Have an angling adventure as you catch mountain whitefish and trout in the Similkameen and Ashnola Rivers or at Yellow Lake.

We drove on the Keremos,back roads around the orchards in the valley

The Similkameen River still had ice along it's banks and was running well.

We stopped in down town Keremeos for fish and chips at the Pub Style Restaurant called the Wrong Turn Tavern.

The proprietor, Liza Needham, told us that her great grandfather had moved the 1908 building from another location to main street. She is now running a very active business in the tavern.

Spotted Lake was on our way back and is richly concentrated with various minerals. It contains dense deposits of magnesium sulfate, calcium and sodium sulphates. It also contains high concentrations of eight other minerals and lower amounts of silver and titanium.

Most of the water in the lake evaporates over the summer, revealing colorful mineral deposits. Large “spots” on the lake appear and are colored according to the mineral composition and seasonal amount of precipitation. Magnesium sulfate, which crystallizes in the summer, is a major contributor to spot color. In the summer, remaining minerals in the lake harden to form natural “walkways” around and between the spots.
Originally known to the First Nations of the Okanagan Valley as Kliluk, Spotted Lake was for centuries and remains revered as a sacred site thought to provide therapeutic waters. During World War I, the minerals of Spotted Lake were used in manufacturing ammunition.

Later, the area came under the control of the Ernest Smith Family for a term of about 40 years. In 1979, Smith attempted to create interest in a spa at the lake. The First Nations responded with an effort to buy the lake, then in October 2001, struck a deal by purchasing 22 hectares of land for a total of $720,000, and contributed about 20% of the cost. The Indian Affairs Department paid the remainder.

So until next time remember to "Descover It and Live It".