We left the Vancouver area and drove through the farmland that is the Fraser River Valley. Going north at the town of Hope, farmland gives way to the Fraser Canyon. Steep granite walls compress what was a wide river in the valley and make it fast and furious.
That's when we came across a little tourist site called "Hell's Gate". It's a narrows in the canyon, where the fast water has to force its way. A gondola swings you hundreds of feet over this boiling water to the other side. Where the only bathrooms are, by the way. He nudged, and he pushed, and we got on the gondola. It was a smooth ride, sliding down toward the buildings on the other side of the river. Once we landed there was a museum, a cafeteria, and a fudge shop, all on a patio looking over the water. It seems odd that these facilities should be on the opposite side of the river from the road, but a railroad runs right along that side. A second railroad track runs along the highway side of the river, too, and that is how it is for both the Fraser River and the Thompson. I guess CP and CN just don't get along.
After following the Fraser north, we got to go east along the Thompson River. And suddenly the granite walls of the canyon gave way to more sloping hills and sandy soils. Trees became scarce, and sagebrush and dry grass populated the hills. After all that coastal weather, I was pleased to finally reach a dry and arid area, although very surprised to see it in the middle of the Rocky Mountains.
We stopped at the village of Cache Creek. This little place is all about the 50's and 60's. The Visitor Center is decorated to look like a old 50's diner and there's a drive-in burger joint right beside it. Better yet, the weekend we got there was the town's "Graffiti Days". The local radio station had 24 hour oldies playing, there was a parade of classic cars, and a sock hop was held.
The nostalgia theme is a good attraction. It brought over 200 car buffs showing off their prized possession. And of course, the beer garden brought out the locals.
For sure, there wasn't a lot of "oldies" in the crowd. The few gray heads we saw were enjoying the cars and the tunes. But it's doubtful many went to the sock hop. It didn't start until after 9:30.
The rest of our time there was spent walking the dozens of trails crisscrossing the hills around us. Now, it doesn't look like it from the road, but the hills and trails can be steep. I don't mind walking up hills for the exercise, but I kinda draw the line at having to use my hands and feet to clamber up them.
Unless I get pushed.
W
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