Vancouver to Albuquerque
We arrived back in Vancouver, Canada from 
our 3 week stay on Vancouver Island, making our way to Burnaby and the Cariboo RV park. A deluxe 5 star they call it. We were allocated a site and we paid up accordingly. Our stay is for 2 weeks so we were able to negotiate a weekly reduction. On inspection of our particular site we both agreed it was a bit narrow. So off I went looking for another vacant site in the campground which would suit us better. Site number 1 fitted the bill. So back to the office and with a ‘you’re too long but if you can get in it that’s ok” reply, I said “watch us!’. Well with a bit of maneuvering we were in and quite satisfied. The other benefit of our site was that we were able to watch all the comings and goings of other RV’s and in particular their backing up abilities. We both agreed that at times it was better than watching TV! .
So for the first week we took it easy, did a few sight seeing trips including the Richmond Night market. This is almost exclusively run by Chinese and featured some 60 food stalls. Mmmmm. We tried a few dishes - Mags had BBQ spicy squid. The main reason for being at Burnaby was to meet up with the Cascadia 
Chapter of RVing Women. We met them last year at Cultus Lake and so enjoyed it that this time we have made a point of meeting them again. Well they arrived and it was so good to see them all again and indeed see new faces. We spent ages chatting and then the next day went into Vancouver with a group of them. It was here that Maggie got the opportunity to go kayaking for the first time. Kathy took her under her wing as she had kayaked on many occasions so off they went. The rest of us went shopping in Granville Island market. Finally Maggie returned with a big smile and a commitment to do it again.
The following day we helped the 
group with breakfast of pancakes and sausage and the girls gave us a "Diva" scarf for helping them of which we felt most honoured. They also said how much they enjoyed our company and that they will miss us. We then said our goodbyes and I said thanks to all for making us welcome and that we consider them all our friends. We will certainly miss their company.
It was time to move on again over the border, say goodbye to Canada and off to Sedro Woolley in Washington State. We stayed with our friends Svend and Vi whilst we planned a trip to Florida to renew our Driving licences. It also gave us an opportunity to meet up with two of our RVW friends Linda C and Lynda B in Bellingham. They kindly gave us dinner showed us the sights of Bellingham.
Our next stop was to be Seattle where we knew we could get a flight to Orlando. Kindly two more RVW friends Norma and Sue Ellen offered us accommodation and a lift to the airport. So we left our motorhome and car with Diane and Nancy in Issaquah, also RVW friends, and off we went to Orlando for the night. We slept in the airport overnight after a hectic flight and nearly missing our connection. Then with our new licenses we headed back to Seattle. Phew a bit of a journey but it was made infinitely easier with the help from our new friends. We are indebted to them.
So once again we head off having said our goodbyes and our destination is Albuquerque for the 2006 Balloon Fiesta. Enroute we decided to go to Colorado and there we stayed with Lynda B’s mum and Dad. They gave us full hook-ups in their yard (garden) and dinner to boot! After leaving there we went to Ridgway State Park, Colorado, and from there we left the motorhome and took off down to Silverton, a small mining town in the mountains. To get to it we had to cross Red Rock mountain pass which is some 10,000 feet high and travel a narrow steep road with hairpin turns and steep drop-offs with no barriers. Once in Silverton we caught the steam train to Durango. This train travels through the mountains and gorges for a journey of 3 hours. It was spectacular and well worth doing. At Durango we booked into a hotel and stayed for the night. The following day we returned via the same route to Silverton.
We returned to the motorhome in Ridgway and packed up to continue our journey to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Click here to follow Mags and Di at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival.
