7th June 2026
Not a great night's sleep - don't know why.
I spent yesterday planning the rest of the trip, and have got just about everything sorted out. Today I'll be heading for Kelowna, where I'll be staying for two nights, which means 500+ klicks today (there's really no closer point to stay for the route I have planned).
But first - breakfast...
Hey, Audi doesn't have the café I want on her list, so I get her to navigate to the street address.
It's like being Amish
I slip Matthew - the super-concierge - $20 as a thank-you for all of his help, then wheel my bags out to the car - next to some dual-sports bikes - anyone from here?
However reluctantly, Hey, Audi, steers me to The Baker 89 café, which I last visited in September (and should have visited yesterday morning
).
It's opposite a hemp shop...
It's a quirky little place - and I love it. The single waitress is working her ass off (apparently her oppo called in sick), but she races around, keeping a good attitude, which is commendable...
Good menu...
From which I select...
...the Baker 89 BF, with eggs over easy and pancakes...
One of the quirks of this place is that you get a complimentary bowl of soup with your breakfast. Today's is homemade pork and barley - delicious...
The main event arrives, and is top quality, and delicious...
To add insult to injury, it was also cheaper than Denny's substandard fare...
I waddle back out to the car, noticing this shop down the road...
I think my body was saying, "Let's not do that every day, eh?"
Hey, Audi lays in a course for The Ramada at Kelowna, some 525km distant, and we set off...
Spotted this old gent parked on the way to the highway - any guesses for make/model/year?
It's quite a chilly and damp day - as I leave Cranbrook it's around 8°C, and I soon run into some drizzle...
Even the bridges don't brighten the day up...
...it's just miserable weather. Still - I'm not at work...
I spot someone's pride and joy parked in the splendidly named town of Yahk...
Some great bridges today, but it's still a miserable drive...
The cloud breaks and the temperature climbs...
...but I'm going to be climbing a couple of mountain passes today, and the weather and temperature is very variable...
At the top of the splendidly named Kootenay Pass...
...it drops to 2°C, and I'm driving through sleet...
Five minutes later, on the floor of the next valley, it's 16°C...
Although Hey, Audi is doing all the work, it's still a tiring drive...
Christina Lake is beautiful. I stop at a gas station and get a coffee refill...
Lovely old car advertising a café in Greenwood. Points available for make/model/year...
Eventually, the rain abates, and the weather settles into a breezy, dry day and about 16°C...
How about this old Brit?
Definitely didn't look this good when it rolled off the production line...
I suddenly realised that we've not had a barn pic this trip!
I feel this one has crossed the event horizon between 'farm building' and 'firewood'...
After what seems an age, we are entering Kelowna...
...where I have booked a room at the Ramada for two nights...
My check-in is supervised by a moose in RCMP uniform...
...and I'm quickly allocated my beautiful room on floor two...
There appears to be a drive-through off-licence across the road...
I fuel the Audi up - it has done 39.6mpg (33mpg US), even though it's covered a lot of steep and winding roads. I'm pretty impressed...
Quite a hard day's driving - I'm glad I'm not going anywhere tomorrow...
Not a great night's sleep - don't know why.
I spent yesterday planning the rest of the trip, and have got just about everything sorted out. Today I'll be heading for Kelowna, where I'll be staying for two nights, which means 500+ klicks today (there's really no closer point to stay for the route I have planned).
But first - breakfast...
Hey, Audi doesn't have the café I want on her list, so I get her to navigate to the street address.
It's like being Amish
I slip Matthew - the super-concierge - $20 as a thank-you for all of his help, then wheel my bags out to the car - next to some dual-sports bikes - anyone from here?
However reluctantly, Hey, Audi, steers me to The Baker 89 café, which I last visited in September (and should have visited yesterday morning
It's opposite a hemp shop...
It's a quirky little place - and I love it. The single waitress is working her ass off (apparently her oppo called in sick), but she races around, keeping a good attitude, which is commendable...
Good menu...
From which I select...
...the Baker 89 BF, with eggs over easy and pancakes...
One of the quirks of this place is that you get a complimentary bowl of soup with your breakfast. Today's is homemade pork and barley - delicious...
The main event arrives, and is top quality, and delicious...
To add insult to injury, it was also cheaper than Denny's substandard fare...
I waddle back out to the car, noticing this shop down the road...
I think my body was saying, "Let's not do that every day, eh?"
Hey, Audi lays in a course for The Ramada at Kelowna, some 525km distant, and we set off...
Spotted this old gent parked on the way to the highway - any guesses for make/model/year?
It's quite a chilly and damp day - as I leave Cranbrook it's around 8°C, and I soon run into some drizzle...
Even the bridges don't brighten the day up...
...it's just miserable weather. Still - I'm not at work...
I spot someone's pride and joy parked in the splendidly named town of Yahk...
Some great bridges today, but it's still a miserable drive...
The cloud breaks and the temperature climbs...
...but I'm going to be climbing a couple of mountain passes today, and the weather and temperature is very variable...
At the top of the splendidly named Kootenay Pass...
...it drops to 2°C, and I'm driving through sleet...
Five minutes later, on the floor of the next valley, it's 16°C...
Although Hey, Audi is doing all the work, it's still a tiring drive...
Christina Lake is beautiful. I stop at a gas station and get a coffee refill...
Lovely old car advertising a café in Greenwood. Points available for make/model/year...
Eventually, the rain abates, and the weather settles into a breezy, dry day and about 16°C...
How about this old Brit?
Definitely didn't look this good when it rolled off the production line...
I suddenly realised that we've not had a barn pic this trip!
After what seems an age, we are entering Kelowna...
...where I have booked a room at the Ramada for two nights...
My check-in is supervised by a moose in RCMP uniform...
...and I'm quickly allocated my beautiful room on floor two...
There appears to be a drive-through off-licence across the road...
I fuel the Audi up - it has done 39.6mpg (33mpg US), even though it's covered a lot of steep and winding roads. I'm pretty impressed...
Quite a hard day's driving - I'm glad I'm not going anywhere tomorrow...
