Trusting the Road Again — Okanagan Valley, BC

After a good night’s sleep, I am still moving gently, but something inside me begins to trust the road again.

I still keep things on the easy side and continue my travel to Osoyoos. I chat with ChatGPT a bit to see if there is anything interesting on the route. I have to admit, AI can be a fantastic tool for travel planning. That is how I find myself stopping in the small town of Grand Forks, walking around to find the many stunning murals around town.

I love when my landscape movie changes as I travel. As I start the steep descent toward Osoyoos, the view takes on a whole new feeling. It is almost as if I am entering a new country. I leave behind majestic mountains still capped in snow, blue peaceful lakes, and lush forests, and enter a land that feels like a Mediterranean love story.

I arrive in Osoyoos by early evening. I am still not sure where I will spend the night. After two nights of paying for campgrounds, I need to find a place to park for free. But for now, I am hungry, and my best option is to stop at Sẁiẁs Provincial Park, and cook dinner.

A perfect dinner with a view.

I open the iOverlander app to consider my options for the night. I find only one good option and drive to check it out.

It is a dead-end road next to a winery. One van has already taken a spot. In the next hour, another car and an RV arrive to spend the night at the end of the road.

That is how I find myself enjoying a joyful conversation with three young souls. Mikey is from Australia, Laura is from Denmark, and Agathe is originally from Belgium and now lives in Montréal. What I find interesting is that in all three countries, voting is mandatory. If you do not vote, you get fined.

Now that is a very interesting way to celebrate the responsibility of democracy.

Good morning, sunshine.

It feels like summer here.

I continue my travel up the Okanagan Valley, which is absolutely breathtaking. A sea of vineyards covers much of the valley, with rugged mountains folding into each other as they rise above the wide, peaceful Okanagan Lake. When a view takes your breath away, you know you have been gifted with a blessing.

At this point, I am back to being my healthy self. I have one point of interest I wish to pursue: biking along the historic Kettle Valley Railway at Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park. The path goes through sixteen wood-frame trestles, two steel bridges, and two tunnels. What a fun way to explore nature and feel part of history.

Of course, I have to stop at a winery. Interestingly enough, I stop at a fruit winery. Somehow, I only associate wine with grapes, so I am quite surprised to enjoy a tasting of other fruit wines. I end up getting the blueberry wine to share with Deb, and we both like it.

It is funny how I have never met Deb in person. We only had one phone conversation two years ago, and still, it feels like I am visiting an old friend.

Although I cherish my love for the freedom of the open road, I have a deep appreciation for the beautiful connections this journey has given me. I love hearing other people’s stories and finding the common ground of kindness in every person I meet. It truly gives me so much hope for a more peaceful world.

Deb welcomes me with such an open heart. Deb is a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, and her life is filled with impressive travel adventures from around the world. Her house is a true reflection of her spirit, a beautiful place she designed herself, with a perfect blend of rustic warmth and art.

It always amazes me to experience such generosity from people who begin as strangers and somehow feel like family.

Deb, thank you for opening your home to me, for spoiling me, and for making me feel so welcome. Your backyard is the perfect place to sit, breathe, and catch up on my writing.

Deb also invites her friends for breakfast, and it is such a pleasure to meet Christine, her husband, Keith, and Tricia. There is something so special about being welcomed not only into someone’s home, but also into a small circle of friendship. Around the breakfast table, I feel again how this journey keeps introducing me to beautiful souls.

That post was meant to end here, and the next one was supposed to pick up as I continue toward Jasper. However, as I leave Deb’s driveway, an error light comes on my dashboard. After a quick look into it, I realize I'd better take a closer look at the issue.

I return to Deb to see if maybe two brains can figure out what comes next.

It turns out AAA cannot come on a Sunday to check my battery. Deb welcomes me back into her home with the same generous heart, and once again, I am reminded how this journey keeps bringing me the kindness of beautiful souls.

Thank you, my dear friend. You truly have a heart of gold.

The next morning, I follow Deb to her mechanic, who clears the error light after finding nothing wrong with my car. Yay!

I do not let the few bumps in the road take my spirit away. After all, as I write this last sentence, I am reminded that life is impermanent. Challenges will come and go.

And I am very aware of my growth when life squeezes me into a corner.

I can clearly see how I would have handled the last few weeks a few years ago, and how now there is a much more relaxed Gila. A Gila who is willing to acknowledge what is happening, receive it with an open mind, and move through it with a kind heart.

Life is good.