Arrived at Whistler about 5pm, 31 Aug and sorted out a very pleasant Brio B&B about 10m walk from central Whistler- info@briohousewhistler.com - Good kitchen where we cooked out own dinner in the evening. Next morning a good breakfast was provided by Kirsty, an Australian, who ran the B&B while husband Craig was an HR consultant who had an office in North Vancouver but largely worked from home. They had lived and work all around the world but seemed to have settled in Whistler enjoying the outdoor lifestyle. Then we were back on the road northward through Pemberton, Lilooet, south-east through Lytton, north-east to Spences Bridge then south-east again to Merritt where enquires directed us to the historic Quilchena Hotel where we spent the night. It is still owned by the same family, now the Rose family (marriage changed the name), that built it over 100 years ago and also still hold the 100,000 Ha cattle ranche that surrounds the hotel and General Store. September 2nd saw us travel through some of the best cattle country in BC calling at the historic (and another of the largest) Douglas Lake cattle ranche and then down to Armstrong where we came by the Interior (some signs had Inter) Provincial Exhibition (IPE) equivalent to a NZ A&P show but mostly amusements and side shows. The day ended after a ferry crossing at Needles to Fauquier. A short drive north took us to Nakusp to stay at a rather strange, “Seniors B&B”, but it was clean and comfortable even if the bed did slope to the foot and when the door was opened the ceiling light screen rattled like a windstorm. There were also a few other bodies roaming about and we did not know if they were family or hangers on but definitely were not guests. Fortunately the morning brought on a good breakfast cooked by the Asian wife and the old chap chatted over coffee. However, we were pleased to be on our way south-east to Kaslo and then southward, along Kootenay Lake, to the ferry crossing at Balfour well ouit of the the serious cattle country. Rather than venture over a steep winding gravel road to Kimberley, previously travelled, we continued south to Cranbrook joining highway 3 westward to Fernie, an old mining town, now a bustling Ski Town whihc lead us to Barbara Lyns Inn, a very prim and proper B&B quite the opposite of the previous night. However we were allowed to have a cook up on the patio opposite our room and cook our own breakfast in the kitchenette. The door had a code to unlock, very security concious.

Next is the Rockies crossing and up to Calgary.