My Flog for March 5 - Rubber Duck and Granny Duck in 'They'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountains When They Come .... or kinda like that - Road Trip Day 2

After an almost 3 hour delay, we headed towards the mountains, with a tug-along full of empty totes and oranges. Driving in the dark really made it hard to take pictures - that just didn't work. 

Our first stop was at a Husky truck stop in Chilliwack - this is where I found the absolutely best Yogurt Parfait in the entire world - a huge plastic cup of yogurt and cherry pie filling and the best granola ever. I spent every succeeding mile longing for the next Husky station, but was disappointed when I found out that they don't all carry these delicious treasures. 

Other than the yogurt factor, Husky truck stops would be top of my list if I were travelling by car, bike or roller skates. The washrooms are super clean, and their coffee is super good. Every one had a herd of rigs lining up their lots - and a whack of sleeping drivers safe inside.

I so tried to stay awake - but after 24 hours or so of being up and at 'em, I started to nod off around Rogers Pass, which was fine, as later Neil said that was the most slippery part of the journey, and I would probably have been freaked out. I knew I was nodding off when my eyes would pop open and my head jerk back, but if I had any question at all about my alertness, all I had to do was wipe the drool from my chin. This getting old thing really sucks, so I've decided not to do it any more. 

However, when I did wake up for good, the day started. I was hoping to see a magnificent mountain sunrise, but that just wasn't going to happen, so I settled for some monochromatic beauty instead. I had absolutely no idea I took this little video - 

Words can't tell you the awe I experienced, so I'll just let the pictures talk for themselves. Remember these were taken through the window of a big rig barreling down the highway at about 100 km an hour. And be impressed.

We were really hoping to see some wildlife - there were Watch Out For Them signs all over the place.  Maybe they were obeying Watch Out For People signs behind the trees. We both saw a moose, though, and I saw a mountain goat.

 However, it wasn't very exciting. Moose on stilts rarely are.

Here's the mountain goat. At least I think it was a mountain goat - it's amazing I managed to get this picture, as I just pointed the camera out the side window and snapped as we rolled along. The other pictures I took like this were too blurry to use.

And the morning took us into the city of Calgary. Neil found the drop off place, and we headed to another Husky to eat and sleep. I felt pretty good again by then - until I dropped out of the truck and the ground under me started to shake. An earthquake? In Calgary?

No. Just me and a case of Stupid Sea Legs. As I stumbled drunkenly to the washroom, I'm sure people thought I was inebriated, as I had to carefully place each foot on that wobble snowy ground. In the washroom, the tiles under my feet were moving so much I had to check the water in the toilet - I was sure it was sloshing all over the place. Nope. Just me and my tired brain.

After scrambled eggs and toast, and some more life-saving coffee, we headed back to the truck  and slept the sleep of the righteous. Nice to have a vehicle with bunk beds, eh? Or for the Newfoundlanders, wah?

Unfortunately, by the time we were awake and moderately alert, Bonnie had gone to bed, so we didn't get a chance to see her. Since we had a whole hour before Neil could do his pickup, though, we headed out over snowy roads to see a friend from back home, whom I haven't seen since I was a young maid - Patricia grew up in Culls Harbour, I, in Traytown, and every now and then our parents would drive over the causeway and I'd have to drink tea. I always hated tea. I still do. But then we had to mind our manners, and weren't allowed to go into someone's house, and say, 'Tea is gross.'

We were offered beer or coffee. Thank you, Pat, for leaving tea out of this.

There's not much about Culls Harbour online that I can find - the only thing Wikipedia has to say its the summer home of the prestigious Tommy Burt - I have no idea who he is.

After a lovely little visit, it was back in the truck to get a container full of goods for The Great Canadian Superstores in Kamloops and Prince George. I'm ashamed to say I slept part of the night away, tucked up in my little bunk with my blankie wrapped around my head.

More tomorrow - keep tuned ...

This is Granny Duck, saying Over and Out.