erected the tent just before it began raining again, (yes we're back in Canada) which meant we had to cook on the ground in the awning. It is always tricky cooking on the ground in the awning because the primus stove, although has three legs, can be a bit unsteady on slightly uneven ground, (I think the designers have never cooked at ground level), and I was a bit anxious it might tip or get accidentally knocked over. So I waited until David has stopped jumping around as he does when we first arrive at a camp ground, and when he was safely seated I cooked some food. Each time he attempted to jump up to do something in our confined conditions I told him to sit still (just like you do with a 2 yr old!). Unfortunately I just wasn't quick enough when he suddenly decided to leap up like a grass hopper, into the tent for something that I had said could wait until we had finished cooking, and guess what: David promptly kicked over the stove and along with it the entire contents of the pan with our meal in. As you can imagine I threw a bit of a wobbly, sat frozen as he bellowed brazenly “don't just sit there do something!!” I gave him a spoon to scoop up the food and as he did so, he asked confidently if we could still eat it!! As I shook my head in disbelief, he then enquired as if it was the most normal thing in the world, whether we had more food so that I could cook another meal!!!!!!! Assertively, I told him “No”, adding that we were eating out. So after he had cleaned up the gloop which had spread itself over a good distance of the groundsheet, we went into town for a burger!! One veg one chicken (for me) so there! (Wasn't quite like that but I will let Jillie's artistic licence stand)
Afterwards we headed off into town to the Canadian Legion where evening talks on all things to do with world motorbike travel, were being held. Around 11.30pm we groped our way back to the camp in pitch black having forgotten our torches.
Friday & Sat caught up with Murph, who was wild camping in a rest area cos he's engaged in a inner and sometimes outer debate/rant about the morals of having to pay for camping!! We talked about food and cooking whilst on the road and Murph, announced how easy it is to make a Dutch Oven in which all sorts of culinary delicacies are possible. Immediately I accepted his back-handed invitation to camp dinner at his place and eagerly anticipated his creation. Okay so he wasn't entirely enthusiastic!
David worked on bike during day, chatted to folk, attended talks on other traveller's adventures around the world; how to adapt a motorbike seat for comfort rather than looks; bear-safety (yes that's right we are back in bear country), and how not to use bear repellent (a certain German lady will inform you earnestly to spray the bear not yourself-good advice indeed); motorbike travelling-ladies only, where we talked about managing helmet hair, periods, comfort, clothing, managing men and their controlling natures, (when women are riding pillion, or on their own bike travelling with a man), so things came up like, how to be assertive when deciding where to go and how long to stay, insisting on regular pit stops (some men just don't know when to stop for a break and will ride all day), managing the budget, eating in or out, buying food. Believe it or not typically a man will show little or no interest in food production or preparation when at home. However put them on the road and suddenly, whether you buy one banana or two, rice or pasta, becomes and issue. Anything more than food as fuel sees them twitch fidget and mumble to themselves. God help you is you want to buy any seasoning as it will add too much weight to the bike!! And wait until he starts to go through your pannier to weed out the items he thinks you don't need (watch out if you have a bottle of nail-varnish or more than one hair band).
I sat in familiar territory as other women travellers recounted their 'horror' stories of travelling with a man. I felt faintly amused, but also relieved to know that David's behaviour is normal for the species, I just need to find ways of managing it, which doesn't involve lying down and playing dead! (Jill is obviously looking forward to travelling on her own!)
We also had an interesting talk by...you guessed it...a man, on how to make a cooker using old beer cans (now I bet that has got you thinking!). I asked before the talk why one would want or even need to undertake such an activity given that most campers will have a cooker with them. And if it were for emergencies, where in the back-country one might find used beer cans to perform the task on. He looked down at me with piercing incredulous eyes, and a puzzled look on his face, as if I had asked why is the earth round; or better still why camp when you can stay in a hotel. After much harrumphing he sped off to find used beer cans! Anyway here it is.
We also met Peter and Carol who invited us to stay with them in Revelstoke, an offer we instantly took up and looked forward to. Peter and Carol have travelled extensively around the world and we were eager to hear their stories and pick up some tips.
Sunday. I declined a ride out to see Murph's camp, heading off instead to the beach and a swim (the first of the trip) on the banks of the Columbia River Basin.
It was just **x!** breath-takingly freezing, but splashingly wonderful and cooled and hydrated my dry and ageing scales a treat.
Sunday night Murph wriggled out of cooking us dinner using a Dutch Oven, and found us inviting Murph around for a camp dinner, where we fed him couscous and veg with virtual reality chicken,
and he brought some ice for water, which I declined unless he had tucked away some gin and tonic with a slice of lemon (to which he castigated me for teasing him (he is on the wagon) and for reminding him how good it tastes); he also fed us home made apple pie, which he had sweet-talked his way into at the local cafe, where he spent his days chatting up the girlies!
Spot the apple pie to the top of the photo, and the cooker made of two beer cans in the middle-it has a candle perched on to-all mod cons you know. And if you try real hard you will be able to smell a patchouli incense cone too!! Another thing David complained added to the weight on the bike. (If Jill has incense and candles hiding in her pannier what else does she have!)
Monday morning, we did a bit of internet work outside the Tourist Office in Nakusp, using their free internet access, before departing across the ferry where I relaxed
David chatted with the ferry engineer, a fellow bike enthusiast about sprockets and dip sticks or similar (Actually it was about lipstick colours and nail varnish remover!) 
before heading towards Revelstoke.
It was great meeting you guys in the great white north. It was almost 500 miles to Ellensburg. We were damn tired when we arrived. B&A
ReplyDelete