Sun, fruits and Osoyoos

Well, there actually seems to be something like a summer in B.C., too. Today finally there are only a few white clouds in the sky, the sun is shining all day and the temperature climbs to unbelievable 23 degrees C (74 F).

We cannot resist. The four pounds of strawberries from the day before yesterday are long gone and we drive past anyway in the morning. So we pick strawberries once again. Then we continue on our way to Osoyoos on a worthwhile route in mostly remarkable scenery. The wide valley along the lakes is full of fruit trees and vines. Somehow this reminds us of southern France.

On our way we pass a lot of campgrounds that are located right by the noisy road. That confirms our aversion to make a reservation without knowing the campground.

Bending down at picking strawberries requires a compensation for the body. About 3 km (2 mi) before Oliver we pass a sign “U pick cherries“, one dollar a pound. The trees are full with sweet cherries. In the shortest time we have picked four pounds and eaten another two pounds.

Osoyoos is located very nicely on the lake; somehow here is a vacation atmosphere. We slowly drive along the eastern shore of the lake, where five of the six campgrounds are located. Each of them is packed with Rvs and there is a small beach on the opposite side of the road, all this for more than $50. We do not like it at all.

We go to Haynes Point Provincial Park, a campground that in a perfect location that reaches into Osoyoos Lake on a peninsula. The 41 sites are occupied by reservations all summer (no wonder), but we want to have a look anyway. To our surprise in the park there is a wide gravel strip by the short access road just before the campsites that is used as an overflow. Here we can stay. This location is better than a lot of the “official“ sites that are overgrown all around. We do not have a table, but we can sit in the sun by the water on the right the first half of the day and on the left the second half. The fee ($30) is the same as on the sites. Late in the afternoon we take the bicycles for a 3 km (2 mi) ride into the village.

Across the lake runs the Canada-US border. Today is July 4, the US national day. After nightfall we can watch big fireworks in a 2 to 3 km (1 to 2 mi) distance across the lake.