Story 815 – Okanagan Connector

OKANAGAN CONNECTOR

written by Debbie Williamson

My latest adventure occurred in my home province, British Columbia. I went to the Kamloops airport and picked up my sidekick, Baby Patrick. He was very excited about this next adventure.

“So we are going to drive the Okanagan Connector!” exclaimed Baby Patrick, excitedly.

“Yes,” said Travellin’ Rick. “That is our newest adventure. We are going to travel the Okanagan Connector from Merritt to Kelowna, BC.”

The Okanagan Connector was a massive highway project in British Columbia that helped bridge the gap between the lower mainland and the Okanagan Valley regions of British Columbia. Travellin’ Rick and Baby Patrick drove from Kamloops to Merritt and once at Merritt they drove onto the Okanagan Connector.

The Okanagan Valley was a huge stretch of highway. At times you are so high up in the mountains that you feel you are on top of the world and the funny thing is that at some points I believe we were on the top of the world.

Baby Patrick could not believe the scenery he saw on the Okanagan Connector. He saw  lush green forests, mountain rivers and streams, mountains and mountain tops. At one point he even saw a mother moose and it’s baby standing right beside her.

The Okanagan Connector does have a wildlife fence on each side of it and you do see at some points along the way that there are little bridges that wildlife can use to cross over from one side of the highway to the other without getting hit by a car.

“Will you look at that sight,” said Baby Patrick, totally mesmerized by what he was looking at.

“Isn’t that beautiful,” stated Travellin’ Rick.

Baby Patrick and Travellin’ Rick were looking out the car window and they could not believe that the stretch of highway that they were travelling on just then was actually above the clouds. They were eye to eye with the clouds. Now, these clouds were real clouds, not just a low lying fog but real fluffy white clouds.

There was no place to stop on the Okanagan Connector to get gas or food so once they got to Kelowna, they stopped for gas and a bite to eat. Baby Patrick could not get over the fact that he had just been above the clouds.

“Wow!” he exclaimed. “That was one awesome adventure.”

“It sure was,” said Travellin’ Rick.