September 8, 2021
We left Bull Canyon for the last time and headed toward Williams Lake for a stop at the Chilko Lodge. The Lodge was built in the 1940s as a hunting lodge and has been restored and offers both a restaurant and bar. We parked our rigs in the yet to be updated RV section and enjoyed full amenity hookups.
The lodge is also a great jumping-off point for a trip to Farwell Canyon and its great views of the Chilcotin River and vistas of the water-carved limestone and sandstone hoodoos and rolling sand dunes. Farwell is also the site of a former indigenous village and we were witness to the indigenous dip net fishery.
After an afternoon of exploring in Doug’s truck, we enjoyed Happy Hour in the retreating sunshine sitting on the lodge’s front lawn overlooking the rugged Chilcotin country.
The current owners, Kurt and Brenda Van Ember, were once residents of our hometown of Abbotsford and we enjoyed hearing how they gave up their hectic lower mainland rat race for their downshifted Chilcotin life. Not that they are less busy catering to guests and constantly improving the lodge but just different in a more relaxing way.
After a few refreshments, Gordon brought out his bagpipes and entertained the guests and owners alike. It was a grand way to bring the tour to an end.
The next morning we unhooked the rigs and made our way to Williams Lake for one last gas up before turning for home.
All in all, it was a great tour and I thank Deborah for agreeing to an RV road trip. We can now check off the “Chilcotin” on our lists of travel destinations and hopefully, there will be another “RV” trip in our future. I was encouraged when I heard my reluctant partner venture a guess as to “what we might pack and do a little different next time!”
