WESTERN CANADA PLEASURE-WAY RV CLUB

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1 WESTERN CANADA PLEASURE-WAY RV CLUB NEWSLETTER October 2017 Website: NEW MEMBERS Derkson, Glen & Rosemary join us from Chase, BC I look forward to perusing the club website. Shuswap Falls is quite near our home, we camp at Hidden Lake quite often, which is close by. Being as we have the Dodge PW the previous owner called it the Dodge Lodge. Faramarzi, Diana joins us from Carlsbad, Ca Thanks for allowing me to become a member of your chapter. I visited Canada last fall and loved it (Nelson, Revelstoke, Banff, Drumheller, Medicine Hat and points in between). I plan to come again the summer of 2018 and bring a couple of other stateside Pleasure-Way people with me. Pratt, Catherine joins us from Calgary, AB MacDonald, Dennis & Connie Young join us from Carlyle, Sask We are looking forward to having the front lounge area to use while leaving the back set up for sleeping. We were planning a trip to Alaska but it didn't work out and hopefully get there next year when there might not be so much smoke. We are planning a couple of weeks away starting in the end of August to break the new unit in. (actually more likely to break us in). Mortimore, Ian & Wipawee join us from Victoria, BC It sounds like there are many good reasons to join the club. King, Gerald & Sandra join us from Victoria, BC We look forward to hearing about events and participating. Gray, Dave & Pam join us from London, Ont Erway, Donald & Glenda join us from Edmonton. AB We are new Pleasure-Way owners that want to connect with other PW owners. Ross Knox & Diane Jones join us from Whitehorse, Yukon George & Myrna Billsten join us from Victoria BC We are back with a Pleasure-Way RV. 1

2 Mosquito Screen Door I previously sent out an in regards to the mosquito screen. I have received s recommending this screen, materials are very good quality and the installation very professional. They can be contacted at MEMBER TRAVEL TALES Bruce & Adrienne Relkie at Rally By The Sea, St Andrews, NB Just a hello from the Rally by the Sea in St Andrews, NB. 10 min walk to town so an ideal location. Met a couple of ladies from our area of the Sunshine Coast. Will pass on your contact info if they would like to join the club. It is too bad that we always are away when the western rallies take place and we end up this far from home to attend one. Donna March & Anne Koudelka Anne (Koudelka) was in BC for the get-together at Enderby in June and after, being disillusioned about finding property to purchase in BC, I suggested a break and led her through Little Fort then across the mountains to 100 Mile House. We made stops along the way, including Lac De Roche. From there, we went north to Lac La Hache and spent 3 restful nights in the Provincial Park there, which was just "what the Doctor ordered." We headed south again because I had a medical appointment in Vernon. Luckily, I heard an announcement on the radio as we approached Cache Creek that there had been a car accident at Cherry Creek which initiated a grass fire and closed the highway to Kamloops. Not deterred, we went to Ashcroft and over the new highway to Logan Lake, taking a gander on the way of the Highland Valley Copper operation, where I worked until How it has grown, dustier and uglier than before! From Logan Lake, we drove to Kamloops and spent the night before we separated. I went to Vernon and Anne went to look at property in the Shuswap area. By then, we had heard of the 100 Mile House fire that was heading north (eventually to Lac La Hache where we had been!) We met up again at Eagle Cove on the Shuswap and were hearing then of the Ashcroft fire! We commented that it was weird... as though fire was following us. The smoke became so bad over the Shuswap, we both had trouble breathing and we made tracks for Banff (Anne's home). There we caught up on laundry and generally took it easy. It wasn't long however, before we heard about the Kimberley fire and because Banff town-site is basically a bowl, I had trouble breathing at night, my esophagus and lungs burned so! Needless to say, we hit the road again. We headed east to Calgary, and further east, taking lovely photographs of smoky sunsets along the way. When we again saw blue sky for the first time, we were at Riverhurst, SK, on Diefenbaker Lake. From there, we visited friends of Anne, stopped in Moose Jaw where I took a tour of the Tunnels, and gradually worked our way south to Anne's son's farm in Lafleche, SK. This became our base, venturing to Wood Mountain to see the museum near where Chief Sitting Bull had lived until starved out; Saskatoon, where we went to see Johnny Reid perform, North Battleford and Fort Battleford where Chief Poundmaker 2

3 surrendered and was jailed. We were in Assiniboia, SK when my younger dog blew a disc and required immediate surgery. I drove about 4 hours north to University of Saskatchewan Small Animal Veterinary Clinic in Saskatoon with a crying dog and spent the next week courtesy of Walmart, awaiting his treatment and discharge. I returned to the farm for a couple of days where Anne is very involved cooking and running errands for her son & his hired man who dug a 1340 foot water well and are currently circulating the water prepatory to sinking the pipe, pump, and screens (I think I have that right). I sincerely hope the smoke hasn't caused y'all too much distress. It is currently smoky in North Vancouver from the interior and western Washington fires and I will be leaving tomorrow, so hopefully, I'll come out of it unscathed. I'm told Vernon is clear of smoke. I hope that is still true when I get there. Ford Marshall & Jackie Baayens I am writing this from Beauvais Lake Provincial Park near Pincher Creek. We travelled from Airdrie south in our wonderful PW Excel TS staying from 30 Aug 7 Sept at $30 p/n with electricity. Nice area no showers. With less smoke. The stellar jays are beautiful and friendly only place east of the Rockies they nest. This summer we have camped only in Alberta in Banff National Park, on the Thompson Hwy, K-country on hwy 66 Beaver Flats. Sandy McNabb in the Sheep River area very nice with coin showers and electric sites and now here w/o showers. We decided to come south to get away from the smoke. Our PW has everything on it, solar, generator, four-way cameras with large monitor, digital antenna, K&N air filter, special rear spring attachment for anti-sway, importantly a rear storage bin on sliders that allows access to rear storage area under the bed where we store our propane fire pit using a 20 lb tank. A must now days with the fire ban. The TS rides so well and we love the powerful, reliable Ford V10, so smooth running with the TS wider than the Mercedes w/o slides. Great for two people. We are drawn to how well the unit is built. We are still venturing in our camper at the moment located at Watrous Regional Campground and floated in the hot spa. A must do as well Writing on Stone, Alberta Provincial Park on the Milk River just north of Montana border it depicts a river of Hoodos a must see. Unbelievable! Jim Dickson & Maureen Campbell At the beginning of August we travelled with friends to Quinsam River Prov Park near Campbell River and had a great site on the river. We were able to see fish swimming up stream, eagles swooping down on them and a black bear about 50 feet away. Thankfully the bear was on the other side of the river. It was nice not having to battle mosquitoes all the time. Weather was great. We also spent 10 days in September driving the Washington and Oregon coasts and stayed at some great State Parks along the way. Reservations are definitely required this time of year for the parks. 3

4 SUMMER 2018 KICK-OFF EVENT June 12, 13, 14 th 2018 Returning to Seal Bay RV Park, Courtenay, BC By popular demand, the Western Canada PW Club will be holding it's annual Summer Kick-off event at Seal Bay RV park in Courtenay BC on June 12, 13, and We had 35 units and 65 members this past June and we expect the demand for sites to be high next June. The event has been scheduled to coincide with the Comox Valley BC Shellfish and Seafood Festival This will give PW attendees an opportunity to attend local events and demonstrations during the camp-out. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT SEAL BAY RV PARK ABOUT THIS EVENT. REGISTRATIONS ARE TO COME TO JIM DICKSON. I will let you know when I will be taking registrations. More information will be coming soon. TECH TIPS Ford Marshall To improve safety on PW and the like units. In my case, 2005 Excel TS, I added Sumo Blocks to the rear suspension which lessen the sway and roll while driving. Certainly works. Something to consider when you have added a lot of rear weight eg, a storage unit. As the camper ages it is advisable to replace the bushings, tie rods etc. Standens of Calgary are leaders in this department. FOR SALE OR LOOKING Peter and Shirley Reid of Victoria BC have their 2014 Ford Pursuit for sale. If you wish to upgrade or know someone looking contact them at or peterdavidreid@shaw.ca. Bob & Barb Tait from Vernon BC have their 2003 Ford Excel TD for sale, contact them at or rgtait@shaw.ca Friends of Lorne & Jean McLennan from Surrey BC are looking for an older model PW if you are thinking of selling your older unit please contact them at I know of two other people who are retiring soon and are looking for a PW in the near future. MEMBERSHIP LIST Updated membership lists are sent periodically throughout the year to members addresses. We want to make you aware that the list is to be used for contacting people you may wish to connect with. It must not be used for commercial purposes or given to anyone who is not a member of the Western Canada Pleasure-Way club. 4

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