On Friday, August 30th we’ve decided to start our return trip home. We have 1000 kilometres (625 miles) to travel, probably in variable road conditions. There was a phase in my life where this would be a minor inconvenience, but my present attitude is: “take it easy”.

After packing up our things, the initial journey is a 30 minute trip up the lake to our original launch point at Cougar Bay. First, we say goodbye to our temporary home.

Speeding up the lake in relative silence we just take in the pleasure of being with friends in the fresh air over the lake with the wind in our hair. Okay, some of us have hair.

After saying our “goodbyes” we begin the reverse of our trip along the Gold Rush Trail. Four kilometres through the woods up the hill to the gravel road that will take us for 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) to Horsefly. Then, 50 kilometres (37.5 miles) along a better, paved road down into 150 Mile House my pocket computer starts going mad with notifications. This is the point where cell phone coverage begins to reappear.

Stopping for fuel at Lac La Hache, we decide it’s prudent to arrange for an overnight in 100 Mile House which, as you may have guessed, is another 50 miles (80 kilometres) down the highway from 150 Mile House. We are fortunate (it’s Labor Day Holiday Weekend) to find accommodation at 94 Motel and RV Park, where we have stayed previously and highly recommend it, by the way.

We’ll be fully rested in the morning and able to face the long, hopefully uneventful drive to Edmonton.