Day 25 - July 16th

Route: Kettle Falls to Penticton
Via Highway 97 and 3
Kilometres: 100
Time: 2.5 hours (estimated)
Notes: The Little Gallea Restaurant in Kettle Falls is bursting with a seemingly never ending supply of local residents (and visitors) looking for the best breakfast in town. We are not disappointed...a good start for our return to Canada. We cross the FDR reservoir and climb into the hills on Hwy. 20. The countryside is hilly, the roadway twisty as we climb to Sherman Pass (5,300+ feet). I notice the slight misfire as per the New York all nighter and stop just below the summit to look at plugs, distributor etc. Numbers 1 and 4 plugs look like lean burning, while 2 and 3 look richer. Number 3 has a little carbon on the core, including a distinct pimple. It gets replaced, while the others are cleaned up. The cap is cleaned up and a new rotor is popped on. Presto, Pooh runs smoothly once again and pulls strongly over the top.

The rest is anti-climactic. We lunch in Oroville, pass muster at Canada Customs and Immigration, and head north through Osoyoos, Oliver, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden to Skaha Lake and Penticton beyond. We have a few pictures of this lovely, arid valley (just above Canada's only true desert) which hosts world renowned orchards, vineyards and an Iron Man Triathlon.

We meet Richard and enjoy the balance of the day with him including dinner at Tiki Shores on Penticton's busy summer waterfront. Richard likes the waterfront cruise with Dad in Pooh, among the other classic (read muscle) cars, none of which have turned 10,000 kilometres in the past year! Pooh hit 10,000 kms. just north of Keystone, Montana on this trip.

We bunk down in Penticton, with a spurt to Kelowna in the morning ahead.
Driving Tip: The SURPRISE tip for today, based on our ‘Expotition’ experiences:

Look for the good secondary highway routes, especially in highly populated areas. They can offer excellent roadbeds, lighter traffic volumes and an "enjoyable ride", while you can experience the people, their homes, lives and communities. Dedicated interstate/major highways are frequently higher volume "tunnels", tiring drivers and requiring more roadwork!
Service Tip: The SURPRISE tip for today based on Pooh’s performance:

Head assembly tolerances will be vital in ensuring valve survival. Failure is nasty if you do not have spares or are remote from service. You could pack a set of exhaust valves and guides in case.
Photos: