ranch life & kamloops, british columbia

Before embarking on my journey north, I visit my friend (a great colleague from home) who has been working on a farm in Little Fort for a month. She shows me the beautiful surroundings, what she does, and we have fun as always. It's great to meet friends from the other side of the world and because our joint trip to Japan didn't work out 3 years ago, it's even better to meet here in Canada. In my indecision about whether to go all the way to Alaska, I ask the farm owner if I can take over after my friend because she has decided to leave. Since driving has become a bit tiring and the cost of gas for a one-way trip would be as much as a round trip flight, I agree to stay at the farm for 3 weeks and book a flight for June 19.

1 hour north of Kamloops in Little Fort, we cross the North Thompson River on a small ferry, pass by a meadow with cows, take a few more turns on a dusty road, and after 15 minutes we reach a red gate - Hidden Valley Ranch. It's not huge for Canada, but it's still big enough for one person and you can do whatever you want. They don't make a living from farming, it's more of a hobby and they also have other jobs. About 40 cows, 5 horses, 6 dogs, 5 cats, and a dozen chickens. But most importantly, they have a garden with a lot of vegetables, berries, fruits, herbs, and other plants. A typical day for me looks like this: wake up at 6:30, breakfast, go with the dogs to the boundaries or training areas to make sure no animals can get in or out, bring the horses to another pasture, have a snack, do some weeding or engage in other outdoor activities, have lunch, repair fences or chop wood (my favorite activity because it's a good workout), water the plants on a large scale, and when it gets too much at around 7 or 8, start putting the dogs inside. Special things like branding the cows, getting rid of excess chickens, or moving them to another pasture are a welcome change. We also take 2 cool trips, one to an animal auction and the other to a local rodeo. Both times I feel like a real tourist without cowboy boots.

Everything about this place is a dream come true (see photos), cool people, and an exciting experience. But because there is always something to do and they never say 'enough' or 'do something for yourself', we easily take advantage of ourselves and have no chance to do anything else. Therefore, I'm glad to have my own car and be able to spend a few days with the Stone family in Kamloops on the weekend, where I've already spent 3 months. They are very sporty and love all outdoor activities. Lucky for me, their daughter (a similar runner and triathlete) is at home all summer and I can go hiking, canoeing, and stand up paddling with her. For that, I also get to enjoy the early summer weather. In the last 3 weeks, it only rained for an estimated 20 minutes and the temperature was around 30 degrees every day.

Now I'm ready for Alaska and I'm looking forward to finally meeting those two troublemakers at the airport in Anchorage. The Heidehubu way is united again - aiaiaiaiai :)