On May 12th, we started the day by getting the windshield chip repaired before pulling out around 10:30. Our first stop was for gas just outside the KOA, followed by a stop at Kal Tire to get the trailer tire replaced.

With that taken care of, we continued on to Castlegar. We arrived at Kootenay River RV Park around 2:00 and got set up in site 6, the same site we’d stayed in before. We unloaded the trailer and backed the motorhome into our site, getting everything settled for another stop along the way home.

Once we were set up, we took the Harleys out for a ride. We stopped at Safeway and the bike shop before making a loop back home. By then, the heat had really settled in, so we were happy to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the motorhome and enjoying the warmth.

Our time in Castlegar continued with another stretch of hot weather. May 13th was my birthday, so I spent some time replying to all the birthday wishes that came in through social media before we got on with the day. We cycled over to the bike shop first so I could get my spoke repaired, turning it into a nice little 14-kilometre ride.

After that, we headed out again, this time riding to Syringa Provincial Park. It was a 50-kilometre ride, giving us another good day on the bikes. Back at the motorhome, June got in her workout while I changed the trailer tire, replaced the batteries in the bike computers and washed the windows.

Later, we walked down to the river and spent some time enjoying the area. I also WhatsApped with Wanda about their plans to travel out west in July. That evening, June made burgers and I cooked them, along with a nice feta salad. It was a simple but very enjoyable birthday evening.

The heat continued on May 14th, with another smoking-hot day. We headed out around 10:00 for a ride toward Trail. We turned around just before reaching town and headed back toward Castlegar, stopping at Safeway and Kootenay Cannabis along the way. By the time we got home, we’d covered 55 kilometres and climbed almost 700 metres.

June worked out while I changed the chain on my bike. Later, we hopped on the Harleys and rode over to The Brick to look at mattresses. They had a sale running that week, and we decided we’d order one before leaving Castlegar. We also talked to Leslie to see if they might want one as well.

We took a break from the bicycles on May 15th and decided to explore by Harley instead. We rode to Rossland, walked around downtown and checked out a few of the stores. June found herself a nice linen dress, and then we headed back toward Castlegar over Strawberry Pass and Nancy Greene Pass before taking Highway 3 back into town.

It was a great motorcycle ride. The mountain passes were cold, although we went through some sections that were still surprisingly hot. On the way home, we stopped at The Brick again to go over the bed order. Rene was out, but we met Mark, the owner, and he was great too. We were now considering ordering a sofa as well, especially since he said it would be going on an even better sale on Sunday.

By the time we got home, thunderstorms were starting to form in the area. It had been another hot and humid day, and the approaching storms looked like they might finally give us a break from the heat.

May 16th was another scorcher, but we still managed to get out for a good morning bike ride. We headed toward Nelson for the first 22.5 kilometres before turning around and riding back through downtown Castlegar. We stopped at Safeway before looping home, finishing with an impressive 57 kilometres and about 490 metres of climbing.

June worked out when we got back, while I spent some time tweaking the rear derailleur and derailleur hanger on my bike. Later, June walked down to the river while I stayed home and read.

The following morning we headed out again, although the heat wave was still going strong. June cycled toward Syringa, but halfway there my shifting cable broke, so I turned around and headed back while she continued. Once home, I fixed my bike while June got in her workout. Later, we took the Harleys over to Nelson to go to Safeway.

May 18th brought another hazy, hot and smoky day. We rode over to The Brick and made some decisions about the furniture. We purchased a bed, mattress and dresser, along with a funky red chair. The chair would come home with us the next day, while the rest would be delivered on June 8th.

After the 20-kilometre ride home, we decided it was simply too hot and smoky to spend much more time outside. We spent the rest of the afternoon inside with the air conditioning on, watching The Keepers.

Then, on May 19th, it was finally time to leave Castlegar and make the final leg of our journey home. It was another hot, humid day with hazy, smoky skies. We pulled out of our site around 9:30, loaded the trailer and got on our way.

Our first stop was The Brick to pick up the red chair. Thankfully, everything went seamlessly, and we’d managed to make enough room in the trailer for it. From there, June took over the driving for the three-hour trip to Osoyoos.

We arrived a little after 2:00, dropped the trailer and then backed the motorhome into site 51. We opened up the coach, unloaded the Harleys and started settling back into our Osoyoos routine.

And just like that, after travelling across the Southern and Midwestern United States and back to Canada, dealing with wind, snow, rain, flat tires, slide toppers, countless campgrounds and more than a few unexpected adventures, we were finally back in Osoyoos.

The long journey home was over. We were back in British Columbia, the motorhome was settled in, the Harleys were unloaded, and it was time to start thinking about what comes next, summer in the condo.