5月 1974 – 5月 1975

Camper Travel 1974-1975

On a 13-month journey from North America through Central & South America, back to our starting point in NYC. Our means of transportation was a model 1972 VW Westfalia camper with a 1700cc engine and pop-up top. Total miles 37,492. もっと詳しく

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旅行の開始
1974年5月1日
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 1974年5月1日水曜日
- 海抜: 131 フィート
- アメリカ West New Brighton 40.634081, -74.10797740°38’3” N 74°6’29” W
Day 1 - New York - Pennsylvania
1974年5月1日, アメリカ
(Ursula) Today begins an exciting part of our lives.

Our car is a 1972 WV Westfalia Camper. The crew is my husband Heinz (29), me-Ursula (25), and my twin brother Wally.

We are starting a journey through North, Central, and South America, following more or less what’s called the Pan-American Highway. After this journey, we plan to live in New Zealand, where Heinz has a job promised in Christchurch.

Today’s departure from Queens NY was a little later than planned. Our tiny apartment looked so peaceful, friendly, and clean when I made the last rounds and locked the front door.

With a fully packed camper (Heinz stowed everything neatly and securely), we crossed the ever-so-spectacular Queensboro Bridge and stopped at Bucherer Jewelers on 5th Avenue to say our last goodbyes to our Swiss friends.

It was a bright, sunny day. The streets of Manhattan were crowded as usual as we drove in the direction of the Lincoln Tunnel. The farewell from NYC could not have been more typical. Over on the New Jersey side, we stopped for a moment and enjoyed the spectacular view of Manhattan with the newly erected World Trade Center one last time. It was an emotional moment!

Route 80 then took us in the direction of Chicago. We drove through the Pennsylvania Dutch country and found a campground for our first overnight stay.

My twin brother Wally and I are a quarter century old today. We celebrate this occasion by sharing a bottle of Lancers Rosé with dinner.もっと詳しく
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旅行者Great beginning. I look forward to reading the full story.
2023/05/01返信する翻訳する
旅行者Thank you Aubra
2024/12/05返信する翻訳する
3いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
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- 1974年5月2日木曜日
- 海抜: 725 フィート
- アメリカ Soldiers and Sailors Monument 39.766786, -86.15365439°46’0” N 86°9’13” W
Day 2 - Indiana - Illinois
1974年5月2日, アメリカ
Our goal is to reach the Northern regions of Canada swiftly and commence our journey southward. Allotting about an hour each morning for road preparations, Wally and I have opted to forego shaving, allowing our beards to grow in order to streamline our routine.

Unfortunately, my Bulova watch seems to be missing; it might have been left behind in a restroom along our route.

Despite the sheepskin padding beneath him, Wally experienced some cold discomfort in his folding bed within the pop-up section last night. We'll need to explore a warmer sleep system for him.

Adjusting to our compact living space, we occasionally share a chuckle as we navigate between the front seats and the back.

During Wally's evening dishwashing duties, two raccoons approached him, indulging in bread and fig biscuits from his hand.

Today marked the first instance of turning the clock back by one hour as we crossed into Indiana.もっと詳しく
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旅行者Classic VW Bus, one of our favorites, and still running strong!
2023/05/03返信する翻訳する
2いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
- 共有
- 1974年5月3日金曜日
- 海抜: 538 フィート
- アメリカ Chicago Harbor 41.877244, -87.6124341°52’38” N 87°36’45” W
Day 3 - Chicago
1974年5月3日, アメリカ
(Ursula). Navigating through seemingly boundless industrial zones, we reached Chicago in the early afternoon. To my surprise, the city appeared remarkably clean, defying my preconceived notion of it being dirty.

The expanse of Lake Michigan seemed vast, resembling an endless ocean.

Chicago boasted numerous skyscrapers lining the lakeshore. The newly constructed Sears Tower, standing tall with 110 floors, left a striking impression, although the observation deck was regrettably closed.

The residential neighborhoods we glimpsed appeared well-kept. While delving into more city details would have been intriguing, our eagerness to move on prevailed.もっと詳しく
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旅行者Forty-Nine Years ago to the day! What a difference half a century makes. There is a saying "Ah, but for the good old days", It seems Chicago is not reminiscent of its former glory. Perhaps your prejudice was actually prescience.
2023/05/03返信する翻訳する
1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
- 共有
- 1974年5月4日土曜日
- 海抜: 1,194 フィート
- アメリカ George B Wright Park 46.282419, -96.08066946°16’57” N 96°4’50” W
Day 4 - Wisconsin - Minnesota
1974年5月4日, アメリカ
The campsites in the US are excellent. It's lovely to shower warm in the morning when it's cold outside. Ursula blow-dried her long hair using the wall-mounted hand dryer.

The camper needed a wash today. I wasn't especially pleased with Wally cleaning the windshield. He used the wrong side of the kitchen sponge and scratched the glass.

We started late today but were progressing well on these smooth roads.

We passed Milwaukee, which we had imagined to be much smaller. Seeing it only from the highway, Minneapolis seemed a pretty nice town. A very tall building was towering over the downtown area.

We are giving Wally the keys to our camper for the first time. He is an excellent driver and also a car mechanic by trade.

The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel entertain us with their music. Driving into a beautiful sunset, we are approaching the Canadian border.もっと詳しく
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旅行者Did someone say "Simon & Garfunkel" LOL, that's an inside joke. These pictures are so beautiful, this one is like a warm shower itself as the warm glow of the sun's rays sets the sky against a heated hue of golden glory. It's nice just to bask vicariously in the splendor of this moment you caught just "passing through".
2023/05/03返信する翻訳する
1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
- 旅行を表示する
- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
- 共有
- 1974年5月5日日曜日
- 海抜: 1,814 フィート
- カナダ Moosomin 50.169767, -101.66077850°10’11” N 101°39’39” W
Day 5 - Crossing into Manitoba, Canada
1974年5月5日, カナダ
The first border crossing couldn't handle our Swiss passports and directed us to a more prevalent one four miles East. Everything went smoothly there - Welcome to Canada!

The road was a single lane with oncoming traffic until we turned West onto the #1 Trans-Canada Highway. It feels noticeably colder up there in the North.

The landscape is also different - completely flat as far as the eye can see—mainly agriculture and occasional cattle farms.

Toward the evening, we found an excellent place to stay near a group of trees in the middle of a large field between Winnipeg and Regina. I dug a 2-feet deep fire pit to minimize the fire risk and placed rocks around as a shield from the strong wind.

We grilled steaks and fried green beans in butter for dinner. The temperature dropped rapidly as night came upon us, and we were glad to have a cozy fire pit to sit around.

We decided to keep the pop-up roof closed tonight. Poor Wally had to squeeze in between me and Ursula. But in the morning, we knew it had been a good decision when all the windows had a coat of ice on the inside!もっと詳しく
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旅行者You had me at grilled steaks! oh, what a night.
2023/05/03返信する翻訳する
1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
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- 1974年5月6日月曜日
- 海抜: 1,706 フィート
- カナダ Radisson 52.462213, -107.39004752°27’44” N 107°23’24” W
Day 6 - Saskatchewan
1974年5月6日, カナダ
Ursula didn't have a driver's license yet and was riding along in the back seat. So, when the landscape looked boring, she kept busy tidying things up in the camper and even cleaned windows! She tried writing too, but that didn't work well because of motion sickness.

The scenery hasn't changed much since yesterday. The provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan are incredibly flat. Being from Switzerland, we were not used to seeing mostly the sky.

In Regina, we refueled and ate a McDonald's Hamburger for lunch. The manager noticed our NY plates and came over to chat, complaining and going on and on about how stupid the Canadians were. We couldn't figure out what ticked him off and said our goodbyes.

While at the campground that evening, I tried to catch a wild duck for dinner but failed miserably, and we were stuck with fried potatoes and sausage.もっと詳しく
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旅行者Maybe he was upset about working at McDonald's? or just living surrounded by such a geographically monotonous landscape.!
2023/05/03返信する翻訳する
1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 1974年5月8日水曜日
- 海抜: 2,103 フィート
- カナダ Riverdale 53.541485, -113.47876453°32’29” N 113°28’44” W
Day 8 Edmonton & North
1974年5月8日, カナダ
Edmonton provided the opportunity for food shopping, personal hygiene, and washing clothes. We are now in the Province of Alberta.

Soon, we headed North-West on Route 43. And with that, the scenery finally changed from flat. The terrain became hilly, and we saw trees again.

In the evening, we wrote letters and postcards.

People are a bit confused by our New York plates in combination with the Swiss Flag painted on the wheel cover of the spare tire. New Yorkers associated with the Red Cross?

We continued on Route #43 and #35 North.

Huga-Chagga, Huga-Chagga, was the blaring music from our radio. The stupid melody reminded us of the last weekend in New York, camping with our Swiss friends at Wildwood State Park on Long Island.

Soon we entered a Provincial Park 60 miles north of Peace River. Lots of mosquitoes swarmed around, trying to suck our blood.

Chef Ursula prepared a nice Pot-au-Feu, and we shared the last bottle of Lancers Rosé while watching a beautiful sunset around 11 PM! Daylight is much longer in the North, and the nights are less dark. Ursula was freezing. We wrapped her up in a blanket like an Indian Squaw baby.

Strong headwinds lifted the camper roof 1.5 inches off the normal position while driving. Our mechanic, Wally, tied it down with two crisscrossing rubber straps - problem solved. His expertise as a car mechanic was required today for the first time. The tires had to be rotated, and the front wheel alignment needed adjusting.

I managed to mess up the door lock, but it was an easy fix for Wally. He expressed that he was pretty happy with me overall (laughing)!もっと詳しく
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旅行者It looks like you found the end of the rainbow but instead of a pot of gold, you got a pot of meat and vegetables! I think those mosquitoes found their way to Texas. What a great idea to bring a mechanic with you on a journey across the country.
2023/05/03返信する翻訳する
1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
- 共有
- 1974年5月10日金曜日 UTC
- 海抜: 932 フィート
- カナダ Swede Creek 60.382671, -116.40769660°22’58” N 116°24’28” W
Day 9 - Northwest Territories
1974年5月10日, カナダ
Today, we crossed the Peace River and refueled at a gas station where Wally was promptly offered a job as a car mechanic. That was flattering. We aimed to reach Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories within a few days. Our journey continued on Route #35 North toward Hay River and the Great Slave Lake.

The terrain became more hilly. Shrubs and small trees changed to dense pine forests, exactly how I had always imagined the Canadian wilderness. We were expecting to see Bears and Moose around every corner. The camper was covered in mud from driving on gravel and dirt. Unfortunately, it wasn’t cake frosting!

Toward evening, we arrived at the Alexandra & Luise waterfalls and found a refuge log cabin to stay for the night. The cabin’s stove kept us nice and warm. Later that evening, travelers Igor & Carol from Fairbanks, Alaska, joined us. From chatting with them, we learned that the road to Yellowknife was closed as the ice on the Great Slave Lake started breaking. Bummer - we need to come up with a plan B.もっと詳しく
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旅行者I love these log cabins and the hearth of a fireplace. I wonder what Ursula was drawing? You three could have been featured in a Norman Rockwell cover for the Saturday Evening Post. These images capture very well the culture of those times.
2023/05/03返信する翻訳する
旅行者Exactly! Thank you, David.
2023/07/11返信する翻訳する
1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
- 旅行を表示する
- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
- 共有
- 1974年5月11日土曜日 UTC
- 海抜: 574 フィート
- カナダ Hay River 60.814324, -115.77769760°48’52” N 115°46’40” W
Day 10 - North to the Arctic Circle
1974年5月11日, カナダ
(Ursula) I was allowed to lie down in Wally's hammock for a while. It was so warm and cuddly. Then we took a "luxury" shower behind the cabin, which required teamwork. Person #1, taking the shower, was standing on the ice-covered ground. Person #2 stood on a table with a bucket of warm water and slowly poured it over the naked body below. You do what you have to do!

After lunch, we wrote letters, drove to Hay River, stocked up on food, and continued to Fort Smith and Wood Buffalo Park. This park, located in the Northwest Territories, is more significant than Switzerland. On the way there, we drove under a rainbow. What a coincidence; we interpreted it as a sign of luck!

A little further, Ursula was allowed to drive for the first time. There was no traffic, and she had the entire width of the road to navigate, so it wasn't a problem.

We sighted a few Buffalos along the road. They were shy and disappeared quickly into the dense forest. Occasionally we also spotted Indians. They lived in tents or make-shift huts next to wooden salmon racks.

We camped on the Little Buffalo River, where you would expect Indians to lurk behind every tree.もっと詳しく
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旅行者When resources are scarce "you do what you have to do, that's just the naked truth. It's amazing that where the Buffalos roamed, the Indians still called home. I think you two have been under that rainbow your whole lives!
2023/05/03返信する翻訳する
1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
- 旅行を表示する
- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
- 共有
- 1974年5月12日日曜日 UTC
- 海抜: 656 フィート
- カナダ Fort Smith 60.001003, -111.87873660°0’4” N 111°52’43” W
Day 11 - Fort Smith
1974年5月12日, カナダ
After a few miles of driving, Wally felt something wasn’t right with the engine. It was running OK but with diminished power. He found an exhaust valve with almost zero clearance that had overheated. He adjusted it properly and wants to have it checked by a VW dealer at the next opportunity.

We refueled in Fort Smith and obtained information about the Wood Buffalo Park we would visit next. The Park Office was marked “Closed on Saturdays,” but by pure luck, the Fire Warden pulled up in his truck and let us in. He was accommodating and gave us the maps and information we needed.

He confirmed that it was too dangerous for us to drive further North. Oh well, at least we managed to reach the Arctic Circle!

The warden’s fire brigade consisted of 50 people, several small planes, and helicopters. In addition, they operate many observation towers throughout the Park and look for smoke. Everyone is connected via radio. Most fires are caused by lightning, the warden remarked.

By the end of the day, we were in Wood Buffalo Park and camped on Pine Lake, which was still partially frozen. We were surrounded by complete wilderness and heard only the crackle of the grill fire, the wind, and some birds chirping.

It was 10:30 PM, and the sun had just set. It looked like a twilight zone. Our dinner that evening was grilled pork chops with cabbage and potatoes. The hot tea tasted delicious and warmed our cold hands.もっと詳しく
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旅行者Breathtaking!
2023/05/03返信する翻訳する
1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
- 旅行を表示する
- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
- 共有
- 1974年5月12日日曜日
- 海抜: 1,030 フィート
- カナダ Improvement District No. 24 59.408644, -112.80166759°24’31” N 112°48’6” W
Day 12 - Wood Buffalo NP
1974年5月12日, カナダ
(Ursula) Today we explored Wood Buffalo Park. Before leaving, we got invited for tea by a group of people we met. Some were Indians or had at least Indian blood and beautiful brown skin.

On the way back from a detour to Peace Point, we were lucky to spot a small herd of Wood Buffalos. They were shy and disappeared quickly into the dense forest before Heinz and Wally could get their cameras ready. Shucks!もっと詳しく
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1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
- 旅行を表示する
- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
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- 1974年5月13日月曜日
- 海抜: 1,890 フィート
- カナダ Slave Lake Airport 55.27841, -114.77795155°16’42” N 114°46’41” W
Day 13 - Deciding on Plan B
1974年5月13日, カナダ
Our original plan was to drive to Alaska to start the trip to South America. But based on the information received from Igor & Carol, Alaska wasn't doable at this time of the year without a 4x4 drive vehicle. Talk about bad planning!

Therefore, after discussing with Ursula and Wally, we decided to visit Jasper and Banff National Parks instead, then head for Vancouver, where Wally wanted to visit some friends.

Instead of driving the long way back to Edmonton, I opted to take a shortcut West toward Whitecourt on Route #32. The first road sign should have been a warning "Wet Road." The second sign, "Road Impassable," was even more so. But I was optimistic, stubborn (or both), and decided to try it.

In the beginning, the road was quite good. But then the pavement stopped, and from there on, it was only gravel and dirt. A few miles later, it started to get muddy, but it was still drivable until we ascended a slope. At some point, the engine block sat on the mud, and the vehicle couldn't move. We pulled on rubber boots and tried pushing, but the wheels sank even more profoundly.

Now we couldn't move forward or backward - stuck like idiots!

But we were probably not the first idiots who had tried to push their luck. On top of the hill ahead was a giant tractor that had observed us and came to our rescue. It was the most giant tractor I ever saw - humongous. The rear wheels were taller than the roof of our camper. The driver had a big grin (besides two missing front teeth). He attached a chain and pulled us up the hill like a toy. We thankfully passed him a $10 bill and moved on.

We were so relieved to get through this ordeal without a scratch! The road gradually got better.

About an hour later, we arrived at a brook. A group of boys were fishing from a bridge, giggling and pulling out one fish after another. They already had several large buckets filled with fish. That was an unbelievable sight!もっと詳しく
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1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
- 旅行を表示する
- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
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- 1974年5月14日火曜日
- 海抜: 3,507 フィート
- カナダ Jasper 52.872657, -118.07998452°52’22” N 118°4’48” W
Day 14 - Jasper NP, Alberta
1974年5月14日, カナダ
We arrived in Jasper, Alberta. On the way here, we got stopped by a State Trooper because of speeding (which we were unaware of - the truth!). He could have fined us but let us go with a warning and cautioned us that there are radar checks throughout the Park. We appreciate his generosity!

We saw a large herd of grazing Elk as we entered the National Park. It was so amazing! A little further into the Park, we stopped by a group of mountain sheep. They came up close, and we could feed them some old bread and take pictures.

After arriving in Jasper, Wally and I went to a Do-It-Yourself car wash. Tons of mud came off from under the chassis. Meanwhile, Ursula went to a Laundromat with our dirty clothes. Then we cared for our bodies at the Municipal Bath and Sauna facility. Oh, that felt so wonderful!

The city of Jasper is located in the valley of the Athabasca River at an altitude of 3,478 feet. We were told that there was still snow on the ground two weeks earlier. Jasper could be compared to Samaden or Zernez in Switzerland.

Wally's friends, Ruth & Chrigel, prepared dinner in the kitchen. If the weather is OK tomorrow, we plan to hike with them.もっと詳しく
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1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
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- 1974年5月16日木曜日
- 海抜: 3,510 フィート
- カナダ Jasper 52.873874, -118.07927352°52’26” N 118°4’45” W
Day 16 - Jasper
1974年5月16日, カナダ
We declared today a rest day we want to spend with Wally’s friends. Ruth is from Tramelan in the Jura and works at the local hospital as a nurse. Chrigel is from Adelboden. He works odd jobs in the off-season and as a mountain guide during the summer.

After lunch, we hiked to a beautiful mountain lake under an overcast sky. We saw Moose by the shore standing in shallow water. We would have liked to circle the lake, but the trail was too wet, and we didn’t have the proper shoes. It was also cold and windy. But the location and view were magnificent, with the snow-covered Canadian Rockies in the background.

Up to this point, we have already shot several rolls of color slides and Super-8 film. Tomorrow, I want to mail these treasures to our friend Bernhard in New York for safety.もっと詳しく
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1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
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- 1974年5月17日金曜日
- 海抜: 7,605 フィート
- カナダ Alberta 52.080229, -117.29694452°4’49” N 117°17’49” W
Day 17 - Jasper
1974年5月17日, カナダ
Ruth & Chrigel had to return to work today.

After breakfast, we went on a short hike in the area and later joined their neighbors, the Klopfstein family, for coffee and continued our journey.

Before leaving Jasper, however, we returned once more to the Community Bath and Sauna - who knows when we will have this opportunity again.

In the afternoon, we finally left town toward Banff National Park.

The Canadian Rockies looked massive and bold, and the valleys were broad. Everything looked wild and on a large scale - impressive! We were almost at 6,560 feet, and some ground was still covered with snow. We spotted more Elk and Moose and groups of deer grazing peacefully alongside the road. We were hoping the bears had finished their winter sleep, and we would spot some, but no luck so far.

By evening we reached a nice campground and were surprised to find it quite crowded for a Monday.もっと詳しく
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1いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
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- 1974年5月18日土曜日
- 海抜: 5,243 フィート
- カナダ Stoney Squaw Mountain 51.19926, -115.56962851°11’57” N 115°34’11” W
Day 18 - Banff National Park
1974年5月18日, カナダ
We took our time and enjoyed our leisurely drive through Banff National Park with its magnificent views. In contrast to Switzerland, nature here is primarily untouched wilderness.

Wally and I purchased a fishing license and tried our luck in the nearby Bow River. Maybe we will catch fresh trout for tonight’s dinner.もっと詳しく
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0いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
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- 1974年5月19日日曜日
- 海抜: 2,575 フィート
- カナダ Edelweiss Creek 51.310168, -116.97021551°18’37” N 116°58’13” W
Day 19 - Golden
1974年5月19日, カナダ
Lake Louise was so picture-perfect. Part of the lake was still frozen.

We are again heading for Vancouver, BC, on the Trans-Canada Highway #1. We were rushing a bit and skipped so many places that would have been worth visiting. But we decided to skip them for now and revisit this region later.

At one point, we drove through a strange and boring-looking landscape with sandy hills, sparsely overgrown with low shrubs, similar to a high desert, but not exactly. We later learned that this area gets extremely hot during the summer, and hardly any plants can survive the brutal heat.

Our journey continued toward Kamloops. Shortly before Hope, we noticed more lush vegetation again.もっと詳しく
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0いいね
旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
- 旅行を表示する
- 死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストに追加死ぬまでにやっておきたいことリストから削除
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- 1974年5月20日月曜日
- 海抜: 3,110 フィート
- カナダ Mount Elsay 49.399672, -122.93251849°23’59” N 122°55’57” W
Day 20 - Vancouver
1974年5月20日, カナダ
The landscape became much more lush and exciting. Everything was now green. The single-family homes with manicured gardens looked like in a picture book. The city of Vancouver is almost surrounded by water and looks so beautiful. It made a peaceful impression on us.

Wally’s friend Ernst wasn’t home, so we drove by the airport and visited the Planetarium.

Then we spent the entire evening looking for a campground and couldn’t find one. We finally ended up sleeping in the parking lot of the Mt. Seymour Ski Area. The view from up there on Vancouver City with its million lights was amazing.

It was bitter cold during the night. Brrrr.もっと詳しく
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旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 1974年5月23日木曜日 12:06
- 海抜: 52 フィート
- カナダ Robson Square 49.282011, -123.12230349°16’55” N 123°7’20” W
Day 21-23 Vancouver
1974年5月23日, カナダ
(Ursula) Today, we got to meet Wally's friend Ernst Bähler. He accompanied us to the VW dealer. Our first significant service after 5,592 miles is now done! A section of the heating element was damaged and had to be replaced. Positive news - the valves were found to be in good order. Heinz also purchased extra door keys and stocked up on replacement parts we will need down the road.

May 22nd
Unfortunately, it was raining all day. I got caught up with writing and played chess with Wally and Ernst. In the evening, we were invited to the home of Ernst's girlfriend, Vestina, for dinner. She prepared two delicious chicken dishes. I had never tasted Indonesian food before and loved it. One of the dishes was a bit spicy, though. Later, we drove to a Chinese place to swing our dancing legs!

May 23rd
Damn, it's still raining. Ernst's comment was "typical Vancouver." Wally had spent the night at Vestina's house. After breakfast, we all went shopping despite the rain. Ursula bought postcards, and Wally got a new pair of blue jeans.

Then we went to a German Café where we met a few of Wally's colleagues from last year's English class. On our way home, we found a Swiss cheese shop on 2nd Avenue and bought Vacherin, Appenzeller, and a six-pack of Yoghurt.もっと詳しく
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旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 1974年5月25日土曜日
- 海抜: 46 フィート
- カナダ Nanaimo Harbour Water Airport 49.168842, -123.93718149°10’8” N 123°56’14” W
Day 24-25 Vancouver Island
1974年5月25日, カナダ
Does the rain never stop in Vancouver? We had the brilliant idea to rent a room at a Motel. Ernst was in trouble with the landlady, but she did have a heart and allowed Ursula to use her washer/dryer.

Wally was dressed nicely. He had a short haircut and shaved off his beard. What was going on with this guy? We were invited to a party at Vestina’s family in the evening. Then we watched TV at the Motel until after midnight. Having some privacy and sleeping in a real bed for a change felt great!

May 25th
The three of us were unable to agree on what to do next. Wally wanted to stay in Vancouver until Tuesday and hang out with Vestina’s younger sister, who was very cute and more important now. So, Ursula and I left for a few days and decided to discover Vancouver Island.

We took the ferry to Victoria, where we quickly digested our disappointment. It was so beautiful, and would you believe it, the rain stopped, and the sun was breaking through the clouds!

We settled in for the night on a campground near the village of Nanaimo next to a roaring river.もっと詳しく
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- 1974年5月26日日曜日
- 海抜: 36 フィート
- カナダ Tofino 49.069079, -125.74981449°4’9” N 125°44’59” W
Day 26 - Long Beach Campground
1974年5月26日, カナダ
What a glorious morning!

Blue sky, nice and warm. Just after Nanaimo, on the way to Port Alberni, we visited MacMillan Provincial Park and wandered through a utopian-looking forest in our yellow rubber boots. It looked as if nobody had touched this forest for hundreds of years. The oldest Douglas Fir was about 800 years old. Huge trunks laid criss-cross on the ground and were covered with soft moss. The largest tree had a diameter of 9 feet and was said to stand a good chance to live until the year 2,100.

Tonight we camp at Long Beach Campground, just before Tofino. What a great location! I caught a Rainbow trout earlier and am grilling it in the fire pit.もっと詳しく
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旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 1974年5月27日月曜日 15:52
- 海抜: 海水位
- カナダ Ittatsoo Indian Reserve 1 48.938134, -125.53372848°56’17” N 125°32’1” W
Day 27 - Tofino & Ucluelet
1974年5月27日, カナダ
Tofino and Ucluelet were both fishing villages that we visited. We badly wanted to buy fresh Salmon. Naturally, I checked all the fishing boats at the dock, but there was no luck. Then I found a refrigerated warehouse that sold us one. I chose the smallest one I could find. It weighed over 5 pounds, and its tail stuck 8" out of our ice bucket. I will never forget that picture!

A little bit after Nanaimo, we found a campground with a shower. I cleaned the fish and cut it into steaks to fit in our frying pan. It was the best Salmon we ever had. And there was so much left. Surely enough for the next three dinners!もっと詳しく
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旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 1974年5月28日火曜日
- 海抜: 469 フィート
- カナダ West Arm 48.649157, -123.6434848°38’57” N 123°38’37” W
Day 28 - Shawinigan Lake
1974年5月28日, カナダ
Over a dirt logging road and a few fantastic wooden bridges, we drove to Shawinigan Lake to visit a camp Wally recommended.

On the way there, we stopped at the Silver Mine Ranch and decided to go horseback riding. We were 1/2 hour into the trail when it started to rain again, but our horses were OK with that!

In Shawinigan Lake, we met theCamp'ss owner, Fred, and his brother Helmut from Germany. We all sat around the campfire in the evening and ate more of our Salmon while listening toFred'ss stories about this beautiful island. The next day we would go sailing on his yacht.もっと詳しく
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旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 1974年5月29日水曜日
- 海抜: 海水位
- Coastal Waters Of Southeast Alaska And British Columbia 48.346232, -123.38276848°20’46” N 123°22’58” W
Day 29 - Sailing
1974年5月29日, Coastal Waters Of Southeast Alaska And British Columbia
We were ready at 7 AM. Fred took us to Victoria Harbor, where his sailboat was docked. It was nice, over 30 feet long - much more comfortable than the nutshell we remembered from our Club Med vacation in Martinique. There is plenty of room to sit, and it has a cabin that sleeps three people.

And off we sailed out onto the open waters. I enjoyed the little cruise. Heinz probably too, but his stomach, not so much. He got very seasick. Too bad that we had to end this excellent water adventure prematurely.

Late that afternoon, we left for Port Renfrew to explore more of Vancouver Island. For miles and miles, there were no houses on this route but hills, forests, and lagoons. It was just pure raw nature!

We set up camp by a small lake a few miles before Port Renfrew, in the most beautiful setting, but there was no drinking water. I went fishing and had to take an involuntary dip in the freezing water to salvage my lure that got stuck on a rock.もっと詳しく
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旅行者 Camper Travel 1974-1975
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- 1974年5月30日木曜日
- 海抜: 36 フィート
- カナダ Wiggs Creek 48.567883, -124.40104948°34’4” N 124°24’4” W
Day 30 - Port Renfrew - Victoria
1974年5月30日, カナダ
We are 30 days into our journey to South America. What an experience it has been so far!

Today, we took an unpaved road with lots of potholes back to Victoria. Heavily loaded Logging Trucks came full speed at us. I had to drive carefully because you never knew what to expect around the next corner, and those trucks have the right of way! The road led through deep forest, always up and down. Sometimes we crossed over a deep gorge on long wooden bridges.

After we passed Shawinigan Lake, we stopped again at the Silver Mine Ranch for horseback riding. The weather was great this time, and we got better horses too. There was a nice path through the woods and beautiful meadows.

We found a picnic area in Victoria to wash and put on nicer clothes. Then we visited Victoria City and looked for a place to have dinner.

We choose the "Ask Harry Restaurant." They had an exciting concept where guests get a plate with potatoes and garlic bread and can DIY grill meat of their choice. In addition, they had a lovely Salad Bar.

We made a toast to a successful island tour with a glass of Rosé and spent the night near the ferry on a Provincial Campground, watching a stunning sunset.もっと詳しく
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