News & Photos - February 2009

An American Tradition
Current Location: Wal*Mart Parking Lot, Nanaimo, British Columbia
Dates: Feb 19-20, 2009
Services: None; Cost: Free; Nights: 1

After almost three months of peace and quiet along the Strait of Georgia, it's time to be moving on! The first stop was a welding shop, to remove a broken stabilizing jack and attach a new one. Courtenay Spring and Welding was quite efficient, and I was on my way within a half hour. However, there was not enough time left in the day to take the ferry to the mainland and still arrive at Fort Langley before 6 pm, so I decided to stay overnight on the island.

Staying overnight in a Wal*Mart parking lot is a popular event for American RVers; there are several web sites and mailing lists dedicated to tracking which stores allow overnight parking, and where they are located. I heard from a fellow RVer here that all Wal*Mart locations on Vancouver Island allow overnight parking, so thought I'd give it a try on my way to BC's mainland. Although there is some street traffic noise and the scenery leaves much to be desired, the cost and convenience can't be beat. I'm about 10 km away from the Departure Bay ferry terminal, so I can get an early start tomorrow.

Getting Paid to Camp!
Current Location: Campground Host Site, Derby Reach Regional Park, Langley, British Columbia
Dates: Feb 20-Nov 9, 2009
Services: E/W/S; Cost: Salaried; (Regular campsites: unserviced; $18); Nights: 8 months

Last update: August 11, 2009

With the faltering U.S. economy causing my investments to do poorly, and with my 2008 expenses being 28% over budget, I felt that it was time for me to settle down and find a job. Since I didn't want to return to a 9-to-5 programming job, I looked into several alternatives before accepting a position as Campground Host at Derby Reach Regional Park in Fort Langley, BC. During my 8-month contract, I get a fully-serviced campsite, plus a monthly salary in exchange for residing on-site each night, opening and closing the main gate at set hours, doing campground security patrols and answering numerous questions from campers.

The park and 38-site campground are right on the Fraser River, which still has some tidal fluctuations this far up-river. There is a fair amount of boat traffic on the river (barges, speedboats, and even canoes), plus freight traffic on the CPR rail line on the north shore (the CN line on the south shore is about 4 km away). From my window, I can see snow-capped mountains off in the distance. Vancouver (with its impressive Skytrain service) is a half hour drive away. It's an ideal location, with a good mix of urban areas and nature.







Late February snow







Barges on the Fraser River









Bear along the highway
in E.C.Manning Prov. Park




VanDusen Gardens







Fire Dept. watching the Albion
Ferry's last sailing







My little garden
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