Westworld Alberta
Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/309330
courtesy pemberton distillery s u m m e r 2 0 1 4 | w e s t w o r l d A l b e r t A 41 toys of summer When it's time to bed down, double back to RV-friendly (up to 15 metres max) Nairn Falls Provincial Park, with its full hookups and room for slide- outs. Many sites are fully shaded by stands of hemlock, red cedar and Douglas fir. Pemberton to Hope (301 km) Heading east from Pemberton, the Sea- to-Sky morphs into Duffey Lake Road, which then follows a chain of canyons toward the high sage benches of Lillooet. Its curves and decreasing-radius corners make the Duffey a darling of the go-fast crowd, though the tarmac is pitched wide enough to accom- modate the longest RVs at posted speeds. Stop for lunch at stunning Seton Lake, which is technically a freshwater ord, with a 45-site camp- ground at the edge of its emerald-green waters. en drop south from Lillooet on Hwy. 12 and experience Hell's Gate on the Fraser River, where some of the province's defining stories meet in a collision of white water and sheer cliffs. Tramp miners of the Cariboo gold rush passed alongside and over Hell's Gate Canyon, as did the CP and CN rail lines. With what must have been a serious case of the yips, explorer Simon Fraser, while blazing a trail to the west coast in 1808, inched across the steep cliff face on thin poles suspended by rawhide ropes – making him Canada's granddaddy of extreme sport. The Hell's Gate Airtram cable car takes passengers on a 10-minute round trip over the frothing Fraser to the north shore, where there's an interpretive centre with terrific archival photos, a suspension footbridge over the river and, for reasons not entirely clear, a fudge factory. Visitors can also try gold panning. A half-hour east of Hope, Sunshine Valley RV Resort & Cabins offers a quiet retreat – along with 50 RV sites, 10 cabins and a 1,580-square-metre main building with a general store. Hope to Vancouver (169 km) Mount a morning expedition to the Othello Tunnels, where, in 1914, CPR engineers cut five train tunnels and a series of bridges through the Coquihalla River Canyon. Here's a surrealistic land- scape straight out of Lord of the Rings, as the tun- nels navigate a twisted and towering maze of craggy ramparts and spires carved by the hostile yet strangely alluring river. e Fraser River crossing at Hope puts you onto Hwy. 7 near Harrison Hot Springs. The springs themselves are the feature attraction, but this is seri- ous Sasquatch-sighting country, with tours, stores, restaurants, a park and a festival honouring the big shy fella. Leaving cryptozoology behind, park at Hot Springs RV and Camping Park in Harrison Hot Springs and cycle the Circle Farm Tour of Agassiz- Harrison Mills – a 25-km route highlighting local farms and organic producers, such as Farm House Natural Cheeses and Canadian Hazlenut, which sells dozens of hazelnut products. e country- side is flat and serene, and makes a quiet cap- per before you pack up the rig and head back to Vancouver. W Test your Insurance IQ Q What is RV insurance? IQ An insurance policy tailor-made for RVs. Q What does it cover? IQ The gamut of motorized and towable recreational vehicles: travel trailers, motorhomes, camper units, vacation trailers, fifth wheels and tent trailers. Q Why do you need it? IQ An RV insurance policy covers you if your rig, or its contents, are stolen or damaged – whether it's zipping down Interstate 17 to Arizona's Verde Valley or draped with a tarp in your backyard. A motorized RV must be covered by its own auto insurance policy. But if you let your insurance lapse in winter, your rig won't be protected. For towable RVs, the tow vehicle's third-party liability insurance applies, but only while the RV is actually hitched to your vehicle. When a motorized RV is parked, off-season, your home policy only covers personal property within – barbecues, bedding, mp3 players, sunglasses and so on. AMA HeArts rVers Have RV, will road-trip? AMA was made for big- riggers like you: Get your CAA Plus RV membership. With this card in your wallet, you know that if your holiday trailer, boat or ATV trailer, fifth wheel, tent trailer or motorhome breaks down in North America, we'll tow it up to 160 km for repairs, or to your destination. We'll even save the day if you get a flat, need a boost or run out of gas. 1-800-222-6400; ama.ab.ca/RV Register your rig. AMA can put plates on your RV – even customized ones. RVLOVE? AMARegistries.ca Cover it right with AMA RV insurance. We know you love your rig, so protect it with the best. ama.ab.ca/insurance Learn to drive that bad boy. AMA's RV Smart driv- ing course will strengthen your skill at handling an RV, camper or trailer, with an emphasis on safety, towing, braking, parking, hazard awareness and collision prevention. AMADriverEducation.ca Plan your next trip. Members get free tourbooks, maps and TripTiks. AMATravel.ca Stay connected with the new AMA app. Access everything from Roadside Assistance and AMA Road Reports to member deals and trip bookings – all at the touch of a button. ama.ab.ca Tyler Schramm of Pemberton Distillery, which produces an organic potato vodka. iPad and online readers: Watch the video on Pemberton's cool culinary culture. p39-47ToysOfSummer.indd 41 14-04-29 9:32 AM