The Scenic Route

Do you take the scenic route? 

A week and a half ago, we made an afternoon trip from Oliver to Penticton.  We took the scenic route, and went up Eastside Road along side Skaha Lake to Penticton.  Usually we would take the highway on the west side of the lake, but the eastside was a slower, more interesting and scenic road.  Along the way we made a side trip to Skaha Bluffs park, and hope to go back there one day to do some actual hiking, instead of just driving up to the parking lot and reading the information board.   

Once we made it to Penticton I visited two thrift stores and spent a grand total of $2, and then we had a scenic drive to the Penticton landfill where we purchased a truckload (we were probably overloaded) of compost/mulch for just $20.  We took the scenic route back so we didn't have to drive so fast.  It was such a beautiful day, I snapped a million pictures from the truck window.

Coming in to Okanagan Falls were we had the option of rejoining the highway for the last 15 minutes, or staying to the east of town and driving on Oliver Ranch Road and then rejoining the highway further south.

There are lots of wineries in this area.  I took this photo......

....because it made me think of this painting by David Daase.

I'm not sure if this painting is of an actual view in the area, possibly it is higher up and more to the east of where we were.  When I took the photo we were past all the wineries.

That flat faced hunk of rock on the right side of the painting, and in the center of the photo below, is called McIntyre Bluff.

What a great day for a drive, and what scenery.....

Here's the David Daase print that we have, found in a thrift store of course.  This lake is farther north in the Okanagan. 

Kalamalka Lake