So into Osoyoos

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Osoyoos for a holiday visit. I’m not hesitating. Also: the NkMip resort is altogether pleasant. We went in springtime — it was Memorial Day weekend back in the U.S. — and the weather was temperate. They say it gets quite warm in July and August, and we probably wouldn’t choose to go then. But you might.

This could get me in trouble, but

Don’t get mad, but we moved to the Northwest from California. The Lake Osoyoos environs remind us very much of a number of lakes in central California. While we were there, the weather reminded us of Maui. Sun, rain, humidity, breeze, calm, all in the space of 15 minutes. Unlike most of Maui, however, Osoyoos has wineries. Many wineries. They are not out of focus, back there behind Sooz, because we had been visiting them; we didn’t get a chance to do that. They are out of focus because I am trying to learn about Depth of Focus (formerly known as Depth of Field), and the learning process is not yet complete.

When time allows, one packs up the tow and heads for the Osoyoos Home Hardware Store. On the way out of the campground…

Waterfront sites on the left. Wannabe-waterfront sites on the right. Most of the wannabe sites were far from level and not very roomy, but otherwise ideal.

And then, just a couple of miles away, you’ve arrived. Wait for it…

We were advised by a number of folk to visit the Home Hardware store in downtown Osoyoos. So we did. Says here it was established in 1942. Finally found something older than me.

In case you haven’t spent much time in Canada, Home Hardware is a chain of hardware stores similar to Ace or True Value in the U.S. I happen to have written about a couple of their stores in my lifetime, because they use retail business management software solutions offered by one of my clients. I know how successful and profitable the software is supposed to make them. Surely it must.

This one was established in 1942 as Osoyoos Hardware, probably before there was a Home Hardware brand to latch onto.

Why were we advised to visit this store? I dunno. It has a large inventory and wide variety of many things. Socks, for example. Also, canes. I think I see a dartboard here. Sooz bought some trinket to take to the house-sitter.

The store kind of starts out on the level and then begins a downward spiral — not unlike that cold I had. It goes on and on, and much of it is below the street level. I looked for a long time at some string lights we might have wanted to adorn Toto’s otherwise plain awning, but not one of the offerings was quite right. I will keep looking.

Oh, I thought of a good reason to go the Home Hardware store: the NkMip Resort’s Convenience store was… inconveniently closed.

We cannot attest to the accuracy of this establishment’s name. Convenience store, hmmmm. It wasn’t open. Is that a crime scene tape? Dunno. Probably not. Probably just too early in the season to make it profitable.

When you get back to your campsite, though, it might be one of these. You could fish, I suppose, or launch your favorite watercraft, right from your site! It would be a wonderful thing, I’ll bet. But I don’t know for certain.

Here are some waterfront sites, close-up. We requested one when we reserved, 7 months or so ahead of time. They said they would try. They didn’t try very hard, I guess. It’s okay, we’ll get one next time! Maybe.

About our route: we didn’t get pictures along the road, but we should have — it’s a pretty drive. We drove from Gig Harbor, over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90, then turned north on US route 97, which goes all the way up. Next time I’ll stop for pix. BUT next time we’ll take another route — through North Cascades National Park. It too promises top-drawer scenery.