Yesterday was our love anniversary. It was a Tuesday, so I wasn't working, but Gab works a regular Monday to Friday schedule. When he finished at 3, we decided to hop on the motorcycle and try a dirt road connecting Big White to Penticton that we had never taken before.
I love Penticton. I visited last summer and fell in love with it. It's one of those places where mountains, lakes, and forests all come together. They also have a lovely farmers' market in the summertime which we visited last year.
The idea sounded great, but we found out the dirt road wasn't well maintained and definitely wasn't ideal for a motorcycle ride. There were countless little holes in the road and every time we hit one, I felt like my brain was bouncing up and down inside my skull. It wasn't exactly a fun ride.
Still, the road took us deep into the forest. Tall trees stood on both sides and there wasn't another person in sight. We spotted a few relaxed deer right in the middle of the road who didn't seem bothered by the sound of the motorcycle.
There was also a beautiful lake along the way with no houses around it. That felt unusual because usually whenever there's a lake, people build houses all around it and sell them for astronomical prices. The area was almost untouched, except for a few sections where companies had harvested beautiful pine and fir trees. Those patches looked ugly and somehow spooky.
Once we reached Penticton, we had a lovely dinner at a brewery, then decided to head home on the main road through Kelowna.
That ride was AMAZING. Even though we were on the highway, the scenery was breathtaking. We passed animal farms, orchards, vegetable fields, lakes, mountains, beaches, and little fruit stands along the road.
We stopped at one fruit stand and it was almost 8 p.m. I've visited many fruit stands before, but this one had a different vibe. The owner was so relaxed and genuinely seemed to love what he was doing. He had huge peaches, yellow and red cherries, blueberries, fresh vegetables, and the most delicious looking breads, tarts, and pies.
I asked him if he baked the bread himself and he smiled and said yes. Then he showed me his little oven, where four happy loaves of bread were baking.
I am not sure what was in his voice, or what was hidden in the walls of that little shop, but there was something about that place that drew both of us in. I was so caught up in the moment that I completely forgot to take photos.
I'll definitely go back and next time I'll remember to take some photos.
Take care everyone and have a lovely Wednesday night.
15 July 2026
Big White, Canada