Western Command Tour 2011

[Harry Moon]

Freedom Route 4 Preparations
After a number of our Western Command members attended the 60th anniversary of D day commemorations in 2004 in France and Holland, the idea of following up here at home with a similar tour. Driving over multiple days with our MV’s and visit Veterans, Legions and AN&AF clubs.
This resulted in the first Freedom Route Tour in 2005 were we went up into the southern interior over a week 1100Kms and 10 legions or Clubs. This has turned into a biannual event for us with tours in 2007, Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island, and 2009 Shuswap and Okanagan.
This year we moved the Calendar up from August to Early June to correspond with the Convention of the B.C. and Yukon Royal Canadian Legion in Penticton. We were invited to participate in the parade and display at the convention.
We decided this would be the opportunity to get ourselves up into country we had not been to before in the West Kootenays going as far as Salmo B.C. where a couple of our members, Tammy and Drew Swan now resided and their Legion was looking forward to our dropping in.
This was going to be a difficult trip as there were only 2 directions of Travel, Up and Down!
Most Participants gathered in Chilliwack on June 3rd, the night before the convoy started at the CMEC Museum. Dave Good drove down in his M35 1100 kms from Edmonton to join us. Good food over the BBQ, showers and we were ready for our adventure.

[Harry Moon]

Freedom Route 4 Day 1
After a group Breakfast of Pancakes, eggs and Sausage we packed up and formed up on Dieppe drive and headed out to our fuel stop at the truck stop in Chilliwack. At 33 feet above sea level this was now all uphill from here.
We set out on Highway 1 (the Trans-Canada Highway) at a reasonable convoy speed of about 40 to 45 mph towards Hope (Elev. 135 feet) taking Highway 3 the Crowsnest Highway we headed up the sunshine valley and our first steep climb over the site of the Hope Slide. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_Slide
Speed for most was reduced to 2nd gear crawls at about 15mph till we crested the hill but that was only a respite as we got into the winding steep climb up into Manning Park via the Allison Pass At 4400 feet this was the first real test of the ability of some of these nearly 70 year old trucks to make it.
We all did and stayed in a reasonable convoy and descended down into Manning park Lodge area for a pit stop. (Elev. 3700feet) after a quick stop it was back up Sunday Summit (Elevation 4213 feet) and down alongside the Similkameen River. On the way up the C15A developed a gas blockage in first one tank and then both, causing several stops on the uphill side but managed to crest the pass. All the trucks were caught up in Princeton (elev. 2300 feet) and everybody got a taste of long steep downhill travels on transmissions and Brakes. Gassing up in Penticton we repaired one flat tire on the Dodge Ambulance and cleared one fuel line with compressed air on the CMP to get it back on the road. Nice of Dave Goods M35 to have an air hose! We then continued along Highway 3 to Keromeos (elev. 1198 feet) were we met at the Legion. About 5 minute after a complete stop the C15A’ front right tire went down in a hurry with a ruptured inner tube. So the driver pulled the wheel off and replaced the tube with a spare but unfortunately after all that it leaked too! On with the spare and into the legion, Pizza, Cold Beer and Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final!
Bill McLean from Cherryville joined us with his Jeep and Daryl “Doc” Rose came along with his German Motorcycle with side car.
Content in a Vancouver Canucks Victory we slept on the Parade ground across from the legion.
Day one Chilliwack to Keromeos 250 Kms

[Harry Moon]

Freedom Route 4 Day 2
After another breakfast cooked up by Chuck Ingram we were gassed up and on our way to Penticton (elev. 1260 feet) and the convention. Reasonably short drive through a major construction zone that on other days would have been closed for hours at a time we pulled into downtown Penticton and formed up near the cenotaph and Gyro Park. Grant Johnson joined us with his Jeep for the Parade, Kevin and Jennifer joined up with us again in their Iltis, Norm Krugar came by for a visit and to tell us his very original Cab 11 C15A was for sale and chat.
After a Brief ceremony at the cenotaph we took our place in the Parade with Veterans on board or standing through the roof hatches. It was a well-dressed parade down the main drag past the reviewing stand with The Honourable Steven L. Point, OBC Xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and his wife taking the salute at the Reviewing stand.
We set up outside the Penticton convention Center for a few hours and mixed with the delegates and visitors on a very pleasant and sunny day.
Near the end of the day the main group departed for Oliver (elev. 1,017 feet) and the Oliver Legion for Dinner and relaxation. 2 camped in Penticton to attend to their flat tires on Monday Morning. They spent a relaxing evening by the lake zapping the foolish mosquitos that came our way with our trusty bug swatter zapper thingy. The rest of the group dropped into the Oliver legion for Supper and set up for the night in Oliver.
Easy day for mileage with only 90 kms to cover

[Harry Moon]

Freedom Route 4 Day 3
The Hot sun got us all up early, the 2 trucks in Penticton got to the Tire shop an hour before opening and they opened up for them and got there tires fixed and even arranged for us to pick up the increasingly scarce spare tubes ahead on our trip. They quickly got down to Oliver and joined the main group who, after finishing breakfast were at the Hester Creek winery doing a tour and some tasting before seemingly everybody was loading up cases of the local grape juice.
Together again it was south on 97 to Osoyoos (elev. 987 feet) for gas and to check everything for the long steep climb east on Highway 3. This is a big intimidating climb that truckers avoid. This is a long zigzag climb that starts at the edge of town and keeps going up without any level spots for 27kms till you reach Anarchist Summit (elev. 5082 feet) If you missed a shift you and everybody behind you fell way back. About an hour and a half at only 15 to 20 mph it took some time to get to the summit. Amazingly shortly after passing the summit we were all within sight of each other. It was 30 C at the bottom but rain and sleet at the top. A little meandering about the road was observed as sweaters and toques got pulled on
On down into Rock Creek the highway now followed the old Kettle Valley Railroad route through Midway, Greenwood and on to our destination for the day, Grand Forks (elev. 1706 feet).
Throughout the day the rivers and streams we passed were overflowing and brown from the late spring runoff and erosion. Our Campground was in danger of flooding and the local officials were keeping a close eye on it. It was amazing to watch some pretty big green trees floating by in the current of the Kettle River.
We also heard from Don and Fred Robson, who were trying to catch up and join us, had blown a head gasket around the Hope slide area and would be turning back.
The Legion opened up for us for a quick tour but for most of us, it was off to the pub for Game 3 of the Stanley cup finals. Unfortunately by the 3rd period most of us were doing our PM’s on our trucks or otherwise trying to forget game 3!
Day three, 146 very hard Kms but we all made it!

[Harry Moon]

Freedom Route 4 Day 4
Up early again and as no one woke us up in the night the campground remained dry. The river we camped next to was amazingly quite given the volume and speed of the water in full flood. When the water is lower it roars and splashes around the rocks making camping by a river a noisy experience.
Breakfast by Chuck again and we were gassed up and on the road around mid-morning heading east on highway 3 this time up into some pretty high country although the climb was a little gentler than the day before. His time it was bonanza pass at 5036 feet that tested us. Shortly after we met up with drew swan in his Land Rover Ambulance at the turnoff for Rossland/Trail (4000 feet). Now with 12 MV’s in the convoy as we climbed back up over Nancy Green Summit (5170 feet) there was a lot of snow still on the ground and felt like winter in the fog. Onto Rossland (3356 feet) and then Trail (1444 feet), the steepest part of the trip with runaway lanes every few hundred meters with evidence that they were well used. The odour of burning brakes wafted over the convoy as some newer drivers let their speed get up a bit much or lost a gear (or transfer case slipped into neutral). The convoy spread out and the lead took a wrong turn but eventually we all had a chance to cool off our brakes (not to mention our dry mouths) at the local Legion Branch in Trail. Looking over the Columbia River it is a fantastic little Legion.
After an all to brief a visit it was back on the road up a steep climb (like there is any other kind around there) up through Montrose (1986 feet) and through to our destination at Salmo (2198 feet).
Drew and Tammy Swan live in Salmo and while he couldn’t bring his ferret (the armoured kind) Tammy brought her Harris Hawk (the feathered kind) to give us an up close and personal demonstration of this bird of prey. Nice little show on Main Street and then we formed up and with a color guard from the legion we were marched to the legion for dinner.
After a great homemade meal we set up in the municipal campground for the night and none too soon. Thunder and lightning preceded a deluge that kept the kibitzing to a minimum. Salmo is a lovely little town with beautiful mountain views.
Fred Robson was able to catch up with us after taking the jeep home and returning with his Ranger adorned in Canucks livery.
Day four, 147 Kms

[Harry Moon]

Freedom Route 4 Day 5
Day 5 found us a little wetter in the morning after all that rain but it let up before we hit the road for the short drive up to Nelson (1755 feet). Nelson is a pretty busy little town compared to most and given the vertical nature of the surrounding terrain parking was at a premium so we were pretty spread out near the legion which has no parking of its own. It was one of the few times that we were on our own for lunch so most of us wandered around some visiting the plaque outside the Gray Building (Post Office) named after Robert Hampton "Hammy" Gray VC, DSC (November 2, 1917 - August 9, 1945) who was a Canadian naval officer, pilot, and recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC) during World War II. He was born in Trail but grew up and went to school in Nelson.
We agreed to meet up down in a nearby open area and once together it was back on the road to Castlegar. Along the drive you pass a series of Hydro Dams with their sluice gates full open and it was like Niagara Falls over and over again as all the Dams were maxed out in water capacity and passing the extra volume downstream.
The C15A had to deal with the fuel blockage again on the way and fell behind, catching up and catching the attention of the local Mountie on the way. Something about “wrong way” “Do not enter” and double solid yellow lines or something like that. Anyways he straightened us out and got us to the Legion and our display. We got there in time for Dinner and Game 4. Food was great, the game sucked.
After dinner we headed out of town to our overnight lodgement. Kind of reminded us of a show we sometimes watch called “Trailer Park Boys” except that the residents got up before we did and went to work. Kind of tight but we managed.
Showers were nice and hot and that is always appreciated after a cool wet day.
Day five, 83 Kms.

[Harry Moon]

Freedom Route 4 Day 6
Up as the residents went to work we had breakfast and got prepped for the trip back up Bonanza pass when Waldy Libera found out he had stripped some teeth or worse off of Second Gear in his CMP Chevrolet Gun Tractor. Terminal problem. We parked his truck safely and hooked the limber up to the M35 and headed out. Waldy got a ride ahead to Osoyoos were he had a truck and trailer prepositioned for any eventuality. Too bad it was his own CMP. Drew Swan had to head back home to Salmo from here and we thanked him for his and Tammy’s work on this end of the tour.
This was a section of road we were backtracking on so the same scenery from the opposite direction. A little easier too as the ups were now less than the downs. Through Christina Lake and down to Grand Forks which this time was only a brief gas stop for some and on to Greenwood.
We all stopped and caught up with each other in Greenwood and while the legion was closed that day the town was very interesting and some drove or walked around taking in the sites. Lunch at the saloon was good (not to forget the waitress either) and somebody did come at the last minute and opened the Legion so a couple at the back got to go through. We pressed on through Midway and Rock Creek and then very slowly we went down into Osoyoos. Everybody knew how to go downhill without smoking brakes by this time. Osoyoos was its usual perfect weather, sunny and hot!
We set up at the Legion parking lot, were fed a great dinner, had a private tour of the local museum and had a great social evening at the Legion. Great People run that one and it’s got a very active membership.
Day seven, 219 kms

[Harry Moon]

Freedom Route 4 Day 7
Up for a full on spread for Breakfast from the Legion, man they fed us! A little cool in the morning and we had some time to look around before forming up at the Truck stop. We left at 9:15 for another big pull as we hadn’t taken this route on the way in. West on Highway 3 took us through Richter Pass at 2880 feet it was one of the easier ones. Once we reached Cawston it was a pretty easy drive on to Keromeos were we had spent the first night, only a quick gas stop and then we were off to an adventure camp for Teens.
Beautiful little camp with modern accommodations and the kids are there because they need to be there. Different backgrounds and different problems but they were all respectful and curious about all our vehicles. It was a beautiful day and the weather was perfect and the river was right up to the top of the banks. Could have just stayed right there for a week and none of us would have complained. But we did have to leave so we formed up and took in the scenery heading west to Headley.
Headley is a boom and bust mining town that we stopped at and parked near there cenotaph and had lunch. Headley’s mine is opening again so it had a little more life to it than the last time we went through. After Lunch it was back on the road the rest of the way to Princeton. In Princeton we set up next to the Cenotaph on a street closed off for us. We had dinner at the Legion and took in game 5. In a much better mood we headed over to the Stampede grounds and set up for the night.
Given this was our last night as a group we were a little melancholy but we were well fed and we found out that not only was Chuck a good cook he could sing and play guitar at the same time. Sleep came all too easy for most of us.
Day seven, 115 Kms

[Harry Moon]

Freedom Route 4 Day 8
Last Day, and it was kind of sad. After breakfast and more air clearing the fuel pick up on the C15A we said goodbye to Dave Good as he headed back to Edmonton from this point, just a short 1000 kms home and bed for him. We did some pictures of the group and then headed west up to Sunday Summit. We were moving along pretty good but Noticed our lead vehicle was slowing. “Old Pokey” John Hawthorne’s 1941 K-18 pulled over with a terminal knock. Not the best stop and some kept going and waited at Manning Park Lodge. After a thorough examination it was determined that the old girl had to be trailered home. We arranged for transport, determined who was staying to help load when the trailer arrived and pressed on for home.
The rest of us went back through Allison Pass and over the Hope Slide and down into Hope for a last dash of gas. Most of us returned to the museum in Chilliwack at least for a while but by then we were pretty dispersed, tired, tanned and ready to go home. All the handshakes and good byes that morning would have to suffice.
Day eight to Chilliwack 185 kms

[Harry Moon]

Overall and all over.
All told 1235 Kms from start point to finish, with most having piled on a couple hundred extra getting to and from the RV point. Probably the most demanding climbs we will ever put the trucks through again. By comparison the Trans Canada route mostly follows waterways and doesn’t have anywhere near the number of major climbs that this Crowsnest route does. Up and over seemed to be the motto.
I didn’t say anything about all the veterans we met and spoke to suffice to say there were less and less since our first tour back in 2005. But they were still special and an honour to meet and converse with.
The Legions themselves are treasures too with old pictures honour rolls and information on all the enlisted me and women from their communities. The living and the wounded or killed in action. Special things like the 110 year old pool table still in the Nelson Legion left over from its days as the YMCA. The Greenwood Legion that used to be the towns Opera House.
And Great Company which included all these characters and their Vehicles:
Ian Newbey, President, Western Command in an RB 44
Dave Beale Vice President Western Command in an ex US Air Force 92 Blazer
John Hawthorne Organizer Freedom Route 4 1941 GMC K-18 “Old Pokey”
Chuck Ingram, 5 ton Leyland DAF
Dave (Super Dave) Good, M35
Carmen Ingram, M151 with Trailer
Bill McLean, WW2 Jeep
Kevin and Jennifer, Iltis
Daryl “Doc” Rose, Dnepr Motorcycle with sidecar.
Drew Swan, Land Rover ambulance
Carey Price, M43 Ambulance.
Andy Hill, M151
Grant Johnson WW2 Jeep
Waldy Libera 44 CGT CMP with Limber
Harry Moon, 1944 C15A CMP

[Aide Memoire]

That was great fun, and yes, I also noticed the significant drop in vets since the first trip in 2005 and the fact many of the Legions throughout the Thompson-Okanagan are dealing with significant membership challenges. Even with the Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final, a number of the Legions...echoed.

Congrats to our members driving the WWII equipment who dealt with various frustrating tire and mechanical challenges without losing their sense of humour, as I'm sure many out there would've just thrown in the towel.

Great to see some collectors out there not part of our group. At one Legion a great CMP HUP showed up - still under restoration - but I'd never seen one apart from pictures. Another visitor demonstrated that M38CDNs etc. are still being dragged out of the brush where they've undoubtedly sat since some ancient Crown Assets sale in the late 1960s - so the hobby is clearly alive and well despite current government attempts to squash military surplus sales.

(Harry's got a pretty complete list of participants, and there's another on the Club website at www.westerncommand.com)

[Harry Moon]

I posted as seperate threads each day as I had sent out an email to all the participants asking to post pictures and comments based on the day in question. Thats ok this way as hopefully people take part. My pictures you ask? On my camera I say but i can't find my camera and I'm a little worried about where it is or was left!
I got a 235 chev engine going to Pat for his C15A to get it back on the road, my spare tranny and a box of tranny innards has gone to Waldy for his FAT and my GMC 270 is now spoken for by John for "Old Pokey". We should all be back on the road very quickly.

[Hans Mulder]

Great report...If I had been able to get the time off, I would have trailered my carrier along with the convoy...

Maybe next time, when it is done.