I left Tsawwassen close to 7 this morning and now, 7 in the evening, I’ve got my legs stretched out on a bed in a room at the Shimmerhorn Inn in Creston. Nothing luxurious but it’s a bed and the place is rather pretty in blue and white, and I’m very grateful indeed to have the first day of my road trip to Winnipeg behind me. I plan to attend a Mennonite history conference, visit some friends and relatives, and then double back through Saskatchewan for a week’s writing retreat at St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster. More about all that later if I find time and energy to keep up a bit of a blog-diary.

I decided to take the #3 out of B.C. On the map that highway  looks like an earthworm wiggling along the border. No end of curves, that’s for sure, and no end either of up and down, but it’s magnificent country in so many ways, the mountains and trees and valleys and rivers, and in Keremeos and Osoyoos, vineyards and orchards and bustling fruit markets. Traffic was relatively light and road conditions were good.

Before setting out, I downloaded several books and podcasts to help the hours along. Today I listened to the last four episodes of a six-episode podcast I’d started at home called Sweet Bobby. It’s a harrowing true tale about some complicated catfishing, which is not, I learned, the action of catching catfish but “a deceptive activity in which a person creates a fictional persona or fake identity on a social networking service, usually targeting a specific victim.”

Here’s the description of the series.

Kirat is a successful radio presenter. On Facebook she meets Bobby, a handsome cardiologist. He’s a catch. Soon, they get tangled up in a love affair full of lies and manipulation. Then… Kirat discovers a deception of almost unimaginable proportions.

I like podcasts that tell a true story, and are journalistic in style. (Recommendations welcome.) I also listened to an hour of Writers & Co. Although Eleanor Wachtel, one of the best interviewers ever, has just retired after 33 years of doing the show, some of her favourites are being aired throughout the summer.

Day one nearly done then. My body still feels like it’s in motion, but I’ll go for a walk and then, hopefully sleep well, and be ready to drive again tomorrow. A few more mountains to get over or around.