Our 17 acre (8 hectare) farm is in the Nicola River Valley between Merritt BC and Spences Bridge BC. The region is semi-arid with sagebrush, ponderosa pine trees, mountains, a river, sun most of the time, and lots of open space. We have 150 organic fruit trees (sweet cherry, sour cherry, apricot, peach, plum, apple and pear). The railbed of the abandoned Kettle Valley Railway is the western boundary of the property. The Nicola River is the eastern boundary. Our nearest neighbor is 2 km away. We have two small houses and several outbuildings.
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The guest house is basic with two bedrooms, one bathroom, living room, kitchen, mud room and a verandah on the south and west sides. One bedroom has a queen-sized bed. The second bedroom has a king-sized bed that can be split into two single beds. This house is air conditioned. It has a washer, dryer and clothesline.
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The guest house is available from mid-March to late October. We frequently travel between our Vancouver house and the farm and our schedules can get complicated, so please book ahead. One or both of us will be on the farm whenever we have guests. Many friends visit the farm, particularly on summer weekends. Most, but not all, are gay men. We may ask you to share the guest house during summer weekends.
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You will need a vehicle. The nearest village is Spences Bridge, 15 km away. Spences Bridge has one restaurant, the Log Cabin Pub, and no store. Merritt is 50 km away on Hwy 8 and has stores and services. Other nearby towns with stores are Lytton (60 km), Cache Creek (60 km) and Ashcroft (60 km).
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Our bridge is only 9' (2.7 meters) tall and 10' (3 meters) wide. If you have a larger recreational vehicle, park by our gate and walk over the bridge to the farm.
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There is no cellular phone service at the ranch, but there is cellphone service as you drive closer to Spences Bridge. At the farm we have a landline telephone which you are welcome to use, and wireless internet.
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ACTIVITIES: The Nicola River runs through the farm. You can swim in the river in July, August and early September. In July and August we ride inner tubes down the river, which is about the most fun you can have in a human body. Borrow the guest bicycles and ride on the old railway bed. We have an outdoor hot tub, stargazing platform, gym, meditation hut, hammocks and an orchard to relax in.
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MEALS: We provide the ingredients for a basic breakfast that you prepare. Please bring food for your own lunches. Dinners are communal, so please bring ingredients and prepare a main dish, a side dish, salad or appetizer that can be shared. Remember that the nearest grocery store is 50 km away. The kitchen is reasonably well stocked and you are welcome to use whatever you find there.
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WILDLIFE: Black bears occasionally visit from May to October. They are usually on the farm every day from mid-August to late September. Deer, coyotes and eagles are on the property regularly. When the temperature is above 18 degrees, it's unlikely, but possible, that you will encounter a rattlesnake. So we strongly advise guests to wear cowboy boots or rubber boots--we have a wide selection of guest boots available.
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LIABILITY RELEASE FORM: As there are natural hazards in the farm (bears, snakes, ticks, the river) and insurance is difficult or impossible to get for rural property, we require guests to sign a liability waiver on arrival. That said, in 11 years, no guests have been hurt or injured.
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We love our farm, as most people do who visit it. We decided that it should be shared with a wider group of polite, friendly, gay travellers. If that describes you, please visit us!
Regalo Gay
