Nothing beats cruising the open road with the windows down, sun beaming in giving you a farmer tan on your driving arm, and the sound of rockin’ tunes to soundtrack your venture.

I’ve been road tripping since I could drive; I’ve traveled the highways of our Provinces and the Pacific Coast countless times and on every occasion there has been music to inspire my mission to that holidayland destination.

New additions to the playlist this year include Shiny Toy Guns and Against Me! both equally fun in their own right when twisting and turning through those mountain passes and sun-kissed valleys.

Our mini vacations may come to an end but the next time I hear certain tunes it always reminds me of carefree afternoons on the road away from the daily grind and hopefully toward a beach with my man.

As far as wineries go, I would have to say I’ve been around. I’ve done Napa Valley over the course of several days, I’ve been to finest grape-growing regions in France, and I know the Okanagan and Fraser Valley vineyards like the back of my hand. I can swirl, swoosh, sniff, and taste tannins as good as the rest of them and I must say, I simply love coming to the Okanagan.

Our second stop on day two of SuperHappyBollwittTime was at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, which is perched atop a hill just outside of Osoyoos’ city centre, off of Black Sage Road.

Burrowing Owl not only has a handsome wine tasting room, they have a small resort with rooms to let, an enormous swimming pool and a lovely restaurant view never-ending views of the Sonora Desert.

We popped in for a quick sip as the restaurant was closed for a private function, which we assumed was a wedding as a woman was walking around claiming to be the ‘mother of the bride’. There was a selection of 6 wines available for the tasting which was by donation, the suggested amount being $2. The reason for the donation is that aside from supplying the world with a hearty oaky 2005 Meritage they also spread awareness about the protection of the endangered burrowing owl species.

The Burrowing Owl Vineyards and Winery pay tribute to the little native burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), which is currently being reintroduced into the Okanagan Valley. The Valley’s grasslands and sagebrush plains were once a breeding area for these birds.

“Contrary to what their name suggests, these owls don’t burrow” says proprietor Jim Wyse. “They let animals like badgers and gophers do that for them. Then, when the holes are abandoned, the owls move in and set up residence. The reason the owls are no longer found in abundance in this area is that the badgers and gopher populations have been depleted.” [Burrowing Owl]

The winery also has strict policies when it comes to creating a sustainable working vineyard that does as little damage as possible to the sensitive ecosystem in which it lies.

In the summer months (when that gigantic pool is up and running) I think it would be a lovely to getaway and stay in their guest house. Breathtaking views, hot and humid desert air, and all the wine you can handle.

Last year John and I drove past Golden Beaver on our way from Osoyoos to Penticton, however on the way home along Black Sage we totally passed it by. After breakfast we were trying to think of a game plan for today and realized we had yet to visit the winery with the silly name so it became our first stop of the day.

Located on Highway 97 halfway between Osoyoos and Oliver, Golden Beaver Winery is only in its third year but it making quite the impression locally, and internationally. Upon ascending the gravel driveway we were greeted by Stella in the tasting room with 5 bottles of wine ready to be sampled by yours truly.

Golden Beaver prides itself on pushing the envelope when it comes to its varietals, blends and releases. We tasted their Vidal, Pinot Gris, 2006 Merlot (apparently people think they’re crazy for releasing it already), the Pinot Noir Dry Rose, and the super tasty Merlot Vin de Cure.

It was really interesting to not only taste a Pinot Noir Rose but also to experience the crisp clean taste their wine achieves by being unoaked. Also, it was the first time I had tried a Vin de Cure, which was a real treat as Golden Beaver is the only winery in Canada that offers this.

After the tasting we received some excellent recommendations for lunch and other vineyards that might be of interest. On their website it states you can get the Golden Beaver 2006 Pinot Blanc at So.cial at Le Magasin in Gastown, however as we have yet to spot any in local liquor or wine stores we were sure to pick up a bottle (or four).

If you’re in the Okanagan doing the ‘wine tour thing’ I would highly recommend stopping by Golden Beaver. It doesn’t have the elaborate architecture or grandeur of some other places but what they lack in showmanship they definitely make up for in quality and tastiness of their wine.

Day two of SuperHappyBollwittTime will include clear skies and 18 degrees here in Canada’s only pocket desert.

We’re still unsure what’s in store for the Bollwitts but I’m certain it will involve sunshine and mushy things couples that are in love do. That’s right I said it, I’m totally loving this time away with John.

Which reminds me I should get back to the condo since the only internet available to us in town is in this common room. Seriously, we tried the “internet cafe” but that didn’t have wifi, just stations. But who am I to complain? Breakfast at the diner calls! And if anyone’s wondering, I left the keys to the internet with Raul so he’s making sure it stays intact until we return.

Crossing over the Similkameen River with the setting sun in our rear view mirror John reached over and threaded his fingers through mine – right then and there SuperHappyBollwittTime (the code name for this weekend) had officially begun.

As the Crowsnest Highway has become a familiar path we both keep an eye out for some of our favourite landmarks like the “CAUTION: SHEEP” sign with the South Park-esque graphic that makes us chuckle.

Last night we arrived in the darkness and after some quick unpacking, snuggled up on the couch with our toes being toasted by the fireplace. There was no agenda for today aside from breakfast to appease my rumbling tummy, so we decided to hop in the car and simply drive.

We ended up in a part of Washington State that neither of us had explored before and before you knew it we were ascending Mount Bonaparte in the Okanogan National Forest. Side note: If you’re going to venture into this park no routes are marked and no maps are posted at trailheads. There are no PDFs available on their site either so you’ll need to purchase a map for $9.68… or have GPS.

Tomorrow will include some hiking and many more pictures from our adventures are to follow (like from the trip back from Danville, WA and Grand Forks, BC today) but as internet access is limited (which we don’t mind at all) the content will be pretty sparse this weekend. If you don’t hear from me until Monday don’t worry, it just means that SuperHappyBollwittTime has been a successful mission.