Yep, my favorite places in Canada are also the dry interior valleys of BC, such as the Okanagan, Nicola and Thompson Valleys.
For Ayreonaut, if you love the Cali look dry hills of BC than you will love driving the #1 from Lytton to Kamloops shown above. All dry rolling semi-desert hills. Sadly, forest fire suppression in the last 50 years has caused the forest to creep down the hillsides, replacing grasslands. So many people hate forest fires but do not understand that it is a very natural part of the interior ecosystem and actually creates healthier dry forests and grasslands. Even during the major Kelowna fire season of 2003 only 50% of the annual amount of land was burned compared to historical average annual burns pre-fire suppression. Very sad if you ask me, and I hate how the media always tries to vilify fire as if it is hurting the wilderness
In fact i wrote a huge paper in my ecology class about how the current pine beetle kill is actually majorly caused by forest fire suppression, and that this epidemic will actually help correct the imbalance currently occurring in our over crowded forests and decreasing grasslands.
Another area you would love is the Nicola valley and driving the old #5, it has some of the most beautiful scenery in Canada with the dry rolling hills, steep cliffs and Nicola Lake.
I will upload a few of my own pics in a few minutes from around BC. Sadly i am almost up to my upload limit for this month on flickr.
OK, here are a few of my pic from BC
Osoyoos (my favorite place in Canada)!
The Dry Hot Semi-Desert of Kamloops (Although these pics were taken in December, was only about 5 degrees, hehe)
Hornby Island (North of Nanaimo) Sea side and the Arbutus tree, and evergreen broad leaf found along coastal areas of BC. It is a Mediterranean species native to BC at the northern end of its natural range (all of its relatives are found in California, Mexico and the Mediterranean area of Europe)
UBC in mid winter (Beach and Douglas Firs)
The Sea to Sky Highway (The lake pic is between Pemberton and Lillooet)
And the Fraser Valley!
And the best part of BC, is all of these varied landscapes and varied climates are within a 5 hour drive or less from one and other.
All pics are my own
Cheers!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30634635@N03/?saved=1