Day 7 – 600+ km – Liard River Hotsprings to Whitehorse

Day 7 – 600+ km to go

Total mileage today: 600+

Animal sightings: grizzly, 2 black bears, 6 bison and 1 fox with its lunch

“All those who wander are not lost.” J.R.R. Tolkien

I realize it’s taken ages to finish this, over 9 months but I lost my Blackberry this summer in Whitehorse and got discouraged.  What does my little BB have to do with our road trip?  Everything!  It had my life in it, including all my trip notes.  How could I lose my precious BB?  Well …. Geord needed a new phone for the Yukon so it made more sense for me to take over his old iPhone since I owed less on BB than he owed on his relatively new (now his old) iPhone.  Soooo …. I was carrying round 2 phones and slowly transferring my habits to include the iPhone.  Whilst going through the transition, I lost my BB.  She is somewhere in the vast wilderness of the Yukon Territory or perhaps at the Whitehorse Starbucks.  Either way she is not with me and I miss her and all my information including the trip: animal sightings, points of interest, etc.

When we woke up on the last morning we had mixed feelings about getting on the road. Leaving meant our little road trip would be over.  On the flip side it also meant a whole new life was waiting for us in the Yukon.  We thought of going for a dip in the hot springs but instead, had a quick breakfast, packed up and headed north, actually north-west.

We had passed many abandoned building along our route.  The events surrounding 9/11 and then the global down turn of 2007-2008 has really taken a toll on Alaska Highway businesses. 

As we were driving we zoomed past a sign at Contact Creek (km 913)  that advertised gas for 1.35/litre.  After seeing the price as high as $1.75/litre just down the road, we decided to turn around and top up the tank.  The owner was thankful and talked about how he and his friend on the west side of Watson Lake kept their prices reasonable and hoped the travelling public would appreciate this.  We  mentioned that we had just passed a grizzly and he said that she frequently visited their property.

We look a little scruffy after camping for a week.

The image of the grizzly had been fresh in my mind when shortly after we passed her, our road map flew out the open window.  We screeched to a halt, backed up down the highway, I stepped out of the truck and picked up the map from the ditch.  As I turned back towards the truck, “my puppy-love, my highschool sweetheart, my BFF” drove off.  He left me to the wolves or in this case, the grizzly!  Before I stepped out of the truck I felt she was probably a km down the road. When I was standing on the road alone, I was sure she was just around the corner running towards me.  The truck was only 25 metres away but of course he drove away when I was almost alongside.  The game was short-lived as my mini temper tantrum with foot stomping put an end to it. 

Driving into Watson Lake we stopped at the World Famous Sign Post Forest.  The forest started in 1942 by a homesick US Army GI.  While working on the Alaska Highway, he erected a sign here pointing the way and stating the mileage to his hometown.  Others followed his lead and still do so to this day.

Watson Lake is 350km from Whitehorse.  We stopped at Kathy’s Kitchen for soup and sandwich and of course coffee for the big guy.  Then headed west towards Whitehorse.

It fascinated me that there were no traffic control people on the highway.  Unbelievably, everyone knew what to do.  Don’t run over the construction workers, don’t drive into the heavy machinery, follow the vehicle in front of you and don’t speed.  I guess by the time you get that far north without driving off a cliff, into a river or skidding into oncoming traffic, they assume you know how to manage a little road construction.

Amazing views, we look forward to driving back south perhaps via the Stewart-Cassiar Hwy.

We’ve noticed on these long drives, always in the middle of nowhere when we least expect it, there is a point of interest.  Interesting graffiti on rocks, a field of inuksuks, a signpost forest or in this case: road side rock art.  We wanted to get to Whitehorse but we took a view minutes to make our mark on the side of the road. What km is our mark located? The info is in my Blackberry.

How lucky am I to find someone who can make big me look small.  Of course, the camera angle helped with this optical illusion.  Our “artwork” is in the middle of the screen.

Before we knew it we were in Whitehorse and our road trip was over.

Day 6 – Liard River Hotsprings

I thought I had posted this one a long time ago. Thanks, for all the reminders to finish this road trip.  Four months after the fact but here it is:

Day 6 – 600+ km to get to Whitehorse, Yukon

Total mileage today: 0

Animal sightings: …..

I awoke with a start.  There was a bear in our campsite! 

It was sniffing and scratching around the campfire pit while making its way to the picnic table.  I tried to breathe as quietly as possible, almost holding my breath.  Beside me, Geordie was in a deep sleep.   As always, my mind was racing – strategizing …. every possible scenario was considered.   Then, before I could react, there was a loud crash.   I quickly determined it was at the picnic table and had pushed off the only thing on the table, a plastic container of wet wipes.  Without thinking, I flew over Geordie putting his body in between me and the bear.   Consequently, he woke with a start, but he didn’t say a word when he saw the look in my eyes.  He later said my eyes were as large as saucers.  He listened for a moment and whispered, “I don’t think it’s a bear…. listen.”  He had read my crazy mind.  I listened and realized perhaps it wasn’t a bear.  I hesitated, then peeked outside the tent and saw the culprit.  A very big, noisy, possibly rabid squirrel.

Squirrels are much larger in person than they appear in photos.

Usually the bears we saw, even the big “scary” grizzlies, were docile.            At least they appeared that way while eating flowers by the roadside.

Look closely in the middle of the picture.  G swam under the bank and popped up in the foliage.

It had been pouring rain all night and was still pouring when we were so rudely woken by the rabid squirrel.  We contemplated getting up but it was warm and dry in the tent so we opted to fall back asleep.  We woke up several hours later.  It was raining lightly so we decided to brave the elements and got up.  As we were lamenting the fact that we had only brought one small tarp (and one huge tarp, no mediums ones) and had used it to cover the tent instead of making a covered kitchen area, our neighbours walked by.  They admired the tarp over our tent and mentioned that they were heading to the hot springs to warm up because they had been soaked during the night. 

The rain let up enough for Geordie to build a fire and allow us to make a hearty campfire breakfast: maple french toast, eggs, sausage, bacon, fruit and yogurt. Just as we were cleaning up after breakfast the rain started up again.  The rest of the day was spent safely sheltered from the torrential rains in our comfy cozy tent, soaking in the hot springs, eating or sleeping.

Although I take most (almost all) of our photos, G is the photographer.  I luck out sometimes but usually I snap a million photos and hope one of them turns out.  I take a million and one turns out, he takes one picture and it’s always a keeper. 

It was so strange being away from “civilization”, even if only for 48 hours.  We were forced to be technosober.  No news, cell, texts, email; just peace and quiet.  Just us. 

In the afternoon it was raining so hard we contemplated leaving.  We were less than 700 km from Whitehorse and we both enjoy driving.  Then we discussed the road conditions, accident scenes and roadside memorials we had passed and reconsidered the choice.  Taking into account other drivers, animals on the highway and our unfamiliarity with the road meant the only logical choice was to stay another night at the hot springs.

It was nice going to the hot springs during the day.  We met many interesting people from all over the world but it was surreal at night.  Spine-tinglingly spooky and beautiful at the same time.

That night when we walked to the hot springs (1am) Geord brought his axe. I didn’t ask the big tough guy, he volunteered.  It was really spooky the night before and you’d think it would be less so the second night but it was just as eerie.  I chattering away about nothing as we walked over the boardwalk and then through the forest.  I wanted to let the bear know we were coming.  As we neared the hot springs we decided the bears probably didn’t hang around right at the public area of the hot springs.  We later read they like to eat the flowers along the bank, right where we were relaxing. 

When we finally made our way across the boardwalk, there was one other couple at the springs.  They were from Ft. Nelson and visited there often.  They quickly let us know there was something big in the bush by the pool we were in.  They couldn’t decide if it was a bear or a moose, but  said it was big.  Several times while talking with them we heard the loud crack of a breaking branch then silence.  Like they said, whatever it was, it was big.  The night before we were by ourselves at the secluded end of the pool, on this night we stuck together as a pack.  Even with the wild beast lurking in the bushes beside us it was surprisingly relaxing. We had brought a water bottle with us and we let it float around in the hot springs beside us.  When we were ready to leave we used it to rinse our hair.  It was so nice washing our hair with clean, clear water.  

Walking back wasn’t quite so relaxing, I kept sneaking a peek behind us but without my glasses on it was a blur of mist and dark bear-like tree stumps so I concentrated on the big strong guy with the axe walking beside me and the beauty of the mist rising from the hot spring.  

Once again, here is your chance to check out unedited (not always flattering ) video of our trip at:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL6C914406E519378A&hl=en_US

Day 5.5 – 1300 + km – Tetsa River to Liard River Hotsprings

Total mileage today: 674 km

Animal sightings: deer, coyote, 2 beaver dams, caribou, rock sheep, moose, bison, grizzly sow with cubs and black bears. 

Correction: I thought Tetsa River was approximately 300 km from Liard River, however when I checked the map it is only 200 km.  We saw so many animals and such beautiful scenery it’s hard to believe it wasn’t farther.

The route explores many parks and wilderness areas. The parks along this part of the route include Tetsa River, Muncho Lake, Stone Mountain and our destination Liard River.   Along this section of the Alaska Highway are some impressive natural landscapes like folded mountains, fields of flowers, raging rivers and todays destination: hot springs.

It is so remote most Canadians living south of 60 (degrees north latitude) will never have the opportunity to visit it but Liard River is one of the best outdoor (2nd largest in Canada) public hot springs in BC, perhaps Canada.  It is not a man made pool-like hot spring but has been left in its natural setting surrounded by forest. Beautiful!

Notice the stone sheep about to cross the road.  The flimsy                                      guard rail in the background is to remind drivers that the road is                               fringed by a very steep precipice.

The above picture and of the stone sheep and frozen lake from the previous blog were taken after leaving Tetsa River as we passed through Stone Mtn. Provincial Park.  The pictures don’t do the views any justice.  When we stopped at a viewpoint it was cold enough that we felt the need for a roadside tea break.   I was bundled up wearing my toque, scarf and gloves – keeping in mind it is June….. summertime!

After 200 spectacular kilometers we reached our destination.  It was just before 10pm but it was still very light.  We set up camp, made dinner and shortly after sunset (midnight) we made our way to the hotsprings.

As we walked away from our campsite we heard a shotgun blast or as it turned out a bear banger.  Nice….. we are walking through a pitch black forest and across a marsh all the while knowing there is a bear in the area.  Nice….. did I mention the Liard River Hotsprings Fatal Bear Attack?  Of course there is no mention of the tragedy but there is a lot of information about avoiding bears.

It was pitch dark as we walked through the campground and over the 300 metre long boardwalk.  The boardwalk passes through the marsh that surrounds the hot springs.  It was dark, quiet and very eerie.  It was so spooky, I had a hard time appreciating the beauty of the mist rising up into the cold night air.  We were surprised to see that we were not the only crazy people to venture to the hotsprings in the middle of the night.  Of course the other people (kids) were decades younger than us while our peers were tucked safely in their motorhomes, generators whirring, satellite dishes humming, porch lights on – doors locked. 

 

The kids were down at the far end of the hot springs to our left so we went right.    It was hot.  Not a little bit but a lotta bit HOT!  We kept moving to our right.  It felt great walking along the river bed but was hotter than any spring I’d ever been in.  The next day, when we took the above picture, we realized that we were at the head of the spring in the very hottest point.

After our soak we made our way back through the spooky forest, across the eerie marsh and through the ghostly mist back to our campsite.  It was surprisingly comforting when we were finally safely tucked in our paper-thin tent for the night.

Check out unedited (not always flattering ) video of our trip at:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL6C914406E519378A&hl=en_US

Wiki says: “The Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park was created in April 1957.  The first boardwalk and pool facilities were built by the US Army in 1942.  The park contains a warm water swamp and boreal forest which supports rich and diverse plant communities as well as mammal and bird species. Watch for moose feeding in the warm water swamps. Bears, as well, are a common hazard in summer months, and may be feeding only 10 feet away from bathers. Due to the lush plant life (including 14 species of orchids) influenced by the warmth of the springs, the area was originally known as the “Tropical Valley”.  There are two hot springs with water temperatures ranging from 42°C to 52°C; the nearest is the Alpha pool. Beta pool is beyond Alpha and is larger, cooler and deeper.  There are raised walkways from the parking area to the springs so that the delicate muskeg that forms the swamp is not disturbed. The walkway was the scene of a much-publicized black bear attack that killed two tourists. “

Unfortunately, in the year following the attack at least 50 bears were killed around the springs to ease the public’s concern.

All road trips need a soundtrack and ours is an eclectic mix.  You’d think the classical, jazz and girly tunes are my choice and the country, 70’s classics and hard rock are Geordie’s but you’d be wrong.  Our separate playlists are a chaotic and varied mixture including songs by Cat Stevens, CCR, Elton John, Gordon Lightfoot, JJ Cale, John Coltrane & Duke Ellington, Kenny Loggins, Little River Band, Miles Davis, Mozart for your Mind, Slim Dusty, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Waylan Jennings, Willy Nelson, Van Morrison, ZZ Top,  and the list goes on …..

The Girl from Ipanema- Astrud Gilberto, Dance of the Gypsy- Bruce Mathiske, All Summer Long – The Rock Heroes, Maid with the Flaxen Hair – Richard Stoltzman/Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Just a Kiss- Lady Antebellum, Turn On the Radio- Reba McEntire, Consider Me Gone – Reba McEntire, Today Is Your Day – Shania Twain, Ritual Union – Little Dragon, Kiss Me – Sixpence None the Richer, Sleep Away – Bob Acri, Take Five – The Dave Brubeck Quartet, In a Sentimental Mood – John Coltrane & Duke Ellington, If the Stars Were Mine – Melody Gardot, So What – Miles Davis, I Can’t Wait Forever – Ali Milner, Bubbly – Colbie Caillat, Lucky (With Colbie Caillat) – Jason Mraz, Don’t Know Why – Norah Jones, Come Away With Me – Norah Jones, Like a Rock – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, Smile – Uncle Kracker, Track 10 – Drew Gribson, Respect – Aretha Franklin, Video (Main) – India.Arie, Three Little Birds – Bob Marley, Ventura Highway – America, No Rain – Blind Melon, On a Day Like Today and When You’re Gone – Bryan Adams, Wild World – Cat Stevens, Mr. Jones – Counting Crows, Bennie and the Jets – Elton John, Better Together – Jack Johnson, Fat Bottomed Girls –  Queen, Angie and You Can’t Always Get What You Want – The Rolling Stones,, Chan Chan (Live) – Buena Vista Social Club, Give Me One Reason – Tracy Chapman and many more …….

Day 5 – 1300+ km – Charlie Lake to Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park

Thank you for all the positive comments and requests for more postings.  I was discouraged.  Not because we’ve been so busy since the road trip: packing up the Island home, sorting out my job, moving north, working for Chris and starting a new business. Apparently, we have offended a few people with our inappropriate behaviour.  I didn’t actually believe anyone would take the time to comment (negatively) since Geord has been in Canada for over two years and I have been separated for over a year.  If you are a naysayer, the solution I suggest is: don’t read our silly little blog.  It is for people who care about us to see how our journey progressed as we moved Geordie and his tools of the trade up North.  If you want to express your judgemental, puritanical, negative beliefs, please do it elsewhere.  I am amazed and thankful that Jake, Luke and Erica (Chris too) manage to tolerate our happy aura on a daily basis without complaints.  What cynics feel from reading this can not be my concern.   I had stopped writing so as not to offend anyone.  After some reflection, I made peace with the fact that there will always be critics and we can continue on our way while they stew in their unhappiness.  So, we will forge ahead in exactly the same manner: being happy, living in the moment and enjoying this wonderful journey with the knowledge that life is good and it’s ok to feel this way.

These photos were both taken just before midnight. (Left) in Whitehorse July 3rd and (R) leaving Pine Lake campground on July 8th .

BACK TO THE  WHITEHORSE ROADTRIP :

Day 5 – June 2, 2012 – 1300+ km to go

Total mileage today: 674 km

Animal sightings: deer, coyote, 2 beaver dams, caribou, rock sheep, moose, bison, grizzly sow with cubs and black bears.

Day 5 – We packed up camp, as always double checking to make sure nothing was left behind and departed just before the 11 am checkout time.  Once again we were in no hurry to go and had a leisurely breakfast cooked over the campfire.  We knew we weren’t going to make it to Whitehorse in record time pulling the 5000 lb trailer.   However, we hoped the truck would get us there without any major issues after all the time and money spent preparing it for the trip.   The truck had been performing admirably.  It slowed down on the hills but caused us no grief. 

Breakfast tasted way better than it looked: 

 

Today was supposed to be all about getting to Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park.   The bonuses were all the animal sightings, beautiful scenery and a stop at Tetsa River.  Most of the time the animals were only a few meters away from us. Getting to Liard River for a 2 night stay soon became secondary once we began spotting wildlife. 

We were only a few metres away from the bison, they seem way bigger in person.

 Summit Lake Stone Sheep:

Grizzly bears eating grass with their heads down; for obvious reasons we chose not to disturb them:

Driving north of Ft. St. John felt like we were on safari.   Every time we saw a dark spot move in the distance it turned out to be an animal except of course the culvert bears.  Culvert bears don’t move so you must have a keen eye.  They stay very still, living in the water culverts on the side of the highway.  They are easy to spot from a long way off; from a distance they look like regular black bears.  It isn’t until you are close to them you realize it’s your imagination and there is no bear at all, just a metal culvert and a black shadow.  I saw at least 5 culvert bears a day.

Notice the culvert bear (little black spot) to the right of the road and the real black bear in picture below it:

For some reason, throughout the trip the Stewart Cassiar Highway cinnamon buns kept creeping into our conversation .  We had  many discussions about bakeries, bad baking, good baking and the fact that we shouldn’t  even be considering buying baked goods.  When we stopped to check the truck airbags at the Mile 72 gas station/Inn we were interested to see a sign declaring “fresh baking”.  While G was checking the air and topping up the tank I went inside to get “supplies”.  The ladies behind the counter were dressed in stereotypical modern Mennonite style clothing, there was a spinning brochure rack full of religious literature and the flowery table cloths and curtains that gave the place a homey feel.  I looked over the baking and chose a huge cinnamon bun with loads of icing, as well as a big butter tart (diet? smiet!)  Baked goods, diesel, no air (that’s another story) and $108 later, we were back on the road north. 

We didn’t get very far before we broke into the cinnamon bun.  It looked so good but it tasted …. bad.  Really bad.  The icing had a weird taste and the bun part was sort of gummy.  We agreed it was the best looking but worst tasting cinnamon bun we’ve ever experienced.  We felt ripped off by those pious, homely, apron clad women.  My indignation over the  baking launched us into a discussion about religious groups and their baking skills.  Are all Mennonite women good cooks?  Amish? Hutterite? What if they had appeared to be Muslim, Sikh or Jewish – would I have assumed the “fresh baking” was worth trying.  That conversation went on for quite some time.  Of course you can’t tell a book by its cover and I dislike the thought of me stereotyping anyone.  However, they really “looked” like they knew their way around a kitchen.  It was false advertising.  I felt certain they were not Mennonite.  So much so that I looked up their phone number on the receipt and called them.  The lady that answered was lovely and we had a conversation about the spinning rack of religious pamphlets.  I was soon told, “We are non-denominational, we simply belief in our lord Jesus Christ.”  I thanked her, she blessed me and we parted ways.  I wondered if she knew they were turning out substandard baking.  I was disappointed that my phone call and the fact that they were not Mennonite, confirmed my shaky hypothesis on religious affiliation and baking.  I am sure they have been at that location for quite some time and will continue forging ahead to provide a platform for generations of apron clad posers to follow in their footsteps.  However, I also hoped that the substandard cinnamon bun (and butter tart… blecht) was a one off, a little mistake.  I can’t wait to stop there again one day and be pleasantly surprised by their “fresh baking”.

The drive to Fort Nelson was uneventful.  Lots of beautiful view points and animals sightings.  Fort Nelson is a thriving community with an economy historically based on forestry, oil & gas, and an emerging tourism sector. The oil and gas industry is clearly the driver during the present time with a downturn in demand for forest products. North America’s largest gas processing plant and one of North America’s largest deposits of shale gas are both in close proximity to Fort Nelson.  Regular scheduled air service, the northern railhead of CN Rail, and the world-famous Alaska Highway doubling as Fort Nelson’s main street make Fort Nelson a major transportation hub for the area.’

Stopping at the Fort Nelson IGA for some fresh fruit and veg, we struck up a conversation with the cashier.  Geordie asked how she liked living in Fort Nelson.  She made it very clear that she did not like it there, did not want to be there and couldn’t wait to leave.  She was so honest it took us aback.  Walking out of the store we realized we were so distracted by the cashier we forgot to get ice for the cooler.  I walked back inside ready to tell her that “education could be her key to get out of this town” but she had a huge lineup so I walked away and left Katelyn to her misery.  I hope her path isn’t too difficult. 

As we were leaving Ft. Nelson I noticed Geord looked a little tired and perhaps a little bit ….. grumpy.  Several times throughout the day I had encouraged him to get coffee but he declined.  He refuses to accept that he has a caffeine addiction and prefers to call his love of coffee (tall non-fat quad latte with 2 sugars please) a “preference for coffee”.   He denied himself coffee for a while but about 100km past Ft. Nelson we stopped when we saw several signs for the “best cinnamon buns in the galaxy” and thought for sure they’d have coffee to go with them.

The first thing we noticed as we drove into Tetsa River Services was the price of gas: $1.75/litre

Then we went inside and saw the cinnamon buns.  I compare everything to homemade and these passed the test.  They were yummy, exactly as described on their signage: best tasting hot, buttery cinnamon buns in the galactic cluster. 

Obviously at that price we didn’t get any gas but  2 warm cinnamon buns, a few post cards, unbelievably no coffee (G’s choice) and $13.08 later we were on the road again.  With approximately 300km left to get to Liard River Hot Springs  there was still a lot yet to see.

Yes, it is June and that is ice on the water.  We couldn’t                                       wait to get to Liard River for a dip in the hot springs.

Check out unedited (not always flattering ) video of our trip at:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL6C914406E519378A&hl=en_US

Day 4 – 1700 + km – Bear Lake to Charlie Lake Provincial Park

Day 4 – Friday June 1, 2012 – 1700+ km to go

Total mileage today: 417 km

Animal sightings: 1 deer, 1 coyote, 1 black bear

Although the purpose of this trip is to get Geordie, his truck and tools to Whitehorse, we weren’t rushing to get there.  We stopped at view points and anything that struck our fancy. While he was living in Barriere, it  meant taking turns rushing back and forth 1000 km round trip; no time to enjoy the journey.  For this road trip, we puttered along the highway looking at all the sights, a much nicer way to travel.

The drive between Bear Lake and Chetwynd is known as the Pine Pass.  The views were beautiful; around every corner and at the crest of each hill there was yet another panoramic vista.

At a certain point along the journey (probably when our cells stopped working), we realized we should have more cash with us.  We stopped in Chetwynd at the PetroCan for fuel, cash and a treat (diet-shmiet).  There was a long line of very colourful people inside.  My favorite was the man in front of me: tall, slender, clean-cut, athletic looking, dressed in golfing attire and covered head to toe in tattoos and piercings (lots of piercings). He was standing with his daughter who was in a beautiful sun dress with a flower in her hair and sparkly sandals.  The dichotomy was striking.  Of course we struck up a conversation (I can’t help myself) starting with the sparkly sandals. I learned about his addiction issues, leaving the community, getting clean, going back to school, working and eventually returning to Peace River country to raise his family.  He was able to return because of a job in the oil/gas industry.  You can’t help but notice the influence the industry has in this area.  Although I’m 100% against the Enbridge pipeline( http://pipeupagainstenbridge.ca/ ), I can understand why people in the area who make their living in the industry may feel differently.  However, the overwhelming majority of people I spoke to were against the northern gateway pipeline.  They need work but love the land and were concerned about the environmental issues not just for their lakes and forests but for the BC coast as well.

Our next stop was Fort St. John 140 km away using Braden Road or 180 km via Dawson Creek. We chose to go through Dawson Creek so we could get a picture of the Alaska Highway Mile 0 sign post and Geord hadn’t been this way since working in Tumbler Ridge in the 80’s.  He had many funny/interesting stories to tell from that period that helped pass the time as we drove.   

After taking the picture, we headed out of town towards Fort St. John.  But first we stopped at the liquor store for blueberry tea fixings and a bottle of vodka to go with our Costco lemonade (again: diet shmiet).  Then we noticed a cute little bakery next door and went in to check it out.   We were told there was a really great place to stop for cinnamon buns on the Stewart Cassiar Hwy and thought this looked like a good place to try so we could say “you have to stop at ….. bakery on the Alaska Hwy for cinnamon buns …. ” but it was disappointing.  We bought a loaf of bread and left. 

The biogeoclimatic zones we’ve been through have been diverse. Travelling from our home in the wet, mossy temperate rainforest through dry valleys, plateaus, rolling hills, muskegs, meadows and mountain passes. The common thread throughout the land has been trees.  If you don’t already appreciate BC’s trees, you should after driving this route.  Hemlock, cedar, fir, spruce, poplar, pine, maple and larch to name a few.  Kilometre after kilometre of trees for as far as the eye can see.  Starting with the huge cedar and fir trees in our own backyard, we watched as the trees grew smaller and smaller as we travelled north.  The peace region actually feels like being on the prairies.

We passed through Fort St. John and on to Charlie Lake.  Fort St. John is called “Land of the New Totems.”  (km 75/mile 46.6 ) New Totem is a reference to oil towers.  Population 16,500, elevation 2,186 ft. Fort St. John is the trading and supply center for the largest oil and natural gas field in British Columbia.  I knew oil and gas was important here but all we every hear about in the news is Ft. McMurray in Alberta.  Actually, I know next to nothing about the oil and gas industry in BC, so I was shocked to see all the evidence of their presence.  Googling, I found each little clue (truck with logo, metal gate with sign, temporary worker camp on the side of highway, etc) represented a huge scrubbing station, refinery or company behind it.

Charlie Lake Provincial Park is just off the Alaska Hwy.  We were lucky to find a spot on a Friday night.  As we drove through the campground we realized everybody had RV’s.  In the lower mainland and Vancouver Island you see a lot more tenting.  I quickly did the math and determined the reason was BEARS.  When the park facility operator (I miss the old BC Parks Forest Rangers) came around to collect our $20 fee we asked about the bear situation, I commented that I’m a bit paranoid about bears.  He said, it’s not paranoia, you should be cautious and prepared and pointed to his bearspray holder.  Oh that made me feel better – very safe, geez. 

Eating dinner bundled in G’s big jacket.  The temperature would be around 15 degrees during the day but at night it was just above freezing.

Maestro with his campfire creation.

Not as lovely as Bear Lake but our room with a view wasn’t bad at Charlie Lake. 

 We set up the tent as soon as we arrived.  I got the air mattress ready while Geordie unpacked the tent.  I left the air mattress and helped set up the tent, when I retrieved the mattress it was flat!  We had a hole in our special new bed.  Luckily I always overpack and was able to produce a roll of duct tape. Geord fixed it up, good as new and we were off to bed in our room with a view.

Check out unedited (not always flattering ) video of our trip at:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL6C914406E519378A&hl=en_US

or try: http://www.youtube.com/view_all_playlists

Day 3 – 2100+ km – Forest Grove to Bear Lake in Crooked River Provincial Park

Day 3 – Thursday May 31, 2012 – 2100+ km to go

Total mileage today: 414 km

Animal sightings: 2 deer, 1 black bear

After packing up the tent (with cozy single mattress) and having a lovely breakfast, we were on the road.  Even with the great sleep we decided a stop in Quesnel at Canadian Tire would be a good idea so we set our GPS and drove.

                       

We headed west towards Hwy 97, turned right and set our sights approximately 200 km north. I realized it was May 31^st,, Dad’s 82^nd birthday, so I gave him a quick birthday call. Both of our Dads have travelled BC roads extensively and had good advice  for us to consider. The drive was uneventful and we were soon at our favorite camping store.

We love going to Canadian Tire. Of course we go to all the outdoor stores and especially enjoy MEC but a lot of our purchases have been at Canadian Tire. We picked out our new air mattress, Geordie making sure it was a good one that included an electric pump. Then he remembered we needed paddles for the canoe he restored. It’s always a good idea to be up a creek WITH a paddle. I had brought my old paddling racing jacket just in case we had time to test the canoe. So…. one air mattress, 2 paddles, 1 spare paddle, life vest for the big guy, more mozzie spray, a few miscellaneous items and $395 Canadian Tire dollars later we were on the road.

Nine hundred metres down the road, we pulled over when we saw the sign for “Frank`s Supermarket, Hunting and Fishing“. It looked like the perfect place to purchase bear-scare devices. It was a very popular store with quite a lineup at the hunting and fishing counter. While waiting, 2 hunter/fishermen took great pleasure in telling all their favorite local/personal bear attack stories and giving me advice on getting a gun. It was great fun at the time, not so fun when the stories were remembered that evening. Especially the ones where the bear broke into the one fellows garage to get at his dog inside or the one where the bear broke the car window to get inside. We were up North, so of course all the stories ended with …. then I shot the bear.  One can of bear spray, 2 fishing licenses, 1 pepperoni stick (diet-shmiet) and $125 later we were on the road….  for a few minutes.   After a quick stop for fuel where Geordie happily saw the price of diesel was lower than he’s seen in the almost two years: 124.9 cents/litre, THEN we were on the road. 

Both of our Mum’s have also travelled these roads and had good advice as well. Grandma Jean travelled alone on the Stewart-Cassiar many times and Granny Doe travelled through the area as well. Geordie’s Mum Dorothy (or Granny Doe as he calls her) recommended breakfast at the campsite, lunch in the truck on the road and dinner at a diner before camping for the night. It made perfect sense to “bear aware” me. Instead, Geordie thought nice bloody Costco steaks and fresh salmon would be perfect campfire food before sleeping in a flimsy tent next to where the carnage had taken place. Next stop Costco.

We saw our first black bear north of Quesnel.

Driving 125 km north we arrived in Prince George. That’s when we remembered we had intended to call Geordie’s niece Alisha before we left the bakery in Burnaby. We were so relaxed about our schedule we were unsure when we’d be going through that area. Geordie texted her to see if she was available, unfortunately she was busy. She gave him heck (rightly so) and he promised to give more notice next time we pass through. After a quick stop at Costco for steak, salmon, miscellaneous goodies and $165 later, we were on the road.

Several kilometers later we were looking for the road to a Forest Service campsite on Summit Lake when we realized we hadn’t discussed which route to take (Stewart-Cassiar vs. Alaska Hwy). We just kept driving right past the turnoff and headed up the Alaska Hwy. Oh well, decision made by default: we were taking the Alaska Highway to Whitehorse. We also didn’t see the turnoff for the Forest Service campsite so we kept driving north. We weren’t quite ready to stop driving for the day. When we saw the huge sign for Crooked River-Bear Lake Provincial Park we turned in.

The BC parks brochure say Crooked River Park contains 3 beautiful lakes within a 970 hectare park, excellent habitat for otter, beaver, muskrat, squirrels, chipmunks, lynx, red fox, coyote and black bears; as well as being popular for fishing. The part saying it has fine, sandy beaches and some of the best swimming in the area were discounted when we saw the sign warning us about “swimmer’s itch” (we didn’t swim there). We drove around the lake and had our pick of camping spots; choosing #53 a sunny location with a sandy beach and near the showers (bonus).

First things first, I made sure the bear spray, bear-scare air horns and weapons were handy. Then we set up the tent with Geordie fixing the fly so we had a “room with a view” looking towards the lake.

The park facility officer (remember when we had forest rangers, park naturalists and Smokey the Bear to tell us how to look after our parks/forests?) was happy to see us when he came to collect the $16 fee. I asked about the bear situation and he said to make sure we kept a clean campsite since there was a 3 year old male that had wandered through earlier in the week (he had chased it out of the park). As he was leaving, I made sure the bear-scare devices were in my pocket instead of sitting on the picnic table. I left Geordie the mozzie spray.  He is perfectly comfortable in the BC outdoors. At night he sleeps like a ….. bear, while I (who really does love the wilderness) dream of bear attacks but was pleased to discover all that was needed to overcome the bear night terrors was to have Geord (a big hairy bear like man) in the tent.

As soon as we had the tent up, Geordie put the canoe in the water. We both couldn’t wait to get in it and were in such a hurry we left the price tags on the paddles and his life jacket.  There was so much to do before the trip but he was able to work on the canoe in what little spare time he had.  He did such a good job restoring it.

 The Milburn’s let us restore it since it was just sitting outside deteriorating. It was made by my sister Sue’s ex-husband Tom’s father Frank Milburn. Later when I mentioned where we had first put the canoe in the water, Tom said that Mr. Milburn would canoe on Bear Lake and the other wooden boats we have that Tom made, had their maiden voyages in Bear Lake. Quite the coincidence.

We canoed until about 11pm (notice the moon). We brought our headlamps along but it was so light we didn’t need them. After canoeing, Geordie made a fire and delicious bear friendly dinner.  It’s always amusing observing pedantic, anal retentive Geord build a fire. The pictures explain it all:

Then off to sleep in our comfy cozy tent with brand new queen sized air mattress over looking peaceful Bear Lake.

We uploaded some unedited (not always flattering ) videos to youtube: http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL6C914406E519378A&hl=en_US

or the same videos can also be found at: http://www.youtube.com/view_all_playlists

Day 2 – 2500+km – Vancouver to Forest Grove (near 100 Mile House)

Day 2 – Wednesday May 30, 2012 – 2500+ km to go

Distance travelled today: 467 km

Animal sightings: 2 deer (Forest Grove)

Another late night last night, another late start today.  After a big breakfast, Granny sent us off down the road.  We quickly turned around to pick up my purse and makeup bag.  Remember, the misplaced sunnies on Day 1?  Well, it was my turn to hold us up today.  We then headed directly to London Drugs photo electronics department.  

Actually, we made a stop on the way to London Drugs.  We had to stop at a bakery on East Hastings in Burnaby.  Valley Bakery has all kinds of treats we both love (diet-shmiet).  Geordie’s favorite are eccles cakes, I’m not particular and enjoy them all.  We thought it would be nice to take some treats along, just incase we dropped in on anyone along the way.  I had intended on baking before leaving but didn’t even get close to the kitchen in the last few days. The counter person discovered we were trying to avoid treats, so she triple tied the string around the boxes and tied the top of the plastic bags.  Pie, cookies, tarts, eccles cakes safely in the truck, we were off  to the mall.

After replacing our “lost“ Spot Messenger (yes, we see the irony) and charging cable we were on the road.  We sped along the freeway for about two minutes and then slowed down for the Hwy 1 all day rush hour/road construction traffic.

An hour later, we stopped at the 200th Street exit in Langley to add air to the truck airbags and THEN we were off.  The traffic lightened up and we were on the open road.  We`ve both driven that part of the route many times but it never disappoints.  The spectacular view of Mt. Baker, bucolic farmland along the flats in Chilliwack and meandering Fraser River near Hope.  At the Hope turnoff we chose to drive to 100 Mile via the Fraser Canyon instead of the Coquihalla Hwy.  The grades are far less dramatic and there is usually less traffic to content with.

We had intended to drive, drive, drive – so we packed a cooler and a shopping bag full of snacks to have in the truck cab: fruit, veggies, yogurt, cheese, crackers and just a few candies.  During the weeks preceding our departure, Geordie was doing really well without his usual daily (hourly!) sugar fix and lost 12 pounds the first 2 weeks but had recently fallen off the wagon.  I felt it was in “our” best interest to bring some sugar along for the ride.  Surprisingly, other than a few Winegums, he managed to control his sugar craving.

Our mission was to get Geordie and his trailer full of tools to Whitehorse.  However, we were easily sidetracked.  We made many stops that slowed our progress.  Geord called it living life, I  would text Chris saying: “we’ve stopped to smell more roses”.  Either way it made for a really wonderful, memorable journey.

Going through the Fraser Canyon, I remembered the tunnels from childhood camping road trips but had the order all mixed up.  In order from south to north, they are: Yale (completed 1963), Saddle Rock (1958), Sailor Bar (1959), Alexandra (1964), Hell’s Gate (1960), Ferrabee (1964) and China Bar (1961).

We stopped at Hell’s Gate (first phoning Dad and Lynn to say we’d be late) since we both said we’d only been there once when we were little.  Then we remembered, ironically, the last/only time we were there was together on a Grade 7 field trip 36 years ago.  This time it cost $20 each but we both felt it was worth it.

After we left Hell’s Gate we headed north towards Cache Creek 139 km away.  At one point we were right beside the Thompson River and Geordie commented on the wicked looking rapids.  I was pleased to be able to say I had paddled through them, including the nasty looking cauldron above.  As we drove past Lytton there was a sign “check your fuel – next stop 85km”.  The conversation went something like:

Lorrie (concerned) “Maybe we should get fuel, we only have a 1/4 tank.”

Geord (non-chalantly) “We’ll be fine, don’t worry, we’ve got lots.”

Lorrie (diplomatically) “Hmmm, really, hmmm, do we have any fuel in the Jerrycan?”

Geord (with confidence) “Nope, we’ll get some when we get further north.  We’ll be fine.”

Lorrie (oddly, and against all odds, always, always, always believes G)  “OK”

Eighty-five kilometres later we floated into the Cache Creek gas station, on fumes but we made it just like he said we would.

We phoned Dad and Lynn to let them know where we were and to make sure they weren’t waiting for us for dinner. Then headed towards 100 Mile House only 112 km away, after a quick stop at DQ to share a Buster Bar (diet shhhm-iet). The rest of the drive was uneventful.

Knowing that somebody is a terrible, fidgety passenger, we assumed they would be driving the majority of the time.  Geordie suggested I could knit him a sweater in my spare time, I decided to work on a trip blog.  On day one only 20 km into the journey, we discovered I would get motion car sick working on the computer.  Normally he takes care of picture-taking but whenever I drove, he would fall asleep. That is how I became the official trip photographer. 

Arriving in Forest Grove (15km past 100 Mile House) about 730pm, only several hours late;  the late theme continues throughout our trip.  Lynn had put aside a pork chop dinner for us but first we had to set up our tent before dinner and a visit.  We explained to them that we wanted to make sure we had brought all the necessary gear before getting too far away from Canadian Tire’s camping department.  Luckily we did because we discovered we had brought a single air mattress instead of the queen. It was a very cozy sleep.  We love our Canadian Tire tent.  It cost just under $300 and came with chairs, sleeping bags and tent in a handy rolling case, perfect for car camping.  We’ve gotten a lot of use out of it but strangely enough we have never been rained on while tenting.  Actually, its bizarre when you consider we live in a rainforest.

We’ve uploaded some unedited (not always flattering ) videos of our trip at: http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL6C914406E519378A&hl=en_US

or: http://www.youtube.com/view_all_playlists

Sometimes when you are lost you have to go back to the beginning and start over to find your path again.

Northern Lights – only 2700+ km to go

We wanted to do the blog as we were travelling so everyone could follow along with us.  However, my little car sickness issue and the lack of cell reception put a stop to that.  Some of you seemed to think I would write a meaningful, philosophical ramble enlightening all who enter our blog realm.   Spouting quotes about soaring hearts, love lost and found, the healing power of a hug, new-found self-awareness and new beginnings.  I can’t do it. 

It’s not that I haven’t given a great deal of thought to where I am, how I got here and who I am with.  We are so happy to be on this journey, especially together that we are not questioning how it came about.

It’s not that my heart isn’t soaring.  We are obnoxiously and unapologetically demonstrative in our quest to make up for lost time.  PDA’s are the standard and it is impossible to be around us and still have any question as to how we feel about our life together.  Both of us were lost (shipwrecked?) and in a great big sea we found each other.  

Being with someone who responds with mutual recognition, respect and admiration makes everything easier and transforms a simple hug into a powerful healing mechanism.   I had no idea how stressed I was until it was gone.  I am so thankful.

It’s not that I don’t have anything to say about this journey, this new beginning; simply put, I don’t feel qualified to give an unbiased view. I would fill the blog with fanciful nonsense and sickening quotes.  Who needs that?  Perhaps we are clinging to each other on our little life raft but is that so bad?  We have ventured out into the world and we have so much to do but time seems so limited.  Starting over is exciting and overwhelming at once.  Although the road trip is over, the journey has just begun and we are looking forward to all that the future has to offer. 

 

We’ve uploaded some unedited (not always flattering ) videos of our trip at:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL6C914406E519378A&hl=en_US

or at: http://www.youtube.com/view_all_playlists

some happy quotes: http://www.livelifehappy.com/live-life-quotes/

a few favorite quotes (for today):

Ride the tide and go with the flow.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Sometimes when you are lost you have to go back to the beginning and start over to find your path again

Life has a way of slipping through your fingers.  If you stick to your soul, it will stick to you. –  George Bernard Shaw

Life is good. (full stop)

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
– C. S. Lewis

There comes a time in many lives when all that is left to do is to start over – and that is not always a bad thing.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
– Albert Einstein

Fall seven times, stand up eight.
– Japanese Proverb

Discontent is the first necessity of progress.
– Thomas Edison

We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. – Joseph Campbell

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
– Lao Tzu

If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.
– Dolly Parton

Day 1 – 2700+ km to go

Day 1 – Tuesday May 29, 2012 – 2700+ km to Whitehorse, Yukon

Mileage: 203km, including ferry across Strait of Georgia/Salish Sea.

Animal sightings: 2 deer on our front lawn.

We got off to a slow start.  It wasn’t because of lack of preparation.  One of the most important things we did was make sure the truck and trailer were in tip top shape.  The truck (affectionately known as Jethro) got new indicator light bulbs, brake pads, all the fluids were checked, topped up and or drained, and the wheel bearing were re-greased.  The truck also got new heavy load suspension airbags installed on the rear axles.   The trailer (named the Phoenix) which was resurrected from Grandad Wilf’s scrap yard got brand new axles, springs, electric brakes, wheels, tires, lighting and wiring.

The last thing Geordie added was a new spruce flat deck and box.  Meanwhile, I was busy cleaning up last minute work projects including doing a complete inventory, invoicing and a last minute job.

Garrett drove down from Nanaimo and picked up the inventory which was very helpful.  Arrangements were made for Luke and Hannah to stay at Mel’s and then we were off …. after looking for someones sunnies…… no names mentioned but I had to bring it up when I forgot something on day 2.

As we zoomed towards the ferry we took stock of our electronic devices.  IPhone, Blackberry, IPad, 2 laptops, Spot Messenger GPS, Dakota 20 handheld GPS, Fuji waterproof camera (thank you Jake : ), Sony HD handicam, Nikon Coolpix S9200 camera, XM satellite radio and chargers for all the devices.  One item we found very useful was an inverter so we could recharge all the batteries for the cameras while on the road.

Correction, we couldn’t find the Spot Messenger.  It is a small GPS-based satellite transponder that uses the GlobalStar satellite network to transmit location and time data as well as one of four types of messages. The four message types are:

1. I’m OK
2. Help
3. 911—send help
4. Tracking updates

It was purchased for back country hiking/skiing/camping, so it’s funny that we were using it for a little car ride.  However, when you consider the remote country we were going through and the fact that we were tenting in grizzly habitat, it made sense to bring it along.

–

We raced to the ferry and just made the 3:15pm  Duke Point sailing to Tsawwassen.  In fact, we were the very last vehicle on board.  It was a gorgeous sail (as always).  Two hours later we arrived in Tsawwassen. We then picked up Grandma Jean in New Westminster and brought her to Granny Doe`s home in North Burnaby to enjoy a salmon feast and yummy peach upside down cake dessert.  We drove Grandma Jean home after 10 o`clock but stayed for a visit and to set up her internet connection.  Then we drove to the Lonsdale Quay Hotel to go through their lost and found box.  Before we left home, we ripped the house apart looking for our Spot Messenger GPS and one of our charging cables.  We thought we may have left it at the hotel when we came over for Carolyn`s birthday on May 18<sup>th</sup> but no such luck.  We made it back to the Benincasa`s “B&B”, and were asleep by about 1:30am. Long day.

Check out unedited (not always flattering ) video of our trip at: http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL6C914406E519378A&amp;hl=en_US

or http://www.youtube.com/view_all_playlists