May 8th We leave our camp at about 9:30 in the morning. We are headed toward Dawson Creek where the Alaska/Canadian ( ALCAN) highway starts. The country is low and rolling hills, with many deciduace trees , like Aspen, and Birch intermixed with the pine trees.
Gentle rolling hills mostly farming and industrial areas for oil and Gas.
Birch and Aspen trees,the white bark is so pretty next to the new leaves.
We continue on and reach Dawsn Creek British Colombia. This is the begining of the Alaska Highway.
Dawson Creek Sign Announcing the begining of the highway
More facts about the highway.
Mile marker 0. The official start of the highway
We travel a little ways out of town and reach the Kiskatinaw curved wooden River Bridge. It is 531 feet long, and is the only orignal bridge left.
Begining of the Kiskatinaw bridge
Randy and I comment to one another it feels like we have finally started our journey. The land continued in Pastoral settings with interspercsed oil and gas refinment and drilling areas. In the distance you could see the mountains making themselves known.
Mountains in the distance.
I need to tell you a little about the Alaskahighway. It was built in 1942 as a military highway, when the United States and Canada were afraid of the Japanese invading thrugh Alaska. It was used to bring machineray and supplies up for the army bases still present today, in Anchorage and Fairbanks Alaska. AS we continue on we cross the Peace River bridge, we are getting into more areas of increaing hills, and the signs warn of 9% grade coming up.
At times the hills became very steep.
We continue on and do not come to another camp site for over 100 miles. We debate wheather to stop on a turn out or not. We are unsure of Canadian Law R/g this. In Alaska it is legal. We continue on the driving is easy and Randy states he is not getting tired yet. On the drive we see Black Bear in the ditches feeding on plants, 3 different times. However I was not quick enough to get a picture of them. We Arrive at Frt Nelson a small community with a Campsite Called the Triple C HideAway. It was a welcomed site. May 9th We break camp at 1230 today we are going to try to get to Laird Springs Provincal Park. We are back in the Rocky Mountains and even though we do not have as far to go today the driving is more difficult, having 7 to 12% grades. So we take our time. We did find out it is leagle to camp on turnouts in Canada so if we do not make it the whole way we will be able to stop for the night.
Indian head mountain
We go by a mountain named indian head because it resembles the classic profile of and indian. We are now in an area where there are many buffolo, the ditches look heavily grazed. We come to Tetsa River Camp along the beautiful Tetsa River. They advertise there wonder cininmon rolls, via little signs nailed indiscrimently to trees in forest leading up to the camp.
Tetsa gift shop and bakery at the river camp.
Tetsa River
Going up toward Sumit Pass
The temputures is in the 60`s but there is snow hidden in dpressed areas and n the higher elevations. The rivers and lakes are still frozen.
Frozen Sumit Lake
Lonely Sumit Cafe, Closed
Small gas station top of Sumit Pass
We come to Stone Mountain Park and the McDonald River The mountains around the river look as though they are folded from the many layers of sedimentary Rock.
Folded mountains
W the come to Muncho Lake Provinal Park. Muncho Lake is a beautiful turquoise colored lake deepest part measured at 400 ft. It is 7 miles long and 1 mile wide. It gets it beaurtifle color form the cooper oxide that has eached int the lake.
Beautiful waters of Muncho lake
We get to Laird Park at about 6:30, WE see bufflo in the ditches, as well as Carabio and wild horses. We also see another black bear that I am close enugh to get a picture/of.
Black bear on the roadside
Wild horses
Caribo crossing the road in front ot us. He was in no particular hurry
Buffalo on roadside
Homemade camper outsied of Laid river
We found a nice campsite and barbequed outside. We had surprise visiter come with in 100 ft of our camp 2 different times.
Our surprise visitor
Our camp is just on the other side of the road above. Our little yorkshire terrier was just beside himself. It was like he was sayi n g let me at him, O can yake him! lLOL May 10th Left our camp for Watson Lake. Looking at the beautiful Laird River on the way.
Beautiful Laird River
We reached Watson Lake known for the thousands of signs posted there from visitors. This was started by a highway worker when the road was built. He posted the town he was from and the miles to his home town. It snowballed from there.
One view of all the signs
Another view
We contined on and boone docked on a turn out by swift river. We are now 3,800 miles from home and 483 miles on the alaska highway. May 11th. Made it to deadhorse and are camping early we are road tired and need to rest. I apologize for this blog entry it was not my best. It has been a long time without wifi or even cell service. Goodbye for now hope everyone had a great mothers day
thebladtumbleweeds 