Day 92

August 29, 2017

Departed Cache Creek early in order to meet our ferry in Washington State.  Temperature was 61, warmest in a long time for early morning.  We had only to drive into Cache Creek to start seeing the smoke from the BC fires.

The first couple of hours were along the Fraser River and the Fraser Canyon and the scenery was awesome.

The river had areas where it was forced smaller causing white water rapids, very beautiful.

Arriving at the US Customs we had a long (20 minutes) wait so we had our lunch of pimento cheese sandwiches in the line.  Crossing was uneventful as we answered all the questions but mostly they were interested in our fruits and vegetables and they didn’t care about the blueberries, bananas and strawberries we bought in Canada but they confiscated our oranges from California.  Who writes these rules?  No questions about booze, firearms, bear spray so away we went south into Washington state.  By now the temperature was 86 and we had wonderful sunshine.  The remaining drive took us to Coupeville WA where the ferry leaves to go to Port Townsend.  It was too full for us to get on for the one that was still in port so we waited for our reserved time of 4:15 PM but it was running late so we got away at 4:35 then had the 35 minute voyage arriving in Port Townsend, an interesting looking place - good enough for a destination, but alas

then another 28 mile drive to our campground in Sequim Bay State Park.  Arrived about 6 PM, got set up, had happy hour and Iris made Frito Chili Pie, yum!  No TV except one exceptionally clear channel of Jimmy Swaggart.  No wifi so we hope to send this tomorrow.

Day 91

August 28, 2017

No coffee from the tail gunner this morning as we’re on our own now and it sure feels good.  Temperature this morning was 53 degrees.  Left at 9:30, no one insisting we arrive at the next place by a certain time.  So left Prince George,  turned onto the Cariboo Highway that took us through 150 Mile (name of the town),  it was 150 miles from Prince George.  Some great scenery along the way especially the big farm land for hay and wheat which was a huge change from the mountains, glaciers, etc.

   

Along the rivers there was irrigated land.  Iris spotted a little church along the road in the middle of nowhere.

We had a stop for lunch at a “heritage village” including a church

but could not get level so we drove on until we found a more level spot.  Some random scenes along our route.

Temperature during our drive today ranged from early morning of 53 to 92 in the afternoon and no rain, another huge change.  Arriving in Cache Creek BC about 4 PM we topped up on fuel then saw the DQ so had a blizzard, first in 3 months then found our campground, open only in summer, nice place with lots of trees but too close to the highway so noisy.  Didn’t bother Bob (can’t hear anyway).  First time in a while we’ve had Wifi so we both did some catch up.  No TV though.  Had to run the A/C for the first time in a long time.

Day 90

August 27, 2017

This is our final day with the group as we travel from Smithers BC to Prince George BC.  Tim Horton donuts at 7:00 AM under the awning of our tail gunner, John, as it’s still raining.  Bob got the donuts and took them back to the Unity as Iris was not ready to get out in the rain.  Once we left we drove in the rain until Houston BC where we saw the world’s largest fishing rod

60 feet tall weighing 800 pounds installed in Steelhead Park very close to the river.  From Houston we drove to Vanderhoof, 19th C headquarters of Hudson Bay Company’s New Caledonia fur trade district.  

The countryside has changed from forest to farmland.

We spotted 3 caribou and a black bear, but we were traveling too fast for a photo.  Arriving at Prince George, we found  Walmart so had to shop a little followed by fuel stop then drove out of town to the campground.  By now the sun had come out, the rain stopped and it was pleasantly warm.  Campground itself is a bust as no TV, no Wifi but no matter at 5:30 PM we headed off to the Carmel Restaurant for our farewell dinner.  The usual praise for what each had enjoyed about the trip and a great prime rib dinner.  Then a final group photo

and it was back to the Unity for bed.

Day 89

August 26, 2017

Left Hyder crossing the border into Canada yet again after they opened at 8:00 AM, went to the dump station in Stewart and had to wait for the fuel station to open at 9 AM, bought fuel and headed back on the BC37A to BC37 continuing south.  Before we got out of Stewart a black bear crossed the road just in front of us.  We were not even out of the 50 kph when it decided to reach the other side of the road so thankfully no danger of hitting the bear but he was too fast for us to get the camera up.  Still raining all the way to the Junction of the Yellowhead Highway and a stop at Gitwangak BC where we saw St Paul’s Church

and it’s bell tower.

Rainy view of the area from St Paul’s Church.

Totem Poles that were not colorful, but carved.  This is a first nation village.

Continued to Smithers where we shopped at Safeway and got fuel before heading five miles out of town to the Riverside Golf & RV Park for the night.  Susan and Paul came over for wine and snack.  

Day 88

August 25, 2017

52 degrees, rain, rain, rain but still got ready for a drive 25 miles up the gravel road from Hyder to see the Salmon Glacier at 10:00 AM.  At 8:30 Susan reported that the trip was postponed due to rain and fog at the glacier and rescheduled for 2 PM.  So no wifi, no TV, no cable, only our books until we fixed our lunch.  At 1:45 we got in the car for the expected caravan but still the concern was that we would not see anything due to the fog.  Iris and I left anyway and drove the gravel road 

to the toe of the glacier where we got these photos.

The drive back was just as bumpy but once we hit the pavement we were only a mile from the Fish Creek Viewing platform. We had a pass good for today given to us by someone leaving the campground.  The result was we again saw all the salmon trying to get upstream to spawn, many of the fish had completed their task and were floating downstream where the gulls were gorging.  After a short wait we were rewarded with the sighting of a small black bear that had made his catch and was hustling back to the forest to have his feast.

Then back to the Unity where Iris fixed some cheese and crackers and we drove across the border into Canada to a much nicer campground where Paul and Susan had moved and had a wine and cheese evening while watching the US TV reports about Hurricane Harvey.  Then back to Alaska to bed.

Day 87

August 24, 2017

At 10 AM we drove 3 miles to the US Forest Service viewing station where Fish Creek was full of big coho salmon going upstream to spawn.  

We stayed around a while hoping to see the promised bears coming to feed on the salmon but it was not to be.  We did see a bald eagle planning his next meal.

It was time for laundry so we took our dirties back across the border to Stewart Canada and the King Edward Hotel where they had a laundry open to the public.  There was lots of competition for washers and dryers but we finally got our turn and finished up long after noon.  Driving back into the US we found the sign to the “Bus” for seafood.  We ordered at the door to the bus and opted to eat in the back room our halibut fish and chips.

Back at the campground we had a nap and watched another movie (Iris is sure tired of John Wayne).  Then to bed.

Day 86

August 23, 2017

47 degrees this morning but it warmed up to 55 by the end of the day.  We left the awful campground at Iscut and continued on the BC 37 Highway, lots of log trucks and big transport trucks.  Riding along seeing the sights

and Iris spotted this black bear on the side of the road.

We took the cutoff for BC 37A and that was 38 miles to Stewart BC then across the US border into Hyder AK with no inspection at all, not even a hut.  Apparently there is little danger as this little strip of Alaska quickly runs out of road but not before you are back in Canada.  At one time 

these two towns were united and we can’t find out why the split of the towns and creation of an international border.  When you leave Hyder you do have to go through Canadian Customs before being allowed to enter Stewart from Hyder.  After arriving in our campground, Camp Run-a-muck, in Hyder we got the grill out and fixed a nice ribeye from our freezer and enjoyed it with salad.  After a long nap we were watching a DVD, no TV or cable here, when Susan beat on our motorhome to tell us about the bear in the campground.  Bob went out to see and sure enough the bear was wandering around one of the trailers nearby and very close to the tent campers.  Who is dumb enough to camp in a tent in this place?  

After this excitement we finished our movie and had a long snooze.

Day 85

August 22, 2017

The adventure continued by driving on the Alaska Highway for 1/2 mile and turning onto the BC 37 Cassiar Highway.  We drove abut 45 mph in the rain at 50 degrees hoping to see some wildlife but nothing before our stop at Jade City, lots of raw jade mined here and finished into tourist junk.  Didn’t buy any.  The scenery was beautiful even in the rain.

Driving on we came to the Stikine River, metal decked bridge crossing the river, 

then Mt. Edziza, dormant volcano.  We started looking at campgrounds in case ours was closed and as we came up an incline Iris yelled and Bob slammed on the brakes just in time to see a female moose starting to cross the road in front of us.  She veered off before getting to the pavement and returned into a pond, swam across part of the pond, stopped, looked around at us again then swam back across and went away into the trees.

Exciting!  We arrived at our campground to find it was indeed open but what a sorry excuse for a “resort”.  Anyway we got backed into a spot in the trees, had our lunch, a nap, lots of reading as no cable, no TV, no cell service, no wifi.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Day 84

August 21, 2017

Teslin departure at 9 AM and a pleasant smooth drive for 105 miles to Baby Nugget RV Park near Lake Watson.  We stayed at this park on our way up and it has not improved.  Probably the worst of the trip.  No animals sighted today, just a nice drive.

Arrived at the park about 12:30 PM after getting fuel at a nearby station, US$3.84/gal, expensive in the middle of nowhere.  Took the car off and drove into Watson Lake to a very nice supermarket to stock up.  Went to Paul and Susan’s 21’ motorhome for wine and cheese, amazing how they have fixed up such a small space then we went to play a rousing game of bingo with all the folks on the tour.  Bob won a refrigerator magnet, won’t attach to our plastic door.  Back to the Unity for some snowy TV before turning in.  Rumor has it that our scheduled park for tomorrow night has not confirmed our stay, in fact they won’t answer the phone.  From the looks of other enterprises along our travels it is probably closed and barricaded.  We will take full water and empty holding tanks just in case.

Day 83

August 20, 2017

No hurry this morning as we only have 105 miles to go plus it’s 48 degrees so not too anxious to get out.  Had a big breakfast then had a very pleasant drive at 45 mph looking for animals but no sightings.  Some great scenery today along the way.

Arrived at our campground in Teslin where we had stayed on the way up, nice pull-through so don’t have to take the car off and we’re only here one night.   Visited the wildlife exhibit attached to the restaurant/campground office/gas station/gift shop that was amazingly done.  Didn’t take the camera.  Bob got a haircut, our neighbor, Jim sent this photo.

Had supper of leftover halibut from Bob’s lunch in Whitehorse, read (no TV) and early to bed.

Day 82

August 19, 2017

Slept late (for us) and had the left over cinnamon roll for a couple of days ago, modified by adding butter, sugar, more cinnamon, then to our 10:00 AM appointment to see the 

Lots of skeletons of animals that lived in this region thousands of years ago.  Many of these bones were found by gold miners using high pressure hoses to remove gravel in order to get at the gold.

We then had to go to the supermarket that had been recommended by the pedicure girls where we found lots to buy followed by a stop at the government wine store before finding the Klondike Salmon and Ribs Restaurant where we had dined twice when we were in Whitehorse before.  The food was just a good as before.  In the afternoon Iris had a nap while Bob watched the Dallas Cowboys pre-season game, started at 7 PM Eastern time but 4 PM here.  Happy hour and a roast beef sandwich got us to an early to bed evening.

Diarama of arctic bear (extinct) on a kill with waiting wolves: