Well, I am having a lot of trouble loading photos, so they will be few and far between.  It seems I can load them ok from my iPad but not from the computer, where the good ones are.  Life goes on as we make our way back home.

DAY 36, SUNDAY, August 18th

Mountain Ash Tree

It got cold last night - the temperature in the trailer this morning was 49 degrees.  We weren't very far from our destination, Seward and according to my travel bible, The Milepost, there was a no reservations campground on the waterfront, so we felt our chances were pretty good for getting one of those.  Resurrection Waterfront Campground.  It was like playing a game of musical chairs to camp there.  As one RV pulled out, another was waiting to pull in.  We were one of the lucky ones to get a spot right on the Port of Seward.

Waterfront view from our campsite

Woke up to this view

We immediately noticed the smell of smoke and a haze in their air from a fire that was a mile and 1/2 away (at least that is what we were told).  After we got settled in, we set out to explore Seward.  One of the first signs we happened onto was one for Chugah National Forest and the Chugah National Park.  We thought, what the heck, let's check it out.  Keep in mind, we were not equipped for a hike.  No backpack and water and most importantly, no hiking boots.  The park ranger told us if we walked .5 mile in there was a telescope to view Exit Glacier.  Easy peasy.  But that wasn't enogh.  We had to get closer.  So we kept walking.  By the time the path became incredibly steep with large rocks to climb on and over, we were too far in to give up.  Once we got to the viewing spot, I would have given anything to trade my tennis shoes in for a pair of hiking boots and a bottle of water.  Incredibly, some were wearing flip flops.  It was definitely worth the hike!


DAY 37, Monday, August 19th

It is nice to wake up to the sounds and smell of water.  Both the smell of smoke and the haze had lifted.  We are really enjoying our camp spot on the waterfront.  We had an easy morning in downtown Seward.  The Sea Bean Coffee Shop was the WiFi hangout, with everyone sitting and staring at their phones.  We browsed through the shops and bought a colorful print as a souvenir of our trip.


In the afternoon we hopped on a boat with Major Marine Tours to do some wildlife viewing with the National Park Service.  The scenery was great and we saw a number of glaciers.  The highlight of the trip was two or three hump back whales who put on a show for us.  One would go under and another would blow and raise it's back out of the water and do a tail flip.  At one point two raised out of the water at the exact same time as if they were doing synchronized swimming.  There were sea otters, seals, a mountain goat, an Eagle and Puffins.  I've seen Puffins in Zoos before, but let me tell you, they are cool to see in the wild.  They glide along the water and fly onto rocks so easily.  They reminded me  of a big bumble bee - with their large body and tiny wings, one has to wonder how they can fly.

Back to the camper for a relaxing evening.

DAYS 37, 38, 39 - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, August 20, 21, and 22

Our next stop, and biggest disappointment of the trip so far, was Homer.  Sterling Hwy to Homer was closed due to the forest fires.  We were really looking forward to the Kenai Peninsula.  We heard the salmon were running and bear watching was at its prime.  But it wasn't meant to be.

It is time to start backtracking to complete the loop.  The days are overcast or hazy because of the fires, we are never quite sure which.  Often the mountains in the distance were obscured.  Glenn Hwy took us to Road House Lodge in Palmer, the oldest lodge on Glenn Hwy.  A young couple had taken it over seven years ago and were in the process of fixing it up.  Karen, the lady of the lodge, offered up road kill, aka muskrat chili.  When I requested a glass of wine she asked if I would like to see the wine list, then promptly set four travel size bottles of Sutter Home wine on the counter top for me to choose from.  Now that is service.  Her husband, Andy, showed us the "Comfort Stations" and admonished us not to leave water on the floors if we showered.  I really hope they make a go of it.

At Glennallen we got on the Richardson Hwy, which reminded us of a roller coaster with all of the unexpected dips in the road.  Our expectation of the scenery on Richardson Hwy wasn't much.  It was just a means of getting to where we needed to go.  Boy were we wrong.  The first many miles were a trial, but towards the end we noticed the Alaskan Pipeline had been running along it the entire way, over creek beds, up mountains.  Fascinating.  Then we came to Rainbow Ridge and Rainbow Mtn, Isabelle Pass and the Gulcana Glacier.


Lesson learned:  Expect the unexpected

Thursday we continued backtracking through Alaska and the Yukon and BC, crossing into Canada at Beaver Creek.  Every time we thought the roads couldn't get any worse, we were proven wrong.  These rough Yukon roads were about as unpredictable as they came.  Mostly the dips were so extreme,  I was afraid something was going to come lose on the trailer.  An interesting site along the way.... a stove with the oven door open sitting on the side of the road with an "OPEN RANGE" sign propped on it.

We stopped to get gas at Kluane Lake, a gorgeous body of water that goes on for many miles.  The gas station attendant said the purity of the water is what makes it look the way it does.  We spent the night at the Otter Falls RV Park in Burwash Landing.  Not much of a park, but folks were nice and there was electricity.

Fall comes early in Alaska.  Since we have been here we have noticed a sharp decline in temperatures with the days barely rising to the 50's and nightimes dipping to the low 40's or less.  The leaves on the bushes and trees are changing colors and dropping their leaves.

Fall in Alaska

We've decided Alaskans have a strange sense of humor when naming their places of businesses.  Here are some examples:

Mug Shot Saloon
Skinny Dicks Halfway Inn
Nauti Otter Inn
Pit Bar
Tournagen Arm Pit BBQ
Moose Run Golf Course
Noisy Goose Cafe
Purple Moose Espresso
The Sudzy Salmon Car Wash
Morning Wood Hotel
I'll just leave it there.

DAY 27, Friday, August 9th

Today we made our way to Carcross.  The scenic drive gave way to lakes and fairly easy driving.  On the way we saw a baby Grizzlie.  We sure thought we'd see a lot more wildlife than we have, but then we aren't even quite halfway there.

The bridge leading into Teslin was about as unique as they come.

Teslin Bridge

Carcross was the next stop on our itinerary.  It has tiny shops along a board walk.  Judging by the number of tour buses, it is apparently a popular shore excursion stop for cruise ships.
Carcross boasts of the "World's Smallest Desert".  As I walked into the desert, I saw no difference in temperature, but apparently it grows flowers that are only able to survive a few places in the world.

There were interesting carved totem poles leading into the Welcome Center.

So much beautiful scenery, but one of the best was Emerald Lake.  They got the name right on this one.  It truly is the color of Emeralds.

Emerald Lake

We called it a day at High Country RV Park in Whitehorse.  Packed in like sardines, sewage odor was awful, highway and airport noise.  So, do you think I would recommend this park to anyone?  You guessed right.

DAY 28, Saturday, August 10th

Today we left the Alaska Highway and headed West on Hwy 2 towards Dawson City.

We've been noticing an increase in tour buses and caravans of RV's traveling together. 
Today we spent hours on long stretch of roads with views of rivers, hills and trees. 
Around Pelly Junction we began to refer to this trek as the Klondike version of Kansas.  Things were so repetitious.  Bad roads with bushes and brush along the side.  And then out of nowhere a river would break through or a colorful hill or mountain could be seen in the distance. 

The road from Pelly Junction to Dawson City was the worst on the trip so far.  It was very wavy and bumpy,  had soft shoulders, and had a number of gravel sections. 

Observations: 

There is very little litter along the road ways.
It seems those traveling these roads have a deep respect for the raw beauty of nature and don't want to defile it.  Or maybe it is just the fact that there are no fast food restaurants or convenience stores with disposable cups, bags, boxes, etc. waiting to be tossed out of car windows.
People speed.  A lot.
Pay telephones are not a thing of the past in Canada.  I guess because cell service is so sparce, they are still important.  I have been surprised to see them in many of the campgrounds we have stayed in.
If you turn your bedding inside out, you have clean sheets.

SUNDAY, August 11, Day 29

We were very lucky to attend Mass at St. Mary's in Dawson City.  Built in 1896, the structure is very historic.  The parish office was on the main floor and the church was up three short flights of stairs.  Having worked in the funeral business for 12 years, all Jim could think was how in the world did they get caskets up those stairs. 

The priest greeted us at the door, assigning liturgical roles to people as they entered.  I got to read the second reading and Jim helped take up offertory.  There were only a handful of regular parishioners, six at the most.  At the end of Mass the priest said that today there were visitors from Germany, the Philippines, Czech, Italy, the US, and of course Canada.

Dawson City is everything I expected Dawson Creek to be.  I guess I just had to be patient.  The buildings are very historic, and the streets made of packed dirt, just as they would have been in the Gold Rush days.  The casino seemed to be doing a booming business, but we moved on and skipped that.  We were looking towards the next leg of the trip.

DAWSON CITY PHOTOS

Our plan was to take Top of the World Hwy 9 to Alaska.  After fellow campers pulled into campground with "I survived the Top of the World Hwy" written in the mud on the back of their cars and RVs, we were seriously reconsidering our plans.  So we hopped in the 4Runner and did a trial run.  Through the rain, mist, sunshine, drop dead gorgeous scenery, rainbows, more rain, paved and then gravel/dirt roads, deep ravines, steep cliffs and inclines we went.

View from Top of the World Hwy

One of several rainbows

Yes, people bike the Hwy.  We actually saw this couple crawl out of their tent when we headed back over the Hwy the next morning.

On the way back to camp we decided with my fear of heights and drop-offs, that we would seek out an alternate route.  That thought was short lived when we realized the many miles it would add to our trip.  So, over the top we will go again tomorrow.

The US/Canadian Border is at the end of Top of the World Highway, with Taylor Hwy beginning on the US Side.  The little town of Chicken was our next "destination"

Chicken was originally known by the name of the State Bird, the Ptarmigan.  Folk lore has it that everybody spelled it different and rarely correct.  So the town fathers decided that they would save embarrassment by naming the town Chicken.  Oh the irony of it.  We pulled in front of three buildings - The Chicken Creek Saloon, Cafe, the Liquor Store and General Store.  And that in a nutshell is Chicken.  One very talented and versatile person runs all three businesses.  They even have a chicken poop, which I (unfortunately) had to use. 

In case anyone is interested, this is what a Ptarmigan looks like.  It is amazing how it blends in with its background.  I am told it turns white in the winter.  This photo was actually taken in Denali.

From customs to Chicken view

We have officially been on the road for four weeks. 

MONDAY, August 12, Day 30

Here we go!  Heading over The Top of the World Hwy again with some trepidation, this time with the trailer in tow.  Destination Toc, where we will take off towards Fairbanks.  Rather than rain and mud, we encountered overcast skies and dry roads.  What a difference.  There was very little traffic and for many of the miles we could see no vehicles either in the front or back of us, so we could easily drive at a pace we were comfortable with.  When we drove the Hwy yesterday, Jim spotted a rock and was bound and determined to find it back today.  He had an idea of what mile marker it was close to, so we started watching for "his rock".  I couldn't believe it when he spotted it.

Our kids will remember that all of their lives road trips always included bringing a souvenir rock home.  Some things never change.

We spent the night at Toc RV Park - very nice and clean.  Oh how I have come to appreciate clean RV Parks...

TUESDAY, August 13, Day 31

Today turned into a maintenance day.  Laundry was getting questionable, but I was leaning towards waiting a few days to do it.  Then Sadie Jo got sick on our sheets.  Decision made.  Laundry, then a pretty boring drive to Fairbanks.  We drove mile of mostly straight, sometimes curvy road, seeing no cars.  The traffic really didn't pick up until we were right outside Fairbanks.  There we found a Toyota dealer to pick up some oil for the 4-Runner, just in case we need it. 
Our home for the night was the River's Edge RV Park.  We arrived in pouring rain and were given a many pot holes site, so it was dodge the puddles.  But we got set up and hunkered down for the night.

WEDNESDAY, August 14, Day 32

Sunshine!  It is an easy drive from Fairbanks to Denali.  We took our time and went straight to the park when we got there.  After booking a tour bus for tomorrow we were fortunate to get a spot at the Denali RV Park and Motel.  It is within walking distance of all of the shops and restaurants.  Time for a lot of peeking at the prices and saying "you've got to be kidding me!"   There was a nice vest made out of materials unknown marked 65% off.  It only cost $800 marked down.  I did buy a nice pair of earrings made by a local artisan from the Blizzard Stone of the Talkeeten Mts.

Food has mostly been whatever we fix in the trailer, so we decided to check out the restaurants and settled on one called Moose-AKA's.  The food was Eastern European and their signature dish was Mousaka, a dish of potatoes, several meats, and cheese.  Knowing it would be way more than either of us could eat, Jim order the Mousaka and I a cup of soup and extra plate.  They explained in great detail about the dish, but truthfully it didn't taste much different than the dish I make where I fry hamburger and onion and add diced potatoes and seasonings.  The big difference was theirs wasn't presented as hash and they added cheese and sour cream.

After checking on Sadie, who still isn't feeling very well, we drove back into Denali National Park, hoping to see some wildlife.  Vehicles are only allowed to drive 13 miles into the park.  Nothing.  Until we were almost to the ranger station and there was a big ol' Grizzlie bear putting on a show for everyone.  People are crazy when it comes to wild animals in parks.  It is like they think they are in a zoo.  This is a wild bear people!  The ranger was telling people to get in their cars and they just kept taking pictures.  The bear was impressive.  I'm not sure what pictures we got (we stayed in our car).  On our way out of the park we were treated to the sight of a Bull Moose, and then a Mama feeding her babies, and another female  Moose.  Definitely a worthwhile venture into the park. 

THURSDAY, August 15th, Day 33

Denali Day!  Oh beautiful mountain, where are you?

Sadie Jo is feeling much better!

We woke to drizzling rain.  First stop was Three Bears Coffee Shop, where we enjoyed a really good cup of coffee and a really dry piece of blueberry crumble.

Yesterday we bought tickets for a bus trip into Denali.  We chose the 66 miles to the Eielson point.  The expected time for this tour, including wildlife watching, breaks, etc. round trip was 8 hours.  By the time we were loading up at 10:00 it was full out raining.  Things were not looking good for seeing the mother mountain.  But being an optimistic, I kept thinking the fog will burn off and the rain will lift.  Our guide, Phillip, was the next thing to an encyclopedia.  When he couldn't tell us about the foot hills we were going through or the mountains ahead because we couldn't see them, he told us about the streams, rivers, how the mountains were formed, the trees and sometimes lack of trees, the wildlife and their habits... you name it, he talked about it.  Did you know  that Denali National Park is 9,000 sq. miles and 6 million acres?  The most surprising to me was that they experience 3,000 earth quakes a year in Denali.  Phillip said he often feels the quaking at night in his cabin. This was a non narrated tour, but Phillip was a certified interpretive tour guide, so he used his knowledge to keep us going.  Thanks Phillip!

Early on the trip we spotted a Bull Moose, Carabou, some with impressive horns, moose cows feeding their young, and a  Ptarmigian, the Alaska State Bird.  As we headed higher into the mountains we encountered extremely rough roads, heavier rain and more fog.  Every rest stop included a rain jacket and dodging mud puddles.  Usually the road crews grade the roads twice a week, but because of the extremely rainy summer, they were spending more time fixing culverts, digging out mud slides and doing other maintenance.

So, was I disappointed in Denali?  Not in the least.  The foothills peeking in out of the rain and fog were amazing, the colors of the trees were already turning gold for an early fall, the drop offs, cliffs, and wildlife were beautiful.  The entire trip was breathtaking.  We didn't see the snow caps of Denali and get that iconic picture everyone wants, but Denali was beautiful and we loved every minute of it (except the sore butts, smokers who stunk because they put their cigarettes out just as they got on the bus, and my wet toes because I wore the wrong shoes).

FRIDAY, August 16, Day 34

Rain. Again.

Fortunately, the rain lifted fairly early in the day.  Destination was Talkeetna.  The first order of business was finding a place to park our rig.  At the edge of town was a sweet little RV Park named after the town.  It was first come, first serve.  We are slow learners, but have figured out that, as difficult as it is to do, it sure does pay to get to our destination early in the day.  We had our pick of sites.  No electric or water, but we are getting used to that. 

Talkeetna.  What a charming little town.  It is said to be the inspiration for the 1990's TV Show, Northern Exposure.  I could almost see that Moose that is featured in the show's opening scene walking down the street.  Talkeetna is full of unique shops, interesting people, and lots of tourists.  By the time we had set up camp and headed there, the cruise ship tours were just leaving, so the crowds were down a bit.

Alaskan Fathers seem to have a bit of a wry sense of humor.  Did I mention that North Pole AK named their Catholic Church St. Nicholas (I truly don't remember whether I did or not...)  Any guesses of what Talkeetna named their Catholic Church?  How about St. Bernard?  Nothing against St. Bernard (I need to check him out and see what he is all about), but all I could envision was a big old slobbery dog with a keg around his neck.

Our campsite was in a wooded area prime for bears and other wildlife.  For one of the few times this trip Sadie Jo was upset most of the night.  Apparently she heard things she was not too thrilled with and felt the need to protect us.  Go Sadie Jo!

SATURDAY, August 17th, Day 35

This morning we headed back into Talkeetna for a bagel and coffee before we got on the road.  To give you an idea of the wide array of individualism, our baristas were a combination of purple hair, peasant skirt, bibbed overalls, tattoos, and piercings everywhere.    Everyone in Talkeetna has been nice and friendly.  We really enjoyed Talkeetna.

Driving out of Talkeetna we noticed a bunch of cars pulled over along the side of the road.  That is when Jim looking in his rear view mirror and realized Denali was out!  Quickly pulling over with the rest of the gawkers, we marveled at her majestic beauty.

Our destination today is Seward, or somewhere in between.  First we spent time in Anchorage restocking the trailer.  We have chosen to not spend time in the larger cities like Vancouver, Fairbanks, and Anchorage.  It might be a decision we will later regret, but time is going so fast and this trip has been about the views and the unique.  Seward Hwy is a very pleasant, beautiful, drive.  Since it was getting late, we started looking for a place to camp.  I spotted the little town of Hope 15 miles off Seward Hwy with a National Forest Service campground.  It looked promising.  What I didn't realize was this is a very popular spot for young people fishing and floating and all other things young people like to do.  The campground was at the end of the road (mile marker 16) and brimming full.  It appeared people were camping along the streets.  Our view from the Hwy was of a booming old downtown area.  I would have love it 25 years ago.  We finally pulled into a pullout on Seward Hwy and got a good night's sleep.  Did you know people camp just about anywhere there is a pullout (and there are many) in Alaska?

Lesson learned:  Don't give up hope.

DAY 24, Tuesday, August 6th

We are very happy to put our very muddy campground, Tubby's, behind us for another day of sights.  The drive began as an easy one of rolling hills for quite a few miles.  The drive was a pretty one with some steep grades, but nothing crazy.   Our excitement for the day was spotting a beautiful gray wolf silhouetted by stately fir trees along the side of the road.  We haven't seen much wildlife, but what we have seen has been really amazing.  It was a fairly easy day of driving.  At a fairly large RV Park in Fort Nelson, The Triple G Hideway, we visited with an older couple who were heading South., back to Tennessee. This was their second time driving the AlCan - in their Casita, a little travel trailer like the one we sold in February.  Just wow.

Happy 17th Birthday to our sweet granddaughter, Anna Rose.  We will celebrate when we get home - I promise!

DAY 25, Wednesday, August 7th

Rain and fog and cold temperatures greeted us this morning.  Heading for Watson Lake today.
The signs were warning us to watch for Bison and Muskwa (bear).  Will today be the day for wildlife sightings?  About 10 miles down the road we realized we had forgotten to check our gas tank.  A huge no no.  The distance between services is so great that you never head out without a full tank.  Wisely, we turned our buggy around and headed back to Fort Nelson.  My eyes were tightly closed as Jim did a u-turn, trailer and all, on the AlCan Hwy. 

For some reason it seemed like we were about the only ones on the road this morning.  After traveling quite a few miles we had seen only two motor homes and one car.  By the afternoon that changed, but still the Hwy does not have a lot of traffic on it.  The roads are a little rough today, sometimes fairly wide with nice shoulders, and other times narrow with no shoulders.  The scenery?  Spectacular!  Mile and mile of spectacular!


Lunch was soup and chili at the Toad River Cafe.  It was an interesting place, with hats left by customers, stapled to ceilings and walls.  I couldn't convince Jim to part ways with his Meeks hat, though.

The gas pumps did not have a credit card reader, so Jim went inside to pay before he pumped gas.  The lady told him to just fill up and tell her how much it was.  Wish there was more trust like that in this world.  The sun finally broke through the clouds mid-afternoon, warming the day up to the 60's  Perfect weather. 

Toad River 

More scenic driving followed - the Folded Mountains of the Canadian Rockies, Sawtooth Mountain, avalanche areas, Muncho Lake, miles and miles of Liard River, and the turquoise waters of Toad River.  Yes, beautiful turquoise waters.  That poor river deserved a beautiful name and they named it Toad!  Today was the day of the Buffalo - grazing in groups of three or four and alone, along the sides of the road. 

We stayed at Coal River Lodge and RV - a metropolis of 7 RV sites and sleeping rooms that I am pretty sure didn't have bathrooms or showers.  There were quite a number of people using the community facilities.  We were the last camper to head out this morning and I decided to make one last trip to the bathroom.  I was more than surprised to hear someone in the shower.  All I can figure is that someone from the "lodge" was getting ready for the day.

When we arrived at Coal River Lodge, Jim headed over to the guys in the garage to see if he could borrow a crow bar to fix our trailer step that had gotten bent somehow.  This old guy with longish hair, wearing an old cowboy hat and dirty jacket that saw him through every job he needed to do (think Clint Eastwood at his scruffiest) turned to Jim and offered him a drag of his cigarette!  What the heck!  Jim said the guy had a genuine smile and meant well, so he just said "No thanks, I never took up smoking."  Confession time:  I always thought Clint Eastwood was hot.

Lesson learned:  Sometimes people get it terribly wrong when they give things names.

DAY 26, Thursday, August 8th

We headed out in cool temperatures, mist and fog this morning.  Each morning heading down the long stretch of highway, we are reminded of the vastness of this area of the country we are in.  Miles and miles of nothing but beauty and the occasional little town and, of course, tourists.
Today we finally exited BC and entered into the Yukon at Watson Lake, The Gateway to the Yukon and home of the famous Signpost Forest.  The Signpost Forest was started in  1942 by a soldier working on the  construction of the Alaska Highway.  For some reason, I expected a post with signs pointing the way to places.  I couldn't be more wrong.  The Signpost Forest is a forest of posts with signs left by travelers year after year since 1942.  There is an old building centrally located as you enter the "forest".   Do you remember the expired license plate fiasco and the efforts of many to get our new license to us?  You guessed right, the SHEPRD expired, banged up by deer, license plate was left behind in the Signpost Forest.  It is almost impossible to find a unused spot on the many posts, but for some reason a plate had been removed from the little building, so we proudly added SHEPRD to the collection!

Stayed at Dawson Peaks Resort, a tranquil former RV Park on a lake.  They still provide electricity, but no other services.  Payment is by cash, left in a box on a building.  With only two tent campers and us, the peace and quiet was a nice change from the busy parks we have been staying at.  Unfortunately a mosquito almost took off with Sadie Jo and we were driven inside much earlier than planned. 

We have now entered the time of the sun hardly sets.  This picture from inside the camper was taken at 11:00. 

DAY 22, Sunday, August 4th

The temperatures dropped into the 40's last night.  Definite snuggling weather.  We checked with the locals on Saturday and were told there are no Catholic Churches in the area.  Truthfully, we didn't see ANY churches in the area.  Sigh.

We headed out from Wells Gray campground fairly early and got on Yellowhead Highway and drove many miles of gentle curving roads along rolling streams and rivers.  On all sides of us were layer upon layer of mountains.  Overcast skies kept the temperatures at a comfortable mid-60.  Despite sign after warning sign to watch for Moose, they all stayed hidden.  At Hwy. 16, Tete Juan Cache, we entered the "Wildlife Corridor" to a change of scenery, more fields with mountains in the far distance, we still saw no wildlife.  All in all we made good time to Prince George and enjoyed an easy driving day.  I highly recommended Hartway RV Park in Prince George.  Very clean and the owners couldn't have been nicer.

Lesson learned:  Just because you are warned, doesn't mean it is going to happen.

DAY 23, Monday, August 5th

On our way to Dawson Creek and Mile Marker 0 of the Alaskan Highway.  Once again, a beautiful drive, but I finally put my camera away and enjoyed the scenery.  Everywhere I turned there were streams and rivers at the foot of the mountains - just breathtaking.  And every time I tried to get that perfect shot a tree got in the way.  It was pure comedy.  After playing peek-a-boo with the trees and streams and mountains for about 30 miles I said forget it.  We've been listening to a book titled "The Great Alone".  It is about a family who moves to the Alaskan wilderness in the 70's.  I highly recommend the book.

Playing peek-a-boo with the trees

Dawson Creek - a Historic Mining Town.  That is how all of the brochures describe it.  Mile Marker 0 to the Alaskan Highway.  For some reason I was really looking forward to Dawson Creek.  I had built it up in my mind to be something really special.  I envisioned a historic downtown with old buildings and lots of things to see.  What a disappointment.

Dawson Creek is just an average small to mid-size town.  They have a small visitor center.  When I asked the young gal where the historic downtown was, she looked at me like I was crazy.  She handed me a booklet describing historic Dawson Creek.  That is when I realized there is nothing historical left.  The book pointed to a vacant lot where one historical building had been located, the location of a newish business, where something else had happened, and on and on.  We found the iconic 0 Mile Marker signs, snapped a few pictures and headed back to the campground. 

Lesson learned:  There will be disappointments.  Get over it and move on.

Wells Gray Provincial Park, Clearwater, BC

DAYS 19, 20, 21, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, August 1, 2, 3

We found a beautiful camp site in Wells Gray Golf and RV Park and decided to stay a few days.  I have been very surprised by the number of RV parks have golf courses.  Since we aren't golfers, I don't have any idea whether the courses are worth messing with.  Our site was next to a running stream of water that was very relaxing to listen to.

As far as that age old question "does the bear crap in the woods" goes, that the answer is obviously yes... we are here to prove you wrong.  He craps in campground parking lots.  I will admit to being very cautious when outside the camper.

Wells Gray Provincial Park is known for its beautiful waterfalls.  It was nice to do a little hiking and a lot of nothing.