We entered the Pacific time zone at the British Columbia border,
which leads to either more sleep or an earlier start, take your pick.
We left Charlie Lake backtracking a bit to Ft. St. John to fuel up after a chat with the credit card company. In spite of my telling them our travel plans ahead of time, they shut down our card until I verified that we indeed were making all those strange and large charges in unusual (for us) places.
Along the way, we passed this hi-tech highway sign giving us the go-ahead.
The road was quite good to Ft. Nelson.
En route we saw many signs of extractive energy work places such as compressor stations, well heads, etc. This appeared to be a housing complex for field workers.
Near turn-offs to energy related sites, there were usually sign-post forests of small billboards advertising all sorts of stuff.
In Ft. Nelson we picked up a few more groceries, bought more fuel as, for a while, those things will get harder to find and more expensive by the mile km. In retrospect, the most expensive gasoline we bought was in Ft. Nelson. Others who took more remote routes may have had different experiences.
The IGA market in Ft. Nelson was a gem. If you need vittles, be sure to stop.
Outside Ft. Nelson was the second (and final) hi-tech road sign which toggled between French and English. We did encounter bison on the autoroute later on as it warned - the next day.
The terrain had been quite flat, good road. We were making good time, around 100 km/hr.
However after a while things got lumpier with more hills, then downright mountainous. I didn't remember that this leg had us crossing the highest point on the Alaska highway. It did. Summit Lake is what it sounds like.
The truck underneath us is a V-10 Ford. The transmission has a setting for towing which we invoke on downgrades. It provides excellent engine braking and we've gone down many 10% grades with minimal use of the brakes.
Hi tech solar-powered moose warning signs with blinking yellow lights (caught in the off cycle here).
We spent the night at Toad River Lodge with a beaver pond right behind us.
I had offered mothers day dinner to Ginnie at Banff, but that didn't work, so she opted for a salmon burger and fries at Toad River Lodge. I still owe her.
After dinner, Ginnie noticed beaver activity in the pond. She went to alert Claire who expressed interest in the beaver lodge since that isn't something she encounters in Texas. Claire, husband Mike, and mother Shirley and we spent a long time watching the beaver family work on their lodge and dam until we all got chilled. We first met them (Claire, et al, not the beavers) in the parking lot at Lake Louise a few days back.
Along with the beavers were two muskrats, some geese, and assorted ducks.
A tent site with wet bar? Toad River is a funky campground.
There was a large piece of wood that was sawed off on both ends (not beaver work).
The bark was stripped (eaten?), but it wasn't something they had originated. They worked tirelessly trying to fit it into the lodge. The next morning, they were still pushing it around. They are busy, like their reputation says.
Yes, kids /grandkids, these are your parents / grandparents.
Today's miles 355, total 2837.
We left Charlie Lake backtracking a bit to Ft. St. John to fuel up after a chat with the credit card company. In spite of my telling them our travel plans ahead of time, they shut down our card until I verified that we indeed were making all those strange and large charges in unusual (for us) places.
Along the way, we passed this hi-tech highway sign giving us the go-ahead.
The road was quite good to Ft. Nelson.
En route we saw many signs of extractive energy work places such as compressor stations, well heads, etc. This appeared to be a housing complex for field workers.
Near turn-offs to energy related sites, there were usually sign-post forests of small billboards advertising all sorts of stuff.
Outside Ft. Nelson was the second (and final) hi-tech road sign which toggled between French and English. We did encounter bison on the autoroute later on as it warned - the next day.
The terrain had been quite flat, good road. We were making good time, around 100 km/hr.
However after a while things got lumpier with more hills, then downright mountainous. I didn't remember that this leg had us crossing the highest point on the Alaska highway. It did. Summit Lake is what it sounds like.
The truck underneath us is a V-10 Ford. The transmission has a setting for towing which we invoke on downgrades. It provides excellent engine braking and we've gone down many 10% grades with minimal use of the brakes.
Hi tech solar-powered moose warning signs with blinking yellow lights (caught in the off cycle here).
Along with the beavers were two muskrats, some geese, and assorted ducks.
A tent site with wet bar? Toad River is a funky campground.
There was a large piece of wood that was sawed off on both ends (not beaver work).
The bark was stripped (eaten?), but it wasn't something they had originated. They worked tirelessly trying to fit it into the lodge. The next morning, they were still pushing it around. They are busy, like their reputation says.
Yes, kids /grandkids, these are your parents / grandparents.
Today's miles 355, total 2837.
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