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Friday, August 26: An Abrupt End

Today started out normally with a drive into Missoula for gas, groceries, and a geocache tour in a park. Then it was off to secure a camp spot in a very busy camping area. We lucked out and were permitted to stay in a site just being vacated by a nice lady who was unexpectedly called in to work. The camp host just charged us for using the electricity as we had already paid the lady to take her paid-for spot. Then I called my sisters to catch up. The first call was normal, no problems. The second call to my middle sister was not.  My middle sister moved in with a very nice man a couple of years ago after finding him acceptable through an online dating app for seniors. He is definitely charming, highly accomplished, and loves my sister dearly. The problem is that he’s dying. Imminently. Tomorrow we’ll say goodbye to Larry and Trey as our Excellent Adventure comes to a close and Betsy and I head to the Bay Area to see my sister and her boyfriend. We just hope we’ll make it in time....
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Thursday, August 25: Flathead Lake

 We arrived late for dinner, having not counted on a time change, construction, and challenging terrain through the mountains. Craig Macintyre is a friend and brother to my middle sister’s romantic interest of more than 30 years before he passed. So we made dinner plans in order to catch up. We arrived just a few minutes late, but had a nice time talking about family. Then it was back to the incredibly expensive RV park and a night’s rest before heading out again in the morning. 
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Wednesday, August 24: Castlegar

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  Osoyos Overlook. Okanagan Region. The best fruit growing area ever!!! A very nice person gave  people chalk to have fun with!  The night sky. 10 pm.   
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Sunday, August 21-23: Prince George Costco and Manning Park

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 Costco is always a good choice when traveling, although all we really needed was gas and time for Betsy to finish getting a few geocaches. So we also stopped at a grocery store for some small things like TP. Can’t fit 32 rolls in the RV so a grocery store is a better option.  Then it was on to Manning Park, a BC provincial park known to thru hikers as the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail and to visitors from Vancouver as The Playground (I made that up). There really were a lot of people from Vancouver there as most campsites were full at the most popular campgrounds, even if campers didn’t show up. That’s a reoccurring problem at campgrounds near populated areas. People make reservations and then don’t show up, especially if it only cost them just $23 to reserve a site and twice that to drive there in a small car. However, it was nice to see so many camping with tents, a lost art it seems in the states. Lots and lots of kids too. They ride bicycles back and forth ...
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Saturday, August 20: Lake Lac Heche

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 We stopped at the Lac La Hache campground on our way up to Alaska. Nothing new to report other than the bugs were gone and the campsite was wonderful. We had a fire and got a little tipsy. Good day!  Oh, and the town of Lac La Hache purports to be the longest town in Canada at about 40km. 
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Friday, August 19: Fort St. John’s

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The town by the same name boasts a two hundred year old fort that is mostly intact or carefully rebuilt. The Fort has interpreters in period dress that explain the daily life of the original for inhabitants. As a fur trading outpost operated by the Hudson’s Bay Company everything in the old store was priced in beaver pelts. A trapper had to skin the beaver, clean and scrape the hide until it was clean of any debris, including meat from the animal, and sew up any holes. Once that was done the pelt could be used in trade to buy blankets, needles, pants, or whatever the outdoorsman needed. Rifles sold for up to 15 beaver pelts.  A fellow at Meziadin Provincial Park wearing a Puerto Penasco hat stopped by to talk and mentioned that his home was a good place to visit because of the old fort and  it’s interpretive programs. He also mentioned having worked on the 1800’s old Russian Orthodox Church, leading the restoration project that pulled the church from the permafrost and stabili...
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Thursday, August 18: Travel Day

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Drive, drive, get gas, drive, drive, get a camping spot at Beaumont Provincial Park outside of Fraser Lake, BC.  The afternoon beverage of choice.  Set up for the campfire.  Beaumont Park was nice, lots of wide-open and lots of closed-in camping spots with fire rings and picnic tables. Very level. Swimming beach nearby. Watch out for ants as they can be nasty, but are encouraged by the park system because of their positive effects on the forest. 
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Wednesday, August 17: Bears, Oh My!

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We made the return trip to Stewart/Hyder to check out, once again, for the third time, the Fish Creek bear watching platform. Along the way we passed the Bear Glacier which shows the extent of global warming.   Bear Glacier in June 2019 above.  Bear Glacier in July 2022 below.  The previous two trips to Fish Creek were a bust. We were too early for the salmon run and so the bears weren’t there. This time the chum (dog) and pink salmon were clearly visible in the stream. As we walked from the north parking lot along the raised walkway we were able to observe salmon spawning in the creek. One male pinned a female to the creek bed as she laid her eggs. Other females flanked the male. Then a cloud of sperm sprayed from the male into the water creating a cloud. After he was finished the male swam to the opposite shore and avoided the females while the females seemed to carry on snapping at each other’s lower rear fins.  In the other branch of the creek we’re the carcasses...
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Tuesday, August 16: Meziadin Again

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We are headed south on the Cassiar for a repeat of our attempt to see bears at Stewart/Hyder.   Along the way we passed our previous campsite of three years ago, Sawmill Point Recreation Area on Dease Lake, where we met 18 month old Jake and mom Julia from Germany. She was riding her bike from Vancouver to Whitehorse with Jake in a bike trailer. Quite the adventure! We camped at Meziadin Provincial Park, for the second time this trip. Our sites were at the top of the campground with a wonderful view of the lake.   Larry made dinner; steak and potatoes. Betsy made a salad and washed dishes after. I made a fire, and set the table where we played Rummikub until dinner was ready.   After dinner we finished the game with Betsy breaking a three way tie and winning for the first time this trip! Yay, Betsy!
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Monday, August 15: Back to the Cassiar

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  It’s late and I’m tired from a long day of driving and shopping. We stopped in Whitehorse for geocaches and a few miscellaneous items, most of which I didn’t find. Let me say that Walmart in Whitehorse is a waste of time. The shelves are empty. The selection nonexistent. Better to stick with the Canadian Superstore.     ‘Nuf said.  Betsy met us east of town after geocaching while Larry and I shopped.    Then it was off to French Creek Recreation Area on the Cassiar Highway, a f…. of a long drive. Betsy was done about an hour prior to arrival and made herself a vodka and Fireweed drink enroute. Once we arrived she had to drive drunk to park the Jeep while I fought the mosquitoes. Larry didn’t think the mosquitoes were that bad but he’s not a mosquito magnet like me. I had a dozen bites in the first few minutes as I disconnected the Jeep. Uhgg! The site was nice, right along French Creek, which appeared to be more of a river.  Later, with bug juice app...
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Sunday, August 14: En Route to Whitehorse

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  We left Dawson City after dumping tanks and filling up with water at the Bonanza RV Park and driving across the street to the Cardlock fuel station.   Dave Lanford asked a good question via email about gas prices and how fuel gets to the Yukon. My Reply: “Gas is always a concern, but opportunities present themselves about every 200-250 miles at most for reasonably priced fuel. There are large price differences. In Dawson there is a gas station at $2.299/liter while just across the street there is a fully automated pump labeled Public Cardlock which is $1.999/liter. That’s (30 cents per liter or) $1.17 per gallon difference, which after 35 gallons adds up. Most people see Cardlock and automatically assume big trucks or fleet vehicles only, but not us!” Betsy and I travelled several years ago in northern Ontario and encountered some places where Cardlock was the only option. No actual service stations. For the most part the Cardlock depots are only open to big trucks except in...
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Saturday, August 13: Dawson City

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 We started the day by driving up to Dome Lookout, a high point above the city with views of Dawson and the Yukon River.  The Yukon River from Dome Lookout. The narrows at the top of the picture were the scene of many a paddle wheeler wreck.  A nearby fire tower manned by a Yukon Fire employee originally from Switzerland.   The Fireman’s personal platform overlooking the scenery to the west   The fireman’s summer residence.  He was closing up for the season as the fire danger has diminished considerably with frequent rains this summer  Afterwards we drove into town to visit the Farmers Market where all sorts of local vegetables were on display from a recent competition as well as fruit from the Okanagon region in south central British Columbia, and handmade crafts from the artists around Dawson City. A short walk after brought us to Sourdough Joe’s where we enjoyed a seafood lunch: fried cod for Larry, salmon for me, and seafood chowder for Betsy ...
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