Watson Lake

Was a short stop along the way.  The RV Park was not much more then a gravel parking lot with hook ups, but it had two other important attributes we were very interested in. A wi-fi connection and a wash rack!
As it turned out neither was what we expected, but nonetheless we benefited from both!
One of the write-ups about the RV park indicated the wash rack was free - wrong.  But, it had good pressure and it was reasonably priced so we washed both RVs before we even parked!

On the wash rack!

Wi-fi was not what we expected either. It was weak and slow.  I ended up going up to the porch of the office about midnight to get a decent connection for a short bit!

Watson Lake is known world-wide for its signpost forest!  It was started by a GI during the AlCan Highway project in 1943. others followed suit and it became a big part of Watson Lake.  The Visitors Center had an annual census posted but it stopped in 2008 and when the count was 61,578! Don't ask me how or who counted them!

A small portion of the forest!

Some more of it

"Which way out, bro?"

One of BJs friends posing on a sign!

A road thru the forest!

My bro made sure we left our mark!

A sign from our home territory 

A very nice stop along the way to Watson Lake was Liard Hot Springs! It is a natural hot springs used by the First Nation citizens (in the USA the term is Native Americans) and during the construction of the AlCan Highway they used it for some much needed and seldom received R&R!  We spent about an hour and half enjoying the warm water.

A historic spot!

Good break from the road!

It was quite large!

Exercise is always good!

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Always at home, no matter where we are!!

Back on the Grid

Well after several days of wonderful boondocking at Prophet River we moved on toward AK, our Summer destination.
We found another neat spot along the AK Highway.  We hiked around the spot and found a great place for anywhere from one to 10 or more RVs to park in a beautiful surrounding!

A Mamma bear leading her cubs away from the road!

HH along the way!

Another beautiful stop along the way!

BJ posing in a home made "outhouse" in the rec area!

Part of the original ALCAN Highway, now called the AK Hiway!

After our stop we made Muncho Lake the next day.  The Lake was nestled in the mountains and about 12 miles long and a mile or so wide. The AK highway was on the east side of the lake and just a few feet above the lake!  They told us the day we got there was after the first night it did not have any ice on it!  No swimming while we were there.

The lake was glass smooth when we arrived!

BJs friend, The Traveler, is with us and enjoyed the lake!

Gary and Floy caught up with us while at Muncho Lk

And brought some snow!

After we arrived we found there were no utilities in Muncho Lake, the only thing there besides the magnificent lake was 8-10 tourism related business and they each generated their own electricity and drilled for their water!  Normally that would not have been a problem but we were expecting Gary and Floy to catch up with us while in Muncho Lake.  No cell phone service, no contact with Gary and Floy and they did not know where we were for sure! Fortunately it all worked out and we kept our eyes open and they started at one end of the lake and searched all the RV parks. BJ saw them when she went out birding!  So all worked out fine.

The next day we all rode back up in the mountains near the lake and once we got a little altitude ran into some SNOW!  It was June and snowing and of course we were the only ones "noticing" it!

The following day was dry and we caravaned on to our next stop - Watson Lake, first stop in the Yukon Territory!

New snow on the mountains to Watson Lake!

Always at home, no matter where we are!!

Off the Grid for a Few Days

Most of you probably know that “boondocking” in RV parlance refers to parking your RV without any hook-ups, sometimes that can be in a Wal-mart parking lot, sometimes in some friends or family members driveway and sometimes as we are right now – in the beautiful backwoods of somewhere.  We found this location using the Milepost book, a great mile-by-mile guide for the AK traveler and Days End, a list of boondocking or minimal support camping locations published for SKPers and maintained by an SKP member. 

Off the grid!

 

We are at an “abandoned” Provincial Park on the AK Highway about 50 miles south of Ft Nelson which was our original destination.   There is also a grass airstrip next to the camping sights that may be used by a helicopter company as that is what is on the fuel tank at one end.  At the other end is a truck that must be for the helicopter crews to use.  Originally we thought it was some more campers, but not so.

Nice hiking trails near by!

The Prophet River was a short hike west of the campground!

There are 5 or 6 back-in sites and and about same of pull thru sites, even though those are too overgrown for us to us.  There are no hook-ups and there are several fault toilets that appear to be in good shape – we haven’t looked carefully. 

Down a short path there is a spring flowing out of the hillside.  If needed we would have more fresh water.  But our holding tanks are empty and our fresh water tank is full so we are good for at least a week, longer if we are careful! 

We arrived mid-afternoon yesterday, Thursday, and plan on staying at this paradise for 2-3 days as I write this early the morning after arrival. Yesterday afternoon we explored some nearby hiking trails and saw some wildlife, in particular a bear that was oblivious to our presence – but we kept our distance.  Thank heavens for the telephoto lens of BJ’s camera!   Probably relax this afternoon and go hiking again in the AM! 

One of our neighbors!

He had a beautiful shiny coat!

We have been staying in regular campsites for the last month+ since leaving the Rio Grande Valley and we were looking for a break – and this is it!  My brother, Gary, and his wife are in Banff NP and will be leaving there Monday AM and wanting to catch up to us.   I am going to have to figure out how to tell him not to pass us by!  We are off the grid here – no phones, not i-net, no nothing!  And are loving it!

The Prophet Airstrip, a grass runway was adjacent to the park.

We had running water if needed!

I gathered some firewood yesterday but by the time the sun goes down it is too late to build a fire, we are ready for bed. This AM I woke up thinking it was about 6AM as sun was streaming in the RV. Wrong, it was 4:45!  Couldn’t go back to sleep so I started the blog! Of course I will have to cut & paste it when we get an i-net connection, if we ever leave here!

Early afternoon 3 RV showed up and parked and later 3 more RV’s showed up as a group, turned out they were all heading to AK, also. Two separate RVs showed up also. This little “abandoned” park seems to be quite popular – and well known. 

What a glorious 3-day stay we had, but it is good to be back on the grid with some i-net and phone service.  

My brother Gary and his wife Floy should catch up with us in a day or two then we will travel and enjoy the trip together!

Oh, before I forget let me add a link to BJ's blog.  She has done a great job with pics and is getting into the swing of it.  If you like it suggest you sign up for it on the left side of the her blog page.  Your e-mail is not visible or accessible to her (or me for this one) and you will get a notice each time she posts one.

Her blog is BJ's Blog - the birding traveler 

Always at home, no matter where we are!!

Rotary International

As some of you know I have been a member of the Melbourne Rotary Club for 25+ years so. As a Rotarian  I always try and notice  Rotary projects and presence as we travel. Sometimes, but not as often as I like, I make up at various Clubs we are ne

ar. 

Dawson Creek, British Columbia had a Rotary Lake Park that was full of family related activities, playground, swimming pool, picnic area, etc.

In Dawson Creek British, Columbia, Canada

Playground for year around!

The "swimming hole" for summer - both weekends!

And facilities 

The RV Park next to it was named Rotary Mile O Park as it was at mile 0 of the AK Highway.  Dawson Creek was the starting point for building the AlCan Highway in 1942 so military supplies could be sent to AK independent of the sea lanes which were not assured to be safe that early in the war. Rotary emblem is on a picnic building in the RV park, which is a city run park. 

Further north is Ft St John on Charlie Lake, another important part of the construction of the AlCan Highway, now called the AK Highway.  

On Charlie Lake just north of Ft St John, BC

The facilities for those that need them - we are self-contained.

Ready to travel after a restful night at the Rotary Park

A dedication to those that built the ALCAN Hiway. It is in Rotary Park on the shores of Charlie Lake!

The Rotary Clubs of Ft St John operate an RV Park for travelers. It is on Charlie Lake next to a large recreation park named Rotary Park.  It includes a monument to those that built the AlCan Highway under very circumstances in less than a year!  

Rotary is contributing to the community in many different ways.  If want to be involved contact your local Rotary Club, they will be glad to show you how you can help your community and the world be a better place for us all!

Always at home, no matter where we are!!

Dawson Creek

Dawson Creek, British Columbia is famous for being the start of the old AlCan Highway, now the AK Highway.  It is a small town and everybody wants to make you feel welcome.  If they have any old grouches they keep them hidden at least during the tourist season.

The Sign marks the spot!

We are on our way!

We stayed at the Mile O RV Park which is on the north side of town pretty much at Mile 0 of the AK Highway!

The two notable events while we were there was;
        1. A long day trip to a beautiful water fall in the countryside
        2. Fresh water pump that needed replacing
We also visited our first International Wal-mart.  There were 3 RV's there boondocking!

The pump turned out to be a non-issue. One of several local RV service centers had a stockpile of them and I got one and installed it in less then an hour.  But, if they had not had one...!!!

The trip was to Kinuseo Falls near Tumblers Ridge.  Tumblers Ridge is about 60 miles SE of Dawson Creek and was built in1970's as the nearby coal fields were developed. However in the 90's when coal demand fell it nearly became a ghost town.   But, some dinosaur fossils were discovered nearby and it regained some of it lost glory and is today considered an excellent area for researchers interested in dinosaurs.  And, the last few years two of the old coal mines have reopened!

Gravel Road

More Gravel Road

A river we crossed

Well after we drove out to Tumblers Ridge, we discovered it was another 40 miles to Kinuseo Falls over a gravel road!  And of course 40 miles back!  But, oh was the scenery beautiful!  This was mountainous terrain in the Spring and the creeks and rivers were running vigorously, but not at all in a flood stage!  Still to early - we could see a lot of snow yet unmelted in the mountains around us and every now and then we were in a little bit of it as we went up and down the mountains!

One view of the Falls

The river at the bottom!

Bridges were narrow!

The Kinuseo Falls was spectacular

The very head of Kinuseo Falls!

Some tunnels on the old coal mining road!

A fellow traveler on the road thru the woods!

Also some strange signs - don't climb the cliff in your car??

We feel so fortunate to be travelling through such beautiful countryside.  And, I am getting acclimated to the cold.

BJ's blog is ready for prime time it appears and I will include a link to it in my next post.

We are staying at Rotary Club park in Ft St John. As a long time Rotarian and member of the Melbourne Rotary Club I had to stop here. Beautiful park on the shores of Charlies Lake.  More in my next post (along with BJ's link)!

Always at home, no matter where we are!!

Moving North Too Fast!!

We enjoyed a few days in Banff National Park and then moved on.  We drove the Icefield Parkway to Jasper about 200 mile then turned west for about 40 miles.  Stayed in a small Mom & Pop RV park in McBride.  On the Parkway we were always close to snow and ice, especially in the two passes we went thru at nearly 7,000 ft.

That is the Crowfoot Glacier in the middle of the pic

That is a lot of SNOW above and behind Tucson

We missed the turn-out to stop and get a good picture - but this is a huge frozen lake!  

Along the by the Icefield Parkway

COLD!!

COLDER!!

BJ got excited about seeing bear cubs and Mom feeding in woods near highway!  Traffic stopper!

However, here in McBride we are down to about 2500 ft and the snow covered mountains are way in the distance. We set outside for happy hour for a change.  Another RV arrived and we welcomed them to the neighbor hood.  They were a German couple in a rental.  We enjoyed talking with them. But mainly it was nice to set outside in the Sun.

Tomorrow we head to Dawson Creek and the beginning of the AlCan Highway - now called the AK Highway!

Always at home, no matter where we are!!