We left Whitehorse and continued south on the Alaska Hwy with the goal of completing it's full length. Our day's drive ended at perhaps the best place so far, Liard Hot Spings Provincial Park. This is a very nice park with a natural, i.e. not made into a concrete swimming pool, hot spings with very hot, soothing water (sorry too lazy to bring the camera to this soak). A conversation that evening with the ranger prepared us for our drive the next day. There is a herd of Wood Bison that freely roam the highway just south of the springs. And true to his word we came upon them within a few miles of leaving the park. These are huge animals weighing up to 2,000 lbs. And his advice? Do not honk at them! If they are in the road stop, turn off the car and WAIT! Fortunately they were on the roadside when we came through.
This was a young one
Checking me out
Using the trailer as protection
Checking out the car on the other side of the road
Also this morning we drove along the edge of the Rocky Mountains and other wildlife was out as well.
Stone Sheep that eat the minerals on the roadside
Momma and her cubs
Cute cub
As you travel further south the oil and gas industry become very noticable. This part of Canada has hugh natural gas reserves and the exploation is going strong. It is very much like west TX with 18 wheelers flying by, derricks lining the forests just off the road and unfortunately waste water pits springing up with those wells. But like anywhere else this is a hugh employment base but there are too few people for the jobs available.
Another quick overnight at a Provincial Park put us on the final leg of the Alaska Hwy. It officially starts (or ended for us) in Dawson Creek, BC.
The tourist ending of the Alaska Highway (yes we did it in reverse)
The official marker a couple of blocks over
Another full day behind us brought us to Edmonton, AB with a postponed visit with my cousin Howie. We were supposed to visit on our way north but we changed our route to the westerly drive going up and the easterly drive coming down. We had not seen each other in 30+ years so it was great to reaquaint, meet his family and celebrate the birth of their 5th grandchild which happened a day earlier. And of course seeing Howie's Dad, George was special too.
Howie, Leah and us
Tonight we are in Claresholm, AB about 130 miles north of the border. We will cross back to the lower 48 tomorrow, spend a few days at Glacier NP then begin our journey east toward Toronto.
More to come...
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