Ketchikan to Prince Rupert, BC, CA
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Gorgeous and sunny, mid-70s
We arrived in Prince Rupert on schedule at 6:30. Too early to enter the only campground in the area, we joined a couple of other campers in the parking lot of the tiny local Walmart where we promptly set up and went to sleep. It was great until we were politely rousted by a security guy who asked us to move because we were all in the employee parking area.
Returning to the Prince Rupert RV Campground, we set up the camper. Sandy showered and did three large loads of laundry. Bill napped and worked on log. Then we both read for a while. We were tired and it was not an ambitious day.
Dinner was hot dogs and baked beans with steamed green beans. How can hot dogs be tough? We don’t know but these were!
Prince Rupert to Smithers, BC, CA
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Partly sunny, high 60s
It was a bit strange to have a long drive in front of us since we haven’t done that since arriving in Skagway! We were on road by 9:30, stopping for a quick breakfast at Tim Horton’s. Inside the Tim Horton’s we met two California couples who were on a three-week northern tour on their Harleys. Glad we didn’t have a pace that fast!
The day’s drive followed the Yellowhead Hwy, CA-16, following the Skeena River most of the way. The river is large and fast-flowing. Lunchtime found us in Terrace, BC, and we found lunch in the Elephant’s Ear Bistro. Serving a fine lunch, they had good gluten free soups and baked goods for Sandy.
We took time, along the way, to stop in New Hazelton to see the single-lane suspension bridge that spans Hagwilget Canyon on the Bulkley River. There were some repairs going on so we didn’t cross the bridge but is one of highest suspension bridges in Canada.
A bit further on we stopped to observe the Moricetown Steelhead Stock Assessment Project. At the site of the project, people catch salmon, take some statistics and tag some of the fish. The fish are caught using dip nets. The catching part, with a guy standing on a steeply sloped plank, and tied fast with a “safety rope” around his waist, looked pretty risky to us.
We camped at Smithers Riverside Municipal Campground. The campground was in a grassy park on the edge of town. The campsites were actually grass rather than gravel! First time we’ve see that in a long while.
We checked out the downtown. Apparently it is a popular winter sports area and has a rather prosperous shopping area for such a small town. We picked up some groceries and returned to the camper.
Dinner was sautéed shrimp with garlic over pasta and steamed broccoli.
Smithers, BC, CA
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Sunny and warm, beautiful!
It was kind of a kick-back day. Bill wrote and Sandy did e-mail and work for her celiac group. Afterwards, Sandy went into town. It is a nice downtown with lots of outdoor gear shops. We were right in our guess about the winter scene here. It is a big downhill and ski-touring area with an emphasis on heavy-duty, back-country skiing.
Dinner was a salad topped with sliced barbeque and corn-on-the-cob that was pretty good!
Smithers to Prince George, BC, CA
Friday, September 6, 2013
Sunny & gorgeous, high of 77
We got on the road around 11:00. Farming and ranching were the major industries along this section of the Yellowhead Hwy. It was nice to see traditional farm fields with lots of baled hay and straw. There were also quite a few lumber processing plants and sawmills.
In Houston we stopped to take pictures of the worlds largest fly-fishing rod at their visitor center. Next door was a local farmers’ market where we couldn’t resist picking up some veggies and baked goods including some gluten-free brownies!
We camped at Blue Cedars RV Park where we struck up a conversation with Dave & Jackie whom we’d seen at the campground in Smithers.
Returning to our camper we prepared a dinner of tacos. They were pretty good if we do say so!