Day7, Dawson Creek to Fort Nelson, the beginning of the Alaskan Highway

Day Six of our great Alaskan adventure started with a beautiful, wonderfully cool (40 degrees) crystal clear day. Both Babs and I are up some time before 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. As you saw in yesterdays blog entry, we were at “Mile 0” the beginning of the original Alaskan Highway. Today, we stared at the beginning of the “modern day” Alaskan Highway, Highway 97.

At mile marker 32.1, we left Rte. 97 to drive on a section of the original Alaskan Highway.

This section of the highway takes you across the KISKATINAN CURVED BRIDGE, the last standing of all the original wooden bridges of the Alaskan Highway.

Thirty or so miles down the road is the historic Shepherd’s Inn. This old Inn which was built shortly after the construction of the Alaskan Highway is famous for its Strawberry-Rhubarb pie.

I made a pit stop; Babs made a pie stop. She’s was going to put the pie slice in our cooler, but, the kind clerk had heated it for Bab’s and she couldn’t possibly let it go to waste.
Today’s drive was through much more appealing scenery, rolling hills flanked by forest with snow topped mountains in the distance.

Around 1:00 p.m., we were ready for lunch. We saw a sign for Andy Bailey Regional Park, 14 KM and decided to try it out. When we got to the turn, it was a gravel and dirt road. Driving down this road literally in the “middle of nowhere” with no cell phone or “On-Star” service, all I could think about was the movie “Deliverance” and escaped prisoners!

No worry, all ends well and we arrived at the park. We had a picnic lunch at the edge of a beautiful lake with bright sunshine and a cool breeze.

After arriving at Fort Nelson, today’s destination, we exchanged some more US money for some Canadian and got a much needed car wash ($18CA). Gas just keeps going up! Today we paid $1.559 and $1.449 a liter! Dinner tonight will be high class, either carry out chicken or Boston Pizza.
Tomorrow, we head to Watson Lake.

Babs Says: It is amazing how a human body reacts to light. If it is light, it must be time to be up and about. Great when sunset is 10:37 p.m. and sunrise is 4:03 a.m. Not enough dark sleep time! For people who know about my biggest travel problem –TMI- but day 7 and still no action! Getting uncomfortable.