About Me

Lee Creek, North Shuswap near Chase, B.C, Canada
We went full-time Rving in October of 2005! We retired from full time to part-time as of the end of 2015. Our present "small but comfortable" Wagon is a 2008 Camper trailer(TravelAir Rustler), pulled by a 2008 Dodge Dakota, 4X4.l. Our home is now a Gated Community Park, in Oliver, British-Columbia, Canada. I retired in 2005 and my Life Companion, Valerie, retired October 1, 2006 from nursing. We invite you to follow and share our new adventures and mishaps. Life is but an adventure full of dreams yet to be fulfilled!

Thursday, August 01, 2019

Alaska August 1-15


AUG 1, Thursday, Pr. Rupert
SUNNY!!!  Got up at 8 am to clear sky and the sun shining; wonderful!  We had showers then we went to explore.  I had internet this morning long enough to upload the blog and some pictures then it quit all of a sudden.  What is it with the North that they still are living in the early century!?
This was a busy day.  First, we went to the Info Centre then to Walmart to pick up some groceries.  After that, we went to KAL TIRE where I had an oil change done on the truck, it was 1,000 km overdue!  We went to Port Edwards where we visited a Cannery (North Pacific Cannery National Heritage site).  It was the most interesting I’ve done in a long time.  The guide was really interesting and brought the whole tour to an almost reality show.  A lot of the machineries were still working and he operated everyone of them.  It really was one of the best tour I’ve been on (see pictures).
We went back to town and stopped at the pub, the “Breaker’s Loft” then we headed to Save-on-Foods for vegetables then home.
COW BAY, where the pub was, was an interesting area.  More like Granville Island in Vancouver.  Lots of interesting looking houses and the harbor and Marina are right there.  We watched fishermen cleaning fish and sea lions swimming to catch the left over.  I definitely got a different insight into Prince-Rupert.
So tomorrow, we head out and aim for home.  It is still sunny, we watched the sun set and it is a warm evening.



AUG 2, Friday; to Smithers
Well, what started as I thought to be a quick job, turned out to be two hours.  We stopped at KalTire to repair the slow leak on the rear trailer tire.  He fixed it, put the tire back on and found another leak so off it went.  Finally we were on the road by 11 am and the total price was $37. so I cannot be complaining too hard.
We had a beautiful sunny day and it became warm quickly as we got away from the coast.  We followed the Skeena river all the way to Gitwanka where it turned north and we began following the Bulkley River.  The highway was very quiet on our side heading East but not the other way.  We stopped for lunch at a roadside rest area beside the river then continued to Hazelton where we stopped again at the Info Centre.
The scenery is absolutely superb!  I had forgotten how beautiful this part of the country is.  We soon arrived in Smithers and stopped at a campground about 10 minutes from town called GLACIER  RV PARK, so named because across from us is this huge glacier on top of this gorgeous mountain with a valley forged by the same receding glacier.
After paying $38 and setting up, we drove to town and looked around.  This is Val’s old stumping grounds so she was the guide.  We then drove to TELKWA where Val actually lived, 15 minutes from Smithers.  We found the street she lived on but she couldn’t remember where exactly the house was so we came back to town.  It was in interesting area with a great view of the surroundings mountains and farms.  We stopped at a local pub, that she remembers frequenting, so we went in.  What an interesting and awesome place.  We had a beer and appy then came home.
I caught up to the log and Val read her book.  We have internet but it is slower than the second coming!!!
I gased up in Terrace @ $1.32 and again in Smithers @ $1.34

We drove 213 miles in 4 hrs and 15 minutes @ an average 50 mph.  Stopped for 3 hrs including tire repair

N: 54* 51.083’
W: 129* 13.275’
ALT; 1685 ft



AUG 3, Saturday; to Wells/Barkerville
We left at 9 am, drove through Smithers and made our way East to Prince George.  We didn’t stop for breakfast until Vanderhoof because everywhere else was closed and even then, we never had breakfast but lunch!  We also filled up here at $1.28/L
After Vanderhoof, the drive was somewhat boring.  We finally reached PG and headed south on Hwy 97 for Barkerville/Wells.  What we didn’t count on is the Musical Festival happening here this weekend and we were lucky to get a spot at Nugget RV Park for $60 for 2 nights with full hook-ups.(We had called but he never said anything about the festival)
We sat out for a while then Val cooked dinner and we ate out on the picnic table.  Lots of young people but so far they are well behaved.
We have now completed a full circle.  What an incredible adventure!  We are 2 days max from home.

We drove 353 miles in 6 hrs and 45 minutes @ an average 52 MPH.  We were stopped for 45 minutes total.

N 53* 06.010’
W 121* 33.994’
Alt 4020 Feet


AUG 4, Sunday, Barkerville, Historical site
Woke up to sunshine again.  We had showers then went to town to explore.  We stopped at this local restaurant which turned out to be a real disappointment.  Service was slow and so was the food.  They ended up closing the place because they ran out of hashbrowns!??  SERIOUSLY!!!  We did get our breakfast eventually.
From here we went to explore the town and tent city.  The place is packed and there is no RV campsite to be had.  We explore some of the stores then headed to Barkerville.  This was an interesting historic site, especially seeing it in the summer.  The last time I was here was in the fall and nothing was open.  Anyway we spent over 2 hours here then came back to Wells.
We went home then at 5 pm, we headed out for dinner to Barkerville then noticed the Pub was opened so we stopped there and had dinner and a few drinks instead.
It was a good day and one day is long enough.  We can hear the bands playing in town.
I really don’t know why this program indents my sentence !???


AUG 5, Monday; To Logan Lake
On the road by 9 am and on Hwy 97 about an hour later!  Drove through Quesnel and stopped the other side to fill up @ 1.30/L.   Through Wms Lake where the traffic became heavier. 
We were gonna come down to Cache Creek then at the last minute, we decided to take HWY 24 to Little Fort on HWY 5.  It was a pretty drive and we stopped a couple times along the way.  Down the “BIG HILL” at Little Fort with no problems and stopped for another fill-up @ $1.28/L.  We stopped in Kamloops for dinner then headed on the Coquahalla to Logan Lake.
We had a great reunion with the Kirkby’s and his grand-son was also there so that was a bonus.  He was there with his other grand-father.  We were in bed by 10:30 pm

We travelled 344 miles in 6.5 hrs @ an average 52 mph
N: 50* 29.897’
W: 120* 48.935’
ALT: 3652 ft


Aug 6, Tuesday; HOME, Oliver!
We were up at 8 am and visited with everyone with coffee in hand.  It’s already warm so we sat outside.  By 10 we were on the way to Merritt via the back way after saying our goodbyes to all.  I filled up in Merrit @ 1.32/L and had breakfast at “HOME” Restaurant.
Back on the road, it was the connector(97C) to Kelowna then down 97 to Oliver.  We were met by a huge fire on the hills just before our place.  What a welcome!

We did a total of 12,829 KM! Spent $3500 on gas; approx $2500 on campground and a whole bunch more on entertainment, dining and souvenirs.
Was it worth it?  We both are glad we did it.  Highlights were the Artic Ocean and the viewing of glaciers at different location.
Would I do again.  YEP! but not soon and I would not return to Alaska.

We are HOME, it is hot and smoky!  We travelled 195 miles in 3 hours
N;49* 11.274’
W; 119* 32.201’
ALT; 998 ft