Friday,
March 14th
2014
(Dawson
Creek, BC – Fort Nelson, BC: 289 miles)
Again, not the best night and someone left the alarm
clock in the room set for 5:00 am. Kind of unfortunate. We finally
got up at 8:00 am, slowly got ready and left the motel. It was
cloudy, gray, and sad looking morning. Coffee and gasoline, our new
standard routine. We had relatively short day ahead of us so there
was nowhere to rush but it looked like there was not much to do or
see along the way either. Oh well … As we were leaving Dawson
Creek, sipping our coffee and driving toward Alaska, we were thinking
about all those scary stories we were told or read about the ALCAN
(gravel road, no services, wild animals, etc.). (Knocking on the
wood.) So far it has been pretty good. Roads were better than in
Michigan or other states, services are not ten miles apart but 40 to
50 miles is just fine and for the wild animals – we did not see any
yet!!! Dawson Creek looked really sad as we were leaving – all the
industrial sites lined up the road. Not much for next 50 miles or so
to Fort Saint John. We drove through interesting town called Taylor –
oil refinery, lumber production, etc. Saint John – visitor center
in the municipal hall (offices, ice rink, etc). Other than that there
was not much in the town. First storm of flurries. Our first snow so
far (not really snow but close enough). The road got wet and the
“storm” was over in twenty minutes. Few parks along the road
(closed for winter). Few towns and other attractions along the road –
way too far for us to go there (50 miles or so one way). Basically
just driving and driving. We tried to read, follow, and find
something in the Milepost but again because of the season there was
not much to do. There was great advertisement for a certain
restaurant-gas station, we stopped (gas station was one uncovered
pump), it was eight tables, tiny place and few sweets next to the
door. There are some things that are still different along this long
highway. After couple of days of being Monster Inc. (because of
feeling sick) J. finally felt better. We stopped at the rest stop
that had heated bathrooms (as described also in the Milepost). Second
flurries “storm” of the day. Probably again twenty minutes or so
of flurries, road wet, did not slow us down. Several parts of the
road was “very industrial” - it seems that there is some new oil
extraction or pipeline construction. We also saw several “work
camps” - bunch of trailers piled up together. Strange places. Other
than that … driving, driving, driving. Small part of the drive we
got some amazing views of the mountains in the distance. Again: no
wild life. Mostly straight and never ending roads. At 2:30 pm we
arrived to Fort Nelson (our destination for the night). About 5 and
half hours on the road. Visitor center – nice talk with the lady
there, nothing really to do in the town (swimming pool, cinema on
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, restaurants). Tomorrow they have
dog sledding race. We stopped by two guys who had their dogs out next
to the visitor center. Many friendly dogs. Short drive through the
town. Hotel. Some reading, television, and relaxing. This is our
third night between Vancouver and Anchorage, we have three nights
left. Tomorrow we will also hit the half point between those two
cities. Still very surreal that we are on the way to Alaska.
