North to Alaska 2007

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The End of the Story

We spent the night at the Tsawwassen ferry parking lot. There were no camping facilities for miles and since we were assigned a parking space at the ferry terminal, we figured we might as well stay there. All went well, save the hourly loudspeaker announcements to passengers boarding and exiting the ships.

The ship traffic is tremendous, with four ferry ships constantly traveling between Tsawwassen and Vancouver Island. Each ferry can handle 1,500 to 2,000 passengers and 400-500 vehicles.

Our plan was to catch the 8 AM ferry and enjoy the day in Victoria. The town of Victoria, which is the provincial capital of British Columbia is indeed on an island. It can be accessed by ferry service from Vancouver BC, or Bellingham, Seattle and Port Angeles Washington. Once you arrive on the island from Vancouver, you must travel 17 miles to the actual city. The ferry company has packages for passengers without a car. They load you onto an enormous bus and shuttle you into town. Their efficiency is remarkable. Gives the old school principal in me great pleasure to see such a well run organization.

We were dropped off in downtown Victoria around 10:15 AM. With a
blue sky and puffy clouds, we high tailed it to the legislative assembly buildings to capture some great photos. The weather can be rapidly changing and we didn't want to chance the skies going awry. Out of all the provincial capitals we have photographed on this trip, Victoria is certainly the most stately and beautiful. While the provinces only have unicameral legislatures (not a House and Senate) and they only meet twice a year, their edifices are nonetheless imposing.

The Queen of England still has a foothold in Canada. Most of us view Canada as an independent country, and they are, but they still consider themselves a part of the British Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth visited Victoria in 2002, but interestingly, Queen Victoria (for whom the town was named) never visited.

We had an opportunity to tour the interior of the legislative building and listen to a young woman in period costume portray Queen Victoria. She also willingly posed for tourists outside of the building.

Next, we headed down to the inner harbor area. This is the spot where cruise ships dock, as well as local whale watch boats and other excursions. The walkway surrounding the dock area is painted with local artisans, anxious to sell their work. Restaurants and other vendors dot the area.

One of the vendors was a rickshaw type company. Amid the horsedrawn

carriages, GrayLine tours, double decker buses and the like, a small group of fellows with powerful legs pedal tourists around town in a casual fashion. Knowledgeable about the history, architecture and attractions in Victoria, they provide a great narrative. We engaged one of them and enjoyed a two hour ride about town. I can't say we didn't feel guilty as he powered us up hills, but we felt less guilty as he coasted down again. We were able to stop when we wanted to snap a shot or two.

Victoria was a big stopping place during the Gold Rush. It also has deep connections with the Chinese who populated the area early in its history. The city of Vancouver currently has a 27% Chinese population so it is clear that they have played a big role in Vancouver's development. Many years ago however, the Chinese were the downtrodden and suffered significant discrimination. In fact, the children had to attend their own Chinese public school, segregated from the other children of Victoria. Still standing in Victoria's Chinatown today, the school is now used by local Chinese to teach their children the Chinese language on Saturdays.

Another area of note in the city is an area known as Bastion Square. An infamous judge named Judge Begbi gave a twisted meaning to the term, "hung jury". He was reputed to have hanged jury members that did not come to a verdict with which he could agree. Fortunately, his tenure as a judge was not sustained, but the area where he hung jurors is now a trendy area where locals and visitors enjoy an outdoor lunch and some shopping.

Tourism is obviously important to Victoria and it is apparent that they cater to visitors.

What a wonderful way to spend the last day of our Alaskan trip. Upon our return to Tsawwassen at 6:00, we drove the last 20 miles south and entered the United States at Blaine Washington. This entry is called the Peace Arch border. A large, white arch is prominently placed at the border with the phrase, "Brethren, dwelling together in unity."

We can unequivocally state that there truly is unity between Canada and the United States when it comes to the appreciation of the beauty and nature that abounds in Alaska, British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. It is clear the the people living in these regions value the environment in which they live and are happy to share it with visitors like you and me.

While we dealt with some tough roads, long days, and limited services, we wouldn't take away a day we spent. Our 35 day trek through Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Manitoba, Saskachewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon Territory and beautiful Alaska will always be a part of us. We would encourage anyone who has dreamt of, thought about or possibly considered a trip to Alaska to go! The scenery, wildlife and people are incomparable.

While it will take our little motor home a bit to recover from the bumps, holes, mud, dirt and bugs, the couple stone chips will be a reminder of this wonderful trip.

North to Alaska ends for us, but we hope all of you will plan a trip of your own. It should be high on your list of "things to do before you die."

We will take the next few days to head towards our home, stopping at state capitals along I-80.

Thanks for sharing this trip with us.

Dennis and Ilene MacDonald

Cache Creek to Vancouver

After washing all the mud, dirt, bugs, etc. from Alaska and Northern British Columbia, we set out for Vancouver. We stopped in a lovely town called Ashcroft and mysteriously our motor home gravitated towards the local bakery. Good thing we don't do that daily. Ashcroft is truly an oasis in a desert area. The hills and mountains around it are brown and the only vegetation is a type of sagebrush. The Thompson River runs through the town and valley and local farmers use the natural resource to irrigate the otherwise barren land. The contrast between the green fields and the lifeless hills is striking. Ashcroft was a stage coach stop and some of the historic homes are masterpieces.

We left Ashcroft, debating whether or not to fill up on diesel. No, we have a quarter tank and the gas will be cheaper down the road. When will we learn? The next town where we plan to get fuel has a huge sign over the "GAS" billboard marked, "CLOSED". Gulp. What to do...go back 48 kilometers or go south 37 kilometers. We know there is gas behind us. We live dangerously and head south. Little did we know that the 37 kilometers would possess hair pin turns, a gorgeous river running through the canyon and a train track to boot.

Rather than enjoy the scenery, I was biting my nails as Dennis stared at the gas gauge. You know how you can have 1/4 tank and then all at once it drops to nothing? That was the picture we had. Finally, we saw a "fuel ahead" sign and crossed our fingers that the station would have diesel. Yes! Our tank takes 100 litres of fuel. We put 97 litres in the tank. Too close for comfort. Note to self: when you see a gas station, fill up!

We took a few scenics along the Fraser River before the weather soured and turned to significant rain. It rained until we hit the outskirts of Vancouver. With just drizzle, we took a few pictures, including one of logs floating in the Fraser River. The logging companies cut the lodgepole pines, deliver them by truck and train to the river and put them in the water. They are then picked up by boats and taken to far off countries.

We headed for the Visitor's Center in downtown Vancouver. Despite the fact this city was recently named the best place in the world to live, we unfortunately took an artery that traveled through the worst part of town. Streets were filled with homeless and drug addicts. It really made you shudder to think that people live this way.

Finally finding our way to the visitor center, we parked in a "motorcycles only" parking place. There weren't any other options. We took some record shots of this beautiful town. One included a docked cruise ship, the convention center and our trusty (and clean!) motor home.

Vancouver is a happening place with young people everywhere. It is a haven for those passionate in the arts. A number of American film companies have studios there and Vancouver is often used as a prop for city shots. Michael J. Fox spent his teen years in the Vancouver area, and Vancouver has been called Hollywood North. They will be hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics, as well.

We fight the incredible traffic in a town that does not have the infrastructure to support the number of cars on the road. There is a very good mass transit system in place, but we guess that on Saturdays, everyone wants to drive their Saab, Audi or Nissan.

We were amazed however, at how respectful people were of the traffic signals. Back home, a yellow light means, "keep on trucking". A red light means, "better hurry." Here, when the light turned yellow, cars stopped. We then realized why; traffic cameras!

We head a bit south to the town of Tsawwassen. We plan to take the ferry to Victoria tomorrow. Another capital awaits us.

Forest Country

What is this? Answer at end of blog

It would be tough to have another day measure up to the bear adventures

we experienced yesterday. We left Prince George this morning, planning to put the pedal to the metal and head to Cache Creek. Our goal is to be in Vancouver for Sunday. We want to photograph some highlights in this popular city and Saturdays and Sundays are always best. You don't have the weekday traffic and it is easier to get around a big town.

Prince George, also known as British Columbia's northern capital, is built upon the lumber industry. Lodgepole pines grow in British Columbia like weeds and the lumber industry is the backbone of this region. We stopped to take a picture of Mr. P.G. He has been standing at the entrance to Prince George for forty years. He's a little odd looking, but cute.

Our travels took us through mile after mile of forests. The lumber industry understands this renewable product and has replanting as a part of doing business.

75 mile south of Prince George is the town of Quesnel. In this town of 8,000 people, 2,300 hundred work for one of the four lumber companies in town. From making MDF board to paper pulp, this town lives and breathes lumber. In a way, it reminds me of how Detroit was when the Big 3 automakers employed a large percentage of the working population. One would hope that this industry is safe, for the livelihoods of so many are dependent upon it. We walked up to an observatory platform constructed by the companies. It afforded a great view of the area and the encompassing forest industry.

We also captured a shot of an antique steam shovel in one of the town's parks. It was manufactured in Toledo, Ohio. We've come a long way...

In our travels during the day, we saw forests, rivers, farmland and cattle. When you drive along these roads, you understand how the real follks that live along this path don't really care what people in the big cities do. They are the salt of the earth. No airs about them, just hardworking, industrious folks.

One striking shot we captured was an incredible line of electrical wires. They are in stark contrast with the simple land on which they stand. How could something so powerful look so graceful?

This wasn't necessarily an exciting day, but an enjoyable one nevertheless. Tomorrow, Vancouver.

What is the image at the beginning of the blog?

Stacked lumber...ready for your neighborhood Lowe's or Home Depot.

In Search of Bears

Bound and determined to see more bear, we head to the Fish Creek Recreation Site again this morning. We had visions of dancing (well, okay prancing) bears in our heads. So, bright and early we pick up stakes and one more time cross the border into Hyder Alaska. This will definitely be our last time, at least for this trip.

Once in the U.S. we travel the 3.5 miles to the recreation site. We will not miss this rugged road. We chuckled because in the last two days we have seen several “road maintenance” trucks in the area. We’re just wondering what they are doing during the day? Maybe, salmon fishing?

We get the parking lot at 7:30 and can’t believe the number of vehicles already parked. Sure enough, the boardwalks are cluttered with tripods, cameras, lenses, binoculars, and hopeful photographers. The rangers on duty share that there was a mother black bear with three cubs in early, but the light was minimal and so picture taking wasn’t a possibility. Whether or not we would see them again was questionable. We did see an immature bald eagle and the bored photographers practiced their focusing and lens selection with the young eagle. Picture a boardwalk with probably twenty-five photographers. Almost all of them are on one side, hoping that the bears plop themselves on the small bluish-green pond for optimal picture taking. All lenses are directed this way. Someone quietly announces the presence of the immature eagle on the creek side and they all pick up stakes, moving to the other side of the boardwalk. Entertaining. It tempts you to say under your breath, “grizzly, six o’clock” and have everyone do a 180.

We had agreed that we would wait one hour and if nothing appeared, we would move on to our next destination. Time ticked away. Down to the last five minutes, one of the rangers became animated. He had heard rustling bushes across the road. We listened. Finally, we heard the sounds of the cubs. They were making high-pitched growling sounds. Then nothing. False alarm. The ranger said they probably went up the other way. Hopes dashed.

Getting ready to go, we hear the sounds again. Then, so bush movement. Then a newcomer from the parking lot alerted us to the mother bear, beginning to cross the road. The ranger instructed the new arrivals to stop in their tracks. He knew that the cubs were nearby and that the sow would be very protective. Hungry for pictures, the cameras started clicking. It wasn’t what everyone wanted; no bluish-green pond; rather a pot-holed dirt road. Well, you must strike when the iron is hot.

The mother bear continued to walk along the road, nervously looking behind her. “Where are those kids?” see seemed to be thinking. All at once, two of the cubs appeared from the bushes, one ambling and the other playfully running. Finally, the third cub appeared, literally bringing up the rear. They followed the mother bear and quickly disappeared into the woods on the other side. Knowing that they would soon reappear in the creek, we moved quickly to the boardwalk. Some of the photographers were still unaware of the bears’ presence. Everyone was dashing for the perfect spot. Where will the bears stop? Place your bets. Dennis and I went our separate ways, instinctively knowing to divide and conquer. Pity the poor nature photographer with a 600mm lens on the camera. These creatures were too close for such a lens. Scrambling to move down the boardwalk while fumbling with lens caps and tripods was not what one would want to be doing at a moment like this.

Oh, did the bears put on a show. It must have been our farewell party. Two of the cubs
playfully fought with each other. The third cub demonstrated his ability to quickly catch a salmon. He grabbed it, wrestled with the wriggling fish for a few seconds and then won the battle. The mother bear kept moving down the creek. It was if none of us were there. The four furry critters were oblivious to our presence. Mother finally took a fish, almost appearing to be giving a lesson to two of the cubs. The three of them enjoyed the feast. Again, two of the cubs did a playful fight. They were clearly having fun. There was water splashing, romping and swimming. The show lasted for ten minutes or so. They continued, following the stream.

Everyone was happy. Everyone had cooperated so that every lens that needed to be directed towards the foursome was permitted. It was a silent migration on the boardwalk. Everyone appreciated what he or she was witnessing.

What if we had left five minutes earlier? Perish the thought.

We happily retreated to our motor home, celebrated with a real breakfast of bacon and eggs. This was not a cereal kind of day.

We pulled out of the parking lot, satisfied. Less than a mile up the road, we spot the mother bear. Impossible. No, it was the mother bear. She was crossing the road again, annoyingly looking for those recalcitrant cubs. One by one they appeared. Once across the road, they began to climb the rocks, lumbering up the steep incline with relative ease. The mother rested at the top, while the cubs took different paths, exploring, chewing, scratching, and playing. The mother bear eyed an elderberry bush and enjoyed some dessert after a great salmon meal. The cubs ignored her, playing on the rocks. As quickly as they had appeared, they were gone. Up, up and higher they climbed. “The bear went over the mountain, the bear went over the mountain, the bear went over the mountain, to see what he could see.” Good old camp song still works.

We happily passed through Canadian Customs. We had almost become regulars. We grabbed a couple shots of the Stewart BC harbor before departing. One was of the small harbor area with some colorful pleasure craft. The other was of a ship taking on copper ore, locally mined. Stewart is also a big port for lumber. Lumber is cut from the interior of the province, transported by truck and then dropped into the harbor. The floating logs are then picked up by boats from as far away as Japan and China. A local told us that the Japanese ships have cutting equipment on board and by the time the ship is back in Japan, 2/3 of the logs have been transformed into pieces of lumber. The proprietor of a general store in Hyder Alaska said that the locals collect "stray" logs that drift away from the large groupings. They put rope around the logs. Each person has a different color or type of rope and everyone in town knows who has what. If you put rope around some logs, it is "hands off" for everyone else. He says it is a respected practice and everyone knows of the local rule. Of course, this is also a town that proudly advertises "no tax". One might think that this town would just as soon not have any government at all. They have their own rules and the rules are working.

We continued our journey towards Prince George about 350 miles from where we were. By now it was almost 11:00 and we had some miles to cover. The terrain was a mixture of hills and farms. The combination made for beautiful scenics.

Unbelievably, we saw three more bears, all in separate locations. We had a beary good day.

Glacier With Bears On The Side

Can you name me?Answer at end of today's blog

The time is waning for our Alaska/Canada trip and what a perfect place to begin closing the book. We are camping in Stewart BC

but will travel less than a mile this

morning into Hyder Alaska.

As mentioned earlier, these two sister towns blur the lines when it comes to borders. Stewart is larger with a whopping 699 residents, while Hyder has a mere 83 people. Despite the fact that Hyder should be on Alaska Time, they ignore the “rules” and follow the Pacific Time Zone, as does BC. The children from Hyder attend Canadian schools (not sure what they do when “Oh, Canada” is sung). Hyder also uniquely has a Canadian phone area code. If you ask the residents of Hyder about being Alaskan, they will make sure you know they are loyal and proud Americans.

Hyder’s other claim to fame is the largest number of bars per capita in all of Alaska. We didn’t see an Alcoholics Anonymous branch here, but it might be needed. How else would one spend the winters here? Last year they had 35 feet of snow and they still had remnants of the snow on Fourth of July. One of the storeowners showed us a picture she took in her front yard on the 4th. The photo had snow covered ground, a beer can and an American flag. Uncle Sam would be proud.

Stewart appears to have the infrastructure thing down a bit better than Hyder. The streets of Stewart are paved and they have fashioned some curb like designs near their sidewalks. When you approach the border to Hyder however, the primitive roads and unkempt appearance of the storefronts take you back. We didn’t find one unhappy person however and none of them seem ready to move. One thing for certain, there needn't be any worry about pork barrel projects taking place here. Not a one.

Hyder has a couple motels, a pizza joint, one campground (aptly called, Camp Runamuck) and gorgeous scenery everywhere. Three miles outside of town is Fish Creek. Established as a U.S. Forest Service Recreation Site, it is also the romping ground of grizzly and black bear. They frequent the area morning, noon and night. There are so many bear making appearances that the government decided to build a railed walkway to protect people. On a given day you will see hundreds of people anxious to see a bear. Since fish creek is a popular spawning area for chum and pink salmon, it is a smorgasbord for the bear. The area is surrounded with elderberries, huckleberries, blueberries and raspberries. The salmon add to the tempting location. We not only saw black bear while there, we saw an enormous grizzly on the road, as well as a mother and baby cub black bear. We also saw an animal we had difficulty identifying. Can you? (Answer at the end)

Once we had watched for bear and salmon, we headed up a 23 mile unpaved road to Salmon Glacier. While on this road, you move in and out of the U.S. and Canadian borders. Neither country has the road crew out taking care of business, but it doesn’t seem to hamper the traffic and number of visitors anxious to get a glimpse of this glacial delight. We were able to photograph what is known as the “toe” of the glacier, as well as the summit. Salmon Glacier is the world’s largest glacier accessible by road.

While at the glacier and the creek, we saw a variety of beautiful flowers. Some were alpine type, others boreal.

We still marvel in the beauty of Alaska and Canada. How sad that these places are so far from our home.

This cute little critter is a hoary marmot.