On our way to the Liard Hot Springs Lodge/Campground we stopped at Tetsa River Services for one of their cinnamon rolls. This was another stop for the Caravan photo scavenger contest. We traveled over Summit Pass which is the highest point on the Alaska Highway at 4,250 feet. I was surprised that this would be the highest point, since we were at the lowest point the previous day.
Continue reading “Liard Hot Springs: Bears, Caribou and Bison 07/23/2019”Fort Nelson: Mule Deer Up Close and Personal 07/22/2019
We started our trip North heading to Fort Nelson on the Alaska Highway early on Monday morning. Unfortunately, we had barely made it out of town when a buck ran into our Jeep and tore off the rear driver’s fender and inner wheel well. I did not even know we had hit anything but Randy saw parts fly up in the air from his outside mirror. The driver behind us saved our parts as she blocked the road so no one could run over them. She told Randy the deer shook himself off and took off up the other bank. There was blood and some hair on the fender so I am not sure if he survived, but at least he has a chance since he took off.
Continue reading “Fort Nelson: Mule Deer Up Close and Personal 07/22/2019”Dawson Creek: Walter Wright Pioneer Village and Windshield Repair 07/20 – 07/21/2019
We left Hinton/Jasper on Friday morning, heading to Dawson Creek using Scenic Rt. 40 North. It was a bumpy ride on a 2 lane road but we made good time; even with some construction. We were going too fast to get any pictures of the bear, beaver, white tail and mule deer and caribou that we saw. They all take off as soon as they hear the rattle of our diesel engines. They don’t feel as protected as the animals in the parks and run away as soon as we get close.
Continue reading “Dawson Creek: Walter Wright Pioneer Village and Windshield Repair 07/20 – 07/21/2019”Banff and Jasper: Columbia Icefields, Johnson Canyon, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Wildlife 07/15 – 07/19/2019
We had a short drive from Calgary to Banff where we stayed in Banff Tunnel Mountain Village II. Since we did not have full hookups in Calgary, we made a stop at the rest stop so we could dump. We knew we needed empty tanks because Banff also did not have full hookups, but fortunately we did get 50-amp electric which we didn’t think we would get.
Continue reading “Banff and Jasper: Columbia Icefields, Johnson Canyon, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Wildlife 07/15 – 07/19/2019”Calgary: Alberta, Frank Slide and Stampede 07/12 – 07/14/2019
We left Calgary at 7:45 so that we could get to Calgary by early afternoon. We traveled through some beautiful scenery traveling along the Elk River. Saw several beaver dams; some right along the road. Also several herds of Elk in some of the valleys but so far have not spotted any moose-even though it looks like a good area for them. We saw lots of caution moose signs, even thought we did not see any. We were told the moose love the canola and to look for them in the fields.
Continue reading “Calgary: Alberta, Frank Slide and Stampede 07/12 – 07/14/2019”Fort Steele 07/11/2019
We left Blackwell Island RV Park in Coeur, d’Arlene early this morning so that we could get to Fort Steele in time to visit the Fort Steele Heritage Town. We had no problems on the drive and surprisingly no problems crossing the border at Eastport/Kingsgate, British Columbia. They really didn’t ask too much about anything in the motorhome except to ask whether we were carrying any guns and have we ever carried any guns in the motorhome. They asked where we were from, where we were going, and what were Maryland gun laws in regard to carrying a concealed weapon. Probably the easiest crossing ever.
Continue reading “Fort Steele 07/11/2019”Butte, Montana to Coeur d’Arlene, Idaho – Start of the Fantasy RV Tour 07/10/2019
After leaving Cody, Wyoming, we stopped for 2 nights in Butte, Montana. At one time it was a thriving town, but due to steep, continuous declines in copper prices the Berkeley operation was shut down in 1982. Currently there is only a very limited amount of mining in operation and the population has shrunk considerably. We took a trolley ride to learn the history of the town and to view the mining area. The guide told us there was still a lot of pride in the city, but that jobs have been lost and many people have left the town. As part of the tour we viewed the Berkeley Pit. The Pit is 7,200 feet long, 5,600 feet wide and 1,780 feet deep. The current volume of water is 40 billion gallons of polluted water, that rises an average of 1 foot per month. Sirens went off during our tour which happens when any flock of birds tries to land in the water or anywhere near the Pit. These sirens were put in place to protect the birds from the contaminated water. From what the guide told us, it appears the EPA and the mining owners have been in contentious discussions for many years on how to clean up the contamination.
Continue reading “Butte, Montana to Coeur d’Arlene, Idaho – Start of the Fantasy RV Tour 07/10/2019”