Day 21 What to do today

random bear photo from day 17 because I didn't take any photos today.

Cartoon aficionados will get this:

Templeton: mom, what are we going to do today?

Me: the same thing we do every day, Temp, drive, stop for gas, and drive until I’m tired. LOL

253 miles today- Canyon Creek RV Park to Red Hill Rest Area. The first 90 were slow and challenging. Once again the rain was non-stop and the tire grooves full of water. So difficult! I can tell I’ve clutched the steering wheel a fair amount in the last 3 weeks by the calluses forming on my palms where my rings are! Good grief! LOL

Today’s drive was a repeat of last months drive up. My first stop was the Hixon gas station. I had a great chat with a young woman who grew up there. She said there’s a resurgence in the little community with dances and a parade and other activities. It was much more active when she was a kid (she’s in her early 20s, I’d say), then it became sedate. New people are moving in with new energy so that helps. They move in for the land and not to develop it- just to enjoy the space. As we were talking several guys came in buying beer- really at 9am? Hmmm…

I was stopped for yet more road construction. Most of it during the last couple of days has been paving. While sitting at this one I noticed they’re also widening the road. The sad part of that is it’s located right where a badger crossing sign is; the only badger sign on my entire trip. Bulldozers, backhoes, new side roads, the whole works. Probably can take that sign down.

The autumn colors are happening along this section of driving. They're once again a subtle gold of aspen and cottonwoods. The area has a lot of rangeland- basically parked out areas with large forested areas. Unfortunately, there were a fair number of cows, including some mucking around in several of the beautiful ponds. I also saw a small feedlot full of cows. I hadn’t noticed cows on the way up so I wonder if the cows were recently brought down from the high country? There were never more than 50 or so in a group that I could see.

I stopped at the 108 Mile Heritage House and rest area. There are several buildings from the 1800s that can be viewed into through wire mesh at the doors. It’s a great place to stop and stretch your legs. Templeton and I went into one of the little museum gift shops and I found some homemade apple-bacon dog treats. There were several other flavors but we chose that one. Yummy!

Tonight’s camp spot will be the Red Hill Rest Area- where I began this amazing journey. At least it won’t be 90+ degrees this time!

Every day is full of ravens. I’m going to miss them. We have them in Washington however, they aren’t found everywhere like British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Alaska. It's a mystical place when you can find them.

Random selfie from Day 13- Denali Highway. One of only 2 I took on the trip. The Alaska Range is behind me.

Wildlife- osprey, red-tail hawks, quite a few kestrels, bald eagles,  magpie, peregrine falcon, western meadowlarks, crows, brewers blackbirds. 

Lesson #21 Journeys are one big wonderful circle!

Day 1 Fry Baby Fry

The mountains are calling and I must go! John Muir

Ready to go!

Also ready to go.

230 miles- Home to Red Hill Rest Area. After a late start I hit the road north to Sumas. It didn’t help that there was a huge traffic back up from Conway through Mt. Vernon. Then somehow I managed to take the slow route to the border arriving even later; only to be pulled aside for a search. Apparently the 3 weeks to Alaska from Washington State meant this hippie-looking tattooed woman was likely either gun-toting or pot-smoking or both. What a time that was. They even searched my purse and made me empty my pockets. I tried to tell them I’m too old and broke for pot but guess they didn’t believe me. I’m pretty sure they got really excited, though when they found the white sage in a little pouch with my Sedona stones. It took me a few minutes to figure out what was all over the truck seat. Once I finally survived that ordeal I hit the road toward Hope B.C. - right into a huge traffic backup! Things were not going well. Then, I didn’t realize my route didn’t take me through Hope and I was low on gas. That’s when one is not picky and stops at whatever station appears. Of course, the credit union debit card was rejected (many times). Apparently, the office and the security people didn’t talk about my trip so they locked up the card which just happens to have the most money in the account! Fortunately, I had a few bucks in my bank account and credit cards.

Highway 1 follows the Fraser River and later the Thompson River through some pretty spectacular scenery. Much like the Yakima Canyon outside of Ellensburg Washington. There were even signs warning of bighorn sheep on the road. I never did see any.

Lots of tunnels along this highway!

View along the way.

It was a very long day and we only made it 230 miles. I decided to stop at the Red Hill Rest Area just south of Ashcroft. It has a bank of clean outhouses and a picnic area located a ways from them. I can’t believe how hot it was; well into the 90s. Even the breeze was hot. Plus- I wasn’t expecting a sagebrush-ponderosa pine-rabbit brush landscape! It was a miserably hot night for both Templeton and me. I kept the 12v fan on all night which provided minor relief.

Dinner at 6:15 in the heat (don’t ask what I ate). I rearranged the weight load in the truck in the morning because the 5 gallons of gas, ice chest, and generator were too much weight at the back of the truck bed. I have a 5 gallon container of water at the front of the bed so I put the gas can on the other side to balance it. This made a tremendous difference in how the truck handles. Braking is better but next time I want the electric brakes hooked into my truck.

Our camp spot near the picnic area

Lesson #1- always go pee before crossing the border. If they decide to pull you over they will not let you go until they have asked you a million questions over and over and searched your purse and person.