Road Trip 2010: Day 55: Dawson Creek to Prince George.

Folks were up early on Monday as we all had another long day ahead of us and we didn’t want to miss saying one final adieu to our traveling companions. In the confusion of the morning, I turned right instead of left out of the campground and had to make a U-turn at the first intersection after Terry beat me over the head with the Milepost.

Monday, August 2, was a Provincial Holiday in British Columbia. As a result, our trip from Dawson Creek to Prince George went without any construction delays. They’re rebuilding a good portion of Highway 97 through Pine Pass and delays as you await the pilot car could be half an hour or so—but not this day!

The first fifty or so miles out of Dawson Creek on Highway 97 was reminiscent of Pennsylvania with its rolling farm fields. The difference her was that it was almost exclusively hay. I don’t recall seeing one field of wheat, corn or any crop. And, without much in the way of dairy production visible from the highway, I was wondering where all those huge rolled up hay bales were going. We did see one or two dairy farms but they weren’t that large. And the few ranches we saw running beef weren’t all that large either. There were also a few horse farms, several of which bragged about raising long-legged, sleek-looking walkers. Still there was an awful lot of hay being produced. Even if they only get this one cut up here (and it looks like that may be the case) the farmer will have one heck of a chore cutting, turning and then baling the square miles of fields. Then he’s got to move all those bales off the field.

We spotted several mule deer and one curious black bear along the side of the road. There was also one beautiful looking tan yearling horse that looked to have gotten separated from Ma and was casting about along the side of the road for a way to get back to her. You have to love weak fences and/or open range!

We stopped in Chetwynd to take a look at the chainsaw carvings they have lining the road and walking paths throughout the town. Chetwynd is the home of the International Chainsaw Carving Championship—an early June event that draws artists from all around the world—and many of their works are on display. The detail these pieces contain is amazing.

Terry at the Welcome sign with friends.

The Aerie (I want one!)

The Deep Blue Sea

Samurai Warrior

Feeding Frenzy

RCMP and his Pal

Carved Bench

Chain saw carvings were not the only art in town. Like many of Canada's western towns, murals occupied many of the otherwise blank walls.

Pinecone Inn

Fish mural on Realtor's wall

Once out of Chetwynd, we were back in “mountain country.” Actually, this is the northern end of the Rocky Mountain Range.

Northern end of the Rocky Mountains near Pine Pass

Northern end of the Rocky Mountains near Pine Pass

Lake Azouzetta near Pine Pass on the Hart Highway

Quite pretty in its own right if not as spectacular as the mountains we have seen in Alaska, the Yukon and northern BC.

Waterfalls. BC must be envious of Niagara Falls in the east and all those falls coming off the glaciers and falling into the waters off Alaska. Every trickle of water that falls a few feet gets a billing:

Bijoux Falls Provincial Park

Bijoux Falls

We arrived in Prince George around 3:30 PM and parked our rig in a soon to be overcrowded campground. (We weren’t supposed to be here until tomorrow and another caravan arrived around 5.) At 6 PM we all gathered for a pizza party in the open slot behind Rig #2, our Tail Gunner.