Friday 9th July 2010…2 steps across the border!!!!

Leaving Terrace Thursday morning after a leisurely breakfast and reading an old English newspaper.  The drive to the start of the Cassiar Junction was through thick forest and sights like this one…

This is one of the oldest Anglican Churches in BC…St.Pauls built in 1893 and made of wood.

This map may help showing where I am, where I intend to go and my destination…

I came up the 37 and I turned left onto 37A and went to Stewart and Hyder and Thursday night I stopped for the night just about where the A on the 37A is and this morning I drove back to the 37 turned left and headed for Iskut!!!

Saw this on the way too quick to get a good photo but it is my first view of heli-logging!!

Anyway back to the 37A this 40 mile trip to Stewart is very pretty and the Bear Glacier is a wonder to behold…

This glacier is so opalescent and blue….

It was used as a back drop in the movie Insomnia starring Robin Williams, Al Pacino and Hillary Swank!!

Stewart is really a one street town

and as you continue you come to this

I parked before I crossed over and checked with Canadian Border patrol that I could return to Canada without my passport…was told yes… so off I go again into the good old US of A…..there is no American border patrol, nothing, nada and the only difference between the Canadian and US road is that the Canadian one is paved and the US gravel…..Hyder really is a back water run down place but I wanted to go here…

The best place in the north to see grizzly and black bears BUT I knew I was being optimistic because the salmon were not running but what the heck got to try…

The boardwalk and river are very pretty

The wardens informed me they had not seen a bear for two days and if I came back in about 10 days when the salmon arrive….this will be a big decision for me when I leave Iskut on the 19th whether to make a detour of about 4 hours to see the bears, I think maybe yes but I am on a rather strict schedule on the way back…

I came back to the Canadian Border crossing

Was asked for my driver’s licence,  no more questions  and away I went.

It was getting close to 7pm and I found this spot to spend the night.

 

Lovely but the mosquitoes were on overtime patrol!!!!!!!

A long hot shower, dinner, tea and a couple of cookies and a movie and I was ready for bed and my 300 km drive to see Sara in Iskut in the morning….

I played tennis for a while last night with some mosquitoes I think the mosquitoes won the contest!!!!  Still I had a good sleep, must have I didn’t wake till 9am!!!!

Strawberries and yogurt and a cup of tea and I was ready for the road again.

These were the sights along the road which was paved in good condition and I saw a few recreational vehicles coming in the opposite direction but hardly any traffic going the same way as I was.

Call of nature stop!!!  

Yes I know since Sara is not travelling with me Ramona’s bathroom facilities are not being used to the max!!

This is another decision for the journey back…

They are offering helicopter rides for 49 dollars per person, minimum 2 people, for an 8 minute flight…I stopped and checked it out and of course it would cost me 100 bucks unless I could join another group, very remote so highly unlikely, so shall I stop and pay on the way back?  Please feel free to leave a comment about this and returning to the bear watching facilities on the way back, always appreciate your comments!!

Ready for lunch and this was my stop

It was a good stop and now I am only about 30 miles from Iskut and of course looking forward to seeing a certain remote nurse!!!

Arrived in Iskut at 4pm it was a very slow drive as I knew I had lots of time….I found the community clinic and Sara looks great and she gets off work in less than an hour so I am waiting in the parking area….hope I can get Internet at her apartment.

I think my friend Croft scared me a little with this being a long and remote drive on less than good highways but things must have changed since he was here because all the highways were paved and if I wanted I could have driven at 90km per hour….not a problem, lovely scenery but no wildlife as yet.

Amazing 7 days ago we were in Cottingham, England saying goodbye to Janet and Malc after an incredible holiday there and now in the wilderness of Northern BC…….Ramona behaved well except for last night as I turned the hot water off in the shower I think I frayed the screw on the knob and could not turn the water off….I just turned the water pump off at the main switch and will have to see if I can get some help with the hot water knob….Croft, Paco, Kirby and suggestions you all know what a handy man I am!!!!!!

Well I think Sara is not on call tomorrow so will explore the little community and see what it is all about…wish you all a great weekend.