The Home Stretch

Getting out of Ft. St. John, I drove down to Dawson Creek.  I wanted to see some of the city, as in the past I usually have just skirted the city.  So I went downtown and tried to see the visitor center.  It was closed.  Apparently, there are not enough visitors in May for them to bother opening the Center.  Fooey on them!  I took the picture posted earlier and stopped to refuel.  Since there was a Tim Horton shop attached to the gas station, I thought I would check it out.  I am not a fan.  However, I must note that the employees of the shop were very, very nice.  I just did not care for the coffee OR the doughnuts.

After the previous day's events, this day was a drag.  It was just driving through some admittedly beautiful country, but just a drive.  The roads are all paved, and other than some slight delays for construction, it was no real challenge.  I ended up at Lac La Hache at a campground right on the lake (The Provincial Parks were all still closed).  I opted to pitch my tent for the night because there was a very nice lawn.

Plus, I was right next to the facilities!  Bonus!

But the real bonus was falling asleep and then waking up to the loons calling on the lake.  I believe it is one of the most beautiful and haunting sounds of nature.  What a way to start the day.

From Lac La Hache, it was a drive through the Fraser River Canyon, one of my favorite parts of this drive.  In the upper reaches near Ashcroft and Spence's Bridge, it is through dry country.  In the lower reaches, it is through the canyon and trees, leading you finally to Hope, and the flat lands of the coast.

Near Abbotsford, I encountered what would be the first of several traffic jams.  On a beautiful Saturday, everyone was out and driving.  The traffic was backed up for a few miles, but finally cleared, and I was able to get to the border at Sumas and cross with no delay.  The agent at the border, like so many others, wanted to know what the orange things on the roof were for.  I told him they were so I could find the car in the parking lot.  Fortunately, he had a sense of humor, and let me in.  I did relent and tell him they were like sand ladders to help get out of sand or mud or deep snow.  

My original routing plan was to cross Deception Pass onto Whidbey Island, and take the ferry to Port Townsend and drive over Hood Canal to Lofall where my brother John lives.  Ferry waits were two hours nd going up, so I decided to drive around.  That is, drive south through Seattle and Tacoma, then up into Kitsap County through Bremerton, Silverdale, Poulsbo, etc.  Great idea, right?  Well, it was the only alternative, but it was a lengthy, stressful drive.

The traffic was awful.  I was not happy, and part of the unhappiness was related to a faulty tire pressure sensor that kept telling me I had a low tire.  Checking the pressure on the left front tire near I-5 does not rate high on my "Things I Like To Do" list.  (By the next day, it had sorted itself out).  

But in the end, I wound up here where my brother John "works" as a caretaker.  As you can see, it is right on the water.  I am angling for a job as an assistant caretaker because (a) he clearly (in my mind) needs help and (b) I like it here.

On Sunday, we drove up to see Wayne The Welder.  He wasn't home, but he had started on the trailer frame.  This is what we found.

It's a start, the next step in the adventure.