Cloudy, chilly, raining in the afternoon and evening.
We left the remote wilderness campground at Latremouille Lake this morning and continued west on Hwy. 24 to Hwy. 97 just south of 100 Mile House. At 100 Mile House we stopped at the Bank of Montreal to deposit a cheque, then went to the municipal sani-dump station to refill our freshwater tank. Last stop in town was Dollar Tree to buy a few items we needed. We stopped for lunch ( and a brief nap for me ) at the rest area adjacent to the 108 Mile House Museum.
We continued north on Hwy. 97 to Williams Lake. First stop there was Surplus Herby's. WOO-HOO ! What fun ! We bought a few items ... nothing we really needed, just neat stuff, purchased on impulse. We drove to the Williams Lake Visitor Information Centre where I used their free Wi-Fi to post my weekly journal to my blog. Joanne picked up quite a bit of travel information for this trip, and another we are planning in the fall to the Bella Coola area. The Williams Lake Visitor Information Centre is housed in an astounding log building, built by the local log home builder, the iconic Pioneer Log Homes, "star" of the television show "Timber Kings". As we drove into town we could see how very close last year's wildfires came to Pioneer Log Homes building and log storage yard. YIKES ... close call !
We continued north on Hwy. 97 from Williams Lake. We decided to stop for the night, around 6:30 PM, at a nice roadside rest area where we have overnight boondocked at least a couple of times before. It was raining, and we were getting tired, cold, and hungry. Joanne said she preferred to boondock at the pretty rest area than the alternative which was Wal-Mart in Quesnel, about an hour north of here.
Monday ; Hwy. 97 rest area near Kersley to Hogsback Lake Forest Service campground
Mix of sun, clouds, and rain.
We left the rest area this morning and continued north on Hwy. 97 to Quesnel. We needed diesel and were planning to refill at the Extra Foods Fuel Bar, but when we got there ... it was closed for renovations / reconstruction. I decided to chance continuing all the way to Prince George before refuelling. I broke a hand mirror this morning, so we stopped at Dollarama ( didn't have what I wanted ) and Dollar Tree to buy a new hand mirror. At Quesnel's excellent municipal sani-dump station we dumped our grey and black waste holding tanks, and refilled with freshwater.
We continued north on Hwy 97 towards Prince George. Shortly before reaching Prince George we stopped at a roadside rest area and had lunch. Once in Prince George we headed to Superstore where I refilled with diesel and we bought groceries. I selected $150 worth of fuel on the pump's pre-select, and ... that wasn't even quite enough to fill the truck's tank !
We left Prince George headed west on Yellowhead Hwy. 16 towards Vanderhoof. Shortly before reaching Vanderhoof we decided to leave the highway to check out a Forest Service remote wilderness campground. We drove about 13 km. / 8 miles south of the highway to reach Hogsback Lake Forest Service Recreation Site. It was worth
it ! We chose to stay for the night.
We were the only campers at the six site remote wilderness campground. We chose a lovely site overlooking the lake. After settling in we went for a long walk ... mostly uphill ... with Ozzie, exploring the campground and lake area. I started a campfire, and ... threw a fishing line into the lake. Joanne made a salad, and we "roasted weenies" over the campfire for supper. MMMMM ... good hot dogs ! Didn't catch any fish !
Tuesday ; Hogsback Lake to Sowchea Bay Provincial Park
Cloudy, chilly, ten or fifteen minutes of heavy rain every hour or so.
Before leaving Hogsback Lake this morning Emma was very ill, and ... Ozzie was a very bad dog ! By the time all was said and done ... I felt demoralized, discouraged, and defeated. I just wanted to drive a thousand km. back home and go to sleep ! Joanne had the strength and patience to get both of us to a better place. Thank you !
We left Hogsback Lake, drove back to Yellowhead Hwy. 16, and west to Vanderhoof. We drove around Vanderhoof awhile, checking out their municipal campground and sani-dump station, and the Rotary Club campground. A bit further west on Yellowhead Hwy. 16 we turned north on Hwy. 27 to Fort St. James. In Fort St. James we found our way to Cottonwood Park, home of the municipal campground and sani-dump station. We refilled our freshwater tank, then drove around town and Lakeshore Drive sightseeing for awhile. We returned to Cottonwood Park, parked on the shoreline of Stuart Lake, and had lunch. I napped briefly then we drove back through town and found Sowchea Road.
Fifteen km. south of town along the south shore of Stuart Lake was Paarens Beach Provincial Park. We drove around the provincial park campground then continued south on Sowchea Road another five km. to Sowchea Bay Provincial Park. After driving through the second provincial park's campground we chose to stay there at Sowchea Bay. We chose a lakeshore site, got parked and set up, then went for a long walk through the campground and along the shoreline with Ozzie. Well ... as much of a long walk as my very painful right knee would allow. I have been experiencing quite severe knee pain the last few days. Driving seems to be aggravating my often sore knees.
It was much too cold and wet for another campfire tonight.
Wednesday ; Sowchea Bay Provincial Park to Co-op Lake Forest Service campground
Mix of sun and clouds, mild temperature.
Late this morning we left Sowchea Bay Provincial Park and drove north on Sowchea Road back to the town of Fort St. James, and then found our way to the Fort St. James National Historic Site, a federal government operated, recreated Hudson Bay trading post. As we were paying our entrance fee we found out that the site is dog friendly, so we returned to the camper to get Ozzie who was waiting with Emma in the camper for our return.
WOO-HOO ... thought Ozzie ! And he really did enjoy the adventure of traipsing along with us through this recreated and re-enacted Hudson Bay trading post. He particularly seemed to enjoy the scents of the Fur Store, filled with furs ; beaver, fox, coyote, wolf, lynx, marten, bear, muskrat, even skunk pelts. Behind the "Officer's Dwelling House" there was a garden area and ... CHICKENS ! WOO-HOO, WOO-HOO, WOO-HOO ... thought Ozzie. HA HA HA ! Good thing he was on a leash ! After touring the site we returned Ozzie to the camper and went back into the site to have a late lunch at the fort's Commemoration Café.
After leaving Fort St. James National Historic Site we drove into town and found the library. I went inside and used their free Wi-Fi to check e-mail and get some other online work done, including preparing and submitting a trailer towing quote. From the library we went to Cottonwood Park and once again used the town's municipal
sani-dump station to refill the camper's freshwater tank and dump the grey and black waste holding tanks. By then it was almost 5 PM and we had to decide whether to return to one of the two local provincial park campgrounds or ... hit the road ! We chose the latter. Was there any doubt ? HA HA HA !
South on Hwy. 27 back to Yellowhead Hwy. 16, then west. In between the towns of Fraser Lake and Burns Lake we turned north off the highway onto Augier Lake Forest Service Road and found our way to Co-op Lake Forest Service remote wilderness campground where we spent the night. We've been here before. We took Ozzie for a walk, and checked out the lake and campground. WOW ... countless numbers of tadpoles in the shallow water along the shoreline. Haven't seen tadpoles since I was ... well ... a tadpole myself ! HA HA HA ! We did some trip planning in the camper before having a late, light supper.
Today while driving we saw a large, red fox leap across the road, and later, an antlered moose running awkwardly beside the road.
Thursday ; Co-op Lake to Owen Lake Forest Service campground
Overcast, mild, occasional rain.
This morning we left the Co-op Lake remote wilderness campground, drove a short distance south on the Augier Lake Forest Service Road back to Yellowhead Hwy. 16, then west to the town of Burns Lake. First stop in town was the municipal sani-dump station to dump our grey and black waste holding tanks and refill the freshwater tank. Then BG Fuels to refill with diesel. We went to the Visitor Information Centre to get some information on the Burns Lake to Houston "circle route" we wanted to explore, and I checked e-mail using their free Wi-Fi. We stopped at a bakery to buy some bread, buns and pastries, then drove to the municipal campground to have lunch. HMMM ... free camping at the municipal campground. How nice !
After lunch we headed south on Hwy. 35 to Francois Lake, then west along the lakeshore checking all the Forest Service Recreation Site remote wilderness campgrounds around Francois Lake ; McLure Pit, Government Pit, East Noralee, West Noralee, and finally, Francois Lake West. We stopped at West Noralee for about an hour and I had a nap. From the west side of Francois Lake we headed west on Owen Lake East Forest Service Road then north on Morice - Owen Lake Forest Service Road to Owen Lake campground.
We had the Owen Lake remote wilderness campground all to ourselves. I lit a campfire while Joanne prepared foil packets of chicken and vegetables. While Joanne handled the cooking of dinner over the campfire I went fishing for about half an hour, catching nothing. After supper we went for a long walk with Ozzie, wandering around the campground area, and the lake and dock, and over to a nearby bridge over a creek.
Friday ; Owen Lake to Sunset Lake FSRS
Overcast, chilly, raining frequently. That's getting tiresome !
We left Owen Lake this morning and continued north on Morice - Owens Forest Service Road. Shortly after we started driving we encountered a female Black Bear and her two little cubs on the road. How cute ! How's your porridge, Mama ? HA HA HA ! We stopped at Aspen Forest Service Recreation Site on the Morice River to check out the remote wilderness campground, but decided to continue on. Morice - Owens Forest Service Road ended at Yellowhead Hwy. 16, at the town of Houston.
At Houston’s municipal sani-dump station we refilled our freshwater tank then parked at the adjacent municipal park. We walked through the park to see Houston's tourist attraction, "the world's largest fly fishing road" and ... WOO-HOO ... the weekly farmers' market. We love farmers' markets. WOO-HOO, WOO-HOO, WOO-HOO ... freshly picked, wild Morel mushrooms. What a delicacy! What a rarity ! ! ! What a reasonable price ! I bought half a pound, which is a lot of mushrooms. And a jar of home made Saskatoon jam.
We had lunch in the camper then drove to the town's shopping mall. While Joanne went into the supermarket to buy some milk, I went across the street to the Visitor Information Centre to use Wi-Fi to check e-mail. Oh, goody ! Just what I wanted to download ... then read. Ten documents pertaining to our RV park's recent AGM.
We left Houston continuing east on Yellowhead Hwy. 16, and near Topley we turned off the highway to find Sunset Lake Forest Service Recreation Site remote wilderness campground. We had been here before. It's nice ! It was empty when we arrived around 4 PM but within an hour or so began to fill up with a lot of other campers arriving. Oh, yeah ... it's Friday ... and we're near a small city ! I napped for an hour.
I fished for about half an hour, but did not catch anything. I lit a campfire and we had another "weenie roast" for supper. After supper I worked in the camper, downloading and processing the photos I have taken so far on this trip. AND ... < sigh > ... reading out loud and discussing with Joanne the ten AGM documents. We certainly are glad that we keep ourselves isolated from the foolish drama of our park's politics !
Saturday ; Sunset Lake to Burns Lake
Mix of sun and clouds, cold.
This morning we left Sunset Lake remote wilderness campground, drove back to Yellowhead Hwy. 16, and headed east back to the town of Burns Lake. First stop was the municipal sani-dump station where we emptied our grey and black waste holding tanks, and refilled our freshwater tank. At the building supplies store adjacent to the sani-dump station we refilled an empty propane tank. We drove to the laundromat in town and Joanne did laundry. We had lunch in the camper while the laundry was washing.
After the laundering was all done we went to the Visitor Information Centre where
I checked e-mail and uploaded six days of my weekly journal to my blog, saved as a draft. Tomorrow I will return to the Visitor Information Centre, and will have to upload only this / today's entry to complete my weekly posting. We went to a Dollar Store and bought some supplies for the camper, then to BG Fuels and refilled with diesel again. Finally we went to the municipal free campground and selected a site.
Our "next door neighbours" were a young couple from Switzerland, with a rental
Class C motorhome, returning from a trip to Alaska. They were trying to chop wood with a hatchet, and were having difficulty. I lent him my large axe to use. We took Ozzie for a long walk around the municipal park adjacent to the campground. Around the large perimeter walkway in the park were a series of fitness equipment machines.
I had a good cardiac exercise workout on the machines in conjunction with our long walk with Ozzie.
I did some work on the computer before we prepared supper, then we prepared creamy pasta with Morel mushrooms. MMMMMMMMMM ! ! ! WOW ... they were SOOOOO good ! It's been over fifty years since I last had Morels. And ... < whispering > ...
I never did like the way my mother prepared them !
DSK
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