1020 August 23, 2023 Just Breathe

We skipped our morning exercise and we were on the road by 7:15am.  The grass was heavy with dew.  There were patches of low-lying fog above the lakes, in the treetops, and among the mountains. 

The views were so pretty.  There were blue skies and lots of sunshine.  We were trying this morning to be grateful for all the good things as we made our way.  Every kilometer takes us closer to home and to help.  I was trying to keep good track of exactly where we were.  I wanted to be able to have a mile marker if we needed to call for help. 

I saw a porcupine by the road.  His quills were almost indistinguishable from the tall grasses that surrounded him; but I caught movement and watched him plow through the vegetation.

We stopped for on board propane in Watson Lake.  Now, no matter what, we will be warm and we can have hot showers!

We had cell service and so Tim called Inland Truck and Equipment in Fort Saint John.  They were able to agree to see us on Friday morning to run a scan.  Unfortunately, they could not schedule us for service until September 5^th.  One step at a time…

After Watson Lake, we passed from the Yukon into British Columbia.  This is where we saw black bear #1.  We didn’t notice him until we were passing him.

We could see black bear #2 from a distance.  We were able to pull over to watch him.  He was munching on the roadside grass.  He turned then and walked toward us.  They say that if an animal changes his behavior in response to your presence, then it is time to leave.  Tim guessed that this bear was large enough that he could have risen on his hind legs and put his paws on Tim’s window ledge.  He was a big guy!  Was he looking for food from us?  He wasn’t at all aggressive nor was he timid.

At km900, we saw a herd of 18 wood bison along both sides of the highway.  It was a mixed group of mamas and babies and we believe that the largest of them all was a bull.  The highway sign indicated that the bison range extended 180 km along the highway. 

70 kilometers later, we saw a sow and her two tiny cubs. 

Just before noon, I looked over at the dashboard and the check engine light was OFF!  Now we happy again.  We were afraid to be hopeful.  Tim’s watch told him that it was time to stand up.  My watch told me it was time to practice mindfulness and breathe.  I said that we should just keep driving!

At km800 we saw another smaller bear.

At km750 we saw a large male bison.

We stopped for lunch at the Muncho Lake Viewpoint.

Shortly after that, we saw stone sheep in the road.

We stopped again at another scenic turnout along the lake.  I couldn’t resist and had to take off my shoes and socks and I waded into the really cold glacial water.

This view was the picture of the day.

We saw a pair of loons as they came up from a deep dive.  They noticed us and dove again.

This is the most beautiful portion of the Alaska Highway.  This is the same stretch where we saw lots of wildlife on our way to Alaska 2 months ago.  This part of the road extends 200 miles through the Northern Rockies and it is simply spectacular; the lakes and rivers, the imposing mountains, the winding and rolling route and today we had perfect weather.

We stopped to rest for awhile at the Racing River.

We saw a caribou and then another.

We saw more stone sheep.

3 more caribou.

We saw another pair of caribou as we passed Summit Lake; a mama and a baby.

There was a brief rain shower and then just the hint of a broad rainbow.

The pavement then was brand new and smooth for a long distance.

We saw a smaller back bear.

Some stormy clouds.

We could see in the distance a brownish haze and there was the faint smell of smoke as we approached Fort Nelson.  There are many wildfires in the areas to the north.  The entire population of Yellowknife, some 20,000 people, were evacuated last week as the fire encroaches on the town. 

There was roadwork and we waited for and then followed the pilot car.

We saw 2 more black bears, one on each side of the road.

Then, we saw black bear #10 a cub, by the edge of the forest.

We arrived in Fort Nelson at around 5:30pm.  We filled the RV with diesel and then we headed to Napa to get more DEF.  Napa closed a little early today and so we got none.  We decided to go the Triple G Hideaway for dinner and then we returned to Napa where we will overnight so that we can get our DEF before leaving town in the morning. 

Today we experienced a rollercoaster ride of emotions.  From frustrated and worried to very cautiously optimistic.  We have been trying to keep our spirits up.  We offer reassurance to one another that we have got this.  We stay positive.  We try to control what we can and we hope for the best.  So far, that engine light is still off.