Sep 6, 2012 - Prince Rupert BC

We started the morning traveling the Cranberry Junction road back out to Highway 37.  We saw one critter that we could not identify, possible a fox but it was such a short glimpse that we could not be positive. After a little WWS in Terrace BC we headed to Prince Rupert.  After securing a camping spot we went for a drive hoping to see a wolf on the tidal flats, only problem the it was high tide and will be at the only times we will be able to go out looking.  Looks like the possibilities of seeing wolves in Prince Rupert are not likely this...

Aug 30, 2012 - Prince Rupert

Thursday -- Being uncerimoniously dumped at the Alaska Ferry Terminal at 2:45 this morning was unexpected. We thought we could pass through Customs and circle back into the B.C. Ferries side of the terminal to sleep in the car until the Backpackers Hostel opened. Nope! We prowled around town in the dark failing to find a parking spot near a public bathroom and finally settled on the Safeway lot. We found out later that Tim Horton's opened at 4:00. At 7:00 our Tim Horton's egg/ham wrap and bagel were standard fast food but the coffee was...

Aug 21, 2012 - Travel Day, Prince Rupert to Telkwa Along The Yellowhead Highway

8-21 Travel Day, Prince Rupert to Telkwa Along The Yellowhead Highway Cloudy and 61 Degrees, Later Clearing and Some Sun Stayed at Fort Telkwa Riverfront RV Park We now have a few travel days ahead of us before some really exciting places to stop. Our trip 9 years ago to the national parks in the Canadian Rockies had been my very favorite trip until Alaska! The Yellowhead Highway actually ends in Prince Rupert, so as we left, we headed back up the Yellowhead and retraced our steps on eastward. We had a pretty drive along the Skeena River...

Aug 20, 2012 - A Day in Prince Rupert

8-20 A Day in Prince Rupert Drizzly and Cool Staying at Prince Rupert RV Park Today was sightseeing day in Prince Rupert. Our first stop was in a recreation area to head out the trail to Butze rapids, reversing tidal rapids. We all started out together, but unfortunately the trail was very hilly, and I quickly decided it was one of those days my back was not going to tolerate the hiking. Mike and Tim and Terri went on, and I made a very slow return back up hill to the truck. My reward for sitting alone for 2 hours was a trip to McDonalds....

Aug 19, 2012 - Stewart-Hyder To Prince Rupert, British Columbia

8-19 Stewart-Hyder To Prince Rupert, British Columbia 10 AM 49 Degrees and Sunny, 12 PM 72, 4 PM 82, 6 PM Back to 62 Degrees Stayed at Prince Rupert RV Park We were up before 6 this morning, and headed out shortly afterward for the Fish Creek boardwalk to watch for bears and especially the wolves that were there yesterday. It was amazing how many people were there. There were individuals plus a tour bus from Belgium. Everyone chatted very quietly and waited patiently, but when we finally left about 9AM, everyone else was leaving, too. There...

Aug 14, 2012 - Prince Rupert, BC

August 12 We had to check in for the ferry this morning at 5:30 am. The weather was foggy and the ride was somewhat choppy. The ferry arrived in Prince Rupert, BC this afternoon. It took some time to de-board. Everyone had to get off since Prince Rupert was the last stop for this ferry. We camped at Kinnikinnick RV Park in Port Edward. August 13 We drove into Prince Rupert this morning. We saw the Sunken Gardens with lots of flowers, Port Authority Museum, and breakfast at Smiles Seafood Café, where we enjoyed fresh squeezed pineapple juice...

Aug 3, 2012 - Day 101, drive to Vanderhoof

Day 101, Friday, August 03, 2012 We drove about 300 miles today. Leaving Terrace, we had to backtrack to the junction of the Cassiar Highway and then turn east on the Yellowhead Highway. We passed through several towns, Hazelton, Smithers and Houston. Yes, Houston. Rob wasn’t ready to stop yet so on we went. The landscape has changed since we left the coast and are moving inland. There was a snow capped mountain with glaciers at Smithers but after that the land was more rounded forested mountains and hills and open pastures. The communities...

Aug 2, 2012 - Day 100, drive to Prince Rupert

Day 100, Thursday, August 02, 2012 One hundred days on the road and we are into August. It seem like things are winding down a little. We are at the point where we are looking at the map and deciding which highway we will take home. We have four more weeks to enjoy before then. This area is the only known place where there are Kermodei bears, also called spirit bears. They are black bears but if both parents carry a particular recessive gene, the cub will be born with white fur. They are very reclusive and rarely spotted but we have seen...

Jun 2, 2012 - On dry ground again

This morning at 3:30am we finally left the ferry after about 36 hours of on and off in different ports. The last place for us the visit was Ketchikan in Alaska and we are now again on Canadian soil in Prince Rupert, BC. Just a couple of notes on our last experiences; one was a rain forest park and one of their attractions were upside down trees. The owner got the inspiration from nature itself when during a mudslide some trees ended up broken and stuck in the mud up side down. New growth of other plants appeared on top of it and soon...

Sep 21, 2011 - Rock’n and a Roll’n

WOW…Rock’n and a Roll’n past the break of dawn! After leaving Ketchikan ,the ship maintained her south easterly course across the Queen Charlotte Sound. We experienced 12 to 15 foot swells from late evening until we arrived in the Seymour Narrows mid-afternoon today, I’m certain 95% of crew and passengers did not sleep well last night. Other than “extreme sea legs”, it was a laid back day. Packing up and getting our baggage ready for disembarkation at 9 am tomorrow. There were numerous whale and dolphin sightings in the late afternoon....

Aug 26, 2011 - Prince Rupert, B.C

Day 62 By 6:30 AM we were in line at the Ketchikan Alaska ferry terminal staging area. There were about a dozen RVs and vehicles towing fishing boats that were loaded onto the ferry. Our ship came in from Wrangell. Only a few vehicles dis-boarded. One of them was a VW Super Beatle, a Google “Street View” camera car. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera handy. Mary Anne drove the car onto the ferry, as usual, and was startled when the ferry attendant said he wanted her to park in a space between two vehicles. He was most kind in offering...

Jul 15, 2011 - Meeting people on the ferry

The girls were magnets to any kids their age or older - they got chummy with a softball team from Juneau headed for Ketchikan for a game. Nice as can be, these girls sat and chatted with Ava and Brooke, watched "Despicable Me" with them, colored on the floor, and let them listen to their iPods. It was a fantastic break for me. Their listening skills seem to have left them while on board and it's been a bit of a challenge on little sleep. Luckily there were many families like us that were sympathetic. It's amazing to think that this entire...