Saturday, July 21, 2012

Headed to Summit Lake and Beyond

From Fort Nelson to Summit Lake is uphill all the way.  200 miles of uphillness.
 
Saturday, July 21, 2012

We spent last night in Chetwynd.  It is nothing like I remember it from when Jesse and I stopped here with a flat tire.  Then again, I don’t remember much of anything, or things have changed so much that they are unrememberable.

There was a wonderful thunderstorm last night.  First the thunderheads built up over the hills, then they moved over the campground and turned pink, orange, purple and glowing.  Finally, there was lightning – the kind that fills the whole sky. 

The towns are getting farther apart now, and the population is sparser.  Along the way we passed lots of abandoned log buildings:  houses, barns, sheds, outbuildings.  It makes me wonder what happened to the people who used to live in them. Did they move into town? Did everyone in the family die and no one wanted the property?  This road is full of untold or forgotten stories.

So far, no wildlife, even though the signs promised big-horn sheep.

The plan for today was to make it to Liard Hot Springs, but that’s 400+ miles, so we may settle for Summit Lake and explore the hot springs Sunday if the weather’s not too hot to leave the dogs in the truck.  In a stunning reversal of karma, what I can do is determined by the dogs and their comfort.  Not so stunning, really, and I appreciate their company so much that I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe and comfortable.

One more cup of coffee, then time to pack the trailer, load the dogs, head to Dawson Creek, buy gas before I need it, buy ice because I need it and see what this day brings.

No comments:

Post a Comment