Northern Streamin': Lake McLeod, BC to Dawson Creek, BC

The Canada geese are up early enjoying the lake. Nature’s wake-up call, but 4am, really??

So, we’re up early too and hit the road for a shorter day of driving. We pass through the tiny town of McLeod Lake, population 70, which has the distinction of being the first European settlement west of the Rockies.

We drive into the Rocky Mountain Trench, the western boundary of the Rocky Mountains. It’s like driving beside a formidable, yet gorgeous wall. We see a beautiful black bear out for an early morning look-see. He has his snout in the air as if scenting the fragrance of the brand new day.

There is a lotta water around here, lakes, streams, rivers, bogs and wetlands. We can see a bit of Bijoux Falls from the road, so we flip a uie, not an especially easy task, and go back. The water comes from way up high and falls every which way in a mad rush over downed timber and rock. Each waterfall has its own freestyle. There is a group of 5 Steller's Jays, (cobalt blue), having breakfast on the picnic table. They must be enjoying the remnants of some people food.

The city of Chetwynd will host the International Chainsaw Carving Championship next weekend. Wouldn’t that have been fun to see? Many of the previous years’ winners are displayed along a pathway and they are amazingly intricate. A squid with bumpy tentacles, a moose with zigzagged antlers, bears, a mermaid, a hummingbird and Odin himself are just a few of the imaginative carved statues. I’m gonna have to check this out on YouTube. It’s hard to fathom how they accomplish this with a chainsaw. Long winters lead to inventive talents.

Rolling fields of rape seed adorn the approach to Dawson Creek. The rape is just starting to bloom and the yellow is delicately swirled within the green. Another lovely picture filed in memory.

We check into the Mile 0 RV Park, unhitch the trailer, and set out to investigate a little. Dawson Creek is mile 0 of, and the official beginning of, the AlCan Highway. We find a walking tour map at the visitor’s center which orients us to the small downtown area. In the center of the two main cross streets is a Mile Zero post with flags flying. We learn that there is another historic Mile Zero marker, a stone cairn near where we will turn onto the highway tomorrow. Jim poses for photos at both sites. Big day.

At the Alaska Highway House there are displays and videos detailing the phenomenal construction of the highway. Who knew that the AlCan Highway was built as a military supply route during World War II? Two months after Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt approved the highway and sent the Army Corps of Engineers to accomplish an unbelievable feat. On April 11, 1942, seven regiments, (of which 3 were African American) were deployed to build the 1500 mile route. They were asked to do it in less than 8 months. They worked in weather ranging from 30-40 degrees below zero to hot and muggy, slept in tents and ate a lot of Spam. They dealt with muskeg (frozen wet lands) and permafrost (ground that has been frozen for 2 or more years), all of which became soggy with deep mud as it thawed when it was cleared. The solution was to lay down “corduroy” which consisted of stripped trees laid down like a boardwalk and acted as insulation for the road bed as they floated above the mud. It was painstaking manual labor. Engineers were scouting the route, and finding a course through the Rockies wasn’t easy), as the road was being built behind them. Meanwhile, the Japanese attacked Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands killing 100 people and seized another two islands thereby occupying American territory for the first time. Additional attacks on Alaska Territory were feared and the AlCan was seen as an heroic effort to enable the transport of big guns and troops.

The participation of the African American troops was another story as they were segregated within the army and were seen as unsuited for work in cold climates. They persevered and proved themselves admirably. Someone should write a book and make it into a movie. Plenty of trauma and drama for a best selling block buster.

We stop by the Butcher Block, an old fashioned meat market and pick up some fresh hamburger to grill for tonight’s dinner. Burgers will go into the rye buns from the Dawson Creek bakery.

Wildlife count: 1 black bear, 5 Steller's Jays

Airstreams: 0

Miles: 166

Gratitudes: PKB: The way Jim handles our “rig”….backing up, flipping uies, dodging animals. JMB: happy to be here

Gin Score: J: 470 P: 600