YEE-HAW! Today is the first leg of the journey to the Far North! But first, I stopped at the visitor's center to take a couple of snapshots. The first explains the history of Dawson Creek. The second explains why the Alaska Highway is world-renown:
I hope you can click on the phototo the right and read about the Alaska Highway. Troops and civilians from "America's Greatest Generation" created the highway as a war effort in record time. I am honored to experience the results of their effort!
As you can see, yesterday's photo of a very "pudgy" me at the town entrance was an obvious aberration, and a humungous breach of civility. Either that or last night's diet of tree bark works wonders...As might be expected in such harsh winter climate, improvements have been made over the decades to this highway. Nevertheless, shortly out of town, tourists have the opportunity to traverse one of the original timber-constructed bridges still operating on the highway.
The photo to the left shows the intricate support structure used by our troops. The photo to the right reveals the original wooden roadway of the bridge still functioning today!
Today one of the locals told me that the yellow flower covering the fields for acres and acres is canola. Well, there you go. Whoda thunk?
And in the meantime, 1,387 miles of the Alaska Highway welcomed me ...
...all the way to Fort Nelson where there just isn't very much:
Laissez les bon temps roulez, y'all!
Your photos of the Dawson Creek signs are quite clear. I was able to read it all without a problem--though the sign on the history of the highway could use some touching up.
ReplyDeleteI am glad your diet of watercress and tree bark has paid off. I think Jeff has a recipe for tree bark quiche. Maybe I'll get him to pass it along. ;-)
The photo of the canola field is absolutely stunning. I literally gasped when it popped up. Thanks for sharing it!
I loved the photos of the bridge as well. It reminds me of the old bridge over the Hiwassee River in Tenneessee. When I was in Sea Explorer Scouts, we used to cross it on the way to launch our canoes on the river--which is a minor whitewater river. That bridge was not as well maintained as the one in your photos however. It had holes, loose bolts, and the occasional missing plank. It was quite an adventure to cross. It has since been replaced with a modern bridge. Obviously it's much safer, but it's not nearly as exciting to cross.
Ft. Nelson looks like they do what a lot of tiny towns do--make the most of what they've got. It's colorful at least!