Driving the Stewart-Cassiar Highway

I left Whitehorse yesterday morning and headed east towards Watson Lake, and turned down onto the 37 Highway otherwise known as the Stewart-Cassiar highway. It winds through the mountains, past many lakes and rivers, and is quite an interesting drive.  Jade City is a small blip along the highway where there is an operating jade mine. I picked up a few things, including this gorgeous jade ring. The young gals who worked at the gift shop were quite smitten with my van, and left a message on the chalkboard.  I also left my mark on a rock not far from town.


The weather has been both sunny and pissing down rain. I don't mind either.  I found myself in a bit of a mess though at one point as the water trucks had soaked down a stretch of unpaved highway with their chemical shit, and a big truck went by me and soaked Karma in muck...and I couldn't figure out how to get the windshield wiper fluid to come out! T'was a bit dicey for awhile as I roared through the mountains on slimy dirt road peering out through nothing more than a crack of clean in a mucky window. I finally pulled over and sorted that issue out, learning from the book that the fluid can only shoot out when the wiper handle is in the 4th position...


Then the rain came and washed Karma clean again. I'm parked at Meziadin Lake campground for the night. There are no powered sites, but oddly enough, there is wireless internet...they run a generator for a few hours a day to power the office and a wireless router. My computer was dead from spending last night at a campground with no power, watching ER, so I had to charge it in the shop first before I could access the internet.


I saw a ton of wildlife yesterday and today, particularly. I saw many bears, mostly black, and one grizzly. At one point I was rounding a hill and saw what looked like three bears, and just as I was about to pass them, as they were RIGHT at the edge of the road, mumma bear stood upright between her two cubs and faced me!!! I had thought about slowing down for pics, but when she stood up, that was a clear message to bugger off and keep driving. I saw two caribou, who ran across the road in front of me, as well as two moose, munching roadside, and then ran off into the woods.  I just love all of the wildlife, as it gives me such a natural high to see them in their natural environment. I did get a video of the two caribou, so will post that when there is better internet than this sluggish campsite bit.


Houston tomorrow, to visit with my sister and her family. Can't wait to see my little nephews, who are growing up so very fast. They are 5, 8, and 9. Where has the time gone?