Twilight Zone
Trip Start
Sep 18, 2005
1
12
15
Trip End
Oct 02, 2005
Liard Hot Springs,
British Columbia,
Canada
Thursday, September 29, 2005
I started the day driving back to Dawson Creek and grabbing a coffee- it was the last pay at the pump that I would see for a while. I headed towards Ft. Nelson- ramping up my speed occasionally because there weren't any other cars. On the way, I managed to half-way hit a squirrel. I tried to slow down- but then I felt the thud. He must have bounced, because when I looked back through my mirror, he was wobbling around. Then he got to his feet and ran to the side of the road. I hope he's okay.
Ft. Nelson was dusty and industrial and very unexciting. I stopped at an A&W for lunch and left. I hit a construction jam- twenty minutes we waited as cars began to line up behind me. They had closed half the road off- had to wait for oncoming traffic to come through. It was (evidently) a long stretch.
The rest of the road was lonely and secluded. I passed so much scenery today as I struggled against suspension bridges with the wobbly lanes and roads made of cemented together rocks and patches of loose gravel. But the weather was drizzly and overcast- horrible for photos. I passed two lakes today- Muncho and Summit- the road was carved into the side of the mountain- ran right by the lake. It was amazing. But the lakes were dark from the overcast clouds. And the gray mountains made it seem more dreary than I would've liked.
I had a good wildlife day though- caribou, buffalo, and sheep, oh my. A family of caribou decided to trip into the middle of the road in front of me.
Liard in the dark
For a moment, I was afraid they were just going to hang out there- but parental caribou herded their young one away and I drove on. I also saw some wild buffalo- a few standing on the side of the road. Huge animals... and there was a sheep- a bighorn probably. Not to mention the coyote, the squirrel, and a small mouse-like thing. My destination was Liard Hot Springs- and I nearly passed it. I came into the area around 5:30. It was murky dark and cool. The air felt strange. Liard Hot Springs might be a boom town in the summer. In the fall, it has turned to a single restaurant/hotel with a few quiet stragglers, and a couple of beat up trucks outside. I drove by it- then doubled back. I checked into the campground and had some problems finding the actual "sites" since no one else was there. By the time I was set up, it was really getting dark. But I meandered over to the hot springs for a look.
There is a boardwalk through the marsh and I was confident I would run into a bear or moose. No such luck. I went quickly- like I said, the air felt strange. I just wanted to take some photos and see these springs. But when I arrived, I was inspired and unhappy I had decided not to wear my swimsuit. Despite the chill in the air, the springs and the surroundings were as warm and lush as a rainforest. Where elsewhere there was brown and gray- the springs were green and colorful. Orchids grow there year round. I think I'll go for a swim in the morning.
