Saturday, July 5

The Alaska Highway that we are driving is not the same road that the Army Corps of Engineers built in 1942 . That one was gravel, and this is paved, and it has been much improved over the years. Many curves have been eliminated, mountains bypassed, and as a result it is now shorter than it was.The mileposts are gone as well, removed in 1975 when Canada opted for metrification. We saw precious few kilometer posts, however, so my little hand-held GPS is handy for telling us where we are in this vast expanse of road, where landmarks are few and far between.

We awoke to rain at our campsite in Pink Mountain, and after Fort Nelson the weather got worse; we went over Steamboat Mountain in total fog. A while later, as we approached the Tetsa River Services and Campground at mile 357, their sign advertising themselves as the "Cinnamon Bun Center of the Galactic Cluster" lured us in; we were ready for a break. The store was charming, Archie the proprietor good for many laughs, and the cinnamon buns outstanding. We had not yet finished eating ours when a woman dressed in a long white dress with a black leather jacket over it walked in and asked for the wash room . She then mentioned something about getting married, and I asked her if that was a wedding dress under the jacket, and indeed it was. Pretty soon the groom walked in, and we learned that they had been planning to be flown by a bush pilot to a backwoods lake for the ceremony, but since the weather had made that impossible, they would be married here at the picnic shelter, and they needed Archie for a witness in place of the pilot. Before we knew what was happening, we had been swept into the wedding party and were taking photographs for them. The reading from first Corinthians was briefly interrupted while the bride swatted a mosquito, and everyone laughed. It was a joyous occasion, and we were happy to be part of it.

The delay from the wedding turned to our advantage as the weather improved, and we were able to enjoy our reentry into the Rocky Mountains. Our goal for the day was the Liard Hot Springs at mile 477, with an adjoining campground. Unlike the modern facility at Miette Hot Springs, where the sulfur is removed from the water and it is then chlorinated, Liard Hot Springs remains quite close to its natural state, with a strong smell of sulfur. A boardwalk through marsh and forest glen leads to the two pools that are open to the public. The farther one, which we chose to try first, is deep and totally natural, except for wooden steps for entry. The only bench is a partially submerged fallen tree on the opposite side. The closer pool (pictured) is hotter, and it has been developed just enough to make it more comfortable. Gravel covers the mud bottom, and a small dam creates a waterfall under which you can sit and let the hot water pour over your shoulders. Divine!