Canada!

"Oh Canada, oh Canada, how lovely are your maple leaves!" 

(So goes Ariel's favorite Canadian song-to the tune of "Oh Christmas Tree")

I am writing to you from the great white north!  We have been in Canada before, but only just over the border to deliver something, and then right back into the US.  This trip is different.  We are IN CANADA folks!  Right now we're in Prince George, BC and then tomorrow we deliver in Grande Prarie, AB.  Get out a map and look at it, it's SO north!  Wondering why on the map, the whole country looks white?  That's because the whole country IS white!  I don't know how cold it is right now, cause the temp. gauge on our truck is on the fritz again (last I checked it said 90F).  Using my exceptional observational skills though, I'd say it's at last a hundred degrees below zero, but that's just an educated guess. :)  

Amanda doing an interpretive Canadian rest stop pee dance, it was quite inspired (actually the truth- this is Amanda showing me her disgruntledness with my repeated picture taking of her)

We drove through some absolutely gorgeous mountain ranges yesterday and today.  Frozen lakes, snow laden trees, towering white mountains lit up by the moon, snow/ice crystals blowing in the air looking like magic pixie dust in the sun.  

"Middle of Nowhere"-Canadian wilderness, with the moon still up and the sun rising 

There is apparently quite a lot of wild life to see out here too.  We've heard there are bears, wolves, and coyotes, and we have seen signs to watch out for deer, moose, big horn sheep in the road, & multiple badger crossing signs (seriously!).  Ariel told me she saw a bald eagle today while she was driving, and almost hit a doe & buck that crossed right in front of her! So far that's the only real wildlife we've seen, but I still have my fingers crossed for a moose.




Last night I stopped at a pull out to pee (cause there really aren't many places to stop, especially not ones with bathrooms).  As I was standing there relieving myself (I'd explain, but I think that'll have to be it's own separate post), I was struck by the complete silence.  It was literally just me and the truck, out in the middle of the wilderness.  I could see a tree and snow covered mountain off to the left of me that literally looked like cgi, because it was so surreal and pristine.  All I could hear was the wind in the trees.  It was one of the more inspiring bathroom experiences of my life. :)  It was also a little scary, cause as soon as I realized I was completely alone, I started imagining a coyote strolling up over the mound of snow, and me with my pants down...

Not to worry, nobody's been eaten yet. :)

Ariel took a lot of pictures of the incredible scenery, I'll try to get them added soon, so you can see them.  Internet is hard to come by, but I'll do my best.

PS-The stereotype that Canadians are nice is true.  The stories you've heard about the border crossing guards in BC being really cranky are also true.  It's kind of like the troll under the bridge, if you can get past the grumpy people who have had to deal with too many Americans in their lives, you can get into the country and meet the rest of the Canadians who are just nice to everybody.  Thank you, most Canadians, for making our stay pleasant and friendly. :)

-Amanda

P.S.

This is the area we stopped where the snow banks and blanketed fields were twinkling like piles of diamonds and the air all around us was filled with sparkles, it really did seem like magic pixie dust falling on a magic land that looked like scenes from the Narnia of the White Witch. With the whole countryside covered and inundated with snow and ice every stationary thing encrusted in white left to be frozen in time and a stillness about you...

As I drove through the wilds of this great northern land I started imagining those who long ago bravely ventured out here to conquer new frontier to exhibit humanity's ability to persevere and overcome. So crazy to me, as I drove over a road in a heated cab headed towards some kind of civilization that would have food/shelter and amenities and still out here in the middle of nowhere could feel the further I went the city girl inside of me feeling smaller and more vulnerable and almost alone in the world. Surrounded by harsh conditions. What might it have been like for those courageous wild souls who forged out this way with none of the modern conveniences that I traveled with. How tough and strong and brave they had to be!

I could have started feeling like a pansy thinking of these brave settlers and fur trappers of old in contrast to us... but then we have made it this far and we did it by way of the small two lane, windy, icy/snowy middle of nowhere roads and worse....the back woods Canadian rest stops...

which are all exactly the same....a whole in the ground (no big deal) but they had open air windows, completely open  air in literally freeze your butt of below freezing temps. using ice toilet paper....it has been an invigorating experience to say the least of crossing the Canadian tundra (",)

ICE CRYSTALS adhering to anything that stands still for more than 5 seconds,
after using the biffy I had to defrost my bum

At a Husky gas station/truck stop I got to chatting with a friendly worker and she shared some of her story and the story of the land and the people who had lived there for years. She talked of how strong and resilient the people out here in the ranching/mining country were. She was especially focused on the strength and prowess of the women. She said that women worked alongside the men, mining, and trucking just the same. She said even in the trapping days there were women who set out into this wild wild west to trap and settle for themselves. WOW! talk about women power....pretty amazing! 

She told me that so much history had happened where we were now journeying. BC 97 is apparently the original route of the historic road-"Old Cariboo Road" that once was a thoroughfare for horses and carriages for the first settlers, trappers, and fur traders. We passed 70 mile house which was the original spot of the first roadhouse built in 1862, for stagecoaches to stop. I'm now very curious to read more of the history of the place and people who first settled here, sure to be many thrilling and intriguing stories, in this majestic & powerful land...

Frozen lake La Hach- (in the background, this huge lake completely frozen over and covered in feet of snow I saw snowmobile tracks on it)

SUNRISE AT COSTCO- PRINCE GEORGE, BC, CAN

We are still alive, though I'm now off to drive even more north and east into even wilder Canadian wilds to reach Grand Prarie, Alberta...wonder if we'll see any moose, caribou, or ravenous bears. (The lady actually told me a story of worrying for her friend who lived out of cell reception and being concerned if she couldn't make it down the road advising that the friend carry a shotgun in case she had to walk incase of coyotes, wolves, & Bears. We have been traveling most of our days out of cell reception and our Qualcomm signal. If you see breaking news of two American girls in the Canadian wilds and a picture of two fighting back throngs of wild beasts with plastic knives, then you'll know that it is us (",). Until we have internet again have a lovely week

 eh!

-Ariel

"WOOHOO! LIVIN' THE GOOD LIFE"-
(Ariel sporting her daytime-drivers glasses and 'manda sneakin' in the pic while cozy in her bed bunk)