0060 10th July - Williston to Chadron (Where ??)

Woke up at 6 am, looked out the window, and all I could see was black black black – Rain, and heavy rain, was obviously imminent.  And out here in this part of the world, they don’t do weather by halves, and after the heat and haze of yesterday, I knew something was afoot today !!   So realising that, I said loudly “Ah ha”, (as you say when you know something is afoot), and sprang (loosely speaking) from my bed, and packed up.  Having breakfasted and packed, I toddled off for a shower at 6.30 am – Only to find that everything is locked up till 9 am !!  Crumby camp site.  So I was on the road by 6.32 am – A new record for this trip (apart from when we had to catch a 5.30 am ferry on Vancouver Island.)   A couple of pics of some of the motorhomes in the camp site which have had every space and hole filled with plywood and foam-filler to try to keep the cold out in the winter !!  Some obviously more successfully than others !!

0059 9th July - Moon Lake to Williston

Woke up to a perfect sunny morning overlooking Moon Lake.  While I was having breakfast, the camp host came round for a chat, and he said it was even better at 5.30 am when he went fishing on the lake, which at that time was covered by a light mist !!  I slept in till 7 am and missed it again !!!  Dang it !!

Coming out of the national park was a delightful morning drive on a small road through the forests and past numerous lakes, but once out of the Park and on the main road south, it was basically pretty flat, boring and uninteresting.  However, I will qualify that by saying that I was enjoying the nothingness – It is a part of the word that many people do not see, preferring instead to follow the more interesting and more frequented routes either down the west coast, or down through Colorado.

0058 8th July - Churchill to Moon Lake

Woke up fairly early, settled up with Colleen for the campsite, and headed into Thompson to fuel up and get some food supplies for the trip south – Remember I had emptied my larder and turned my fridge off while I left Troopie parked for 3 days while I had been in Churchill.  I had calculated that if I filled up with fuel in Thompson at the more expensive Canadian fuel prices ($1.30 per litre), I should be able to get to the US border before I had to fuel up again at $1.05 a litre.  Very helpful to have enough fuel capacity to be able to travel over 1200 kms without refuelling !!

0057 4-7th July - Churchill

Well, after waiting so long to go to Churchill, today was the day !!  Woke up early, breakfasted and packed some clothes for 3 or 4 days into my back pack, parked Troopie out in the car park, and waiting for Colleen, the camp site owner, to pick me up at 7 am and take me to the airport.  I had the last available seat on the plane until next Monday, 8^th July !  The flight out is amazing – You realise why there are no roads up here – It is all water !!  Just as far as you can see.

0056 3rd July - Lake Deschambault to Thompson

At midnight, just before I turned in, I took a couple of pics of the moon over the lake – Rather pretty, I thought. Then as I left, I noticed a bunch of butterflies near one of the taps, enjoying the moisture in the morning.  With temps up around 27 deg C in the days at the moment, they are probably needing all the water they can get.

0055 2nd July - Lac Vert to Lke Deschambault

While breaking camp this morning, first surprise was when my neighbours asked me if I had seen the black bear that had been wandering around the campsite for most of the night !!  Moi ?  No, I was snoring !!

Next surprise was when they hitched up a boat behind their caravan – a triple !!  Apparently allowed only in Saskatchewan – In Alberta you can tow a boat trailer behind a 5^th wheel, but only in Saskatchewan behind a caravan !!   I would like to see them backing up !!  Hmmm

Packed up, and went to the office and found they were open !!  So had myself a good shower, and hit the road.

0054 1st July - Garner Lake to Green Lake

Must have been tired – slept right through till 10.00 am !!  Got up, breakfasted, and was on the road by 11 am.  Even the camp maintenance lady stopped at my site while I was having breakfast to chat about my trip, and to wish me a Happy Canada Day !!  Very nice of her. 

Not the most exciting day of travel, but it certainly turned out to be interesting nevertheless.  Alberta seems to be rolling fields and agriculture and cattle – Not really a lot to see.  Oddly enough there were several signs off to cross country ski areas but I couldn’t see any hills, and as we were only at about 500 metres ASL all day, not sure where they do it – Unless they just do it across the rolling fields !!!  A hazy morning cleared to fairly clear sunshine all day, with a temp of about 24 deg C.  Very pleasant driving with the windows down, and my music playing all day !!