"North to Alaska"...Day 22...Tuesday, June 25, 2013

I stayed up much later than usual las night. Although the temperature dropped fifteen degrees or so after dinner, I was in a beer and great music "groove" until after 11:00.
So...this morning, I'm up a little later. Morning cigar, coffee from the thermos...the "usual".
While Bill's packing up, I run into town for gas. Back at the campground, I check out at the office, but the "hottie" who was working the desk is not there this morning. We were actually lucky to get a site here at this campground...it's basically full/packed. Most of the "residents" are oil field workers. They head to the fields during the week, then back to the campground for the weekend. The oil boom here in northern Alberta is apparent everywhere...wells all over, high employment levels and excellent wages.
Around 9:30 or so, Bill and I are off to Dawson Creek...an 80 mile drive. Weather is sunny and warm...nice.
We take our time with the drive and arrive in Dawson Creek a little after noon. Around 10:30, we crossed from Alberta into British Columbia, switched to "Pacific time", and picked up an hour. After setting up camp, we drive into "town" for the obligatory photo shots of the "Milepost 0" monument. Back at camp, Bill starts working on his camper. He's got some persistent leak problems. When he bought his camper, the windows had to be replaced. He bought one replacement window at $350.00 and covered the other window space with a thick piece of translucent plastic...riveting that in and sealing the edges with caulk. The problem is...when the camper is folded down flat and rolling down the highway, that plastic piece flexes like a drum. This breaks the seal and loosens the caulk which blows away. So...when it rains, that area leaks. And a leaky camper makes for a cranky and unhappy camper. So, today Bill is putting some "braces" on the outside and the inside of the plastic to reduce the flexing.
When the braces are in place, Bill looks to re-caulk. But...there are dark clouds on the horizon...really. Over the course of two hours or so, we watch a huge storm front roll in...black skies, a temperature drop...and then the rain. It comes down in buckets while we seek shelter in Bill's camper...equipped with towels at the windows to handle the leaks. After an hour or so, the rain slows to a drizzle.
There will be no cooking at the campsite this night. So...Bill and I head into Dawson Creek in search of dinner. When you are in a remote location like Dawson Creek, the general rule for dining is keep it simple and local. So...Bill and I opt for sushi. It turns out to be not great sushi, but decent. We throw down a few beers and a bottle of saki with the sushi.
Back at camp, we're hanging out in Bill's camper while the rain continues outside. It will rain all night.
We've switched over to Pacific time and picked up an hour...so, around 9:00, we're pretty tired. Bill falls aslepp while I dash over to my camper for bed.