We Really Aren't In Kansas Anymore (Day 9)

Today it was hard for me to get out of bed. Unfortunately, the incredibly noisy pipes in our hotel room forced me up once SweetPea started showering and getting ready. Anyway, a quick 'continental' breakfast and we were ready. Oh, by the way, because I'm grumpy by nature and have you here as a captive audience I'd like to point out that 'continental' is apparently hotel-speak for cheap. Of all the hotels we've been to on this trip, all but two have bragged about their complementary breakfasts. These have all consisted of toast, bananas, and apples. Now, I'm certainly not one to look a gift horse in the mouth (and clearly I haven't turned down very many meals in my time :P ) but it kills us that these hotels brag about their breakfast, considering the money you pay, and then put out a loaf of bread and a toaster for breakfast. The hotels that were an exception rather than the rule on this trip actually served hot eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy. Anyway, now that I'm done complaining about innkeeping on to the trip...

The plan was to drive roughly 300 miles from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, into the Northern Rocky Mountains to the town of Fort Nelson, BC. As soon as we left town the road went from your typical 2 lanes north and 2 lanes south to a small 2 lane highway. It seemed to go about 10 to 50 miles between any kind of side roads, which in this case seem to be access roads to oil rigs and other industrial areas. Saying it was remote is putting it lightly. Here is some of the scenery from the road. The camera doesn't quite capture the steep hills and breath-taking vistas. Also, notice the complete lack of guard rails!

So, breathtaking scenery aside we spent the better part of the day craning our necks looking for bears and moose. So far on this trip we have seen several farms that have penned bison and elk. These are all awesome looking, but I don't really count them until we see the animals in the wild. We have seen countless signs warning of elk, caribou, and moose. Especially, moose signs. Lots and lots and lots of moose signs. But, no moose! Finally, when we were driving today through some crazy twists and turns in the mountains SweetPea shouted and pointed. This is what her camera captured:

Ok, so her camera was about 3 seconds too late! Just to my left there was a huge cow moose with a little calf behind her. She was so massive and tall that SweetPea asked if it was a giraffe. She later said that she is a city slicker and doesn't know any thing about wild animals (I don't know anymore than she does, but I'll never admit it :P). Anyway, the moose had to have been as tall as the truck. Less than 10 minutes later we were driving down a long straight stretch when another moose came walking out alongside the road with her calf behind her as well. So all day straining to see them, then 2 cows within minutes of each other. Still, no bears... The guide book cautions about bears, stone sheep, wild horses, and bison all over tommorrow's pathway. Should be interesting!

All the rivers we've passed have been gorgeous. Even the ponds and lakes are a brilliant blue color. Oops, I meant, colour! Oh, and all the menus have drinks listed as 'pop' instead of soda. Small things, I guess. :)

Once this was all posted, I remembered that we also saw a dead moose roughly the size of a compact car laying next to the road. Needless to say, she smelled quite pleasant.