This has been a week of amazing scenery, culminating in an evening of impressive northern lights, albeit in movie form.

We zigzagged our way across the Continental Divide several times early in the week, following the major roads north and west. After Jasper, we got into a rustic environment. Most buildings are log cabin or modular. All along the way from Dawson Creek on, for over 1000 miles are small communities with populations from 29 to 1500.

We stayed two days in Dawson Creek, catching up on grocery shopping and laundry. There are some real deals in groceries if you look! One place had full salmon, cleaned, with gills and head still intact, several pounds worth, for $6.75! Another place had a box of meat, 8 sausages, 16 hotdogs, 4 boneless pork chops, 4 chicken quarters and four boneless steaks. All for $25! Then we found a twelve-pack of Arizona half and half (lemonade and iced tea) for $4. I thought it was going to be mini bottles. Nope. The $.99 can!

So far I have learned that I didn’t pack well for this trip. My three year old Crock slip-ons were more worn than I realized. Had to throw them out early on. Guess I didn’t notice the wear since I walk on flat ground most of the time. Then, in Dawson Creek, it was the Feast of the Assumption and we went to 12:10 Mass at Notre Dame, the ultra modern church in town. I wore my new sandals and a dress. But barely had I gotten to the church when I slipped getting out of the truck and broke the whole side of the shoe to the point where I couldn’t keep it on. Not to e perturbed, I walked into church with one shoe on and one shoe off. Of course, one can’t walk long that way. Too uncomfortable. So I took both off. I think I was the only one going to Communion barefoot. It takes all kinds!

We found that our requirements for an RV park got more distinct with time. We need 30/50 amp service, water, sanidump service, laundry, showers, WiFi. Some places we have stopped by did not have one or another of the services. Provincial campsites do not have these services, or maybe just one or two. Some private sites shut off the electric at 9pm, or charge $8.00 for a shower. Grief! This is especially hard for dear hubby who finds a 2’x4’x6’ high shower a little too claustrophobic for his comfort. I can not see spending $20-35 for a night’s parking without the accommodations we want.

One night, in an especially deserted section of the Alaskan Highway, we got tired of looking for a place to park for the night. Fort Nelson was not to hubby’s liking, so we kept driving. Looking at the map, there was not another settlement for a while. The roads were under construction in a number of places and it was taking just forever to get from one place to another. At 7:30 at night, I suggested, and he agreed, that we simply pull over to the next turnout, a maintained area, cut into the side of the road, typically two lanes wide, flat, with garbage cans or outhouses , sometimes both. Being more wilderness than we are used to, while I prepared dinner (it’s amazing how well one can cook on a three burner propane stove), hubby got out the shotgun and loaded it. We slept all night, very well, with a shotgun sitting upright on his bedside table.

The only problem there is that it was Saturday night and we were in the middle of nowhere for Sunday Mass. I am sure God understa