Dawson Creek, BC #2 - Out and About in Dawson Creek

2 days in Dawson Creek: one for exploring and one for sitting (yeah, if you think we’ll sit and relax - try again. We’ve got other tasks and projects - we just can’t sit.) First, breakfast out - we haven’t done that since we were in Valdez, ages ago - at least it seems like ages. Not a lot of choice here but we chose Le’s and it was quite good. We shared an omelet and they divided it for us and gave us separate plates. Sometimes, we have to divide it ourselves and it makes a mess. Lots of choices for jams - not just grape like in America. Even peanut butter on the table in little containers. Cool. Very pleasant meal. We’d do that again - oh, but we won’t be back here again.

Then, since it’s such a beautiful day, we headed on up to the Kiskatinaw River Bridge. It’s 531’ long and is the only original timber bridge along the Alaska Highway still in use today. Not only is it curved but it is canted. It’s 100’ above the river below and spans a gorge between two cliffs.

So, how in the world did this wooden bridge last so long such that you can drive on it today? Easy explanation: after the war trucks with loads that exceeded the bridge’s maximum 25-ton capacity had to avoid the bridge and ford the river instead - but it was 100’ down to the ford. This proved especially inconvenient for the expanding oil and gas industry and, in 1978, a new road was built that bypassed the bridge and, so secured its survival.

Neat bridge. Then we headed back to town to take in the sights. You have to have your picture taken by these two iconic sights. First is the Historical Milepost 0 cairn. In the middle of a round-about. We had to scramble across the traffic to get there.

By the way, if you think that’s a grain elevator in the background, you’ll miss the art museum.

Then the Milepost 0 Alaska Highway monument with flags flying. This is about 3 blocks away from the cairn. From here, it’s 1523 miles to Fairbanks.

Then - a walk through town. There are lots of murals on the walls of the buildings downtown. Very well done and carefully preserved. Oh, my - Gary mural-bombed this.

We also walked the trail through town and found this set of exercise equipment. Hey, fun.

Well, maybe not so much fun. 

And along the trail, we found thoughts to ponder as we walked.

Other art work caught our eyes. Here’s a surveyor for the Alaska Highway.

And another piece of art.

We have signs like this in America, too but this one implies that you’d better step on it. American signs tell you to walk across the street, the Canadian ones tell you to stride.

But this is a public park, don’t the moose know any better.

But, how about these guys?

Of course, we found the DQ for a Royal New York Strawberry Shortcake blizzard. Breakfast out and a strawberry blizzard - hmmm. Maybe we’d better stay home tomorrow so we don’t get into trouble and ‘sin’ again.

Then to the museum. Beautiful walkway.