A real-time JohnBoy travel update. I arrived in Grande Prairie, Alberta yesterday afternoon having driven up from Valemount, British Columbia which is located northwest of the town of Jasper. There were only two routes to get here from there and I chose the shorter, but more circuitous one. It involved going right back to the town of Jasper, which is in the northern part of Jasper National Park (where I filled my tank with gas), driving through the Park from west to east, something I haven’t done yet other than getting to Valemount two days earlier, and after exiting the Park on the east side I proceeded north, west, and then further north on Alberta Highway 40, a two lane road which ended up being a very pleasant drive through rolling hills and mainly open land, and with very little traffic. I was at about 3,100 feet elevation the whole time. I am only now starting to see some color in the trees. Of course 99% of the trees I see up here are pine trees, which don’t change color, but there are others mixed in and they are starting to show some traces of yellow. The nights are starting to get colder and the days will soon follow.
I added a new “big animal” warning sign to my growing list – caribou! I didn’t see any, and when I stopped at a Visitor Center a short time later in a small, local town I was told the area I had just driven through contains a herd of about 150, but they are considered endangered in this area and people are supposed to report sightings, and/or unfortunate road incidents where they are injured or killed, to the Game & Wildlife authorities. I’m glad they told me that because no one else had, and there were no signs to that effect anywhere.
Visibility has improved somewhat from when I was in Red Deer but there is still wildfire smoke in the area, and even as far south as Vancouver there are now sporadic dangerous Air Quality alerts. I am getting ready to review the British Columbia wildfire map as soon as I post this, as the smoke forecast for western Canada now shows smoke moving east from a series several wildfires in the middle section of British Columbia! If I hadn’t changed my travel schedule to head north towards Alaska next week I would have soon been in the British Columbia town of Kamloops, which is getting the brunt of the smoke from these fires this weekend. I suspect these may be new fires, but will verify that shortly. Nevertheless, Prince George, where I will be going tomorrow morning after I spend a second night here, is in the Moderate risk class for air quality as of today and I will probably stay indoors there, too.
I have to go out after the rain passes to get some last minute things at Walmart and do two loads of laundry at a laundromat (the washing machine here at the Airbnb isn’t working). Just as well, as I am now packing my warm weather gear in the trunk and getting out the warmer layers which I will be using very soon. Wednesday, when I start heading north in earnest, the day temperatures will only be in the 60’s in the afternoon and down around 40 at night. Once in Alaska it may not get out of the upper 50’s during the day but the nights will stay in the upper 40’s. I believe the weather in and around Anchorage is a little more moderate than it is inland because of their proximity to water. I will have to be more mindful to the weather as I travel to other areas of the state.
The “Safety Sam” emergency-wear (bright colored tuques, as they call them in Canada, and gloves, and a reflective vest if out of the car for an extended period) will now be close at hand, along with my bear spray, of course. That is one of the additional purchases I must make today at Walmart or a local hunting outfitter.
Lastly, there are now thunderstorms in the area which may be a double-edged sword. Any rain will be welcome as it will help clear the smoke out of the air, and will reduce the fire risk. The danger is lightning, which could trigger more fires in the already dry conditions. This isn’t a very big system so it won’t be a soaking rain, but every little bit helps. I will have to keep a close eye on this whole area in the next few days. I think once I head north the middle of next week I should be out of the wildfire and smoke situation based on the information I have right now.
So now the big fun is about to begin!
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