Day 48 - Wednesday July 5/17 (posted Friday July 7th)

A day of travel after a wonderful, if too short, visit with Kirk, Susie and John at ‘Camp Ambrose’ near Horsefly BC.

“Camp Ambrose” ranks high in our ratings of BC parks - with a reserved site, electricity on site, a warm welcome, hors d’oeuvres and a welcome meal after arrival, flush toilets with quality quilted TP, free hot showers, free WiFi, hot breakfast cooked and served to us, a personable and knowledgeable personal tour guide to Farwell Canyon, a willing skilled assistant for repairs to Rocinante II, wildlife roaming through the campground as if on command, a playful canine companion, great human company and conversation, and fabulous tales about wilderness adventures, including the “Kirk kills a cougar” story, all provided with a sense of ease and bonhomie. Thanks so much, Kirk, Suzie, John and Snack, for a wonderful visit!!!! (photo) 

We left at about 9:20am after warm goodbyes with Kirk & Suzie (John had already left around 5:30am to return to Calgary). 

We drove past the “TimberKings” TV Show site near Williams Lake, and determined that we really should watch an episode when we have a chance.

Our travel day was longer than usual, from near Horsefly BC to Paarens Beach Provincial Park BC on Stuart Lake near Fort St James National Historic Site. (Map)

We travelled some 430km over about 7&1/2 hours (including an hour at Costco in Prince George for propane, bedsheets and bread [and two-bite brownies on sale!!]), and gas at 94.9/l. We also paused for a half-hour lunch stop. 

[Our distance travelled to date is 10,616km including both trip and touring travel.]

The day didn’t allow for much sight-seeing along the way, and we encountered several stretches of road construction work - sometimes road-widening, and other times re-surfacing. We also encountered many, many loaded log trucks heading south, and many empty log trucks heading north. All are anxious to make the best time possible - as ‘time is money’!

After leaving Prince George on Highway 16, we realized that we were travelling on the infamous “Highway of Tears” that runs 720km from Prince George to Prince Rupert, where between 16 and 40+ women have disappeared (between 1969 & 2011), many of them young and many of them indigenous. 

We arrived at the Park at about 5pm, set up the trailer, and relaxed on the beach (which is right across the road from our campsite) for a while. 

Nancy decided that as it was July 5th, it was high time that she went for a swim (her first on this trip!) It was also a tribute to her dad Chuck Tilston whose birthday would have been today and who loved the water!. (photos)

After a supper of hamburgers and coleslaw, we spent a couple of hours blogging, and then watched the sunset for over Stuart lake. (photos)