Road Trip Day 4: Hello British Columbia

So while that not so jazzy decorated room with color overload was visually stimulated, I must admit that I got the best sleep so far on this trip.  And as an added bonus when I went to load the car it was a super cool 52 degrees outside.  I just stood there soaking it up at 5 o'clock in the morning.  I just knew today was going to be a super day.  I was optimistic that I would see all sorts of critters as we drove the longest stretch of the trip today . . . about 600 miles.  We were up and on the road again at 5:45am and were quickly leaving the Yukon and entering British Columbia.  While getting up early isn't usually my thing the early bird gets the worm and there is not a single car on the road with us.  And did I mention seeing wildlife?  Oh you bet we did!  Before I could get my camera out and ready the biggest porcupine scampered across the road and I only caught the back side . . .

And then there were buffalo . . .

. . . lots and lots of buffalo.  So many buffalo that we came to a screeching halt while they roamed in the road.  They were fighting in the middle of the road but then charged on thankfully not charging us.  Oh and all those babies were so adorable . . .

This bear did not want to cooperate and look at me . . .

Another lone buffalo . . .

This is the time of year that  most road construction is done on these roads.  We often had to follow a pilot car . . .

I am started to already think about not seeing these views every morning . ..

And the animal sightings continued . . . why did the moose cross the road?

. . . look at those legs!  This moose was huge and can not imagine trying to out run him!

I am not exactly sure why I took a photo of Milepost 463 . . .

. . . but Muncho Lake (big lake) in the background was beautiful.  It is 12 kilometers long and one of the longest natural lakes in the Canadian Rockies . . .

Most of the time this is how I took pictures . . .

While the animals are out today sometimes you really have to look closely as we almost zipped right by this moose . . .

. . . and watch out for the fast deer on the side of the road . . . hoping they don't jump in front of the car . . .

Apparently these Stone Sheep were all about having their photo today . . .

. . . and in no hurry to get out of the road.  We saw all this before our lunch stop!  It was pretty amazing.  In addition we also saw fox trotting down the road and a million rabbits sitting on the shoulder of the road.  I was so excited.  We even go in the mood of the scenery by listening to Call of the Wild by Jack London on audio book.  I sure did not remember much of the book since I read it in high school which was over 20 years ago . . . okay, okay more like 25 years ago.  So after a quick lunch stop in Fort Nelson it was back on the road.  I was growing tired of all the animals being on the other side of the road . . .

when I spotted this guy on my side . . .

By this point I was growing restless so I did some of this . . .

. . . and read the Milepost.

If you ever do a trip like this the Milepost is a MUST!  It gives you every single stop along the way and much, much more.  It is worth the $20 and as you can see I so marked and labeled and post-it noted it like there was no tomorrow.  We officially arrived at the end of the ALCAN but were just too stinking tired to get out and snap an official photo.  Thankfully the hotel was oh so nice.  After a quick check in at the hotel, it was dinner at the restaurant next door and that hot tub was calling my name!  

Miles traveled today:  593 miles
Total trip miles:  1,597 miles