Watson Lake

Saturday, August 21 - We headed down the road this morning, passing the turnoff to the Cassiar Highway.  That highway is closed due to fires, and has been for several weeks, so we were fortunate that we took that route on the way to Alaska.  Because of the recent rains, they thought it might reopen today or tomorrow.  We stopped at a nice gift shop and restaurant, and we finally got our buffalo burgers (Marilyn and I opted for hamburgers), and drove on in to Watson Lake (85 miles today), famous for its Signpost Forest, which is right along the highway. 

After we got set up at our camground, we went to the Northern Lights Interpretive Center, the only planetarium in North America featuring the myth and science of the Northern Lights, using advanced video and laser technology.  They had a post outside listing the planets and the distance to them.

They some nice pictures inside, and we watched a 50-minute video presentation inside a 100-seat "Electric Sky" theater environment.  Half of the video was on the Northern Lights, and the other half was about the science of the universe.  All very interesting.    This is a picture posted inside, but we keep hoping to get to see the real thing.  It does get dark now, so if the sky would clear we might have a chance.

Next we went over to the Signpost Forest.  Dave and Mazie happened to have a sign with them that Mazie had had made some years ago, so they dug that out to "plant."  Collins got out the drill, and Joe found some screws in our toolbox, so they prepared the sign and off we went.

This "forest" is huge, row after row of post with all kinds of signs, from everywhere.  Mazie said it had "grown" a lot since they stopped here 11 years ago.

So here David and Joe are, hanging the sign. 

Mission accomplished!

There are lots of signs of cities, and we found one from the City of Sierra Vista, signed by their previous mayor.  I spotted a t-shirt that said "Alaska to Argentina, by bicycle."  Here's another unique one.

Obviously, on our next trip through here, the rest of us will have to be better prepared.  I told Joe maybe next summer we could set up a little business here, making signs for people.  Just another idea.

After we finished here, we drove through town (short drive) and checked out the price of gas ($1.169/litre).  But Marilyn and Collins, smart people they are, stopped at the visitor center and learned that gas is less expensive down the road a ways, so we'll wait.  Marilyn offered to make biscuits and gravy for all of us tomorrow morning (Brenda, aren't you jealous), so we had an early night, still recuperating from the big party the night before.