The rain had stopped when I got up, but the morning was still very misty, and everything was damp as I packed it up.
As it was just misty, I went to check out the falls. It was a quick walk to Louis Falls, which was very impressive, with water flowing over it in a torrent. Walking along the trail toward Alexandra Falls, I came upon the spiral stair case to the side of Louise Falls. I absolutely love spiral staircases. I'm not sure why, but I do.
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| Louise Falls from above |
The falls were very impressive at this level and, as at Lady Evelyn Falls, there was a roped scramble to get to the base, but this time I didn't do it. I knew I had a long day ahead, and a long ride into Alberta.
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| Self portrait at the top of Louise Falls. |
Instead, I started back on the trail to Alexandra Falls, fending off the mosquitos and appreciating the work the Dene went through, portaging this section of river every year. I began to regret bringing my hydration pack along, taking it and my jacket off and holding them in one hand, while the other killed mosquitos. Mostly, they seemed to be drawn to my hair, so I got into a routine of smoothing the hair on one side, then the other, then wiping my face and neck and checking the back of my hand for a clever one. With each pass, I would feel at least one mosquito get crushed into my hair, seeing part of its carcass in my palm. I'm really looking forward to a good long soak and scrub down when I get home.
I saw Alexandra Falls from the trail, but when the trail diverted onto a quad track on the side of the highway I decided I didn't need to see them up close, and turned back to head out.
As I was taking off the mist solidified into rain and it was in rain that I took a picture of the bike at the 60th Parallel sign, and from it that I took refuge in the Visitor Information Centre.
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| KLR at the 60th Parallel sign |
Crossing into Alberta, the rain continued, although I started to see breaks in the clouds, and blue sky. I broke into song "I can see clearly now the rain is gone..." and I was riding in sun for the remainder of the day, slowly drying out.
At High Level, I walked through their museum, which was set up wonderfully, with connected exhibits walking through the history of the area and the ways of life, from trapping, to agriculture, to pioneer women's lives, to the general store. It gave me a good feel for the history being presented.
Back on the road I found the Fort Vermilion Park, but was a bit surprised and disoriented by the general rough nature of it. There didn't seem to be set/defined campsites, instead looking like it was "pick a spot by a fire ring" style, with random quad trails through various parts of the park. Despite this, the common areas by a picnic shelter and playground seemed well maintained, and it was by the latter that I dried my gear and set up my tent.
The Fort Vermilion Museum had a lot of information and well grouped displays, but could use a bit more flow to turn it into a coherent experience.
I've been starting to reflect on the trip as a whole, having seen the Peace River a couple of times today - a definite sign that the trip is coming to an end.
When I started planning and figuring out this trip, it was all about the roads to me. What a wonderful motorcycle adventure and challenge it would be, looking at the sights in each community to be briefly surveyed. But, as the journey wound on, the true connecting feature was harder to ignore - the rivers and waterways that have so shaped the history and people of this area, which is really just one big watershed. These rivers were the superhighways of the Dene and other First Nations, and were still the primary mode of transportation in this area well into the 1900's, going where road and rail did, and could, not. I think it would be fair to say that Canada, as a nation, was shaped by its rivers, and still is today.
And they connect us all.
The waters of the Peace River flow East out of BC, turn North in Alberta, joining the Slave River after it leaves Lake Athabasca, fed by the Athabasca River, which has its origins in Jasper National Park and flows past Fort McMurray. These waters flow past Fort Smith, which this year has seen a drastic rise in water levels, due to the flooding in the Peace Region of BC. The Hay River has its origins at Hay Lake in North Western Alberta, flowing North East and tracked by the highway all the way up to Great Slave Lake, where it joins the waters from the Slave River, and then flows North as the Mackenzie River (or Deh Cho), the only river in the world to flow into the Arctic Ocean. The Liard River, originating in the Yukon Territories then dipping into the North East corner of BC, is joined by the Pettitot River at Fort Liard, and the South Nahanni River at Nahanni Butte before joining the Mackenzie on its Northwards journey at Fort Simpson.
Each part of this watershed is intimately linked together by these threads of water, as are the peopl who call this region home. The water in the Peace that I see flowing past from Fort St. John flows past most of the people I have met on this journey - Aaron in Fort Vermilion, Katie in Fort Smith (who will also paddle in said water), April, Nico, and Peter in Yellowknife, Shaun, Patty, and all of the others in Fort Providence, the Chinese family, girl at the info centre, and Bernoit in Fort Simpson, while Mo and Patrick in Fort Nelson will see water that will join the Liard and flow past the people I met in Fort Liard and Blackstone.
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| The Peace River just outside Fort Vermilion |
It's been a great trip, but I'm starting to miss home and time with friends. I'm super stoked about seeing the Mennonite Heritage Village tomorrow in La Crete, but I'm also thinking about skipping Peace River and trying to do a run to get hom tomorrow night.
Tomorrow, I also need to remember to call Fast Trax to see about a service appointment and order a new rear tire, as this one has worn a lot, likely due to the extra weight on the bike.
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