7/18/1991 - Thursday

John:  After a pancake and bacon breakfast, we left Carp Lake.  On the 20 mile dirt road out, we saw a grouse-type bird walk across the road... then about three babies went across.  Not too much excitement after that.  We got some groceries and gassed up the truck in Prince George.  Tried to go on a tour of two different pulp mills, but they were booked up until the next day at one and next Monday at the other one.  Can’t believe the big rush on pulp mill tours!  We are camped at Beaverview Campground in McBride, BC on the Fraser River... (with the Canadian Northern Mainline Railroad off in the distance, but still within ear shot of their whistle...).  We drove 239 miles today.

ODOM:  30076

Note:  The nights are getting to be a little more normal now.  It gets dark about 10:30... don’t really know when the sun comes up.

7/17/1991 - Wednesday

John:  After we woke up and ate breakfast, we took showers, emptied our toilet, and filled up our water.  We headed out in search of MacKenzie’s largest man made lake, but gave up after going about 18 miles down a logging road.  In town we saw the world’s (yes world’s) largest tree crusher.  What a monster machine.  Guess they used it to make the lake that we couldn't find.  We hit the road and stopped at some weird named lake, fished and ate lunch.  I’m positive that no fish live in this lake... Back at the campground, some older guy told me the fishin' was pretty good at Carp Lake (pretty stupid name).  It’s 20 miles off the beaten path on a nasty dirt road.  Soooo, down the nasty dirt road we went... through the deep, deep wilderness.  The campground on the lake is another Provincial Campground.  Real nice campground... beautiful lake, free firewood, nice level spots, good playground for the kids.  Very clean outhouses.  We grabbed our fishin' poles and headed down to the lake... (the camp spots are up higher).  There’s a boat launch, about 10-12 nice docks that go out into the water.  The water is very clear (as most all the lakes are here)... Today I finally scored in the fish department.  I pulled in 2 nice 13-14 inch rainbow trout... jumping out of the water catching air and everything!  Anyhow, this campground also has a nice place to clean fish with cutting blocks etc... We had fresh Bar BQ’d rainbow trout for supper tonight.  Kari even liked it a lot.  Susan was grossed out... Made a nice campfire and the kids are done cookin' marshmallows... it’s almost time to make up the beds and hit the sack.  We saw a couple of bald eagles where we were fishing and some loons.  (Which now the loons are singing (sounds like a coyote) to go to sleep.  Drove 68 miles today.  We decided to all walk to the dock and listen to the loons.  They make such a haunting melody.  We came back to the camper and put the kids to bed.  We stayed out by the campfire and listened some more to the loons.  After we went to bed, the loons changed their tune... it sounded like loony tunes!!  Earlier when the park ranger came around to collect the fee, I asked him about the wildlife around... He said that they've been pretty lucky, as the bears have stayed away pretty much.  He said that bears are on the road coming in quite a bit.  He also said that occasionally you can spot a moose swimming across the lake to one of the islands.

ODOM: 29837

Susan, Kari & Karen at World's Largest Tree Crusher

Karen, Kari & Susan at the campground.

Susan, Kari & John fishing.

John & his catch!