Mission Accomplished

So far we have seen road signs for the following: bear, moose, elk, deer, caribou, and burrowing owls.  We have not seen many of these yet, but are gaining on the list.  The most prevalent  signs are the moose signs, which baffle us since there appears to be moose anywhere. On our drive to where we are, a 5 hour drive to catch the ferry tomorrow, we saw many great views of scenery and a little wildlife.  We saw a mother black bear with one cub, several other black bear, and one non-photogenic brown bear. 

  We were starting to loose hope on the moose quest, despite making moose noises at every moose crossing sign we saw (which were many signs).  Well, there in a marsh was a female moose.  It was neat, every step she took we could hear.  Way fun. 

So one small quest accomplished. Making it on the ferry is the next quest.  

Tonight (Mon. 7/11) we found ourselves in Topley, British Columbia.  Have you ever been to Topley?  We hadn’t either and truthfully have not been here for long but we really do think Topley is fantastic.  We’re staying at the Whispering Pines motel just off of Hwy. 16.  The motel lobby looks like someone’s living room (and just might be).  Our room has no fewer than 10 light switches.  The illumination possibilities are staggering.  Still not convinced?  Topley has international exposure.  Photos behind the check in desk show runners carrying the Olympic torch through Topley on their way to the winter Olympic games in Vancouver.  I wish we would have arrived in Topley earlier.  So little time.  

Note:  I failed to get a picture of Topley & the Whispering Pines.  Apologies.  You'll just have to travel & see it yourself, I guess.  

Tues. 7/12: We've made it to Prince Rupert!  We arrived this afternoon about 1:00 p.m.  As we write this, we're snacking on samosas at the local Safeway.  We'll stock up on groceries, do a bit a sightseeing & then head to the docks to catch our ship.  We may not be able to catch an internet tomorrow being on sea or in port (may not be getting off the ferry), so we will have many pictures and stories of the inside passage for you Thursday at latest.