Hyder and Smithers

Here are a couple of photos of Hyder, as we left this morning. This is a view down main street.  Looks a lot like "Northern Exposure"!

These are some of their potholes.

And another shot of the Bear Glacier

   
plus the glacier's namesake (who walked in front of us this morning).

People say that Alaska is BIG...and it is.  But what most don't say is that Canada is also big, and it is between Alaska and the lower 48.  We've now been on the road for 5 days since leaving Alaska, and we are only 1/2 way down the height of British Columbia.  I expect another 4 days of driving to get to Idaho or Montana (we will probably come back to Washington in the future).  Of course, since we are retired, we don't have to put in 400-500 mile days like people on vacation do :-).  Since we have come this far South, we've both noticed darkness at night, rather than continual twilight. 

Both of us have also mentioned how scenic British Columbia is.  We had always thought it likely but now we know.  We learned this morning that today, Aug 1, is "British Columbia Day" although no one seems to know why.....it is an excuse for another long weekend, or time and 1/2 for those who are at work. 

Tonight we're in Smithers (named for a former Chairman of Grand Trunk Pacific Railway).  We saw on their website that the people here are called "Smithereens" (don't think I'd like to be called this!).  This is the largest town nearby and the home of a popular ski area, Hudson Bay Mountain, 24km up and outside of town.  We have mountain views all around us again.  This feels like civilization - we have TV!!