Beautiful Things (mostly)

Last night in the hotel I actually watched the TV. I never do that. Just random TV, not shows I've vetted and planned on. I watched CSI (good) and, god help me, two hours of game shows. Family Feud and some show called 'Baggage.' Have you seen this? Hosted by Jerry Springer? Dating show where people have to reveal their 'baggage?' MY GOD. SO AWFUL AND SO GOOD!!! The epitome of guilty pleasure. I'm ashamed and entranced. Then I wrote some poems about girls and went to sleep. I might be 16. Don't judge me.

Then today...

No bear attacks. Too bad. What a story that would be!!

Ok, you saw those pictures, right? Amazing. Even more amazing in person, as I'm sure you realize.  

So that was in Hyder, Alaska. Kind of. That's where I stayed. But then you drive back into Canada to get to the glacier. But the only way to that part of Canada is through that part of Alaska. So I woke in Alaska, crossed to Canada to see the glacier, back to Alaska, back to Canada on the other side. International man of mystery!

 I had to go about 4 hours out if my way to get there.... But it was worth it. It's the largest glacier accessible by road in the world. The last 20 miles were the worst road I've ever been on. Calling it 'road' is being kind. Windy, switchback, huge potholes on a gravelly dirt road. No guard rails. Occasionally terrifying if the gravel slid. Visions of truck and I sailing into the Thelma and Louise...

Still worth it.

On the way back I stopped at Fish Creek, where they have a viewing platform to watch bears catch salmon. Sadly, the bears must have been full today, so I moved on.

Even though I crossed the border multiple times, only the last one had a checkpoint, going back from Hyder to Stewart. Two guards and a shack. Yes, she asked about guns. And about how I was going to defend myself from wildlife. Should I have a gun with me??

Considered stopping for what was supposed to be pretty good seafood, and even went in to the restaurant. $12 for a bowl of soup? $3 for a Pepsi? I considered it. No wifi either? Moving on. I'll eat at the next town...

The next town was a gas station. And that was all. Like one of those 'rural' movies where someone breaks down and the redneck people say it will take a month to get the part....Two pumps, made in the 30s... Aren't those usually horror movies? And today is Friday the 13th. Thank goodness I'm not camping...

I pressed on. Ate lunch out of my truck supplies - bread, cheese, peanut butter, triscuits, cereal. Got into the 'big' city of Smithers around 5pm. 

I've learned how to access the net here in Canada. Find an A&W or a Tim Hortons fast food joint. Park close to the building. Siphon WiFi. I even registered for the free faster wifi connection at Hortons. Only ate there once, though. I parked, got wifi, checked email. My dad had suggested a site called Trip Advisor - it's wonderful. I looked up their listings for restaurants in Smithers. Multiple people had given one place 5 stars - Daddio's. I decided to trust the collective wisdom.

Interestingly, Daddio's isn't a 50's diner, as you might expect from the name. The menu prices were a tiny bit high, so I just grabbed the $10 chicken fingers...

I want to marry those chicken fingers. Hand breaded, clearly never frozen, gourmet-type meal made by a chef, not a cook. Even the barbecue sauce was unlike anything I'd tasted. This restaurant should be in Portland. It would be your favorite. If you ever get anywhere near Smithers, go there. Seriously- plan a trip just for Daddio's and the glacier. And use Trip Advisor. Always.

After that, driving, driving, driving. This audiobook is something else- so clearly written by a pro-gun, Republican-leaning military aficionado. Entire passages about how the press is evil and screws up legal investigations. FOX news held up as a paragon. The 'bad guys' are a reporter, a liberal movie star and several 60's activists. The heroes are all ex-Marines.  A main character named Bob Lee Swagger... I'm still listening because 1) I paid for it, 2) It's all I have left, 3) Past the right wing BS, the story is pretty good and 4) know thy enemy. Though I'm about halfway through and it's now pretty obvious who the bad guy is, so that kind of kills the 'what happens next' factor.

Tonight I sleep at Walmart again. Tomorrow, I begin a weekend in Vancouver!