A testy bastard, at times.: Remembrance Day long weekend

A long weekend is not to be ignored...a chance to get in another wandering weekend. Buddy Ingo in Smithers called on Saturday and said that they, he and his wife Jean, were packing up and heading to Prince Rupert and were we coming? Sharon has been battling a cold/flu/God knows thing for a week and she wasn't at her best but said we were going..so...away we went.

Prince Rupert is not considered to be a destination, by any means. The likelihood of inclement weather..read rain...is more than just high. It's a given and when it doesn't pour everyone is like sooo surprised. It's like a civic holiday. It was beautiful. The drive out from Terrace, 130k's, was perfect. No traffic and a bunch of photo ops.

All the way along the Skeena are pull-outs for fishers to get access to the river. I had kept passing this particular spot, always seeing ti as I whipped past..but this time, I turned around and went back.

Notice it says No Overnight Camping? yeah...right...like that's going to stop a ner'do well....like myself.

Another ner'do well and her mutt.

Motoring along, just past the Basalt Rest Area..another 'signed' stop....

Coming into Rupert...crossing a bridge and the sun was just right....from both sides of it.

Had supper in Rupert and repaired to our 5 star location for the night. Ingo and Jean were plastic camping. We, on the other hand, have a spot staked out in the upped end of the Wal-Mart lot.

here's why...

Sharon refers to this as her house. It;s just down the hill from 'our' night spot.

It;s is red, after all...and right on the hill looking out into the harbour.

Pillsbury House has the historical distinction of being Prince Rupert's first home - circa 1908. It was built for and was occupied by Grand Trunk Pacific railroad dignitaries and their families for a century. If this home could talk (and in some ways it does) it would disclose the conversations, dreams, and plans of Joel H. Pillsbury, 1st Assistant Harbour Engineer (the original builder) and Charles M. Hayes (founder of the Grand Trunk Pacific). No doubt they spent many hours sitting and troubleshooting their aspirations and hopes for the city of their dreams. Joel Pillsbury was a city planner and designed the house with the four upstairs gables facing the four points of the compass.

Heading back east up the Skeena on Sunday mid-day...

Someone had planted a Canadian flag out on a river bar....very cool....

We turned off highway 16 and headed north to the Exstew River rec site...a place we have been to several times in the past. It's 5.5k'd in on a pretty rough old logging road and we didn't kn ow what we'd find as gfar as other campers. There was a couple cars of goofs...but they left soon enough.