Going to see North America (part one)

Transcription

1 Going to see North America (part one) A leisurely 2,824 mile drive from San Diego to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada and beyond! (updated 10 September 2017) When are you going to leave? also: I thought you were supposed to be gone! I wound up leaving San Diego on Interstate 15 on 27 August, 2:45 PM PDT. Except for a side loop from Idaho Falls to Helena via West Yellowstone, I drove I 15 from end to end, crossing into Alberta at Sweet Grass, Montana Arrived in Yellowknife at 7:00 PM MDT on 1 September Where? (the actual route) Smoke everywhere! (Yikes!!!) Final route was dictated by FIRE activity in the U.S. and Canada Final route was dictated by FIRE activity in the U.S. and Canada Smoke! (shifting ) Wildfire smoke at mid day August 24, NOAA. Actual route, day one (461 miles) San Diego to Washington, Utah (can you say HOT???) 1

2 No pictures from the San Diego Greater L.A./San Bernardino/Victorville Las Vegas St. George stretch, alas Actual route, day two (513 miles) This is a Google Earth image of Washington Dome, a doubly plunging anticline near where I spent the first night (what might have been) Washington, Utah to Idaho Falls (air started to get smoky) Day 2 back on I 15 northbound in Southern Utah Final route, day three (459 miles) Colorful folded rocks! Idaho Falls to Shelby, MT (via West Yellowstone and Madison Valley) Day 3 off I 15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Day 3 off I 15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Island Park, Idaho 2.1 million year old volcanic eruption Island Park, Idaho air is noticeably smoky 2

3 Day 3 off I 15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Day 3 off I 15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Hebgen Lake, Montana 1959 Earthquake Area Hebgen Lake, Montana The Lake that Tilted Day 3 off I 15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Day 3 off I 15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Quake Lake, Montana product of mass wasting (rock avalanche) Quake Lake, Montana Night of Terror and Loss Day 3 off I 15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Day 3 back on I 15 from Helena to Shelby, MT Madison Valley so smoky I couldn t see the Madison Range! South of Great Falls Charlie Russell Butte barely visible from I 15! 3

4 Day 3 back on I 15 from Helena to Shelby, MT Final route, day four (524 miles) Spooky sunset Shelby, MT to Athabasca, Alberta (crossing the border at Coutts) Day 4 Alberta bound! (cue Gordo ) Day 4 Alberta bound! (cue Gordo ) First time across the 49 th parallel since 1994 excited! Coutts, where I became a Landed Immigrant in 1975 Day 4 Due North (for kilometers and kilometers!) Day 4 Due North (for kilometers and kilometers!) Alberta Highway 36. GPS heading 000 (true north!) Are we there yet??? 4

5 Final route, day five (420 miles) Day 5 A day of BIG rivers! Athabasca to High Level, Alberta (smoky air finally let up) Athabasca Glacier in 1975 (Source of The Athabasca River) Day 5 A day of BIG rivers! Day 5 A day of BIG rivers! Outwash Plain of the Athabasca Glacier in 1975 Athabasca River flowing north from The Glacier in Jasper National Park Day 5 A day of BIG rivers! Day 5 Changing landscapes Town of Athabasca, where I spent Night 4 Peace River area 5

6 Day 5 Changing landscapes Final route, day six (445 miles) Peace River area High Level to Yellowknife, NWT (end of the road!) Day 6 More Changes Day 6 More Changes North of High Level no smoke, blue skies, and trees! 60 North latitude Alberta/NWT Border!!! Day 6 Northwest Territories! Day 6 Northwest Territories! 60 North latitude stopped to record a video The mighty Mackenzie River, flowing north to the Arctic Ocean! 6

7 Day 6 Northwest Territories! Day 6 Northwest Territories! The mighty Mackenzie River, flowing north to the Arctic Ocean! Bison on, and along the highway (wood buffalo) Day 6 Northwest Territories! Day 6 Northwest Territories! Continuously changing Continuously changing Day 6 Northwest Territories! Yellowknife, from 9/1 to 9/10 Arrived at the Explorer Hotel ~7:00 PM 1 September, after 2,824 miles of driving! 7

8 A few pix from the first several days in Yellowknife: Foggy sunrise from my room Sunset from my room Big guy in the lobby Big guy in the lobby another foggy sunrise picture Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre 8

9 Cool licence plates! Cool licence plates! (Rexxxx means rental, apparently) The Wildcat Café one of a kind! The Wildcat Café one of a kind! The Wildcat Café one of a kind! The Wildcat Café one of a kind! 9

10 The Wildcat Café one of a kind! The Wildcat Café core trays outside View NNE from hotel room View East from hotel room Bush Pilots Monument Old Town and Bush Pilots Monument from hotel room Bush Pilots Monument 10

11 Bush Pilots Monument from Bush Pilots Monument... from Bush Pilots Monument... Boathouses what about winter, you ask??? The primary means of transportation The primary means of transportation 11

12 The primary means of transportation The primary means of transportation The primary means of transportation Wardair Float Base Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads 12

13 Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads Ragged Ass Road a product of the 70 s Ragged Ass Road a product of the 70 s 13

14 Ragged Ass Road a product of the 70 s Ragged Ass Road a product of the 70 s AESE 2017 Field Trip Ti Ragged Ass Road a product of the 70 s AESE Field Trip, 9 September AESE Field Trip, 9 September The route Stops 1 4: Yellowknife Town Site 14

15 AESE 2017 Mission i Complete! 15