Friday, April 27, 2007

Alaska Highway, Mile 72

SHEPHERDS INN - - On a road like the Alaska Highway with towns, settlements and small groups of houses along the way it's better to have a mile-marker as your address. And so, here we are at Mile 72 and the Shepherds Inn. This is a slightly rustic motel and gas station about 20 miles from the 'real' civilization of Fort St. John.
The deal here is that everyone is made to feel at home by the nice folks who run the place. You find that out along the route as tourists and work crews and locals are the lifeblood of staying solvent. The economy in this general area is based on oil/gas/timber so having those folks know that home made pies/baked goods and good coffee are available plus plenty on the plate of whatever you order makes this place quite popular.
I called to check on making a reservation when we were three hours away. "Do you need a credit card for the reservation," I asked. "No, just give me your name and I'll see you when you get here," was the friendly reply from the manager. And that's the way it was.
No pics today on my blog because the only live animals I might have taken pics of were white-tail and mule deer. Now I did get a chance to see lots of skeletons and half decayed bodies of elk and (we think) some moose as well but they weren't very photogenic. Animals killed in winter get plowed to the side of the road along with the snow and don't show up until things begin to melt.
And for today's brain teaser: Why do they call it the Alaska Highway if 75% of the route is in Canada??

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