Part Four

Next morning, we had another early start leaving Rip Rap Camp, the weather had cleared a little and we had some blue sky.

Pulling out onto the highway we pulled over immediately to photograph the gorgeous little church at Hagensborg.  

We retraced our drive from the day before, to Fishermans pool, where we got off the raft. There was nothing there to see, so we went on up to where we got on the raft at Belarko Wildlife Viewing Point.  Here, we met a few people we had met at Rip Rap Camp, notably, John Gosling and his partner Tara.

We had met on the Wildlife platform at Rip Rap the day before. It was immediately obvious that John knew what he was talking about when it came to bears. So we listened to everything he had to say, as we knew nothing at all about bears! Not only was he very forthcoming with information but we soon found out that not only was he English, but he came from Norfolk, the same as Stef!  Five minutes later, they found that they had even gone to the same school! Small World! If you want to see some really good bear images, then check out John Gosling's facebook page. (Just type in "John Gosling British Columbia Wildlife").

We stayed about an hour and then decided that it was time to get on our way. After saying our goodbyes, we set off up the one road out of Bella Coola. We had heard several people saying bad things about "Heckman Pass" and how steep and bendy this road was.... and it was only a gravel road to boot!

However, the road was comparatively well looked after and not as steep as we were led to believe. It also wasn't as "bendy" either! If anyone knows Applegate Pass in Scotland, they will know that it is a single lane road with passing places, it is very steep in places and the bends are quite literally "hairpins". Heckman Pass felt far easier to traverse than the Applegate Pass. I might have felt differently if I had been going downhill hauling a massive trailer RV behind me! - but going uphill in a 25 foot RV, even though we were on the "outside", didn't feel so bad. I only heard Stef scream on one occasion!

The pass is about 88 km from Bell Coola and after you reach the top, the countryside is a bit up and down for a while before it emerges onto the Chilcoton Plateau proper. The evidence of forest fires could be seen from the top of the pass, all the way to Williams Lake 250km away, although it was far less severe the further east we drove.

At the top of the pass, all you could see were burnt tree trunks on both sides of the road and for as gar as you can see. It wasn't quite so bad after Williams Lake.

The images that follow, illustrate the landscape from Bella to the Lodge at Chilcotin Lodge just short of Williams lake.

The "Historic" Chilcotin Lodge at Riske Creek was just off the Main Highway.

A large two story log cabin structure with outbuildings. We were booked in to an "all services" RV pitch. Stef went into the "Hotel" reception for a few minutes and came out with a new "Tartan" shirt! as well as the owner who proceeded to show us the way to the pitch.

The pitches were at the back of the "Hotel" on sloping ground. The owner did everything he could to help us "pitch up" including getting on the floor to put pieces of wood underneath the wheels, so can't fault him on that! However, in every other respect, the place just wasn't up to scratch. The way we were pitched, we couldn't reach the sewage inlet.... not a problem, we would just use the one on board if necessary. Also, the toilets/showers had to be seen to be believed. They were basically a small wooden shed. Ladies on the left and gents on the right, each depicted by a full size "Cowboy" or "Cowgirl" black silhouette stuck to the door.

Inside was basic to say the least. I would not like to say when the last time the shower had been used and cleaned. (all black around the bottom of the shower curtains!). The facility functioned, but the service should be so much more than that.

We needed to get in touch with our son Gavin, who was coming over to join us in three days time. but we had no signal and no internet. So the only option we had was to go indoors and have a drink. As usual, a 400ml bottle of local brew for me and a "spritzer" for Stef. The bill was around 25 Canadian Dollars - around £15.00! Needless to say, we did what we had to do on the internet and left!

I think the woman in red's face (above right) says it all!

Stef loved the interior of the place, all wood and stone and wood burners!
....oh and moose heads!

We had the back of the hotel to look at when we got back..... or at least we did when it was light. We could look at old signs, old cars, broken fences, etc. I would have to say that, from an RV user's point of view, in many respects this is not a great place to stay.

Next morning, it was cold! That was the coldest night so far, and we felt it. There was even a bit of frost on the ground. Either way, we had another long day ahead.... a 391km drive to Bone Creek Wilderness Retreat in Blue River.

Filled up with petrol in Williams Lake and sat back again for a long drive just watching the scenery.

The drive to Blue River was even more uneventful than the day before. Again the scenery was superb and provided plenty of distraction from the long drive.

I want to spend a little more time talking about Bone Creek Wilderness Retreat, as this is where the story of the day lies.... not in the journey there.

We thought that this place would be good for us. It again, on face value was a shame that we couldn't spend more time here. As has become the norm for us, we arrived  about two hours before dark. The Retreat is about 1 km off the Southern Yellowhead Highway, roughly 15km north of the Town of Blue River.

As you leave the highway on a cinder track, you cross a Bailey type bridge with dense woodland on either side.... go straight ahead and you see the signs for the Retreat coming up on the right. Turning right off the cinder track, you are on a gravel track that completes a circle over, say 100 yards, coming back out on itself.  Enter the track and you can see several small cabins around the right hand outside perimeter of the track.... and a couple of buildings in the inside, left hand side of the loop. The biggest building being the one belonging to the owners, Micky and her husband.... from which emerged three BIG dogs barking their heads off heading straight for the Camper. A few seconds later and a woman headed out of the "Main Log Cabin" and headed towards us. Arriving at the RV Door, Micky asked what we wanted and we told her that we had a booking. She asked how we booked and we said on the internet!..... her response was " did I reply?". We told her that she had and gave her our names. She said "fine.... in that case you can stay!", telling us that the RV area was all the way around the "circle" and that there was four places to Pitch, from which we could make our choice, as there was no one else staying. She asked if we needed help and we said no we could manage. She indicated that the toilet/shower was in the wooden structure behind the little cabin we could see in front of us. We said no problem, we would find it.

We set off around the circular track and pulled up when we reached the area for the RV pitches and saw the toilet/shower building. There was nothing wrong at all with the pitches, each had a picnic table and fire pit, albeit a bit on the rustic side.

We wanted to go for a walk before it got dark, so we went around to the house to speak with Micky again.  The dogs came out barking again as we walked up, they were big and boisterous but harmless. Micky came out and we had a chat for five or ten minutes. We told her that we wanted to go for a walk, and her reply was "do you have bear spray". We replied that we had not been able to find any. She said that we would be better heading out of the campsite, turning left and walking back toward the bridge to check out the river for bears.

Talking to Micky further, she said that there had been a moose in the camp earlier in the afternoon. Also, a few days  ago a Grizzly Bear was in camp and it took the three dogs about 45 minutes to get it out of camp. Finally, she informed us that there were wolves around as well and that since they had been there, (which we didn't think had been more than 5 years or so.... but we could be wrong!) she had shot 15 Wolves!

Didn't really feel like walking now!... but that was why we had come. So we set off, with our cameras, for the Bailey Bridge, once again, talking loudly to announce our presence to anything that might take objection to our being there. On reaching the bridge, we saw absolutely nothing, although it was a nice walk so we turned around and headed back.

We walked past the entrance and started to walk the other way - which led further into the rainforest. The road was a wide cinder track, probably used for logging.  About 50 yards after the entrance there was a railway track.... nothing else.... no lights.... no barriers or anything like that, just two rails laid into the track surface. As we stood there, we heard a train whistle in the far distance.... Stef wanted to stay until we had seen the train pass. The whistle got louder and louder over the next five minutes or so. Eventually, the train came and made it's whistle next to us!.... it was deafening.

It was a commercial train rather than a passenger train and I counted 135 containers on carriages, pulled by two units in tandem and a further one in the middle! Incredible to see, and very noisy, what with the whistle and the clackety-clack of the wheels on the tracks. After the train passed, we carried on walking but still never saw anything. 1 kilometre later we arrived back at the Camp and by now it was throwing it down, so out went the plans for a barbi and a fire! and we ate inside.

The toilet/shower structure however was a bit of a surprise. After "pitching up" and before going for the walk, we investigated.

They say a picture paints a thousand words....so I will save my time and put a picture in instead!!!

What can I say!

There was no way I was using this place after dark!.... there was enough room, both above and below the door for any half decent bear to reach under, or over, and just grab you right off the loo! - forget that!

Needless to say, we used the facilities in the camper that night!

Micky had told us that the dogs would let us know if anything was around. So after the meal, we turned off the interior lights and just laid on the bed looking out of the windows, to see what we could see. Even though we heard the dogs barking several times, we saw nothing.

HOWEVER!.... we did very much HEAR SOMETHING!....  A bloody train once an hour, sometimes two!!! All the way through the night!

I had had enough, way before 8:00 the next morning. I just wanted to be away as we had 360 km before we got to Lake Louise, visiting Jasper on the way.    So, Goodbye to Bone Creek Wilderness Retreat!