Welcome to Pink Mountain

It was up early and out as soon as possible this Monday morning, but between fighting with the "free WiFi" and getting things squared away, we did not actually hit the roiad until nearly 10:00.  As we rolled west on Highway 43, toward Dawson's Creeek, the road began to undulate, rising and falling over what were, at first, gentle hills.  Soon, however, we started encountering some real foothills.  Then, as we started out the Alaska Highway (Highway 97, here in British Columbia), we encountered real grades, on a par with the best of the Appalacians.  And these are just the foothils.  We continued on for about 200 miles until we reached the Pink Mountain Campground and RV Park, where we have stopped for the night.  And have finally gotten a good internet connection.  Hence all the blog posts today.

The truck is either too heavy for this work or else it is underpowered.  Either way, when the grade rises above about 6%, it slows down to about 20 miles and hour.  At that rate, it could take some time to cover 1500 miles.  But, fortunaely, it is not all uphill.  To go uphill implies going downhill.  And, from what I understand, up hill and down hill are the two main directions from now on.  We hit a 10% downgrade this afternoon and my buttocks are still puckered from that one!  Someone ought to tell the Canadians about a thing called "back-filling", where you take some dirt off of the high spots and put it on the low spots to even out the grades.  Just kidding, of course.

We still need to try and maintain 250 miles a day, so we are going to try starting earlier and driving later.  The problem is that it is safest to call ahead for a reservation at an RV park and, when you do not know, exactly, how far you will get, that can be an issue.

Still and all, it a a grand adventure and, in the end, we will be in Seward, enjoying our new home and new church family.  God is good.  All the time.  Amen.