August 01, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Farms & Markets
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Ask anyone who lives in Saskatoon Berry country and they'll tell you they have a favorite spot to pick.
Saskatoons are big, blueberry-like berries that grow on bushes along side the many country lanes here in the Peace River Country. They grow in clusters like grapes and are absolutely delicious and very plentiful.
Mine favorite spot north of town is way off the beaten path and I can only reach it if the roads are dry.
The Saskatoon Bushes are twice as tall as I am with berries the size of small cherries. Of course, the size of the berries also depends on the amount of rain we've had, but I have a great spot regardless.
Being a serious picker I go equipped with a great system. A small bucket attached to a belt at my waist for hands free picking and several bigger buckets to empty my full one into. I like to keep the bigger buckets in a cooler in the trunk of my vehicle.
I also take lots of water, my camera, binoculars (my spot has a fantastic view of a valley), some mosquito spray and hand wipes for very sticky hands.
The berries are ready and I had my first picking. Someone else likes my spot and this year they got there before me. I'm ok with that because not only is there more than enough berries, but they made trails through the underbrush.
So, if you are here in Saskatoon Berry season, grab your buckets and your belt and head out of town on any country road. Look for tall dark bushes in the ditches. If you look closely, you can often make out the purple berries.
Saskatoon pie? Mmmmm...
July 28, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Historic & Heritage Sites
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Ever since I was a kid, I have loved to put on an old pair
of shoes, roll up my pant legs and wade in the water along the banks of a
river.
We recently took a day trip to the Peace River at the
Clayhurst Crossing 20 miles north of Dawson Creek. Our nephew was with us for the day of beachcombing and rock
skipping.
As usual, I took my walking stick; my dog and we got our
feet wet walking along the water's edge, poking around amongst the rocks and
driftwood. The boy found a great
fossil!
It was sitting there in plain sight. It looks like a big leaf on a piece of
shale rock.
The Peace River Region is well known as a rich deposit for
fossils from dinosaurs, plants and fish, and it's a common occurrence to find a
fossil left over from the time the dinosaurs walked the earth.
A trip to the Dinosaur Museum is definitely on the roster
for a next visit!
July 25, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Sightseeing Tours
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One of our favorite things to do on a summer evening is go for a drive on the back roads in the country. It's an enjoyable way to spend time with visitors while being a tourist in our own backyard.
I like to roll the windows down so we can catch the smells of the country: clover, alfalfa and fresh mown hay while looking at ranches and fields and wildlife.
It's common to see herds of deer, moose, hawks, coyotes the occasional bear or fox, out and about. Dusk is the best time for sighting wildlife and the sunset backdrops can be spectacular.
The great thing about the country roads here in the Peace River Country is that they are straight and go for miles and miles over rolling hills and along fields. The roads are either north-south or east-west with the occasional 'correction-line corner' to accommodate the curvature of the earth.
If you are looking for a quiet way to enjoy a summer evening under the big blue skies of the Peace River Country, hop in your vehicle and pick a road... any road... you won't get lost.
July 21, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Sightseeing Tours
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If you have been driving through the Peace River Country in July, you have undoubtedly noticed a lot of bright yellow fields as far as the eye can see. It's canola. And it blooms for a few weeks every July.
I love it when visitors come here in Canola season, often it's the first time they've seen this remarkable sight. When the sun shines it's spectacular.
This is where much of your canola oil comes from. It's harvested in the fall after the blossoms have faded and the pods have developed.
Another common sight at canola season is people standing beside their vehicles on the side of the road taking pictures of the landscapes. The color is a fabulous backdrop for old buildings, barns and wildlife.
Deer find the canola fields a great place to hide when they are resting and it's common to see only heads above the blossoms or a herd leaping and bounding over the sea of yellow.
We never tire of the beauty.
July 18, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Sightseeing Tours
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Last Sunday, we took our friends from Seattle on an afternoon drive for an ice cream and a drive around the area.
We went up the Radar Lake Road south west of town to the
Bear Mountain Wind Park.
All I can say is
wow, wow, wow! They are huge! And Beautiful!
Seeing those wind towers from below and in the distance is one thing, but being up close, right underneath them is another thing entirely.
There is an excellently maintained gravel road that winds along the whole 7 kilometers of the ridge. We parked and got out of our car and walked along for a couple of kilometers.
Each tower is numbered and there are 34 altogether. There is a mystery though, because the first tower has the number '0' and the last one is '34', so I'm wondering if '13' is missing? We didn't have the energy to go back and check.
The turbines are beautifully painted; the area is immaculate and undisturbed as possible. There are several cattle guards across the road as the area is a community grazing pasture. Nature has been well respected and the wind has been harnessed.
This is truly an amazing project. Be prepared to be amazed and awestruck!
July 14, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Festivals & Events
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We just attended one of the largest show and shines in BC.
Most of the streets in downtown Dawson Creek were blocked off for the day as hundreds of shiny vintage cars and trucks gathered for the grand finale of the annual Summer Cruise.
We met people from all over BC and Alberta. Some of the locals actually drove the vehicles here and many hauled them here in special trailers.
The streets were alive with proud owners, vintage car enthusiasts and eager spectators.
There were sandwich signs in front of the vehicles telling us about them.
Most of the hoods were up and the owners were happy to answer any questions and tell stories about them. While some were for sale as the owners were planning their next restoration project, it was obvious that many were considered family members and would never be for sale.
One man jokingly told me that he would sell his kids before he would sell his car.
Later in the afternoon, awards were given in several categories.
July 11, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Attractions
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I love it when we can find the perfect activity to do with our out of town guests! Our "city-folk" friends were up for a visit with their children. They live in a big city and this was their first trip to the north.
On Sunday, after a leisurely start to the day, we piled in the vehicle and headed out to the
Sewell Valley Game Farm about a half hour drive north of Dawson Creek. I had thought ahead and made an appointment for our visit.
What a treat to watch the kids meet the baby animals. We saw young fallow deer, wild boars, bison and a mountain goat and lots of other animals. Our 2 legged 'kids' met their 4 legged 'kids'.
The farm is amazing. Clean and organized, the owners obviously take their role as caretakers very seriously. The animal's environments seem well designed for comfort. All the animals are the picture of health and seemed to have names and a story.
My favorite was seeing a large herd of plains bison with their young grazing peacefully in a field. It was a flash back to the times when they roamed free.
When we finally had to leave, my friend bought a necklace made from an antler in the gift shop and I bought some bison meat to barbeque at home.
It was a great day! Our friends really enjoyed themselves.
July 07, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Professional & Spectator Sports
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I admit to being a horse enthusiast. When I heard that we were having another Wild and Lawless Horse Show at the Lakota Equestrian Center, I was thrilled!
I couldn't believe how much the show had grown in one year. There were over 120 riders of all ages and all disciplines.
Horses were everywhere! In stalls, aisles, pens, in the huge bathing room and in the arena. The atmosphere was pure energy, the sound was a symphony of whinnies and laughter and the smell was pure horse.
I got a chance to visit with old friends and new friends from as far away as 100 Mile House and White Court. I even met some tourists up from Omaha, Nebraska, who although they were here for their grandson's graduation, couldn't resist sneaking out for a few hours to watch the show! Horses bring people together!
Several disciplines were represented: English Equitation, Pleasure & Jumping, Western Equitation, Trail, Pleasure, Barrel Racing and Pole Bending.
The equestrian center is a great venue for a show of this size, and more than capable of handling even more growth. What a top-notch center! I couldn't count how many times I heard out of town competitors praise the riding center and the organization.
Sometimes a person just knows that an event has taken root and will just get better and better year after year... well, that's the feeling with the Wild and Lawless! I'm putting it on my calendar for next year! And I know I won't be the only one!
July 04, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Festivals & Events
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Everyone loves a parade! Everyone loves a party and everyone looks great in red and white.
I have been going to watch the Canada Day parade in the little village of Pouce Coupe near Dawson Creek for more years than I can remember. The best part of it for me is how a small community has created such an important cultural event that brings people together year after year.
The parade itself is not large, but the crowd is loyal and appreciative and you never know what you are going to see.
My all time favorite was a small woman who thought it was a great idea to bring a very uncooperative miniature donkey; they stole the act, and many hearts that day.This year I noticed the variety of license plates on the parked vehicles: Montana, Wisconsin, Texas and one from Georgia were mixed in with the locals.
Right after the parade, everyone makes a beeline for Pouce Coupe Park for a big community barbecue. There is entertainment and craft booths and lots and lots of families.
This year we had lots of sun too! What a great way to relax, have fun and celebrate being Canadian eh?!
June 30, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Attractions
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We love to take our out-of-town visitors on Sunday Drives for picnic lunches. We are really lucky here in the Peace River Country, because we have so much history and a lot of great scenery to choose from.
We took our cousins for a drive and picnic lunch to the
Kiskatenaw Park. This trip is a guaranteed hit with all visitors.
The park is in a canyon right below the famous
Kiskatenaw Curved Wooden Bridge that was built in 1942 during the construction of the Alaska Highway.
It's about 20 miles north of Dawson Creek on the Alaska Highway. You have to pay attention to the signs, because it is off the beaten path. The curved bridge can still be driven across but had to be protected from modern heavy trucks so a new section of highway and new bridge were built to bypass the original. The old one is now a historical site.
The wooden bridge is amazing and quiet enough to stroll across and enjoy the river far below.
In the late summer, the river is often quite low and you can walk across it. There is a sandy area, a swimming hole, a playground and campground. We found some great hiking trails and walked for a couple of hours.
Although we didn't bring any fishing gear, I've heard that the river has pike, bull and rainbow trout. Maybe next time.