August 10, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
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This weekend (July 6-8) was the 18th annual Show and Shine in Dawson Creek. Organized by the Dawson Creek Mile Zero Cruisers club it was a weekend of sun, fun and cars. Every year the club puts on an amazing car show featuring all different kinds of vehicles from all over BC and Alberta. A record-breaking 276 cars were displayed over three blocks in the downtown area this weekend with a wide range of cars being shown. Some of the highlights included a 1972 Triumph TR6, a 2005 Dodge Neon SRT-4, a 1923 Ford C-CAB, a 1959 Ford Galaxy Skyline Retractable, a 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier, a 1998 Suzuki Samy, a 1953 Hudson Hornet and even a 2013 Ford Escape. The streets were full of locals and tourists alike out to enjoy the 31 degree Celsius weather. The local downtown businesses also contributed to the happy atmosphere by opening their doors and enticing customers with ice cream, slushies, pie and lemonade. A live band was playing appropriate car show hits such as “Mustang Sally” while people danced to in the street. All of these attributes; the cars, the people, music and of course the food make this a weekend not to be missed by car enthusiasts or anyone looking to have a good time in Dawson Creek.
August 10, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Terrace, Attractions
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The Riverboat Days are my favourite time of year, it happens in the beginning of August and celebrates the spirit of skeena. Riverboat Days is held for 10 days with over 50 events that include the legion parade, fireworks that take place just over Ferry Island, Concerts in the park and the Riverside Festival. Those are the mainstays that are sure to draw a crowd. But you can also enjoy quiet moments like appreciating visual art, or take part in a bunch of different sporting events like slow pitch, volleyball and basket ball. Every year in each summer is a great time to be in here in beautiful Terrace. I strongly recommend that you to come and join us to celebrate the spirit of skeena which is always held in the beginning of August.
August 09, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Air / Airports
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I took a trip to the Smithers Airport and admired their many displays. My favorite was the Grizzly bear weighing 1012 lbs with a chilling story behind this massive beast. This bear was finally captured in the fall of 2001. It is believed that this bear was responsible for killing upwards of 30 head of cattle in the Hungry Hill area, which is between Smithers and Houston. The killing of cattle took place over a three year period. Some of the cows killed weighed as much as 1500lbs. This bear managed to avoid capture from the snares and traps set for him for three years. He was able to trigger snares and grab the cow carcass without being caught on more then one occasion.....now thats a smart bear! He was finally caught by a cable leg hold snare. This snare, consisting of a spring-loaded cable anchored to a tree, captured the bear by the leg. As the conservation officers approached the bear cautiously, this bear managed to break the snare cable and charge at the officers. The bear was 24 meters from the officers and made it within 7 meters of them before being shot! Everyone was surprised of the size of this bear and it is suspected that he was able to break the snare cable due to the fact that he weakened it with his teeth. This is not a friendly story of Yogi and Boo Boo bears stealing picnic baskets but a real story of a uncommon predator in our area. Grizzly bears are usually hidden deeper in our forests and mountains, so no need to postpone your trip to Smithers, theres a good chance you wont run into one.
August 09, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Arts/Crafts
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There are about 10 beautifully painted murals on many of our unique, old, and new buildings in Smithers. The nice thing is they are all within walking distance of each other, so I spent an afternoon admiring the work of local artists and enjoyed the detail they put into these masterpieces. My favorite painting would have to be the Eagle in Flight; it is located on the corner of Main Street and First Ave. It is made up of purples and blues for the sky, with trees, and the eagle with its wings spread wide. This painting was created with the purpose of displaying a skewed perspective of an aspect of the Valley. The eagle is one of the amazing creatures native to Canada and commonly found in the Bulkley Valley. Other paintings include Poineers of the Bulkley Valley, Music of the Valley, and Northern Sunset, just to name a few. In the presented picture is our newest mural in town, it has snowboarders to represent our wonderful ski resort, a musician to represent music in the valley and our talented local musicians, and a fisherman to represent the great fishing our area has to offer. I grabbed a brochure from the Smithers visitor centre called, a Tour of the Murals in Smithers, and this allowed me to experience every painting, and plus it gave a brief description of each mural. If you are looking to enjoy some art, come to Smithers because its all over town.
August 09, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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I must confess, I have a terrible addiction…to coffee. Before functioning in the morning, I must have at least one cup of liquid gold. I thoroughly love fresh roasted coffee, although I will settle for a quick instant coffee if there is no other option. This summer, a new coffee shop opened up in Fort St. John so I just had to check it out. The Canadian Grind is located downtown inside the local scrapbooking store, Unforgettable Memories. Although a drive through is available to grab a cup of joe and go, I opted for walking in so I could look through the scrapbooking supplies while waiting for my latte to be made. The small, but cozy section of the store surprised me in how large of a selection they have to offer. I decided on a skinny brown sugar latte with half the syrup and extra hot (yes, I know I’m a bit picky). After one sip, I knew that The Canadian Grind was going to be a hot spot I would visit frequently for the rest of the summer. Mmm did it ever taste good! I also liked the fact that they use Salt Spring coffee. Why not support an organic, fair trade, and local BC company? The countless varieties of loose tea also caught my eye, so I just had to purchase a few small bags to take home. The loose tea undoubtedly has much more delicious flavors than a boring old tea bag. If you’re craving a specialty latte, tea, or cold drink, treat yourself to The Canadian Grind.
August 08, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Houston, Bird Watching
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Searching for the beautiful birds of Northern British Columbia? I was and I found them!
In the Duck Pond walking trail in Houston, I found a variety of water fowl and other birds. For hours I wandered around searching for Mallards, Pintails, and Common Goldeneyes. My favourite minute was the low flying eagle. Surely searching for prey along the fields next to the walking trail, the eagle was continually circling lower and lower. He dropped out of sight unfortunately but watching it fly was truly breathtaking. After watching the eagle I decided to check if I could find any small mammals or small amphibians. Sadly I couldn't find any small mammals; I must have been to loud walking around. After a few salamanders and frogs I had my fill though, I'm more of a bird person.
The walking trail itself is a very pleasant walk. Thanks to a group of local youths who, in 2001, helped clean up and clear the walking trail. Also, thanks to the youth, a viewing platform was built along with many ideally located benches. As an easy trail with lots to see, the Duck Pond walking trail was the perfect way to spend my lazy Sunday afternoon.
August 07, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Biking
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When your idea of a mountain adventure involves two wheels, a full-face helmet and the adrenaline rush of a perfectly executed jump, then Hudson Bay Mountain and the Bluff trail network in Smithers is the perfect place for you to explore. It took me only 30 minutes to drive to the top of the hill, and just past the Hudson Bay Ski Lodge I spotted the Pay Dirt and Piper’s Down trail heads. Pay Dirt is one of the only machine made trails on this hill, meaning it is wide and flowy—perfect for a beginner who wants to avoid the jumps, or for an experienced rider who wants an exhilarating yet smooth descent. Further past the Ski Lodge is the Piper’s Down Trail, which is one of the hill’s most challenging runs. The trail is named after a Piper’s plane, that crashed into the hill years ago, and that the trail’s builders decided to incorporated into one of the run’s many jumps. This trail will also be the location of the annual Piper’s Cross event, hosted by the Children of the Bluff (COB) this coming weekend. The event is a timed race, with plenty of fun for both competitors and spectators. Beyond these two trails there is a whole network of lower elevation mountain biking trails on the Bluff just overlooking Smithers. These trials are well known for their varied degrees of difficulty, including drops, log rides, boardwalks and other challenging elements. New to the mountain? No problem! The Smithers visitor center is equipped with trail maps and bike rental information. Now it’s time for me to put a little mud on my bike.
August 06, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Attractions
Watch the video to get a glimpse of one the many outdoor attractions in Fort St. John. On a daily basis, the natural beauty of the Peace Valley attracts many local residents and tourists. Doesn't this video make you want to come see the gorgeous, panoramic view of the Peace River for yourself?
August 06, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Food or Wine
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The long awaited return of The Keg Steakhouse and Bar to Prince George could not have come soon enough! After being closed for 2.5 years and nearly five million dollars spent on renovations, The Keg is back and busier than ever. I have been there on a couple occasions now, and each time I leave wanting to return soon for another amazing meal with friends and family. The food has been so good and the atmosphere even better. Just from being there on the occasions I have, I have met some really amazing people and made some great friends with some of the people that work there. It is a very relaxed restaurant for a nice casual-to-fine dining style meal, and then the lounge is busier and has the music, food, and drink going later into the evening. It is one of the best hang out spots in town now and I often go there with friends.
When it comes to the food, there are so many amazing steak options to choose from including sirloins, filet mignons, new york, and an incredible 20oz rib eye steak. To go along with an incredible selection of seafood from crab cakes, king crab, lobster, scallops, and shrimp options of various different styles and sauces.
The new decorations and layout of the restaurant is a little bit to get used to as it seems like a big maze. There are many sharp corners which surprise many people as they go throughout the restaurant. They have some separate party rooms which can be reserved for larger groups and celebrations, which I've seen wedding parties, birthday, and anniversaries celebrated when I was there. It is a great restaurant in Prince George for any occasion.
Maybe I'll see you tonight, at The Keg Steakhouse & Bar!
August 04, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Smithers, Beaches & Swimming
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Tyhee Lake Provincial Park is situated in the beautiful Bulkley River Valley.....in Telkwa where the two rivers meet. There is a comforatable grassy field to relax on, right before the sandy beach which decends into the glistening water. As I enjoy the sun I looked to the west, and saw the Telkwa and Bulkley Ranges of the Hazelton Mountians. Looking to the east is the beautiful Babine Range of the Skeena Mountians. We decided to take a walk on the many trails that connect the campsite to the lake, this is through a forest consisting primarily of trembling aspen. One of these trails lead us to the viewing platform, located near the boat launch, and provides a lookout over a marsh that harbours numerous species of birds, mammals, small reptiles and fish. The present name, Tyhee, means fish in the native Gitxsan language; there are native cutthroat and stocked rainbow trout which a licence is required to fish. With so much to do I never get board at Tyhee Lake, it is one of my favorite summer time destinations. Kids can enjoy the adventure playground in the day use area, many people enjoy conoeing, and a boat launch allows for water skiing and boating activities adjacent to the swimming area. Although Tyhee Lake is fun during summer, it can be great for winter time fun as well; popualar winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, skating and ice fishing. Come check out this popular beach and dip your toes in the refreshing water.