Big Wild Life!

Does anyone know what they do to people who litter in Washington state? I have been trying to find out, as when I was driving through there last week there were all these signs saying "Do not litter. It will hurt." I saw another cute sign this morning that triggered the Washington memory. As I was leaving Fort Nelson there was a sign that read "Everyone who doesn't like speeding tickets raise your right foot" - way more creative that the traditional "Slow down" signs.

The other sign I have been seeing alot of is "Watch for Wildlife on the road". Up until now I had seen no wildlife whatsoever, but today I hit the jackpot. It all started with some deer in the road. I found that there is no need for a wide shoulder or a view point when it comes to animal photos as they effectively stop traffic anyway. There was a mother and baby just wandering along.

I would have been quite happy if that were the only wildlife that I saw all day - and it got bigger as the day went on. Not a couple of miles further down the road there was a sheep. He was not as co-operative as the deer and turned his butt towards me. I decided that it was nothing personal and that he was just camera shy.

The weather took a turn for the worst today and rained on and off. This resulted in misty vistas, so it was just as well that the wildlife was out in abundance. Moose were next on the agenda. I almost missed this mother and baby as they were doing a good job of blending in with the background.

Around this time I began to see signs warning of bison in the road. Despite all the other animals that I had seen I was still a little sceptical when it came to bison. The only bison I had seen were in Golden Gate Park and in Yellowstone, both of which are controlled environments. Somehow I just didn't believe that there are herds of wild buffalo wandering around. I was wrong. I saw the first guy below just wandering along in the rain - and he didn't seem too happy about it. The second guy was sitting by the side of the road keeping watch over the rest of the herd who were resting in a meadow. He was magnificent.

I made it into Watson Lake and found my hotel. I am staying in a historical building that was built as a dorm for WWII pilots. It is now run by a German, which is a little ironic. My biggest surprise of the evening came when I went to get dinner. Keep in mind that the route I have been following since arriving in Canada is mainly a trucking route, therefore most dining options are truck stops. This was the case in Watson Lake. I was surprised to see a healthy plate on the menu (grilled chicken, fruit cup, cottage cheese and green salad). In a moment of conscience for all the junk food I have eaten I order this for dinner. The green salad came complete with flower petals - I am not joking. I did manage to resist the urge to check the kitchen to make sure Mary Serpa wasn't there. (TNT insider reference - non TNTers, do not try to figure it out.)