Travelling like we are – in the Cabin is pretty easy.
A whole lot of thought went into planning for as many ‘what ifs’ as one can. Eric planned and prepped for months for all the goodies on the outside of the Van. I deal with the inside of the Van. We’ve got it down pretty well, but packing for 42 days is a whole different trip. Even with the length of time we are away, we’ve got a pretty smooth-running cabin.

This morning found us well rested. I made Coffee and smoothies for breakfast.
We’d learned that Highway 97 had been reopened after being closed for at least a week due to the Clinton Fire.
There are some hidden gems insofar as food that Eric discovered, and one of them was on that highway at 70 Mile House.

As we drove from Pemberton towards Williams Lake, the smoke from the fires was getting thicker. We stopped briefly in Lillooet to have a stretch and let the dogs do their thing.

Day 2 wildlife report: a few deer, and as we drove past some scattered properties along the highway, we saw a lone tree, with a bear in it.

You are not supposed to stop along that highway, so the image of the bear high up remains in our memory, not on film.

As we got closer to Clinton, the devastation was heartbreaking. Properties, vehicles, farms, gone. We saw a hotspot still burning with nothing around it to burn as it was all gone.

Fire fighters are still working on the fire. It couldn’t be seen from the road.

The historic Hat Creek Ranch was set up as a ‘Fire Camp’ with more tents that you can count.

From Google:

“A temporary or strategic Hat Creek fire camp (or base camp in the Hat Creek / Cache Creek area) is set up by the BC Wildfire Service to house firefighters, equipment, and support staff working to suppress local wildfires or manage planned ecosystem and cultural burns.”

The fire spread so far along the highway, I can’t imagine how long it will take to restore electricity in the area. Dozens upon dozens of telephone poles had the bottom halves burnt, and lines down for kilometres.

You don’t go too far past the last signs of that fire before the sky was clear again.

One of the places on Eric’s list of must tries was The Sugar Shack, at 70 Mile House. Authentically curated Quebec delights are homemade by a French couple.

The reviews we heard were all positive, with one fella saying “It’s the best poutine in Canada!” Pretty lofty goal for my Frenchman.

They had many Quebec offerings, but we stuck with the poutine.

The fries were the best ever, and the gravy was spot on! The serving was MASSIVE, and we left with heaps left for later.

They also had some goodies in the freezer, so I picked up Cretons, and we’ll let you know how it compares to Eric’s.

People ask, “Have you booked all your sites to camp at?” The answer is the same as any given camping trip. Nope, not one.

iOverlander is proving that if you are relatively self-sufficient, you don’t need to book. You never have to drive too far to find a safe, legal place to camp.

Tonight’s spot did not disappoint.