From Clinton we drove 400km north on the Cariboo Highway (BC-97) through more of Beautiful British Columbia's spectacular scenery to Prince George. With a population of 74,003 the city is the 'Northern Capital of BC.
The origins of Prince George can be traced to the North West Company fur trading post of Fort George, which was established in 1807 by Simon Fraser and named in honour of King George III. The post was centred in the centuries-old homeland of the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation, whose very name means "people of the confluence of the two rivers."
We stayed at the Riviera City Centre Inn which was the cheapest place in town. You get what you pay for, and it was a fine place for a one night stay! Delicious dinner at the White Spot Restaurant - a British Columbian Legend - celebrated its 90th Birthday just 24 hours earlier on 16th June - hey snap says Amanda - we were presented with a specially minted commemorative coin. Free Dinner would have been better - but you don't look a gift horse in the mouth!!
We eschewed the Alaska Highway which starts at Prince George, choosing instead the Yellowhead Highway (BC-16), driving almost 300km west to our next stop, The Whispering Pines Motel in Topley (Population 80),
Cabin 3 was great. Not exactly a Log Cabin, but quaint and well equipped - including fly screens on all doors and windows - good job - mossies in abundance!
Some of the Pines round here must have whispered a little too loud - highway busy with Logging Trucks - BIG - and tough to get by!
Grizzly Jim's General Store was well stocked - sold Ice, Beer and Worms! Great Community Notice Board too - everything from Replacement Heifers to Mud Drags. And Jim's Country Grill cooked up a mean Rib Eye!!
