Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Day 9: Bears, Fat Kids and Pepperoni Sticks

As you may have noticed, this little vacation I am taking involves a lot of driving. We have already eliminated one day earlier in the trip so we could hike the Badlands. We decided to do the same today in order to have a day off before I have three days of straight ferry riding.

The morning started at 5 am Mountain Time in Jasper, Alberta and ended about 13 hours and nearly 700 miles later in Prince Rupert, BC.

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On a trip of this magnitude, you find a lot of things to keep you busy. After exhausting my iPod play lists (especially James Taylor, Ben Folds, Barenaked Ladies and Jimmy Buffet) and many of my pod casts (This American Life, Car Talk and The Junkies), I decided to start jotting down some of my observations for your enjoyment:
Convenience Stores
These things go by a variety of names - Gas Stations, C-Stores, Kum-N-Go (yes, really) and offer even more services. Where else can you eat 3 day old hot dogs, buy flavored, colored condoms (and the pills that help get the job done) in a bathroom, get 2 jumbo kit kats for $1.19, and of course, work with wonderful people and pepperoni sticks?
Unless there is some kind of candy, processed meat and erection related products emporium, I think the Convenience Stores have this market cornered.

Bears
I know, I hit on it yesterday, but when you leave a campground one morning with this being the last thing you see, then you can over-write about it too.
And without bears, I never would have been able to utter this statement to my bro: "I will sleep with your girlfriend so bears don't eat the dog." Yes, it was entirely innocent and there was logic behind it, but I'll let you guess on what that logic may be.

Drive Throughs
I'd say this could only happen in America, but it was actually in British Columbia. The picture does more justice than I ever could with words.

I was as giddy as a fat kid at a breakfast buffet when I got this pic.
Tomorrow is a slacker day where my brother and I will be supporting the local Indian Casino while exploring Prince Rupert. Then off to Ketchikan and Metlakatla on Thursday.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

do we need to send you ipod gift certifs to meet you along various points of your trip to help keep you entertained in your car?

may i suggest flashing your cell # to interesting prospects and chatting them up? :)

again, be safe with the bears. and the pepperoni sticks.

katherine blondin

John Byun said...

Was there a bear in the bear trap? That would have been a perfect opportunity for your bear humping dare and picture opportunity.

As for your comment about sleeping with your brother's girlfriend...is this going to lead to an appearance on the Jerry Springer show?

Anonymous said...

PS, apparently gas in Alaska is like $8.20 a gallon.


so, good luck with that :) Kblo

Mom said...

Hi Chad,
Sounds like you guys need a break from driving - do you really spend 3 days on the ferry - who is the lucky guy????? DO YOU THINK THAT I COULD PASS THAT UP WITH ALL MY FOLLOWERS OUT THERE?! Don't forget to call me anytime when you need to hear a sweet voice to keep you awake. Let me know when you guys get there and set up Scotty and Janine's home!
Love you - PLEASE DON'T GO ON JERRY SPRINGER!!!!
XOXOXOX
Mom