Sunday 25 June — Winnipeg
I set off about nine o’clock in search of a steam train. The guidebook said that it was difficult to find but, once I’d realised that they had misspelt the street name, it was no problem. The Prairie Dog Special runs twice every Sunday from the old CPR St James station, some distance out on Portage, with an engine built in 1882 by Dubbs & Co in Glasgow. The carriages were of more recent vintage, built by various manufacturers in North America. All in all, a nice train, trotted very slowly through the suburbs but hit 40mph on the way out to Grosse Isle. A brief stop there for the locals to sell produce, baking and flowers, I spotted one passenger with two something meringue pies, looked beautiful too. I also met again a couple from Montreal with whom I had dined on the Hudson Bay. He works on the railway, her French is better than her English. When we returned to St James, I nipped back up the line to photograph the engine and the first carriage being turned on the wye, which is too small to turn the whole train, before the afternoon trip.
I bought a T-shirt the headed south across the Assiniboine river and upstream to the park of the same name, which includes the Winnipeg Zoo. Nice park but the zoo (admission free) was spoilt for me by some very unhappy bears just inside the entrance. I think they were uncomfortable in the heat. Didn’t bother paying to see the pandas.
By the time I’d walked back to the hostel, I was bushed. Perhaps I should have eaten something today, or even yesterday. Flaked on the bed for a couple of hours, then had a shower and washed socks before retiring for an early night.
Monday 26 June — Winnipeg
When the office opened at eight, I was on the doorstep to get soap powder for the laundry. Washing machine and dryer were installed only two weeks ago. Both worked fine. Finished just in time to get out by closing time (0930 - awfully early). Grey and overcast, still raining slightly, looked like a museum day.
On the way into town, I went through The Bay to keep out of the rain and, passing the tobacco counter, discovered that they have Condor, at $5.10 plus 36 cents tax, for 50 grams. It is going up next month to $6 something, plus a tax increase on tobacco products, Now the interesting bit. The UK price of £2.76, at an exchange rate of $1.85 is $5.10.6. I don’t think I want to pay more. Can I give it up?
By now, the rain was off and the sun had come out so a quick cup of tea in the station and across the Red River to St Bonniface, originally a French settlement. A bit of an amble around there then back across for fish and chips in the Portage Place food court, then, well, I hadn’t had a beer since Friday, so into Bleachers Sportsman’s Bar for a few, professional wrestling and the start of Wimbledon on TV. Cheap by Canadian standards, only $2.20 a bottle. Did I mention that milk is only just over a dollar in Winnipeg as against $1.50 in Ontario? Back to the hostel for a pot of tea (I’d bought some Typhoo English Breakfast earlier), talked to two Swiss girls, one of whom is en route to NZ and Australia, brought this up to date and went to bed.
Tuesday 27 June — Winnipeg to ...
Got up, showered, pot of tea, talked to a Kiwi who can think of better ways to run NZ hostels, humped the pack down to the station and dumped it in a locker. Ambled around a bit and had a look around the Legislative Building. Lunched on a submarine and milk shake. Wandered some distance up Main Street through the less salubrious parts of town. Pretty dull. Had a couple of beers in the Sutherland Hotel, cheapest yet.
It was about half past five when I returned to the railway station. The Super Continental, from Vancouver via Jasper and Edmonton, which was due in at ten this morning, is now expected at six. Over a cup of tea, I worked out the itinerary for after my return to Winnipeg and booked tickets through to Ottawa. I got a credit of $119 for the late train from Churchill, being half the cost of my roomette in both directions, with no allowance for any element of the Canrailpass. Confused? So was I, but I think I made a profit so I didn’t argue. This left only $13 to pay for a roomette to Capreol. I overheard a passenger from the eight and a half hour late Super Continental saying that they had been given a credit for another full return trip to where they had come from.
Headed back into town for a fast food Chinese supper in Portage Place food court again. Pretty revolting. Most of the clientele were teenagers, possibly a favoured hangout after school, but I was impressed when an altercation broke out and half a dozen ugly looking lads went to the aid of the victim and restored order.
Back at the station, lots of people around. The westbound Canadian departed an hour late, the Hudson Bay left on time and I boarded the westbound Super Continental for Jasper. We left nine minutes late with locomotive 6300 leading 6622 (much the same without a driving cab) and hauling a steam generator, baggage car, two coach cars, Skyline car and three sleepers. I was in the front coach, which had been designated non-smoking and took a double seat on the north side, but the seat back would not stay upright so I moved across the aisle. We were held up for a while before Portage-la-Prairie and passed through there twenty minutes late. Put the clock back an hour for Mountain Time.
Wednesday 28 June — ...
Three minutes early into Melville, left on time. Slept fitfully but felt quite refreshed as Saskatoon where I got down for a stroll. We stopped a couple of times on the way out of S’oon but were still in good time at the next stop, Biggar. I enquired of the engine-man whether 6622 had the same engines as 6300, he said yes and gave me a quick tour through it and the steam generator. Engine power is about 2500hp, not a lot for the large physical size. Locomotives have steam generating sets as well but they are not usually used. A start has been made to convert the carriages to electric heating but it hasn’t got very far yet.
At the appointed time, we moved forward two yards then sat for ten minutes before getting away. I’m not impressed with the Prairies, they are supposed to vast and flat and open, but they are uneven, a good few hedges and spinneys and swampy bits. After unity, there was a good stretch of rough and moderately hilly pasture which reminded me somewhat of an overgrown seaside golf links, with large bunkers. A cheeseburger for lunch just before Edmonton. The train filled up there but I managed to retain the empty seat beside me, though not for long. The conductor, seeking to get a conveniently placed empty seat for a guy with a bad leg and his wife without splitting up couples travelling together, suggested I move to an aisle seat but I refused. I hadn’t travelled this far to give up my window without a fight. However, another guy gave in and moved beside me.
Around Evansburg, much more trees and large lakes marked the end of the Prairies. It seemed strange to be crossing rivers which flowed north. We stopped about a mile before Edson (any relation to J.T.?). After a bit, the eastbound Super Continental passed, 5911 leading 6307 and 6611, making it two and a quarter hours late with a slow section still to come. Once we got going again, we were about fifty minutes late into Jasper.
I nipped into town and picked up rate cards for Avis and Budget. Dare I hire a car here when I get back? The offices close at eight so there was no-one around to ask about availability. The Skeena to Prince Rupert was hauled by 6403 with a steam generator, combined baggage and roomettes for the crew, one coach car, Skyline car and two sleepers. We left on time, I repaired to the bar, bought a beer and lit my pipe. I was conversing with an American couple when the conductor came along with his sidekick. Although smoking is permitted on trains, it is restricted to cigarettes only. He showed me a copy of the company order banning pipes and cigars as of April 1, even from sleepers (the smell lingers, it said). I refrained from precipitate action and allowed my pipe to go out while I considered my options - a) cancel everything, demand a refund on all prepaid tickets and go to New Zealand b) go and complain at the VIA Rail headquarters wherever they are c) do nothing, which is the most likely outcome. However, to go through the motions, I went in search of the conductor, who was hiding in his cubbyhole, and asked for a copy of the order for future reference. There was none to spare but he promised to get me the name and address of the originator for the morning (after he got off!). During the conversation, he suddenly said “you shouldn’t be in here”. I suggested returning to public parts but he seemed to decide that that was a bit pointless. I decided to retire and returned to my roomette to find that there was no hot water. I informed the porter (sleeping car attendant) and he went off to see what could be done.
Thursday 29 June — ... Prince Rupert
Still no hot water. I awoke just before six and got out for a walk at Prince George. Dreary place, pulp mill belching steam and smoke visible for miles. It seems we’ve picked up a tour party from the north-east of England. I sat up in the dome for a while. I think these domes are a bit overrated, at least on flat terrain. You can’t see down the other side and there is too much train in front. In fact, only the front two corner seats are worth fighting for. And that is another thing. Most passengers seem to be travelling in pairs. One goes to eat while the other holds two seats in the dome, and I got really exasperated by those who buried their noses in a book or, even worse, slept while others were denied seats up there.
We waited about forty-five minutes for a maintenance crew to get off the line between Burns Lake and Houston. At Smithers, we reversed out of the station, sat for ten minutes, then pulled forwards through the station and carried on down the line. Why?, who knows?, and certainly no-one wants to tell the passengers. After a bit, I went out to the rear platform to smoke my pipe, as I had done on the Hudson Bay, but the conductor soon appeared and asked me to return inside and extinguish the pipe. The train crew hereabouts were pretty stuffy, it made me realise just how pleasant the staff were on the Hudson Bay.
Only forty minutes late at Prince Rupert so there would be no credit there. The information office pointed me towards the Pioneer Rooms, an old rooming house, as reasonable cheap accommodation. At $20 per night, I booked in for four. The room was small but clean and comfortable. Pity about the other building six inches outside the window. An establishment just up the road called the Green Apple does fish and chips. I had the halibut and it was excellent, the batter was good and the chips well done. A quick walk around the town and back to bed.
Friday 30 June — Prince Rupert
Another walk around the town to start the day, including a visit to the restored station building brought from Kwinitsa (47 miles back down the line) which now houses a small, interesting railway museum. Then out to Mount Hays where a gondola provides access to nature trails in summer and a ski field in winter. There was some difficulty getting the thing started, every time the load went on, something cut out, so I went walking a couple of miles up the service road which ultimately leads to the top. I found a pleasant spot to sit watching the rooks and what I took to be white tailed eagles raiding the town dump. When all the birds stopped for lunch, I returned to the base of the gondola, which was now running, and ascended to the top station at an elevation of 1850 feet. I ambled about a bit, admiring the views and the wild flowers, then had the worst cup of tea in North America in the restaurant. I don’t think I’d risk dining there. They switched off the cable just as I was thinking of descending and, although they offered to restart it, I decided to ascend to the top of the hill. The views were no better than from lower down, being largely obscured by trees. The gondola was running again when I got back and I descended without further incident.
On my way back into town, I discovered that milk hereabouts is back to the $1.50 level. I dined on cod and chips in the Green Apple again, before going back to the Pioneer Rooms for a couple of hours rest. I emerged again to examine the night life. Most of the locals seem to be promenading around the town centre. I did not go in to see the stripper (a former Miss Nude Hungary) advertised by one pub. A passing person enquired where a “square bag” might be obtained. I wonder what he meant. Back to the digs for an early night.
Saturday 1 July — Prince Rupert - Canada Day
A bit of a non-event hereabouts. I discovered that gondola rides were free at Mount Hays, with a bonfire and barbecue, but as I’d been there yesterday, I ignored it and went instead to Roosevelt Park, in the centre of town, which was a US Forces base during the war and now houses a small reservoir. The views of the town are supposed to be good from here but again I found too many trees. For a while I watched a game of softball, mixed teams, with a few spectators generating a disproportionate amount of noise. After that, I walked out to the ferry terminal. The Alaskan Ferry had departed earlier and there was nothing to see.
I walked back through the town and down to the harbour, they appear to be re-piling one of the floats. I decided to refresh myself in the pub beside the yacht club. Nice barmaid, so I stayed for three pints. On the way back to my digs I found $16 lying on the pavement. I found the cop shop and offered to hand it in. They appreciated the gesture but the amount involved was trivial, would generate an unreasonable amount of paperwork and would probably end up in the city coffers. Much better in my pocket. Back at the digs, I wrote this up and rested. Not interested in watching MacEnroe at Wimbledon.
Out to the Green Apple again, this time for hamburger and chips. Good burger, I don’t know why people go to Macdonalds. I went to the pub with the stripper. She performed once, then there were signs of a band setting up so I departed, after only four pints. The stripper could neither strip nor dance. She walked up and down wearing a dress, then in a bikini, then rolled around the floor naked, removing the layers of clothing between tracks. An Edinburgh audience would appreciate the nudity but not the performance.
When I returned to the digs, I conversed awhile with a native teacher, lamenting the deterioration of his culture while watching the news of Canada Day celebrations across the country. Lots of colour from ethnic groups, Brits, Chinese, Poles, Latvians, Iranians but not an Indian or Inuit in sight. Retired.
Sunday 2 July — Prince Rupert
Took my time getting up then wandered up and down the town. Not a lot happening before twelve o’clock when some shops opened. I considered buying some T-shirts but there was a poor selection. I did buy some postcards, plus tax. Two attempts to phone home, no answer. Not to mention the instructions not working and having to get the operator to do the whole thing.
I followed the “linear park”, a disused railway line from the harbour to the sea-plane base. A couple of pints in “Solly’s”, Budweiser, terrible but only $3 until I noticed the small print, not pints, just half a litre. Walked back the other way into town, halibut and chips for tea, resisted the temptation for further alcoholic refreshment and had a litre of milk instead. Was going to have an early night but watched “Mad Max - Beyond the Thunderdome” instead.
Monday 3 July — Prince Rupert to ...
Woke early, went back to sleep and was taken by surprise by the alarm. I washed, packed and was out in an hour. Checked my pack in for Jasper and went for breakfast. When you add the orange juice and the tax, it’s not as cheap as you thought. By now it was trying to rain but only just occasional drops. Today’s train is hauled by loco 6400 and has the same shape as on the way up with a CN bar/diner substituted for the dome car. The conductor is the same chap who objected to my presence on the rear platform on the way up.
I was travelling coach this time, living rough, fighting to keep a double seat to myself. We departed on time, not full, but picked up a good few more at Terrace, which serves Kitimat. There was some shuffling to obtain optimum seating but it did not affect me. A dozen passengers boarding at Kitwanga cost a few minutes but we managed eight minutes early at Smithers. On time leaving there, lost a few minutes approaching Burns Lake but nothing like last Thursday, the maintenance gang saw us coming this time. I dined on ribs again, no offer of seconds this time but no tax either. Only five minutes late at Prince George, lots of people get off but as many get on and one takes the seat beside me. It is not comfortable at all trying to sleep on one seat but I must have dozed off now and then.
Tuesday 4 July — ... Jasper - American Independence Day
I don’t know why I mention that, it had no bearing on my day. I was awake when we crossed the westbound train at 0245. It was hauled by 6410, had the same shape as ours but the coach car looked much less crowded. I was awake again at 0415 when we arrived at McBride and, as it was now light, I stayed awake thereafter. Clocks forward an hour after Harvey, but the buffet stuck to Pacific Time for its 0630 opening. When it did open, there was no hot water for tea so each cup had to be heated individually in the microwave. It made for slow service but the teabags were Tetley and better than usual. We arrived ten minutes early at Jasper and my first action was to phone the hostel to ensure that I could get a bed for the night. Having done that, there were no lockers left for my luggage.
I walked along to the park information bureau and got a leaflet on day hikes around the townsite. There’s quite a variety available. Sat in the park smoking my pipe for a while before wandering around the town in search of phone box in a reasonable quiet location to phone home. I returned to the railway station to observe the passing of the eastbound Super Continental. The train had the same shape as the one I travelled on last Tuesday, hauled by 6424 and 6605. Next stop a pub for lunch, cheeseburger and French fries (new potatoes with the skin on), beer at $2.85 for a half litre. There was a short shower while I was inside but that had cleared up by the time I came out. Along to the supermarket for provisions, mainly milk, as the hostel is some distance out of town.
I arranged my bits and pieces for walking and set off for the hostel which is near the Whistler Mountain Tramway. All was well at first but just as I reached the turn-off for the Tramway, it began to rain again. I dived into the trees for shelter but they leaked. (It is a feature of lodgepole pines, they have comparatively thin foliage and do not keep out the rain.) Donned my yellow cape and continued walking, uphill. Feet soaked. The whole trip from town is about 7 kilometres and took about 1.5 hours, including stops. When I reached the hostel, there was already a couple of English persons sheltering under the eaves outside the locked porch. After a bit, the warden appeared and unlocked the porch where we waited till the hostel opened. No bother about beds, I had a shower and a pot of tea. The rain was off again so I went out and walked the remaining kilometre uphill to the Tramway (which is actually a cable car) and had a look. It was too late in the day to be worth going up. An elk crossed the road quite near me as I walked back to the hostel.
Wednesday 5 July — Jasper
Got up at seven, reluctantly, washed and consumed a pot of tea before walking up to the base of the Tramway. At this early hour, there was not much of a queue and I got into the second car. The weather was fine when I set out but by the time I reached the top, a bit of cloud was collecting on the mountains around, and a bit of mirk down on the Icefields Parkway. Still, it was just patchy and I enjoyed a pleasant walk up to and around the summit, meeting a few of the whistling marmosets which give the mountain its name, and a couple from Boston who spotted my New Balance trainers and informed me that they were cheapest at the factory shop in Boston, if ever I got there and wanted a new pair. Still small patches of snow lying around.
Having descended again on the Tramway, I walked down the hill, stopping to eat the occasional wild strawberry by the roadside, then cut across the main road to walk by the Athabasca River towards the town. When it became necessary to leave the river to follow a road into Jasper, I chose instead to cross the river at Fort Point and sample some of the walking trails in the area. Track No 1 provided a loop walk over the high ground just upstream and then Track No 7 roughly followed the right bank downstream, past an osprey nest on the top of a telegraph pole, to the next bridge, which turned out to be rather further than I had expected, leaving me with a tedious walk on the road back into Jasper.
I fell into the first pub I saw, at $3.10, a bit more expensive than yesterday’s establishment, but I needed it. Just one pint then off for a wash in the public conveniences before going into an Italian restaurant for steak and mushrooms and a half litre of wine.
I bought some milk from the supermarket before heading up the increasingly tedious road to Whistlers. Just enough energy left for a pot of tea and conversation with Wendy from Eltham and Harvey from Chicago who has a car but is not going to the Icefield tomorrow where Wendy would like to go, but is going to Mt Robson which Wendy would be happy to accept as an alternative.
Thursday 6 July — Jasper
This getting up at seven o’clock is getting to be a bad habit. A pot of tea for breakfast, refused another offer of a trip to Mt Robson but accepted a lift into town. So, at nine o’clock, I started up the hill behind Jasper to view some lakes, Cabin, Mina, Ridley, Patricia and Pyramid. All very pleasant, as was the walk through the forest. Stopped for a smoke and a paddle at Lake Pyramid before finding my own way down the hill directly to the bridge east of town which I had crossed yesterday.
On the other side, Track No 7 continued towards the Maligne Canyon. At first, a pleasant stroll stuck to the side of a gorge, then mostly man-made track criss-crossing above the cut where the outflow from Maligne Lake has cut deep through the rock. I started to feel fatigued when I met the day trippers who had parked their cars at the top. There were smelly chemical toilets at the car park but nowhere to wash. Tough. Into the tearoom as I was for chocolate milk, tea and 7-up before I had the energy to consider what next.
As it was now half past four, I decided to take the quickest route back, which turned out to be to retrace my steps to the Athabasca, cross the bridge and finish again on the road into Jasper. At the cheaper pub, it was Happy Hour, only $2.25 a pint. The waiter misunderstood my order and brought a half pint. Swallowed that in a wunner and sent him back for the pint. By then, it was time to nip down to the station to watch the Vancouver train pass through. It arrived hauled by 6425 and 6605 but dropped 6425 and its steam generator in favour of 6410, which had hauled the Skeena, and departed with the steam generator and the carriages from the Skeena tacked on to the end, to be serviced in Vancouver.
I girded my loins and headed up the hill again. Saw some elk as I approached the hostel and there was a moose out the back, apparently it is a regular visitor.
[ next chapter ]
John Reynolds — March 2014