Sunday, June 10: Turned off the light at midnight; sky was still light like just before sunset! Shades of things to come? Woke up at 4am--bright sun--here we go, into the land of the midnight sun. Slept in, had a relaxing morning, then took a little walk around town--lots of lupines in bloom. At population 450, Dease Lake was once a post for Hudson Bay Company, and an important delivery point for materials for the Alaskan Highway. Stopped at the information post to see what's to do here, and it really hit the fan. Ron reports: "I was nervous about the car breaking down on the trip. Who would have thought two days ago one of the most horrific series of wash outs and mud slides have made at least 14 places in the roads impassable. There is a website that we are watching for when the way north will be passable again. We are leaving for Watson Lake in the AM which is clear sailing. From there there are no roads open to Alaska. They are working 24 hours a day to make what they call a one-lane primative road. Long delays are in store but at least we will be moving. And that was just some bad rain storms, the usual snow pack run-off hasn't happened yet. I guess there has been a run on local grocery inventories and now they are out with no resupply available till the roads are passable again. I might have to run down an elk and gaff him with my Cutco sabre." So we spent some time with the maps and CBC news and decided to forge ahead, take it one day at a time. Maybe it's time to re-read a nice plaque we saw at 'Ksan. Took a drive down to Dease Lake, it's 30-miles long, and sat and watched some kids swimming--tough as Lake Superior swimmers. Just an aside: Canada is a real "green" place--RAPP (report all poachers and polluters) signs everywhere,also "BC is Idle-free!"--no semi's idling outside your motel room all night. Every place we've stayed recycles, and there are frequent wayside rests (with bear-proof dumpsters); Ron had to show me how to open them! A little tv and then z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z! (JUST A NOTE: YOU CAN CLICK THE PICTURES FOR A CLOSER VIEW!)