Ross River

Yet another place I have to go back to....We were a little to early for the flowers...Phyl took me out to the airport but there was nothing yet....but I did find a photo or two you know....
Actually I looked at my file on Phyl's computer and there are 759 photos...taken from the day I started out May 1/07 to present June 10/07 !!!!!!!!That surprises even me...;-)))
Couple of weeks ago now we headed out to Ross River..What little history I have learned is Ross River is part of a complex of roads built in a piece meal fashion, starting in Watson Lake, in the Diefenbaker era. They were called "Roads to Resources" I have read Diefenbaker was accused of wasting tax payers money and building roads from igloo to igloo.
He felt if the roads were built, development would occur. The road was completed to Ross River in 1965 and Faro in 1966. Apparently the roads were also used to transport troops up north in the event we were invaded from the north. Years ago Phyl took me to a graveyard of sorts containing rusted out bodies of vehicles used by these troops. After the threats of invasions disappeared so did the troops, but they left all the equipment, it was never cleaned up at the time of my visit...
On that trip I must not have been impressed with this fact so I took no photos....Thank goodness Phyl did as in the past few years they have cleaned it out...(why now?)
..The dump we travelled to close to Ross is now gone. There is another up the north Canol Road but at this point it is washed out so I was unable to go see it...



I remember row upon row of chrome grills, all parked in a row neatly, The bodies all rusted, the chrome all shiny......Phyl doesn't remember that. If I had only taken a photo heh!!









Ross has moved one of the cars
beside the sign coming into town..









Ross River is also the owner of a swinging bridge that spans the Pelly River. We are not sure why the bridge was built, as it is a pedestrian bridge. There is no bridge for vehicles they must use a dilapidated old ferry...but!! what amazed me was the construction of this swinging bridge...(guess whether I walked across it or not!!!!) look at this....












The bridge is not attached to the supports!!!!!!!!! is that what swinging means????
There are rumours that they are going to upgrade this bridge this year..there must be more of a story here, as I cannot imagine there being enough foot traffic this far up north to warrant that expense....There is no development on the other side of the river other than a few cabins...The north Canol road was built to transport oil/supplies to Norman Wells...the road is now closed at the border and is only a hiking trail to Norman Wells...many many miles away.
How interesting this country is....