Return to Fort Providence
I’m driving along the Yellowknife Highway; over 300km between Yellowknife and Ft. Providence and the car in front of me slows down. It slows down because there’s a bison standing on the shoulder of the road. A huge bull with curled horns and eyes the size of tennis balls. I’m surprised to see the bison in the winter, not that I know where they go in the winter, but to see one is unexpected. It reminds me of when I was here in the summer of 2012 working on the Deh Cho bridge and I would cruise by bison grazing at the side of the highway. Also on this trip I saw a fox and a white arctic hare.
While serving as a co-op bridge inspector on the Deh Cho bridge I lived in Ft. Providence, a hamlet of about 500 people. I didn’t go out much while I lived in Ft. Providence as there isn’t a whole lot to the community.
This time I was sent to make a final project closure inspection of an Arbor AE had engineered. The contractor hadn’t followed the construction drawings and we’d already issued rehabilitation to rectify some of the deficiencies so this was the to be the final inspection to sign-off on the structure.
The Arbor is essentially a large octagonal gazebo with a covered stage and bleachers surrounding a fire pit. It is a nice community structure though it was covered in bird shit. I suspect the ravens are happy to find an open air shelter to roost in. The inspection took two hours and then I was able to check out the bridge I’d previously worked on, just a few minutes down the road.
I left before construction on the Deh Cho Bridge was finished so this was my first opportunity to drive across. Driving across was an exciting moment, one that I filmed and did twice. On the return across, a bald eagle glided in front of me which I took to be a good omen.
I took photos on both sides of the bridge and from multiple places. For good measure also I walked up to one abutment and touched the steel again.
After getting my photos and selfies, I head back to Yellowknife for the great highlight of the trip – attempt two at seeing the northern lights.
