Trip to Fort St. John

This week I had to go up to Fort St. John, BC for work. I have always enjoyed travel. Even though it is only about two hours away, the fact that it takes me out of Alberta makes it feel like I am actually going somewhere.

While in Ft. St. John I met up with a few Twitter folks for some beers and food at Egan's Pub. It is always nice to get together with the folks behind the tweets and I was quite happy they took the time out of their day to meet up with me.

The drive up highway 43 (which becomes BC Hwy 97) is quite nice. What I have always liked about travelling in this part of the country is how the seasons continually change the scenery. At this time of year the canola fields have blanketed the countryside in bright yellow. There was also a reasonably clear sky (a rare treat this year) that added to the beauty. The copious amounts of rain this summer have made the grass a nice rich green.

Ft. St. John and Grande Prairie are commonly associated with the "Peace Country". This is the region through which the mighty Peace River flows. I do, however, find there to be a difference between the two cities. I'm not sure what it is because for all intents and purposes they are the same. Same industries, same businesses but there is something about FSJ I find surprisingly refreshing! Maybe some of that laid back BC attitude manages to creep its way into this corner of the province as well. Maybe it is the way they seem to have captured a community spirit which I have often thought is something Grande Prairie is still working on.

Of course I am the one on the outside looking in. Things often appear different to anyone who has spent time in one place. We tend to focus on the flaws and the problems and neglect taking the time to appreciate the good things our communities have to offer.