29 August

[Alison] Here’s the thing… when you need something, I mean, really need something, a thrift store is just the place to find it. Take a garlic press. I was certain that I had packed our garlic press into the kitchen box for our car trip, but when it came time to anoint the steaks with garlic before barbequing them a few nights ago, the garlic press was not to be found. I had to chop it finely and it all fell off in the grilling process. Today when we rolled into Dawson Creek, BC, I asked at the Visitors’ Center about any thrift shops in town, and was told there was a Salvation Army shop a couple of blocks away. After taking photos of Dean at “mile zero” of the Alaska Highway, we wandered into the SA and found not one but TWO garlic presses from which to choose. Fifty cents later we left, fully content. That, my friends, is the wonder of second-hand shopping! XOXOXO

White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad GREAT!!!

Aug 23: White Pass and Yukon Route to Skagway: 93 kilometers in 6 hours

What a great trip with an overnight in Skagway. The conductors and trip narrators told us all about the Klondike Gold Rush (1896-1899) and history of the WP&YR as we traveled along for about six hours. The winter of 1897-98 there were 28,000 people in Bennett who built 7000 boats to float to the Klondike gold fields near Dawson City after the ice went out from Bennett Lake. At the Bennett Station train stop for lunch, Nancy Taylor and Hiroko were with a group of Chilkoot Trail hikers from Anchorage. (Another small world moment.) From the Fraser stop to Skagway, about 27 kilometers, it is amazing the rail line was ever constructed. Many shear drops, bridges, and 2 tunnels were needed to complete the line through steeply mountainous terrain. It rained through most of the train trip, but it was fun nonetheless and we only missed some mountain tops because they were in the clouds.

Once in Skagway, it was very impressive to look down Broadway Street and see the cruise boats towering above everything else. There were only 3 boats in town the evening we were there so it was a ‘light’ boat day. The town gives the impression of the gold rush era, only tarted up and absolutely filled with diamond jewelry shops. Monday evening we ate at a Thai restaurant and joined our two conductors, breakman and photographer we had met on the train earlier. On Tuesday we went for a hike to Lower Dewey Lake above downtown Skagway, a nice hike in the rain forest. We returned in time for the Park Service’s two person play about the Klondike gold rush. Then an hour city tour and history walk also by the Park Service. The Park Service is caretaker/restorer of 22 properties in Skagway. In the early afternoon we returned to Carcross via bus, taking only three hours including the US/Canada border stop. It was less rainy than the day before

Aug 29 update from Fort Nelson, BC

August 29, 2010


Okay, so it’s my turn, Alison, to write a blog note and I’m not sure where to start. It seems that Dean will keep you all up to date with what we are doing, so perhaps I will try to concentrate on what we are experiencing. I am glad to be starting this today because it has been our first day of driving in sunshine, and the experience has been so different and so much more uplifting than it has been in the rain and dark greyness. This morning as we started out from our heavily tarpaulined camp site in Liard Hot Springs it was foggy and dank, but we decided to pay one last visit to the hotsprings itself and immerse ourselves in the hot, sulphury waters. By the time we left an hour later, it was completely sunny and remained so for the rest of the day. Suddenly our trip was transformed… from merely achieving distance to reveling in the landscape under a crisp blue sky with puffy white clouds punctuating the vistas and reflecting in the lakes. It was lovely, and a classic image of the Yukon Territory. We drove through miles of mixed aspen and spruce forest, with lofty mountains and deep gorges, some with an incredible color of turquoise water in rivers and lakes. We saw lots of wildlife today, too, a great treat and privilege; some bison including calves, some stone sheep, a mature solo caribou and two separate caribou youngsters with velvety brown antlers. We have once again been thrilled by the sound and sight of the squawking of the sandhill cranes, many fewer in number than we saw last year in September, but wonderful and inspiring nonetheless. On other driving days we have also seen bears, moose, hawks, and were lucky to see a lynx running across the road (a first for each of us). The vastness of the terrain remains astonishing. So far we have not encountered any forest fires or fire smoke, but this may change as we proceed southward in BC. The central western part of the province has been heavily struck with fires this summer and the weather remains dry there. Their smoke apparently has reached as far east as Ontario. I am looking forward to several days of moteling, after a few very wet days of camping. It will be a relief to put the tent up at some point and let it dry out, along with the tarps. Dean is ingenious at protecting the tent from incursion by rain, but the result is a dark, shrouded campsite environment. The weather forecast for the rest of this week involves sun each day… so I am cheered. We are eating like kings while camping, as usual. All is good thus far.

Ryan and Jen's Wedding

August 20 to 22: Las Vegas!! 50 bazillion miles in 12 hours

From Whitehorse, Yukon Territory to Las Vegas, Nevada, what a contrast! And what an occasion, RYAN and JEN’S wedding!!

We were able to meet Jen’s Dad (Tony), Mom (Patty), Sister & Husband and Niece (Cassidy) and many friends at dinner Friday and the wedding reception. One of Ryan’s attending friends was our neighbor in Bootlegger’s Cove. (It is a small world.)

The groom and his entourage, about 15 +/-, took a stretch Hummer to the wedding at the Las Vegas Wedding Chapel. The ceremony was delayed, so there was much cell phone calling and texting to all parts of North America and India to keep all those attending via streaming internet informed.

Once we were in the upstairs chapel, Cassidy was the flower girl and was very frugal in dispersing the rose petals. She walked slowly down the aisle and every 3 or 4 steps dropped a single petal, very cute. But when Jen came down the aisle on Tony’s arm, she looked BEAUTIFUL and RADIENT in her wedding dress and everyone quickly forgot about Cassidy. Ryan and Jen’s vows were traditional, but the ceremony was not. There was no question, Elvis was present. (What else would you expect in Vegas?)

The wedding reception was in Diablo’s Cantina restaurant in the Monte Carlo Hotel. Late in the evening, the celebrating continued upstairs in the club lounge. We flew back to Whitehorse throughout the following day.

More updates to come

There is a hiatus in our postings due to camping and an optical cable being cut that affects internet service in northern BC and Yukon Territory.  We do have several blogs ready to post on Ryan and Jen's wedding (FABULOUS) and our ride on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway to Skagway (GREAT). 

Today we are on the way to Liard Hotsprings for 2 days of camping and soaking so will not have internet.  After that we hope to get caught up with words and pictures because we have several days in hotels.

So, signing off from Watson Lake, its either in BC or Yukon Terr. We have crossed their boarder many times so we aren't sure where we are at this point.  Pun intended.
Cheers,

D&A

August 19: Haines Junction to Whitehorse: 100 miles, 2 hour drive


A RED letter day for several reasons:
1. We found a nice bakery in HJ and had great Apple Bombs for breakfast and bought some for tomorrow also.
2. It is not raining and we saw the tops of mountains!
3. Termination dust was on the mountains and there are fall colors. (Sorry for mentioning this for our Alaska friends.)

4. We saw an elk, but Yukon elk have head and butt facing the same direction. An interesting design.
5. We saw a LYNX!!!!! Dean’s first ever even though being in Alaska 30 years. It ran across the road in front of us and we got a glimpse of it in the black spruce and alders along the road.
6. We saw a big hawk sitting in a tree close to the road.
7. We visited a small remote cemetery and found a Canadian Survey marker nearby. (Look up the survey # to get the cemetery’s location.)

So all in all a very nice day on a relatively short drive.

Mendenhall Landing is where the riverboats on the Takhini River docked and transfered their goods onto wagons for the trip on the Whitehorse-Kluane Wagon Road to the mining districts.  These are the docking slips and the river is beyond the present day culverts.

On the Road: August 17 and 18

August 17: Anchorage to Tok: 335 miles, 6 hour drive

Departure day has arrived. The car has been packed and repacked. Goodbyes are said, though we both agree that it feels more like the start of a vacation than the final move away from Alaska. We are on the road and it is raining again. (30 straight days of recordable rain in Anchorage a record.) The destination is Tok, AK and a hotel. With this despicable weather we are glad to not be camping. We hit the road about noon after a send off by Cindy and Bart and a visit to the storage unit to pick up the roof top carrier.

It REALLY rained until Chikaloon, but broke while we were at Sheep Mountain Lodge. Their flowers were spectacular as always. The variable lighting made for some nice views of the mountains when the clouds were higher. There were almost no cars on the road so the driving was easy.

Our only moving animal sighting was two tundra swans on the Tok Cutoff. Lots of hunters parked on the waysides. (Sorry Jim, we didn’t stop to check out the freshness of the porcupine along the road.)

August 18: Tok to Haines Junction: 300 miles, 6 hour drive

The road from the Canadian border to Kluane Lake was very frost heaved, much worse than last September when we drove it. It RAINED, was windy and very grey today. There were 2 foot waves on Kluane Lake.

But all is not lost. We are able to watch CBC and BBC for news. YEA!

Potluck Gathering

We have been staying with Bart and Cindy since we have moved out of the apartment.  A nice time with no responsibilities! 

Last night many of our friends gathered for a potluck party.  A nice way to say farewell and celebrate our friendships and reflect on past experiences we have had together in Alaska.  We are thankful for the shared experiences and chance to visit individually and collectively with all of you. 

We are hopeful these are temporary partings and we will meet again when our paths cross and recross.

Last dinner at Aladdins Fine Mediterranean Restaurant

One last dinner at Aladdins Restaurant with our friends. Raba and Jeanette's halibut special followed with lemon ice cream is very good. Add some champaign to celebrate the occasion and you have the perfect meal.

We are driving out of Alaska after 30 years in Anchorage and had to have one more meal at Aladdins. We hope to see you in Vancouver.

Juneau and Camp Damp were GREAT!

What do you do on a wet Anchorage weekend? Fly to Juneau for some less wet weather.

Monica hosted us and accompanied us to Camp Damp for a long weekend of sightseeing, bear watching, beach combing, harbor viewing, and contra dancing. What a nice time. Thank you Monica!

Mendenhall Glacier had just calved very large berg (the very blue spot). The salmon were running in the creek and being dinner for several black bears. The ride up the gondola provided us with an easy overview of Lynn Canal and the three cruise boats in port. Try some of the local microbrews. We tried several and they were good.

The road north to camp provided great beach walking; eagle, gull, and marmot viewing. YES it is a rain forest. But this weekend the music, calling, dancing and food were very good and the main attraction. Juneauites were joined by Sitkaites, Wranglers, Anchorites, Fairbankers and even a Vancouverite and Whitehorser for great times on and off the dance floor. Go to www.juneaucontras.org/campdamp.html for all the details and DO NOT MISS CAMP DAMP 2011.