Day 21 Monday, Whitehorse
Collected from the hotel bang on time at 09.30 to be taken to Fraserway RV rental. Only just up the road. We were given the trainee to check us in and demonstrate the vehicle. The paperwork took longer than it should have, and then he came to show us around. He wasn't very good, and by the time he said "I'll need to check that" for the third time, I suggested he went and did just that before we forgot the questions we hadn't had answered! Thomas came out then, and he knew everything, so we got there in the end.
This was when Brian's challenge started. He'd wanted a small van, and although these don't look particularly big it is larger than Ted in all directions. 7.5m long, 3.89m high, 2.5 m wide and with a 6.7litre engine! It's very scary! Perhaps this is why I fractured my ankle, though as it's an automatic, and it's my left ankle, he took my drivers license details and I am actually insured to drive it too!
First stop the supermarket. We knew this was going to be tricky. I don't want to cook more than I have to, but equally we don't want to find ourselves at a Yukon Parks Government site, in the middle of nowhere, with nothing for dinner. This was made worse when I discovered that there is a huge long list of food stuffs you are not allowed to take over the border into Alaska, and then same again back into Canada. Not to mention that it's all expensive, and different anyway! Very Difficult!!
Finally left the supermarket and made our way to the liquor store, as the only place to buy wine. They obviously have problems in Whitehorse, you couldn't pick up any bottles, they have to be passed and she then wouldn't leave one bottle on the counter while we looked at another. But we got some wine and beer, eventually.
Then, bit the bullet, and went to the hospital. I couldn't go into the main hospital and just ask for an x-ray, there had to be a doctor's referral. We went into A&E where there would have been at least a 2 hour wait, and a cost of at least £450 which I'm not sure the insurance would want to pay as it's only half the time Dr Kim said I should have one in. It also feels so much better, and my walking speed has picked right up, so we decided not to bother.
We have seen a moose too, but there are no photos.
This had taken most of the day, so we decided to stay at a local campsite. This also gives the comfort of knowing we could ask for help if we had any problems. It all went fine, but it still makes sense to us. Unlike the touring group who were staying in our hotel, who collected their vehicles and parked them outside the hotel for two nights! We found this odd, and then even odder to find that they would have collected theirs from adjacent to the same campsite we were staying on, so they were double paying and not even taking the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the vehicle!
Day 22 Tuesday Pine Lake.
We had a gentle start to the day. We have decided that as long walks are off the menu, rather than do a longer drive and have two nights in a place we will do a shorter drive, look at everything on the way and only have one night.
According to Google Pine Lake is 152km and 1hr 42. We should therefore have arrived about 12.00 but it was closer to 14.00 when we pulled in to the campsite. Not because we had any problems, but because we stopped at view points, to photograph elk, to let people pass, all the things that make a relaxed drive.
Pine Lake is a government site, so most of it is first come first served, it costs CA$20, about £11.00 and has no facilities except for long drop toilets, and amazingly WiFi at the entrance! Glad we arrived early though, the prime lake front pitches were all taken, though we didn't have a problem finding one a row back.
It is quite beautiful, we ambled around a small section of the lake, chatted to a few people, and relaxed. I then made my chili which was what I decided in the supermarket, mince with lots of veggies, a sachet rather than buying individual seasonings, and it's made enough for 4 meals, so I can put some in the freezer. Yes, we have a freezer which we may as well use as it's using propane to keep it cold anyway, unless we are plugged in on a site when it runs off electricity. Unlike Ted though it never runs off the engine battery, when we are driving, so this is a bit disappointing.
Wildlife in the camp hasn't been particularly exciting, but very cute. Lots of squirrels, small and red, who can make a surprising amount of noise when we seemingly do the wrong thing. A woodpecker that was very difficult to photograph while doing its thing, and various other birdlife. I'm not sure this trip is going to make exciting reading, but it's been very pleasant so far.
Day 23 Wednesday Congdon creek
We were certainly in no rush, we were only going just over an hour. First stop, the visitor centre in Haines Junction where suddenly the lady was sending us off in entirely the wrong direction. We could spend 2 hours each way and go to Alaska (no thanks) or just over half an hour each way and go to Kathleen Lake.
We did that, and it was very pretty. We also had a really good chat with a couple from Ohio who were driving a truck up to Anchorage for their son.
By the time we got back to Haines Junction to do our first diesel fill (never pass a fuel station) it was after 13.30. I grabbed something from the gas station for lunch and we set off to do all the points Brian and the lady from the tourist information had marked on our actual route. Viewpoints of mountains and rivers here we come.
By the time we stopped at the Sheep Mountain Visitor centre to look at the Dall sheep time was really getting on, and I'd noticed that the truck part of the truck camper is not central under the camper part of the truck camper. The struts are at the same tension they were when we had our induction so we don't know if it's always been like this or if it's a problem. Sod's law dictates that for this part of the journey I have no cell coverage. I asked in the visitor centre if they had WiFi, and got a no. This was obviously a lie, so I showed him the picture I'd taken of the off-centreness and told him I wanted to contact the hire company. He gave me the login!
I could get no answer on WhatsApp from Thomas in Whitehorse so I emailed the on the road help, said I only had half an hour before the centre shut at 16.00, and that I had no phone reception but they could ring on WhatsApp. He emailed back to say he'd tried calling and couldn't get through and that they couldn't ring on WhatsApp. It's so frustrating, no big companies can ring on WhatsApp and I sort of understand why, but for all the time we don't have phone connection round the world it would be really convenient.
On the road help said they'd emailed Whitehorse but I said I needed an answer as to whether to continue. He eventually said yes, so we carried on.
One more stop to start the walk of Soldiers Summit which is where the northbound and southbound construction crews of the Alaska Highway met. The 1500 mile highway was built in 1942 when invasion by Japan was seen to be a real threat. From British Columbia to Alaska in 8.5 months. It was only a rough road, but in the -40° conditions it was still an amazing achievement.
Congdon creek campsite, another government one was rated very highly and has amazing views. I suppose they are better than yesterday, though I actually like yesterday's site better as it felt much more cosy. The added frisson here is that they have built an electrified area for tent camping as bears are a very real threat. It did appear that the toilet for the tents was outside of the fence which seemed a bit odd.
We obviously want to see a bear, but you are encouraged to walk and talk so they can hear you coming as you don't want to surprise a bear. This means you probably won't see one as they'll hear you coming, or anything else. It's all a bit of a problem! But we are carrying bear spray on our little walks. In a holster, on the belt. It's got to be immediately accessible and you've got to know how to use it. Best from about 5' away!!!!
Day 24 Thursday Discovery Yukon Lodgings
First stop was Destruction Bay, just because suddenly I had cellphone reception, as the guy at Sheep Mountain said I would. We pulled into the nearest place which happened to be a garage and motel with space for a few RV's. We checked messages, Thomas said the van would be fine, it wouldn't make us fall over and it wouldn't fall off and it couldn't move any further, so not to worry. That was all I wanted to hear.
Next stop Kluane museum of natural history. A tiny little museum with stuffed animals, but somehow really nicely laid out, with just the right amount of information. By the time we finished there we were both feeling peckish so had a bite of lunch. We then had a couple of viewpoints which were very welcome as the road had deteriorated, as we knew it would.
We had our first bear encounter on the road. It was good enough to be in the middle of the road which was great as it gave us plenty of time to slow down and approach, get the camera out, and yes, there are some really rubbish shots but there is also one I'm quite pleased with, bearing in mind that I never take photos!
I'd rung yesterday to book us into our campground for the night which I'm pleased I did, though we'd probably have been ok. Amanda is from the UK, running this place up from nothing, on her own, for 13 years. It was hopefully going to be our first chance of buying dinner (two nights of chilli at a time is enough). The website was a little vague, but suggested that there maybe some frozen home cooked meals going.
The girl who checked us in wasn't sure, but Amanda said yes. When I asked how long the chicken would take to defrost, and said no when she asked if we had a microwave, she offered to defrost it for us. When I asked later how long to cook it for, she said just give the girls a few minutes warning and they'll do it for you. So lovely pesto chicken, a couple of biscuits (scones to us) and some vegetables that I had and a lovely meal. I took the dishes back and said how much we'd enjoyed it and how spoilt I felt.
Got back to the van and couldn't work out why there was a bottle of wine on the table with Brian. Apparently 'Mike', from the big RV over there had brought it over. I'd had a little chat with Mike, while Brian was out on his run, and thought no more about it. Well, apparently he and his wife own a vineyard in California, and have travelled with a case of wine to share with suitable people they meet along the way, and apparently I'd fitted the bill. How lovely is that? I quite filled up.
The only hiccup we have had here is that Brian forgot to take his hearing aids out when he went into the shower. One of them is now not working! Fingers crossed it will if allowed to dry out. Otherwise sadly I'll be sitting next to the bad side for the next week and a half!
Day 25 Friday Deadmans Lake, Alaska
First good news, a new battery and Brian's hearing aid worked. Phew.
Said farewell to Amanda, and eventually dragged Brian away from the man with the Tesla Cyber truck. A most surreal looking vehicle, that he'd driven all the way from Florida, sleeping in a little tent on the roof. When asked about range and charging he said at his age he has to stop for a pee every hour and a half, so he makes it work!
We had a really interesting chat with the ranger at the Beaver Creek information office. She turned out to be chief of the White River First Nation. We just had a genuine conversation about her, her children and being First Nation.
We stopped just before the Alaska border, which is about 30km after the Canadian border (one of the things we'd talked about), at the flags and a clear line through the trees between the US and Canada. We were there the same time as a car, from Argentina covered in stickers. They've been on the road for 8 years, and we suppose must be nearing the end. What would you do then?
We had both been vaguely nervous of the border crossing after some of the things that have been in the news recently. Brian is driving a vehicle weighing 6.6 tonnes, which as an over 70 year old he couldn't drive in the UK. We had eaten the fruit we knew wouldn't be allowed to bring in, but had all sorts of other foodstuffs that in theory are questionable, and you just never know. We got to the border to find a similar truck to us at the window. The man was unloading, and dumping two boxes of firewood. I knew that wasn't allowed. He moved off and we were brought forward.
"Have you been to the US recently?"
"No, but we have applied and been granted ESTA's." He scanned our passports and agreed. That's one hurdle anyway. The next one though was an I94. We were expecting this, but it was obviously not a daily occurrence for them. "Go over there and park and both come into the building please".
The I94 seems to be another way to get money from tourists crossing by land border! It has recently gone from $6 to $30, though when you read the receipt it still really seems to be $6 for the border with the rest (less tax) being a tourist tax, but it was what it was.
We were asked how long we would be staying? Three days. Had we been to the US recently? About 4 years ago, which seemed to concur with my fingerprints, and after an apology "about that tea party " we were wished a good time and a safe journey. Not one of the three guys asked anything about what we had in the van, so we need not have OD'd on fruit this morning after all!
First stop was the Tetlin National Wildlife refuge. We had a nice chat and watched an interesting movie. We didn't see much wildlife and were dissuaded from going to the miners cabin. 1/3 of a mile, seemingly straight down, and then back again. Bears are in the area, and she took one look at my boot and said No!
The campsite we are at looks idyllic, only has 15 pitches and is amazingly peaceful. Only one problem. The mosquitos, the size of a small sparrow! This maybe an exaggeration, but they are huge. Not quite a centimetre in the body, but not far off! Fortunately we have some big hats with netting on that we must have bought for Scotland at some point and never worn. First time for everything.
A very pleasant little amble, through the wood and by the lake, onto the jetty where Brian's blew off into the lake! It was quickly getting further away so I cantered over to the kayaks to grab a paddle, only to be shouted at to hurry up! It's not easy for me at the moment, and anyway, it's your hat and it's you that goes running.... I think he realised the error of his ways, but it was too late, too far from the jetty, so he emptied his pockets, camera, wallet, phone, bear spray etc, and launched himself in a kayak. By now his hat had sunk without trace and despite trying to prod the bottom of a quite peaty lake, it's gone for good!
We got back to the van where we have been held captive by the mammoth mosquito, some of whom have still managed to find their way into the van only to be chased with the fly swat! Crossword, wine and dinner and they seem to be abating a little.
We've been out for a little walk, and the blighters are still out there, unsurprisingly. People are still turning up, and Brian has been bitten all through his top while he stood talking to a man about hunting and fishing!!
We are off to bed, what the people here will think is stupidly early, but for the three days we are here we've decided to stay on Canada time, so we are an hour ahead!
Day 26 Saturday Tok Alaska
I slept well but Brian not so, whether it was the mosquito bites I don't know, but he says they don't itch!
On my way back from the loo I walked to the lake and found there had been a murder on our pitch. A bird, I think a duck of some sort but by whom? I have no idea. We had heard lots of raven noises as we were having coffee, but I'm assuming they were taking advantage and weren't the guilty party.
Every pull in between here and Tok, our first real town since we left Whitehorse. We've been to the tourist information, and the supermarket, though haven't bought much fruit as potentially we could get searched again going back into Canada. The check-in at the Tok RV village was fabulous, three ladies, such a laugh, and even free cookies!
Not much to say for today really, except I'm looking forward to my Thai meal from the completely mad lady up the road who also did amazing milkshakes, so a healthy well balanced meal set today, tiny bit of fruit and maple pecan plait for breakfast. A piece of cake from a little roadside Saturday market. A cookie, and a milkshake that was just caramel ice-cream, cream and caramel sauce with enough milk just to make it whizz in the blender!
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