ROAD TRIP AUGUST 2008

Hit traffic problems in Seattle, took us 1.5 hours to go 20 miles!! Drove 365 miles to Hope, British Columbia today. The movie RAMBO was filmed at Hope. Raining and 58 degrees!! Off to Quesnel, BC tomorrow.

Day 2 - August 1
We crossed the Frazier River at Hope, B. C. and followed it through the Frazier Canyon. It was foggy at Hells Gate Tram so we didn’t stop, maybe on the way back. Stopped at Goldpan campground on the Thompson River. It reminds us of the Deschutes River at Maupin. Rain storms and sun breaks all day. Saw a 4 point deer standing along the road. Went through Williams Lake, B. C. and stayed 10 miles S. of Quesnel, BC.

Day 3 - August 2, 2008
We drove to Prince George, B. C. and fueled up, (you don’t want to know!) , then traveled the Hart Highway which runs from Prince George, BC to Dawson Creek, BC. This is a gorgeous highway. Today we saw one deer, and one coyote in the early morning. Mid morning a big cow moose trotted across the road in front of us! Yikes! We camped about 10 miles south of Chetwynd, B. C. in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Chetwynd is the “Chain Saw Carving Capitol of the World”. Bob is watching black bears up on the hillside while I’m typing.

We spend some time each night planning the next day – where to get fuel, what we want to see, and where we want to stay. If you have never traveled to Canada it is an experience. Their fuel is in litres and their distance markers and speed limit are in kilometers.

We drove to Dawson Creek, BC for fuel. Mile 1 of the Al-Can Highway is in downtown Dawson Creek. We didn't go downtown, but rather headed west on the Al-Can Highway, spending the night in Fort Nelson, BC. Today we saw two black bears on the hillside before we broke camp, 2 deer, and one dead fox. Today it was 81 degrees.

Today we drove from Fort Nelson to Summit Lake, BC. We were at the campground before 8:00 and parked by the lake. We have stayed here before. The elevation is 4,250 and is the highest point on the Al-Can Highway. Lots of hikes today and sitting by the lake. After dinner two moose walked into camp. That was pretty awesome. Later in the evening Ruby and Bob were watching out the window and Ruby started barking. She saw a moose about 60 feet away from our trailer across a creek. It was 85 degrees out today. Count for the day - 2 deer, about a dozen buffalo (wild), 8 caribou, 1 stone sheep and 2 moose.

2nd day at Summit Lake, nothing lazy about us!! two long hikes and a quiet peaceful day. Saw two beaver in the morning, and 8 stone mountain sheep. 85 today.

Left Summit Lake early, headed to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory. Stopped at Toad River for fuel. Before 8:00 we saw 7 stone sheep (2 babies), a 4 pt. deer, 1 caribou, and one moose. We also took a rock in the windshield. Oh goody! Later in the day we saw more stone sheep and 3 different buffalo. They are wild in this area. We stopped at Watson Lake, Yukon Territory for fuel (you don't want to know again!). Watson Lake is known as the "sign capitol of the world" . There are more than 60,000 signs on site. We did 3 loads of laundry for $12.00. Then we drove another 1.5 hours to the Continental Divide. We saw the funniest thing. There was a bear laying not far off the road. It took us a little bit to figure out he was eating berries! He later crossed the road. It was a small grizzly. Thunder storms tonight, but we seem to sleep through them ok! Must be all this fresh air!

This morning as we are getting ready to leave the Continental Divide area of Yukon Territory the slide-out will not go in on the 5th wheel. Poor Bob spent 5 hours under the trailer working on it. He finally got it to go in but it will not slide in and out. We left camp about 2:00 and drove 80 miles to the village of Teslin, Yukon. Got fuel and will head for Whitehorse, Yukon in the morning. We are in a campground on the Teslin River near the Nisutlin Bay Bridge. This bridge is the longest water span on the Alaska Highway at 1,917 feet. The mosquitoes are fierce in the Yukon, and of course they love us!! We hope to be on Kathleen Lake on the Haines Highway, Yukon Territory tomorrow night. No pictures today!

Today (day 8) is the first day there has been electricity since we left Fort Nelson on Day 4. There is power, but no electricity. Everything runs on generator. Most stops have 2 gas pumps, a small store and cafe, some rv sites and a laundromat. The generators run 24 hours a day. There are many places that are just locked up and closed. Some for sale and some not. Tomorrow we will go through Whitehorse and on to Haines Junction, stay at Kathleen Lake on the Haines Highway, then on to Haines, Alaska.

We left Teslin, Yukon Territory and headed for Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. They actually have a Walmart and we stocked up on some groceries. Lunch was at Canyon Creek on the Al-Can Highway, then on to Haines Junction, Yukon Territory where we got fuel. The Haines Highway runs between Haines Junction, Yukon Territory and Haines, Alaska. We arrived at Kathleen Lake, Yukon about noon. It was a beautiful day in the low 70’s. The mosquitoes are horrible!! Sometimes it is hard to pick which pictures to post, so bear with me!!

We got to Kathleen Lake about noon. We didn't see any bears in the campground, but there is plenty of evidence they are around (if you know what I mean)! This trap is located at the park entrance. The poster says the bears are in the area right now and to be aware of your surroundings (DUH!). There are 4 kinds of berries they are eating. One of them is called soapberries. These were right in our camp. There are some tent campers, and I think they are a lot braver than I am!

We always thought that trees grew towards the sun. Last year the Ranger told us that is true, but these are small trees and they actually get bent like this by the different ways the winds blow.

We slept in until 6:45! Had breakfast and headed to Haines, Alaska. You must go through Customs to enter Alaska. The Alaska Highway is a beautiful highway. We saw one black bear on the road eating berries, stopped at the Summit, and stopped to watch a black bear and 2 other bears that were probably 2 year old cubs playing on the hillside. Once we settled in at Haines and had lunch, we headed out to Chilkoot Lake 10 miles out of town. There are people fishing on Chilkoot Lake and Chilkoot River. We saw one grizzly on Chilkoot River and watched him for awhile. Came back to town and made a run for a new sweatshirt for me and a beer run to the liquor store. Later we went to town for fish and chips (yum yum!), then headed back out to the lake. There were two grizzlies there tonight. Watched them for awhile, then back for showers and bed! It is hard for me to sleep because of the daylight. Last night it was still daylight at 10:30 pm.

Fort William H. Seward at Haines, Alaska is a National Historic Site. The fort was built and the first soldiers (about 400 men) arrived in 1904. The fort was active during WWII and in early 1946 was deactivated by the U. S. Army.

Still in Haines, Alaska. Went out to the Chilkoot River before breakfast, found one bear. Back and did a little laundry, watched NASCAR and played with the dog. We drove out to the Haines harbor and then to Chilkat State Park. The Glacier you can see from the park is called Rainbow Glacier. When we were leaving the park a cow moose was along the road eating. The car ahead of us saw her two calves run down the embankment. She followed them but not before we took her picture! After dinner Bob went back to the river to check for bears. Ruby and I stayed at the park. There was one bear. When he got tired of everyone watching him eat he ran across the road. Bob's picture shows all four feet off the ground!!

Black bears come in many colors, black, brown, tan.

Grizzly bears are called grizzlies inland and brown bears on the coast. They are the same bear but the brown bears are larger because of the abundant food supply (fish).

We will be leaving Haines, Alaska sometime tomorrow and headed back to Haines Junction and then to Whitehorse on the way to Stewart/Hyder. We will not have internet or cell phone service for several days. Be back then!!

We went back down to Chilkoot River after breakfast to look for bears. We didn’t see any but did see where they crossed the road (wet tracks). Went back to Haines and got fuel and a few groceries, then back to camp and packed up. We left Haines, Alaska and drove back down the Haines Highway. We stayed at Million Dollar Falls, Yukon Territory. An Australian couple came to our camp and asked if we would make a phone call for them in the morning. They were in a rented motor home and had a flat tire on one of the inside back tires. Bob said we have a 12 ton jack and we could just change it! So, we spent about an hour struggling with lug nuts and mosquitoes and getting the tire changed. They were an interesting couple and very appreciative!
No animals today!! The highway crosses back and forth between BC and the Yukon quite a few times.

It was 45 degrees this morning with low clouds and rain. The only animals today were two grizzlies at different spots on the Haines Highway. They both ran across the road in front of us. We made a quick stop at Haines Junction, then on to Whitehorse for fuel. Stopped for the night at Continental Divide.

The Whitehorse International Airport is home to the “world’s largest weathervane”, a Douglas DC-3 aircraft.

We left Continental Divide at 6:45. The only animal we saw was a cow moose standing in a pond beside the road. She was eating grass on the bottom of the pond. We drove to Nugget City (still on the Al-Can) for fuel, then turned south on Highway 37, the Cassiar Highway. It connects the Alaska Highway with Smithers, BC. The top half of the Cassier is not that great of a road. There is a lot of construction and many gravel spots. They told us they had to tow out some trucks last year that fell through the road. We stopped at Jade City (see below). Next stop was Dease Lake to top off the tank, then to Red Goat Lodge Campground. It is windy and cold here, but also quiet and peaceful. The owner has llama’s that run loose in the campground.

A question came up about how far away we are from the animals. We only have a Kodak 10 zoom camera. The caribou and sheep were right on the highway. The two moose at Summit Lake were just across the road, the black bears are right along the highway within about 30 feet. The brown bears at Chilkoot Lake were one car length away! We always kept a car between us and them, but not everyone did. The moose in the pond is right beside the road about 75 feet.
I forgot to mention earlier the ravens here are almost big enough for Sunday dinner (about the size of a 20 pound beagle)!

Jade is mined, designed, and sold in the Cassiar Mountain Range which supplies 75% of the world jade market. Last year there was a cut of a 6 foot jade boulder out front. I can’t post the picture because it sold last year for $20,000 to a fella in Victoria for his rock garden! The necklaces of jade beads were $109 and up. The bracelets started at $39. The boulders in front of the store are jade.

We left Red Goat Lodge Campground heading south on the Cassiar Highway for Hyder, Alaska. This end of the Cassiar is much better. There are many wildflowers along the road. We got in about 1:30, parked in camp and drove around town. There is not much to the town of Hyder. It is on the border next to Stewart, BC, on Portland Canal. After dinner we went out to the bear viewing area. We saw one grizzly that we were able to take pictures of. Another big one walked up behind us to far away to get a picture, but he was a really big bear. It is pouring down rain today and supposed to be better tomorrow. We are parked right next to where the bears walk to come into camp on a garbage run. At the bear viewing area a lady was talking about taking pictures of two bears that walked into the campground behind a trailer. That was our trailer! Broad daylight! There were several campers out taking pictures, and us - we were eating dinner and weren't even aware it was there!!

Hyder, Alaska. Bob left shortly after 6:00 to go to the bear viewing area. I am getting caught up, the dog is trying to sleep. She is a little nervous up here. She can smell the bears in camp.

***UPDATE*** Bob was successful - the big bear from last night came back, ate a fish and took a bath. Bob was back by 8:30. We did laundry - 3 loads $12.00. Bob went into Canada and got fuel. There is no station in Hyder. (more pictures of town tomorrow). Then we drove 50 miles round trip up to Salmon Glacier, elevation 4,300 feet. It is a "white knuckle" trip for me! The glacier was prettier last year when we were here. There was more snow and it was a sunny cold day. There is a big gold mine operation up on the mountain we were on. Tonight we will go to "town" for fish and chips at the local bar, then back to see if we can find any bears. *****Another update. We Stopped and bought some t-shirts, and went to dinner with some people we met. "Dinner" was interesting. You walk up to an old bus to order. There is a building behind that you eat in. It was different, but the halibut was the best we have ever had! And, the name of the place....."The Bus"!

Today was a great day! Very relaxing and lazy! We had breakfast and then went out to see the bears. There was a big black bear out. They don't usually show up because the grizzlies run them off. We went back to "town", bought some fudge and took some pictures. Then we sat and visited with the neighbors for a couple of hours in the middle of the woods in Hyder, Alaska! The boys had beer and the girls had lemon martini's! It was pretty good. After dinner we went back to see the bears for the last time. We will leave in the morning, and don't know for sure what the next stop will be!

Tonight we saw two bears. One big one was working his way downstream. We didn't get pictures of him. These pictures are a sow bear. The Ranger said her name is Monica. She has been coming there for 14 years, and they think she is pregnant with cubs again. She walked up and down the river but did not fish. She ate the leftovers from the 1st bear, then went under the bridge and up the road to the parking lot area and off into the woods. She was out about 30 minutes.

We had cinnamon rolls and coffee at the picnic table with the neighbors then left Hyder, Alaska at 9:00. It is 40 miles back to the Cassiar Highway. We stopped on the way out at Bear Glacier. Once we hit the Cassiar Highway, it was another 100 miles to Yellowhead Highway. We stopped for fuel at Kitwanga, BC and then stopped for the night at Beaumont Provincial Park near Frazier Lake, BC. We drove 8 hours today. All of the provincial parks that we have stopped at are very nice. Today the scenery was beautiful. It was so massive it was hard to take pictures of, but lots of mountains and waterfalls and lots of trees. Everything was bright green. The trees will all start changing colors in the next few weeks.

We left camp about 8:30. Got fuel in Vanderhoof, BC. Stopped along the road for lunch. Drove about 5 hours today to Lac La Hach Provincial Park. The area around Smithers, BC is really pretty. There are huge hay fields that go for miles. We are starting to wind down and look towards home.

Today we left camp at 8:00. Drove to Lac La Hach, BC and got fuel. We stopped at 108 Mile House Rest Stop. This is a historical site which has a museum (we were to early, it wasn't open yet) and 13 historical buildings. This site was originally a post on the Cariboo Trail during the gold rush in 1867. In the 1900's it was both a horse and cattle ranch and the land was logged during the lumber boom of the 1950's. Some areas of the ranch have now been developed and include a golf course and housing around the lake.

Today we saw a deer crossing sign, an elk crossing sign, and a badger crossing sign! No kidding!! We could not believe it!! We stopped at Goldpan Campground on the Thompson River and had lunch, then on to Hope, BC. We went to the bank and changed in the Canadian money. Hooray, we crossed the border at 3:30. BACK IN THE USA! We are at a campground in Sumas, Washington. Tomorrow we will head for home early!

Today we had an early start and headed home. We made it through Seattle without to much stress and made it home. It is pouring down rain, what's up with that!!

21 days, 4,590 miles, one broken slide, beautiful scenery, some mosquitos, lots of animals, all different kinds of weather, met some great people, and we had a great time. Now the work starts! Wash the trailer, take it to the shop, wash the truck and clean it, change the oil, mow the lawn, toilets, laundry, clean the house, grocery shopping, pay the bills, did I mention toilets? Sorry Bob, I have to go to work!! THE END.