Three days of driving…

 

It’s a long way to Alaska. We’ve spent the last three days on the road. It’s been brutal and amazing. Mostly amazing. You are really out there without many people around we seem to pass/leapfrog the same people over and over again. It’s almost like a class we’re all going the same way on the only road to anywhere around. We didn’t pick these people but they are the ones we’re experiencing this with. 

After Elk Island we got on the road early in the morning and I had hatched a plan that we’d swing by a RV store in Grand Prairie and throw a new stove into the camper. They go in really easy like 6 screws and connect the gas line. I had removed ours when we replaced the floor. So I made Becky call around and we stopped one we passed but no luck it’s not something they carry in stock. The parts guy didn’t like my joke that he’s got over two hundred sitting in campers on his lot, I’m sure one will fit, Only half joking really, figured they might get creative to make some money but no go.

We went past Dawson Creek and onto the Alaskan Highway. We missed getting a sign picture and it turned into a family debacle with everyone yelling. Some missed turns trying to find it and finally seeing the old mile 0 post (not what we were looking for) in the middle of an intersection. Then jumping the camper tires over its curve when I turned around it while everyone was telling me to go straight. The first few miles on the Alaskan highway were spent in fuming silence as we distanced ourselves from the situation. Maybe we’ll catch it on the way back. 

The rest of the day was good, the road was excellent on this first stretch and it was mostly trees and forest. The road was pretty good the whole way really. Hit a few construction areas with pace cars or one lane light controlled. We had planned to stay in Pink Mountain but when we pulled up it was 4 o’clock and everyone was feeling good so we gassed up and decided to just keep on trucking. The scenery was getting better and we drove a couple more hours for Fort Nelson. I was worried planning the trip about making sure we had reservations but they really weren’t needed we saw open campsites everywhere, so getting into the commercial campground was no problem. We pulled in leaving everything hooked up turtled it no slide it was raining so we just made supper and went to bed. Next day was a shorter day then planned since we cut a couple hours off the day before so we slept in and stayed in our scheduled stop at Baby Nugget (yes that’s its name) just past Watson lake the next night. Finally it was another short 6 hour drive to Skagway. The Klondike highway was a little rougher but still not bad.  All my fears of road quality we unfounded or we just have a high tolerance of road quality but it really wasn’t bad. Overall the scenery was amazing and just kept getting better as we went north. Didn’t see as much wildlife as I was hoping. We saw a couple young moose one and day a big female moose run across the road another day. One baby bear just for a moment running in the ditch. A couple deer, a coyote and a ton of ravens. We drove past a couple herd of Buffalo, one right in the road so finally got a good look at a Wood Buffalo.

The mountains are amazing but the road through them was pretty good no concerns of over heating or anything seemed overall more gradual than things we’ve driven in the states. Lack of other traffic and plenty of room for passing and turnoff probably helped as well. The road into Skagway was a little dicey there’s a really steep decline and it was rainy and in the clouds, we were behind a tour bus which I was thankful for so we could see the turns if we were alone it would have been really hard to see the road. Coming back up that thing will tax the vehicle but anywhere else it wasn’t bad. 

Here’s a few picture I snapped along the way. We’re getting ready to get on a ferry to Juneau. So we’re packing for a vacation while we’re on vacation. Whose idea was this, it’s a circus. 

Testa lodges famous cinnamon rolls. They really were that good!

Stopped and got a picture of Summit Lake.

The white knight at the pull over across from Sumit Lake

Getting gas, this was something I was pretty worried about  in planning. Especially after almost running out of gas coming home from Nebraska on a practice camp. But we really were never at risk there were plenty of places to fill up we didn’t go below 1/2 a tank except on one stretch where I knew we had gas at our campground. Only had one place that didn’t have premium (yes the white knight requires only the best). All took credit cards. Good views even pumping gas.

Stopped at the hot springs to take a dip.

About a 1/2 mile walk to the Laird Hot Springs. To get there you go into the campground, five dollars a person for the park entrance no charge for the springs. We were confused coming in where to go as it’s not obvious and there’s a parking lot across the road we stopped at first. But the campground is the place to go. 

Still walking, was pretty chilly on the walk up. I was concerned it’d be freezing in the way back but after the hot water it felt nice and wasn’t bad at all heading back.

Had Sam take a picture of Becky and I

Wide shots to see what we were dealing with was a nice mix of natural with man made conveniences

Other direction, the cooler pool farther away from the source. You could follow it way back until it ended by a cold water fall steam under some brush

Heading back to the camper to have sandwiches before hitting the road again

Watson Lake sign forest, knew about it but wasn’t planning on stopping but it was right off the road so we checked it out. Very cool, way bigger than I was imagining.

Marcus and I

Samus trying to figure this place out

Campsite at the Baby Nugget

11:30 still light out

Highway view, I finally got one I’d been bugging Becky to take a picture of the road for days now.

I got the shot because Marcus was driving. He joked he could drive so I pulled over at a spot and we switched. Marcus driving in the Yukon! First time driving with the camper.

Lucas is not impressed he didn’t think it was a good idea being 2500 miles from home and having Marcus take the wheel. It was a little nerve wracking not knowing the road. I had to have him downshift once which was a little crazy but he did it, so we switched back at the next rest stop.

I liked riding for a bit can get a much better look at the scenery.

Testin Lake

We stopped and had sandwiches for lunch. It was chilly. Feels amazing like fall for days now 

Big Mountain. We’re stopped at a one lane traffic light for what feels like forever.

Camper in Skagway, Garden City Rv. Pretty rainy here. We had to setup the camper twice because the water lines don’t work. I was thinking it was only the sewer but it was both.

So we’re not doing good on Alaska time it’s like 8:00 but we are exhausted. Becky and the kids have the tired giggles but we don’t want to go to bed too early and it’s super bright out yet. We start talking about when it gets dark and how the sun goes down at 10:00 but then it’s light for quite a while. Marcus asks so how long is it dark. Good question I look it up and can’t stop laughing, and have a hard time letting everyone know what I’m laughing at. Those that really know me know this laugh. What has me is… July 10th. Night… “Not for this day”. Nope no night, never gets dark. Once I got it out everyone was dying. I have a feeling  “not for this day” will be quoted quite often over the next few days.  

I wrote this post and Marcus says “I took pictures of you”. So here it is me trying to get out what’s so funny.