We left Seward on the 42nd day of our Fantasy Caravan for the 167-mile destination of Mountain View RV park in Palmer, Alaska. The only planned stop we expected were for one scavenger hunt photo and for fuel somewhere along the way. The roads were good, except for a few miles of construction once we got to Palmer. The unexpected surprise while traveling along the Turnagain Arm heading towards Anchorage was seeing several beluga whales near the exit for the Portage Glacier. We were lucky that we were in an area with a wide shoulder so that we could get over to take a picture. There are not very many shoulders on this road, with only a few pull off spots. The belugas only surfaced quickly as they continued to follow the tide line up the Arm, while they hunted for food. Randy was lucky to get a couple of pictures. We did not see any other belugas as we continued our journey up the Arm to Anchorage.
Continue reading “Palmer and Belugas in Turnagain Arm 08/19 – 08/20/2019”Seward: Alaska Sea Life Center, Kenai Fjords National Park, Salmon Fishing, Smoke and Wildfires 08/15 – 08/18/2019
The Dirt Yacht only stayed clean for one day. By the time we drove the 155 miles to Seward, it was dirty and dusty again. We had several miles of road construction that contributed to the grime. There was also smoke from a nearby wildfire that probably contributed to some of the dust. This wildfire was in the same general location as the one we saw on our drive to Homer; however, this fire was larger and spread out in several locations. We spotted a helicopter dumping water from a large bag on the fire. We watched the helicopter drop down to a creek between the fire and the roadway to refill the bag before again dropping its load over the fire. I don’t know how much water the helicopter could drop at one time, but it didn’t look like more than a thimble full in comparison to the amount of fire. The fire had definitely grown in comparison to what we spotted on our trip into Homer a few days ago. That fire and smoke was the first time we had seen any active wildfire on this trip.
Continue reading “Seward: Alaska Sea Life Center, Kenai Fjords National Park, Salmon Fishing, Smoke and Wildfires 08/15 – 08/18/2019”Homer Spit and Seldovia 08/12 – 08/14/2019
Since we had visited the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and the Portage Glacier Visitor Center while we were in Anchorage, we did not have to make many stops on the 227 mile drive to Homer. It was another beautiful drive along Turnagain Arm to Sterling Highway. Near Sterling we saw a small wildfire on the hillside. We had been warned by several people to expect fires, but this was our first encounter. Unfortunately, it was not our last. We did stop at the Welcome sign overlooking Kachemak Bay for our scavenger hunt photo before the steep downgrade into Homer.
Continue reading “Homer Spit and Seldovia 08/12 – 08/14/2019”Anchorage, Alaska Wildlife Conseration Center, Boggs Visitor Center, Turnagain Arm and Veterans Memorial 8/10 – 8/11/2019
When leaving the Denali RV Park & Motel, we had to hook up the Jeep outside of the park, so we stopped just down the road at a large pullout site on the left. It didn’t take us long before we were on the road. Lots of frost heaves kept our speed down but we didn’t mind going slow so that we could enjoy the scenery. We did not spot any wildlife, except a few rabbits and birds, but it was still an enjoyable trip with several stops along the way.
Continue reading “Anchorage, Alaska Wildlife Conseration Center, Boggs Visitor Center, Turnagain Arm and Veterans Memorial 8/10 – 8/11/2019”Denali: Cabin Nite Dinner Theater, Denali National Park & Preserve, Denali Salmon Bake, Tundra Wilderness Bus Tour and Wildlife 08/06 – 08/09/2019
I dropped my phone the day before and it developed a small crack. I think I dropped it because I lost the strap on the back when we went to Dome Mountain in Dawson City. When I dropped it a second time most of the screen cracked and started leaving small glass fragments in my finger so we decided to head to the Verizon store in Fairbanks on our way out of town. I searched and there was not one in Denali and I was hoping to get it fixed before we left. We left even before Ricky came by for his later than normal thump of our tires so we could get to the store when they opened at 10. I only had to wait a few minutes for the store to open but decided to only have a protective cover placed over the screen to hold me until we get to Anchorage or back to the lower 48. As much as I wanted a new X iphone I could not see paying the $1,000 for a new phone, especially when I have insurance on my current 6Plus iphone. When I asked about a replacement phone I was told they had to FedEx it to me the next day. I could not take one from the store. I called both the campground, Denali RV Park and Motel, and the Denali Post Office but was told that neither would accept FedEx packages. I was told the quickest delivery would be USPS 2-day mail but Verizon would not ship anything other than FedEx. The Post Office in Denali told me it could take from 3 – 8 days to actually receive a package n Denali which would probably be after we left. Verizon could not repair my phone but instead recommended a repair facility in downtown Fairbanks but that may have taken several hours to have fixed. We probably would need to disconnect the Jeep to get to the repair facility so I just decided to do the temporary fix, even when it was $35. I will call next week about having a replacement shipped to one of the larger cities, maybe Valdez.
Continue reading “Denali: Cabin Nite Dinner Theater, Denali National Park & Preserve, Denali Salmon Bake, Tundra Wilderness Bus Tour and Wildlife 08/06 – 08/09/2019”Delta Junction, Fairbanks and North Pole Alaska 08/02 – 08/05/2019
We made good time getting to Riverview RV Park in North Pole, Alaska. One hazard we knew about but still was surprised by was the Robertson River Bridge about 33 miles after leaving Tok. Even though we had been warned that you do not see the bridge until you come around the corner, it still was a shock when the bridge popped up on us. I guess I was not paying enough attention to our mileage. We were fortunate that no other large vehicles were trying to cross as the same time that we were on this narrow bridge. I was just glad Randy could stay close to the middle as we crossed.
Continue reading “Delta Junction, Fairbanks and North Pole Alaska 08/02 – 08/05/2019”Tok for the First Time 08/01/2019
Before we left Chicken, we had breakfast at the RV campground. Breakfast was cooked by Mike’s wife and the wonderful gift shop is run by their daughter. It’s a family operation! We picked up a few small gifts but unfortunately the t-shirt Randy wanted was not available in his size. It is still one of the better gift shops on this trip!
Continue reading “Tok for the First Time 08/01/2019”Chicken, Top of the World Highway and Welcome to Alaska at Poker Creek 07/31/2018
It seems like we are always one of the first RVs out of the park. It really paid off the morning we left Dawson City for Chicken, Alaska, where we had to cross the Yukon using the George Black Ferry to access the Top of the World Highway. This ferry service is a free service provided by the Yukon Highway and Public Works Department that runs 24 hours a day every day except for Friday mornings, where it is shut down for maintenance between 5 and 7 am. We were the third RV to cross following John and Carol and Mark and Nancy. We had disconnected the Jeep so I could drive it across. Even though we could get the RV on the ferry while towing the Jeep, we were told it was easier to get on an off the ferry separately. I drove the Jeep over on the trip before the Dirt Yacht, with Mark and Nancy so I was able to get some pictures of the RV as Randy made the trip. I could not replicate the 1967 photo of the van from the rear but I hope someone else that was waiting to cross took some pictures. This is the same exact ferry that Randy and his family took when they made this trip, however, the ferry has been improved with the addition of sides.
Continue reading “Chicken, Top of the World Highway and Welcome to Alaska at Poker Creek 07/31/2018”Dawson City: Diamond Tooth Gerties, Dredge No. 4, Five Fingers Rapids and Klondike Spirit 07/28 – 07/30/2019
By the time we left Whitehorse at about 6:15, there were already several other RVs out ahead of us. All we cared about was getting out early enough that we could make the sharp turn out of our spot. We may not have been able to do that if anyone had already connected their toad. Fortunately, we didn’t have any issues. We stopped at Braeburn Lodge for a photo. This stop was only a little over an hour after we departed, but it was still good to stretch our leg and let Ty have a walk. While Randy was waiting for his cinnamon bun, Steve (either the owner or manager) asked who owned the big black rig. Randy thought at first that he had done something wrong, but Steve was just admiring our RV. I ended up getting a picture of all of us while Randy was wearing his birthday hat.
Continue reading “Dawson City: Diamond Tooth Gerties, Dredge No. 4, Five Fingers Rapids and Klondike Spirit 07/28 – 07/30/2019”Whitehorse 07/25 – 07/27/2019
We got another early start heading to Whitehorse. We like leaving early so that we can take our time sightseeing, and looking for wildlife. I appreciate going slower so we don’t bounce around as much! And there are always some that catch us before we arrive at the campground. We did stop for another photo op at the Continental Divide. This one is different that previous ones as the routes are to the Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean (not Pacific or Atlantic). We saw a bald eagle, brown bear and moose on this part of the trip, but were unable to get any photos. I did hear there were quite a few more broken windshields so the mobile repair unit was scheduled for at least 8 more rigs.
Whitehorse is the capital and only city of the Yukon territory. It was incorporated in 1950 and located at kilometer 1426 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse’s downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in Alaska. The city was named for the White Horse Rapids for their resemblance to the mane of a white horse near Miles Canyon. The rapids disappeared after thee river was dammed. Miles Canyon’s basalt cliffs are to the south, site of a former gold rush town.
We had time once we arrived to explore some of downtown Whitehorse. We easily found the White Pass & Yukon Route station where we could recreate one of Randy’s 1966 pictures. We visited several RV, tire and truck shops looking for a center cap to replace the one we lost a few days ago. And Randy picked up more DEF just in case. So far it has only been available at a few of the stations where we have stopped. Most of the truck fuel stations require a specific pass that is only available for commercial vehicles.
We had a good dinner at Klondike Rib & Salmon with Mitch and Kate. They did not have any Bloody Mary’s on the menu but instead had Caesar’s which are similar except they are made with Clamato juice instead of tomato juice. Their Caesar salad was great. The salmon and rib dinner Randy had was good. He said the salmon was the best ever, the ribs were OK. I was very disappointed in the halibut that I got. It was dry and did not have a lot of flavor. The brownie we had for an early celebration of Randy’s birthday was great!
I tried to make Randy a good breakfast for his birthday but we again had electric issues. The surge protector keeps shutting off our electric when we have spikes in the voltage. I was able to get the sausage and 3 pancakes made that we shared before our bus tour of downtown Whitehorse. Our first stop was at the SS Klondike, a national historic site in Whitehorse. The Klondike sternwheeler ran freight between Whitehorse and Dawson City along the Yukon River. The first between 1929 to 1936 until it ran aground in June 1936 north of the Thirty Mile section of the Yukon River. The company salvaged the ship’s boiler, engines and upper sections to build the Klondike II. The Klondike II continued to carry freight between 1937 – 1950. Once the highway connecting Dawson City and Whitehorse was completed, trucks replaced the sternwheelers for the most economical way to ship freight. The Klondike II had a short life as a cruise ship but was eventually shut down in 1955 when it could not generate enough interest to remain solvent. The Klondike remained in the Whitehorse shipyards until it was donated to Parks Canada. It was restored and in 1966 the city authorities moved the ship to its present location. At the time, the new location was part of a squatters’ area. Three bulldozers, eight tons of Palmolive soap to create greased log rollers, and a crew of twelve men and three weeks were needed to move the Klondike. Randy was excited to hear this story during the tour since he had pictures of the sternwheeler being moved when he was here in 1966, but he was not sure of the history. We sent the photos to Parks Canada for their use.
Our next stop on our tour was the Whitehorse Fishladder and Hatchery that opened in 1984 to provide a way around the dam for the migrating chinook salmon that have returned to spawn. Some of the returning chinook salmon are removed from the fishway where eggs and sperm are collected and mixed. The fertilized eggs are incubated over the winter and the fry are released in the spring into steams in the Yukon River system. You can determine the wild fish from the raised fish because the adipose fins are clipped and a tiny coded wire is inserted on the raised fish.
After the tour of the Fishladder we toured downtown Whitehorse with a stop at the Visitor Center and a quick stop at an overlook at Miles Canyon. By that time, it was raining so no one wanted to get out
Based on Larry’s recommendation we went to 98 Hotel for Randy’s birthday drink. It is a local bar that I am not sure I would not have gone into without Randy, but everyone was very nice. Randy got his free Caesar and another couple there that were also traveling bought the next round. Of course, we had to buy the next round so Randy was very happy by that time. We went back to Klondike Rib & Salmon which was only a short block away where we had another great dinner. Their halibut chowder was one of the best soups, ever! We both ordered salmon skewers so we were not disappointed. And we had to have dessert so we tried their sourdough bread pudding with caramel sauce and ice cream which was also great.
We spent the last morning in Whitehorse at the MukTuk Sled Dog Kennel with a Taste of the Yukon Lunch. Muktuk Adventures provide various experiences based on time allowed and season. Since it was summer time, they do not do any dog sledding but we did hear about how the dogs are used in their business, dog sledding history and background on the Iditarod and Yukon dog sledding races. Many of the 140 dogs at the kennel were rescue dogs. While they are not used in dog sledding racing at this time, they are used in camping and dog sledding excursions. During our lecture one dog in particular took a liking to me and spent quite a bit of time laying across my feet. We got a chance to interact with the dogs and most were very friendly; however, a few were very shy. I was amazed that they all know their individual names! While I am not a fan of any dog being chained to their doghouse, the dogs seemed very well cared for and in good physical condition. The owner did say that chaining dogs to their kennels has been outlawed in other countries but he believes the use of kennels with outdoor runs has led to more dog fights and more aggressive dogs. The tour ended with a Yukon style lunch of blueberry and elk sausage and candied salmon appetizers, bison burgers with salad and fixings, and ended with brownie and ice cream. Yum!
On our way back from the MukTuk kennel, we stopped at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve. We are glad we took the bus tour, because the guided tour was very informative. The 5 km walk would have taken quite a bit of time, especially because of all of the hills. We were lucky that our tour coincided with the once a day feeding so many of the wildlife actually approached the fence for their food. I am sure we may not have seen as much of the wildlife as we did without following the staff as they fed the animals. We were told the feeding occurs at slightly different times every day and that it may or may not coincide with any of the tours.
We still had enough time in the day that Randy could do a quick walk over the swinging bridge at the Miles Canyon. We knew we had a long drive the next day so Randy dumped and disconnected as much as we could so that we could get out early. At our travel meeting, Randy was surprised with a small chocolate cake to celebrate his birthday. I had told Carol and Debbie that it was OK to do this late as there was not any caravan meetings on his birthday and since we had plans for the evenings, this would be the best time to celebrate
