A jewel in the wilderness

Iskut, BC
July 14th

What a jewel of a campground.  This RV park has just the basic amenities of 30 amp power and water with a dump station but the ambiance is over the top WOW!!  Mountain Shadow RV Park is well manicured, maintained and nestled in the neatest location with scenic views of mountains and a lake. 

Isn't this log cabin home/office full of grandeur as it looks out on the fantastic mountain view.
Another impressive item that this campground has going for it is the guests.  Would you believe our friends from Arizona just pulled in?

The relationship began in 2009 in Montana.  We have stayed in touch and camped together several times over the years.  This year we have been playing tag in Alaska and Canada.  Bill and Jan had to zip back to their rig to get my goodies as soon as they saw me.  I even let Bill walk me one year in Goshen, Indiana and he had to use my pink 'collection' bag.  He's my man!!  He didn't even blush.

The campground owners are very gracious, especially to Dad.  They spotted his military hat and bestowed him with a jar of homemade wild huckleberry jam. 

Once again, you have to wonder about the desire to live in the middle of 'no where'.  It is miles to shop for groceries and supplies.  Cell phones don't work in this area but they do have a landline.  There are a few dwellings down the road a piece but they are really pretty isolated.  There is a dock and fuel tank down by the lake for a plane.  It's a different way of life than we are familiar with for sure!! 

You know, when you consider that the campground is almost totally filled up for the night, I guess they do stay in touch with others.

Hickory
......on the road again

Driver Error

Whitehorse, Yukon

July 10^th

Most of the rigs we had been seeing were all heading in one direction….to Alaska.  Now as the summer is getting into full swing, it is difficult to tell whether a rig is heading to or from Alaska.  We are beginning to see some caravans.  These rigs were staying at our campsite. Pioneer RV in Whitehorse.

  At first blush, I thought maybe my Good Sam friends Carol and Steve had decided to change their plans, but alas, it was an Allegro Bus but not one full of dog bones for me.  Carol always takes good care of my stomach!!  The stickers in the upper corners announced that they were part of a Fantasy Tour.  There were at least 23 in the group…at least that was the highest sticker number we saw.

This driver failed to negotiate the back turn in the campground.  His first mistake was not unhooking is tow vehicle.  His second mistake was going behind the light pole.  Yep, he stuffed it into the bank.  And I’m sorry to say, they were trying to park in the site next to us.  Dad made sure to move his truck WAY out of the way.  The Class A driver had to do some jockeying back and forth to get out of the bank and around the corner.   Would you believe he ran his generator the whole day and most of the night?  I guess he couldn’t handle the 30 amp service???  He never hooked up his water line or sewer, just the 30 amp plug…but then he ran his generator.

There are other caravans that we passed on the Alaskan Highway with different stickers. Their caravan number was posted on their mirror in bright orange.

And then at a rest stop, we saw a couple in a van who were also pulled into the large parking lot.  They had their flashers on but we didn’t think much of it until the woman approached us and said they needed gas.  Now it wasn’t because there was a lack of gas pumps.  They just forgot to check their gauge and stop for gas.  Dad suggested that they make a sign so people would know that they were in need of gas. 

They had Quebec license plates and a heavy French accent to go with it.  As luck would have it, on the other side of the road about 100 yards down, a work truck pulled into a work compound.  They had some gas that they would sell them to get them back on the road again.  Dad suggested that they do what we do, even though there hasn’t been an issue of locating available pumps.  We drive on the top of the tank and fill up when we get down to a half tank.  You just never know if you may wind up in a construction or accident tie up…or even if the gas station you were desperately counting on was out of fuel or maybe lost electricity to even pump the fuel.  Why put yourself in that situation when there really is no reason to drive that close to empty and gamble that the needed fill up will be available? Granted, sometimes the price is not what you had hoped it would be but if we are there and it is available, we pump and pay.  Sometimes it is actually higher priced down the road.

I’m just glad to be doing some comfy, smooth sailing up and down the highways and not running along side a bicycle

wearing out my pads.  Can you even picture it?  I don’t even think riding in a small cart being towed behind a bike would be all that comfy either.  Thank goodness they don’t expect me to act like a sled dog!!  Don’t even go there. I'm glad they keep the fuel tank full.   After all, I’m a 13 year old lady and pulling a truck with 5th wheel would be some kind of load!!

Hickory

…..on the road again

In Canada but heading back into Alaska

Junction 37: Cassier Highway

July 12  – 13

Tonight we are staying at the Junction of the Alaskan Highway and Hwy 37, also known as Cassiar Highway.  We are on a route to Hyder, Alaska.  Our mission:   The Bear Bridge.  If the salmon are running, then the bears will be present and we get to observe their behavior from the bridge up above all the action. 

This is another no frills, full hook up 30 amp facility but they aren’t picky about washing at our site so it will be rig and truck wash time.  We have sunshine and this is one of our rare 'no long sleeves required' day for Momma and Dad.  And that means it is warm enough for Tubby Day for me.  Shiny coat once again.  Everything/one is getting scrubbed clean.

Yes, we are traveling in Canada on Cassiar Highway in British Columbia and we will camp in Stewart, BC.  A day trip will take us across the border into Hyder, Alaska.  There is one campground in Hyder, but RV Park Reviews strongly recommend staying in Stewart.  Note:  I was surprised to read that there is no US customs at the border, but there is a Canadian station to cross back into Canada. 

Aunt Janice and Uncle Robin must have been anxious to get on the road today.  At 8 am, Aunt Janice announced that they were all hooked up and going to head up the road.  I was surprised to see them all buttoned up at 8 am and she said, “Oh no, it’s 9 am. Didn’t your clocks flip?  My watch and phone did." 

Well, I thought it rather strange, but then again, with no cell service or wifi in the area????  And of course it was raining this morning…..wash job = rain day!!  At least the rain had slowed down by the time we buttoned up, but it was still not one of our fun things to do….pack up in the drizzle.  Well, actually, I stayed pretty dry stretched out in the back seat waiting for my driver and navigator.

Our plans were to stop at the Jade Mine and Store midway on the trip.  Of course we were an hour behind them but Aunt Janice had been shopping and enjoying spending money. 

We really found it strange that even our truck clock and our GPS didn’t indicate a time zone change so when we questioned the gals at the Jade Store, they confirmed our suspicions.  Aunt Janice was an hour off and she hustled Uncle Robin this morning just so we could enjoy a good chuckle for the day.  Aunt Janice is on her own time zone!  Hee hee

Cassiar Highway is a nice paved road with a few twists and turns to make it interesting and no shoulders to speak of.  There are pull of spots occasionally but not much in the way of services or even buildings along the way. And no cell service.

  Lots and lots of forests.  We decided to make our night’s stay at Dease Lake at …yep…you guessed it….Dease Lake RV Park. Very creative park name.    When we arrived in the early afternoon, the park was pretty empty.  Now as evening is upon us, the park has filled up with overnighters just like us.  There really isn’t much reason to stay in the area.  It’s just a stop off on a long highway. 

We did have a visitor to the park.

This fox visits regularly looking for handouts.

Noticing some of the names that we have encountered, it really makes one wonder how the names came to be.  Muddy Lake…shallow lake with what appears to be a muddy bottom; Blue Water River ….which doesn’t have any blue to it at all..wishful thinking that it will turn into blue water?;  Parker Creek…..maybe there was an old man Parker??.  But the one that really intrigued us was Baking Powder Creek.  HUH????  Now how do you suppose that name came about?

Don't you just love my shiny all weather coat?

Hickory

.....on the road again

Whitehorse, Yukon

Whitehorse, Yukon

July 10^th

Most of the rigs we had been seeing were all heading in one direction….to Alaska.  Now as the summer is getting into full swing, it is difficult to tell whether a rig is heading to or from Alaska.  We are beginning to see some caravans.  These rigs were staying at our campsite. Pioneer RV in Whitehorse.  At first blush, I thought maybe my Good Sam friends Carol and Steve had decided to change their plans, but alas, it was an Allegro Bus but not one full of dog bones for me.  Carol always takes good care of my stomach!!  The stickers announced that they were part of a Fantasy Tour.  There were at least 23 in the group…at least that was the highest sticker number we saw.

This driver failed to negotiate the back turn in the campground.  His first mistake was not unhooking is tow vehicle.  His second mistake was going behind the light pole.  Yep, he stuffed it into the bank.  And I’m sorry to say, they were trying to park in the site next to us.  Dad made sure to move his truck WAY out of the way.  The Class A driver had to do some jockeying back and forth to get out of the bank and around the corner.   Would you believe he ran his generator the whole day and most of the night?  I guess he couldn’t handle the 30 amp service???  He never hooked up his water line or sewer, just the 30 amp plug…but then he ran his generator.

There are other caravans that we passed on the Alaskan Highway with different stickers.  And then at a rest stop, we saw a couple in a van who were also pulled into the large parking lot.  They had their flashers on but we didn’t think much of it until the woman approached us and said they needed gas.  Now it wasn’t because there was a lack of gas pumps.  They just forgot to check their gauge and stop for gas.  Dad suggested that they make a sign so people would know that they were in need of gas.  They had Quebec license plates and a heavy French accent to go with it.  As luck would have it, on the other side of the road about 100 yards down, a work truck pulled into a work compound.  They had some gas that they would sell them to get them back on the road again.  Dad suggested that they do what we do, even though there hasn’t been an issue of locating available pumps.  We drive on the top of the tank and fill up when we get down to a half tank.  You just never know if you may wind up in an accident or construction tie up…or even if the gas station you were desperately counting on was out of fuel or maybe lost electricity to even pump the fuel.  Why put yourself in that situation when there really is no reason to drive that close to empty and gamble that the needed fill up will be available? Granted, sometimes the price is not what you had hoped it would be but if we are there and it is available, we pump and pay.  Sometimes it is actually higher priced down the road.

I’m just glad to be doing some comfy, smooth sailing up and down the highways and not running along side a bicycle wearing out my pads.  Can you even picture it?  I don’t even think riding in a small cart being towed behind a bike would be all that comfy.  Thank goodness they don’t expect me to act like a sled dog!!  Don’t even go there.  After all, I’m a 13 year old lady!!

Hickory

…..on the road again

waitng for the Chinook

Whitehorse, Yukon
July 10th

Whitehorse has a wooden fish ladder for the salmon to climb to get to the hatchery.  The sign says it is the longest wooden fish ladder.  It is also unused right now as it is too early for the salmon to arrive.  These are Chinook Salmon that they are expecting to return to spawn in a few weeks.

I guess you have to be a good swimmer to make it all the way through the ladder.

Hickory

.....on the road again

Riding with the wizard

Whitehorse, Yukon

July 9th

This is really getting weird.  We arrived back in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon, in the midst of a drizzle.  Momma went to check in and Dad pulled the rig into the empty slot for the highpressure RV wash to get the construction crud off the rig and truck. 

The ride here was another delightful, awesome trip.

 These bikers always amaze me!!

As the day wore on, Momma discovered that the water wasn’t getting hot.  Dad began some problem solving and determined that tomorrow, Monday, he would be heading to an RV parts supply to see if he could possibly get us up and heated once again.

Now the weird thing is, the last time....on our way into Alaska….Aunt Janice and Uncle Robin had hot water woes and had to purchase a replacement part right here in Whitehorse.  This time in Whitehorse, WE were having hot water issues.  Is it something about this area?  Or maybe just convenient timing as Whitehorse, being a larger city (when compared to the other Yukon cities, not the lower 48) has parts available.  Someone is definitely watching over us.

Needless to say, Dad is a wizard and he we are back in hot water once again.  Go Dad!!  And the good thing is, when you do the conversion from Canadian to US dollars, it becomes an even cheaper part.

British Columbia has been having loads of fires.  Lightning has struck and it is so dry with no rain that fires are starting up.  We will be heading down the Cassier Highway, Hwy 37  but that area is clear right now.  The visitor center told us that part of the Alaskan Highway was effected by smoke so if we were heading in that direction, we might experience delays waiting for the smoke to clear.  I guess we did good planning even if it wasn't intentional.

Enjoying the Yukon....and HOT water from the wizard!!

Hickory

.....on the road again

Fas Gas: stopped and stayed

Haines Junction, Yukon

July 8

It was raining this am as we hit the road.  Now actually, this was a good thing as there was a sign stating 'extreme dusty conditions'.  A section of paved road had been dug up and replaced with gravel.  No dust of us this morning!!  The mountain looked like it was wearing a tutu.  Interesting scenery for sure.

 By time we were on the paved road, the rain had stopped but the temps were only in the 50's.  Quite a contrast from yesterday.

Today's Wifi is from the Visitor's Information Center.  Our campsite is a actually on the grounds of a gas station.  Water and electric only but lots of room to park and open the slides. Definitely a no frills Good Sam park!  

 Now we can add 'camped at a gas station' to our list of 'we've done it.'

Hickory
.....on the road again