Good morning all,
link to http://picasaweb.google.ca/bnjontheroad/AlaskaTrip3rdAlbum#
Just a recap of of yesterdays travels, day number 20. We started the historic Mile "0" of the Alcan Highway in the middle of Dawson Creek. There is a mile post in the downtown area of Dawson Creek. We got a late start because of the oil change on the Suburban. I chose Walmart to do the oil change. I had the oil but not the filter. Their rate for changing oil, checking other fluids, and lube job was $18 Canadian. I furnished the oil that I had brought from Lubbock. They didn't have the correct oil filter on the shelf, so I had to go the Canadian Tire store that didn't open til 1000hrs. We left town about 1100hrs and drove to Buckinghorse Provisional Campground at mile post 175 where we had a picnic lunch. We stopped at the visitor center in Fort Saint John and talk to Barbara Sister Kim via skype. We also got more road information. The Alcan was good all the way to Fort Nelson. We drove through mile after mile of bright yellow canola fields contrasted with the dark forrest. The visitor center had a free Wifi hotspot, so we checked email and made some important calls on Skype. The day light was still good so we pushed on 60 miles west of Fort Nelson to the Tetsa River Provisional Park campground at mile post 344. Our campsite was directly on the noisey river. We spent the night with a large number of mosquitoes, but otherwise a very nice campground.
Day 21 began a rough day on the Alcan Highway. Within a few miles of the Tetsa river campground, we discovered the Alcan highway can really be a bad road. We had to stop several time for the flagman and that meant one lane and very slow travel. The work crews were ripping up the old frost heaved surface and were putting down new gravel. To their credit they do a good job of the repairs. The unrepaired rough places are clearly marked, therefore we slow down. Then we found ourselves in the worst dust conditions that I have ever experienced. The dust is caused from the very fine material mixed with the gravel. The trucks and RV's kick it up to form big clouds of dust. We ran about 20 miles with visibility less than 15 to 20 feet at times and heavy traffic front and rear. Hazard flashers and headlites on and driving very slowly, we made it to Toad River (mile post 406) where the road got a lot better. Toad River is a historic work camp site built in the early 1940's. Not much of a town, just a restaurant, motel, airplane runway, and gas station. It did have a free hotspot, so I checked email. The gasoline was $1.24 C money per liter. That is the highest we have seen to that time. The next gas stop was at Mucho Lake and was a whopping $1.50 C money per liter. We passed them up hoping for better prices down the road.
Just a note about the gas stops alone the Alcan. These are old time stations. They have a (1)unleaded, (1)diesel pump, water, and air that is about all. The storage tanks are above ground in most cases. The pumps are the old mechanical registers with no card reader slots. One has to think long and hard about passing up a gas stop. The distance can vary because even at best it is a hundred mile stretch to the next one, if it is open. The long mountainous grades can cause a big difference in fuel consumption, therefore we have to be careful. Some travelers carry extra fuel cans. I carry 2 five gallon containers but both are sitll empty. I suspect some carry the containers to Tok, AK, where fuel is about 50% less.
The Alcan Highway is a beautiful drive with a wide maintained and mowed area on each side of the road. I am sure that this is to keep down the road kill problem. The road is a non-divided and carries a lot of traffic. There are many trucks moving fast and many RV's moving slowly that stop often to take pictures. Many of grades are 7% with some marked as high as 10%. You have to be careful. So far we have not had any problem of any kind. We did get a really dirty car and trailer. Words can't describe just how dirty. We saw buffalo, bear, elk, rabbit, stone sheep and others. I can say that we have not been disappointed with any part of the trip. Every mile of this road is exciting with the wildlife, historical markers, beautiful landscape and mountains, and the many people we meet. Remember that this is open range for these animals, therefore they graze within just a few feet of the trucks on the road and don't seem to be bothered in the least. At these one-lane closers we can get out and talk to other travelers, sometimes for 10 to 15 minutes before we can move on.
We did not make but 140 miles today, because of the road and the many construction stops we made. However, we made it Liard Hotsprings Provincial Park at mile post 477. What a nice place to stop, with a beautiful campground and with 50 sites. The well kept sites have very thick wooden picnic tables and a fire ring with grill. It even features a natural hotsprings that is not a concrete swimming pool. The distance is walkable (about 1/2 mile), and with no extra fee, all you have to do is put your swim suit on and get in. It is a wide spot in the river and has attracted folks from all around the world. This bonus causes this campground to completely fill most every night. I stayed in for about 30 minutes. I felt so good when I got out, that when I got back to the campsite, I bucket washed that really dirty suburban and trailer, while Barbara cooked over the campfire. The only water here is a hand pump just across the road from our site. It works just fine with a little effort after I lubed the dry mechanism. We had a good meal cooked on the campfire. It is almost midnight (local time PST) and finally dark, so I will turn in after a little blogging. Just to remind everyone, we don't run out of daylight here, we just run out of clock. I fully except the rig to get dirty again tomorrow, but at least it is clean at the moment.
Our plans for tomorrow call for a short drive (about 130 miles) to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, located in the Yukon territory. I wonder if I will find Sgt Preston and King there? He was featured in a life sized cardboard cutout at one of the visitor centers, so we know he is around. I think I will play some of the radio series this morning. I have them on MP3 thanks to Brad Cottingham. I am sure there is still gold in the Yukon and I came prepared with pick and shovel. I'll have to get Barb to pick and shovel as I will be too busy staking the claim and taking the nugguts to the bank.
Another exciting day tomorrow. new bear sighting
John and Barbara
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