Alaska Highway I

We are nearing Whitehorse, Yukon, more than half way up the Alaska highway.

On Tuesday morning we said goodbye to our three Chinese friends. They couldn’t see us leave without gifts and food--curry, rice, and coffee. We met Ken and Evie Ashton (friends from the 60’s in Prospect Heights) who we hadn’t seen since they moved west again. A delightful visit over a cup of BK coffee. Traveling north was pretty, with good roads, some through the mountains. We slept one night in a Wal.Mart parking lot (dry camping, they call it, with no hookups).

The following day we arrived in Dawson Creek, B.C. around 4 p.m. Checked in at a campsite, found a grocery store and service station with diesel fuel; getting all ready for the Alaska highway. Just one problem, after I had pumped $74 worth of fuel my visa card was blocked. For a time I could not get through to Visa; finally did when I discovered I had to use my own phone instead of the service station phone. The Visa man assured me that my card was reactivated but the card still was not accepted. After another call I got through to the security people and discovered that the card I was using was a more recent one with Rosie’s name; it didn’t get reactivated. After 40 minutes at the gas station I finally paid my bill!

The first day we did over 475 miles; yesterday, Thursday, we did about 400. We decided to have supper about 6:30 then drove some more. By 8:00 we were looking for a place to stay but several places were filled, others wanted a fortune. We kept driving and for a while we were thinking we might have to find a parking lot somewhere. Saw some mtn. goats, bison and deer We headed for the Liard Hot Springs Provincial park but the highway sign said, full. I turned in anyway and they said we could dry camp in the day-use parking lot. It was about 9:00 p and people were walking the boardwalk back to the pools. What a delightful end to a long day -- a hot lounge in the hot springs. It was beautiful, surrounded by much vegetation and it was fun to talk to people. We fell into bed about 11 and slept like a log!

This morning we went for another dip in the springs before heading north. Right now we are at a resort; stopped in for a piece of pie and ice cream and discovered that they have wireless internet. Had to take advantage of that before moving on again. We hope to get to Whitehorse tonight; it doesn’t get dark until after 10:30 so we might as well keep driving.

Did the photos come through okay? Your comments to this blog are welcomed; see the word “comments” just below this entry. If you click on that you will get a window into which you can make your comments and publish it. Click on anonymous before you try to publish. We will look hearing from some of you.
Abner and Rosie