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RV Alaska 4 |
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| Wait for the pictures to load. Use the "UP" button to go back. Double-click on pictures to enlarge Back to "RV Turtle Topics" Another natural wonder along the way is Liard Hot Springs. We put on our swimsuits and jumped in 100+ degree water that will cure all aches, sore muscles and bones. However, when we got out we were welcomed by 40 degree air temperature. Quite a shock to the body. But the warm water was still relaxing after driving all day. Watson Lake, Yukon Upon entering the Yukon Territory, Watson Lake was the first town located right on the border between British Columbia and the Yukon. Watson Lake is known for the Signpost Forest which originated during W.W.II. It was started by Carl K. Lindley of Danville, IL., a U.S. Army soldier working on the Alaska Highway. He decided to leave a part of himself there by making a wooden sign of his name and where he was from. He nailed it to a tree. Now there are over 50,000 signs left by travelers passing by. Well, we had to follow suit, so we took our license plate off the front of the truck that reads RVproperty.com, engraved our names using a chisel and screwed it to a post. Now we are part of history!!! Watson Lake was a very important point during the construction of the Alaska Hwy as they built an airport in 1941 used for refueling. We crossed the Continental Divide where the rivers split and drain into the Artic Ocean and Pacific Ocean. All rivers crossed by the Alaska Hwy. between here and Fairbanks drain into the Yukon River system. Heading along the Swift River we came to the village of Teslin, a Trading Post started here in 1903. It has one of the largest Native population in the Yukon Territory. We traveled over the Teslin River Bridge, third longest water span on the Alcan (1770 ft) with high clearance above the river where steamboats would pass in route from Whitehorse to Teslin. On the other side was Johnson's Crossing where they make "world famous cinnamon buns!" We bought 2 "big" ones and used them for coffee break that afternoon and for breakfast the next day. Whitehorse, Yukon Arrived early the next morning pulling into Caribou RV Park. That afternoon we headed for the city where we were so excited to find a WalMart!! It was the first one we'd seen since Bellingham, WA. Whitehorse has been " the capital of the Yukon Territory since 1953 and it's largest city. Many steamboats operated along the Yukon River here from 1887 to 1936, after the Klondike gold strike transporting people, cargo, gold, ore, etc, up and down the river. The railroad was very important, also. We had some uncertainty into our travel plans when we found out we had some electrical problems with our converter. They had to order a new part which would take about a week. However, the RV Repair Shop was quite hospitable and put us up with water, electric and sewer. That gave us more time to enjoy Whitehorse, a very pleasant city. One night we went to a Vaudeville show called "The Frantic Follies." It was quite enjoyable and entertaining. A line from the show.... The sheriff said to the drunk, "Do you know how many drunks there are in Dawson City"? The drunk answered, "No, but the statistics are staggering!" One day we took a drive over to Skagway and back, about 110 miles from Whitehorse over the White Pass (border) into Alaska. This travel day put us at sunrise 3:45 am and sunset 10:18 pm!!! We stopped to see Emerald Lake and an unusual desert area with sand dunes. They call it the world's smallest desert. Carcross, or formally known as Caribou Crossing was the most delightful little town (pop.421). It got its name as thousands of caribou travel thru this area. Also it was a major stop for the White Pass and Yukon train route and the stampedes heading for the goldfields. We stopped at Venus Mines, the first claim on Montana Mt. in 1899. We passed the Canadian Customs at Fraser and reached the White Pass summit (3,290 ft.) where waterfalls were abound. Most of the snow was melted, but it was still pretty. We passed thru U.S. Customs and after 4 months traveling we finally made it into Alaska!! We were here in Skagway 2 years ago when we took the Inside Passage Cruise. It's a nice little town. The original spelling "Skaguay" means "Home of the north wind". Skagway was settled in 1887, but its real birth was during the gold rush in 1897. We had a nice lunch at a local restaurant. All along our travels, remember, Crimson is right with us in his pouch going in and out of stores, etc. We just don't take him in where food is present. We walked thru town joining the 4,000 cruise ship visitors. There were 3 large cruise ships in town. What a grand day we experienced surrounded by God's beauty. Dawson City, Yukon After repair of the RV we were "on the road again" passing thru places like Lake Laberbe, Lake Fox (they had a tremendous fire there in July, 1998), Little Fox Lake, and Lake Braeburn, another place famous for their huge cinnamon buns that will feed 4. Of course we got one. The lodge is also the home of the 200 mile Cinnamon bun dog sled race and has its own airport named Cinnamon bun strip. Our first big city on our way to Dawson City was Carmarcks (pop. 489) located on the banks of the Yukon River, the only place where the highway crosses the Yukon River between Whitehorse and Dawson City. We stopped to view Five Finger Rapids named by early steamboat captains for the 5 channels, or fingers, formed by the rock pillars. They were a navigational hazard. We pressed on thru Pelly Crossing and Stewart Crossing before reaching Dawson City, an incredible little city that has preserved its past. We had the best time taking a tour of the town on a horse-drawn wagon. The driver was a young man from East Germany who came over here, started this business, and lives on the land as settlers did 100 years ago. We even visited the cabin where Jack London, a well-known author, wrote many of his books, such as White Fang and Call of the Wild. An interesting venture was a ride to the top of Dome mountain overlooking Dawson City, the mining centers and the Yukon River. We rode our bikes all over town with Crimson in his basket. We enjoyed four nights (daylight) here before crossing the Yukon River on a small ferry (capacity two large RVs) and began our route over "The Top of the World" highway which is 86 miles of gravel road. A little messy, slippery and dangerous when wet, but we left early, 6am and beat the rain. That was our next adventure---traveling the highway that stretches 175 miles from Dawson City to the Alaska Hwy. This road is gravel and sometimes there are potholes and soft spots, narrow, winding, dusty at times and muddy at other times, steep, hairpin curves...a real challenge. But, we were ready for the slow going and did not get impatient. It started raining after we passed the worst part.
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Our Founding Fathers believed devoutly that there
was a God and that the inalienable rights of man were rooted—not in the state,
nor the legislature, nor in any other human power—but in God alone.
It is impossible to rightly govern the world
without God and the Bible.
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