Yukon Motel and Lakeside Campground, Teslin, YK, CA

6/28/10

Drove into Watson Lake from our gravel pit camp and visited the Welcome Center and the signpost forrest---67,000 + signs from all over the world, started innocently enough by a homesick soldier in 1942. Drove on to Teslin and campsite #56, a back-in site overlooking the lake. Took a bike ride around town, Bosco leading me astray down a trail into the lake, well almost! We had to clean our back window it was too dirty to see out of, to celebrate that burst of energy we turned our recliners around to look out the window. What a view! We watched the flora and fauna; we watched a rain storm across the lake and resulting rainbow develop as the sun set. Who needs TV! We'll spend two nights here and then push on to Whitehorse, all of 100 miles.

Wildlife viewing

6/27/10
We left Tetsa Campground headed for Watson Lake and just as we were pulling out on the highway we saw a magnificent wolf, trotting along a trail just behind our camp. On the drive we saw caribou, a young bull moose, Forrest Bison (buffalo), Stone Sheep, and a pair of woodchuck. Stopped at Liard Hot Springs to hike and look at the wetland terrian. The Alpha pool was too hot for me but the Beta pool just right to soak my sore knees. Saw a Solitary Sandpiper, and heard a Varied Thrush.

Found an old gravel pit and made it home for the night. Just about 21:30 Bosco took his dog outside and spotted a large young black bear boar grazing the hill side 100 yards from the trailer. He called me to come out and see and the bear rolled over on his butt and sat watching us watch him.

On the move!

6/26/2010
Spent the last two nights in campgrounds that were not up to snuff--wires laying on ground and across roads, mud, and haphazard locations. Went through Dawson Creek yesterday, Mile 0 on the Al-Can highway. Also went to the Fort Nelson Heritage museum in "Fort Nelson". They had a lot of memorabillia from the 40's, and old cars that are still all working!

Grande Prairie, AB, CA

6/24/10
Here we are at Happy Trails RV park, it's 2331 and the sun just went down about 1/2 hour ago. It's still pretty light outside and we've been sitting in the trailer planning tomorrow's journey. We had a great day today! I did several loads ( 5) of laundry and Bosco worked on the trailer. He repaired the magnetic strip on his closet door and replaced the rubber wax ring on the stool. After lunch we loaded the bikes into the pickup and drove to town. We rode a series of bike trails around a lake and down a stream; crossing bridges, going under bridges and up and down hills, zooming around corners. Along the way were signs warning us of cougar, bear and moose. Whew! All in all we rode 6.65 miles. The reward was a dinner out for Thai food. Life is good. The people running this park, which is brand new, are warm and friendly, and this will be a beautiful park when the trees get going. Tomorrow we hit mile 0 on the Alaskan Highway, Yahoo!

Whistler Campground, Jasper AB

6/22/10
Spent the night in Jasper--were headed to Hinton, another 50 miles further, but got to Jasper and said "here we are, CAMP". Got into town early enough to get the transport bar for Kathy's bike welded and then went riding after dinner. Saw a cow elk with two calves, and the cow had a collar on. The last time we were here the elk were in rut, and now they are calving. Heard ravens making a great commotion, and found a coyote under them--he looked as if he wanted them to go away! It is amazing what these campgrounds cost--we had NO hookups at all and it cost $27.50 for a night. Seems that stuff just kept going wrong--had to fix Kathy's bike, found the folding countertop braket had broken at lunch. These are the hazards of the RV owner.

Lake Louise

6/21/10 PM Arrived at Lake Louise and in camp by 3 PM. We drove to the Lake and walked around it, remembering our trip with Del and Clara Kuntz in 1999! We ambled though the grand hotel there looking at the shops. I tried to get Bosco to buy me an Ammolite slide ($3,000) or a ring (a mere $630). Needless to say I came back to camp Ammoliteless! We had dinner and then we rode our bikes around the campgound happening onto a trail which we took. What fun! We rode and rode; crossing bridges, climbing hills, and running into bear sign on the trail. When we reached the end of that trail we found it had been closed due to bear activity. Would have been nice to have had the warning on the side we entered on. On the drive to Lake Louise we saw a sow Blsck bear with 2 cubs, a sheep, 5 mountain goats and numerous deer.
The Canadian Rockies are amazing; they remind us of the Alps. Discriptions don't work--you have to see them in person.

Canada! (finally)

6/21/10 We made it to Canada; Fort Steele to be exact. Border crossing was simple. We had a beautiful day until we got back to the RV after visiting Fort Steele; then the rain hit. This Campground is absolutely beautiful; nestled in a valley surrounded by the Canadian Rockies. There's snow on these mountains still. People are exceptionally friendly to a couple of Yanks! Fort Steele is a restored town; restored to 1898. They have horse drawn wagons and hacks. The horses they use are black Clydesdales, all registered stock. Well trained and well mannered and BIG. We are meadering so slowly that we've started to feel guilty. Bosco said we'll get to Alaska and have to turn around and go home at this rate! With that said I'd better run.

Still Exhausted

6/18/10 We made it to Silverwood Amusement Park, 10 miles north of Coeur d'Alene, last night. It rained all day and we just wanted to stop. As we are taken care of by HP, our wireless died that morning and we went to Hayden to a Verizon store figuring they would say, "Silly old people, just do this and it will work". After being in the store for about an hour, they gave us a new one and said the other was toast! Pretty great to have done this before we entered Canada. So this morning we went to the office at Silverwood to stay another night to rest up and make sure the MiFi is working properly, but we would have to move sites. If we were going to have to hookup the trailer, we decided to go up the road some. We are now at Hi Dee Ho RV park in Sandpoint. We didn't make it too far! We are staying here two nights to rest up, to ride bikes, and walk. Bosco
6/20/10 We've spent the last two days in Sandpoint; we walked across the lake and back with the dogs about a 2 1/2 mile jaunt and yesterday we biked to Dover Bay and back about 6-8 miles. Yesterday was perfect; sunny with just enough breeze to keep you cool on the bikes. OK so I'm not 25 anymore and I hurt a bit, well maybe more than a bit getting up and getting going in the AM but hopefull that will get better. We're headed for Fort Steele today. Finally into Canada and then beyond. It's a kick telling people we're headed to Alaska; their faces light up and you can see that either they've always wanted to go or they've been and they have favorite places they remember. Fort Steele is someone's memory, thanks Ed Lloyd! and Whittier, AK where you have to go through a tunnel. So now we're rested up and ready to tackle the border crossing, Canada, and the ADVENTURE beyond! Kathy

We are finally on our way

We finally got out of Midvale about noon on 6-16-10. I had to go to Ontario to get shower mixer as the one in the shower was leaking! At least we were home where I knew where to go to get parts. When we finally got on our way, we got into rain about 60 miles north and have had lite rain since then. It is colder than we expected--from 39* at one point and is now 50* here in Orifino. Hard to believe we are on our way! Made about 200 miles and are staying at the Clearwater Crossing RV park in Orifino, Idaho. We are both exhausted--dogs too! Our RV site is just above the Clearwater River, and I backed up so the rearend of the trailer is hanging over the bank. Kathy was not too happy about this. I'll have coffee in the morning and watch the river--it is beautiful.

Hells Canyon Days

Hells Canyon Days Square dance has come and gone. Gary Davis and I called and had a ball. If the dancers had as much fun as us, they got their moneys worth! Mary Onieda was great at Round Dance cuing as usual. Our wives worked more than us I believe! Thanks to all who came!! Thanks to all who helped behind the scenes to make this a memory for all!! Now we pack for State Festival and ALASKA!!

Missouri Reunions

We managed to get to both the Golston and Bosler reunions. We had a great time visiting with family and friends. We drove to and from Mo in two days each way--too fast!!