ALASKA AT LAST!!!

Hi everyone, we crossed the border into Alaska around noon today, Alaska Time.  The frost heaves were pretty bad the last 80 miles or so.  It is like riding a roller coaster and hitting bumps at the same time.  We are in Tok, Ak. And there is a forest fire just outside of town.  Lightning started it a couple days ago.  The Alaska Hwy to Fairbanks has been closed and open depending on the wind and smoke conditions.  They use a pilot car to guide people through.  We will see what the situation is tomorrow.  We can go South and go around the fire and get to Fairbanks a different way. We can smell smoke at the campground and ash is falling as I type!!!!

Always an adventure!!  Carol and Ned

Survived the snow, 5/25 Update

Hi everyone,

We did get snow and it was wet and slushy on the roads.  Headed out of Chetwynd for Hudson's Hope.  Visited two hydro dams on the Peace River.  Interesting.  The Peace River Valley between Hudson's Hope, ( an old Hudson's Bay fur trading post) and Fort St. John was eye popping beautiful.  Pasture land, Aspen forest, mountains on both sides.  The down side is that a 3rd hydro dam is proposed for the area.  We met the Alaska Highway at Fort St. John, BC.

We have been on the Alaska Hwy. a few days now.  We did this section 3 years ago, looks different in the other direction!!!  The weather is great now, sunny.  Had a few cold nights after the snowy weather.  Stopped for the most of the day and camped the night at the Liard Hot Springs.  Went in for a welcomed soak and a relaxing day. We also camped at Muncho Lake.  The ice was going out and it could be heard!!!!!  What an incredible sound!!!!! A soft tinkling sound, when a breeze came up, it got louder.  The lake is a wonderful aquamarine color.  We did a little hiking up a river valley and to an overlook on the lake.

We are now at Teslin, Yukon.  Will go to Whitehorse tomorrow.  We are an RV,Cabin, Resort,  nice and rustic and on a lake with snow capped mountains across it. This it has WIFI.

We are seeing all kinds of wildlife along the road.  Green up is just arriving here so the eats are good there.  We saw 6 or 7 Black Bear today.  Yesterday we was a mama bear with 3 cubs!!!! Also on the list, moose, Stone Sheep, and the special for today, Wood Bison.

Another eye popping event is that gas is around $1.20/L and that works out to well over $4.00/gallon!!!!!

Will work on pictures next.    Happy Trails, Carol and Ned

Adventuring Update: Chetwynd, Britsh Columbia

Greetings Everyone,

We are sort of waiting out the possibility of about 6 inches of wet snow here in Chetwynd ,BC. It has been raining since last evening at about 8:00pm, and the prediction is for snow tonight and tomorrow morning.  We are still in the northern Rocky Mountains at elevations around 3000 ft, but have to go over the mountains at about 5000 ft. to connect up with the Alaska Highway.

This is A REALLY HUGE CONTINENT!!!!!  We have been out 7 days, we are taking our time, but the distances seem farther than 3 years ago!!!!  Does distances increase as one ages????  Our bodies have had to adjust to less activity than usual.  Have to get out and move more often!!!

We drove west along I90, through the Badlands National Park in South Dakota, through North Dakota , into Montana to Hwy 2 to East and West Glacier,MT.  Crossed into Canada along the Flathead River west of the Rockys.  We drove along the Icefields Highway between Banff and Jasper.  Not much snow this time, the Athabasca Glacier was exposed from last winters snow.  The locals say it was just about a snow-less winter. They said that snow had to be flown in to Whistler  to have enough snow for the olympics!!!

We are now heading north along the John Heart Highway, (they name them here), will do the Hudson's Hope road that leads to the Alaska Highway north of Dawson Creek.  Provided the snow is gone or doesn't happen.

We have seen a lot of wildlife along the  roads,Bison, Black Bear w/2cubs, Big Horn Sheep, Mt. Goats, Elk, Mule Deer, nesting Red-necked Grebes by a campsite, and a new bird for us, the Grey Crowned Rosy Finch!!!  We found it at the toe of the Athabasca Glacier.  We have heard my favorite, the Varied Thrush.

Well, the picture thing is having trouble putting in labels, I think I forgot how to do it!!!  Will try next time!!  This is our first internet connection of the trip.

We are well, Happy Trails to all, Carol and Ned