Day 19

Monday 6/9/03
Drove to Fairbanks. Past Ellison AFB and through North Pole, AK
There was a lot of construction coming into Fairbanks. Checked in to the Chena Marina RV Park. This is the same park that Lyle & Kathy stayed at two summers ago and they had recommended it to us. Full service with a dial tone connection in the lounge for modem hook-up. Paid for 7 days. The park is on a floatplane pond so we can watch planes take-off and land. Best showers and restrooms that we have seen yet. Called Lyle, Greg, Orrs, Sykes & Toni, chatted with other campers and rested. Simba slept.
65 miles today 4102 total

Day 18

Sunday 6/8/03
Left Tok at noon after doing laundry at a laundry in a RV park in town. An only animal seen today was one porcupine by the side of the road. Camped in The Harding Lake State Recreation Area about 40 miles south of Fairbanks. There were a lot of mosquitoes so we stayed in the trailer in the evening daylight, which now stretches well beyond midnight.
171 miles today 4037 total

Day 17

Saturday 6/7/03
Left camp ground at 10 a.m. and immediately ran into a lot of road construction. It wasn’t too bad if you drove slow, sometimes down to 5-10 MPH. Only made 50 miles in the first two hours. Saw no animals today; oops we did see two bald eagles. We finally reached Alaska at historical milepost 1221 and U.S. Customs at 1221.8. Simba didn’t seem to care.
The Alaska Highway is actually approximately 32 miles shorter than the historical figure because of highway improvements and modifications since 1942. Passing through U.S. Customs was uneventful.
Camped in an Alaska State Park Camp Ground at Tok River about 5 miles south of Tok. A real nice scenic park.
229 miles today; 3866 total

Day 16

Friday 6/6/03
We are on the road again. We left Pioneer Park at 11 a.m. and headed north through Haines Junction. Road was very wavy so only drove 45 to 50 MPH. Teddy drove for a while north of Haines Junction while Simba and I napped, as I was sleepy. A 10 mile long construction with large gravel slowed us down to 20 MPH. Caught a stone and took a quarter sized chip out of the front window of the truck on the lower left (driver’s side)
We saw sheep on Sheep Mountain by the shore of Kluane Lake. Camped for the night at Congdon Creek, Yukon Government Camp Ground on Kluane Lake.
155 miles today; 3637 total.

Day 15

Thursday 6/5/03
Stayed at Pioneer Park in Whitehorse for yet another day, now the 4th day. In the morning we went to Miles Canyon on the Yukon River for a spectacular view of the canyon.The canyon ends with the Whitehorse Rapids. The rapids were a major obstacle for the prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-98 and many men lost their lives trying to ford them.
There is a pedestrian suspension bridge spanning the canyon and after we had crossed the bridge we looked back and a red fox bolted out of the woods and ran across the bridge.
We then shopped for a few things in Whitehorse and returned to the park. In the afternoon went to the Beringia Museum. It was about the glaciers that formed the region and the pre-historic animals that lived here. Simba thought that pre-historic animals were not worth her attention; she is more interested in modern ornithology and small mammals.We also saw the world’s biggest weather vane at the Whitehorse airport. It is a Douglas DC-3 mounted on a rotating pedestal so that it rotates and points it’s nose onto the wind.

44 miles today; 3482 total

Day 14

Wednesday 6/4/03
Extended our stay at Pioneer for another day (3rd day). Drove to Skagway with the truck for a day trip. The drive down to the city from the mountain pass was awesome.
Emerald Lake is a beautiful sight with its multicolored hues of blue and green.
The descent into Skagway is an eleven-mile down grade with some sections as steep as an 10% grade with a shear drop off on outer side of road.
As Skagway is a major port of call for the ubiquitous cruise ships, the town was filled with Boat People and gift shops. Saw a film about the Gold Rush. Drove back to our camp at Whitehorse. Went to the “Frantic Follies” in Whitehorse in the evening. It was a 2-hour Vaudeville Revue featuring a chorus line, music and skits from Robert Service ballads and poems…very good and very funny.
213 miles today; 3438 total

Day 13

Tuesday 6/3/03
Stayed at Pioneer RV Park for another day. Rested, went into Whitehorse shopping-bought vinyl Venetian blinds for the three back windows in the Scamp and installed them. It was hard to see the computer screen during the day because of the light. This should help. Watched Letterman on cable. Simba went to bed early and didn’t watch TV
26 miles today; total 3225

Day 12

Monday 6/2/03
Left Baby Nugget at about 10 a.m. for the drive to Whitehorse. Stopped along the way at Rancheria Falls (Ran-che-ree-ah). Teddy found some small native orchids growing in the woods. Saw Bob & Jan Hayes again for about the third time. They are going to fly back to NY from Whitehorse for two weeks and then fly back as they have some business at home to attend to. Saw more black bear along the road. Arrived at Whitehorse at approx 4:30 p.m. Camped at Pioneer RV Park 5 miles south of the city. A real nice park. Decided to stay here for another day and rest up. Went into Whitehorse in the evening for a look-see. Bought a book about The Building of the Alcan. Teddy did laundry. Watched the Letterman Show on TV (have cable hook-up).
250 miles today; 3199 total.

Day 11

Sunday 6/1/03
Before we left the park we went back to the springs for another dip. The springs are about 1/2 mile from the parking lot by boardwalk. Another hot spring pool is an additional 1/4-mile, that pool is 10 ft deep and not as clear. The first pool is about 3 ft deep and very hot on the upper end. Took some pictures, talked to two girls coming home from college to Alaska and found that they knew Margo Orr. Go to school with her at Washington University in St. Louis. Small World!! Also, met some people that we had met before who were also going to Alaska. At historical milepost 627 we officially entered the Yukon Territory for the first time although the road dips back into BC several times in the next 100 miles and at MP 635 we entered Watson Lake, known for all the signs, some 50,000, in the famous “Signpost Forest”.
Visitors are encouraged to add their own sign and vendors there are eager to sell signboards and paint with the loan of hammers and nails. Tonight we are camped at Baby Nugget Park 25 miles beyond Watson Lake. We saw several black bearand a buffalo today. The buffalo was shedding his winter coat so that is why he looks so ragged.
Simba missed seeing the bear and buffalo because she was napping.
142 miles today; 2949 total.

Day 10

Saturday 5/31/03
We camped in Provincial Park at Liard Hot Springs. Got the last spot in the park. We quickly got our swimsuits and towels and walked the boardwalk to the springs for a quick dip. There are changing rooms adjacent to the springs. The hot springs are all natural ….not a concrete pool like at Radium and it is FREE. The hot water felt good and we slept well. As usual Simba slept well too.
310 miles today; 2807 total

Day 9

Friday 5/30/03
Leaving Grande Prairie we were again awestruck by the mountain scenery. We drove through deep valleys and high mountain passes. Stopping at a roadside turnout at the top of a pass we looked back and were amazed by the view of the highway that we had just traversed.
Soon we reached Dawson Creek, the traditional mile zero of the Alaskan Highway also sometimes known as the Alcan. We stopped and took some photos at mile zero and then continued north on the Alaskan Highway. We camped at Sikanni Chief River, Mile 160 on the Alaskan Highway at the bottom of “Suicide Hill”. Folks are here from Ill, Cal, TX NH, Al, WI, and AZ all going to Alaska.
One young lad was sleeping in a small tent and going to Alaska for work. He said that he didn’t think that it would get this cold as he huddled under his blanket this morning (44 degrees last night). Saw a mother black bear and two cubs yesterday, also a coyote. Today we saw moose, caribou and Stone sheep. A lady on the way back from Alaska says that there is a lot of road construction ahead.
244 miles today, 2498 total.

Day 8

Thursday 5/29/03
Up at 5 a.m. for an early start. The drive to Jasper was awe-inspiring. We saw snow capped mountains and deep valleys. Some of the lakes were still frozen. Simba didn’t seem to be impressed.We arrived in Jasper, had brunch and a short rest and then on to Hinton where we stocked up on milk and sandwich meat at a local grocery. From Hinton we took RT 40 to Grande Prairie, Alberta. On the way we saw elk, bear, and a moose cow. At times today we were traveling at or above the tree line. We had a full hook-up at Grande Prairie including cable TV and Internet.
378 miles today; 2254 total.

Day 7

Wednesday 5/28/03
Left Hosmer (Fernie) at approximately 10 a.m. Took RT 3 to 93 to Banff National Park. Stopped at Radium Hot Springs for a dip. Teddy declined but I went in for about an hour. Had lunch in the parking lot before leaving and while there a herd of mountain goats showed up. Took some pictures. Road from there to Banff Park is unbelievably beautiful. Stopped several times along the way to take pictures. Took 1A at top of park to Lake Louise then 93 in Banff National Park on toward Jasper. Dry camped in an Alberta Provincial Park about 30 miles north of Lake Louise. $12.00 Canadian. People here in the park from North Dakota and from Tampa, Florida. We are only ones going to Alaska though.
245 miles today; 1876 total

Day 6

Tuesday 5/27/03
Got up at what we thought was 7 am but in reality it was 8 am local. Saw some mule deer right outside the trailer. They had been previously feeding on the steep hillside but now had come down into the campground. Took some pictures of them as well as some birds. Left camp at approximately 10 a.m. soon we began to see the mountains in the distance. Stopped at the site of the Frank Slide near Coleman British Columbia. This was a big coal mining area around the turn of the century. Stopped at Sparwood to see the “World’s Largest Truck”. Simba wasn’t impressed and elected to sleep through the stop.Then we continued on to Snowy Peaks RV Park near Fernie British Columbia where we met Chester Taje and his wife Marie from the Fiberglass Owners Group on the Internet.

We visited with them in their home and afterward they took us on an extended tour of the Fernie area. There are big ski resorts and up-scale homes and condos in this area.
157 miles today; 1631 total.

Day 5

Monday 5/26/03
We left Moose Jaw at approximately 10 a.m. after drawing $100 in Canadian from an ATM and drove west across Saskatchewan. Stopped at a nature center near Chaplin, Saskatchewan and Lake Chaplin. In addition to the nature center there is a huge salt recovery operation there. The lake is a salt lake. The saline level in the lake is so high that the only animal life that live in the lake are brine shrimp. It is on a major avian flyway and a lot of water birds stop here to feed on the brine shrimp. One of Simba’s major fields of interest happens to be ornithology. We continued on through Medicine Hat and camped at a Municipal Park in Tabor, Alberta. A beautiful wooded park. $15.00 Canadian. We have electric but no water.
326 miles today; 1474 total

Day 4

Sunday 5/25/03
Brandon to Moose Jaw
Got up this morning at 7:45. We showered-shaved, etc and had a leisurely breakfast. We had French Toast and Simba, as usual chose tuna flavored Friskies for breakfast. Left the park at about 10 a.m. On the road out from the park we were in the midst of a Marathon Run. Runners were on one side of the road and we were on the other. Stopped briefly at the finish station and talked with the folks there. Traveled on Canada Hy 1 west through western Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan. Landscape was very flat. Dominated with grain farms growing wheat, barley, and canola. Also, several cattle ranches. Stopped at the Saskatchewan Welcome Center and talked with the lone attendant there. Stopped at a small roadside park for lunch and met a couple traveling back to Alberta from Winnipeg. Arrived at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan at 4 p.m. local (5 p.m. Appleton). We are at the Prairie Oasis RV Park here in Moose Jaw. $23.11 Canadian for full hook-up with paved pull thru sites.
265 miles today; 1148 total

Day 3

Saturday 5/24/03
Got up @ 7:30. Rained all night. Made coffee and had breakfast. Left Grand Forks at approximately 9:30. Rained on and off for most of the day. Took US 2 through Devils Lake to 281 then north to Canada. Uneventful border crossing. Stopped at the Canadian information center and they called ahead and made reservations for us at an RV park in Brandon. We then drove Canada Rt. 10 to Brandon. The park in Brandon is nice with grass parking spots. $21.80 Canadian for full hook-up. Did laundry.
265 miles today. 883 miles total

Day 2

Friday 5/23/03
After a pancake breakfast we left Brainerd at 9:30 a.m. We stopped at the Scamp factory in Backus and picked up the pillow that we had ordered.We showed Kent Eveland the modifications that we had made on the trailer (he was interested in the raised axel and the shocks). They gave us a 110v plug-in so that I could print out an insurance card as I had forgotten ours. I phoned back to our agent for the details and made up a reasonable facsimile on the computer. After filling the water tank we set out again. We stopped at a rest stop on U.S. 2 in N.W. Minnesota for an hour nap and arrived at Grand Forks, ND at about 4:30 p.m. We dry-camped again at a Wal-Mart/Sams parking lot.
214 miles today; 618 miles total

Day 1

Thursday 5/22/03
After checking, double-checking and checking again to make sure that we hadn’t forgotten anything, the three of us finally got started at 9:30 a.m. Simba thought that we were leaving too early as she wanted to sleep in some more. After only eleven miles we came to our first detour on Hy. 45 west of Appleton. We hope that this is not a bad omen.
We ate lunch at Cadott, WI. Traffic through St. Paul was real heavy as we got there just at the beginning of the rush hour. Arrived at Brainerd, MN at about 6:45 p.m. and dry-camped in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Simba didn’t seem to care as long as she had her tuna flavored Friskies.
404 miles today; 404 miles total.