BFFD (best frineds for the day)

This is an addendum to yesterdays post. I forgot to mention the couple we met along the TOW hwy yesterday. While driving through the fog we were following a little car and had a feeling of confidence that as long as we were behind them and didn't see their tail lights suddenly drop down off the mountain we were OK. Well they finely pulled over and stopped and flagged us around. We didn't really want to go around but if was obvious they were not moving till we did. Up the road there was a rest area. I told Lee pull over so I can clean my undies lol. Well they came right in behind us and we (of course) got to talking. Well they started it! They were staying in the same place as us in both towns. They kept wondering who belonged to this car from Florida and now they finely had the opportunity to meet us. Well this started a relay all the way to Fairbanks. We just keep meeting up with them no matter where we would stop. Even in Tok they were at the same restaurant as us. It was funny.

Tales From the Trail – Day 37

Top of the World/Taylor Highway

June 20, 2011

Before I launch into the adventures of this day I just want to mention a couple of interesting things. No. 1, you may remember the blog of us going to Laird springs. The Milepost magazine mentioned that we should be on the lookout for bears. So of course we did look out for them and thank goodness we didn’t see any. We had to walk on a long boardwalk I think it was 1/3 mile through the woods. The trip was uneventful and there were lots of people coming back and forth so we weren’t particularly frightened. Well on the way back from Skagway our bus driver was telling us about his best friend being mauled and killed by a bear at the hot springs recently. However I pulled the story up on the internet and this killing was in 1997 but it was just as he explained it. So don’t know if this was his friend or not. Anyway that was that.

The other interesting thing was while in Dawson City we were having an ice cream and this truck pulled up with a tag on the front that said Inuvik. Well I have heard more abut Inuvik this trip that I have in my entire live from people we have met in our travels who were taking the trip to Inuvik. So I was asking the people from the truck about it. One lady said yes that is her home town and the guy was from there too and the only reason she hung around with him is he was married to her “BFF” who was a First Nation. Well that led in to more discussion and we had a really nice and informational talk with them. And she said “No she doesn’t live in an Igloo and never did” when I said well they are really only used when the people are out hunting for temporary shelters, right? She was quite impressed that I knew that. She said I was the first tourist she had met who knew that. She is a graduate from Penn State and a guide for various trips around. Quite an interesting person and funny as all get out. When I asked here about the “Top of the World Highway” she went ooooogh and shook all over. Then she laughed and said I’m just kidding but guess what. SHE WASN’T! Which brings us to the meat of the blog.

We weren’t supposed to leave Dawson until tomorrow morning but looking at our schedule we have a trip planned for tomorrow evening. A midnight dinner float trip. And we have to meet with the people at 5:45 tomorrow afternoon. After hearing about Top of the World/Taylor Highway ( I will shorten that to TOW & TH) I figured we better get a real early start tomorrow morning like 5 am. Talked to the people at the hotel in Dawson and they said the border doesn’t open until 9 am so that won’t work. Lee finely said we better check out of Dawson and leave today heading for Fairbanks. So we did. Well kids, do you remember the “Little Gray Road” we went on when we went out west in 74? Well TOW made that road look like a super highway and the TH was even worse. We had to catch a little ferry right outside of Dawson to cross the river then from that point on we climbed these mountains on a gravel road. It was raining. It was slippery. And it was foggy. We were on narrow winding mountain roads. Thank God it was rainy and foggy. If I could have seen down those shear drop offs I would have probably had a heart attack rather than being a nervous wreck. Lee, bless his heart gave me permission to “Bitch” until we got to flat land. IT WAS HORRIBLE. Well that was only the beginning. We finely got to the border and into Alaska. The roads got 10 times worse. The roads became clay, narrower and more slippery. At one point in time the sign said “bump in the road” well we came to the bump and I looked over to my right and I saw what caused the bump. The land was shearing off into the ravine. Looked like it was going to go any minute. OMG, I thought I was going to die for sure. Right outside of Chicken AK we came upon a big RV who had run off in a ditch. I truck was towing them out.

Well it was a long day and we finely made it to Fairbanks where we are staying at a Bed & Breakfast. JILL decided to get even with us and took us the wrong way and then next thing we knew we are on, guess what? A narrow little dirt road winding up the mountain. I just wanted to cry. I kept saying OMG what have I gotten us into. Five days up on this mountain. Well after twisting and turning and getting to this impossible road that the dip stick wanted us to turn onto we called the place and said “We think we are lost” Well our host gave us directions and we quit listening to Jill. I think she is defective. In Dawson City she tried her best to get us to go the wrong way. I took her in the information center and asked the lady “have you ever had a GPS come in and ask for directions. She said she didn’t remember that happening. Anyway sure enough she was telling us to go the wrong way. I thing when she gets home she is going to get packaged up and go back to Garmin and as long as we stay in the lower 48 Sally can get us where we want to go. Anyway we are here at Lizzie's Nest Bed & Breakfast with some really nice hosts and a beautiful apartment.

That is all for tonight. It is midnight and still daylight.

Till we meet along the trail again see you soon and Happy Trails to you all.

Tails from the Trail days 32 through 35

So due to lack of Internet and just being to darned tired when we get back to our rooms I have let the blogging slide except for the Buddy Lee Gone Wild episode.

Day 32

Upon leaving our restful and quiet time in Rancheria we headed for Whitehorse. The roads remained fair to poor most of the time with some good road conditions here and there. Arrived in Whitehorse checked into our room and I really don't understand these hotel people they see old people coming and they give us the furthest away from the elevator and sometimes try to give us rooms where we have to climb stairs. I don't do stairs anymore. Just can't. Oh well we spent the night in our room 250 miles down the hall from the elevator but he room was nice. On the 3rd floor so we slept with our window open. Walked around town a little had a nice bowl of soup and a quiche. Located the train depot so we would know where to go the next morning.

Day 33

Boarded the train to go over the White Pass. This is one of the most spectacular trips scenery wise that I have ever taken. This was my fourth trip over this pass and I still loved it. Needless to say Lee loved it too. We rolled into Skagway and you all know that story so we will just skip down to.

Day 34 where we caught the bus back to Whitehorse a 6 hour trip. We found our car still at the motel whee we had left it and DAM! nobody got tired of looking at it and wash it so it was still as dirty as when we left it and with the huge dent in the side it looks pretty pitiful. I whined a bit and they put us on the ground floor and not so far from the elevator. got a good nights sleep and was on the road by 6:45 the next morning.

Day 35

A long trip through some beautiful country. Drove up the Klondike Highway on the way to Dawson. We were under the impression that it would be a really long day traveling but we made it here in about 7 hours. Guess that was a long day of traveling but it seemed to go by pretty fast. Guess cause the scenery was just so beautiful. We are now in Dawson and the Internet here is not free. $10.50 per day. so we got it for today and are spending the afternoon just catching up on things. We won't pay for Internet anymore here and I have no clue what the situation will be on into Alaska. If we have to pay an arm and a let we will just wait till we get back to the lower 48 to post. I will just blog and not post.

That just about catches you all up on our travels. Till next time Happy Trails from Jeannie and Lee.

Skagway Alaska

Days of the 98 Show Staring that one and only BUDDY LEE aka Lee Lewis

June 16 & 17

I am stepping ahead in time to bring you up to date on Lee's antics. We got to Skagway and he heard the town was rather wild so he jumped right in with both feet. He started almost immediately. We got into town on June 16. Came over the White Pass Just like the gold rush people did but we sort of got confused we came over the pass the wrong way but that suited Lee just fine. he LOVED Skagway. Right away we took a street car (and I don't think it was named desire either) for a city tour. The girls who drive the streetcars are just so cute and they dress up in period costumes. Well right away Lee got into the spirit of things and had his picture taken with one of the cuties. Next we went to the Red Onion for lunch. Well the Red Onion was one of the many brothels in town. One of the "Girls" took a liking to Lee and I thought she was going to drop her load on his shoulder. Well I got him back to the hotel safe and sound that night BUT today we went to the "Days of the 98 Show. This show is in its 85th year. Well the girls in the show saw Lee and really took a liking to him. They drug him (kicking and screaming) up the stairs and had their way with him. When they brought him back he had lipstick all over his cheeks and a girl on each arm AND he was in his night cloths. They were scratching and fighting over him. Finely gave him back to me and we got out of there in a hurry. All in good fun.

I'll catch up on my blogging when we get to Dawson. We are there 3 days. Just toooooo tired

today.

SEE FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE PICTURES. TROUBLE UPLOADING TO BLOG.

Tales from the Trail - Day 30

June 13, 2011

Rancheria, Yukon Territory

Pronounced Ran-che-REE-a

Today we experienced the bad road conditions we had been told to look for. Long stretches of loose gravel road. Then they tell us the really bad road is when we cross the border into Alaska. Supposedly it is entirely a gravel road and wet and slippery. Boy oh Boy sounds like fun. NOT! At one point in time we came to a full stop and were stopped for 20 minutes. Everyone just got out of their cars, campers and trucks and chatted. This is what we were told would happen and it did indeed

We entered the Yukon Territory today then dipped back into BC then back to YT. We did this about 6 times before they decided to keep the road in the YT.

Gas, continues to be high but nothing like at the Northern Rockies Lodge @ $7.00 per gallon. Food and Lodging is cheaper here. Last night at the Northern Rockies Lodge we paid $160 for one night. Here at Rancheria we are paying $130 for two nights. R&R day tomorrow. And what a beautiful area. We look out on the most beautiful little lake from our porch. Only drawback is hovering around the screen door are 8297 mosquitoes. Oh well we can sit on the bed and watch the lake looking for animal. Food is cheap here too. Good place to spend 2 days. Haven’t had cell phone service for two days and the internet here is very intermittent so this will get posted when I can get on.

It is twilight now all night long, (when it finely gets dark at all) it is amazing to get up at 1 am and see it still twilight.

Tales From the Trail - Day 29

June 12, 2011

Caribou, Stone Sheep, Bison, Bear, Hot Springs & Lake Muncho

What a Day, What a Day, What a Day!

One of the best so far. Right up with the Mount Rushmore Day. All of the above along with some of the most beautiful scenery so far. Really glad to get out of the plains. We left Fort Nelson planning to get to Muncho Lake early so we could go on up the road and spend some time in the hot springs. Took us about 6 hrs to go about 150 miles. Every few miles there was some animal to see. I was looking for a bear but alas! No bears to be seen. Jill (our trusty GPS) took us to the most desolate motel you have ever seen. I am looking in the Mile Marker magazine thinking boy the only similarity here is they both have a red roof. So we asked some one and they said next lodge up the road. Well we road and road and in about 6.5 miles there was our lodge. It is beautiful and it ought to be. Is it ever expensive. So at dinner we read the little informational thing about it. They operate John Deer Diesel generators to generate their electricity. It takes 1600 gallons of diesel per month to keep the place running. All their food comes from Edmonton 2x a week a distance of 800 miles. Therefore everything is 60% more expensive here than in the towns. We paid $7.00 per gallon of gas and that was after a 20% discount.

But I digress. Back to our day. On the way to the hot springs about 40 miles further up the road we finely spotted our bear. Now my day is complete. The hot springs were really nice. Very hot though. I couldn't stay in very long cause I kept feeling my blood pressure rising so we got out and did what we did best. We chatted with all the other people who were sitting on the benches. After we bot dressed we had a picnic lunch and then backtracked to the lodge and a nice (expensive) meal for dinner. Tomorrow we will cover this same 4o miles again. Maybe the bear will be there again. There was no place to stay closer to the springs. Had we passed it it would have been further. This is really remote. For the first day I have had no cell phone service all day.

Tales From the Trail - Day 28

From Grand Prairie to Fort Nelson

June 11, 2011

Well after traveling over 4500 miles and spending 28 days we finely reached he "World Famous" Alaska Highway. From Dawson Creek BC to Delta Junction AK. Now this is what it is all about. We have finely reached the beautiful country. We left Grand Prairie at 8:00 this morning and reached our destination at 3:30. A long day. We stopped for a pee break in Dawson Creek at a McDonald's and bought a mocha latte' then travelled until we needed gas when we stopped in some little way side place that had a gas station and a restaurant. We got gas then went over to the restaurant and had the daily special which was soup and pizza. Both were very good. A couple came in and we invited them to sit with us. We were the only 4 customers in the place. They were from Louisiana. I swear to goodness, the man was Paul Horney incarnate. They left Louisiana and travelled 1000 miles the first day. Their prime goal or I should say his prime goal is to get to Alaska. Sound familiar girls? Like getting to Yellowstone? Anyway it took them, let me see, let me count on my fingers. They left on Tuesday. This is Saturday. YIKES! it took them 5 days to get to where it took Lee and I 28 days to get. She wanted to leave him and come with us. She was carrying on how he doesn't let her sleep in or stop to see anything. We were laughing at them. He gave us some nice home grown tomatoes he had grown himself. We parted company leaving long before them and presently here they came around us tooting their horn. How funny!