I had a good night's sleep. Nothing woke me up during the night. I figured a bear would saunter by the van and get the dogs riled up. Instead, not a sound came from the dogs. There was no scat around the camping site. I got the dogs to walk around to the creek and back for some water before taking off. To commemorate Canada's 150th birthday today, I listened to CBC radio all day. A program highlighting all of Canada's provinces was the highlight.
I didn't drive far today. I enjoyed the winding road heading south to Whitehorse, stopping at all the rest areas' historical plaques. The road was once used for trappers and then gold miners. Elk herds now roam the hills. It's also the area where two massive fires killed off the white spruce and made way for aspens to go, both in 1995 and again in 1998. One informational sign showed the many spots where fires were started, both by lightning in yellow and by neglected camp fires by humans in red. I never realized that a land this cold most of the year would have this many fires.
I stopped at the Five Fingers rest area to take advantage of the .56-mile stairs and trail to a lower platform from where one can see the Yukon river closer. I was the only parked car here as the only other car sped off as I drove up. Would bears be hiding in wait for me along the trail? Zeke wore his bear bell with pride as he pranced on ahead.
The trail doesn't lead to the river itself, but from a viewing deck still halfway up the steep cliffs. Here the Yukon river rushes around the islands, creating dangerous rapids for boaters. Seagulls were screaming from the five islands here, protected by human intervention. On my way back on the trail I met a couple from San Diego, Michele and Jim, with whom I ended up sitting on the deck and talking for 90 more minutes. They have been road tripping since April 1st, taking the ferry to Haines and staying several days at various ports and towns to bide time. They budgeted $10,000 for five months (!!!) on the road. They left early to take advantage of the half-off ferry fare, not realizing that once in Alaska, campgrounds were still snowed in and tourist stops still closed for the season in April. They made the best of all that time by exploring historical sites and helping a campground hostess clear her sites of snow and chop wood. They worked for their lodging and made a friend with that woman, who invited them back next year. They had quite a fascinating story to tell, even letting me peek in the back of their Lance camper to show me the layout. Both dogs jumped right in as well, making themselves comfortable. While the Lance is quite big for my needs, it's not something I would entirely rule out with the right pick up carrying it. The dogs seem to have approved!
It was a sunny afternoon by the time I left the Five Fingers rest area, continuing my drive toward Whitehorse and stopping at all the rest areas. About fifteen miles north of Whitehorse I decided to call it a day for driving and got one of the last dry tent sites at the Takhini Hot Springs campground for $20, then for another $9.60 relaxed in the hot water of the hot springs which was actually a cement pool fed by hot springs. I noticed this site on my first visit to Whitehorse several weeks ago. People of all ages rested in the water and I chatted with an older couple vacationing from a mountain town southwest of Calgary. They, too, are on their first retirement vacation and will be on the road for another month. The couple left before 8pm and I lasted until 8pm. That was an hour longer than I had planned as hot water is not something I find relaxing for long. It was a pleasant experience. My roadweary body needed the soaking .
I walked the dogs up the campground's mountaintop trail, but the views weren't all that great. That was another 2.2 miles to log in for my hiking, racking up just under five miles.
I drove 235.1 miles today.
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