Day 23, Haines Junction, YT to Haines, YT 167 mi

20 July 2015

[note to real-time readers:  We have had no/limited internet access for the past week.  Thus the reason for the lack of posts.  We are now back home (27 July) so I can write the posts that I was working on during our trip.  A number of these posts will be added in the coming days.]


Since we are no longer in any hurry to get to Haines, we took our time driving actually UNDER the speed limit.  This is quite alright on this road, as it is mostly an excellent, smooth road with fabulous scenery.  As we make our way to Haines, we are both full of 'Wow's, 'Ooh's, 'Fantastic's, and whatever other superlatives one can imagine.  Then we run out of superlatives and just soak it all in.

The scenery on this road just keeps on keeping on.  Vista after vista.  Glacier after glacier.  Mountain after mountain, all just fabulous.

YAFG

Two glaciers for the price of 1

YAFL

On this road we even spied our first grizzly bear.  It was minding its own business on the side of the road, just munching on some tasty berries or whatever.  No, it wasn't an Alaska grizzly bear, as it was a British Columbian grizzly bear.  In any event, still a genuine grizzly bear.

<<insert photo of grizzly here>>

Once we crossed back into the US and reached Haines, we found a small RV park right at the waterfront named Oceanside.  The proprietor indicated that we could put our tent right on the waterfront (where there was yet another fabulous view) for $15, showers an additional $3 each. 

View from our tent

She also mentioned that they would be grilling salmon and cooking some local shrimp for the campers.  Everyone was invited, with the suggestion to bring something to share.  I suggested a peach pie, but was overruled by the spousal unit who always favors brownies.  So brownies it was.

We had an excellent time visiting with the other campers and sharing stories of the road.  The proprieter of the RV park made everyone feel very welcome and keeps a nice place.  Ocenside RV park is RECOMMENDED!

Some numbers for the day:
Number of cruise ships passing by from Skagway to Juneau   3
Number of families camping from Germany 1
Number of families from Great Britain 1
Number of salmon observed caught by snagging (but let go)1
Number of bears sighted 1
Number of bald eagles sighted ~5

Day24, Haines to ferry transit, N/A miles

21 July 2015

Not a whole lot to talk about today, as we are  mostly biding our time until it is time to load on to the ferry.
We went to the library to update the blog with a couple of posts.  Unfortunately, a sign on the door said that their internet access was down.  Bummer.

So we spent the day exploring the Haines area and took a few photos.

These ducks were in the middle of the Chilkoot River.  It looks like this rock sees a lot of together time - just ducky!

On Chilkoot Lake

Since the salmon are now running in the Chilkoot, the fishermen are out and about trying to catch a few.  We were told of a place where the bears sometimes compete with the fishermen for salmon and went to see for ourselves.  Despite the signs cautioning humans not to interfere with the lives of bears, we didn't see any bears with which to interfere.  We did, however see a number of bald eagles, which were the subject of many camera lenses.

This guy just missed something in the water

At around 7:00 pm we arrive at the ferry dock and find about 8 motorcycles already in the lane 1 queue to get on.  As the evening progresses more and more congregate in the lane 1 area.  Soon there are about 30 motorcycles of many makes and types.  Mostly Harley Davidson and BMW models, but also KTMs, Hondas, one sidehack, another Can-Am Spyder from Texas, and even a Ducati with two tires tied on back.  As is always the case with motorcyclists, people started introducing themselves to each other and shared stories of their Alaskan/Yukon/British Columbian adventures.

Our ship comes in

Eventually we board the ferry at about 12:30 Wednesday morning.  We had heard that there can be some serious competition for tent space on the deck, so the spousal unit sprints off to find a spot while I secure the Spyder on the lower car deck.  When I find her on the upper, solarium deck I find that we are the only ones with a tent!  We try to secure our tent with the lousy duck tape that we had brought (it sticks to itself and to the tent stake, but not to the deck!).  We finally crawl into our sleeping bags at around 1:30 am, to the fine aroma of diesel exhaust and the sound of noisy engines.

Day 22 US/Canada border to Haines Junction, YT, 385 km

19 July, 2015

The plan for today was to make it to Haines, AK.  This involved more backtracking into the Yukon to Haines Junction where the turnoff to Haines begins.  The day was cool and rainy, making the long construction sections muddy, messy, and slow going.

By the time we got to Haines Junction, we were hungry, having only eaten granola bars for breakfast.  On one of the side streets (there aren't many here), we found the Village Bakery and Deli.  After a tasty lunch, we learned from a BMW rider curious about the Spyder that our ferry departure has been delayed until very early Wednesday morning.  After consulting the internet to confirm the ferry status, we now have more time before we need to be in Haines.  Or more time to spend in Haines.

The spousal unit suggested that we get a room in Haines Junction.  Providentially, we noticed a sign coming into town for cabins for $75 CAD.  Coincidentally, we still had about $85 CAD in Canadian currency remaining, so we booked the room, did laundary at a nearby laundromat, and found a frozen pizza for dinner, thus exhausting our Canadian currency.  Sweet, no need to convert back to USD!

The cabin is one of two, with a wood stove, simple kitchen amenities, and a shared bathroom with shower.  All in all a very comfortable and rustic setting.  Carnivore Cabins is RECOMMENDED!  Conveniently, the cabin is just across the street from the previously mentioned Village Bakery which is supplying this internet access.

Bike dirty again from construction on Alcan highway

Kluane Lake is just as fabulous going south as it is going north.  This lake is huge!  Unfortunately, the sun was obscured by clouds just as we pulled off the road to take this picture, causing the colors to be much less vibrant (the blues were fantastic!).

Kluane Lake

The road to Haines is supposed to be spectacular.  Stay tuned for more fabulous photos

Day 21 Palmer, AK to 30 mi near border, 351 mi

18 July 2015

This was another day about putting on miles as we make our way to Haines to catch the ferry to Bellingham, WA.  After three weeks it seems hard to believe that we are on the backside of our adventure.  By now we have kind of figured out a rhythm  on the road.

Morning  comes.  I start the stove and boil water for coffee.  The spousal unit deflates the sleeping pads and stuffs the sleeping bags into a plastic bag.  Off comes the tent rain fly.  If there is sun is out the rainfly is set to dry.  If it is  cloudy/raining, the wet side is folded in on itself.  After coffee, the tent is packed into the dry bag with the sleeping bags along with the laundry.

After coffee, all of the camping detritus is stuffed to the various storage locations on the machine and the dry bag winds up on the trunk rack. Maps are  consulted, and a plan is made for the day.  Then we are on the road.

Time to get fuel.  Someone asks about the Spyder resulting in another nice  conversation with a local.  "Where you from?"  Colorado.  "All the way on that thing?" Yes, this is our first time to Alaska.  "Well Alaska will changes a fella"  I can see how.  "How do you like that Spyder?"  Once you get past the idea that it is not a motorcycle and appreciate it for what it is, it is really a fine machine for this trip.  "You should really check out the Cassiar road  the views are spectacular". Well, that will have to wait until next time, as we are on our way to pick up the ferry.  Like the man said, Alaska will change a fella so that he (or she) will want to return.

Today we finally saw the mythical Alaska bears, we had heard that they exist, and today we actually saw them.  Two cubs and their mama.  We don't have evidence of the cubs, but we do have photographic evidence of the mom.  See:

The cubs are already in the woods on the left side of the road

We can also see that fires are still burning along the border with Canada.  Hopefully they will show up in the following:

We could see 4 fires at once from here (not all visible in photo)

Highlight of the evening:

We stumbled onto the Lakeview Campground at the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge some 30 miles north of the Canada border.  It is free (but accepts donations), has a clean pit toilet, but no water.  A sign says that water is available at the visitor's center. 

There is even a photo blind for taking pictures of birds in the adjacent wetland.  This campground is obviously well-loved and is RECOMMENDED.

Another couple motorcycle camping at the same campsite just shared with us some salmon that was caught just two weeks ago and smoked in Seward, packed in oil.  Easily the best smoked salmon I have ever put in my trout hole!