1006 August 9, 2023 Goodbye Alaska
Last night we had dousing rain. We woke to find the RV surrounded by huge muddy puddles.
I walked across the street to the Visitor Center and used the WIFI to post yesterday’s blog.
There was a stuffed wolf on display that looked exactly like the one I saw in the woods on Nebesna Road a couple of weeks ago.
So today is our least favorite part of the drive. We began at 10:15am. This is the portion of the Alcan from Tok to Destruction Bay. The road conditions were rough on the way here. Driving today would be tedious and took lots of time and patience. There were several places where we had to pull over to allow other faster, more impatient drivers to pass.
As we drove, the smoke and haze dissipated and the sun started to peek out from dramatic clouds.
We took a break at the boundary to the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge. There was an exhibit there that talked about the 2002 earthquake that left 12-foot-deep cracks in the Glenn Highway. That wasn’t all that long ago!
We had a 30-mile stretch of roadwork. For much of it, we waited for and followed a pilot car along with a long stream of other RV’s all heading out of Alaska. We have noticed small signs of fall and little changes in leaf color. It is time to go home!
We stopped at the Tetlin Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.
I loved this quote:
This wildlife refuge is recognized as a Globally Important Bird Area. Thousands of trumpeter swans and tens of thousands of sandhill cranes fly through here on their way to nesting grounds in Western Alaska and Siberia. They are travelers just like us!
We took a short hike down to the trapper’s cabin.
For a short while before the US Customs Station, the road was brand new and smooth. As soon as we crossed the border into Canada, the road was immediately rough; heaving and falling in waves. 20 miles later, we went through Border Patrol and we were officially in Yukon, Canada. Back to kilometers, liters, and loonies!
We passed Snag Junction where the coldest temperature in Canada was recorded in 1947. It was -81.4 degrees Fahrenheit…OUCH!
As we bounced and bebopped along, there were lots of lakes and trees and the mountains were still pretty.
There was a pair of nesting swans in almost every pond.
The road conditions made traveling very slow. Tim said it gave me more opportunity to appreciate the scenery. 😊
The gravel washboard sections were the worst.
We crossed the bridge over the White River. Volcanic ash is responsible for its color.
At 4pm, we were tired. We found the Lake Creek Yukon Government Campground.
We got a peaceful site on the water and it was the perfect thing after such a long day of driving. The firewood was free and we had a nice campfire. We drank some wine and relaxed. Eggs for dinner and an evening walk and then good night!
