North to Alaska: Day 09

Welcome! Day9 (Aug 17) of North to Alaska

We are in Atlin hopefully this post will go thru Wi-Fi not to stable.

Quote. “The journey not the arrival matters.” – T. S. Eliot

One of the worst sounds I can image hearing is the click, click, click when trying to start your car and you are 2500 miles from home. This is what I heard this morning as I went to start the car to fill up with gas before breakfast. I got up about 5:45 as usual, went to the fitness room and rode the tread mill for 15 minutes and then the bike for another 15 minutes. I was feeling good. I had my nook to read but decided I would fill up first so I went to the car and click, click, click. I had left our small refrigerator plugged in throughout the night. We have a large one that we take into the room each night and a small one we keep behind the seat for diet coke and water as we travel. Normally I just unplug the small one. Last night I did not. So what to do. Triple A is the answer, even in Canada. I called and about 45 minutes later a guy showed up and the car started right up. It should, I had everything checked out before the trip even bought a new battery. Frustrated I was but I kept my cool and read while waiting for the battery jumper guy. By the time I started the car, went and got gas, Cassie was just getting to the breakfast room. So I joined her and had a bowl of cereal.

Cassie wants to write about the rest of the day so here she goes.

First of all for those who have been concerned about my health and safety I would like to say that I have completely recovered from my first (and probably my last ) white-water rafting experience (thank you for your prayers!) Also, Tommy and I are still speaking to each other!! Now for today.

I was very excited about today’s drive because “The Guide to the Alaska Highway”, our authoritative source of information, said that this stretch of the highway between Fort Nelson and Watson Lake is some of the most beautiful on all the highway. Going from the lowest point we will ascend quickly to the highest point at Summit Lake (4200 ft.). This is the eastern edge of the Northern Rockies and it is indeed pretty spectacular. The “Guide” said to keep a sharp look-out for mountain sheep because they like to hang out in the rocks and lick the minerals off the road. Almost a guarantee to see these sheep. Well, I kept a sharp look-out but of course no sheep. We keep driving seeing beautiful country and almost no other cars except when we have to stop and slow down for read construction. They are working all along this part of the road.

Before we left this morning I read in the “Guide” that as we come down from the Summit we should be on the watch for buffalo on the road. Also, we begin seeing big signs warning of buffalo on the road ahead. Do we see buffalo?? We drive and drive and no buffalo. I am pretty disappointed but it is a beautiful drive. About 1:00 I am getting hungry. There are very few places to stop and even some of them only have gas and maybe a restroom. I look in the “Guide” and a good place to stop seems to be Liard Hot Springs with camping places and hot springs to soak in. We are about 5 miles from the hot springs when we come around a bend in the road and there in the middle of the road is a mother bear and her 3 cubs!! They slowly walk across the road right in front of the car and then proceed slowly down the side of the road in the grass. Tommy has stopped the car there in the road and he rolls down his window to take pictures as the bears walk by the car!! I am thrilled with our bear encounter but that isn’t all. About a mile on down the road we have to slow down as several large bison (better known as buffalo) amble across the road. It is actually a small herd of buffalo stretched out on both sides of the road. There are several babies in the herd and Tommy manages to get some good pictures. I am satisfied with our wildlife sightings and after stopping for lunch we even see another bear walking in the grass beside. We are truly in bear country.

Cassie got tired of thinking/writing so I will add a little more. About 20 miles past the hot springs the “Guide” said look for a sign marking a small road leading to a waterfall. We saw the sign and followed the road. The road was bad but the waterfall was pretty good. We did not get real close but between trees had a decent view.

As we were leaving Watson Lake we stopped at the Sign Post Park, see photos below. It is very large with signs and license plates from all over.

Next was our destination for the day about 20 miles west of Watson Lake, Nugget City (not really a city), built on land that was once a gold mine. Nugget City is like most places along the Alaska Highway it has a RV Park, gas pumps, café, and gift shop along with a few cabins. The cabin was nice but overpriced. The law of supply and demand at its finest. We had few choices. During planning the first one I selected had bathrooms down the hall, not Cassie’s way of ruffing it.

Another fine day completed. I will post this hopefully in Atlin BC our next stop as Nugget City does not have internet access.