June 2013 and the Asphalt Wanderers Have Hit the Road

Ok this is a lot to take in all at once so you might want to read it in sections.  We didn't have cell phone service or internet service part of the time so I have to take the opportunity to update everyone when I can!

Well, Rich and I decided, when the temperature was going to be 118 in Surprise, AZ it was time for us to get out of town.  So we left our happy home in Happy Trails in Surprise, AZ on Friday, June 28th, 'cause on Thursday,  the weather man said, "118 degrees in Surprise on Friday".

We left EARLY Friday morning, and drove 12 hrs to Oceano, CA desperate to get to cooler weather.  It was a LONG, HOT, TIRING drive.  The inside of the motor home got as high as 110 degrees.  We were beginning to think we went the wrong way.  Finally pulled into Pismo Sands RV Park about 6:30pm and checked in.  They sent us to our site, but gave us the wrong directions.  FINALLY, we got to our site, struggled to get in because of the close quarters, BUT, it was only 75 degrees!  We were so HAPPY!!  Got set up, had a salad, and went to bed!!!!!

Next morning, after a good nights sleep, we left Oceano and drove to Rohnert Park, CA and parked in a Walmart parking lot where it was 95 degrees.  It was another LONG, HOT drive.  Couldn't wait to park and turn the generator on so we could run the air conditioner!  Guess what, the generator decided IT was too hot and wouldn't run!!!  So we went across the street for dinner and a few drinks at the Outback.  Sat at the bar, had dinner, and a great time with the bar tender.  Back to the RV for hopefully a good nights sleep.  WRONG!!!  We had to listen to the traffic in the parking lot and HWY 101 ALL NIGHT LONG!!!

Left the next morning tired and grumpy and drove 8 hrs to Portside RV Park in Brookings, OR., where it was FOGGY and COOL and suddenly we became HAPPY!!!  Only planned on staying one night but we SOOO enjoyed the cooler weather we stayed an extra night!!

Happy and well rested we left Brookings and headed to Willamette Mission State Park near Salem OR to visit our good friends, Dennis and Darlene.  Nice drive all the way up the coast then we had to turn inland at Lincoln City.  Two hrs later we pulled into the state park and it was 87 degrees.  But, because we didn't have hookups, we all went out to dinner and then came back and played cards in Dennis and Darlene's COOL RV.  Had a GREAT time BUT Darlene won both games!!!

Left there July 3rd and headed to Helix, OR and Walla Walla, WA.  Made a stop in Clackamas, OR to visit a friend, Charlotte Smith, who happened to be in the hospital.  Rich parked the RV in a shopping center parking lot, unhooked the car, and off I went.  Charlotte looked good, was doing better, and just wanted to go home!!  Good news is she got to go home the next day!  Must have been my visit that made all the difference!  Got back to the RV and we were blocked in!  A truck parked right in front of the RV and then the driver went into the restaurant.  So we waited an hr or so thinking he would come back out. NOT!!  When the parked cars behind us moved we backed up and finagled our way out.  Then we drove to Pendleton, OR where our dear friends, Betty and Gene, met us at Wildhorse Resort and Casino for dinner then they led us to Helix, OR.  Stayed a week there and visited with them and MOST of their kids and families.  Jim and Liz had us over on the 4th for a BBQ and fireworks with their kids and grandkids.  What a joy watching the grandkids get so excited over the fireworks!!  But I have to say, the fireworks of today AREN'T what they used to be!!!  Spent quite a bit of time with Betty and Gene at their place in Walla Walla, WA.  They have a creek that runs through their beautiful backyard, and I could just sit on their porch swing all day and be very content.  Had to make time for laundry, so when Gene came to Helix to help Rich work on our Hydro-Hot Water Heater and put the mud flaps on his truck, I drove to Betty and Gene's to do my laundry.  Weather was warm, Betty and I sat outside on the swing listening to the creek running and all the birds at the bird feeders, so relaxed, I kept forgetting to check my laundry.

Saturday, we drove up to Seldom Seen Lake for one of Betty and Gene's great- grandson's birthday.  It was 2 1/2 hrs up a winding dirt road, but it was a beautiful drive, unfortunately I got car sick in Gene and Betty's brand new truck!  Luckily I was sitting right where the garbage bag was!!  We had a great time watching all the kids play in the lake, fish, and get ready for their nature hike.  Got back to Helix about 6 so Rich and Gene washed the truck and made it white again.

Sunday we laid low trying to let my tummy settle and let Rich work on the motor home. After much frustration, we decided to get the jeep washed and stop by Betty & Gene's to plan our trip to the coast.  After 3 attempts to follow our GPS directions to car washes that weren't there we drove to Betty & Gene's.  Had a good time there but somewhere between their house and Helix we lost Rich's cell phone.

Then their daughter, Peg, invited us over for dinner at her and Tony's ranch.  There we met most of Tony and Peg's kids and grandkids and one of Betty and Gene's other sons, Tim.  Beautiful home, beautiful ranch, and beautiful family!  Had a great time and I even got video of Peg on the trampoline with all her grandkids!

Ok I'm going to stop for now 'cause you have probably stopped reading this anyways.

To Be Continued!!

Take care and safe travels to all our fellow travelers

Love

Rich & Dorothy  

My last update mentioned our drive over the Top-of-the-World Hwy and how dirty the car and motor home got.  Two days later we left Dawson City, YT and drove 340 miles to Whitehorse, YT and enjoyed more beautiful scenery.  Not sure why, but I didn't take any pictures of the roads.  Probably because they were like ALL the others!

Five Finger Rapids Recreation Area

Yukon River

The campground we stayed in at Whitehorse, Pioneer RV Park, was definitely used to RVers staying there after having driven the Top-of-the-World Hwy.  They were all set up and able to do LOF, (lube & change the oil and air filters) on ALMOST any RV.  The only way they could do ours is if Rich was willing to pay to have another air filter flown in. NOT!!!!  But he decided HE really needed to clean our air filter.

Rich looking inside Air Filter to see how bad it is

The only way to clean it is to CUT the bottom off RIGHT HERE

Gene cutting with Tracey looking on

Air Filter after cleaning 

Unfortunatly, I didn't get any pictures of them putting the filter back together with weather stripping and Gorilla Glue, mainly because a thunderstorm had blown in and I did not see the necessity of ME standing out in the pouring rain!  But, it held up real good for another 1,114 miles to Prince George, BC where Rich found a Freight Liner shop that had our air filter and could do the LOF.

But before we got to Prince George, BC, our last stop of the caraventure, we drove from Whitehorse YT to Nugget City, YT to Iskut, BC to Stewart, BC to Hazelton, BC and finally to Prince George, BC all within 6 days.

While in Nugget City we stayed at Baby Nugget RV Park.  There was NO CELL Phone service, but you could walk up to the office and TRY to get on the internet through their WI-FI.  The first 1/2 was Free, but the 2nd 1/2 hr was $5.00 and then $10.00 an hr after that.  Needless to say, we didn't even try!  There were no eating places anywhere near by, and they did have a little restaurant at the RV park so several of us decided to eat there.  $18.95 for a hamburger steak(?) with no french fries, $17.95 for Chicken Stir Fry, and $5.50 for a glass of wine.  We should have eaten in the motor home!!!

Aug 10th we left Nugget City and drove 200 miles to Iskut, BC again on very poor roads with a few with no shoulders.  We made a stop in Jade City, BC at the Cassiar Mountain Jade Store.  The family mines for the Jade there on the mountain and then bring the boulders back to the store where they clean, cut, and sell them.  Inside the store you can buy anything that has been made out of the jade by the family and locals.

Jade Store

Side of store

Just some of the equipment

More of the equipment and some cut jade

And yes, we did our share of shopping along with everyone else who stopped!  When we got to the RV park we found out that one of our fellow travelers, Michael, had gone off the road, rolled down an embankment into a lake, and totaled his motor home.  He was not seriously injured but did have to spend the night in the hospital for observation.  The tail gunners of our caravan, Tracey and Janice, came upon his accident shortly after it had happened.  Janice rode with him in the ambulance to the nearest hospital, which was close to 100 miles away, while Tracey followed in their motor home.  They stayed in a near by campground then picked up Michael when he was released from the hospital.  Since he only had the clothes he was wearing in the accident, which were still wet and bloody from the accident, they took him shopping for new clothes then all the way back to the sight of the accident where the tow truck driver helped them get anything he could salvage from the motor home.  He was able to get proof of insurance, camera, and some souvenirs.  Then Tracey & Janice drove him to the nearest airport, another 100 miles or so, so he could fly to Washington State to stay with his sister.  I'd say Tracey & Janice went way beyond the call of duty, but we all loved them for it!!

We left Fairbanks, AK Aug 4th and headed to Tok, AK.  After just 95 miles we stopped in Delta Junction at the Visitor Center where the Alaska Highway ends.

Delta Junction, Alaska
Northern Terminus of the
"ALCAN" HIGHWAY

Mile Post 1422
End of the Alaska Highway

Although the sign says 1,422 to Dawson Creek, where we began our caraventure, we have actually
gone 3,032 miles, so far, and we still have 11 more days!!!  Finally arrived in Tok, AK after another 100 miles.

The next day we drove from Tok, AK to Dawson City, Yukon Territory and, OH MY GOD, what a drive that was!  Only 192 miles BUT it took us 13.5 hrs.  We left TOK around 7:00 and arrived in Chicken, AK 2 hrs later.  Chicken is just one of those SMALL stops in the road you HAVE to make just to say you've been there.

Chicken
Gold Camp

Road to Chicken

Town of Chicken

We left Chicken at 10:30 and continued our drive over Top-of-the-World Highway.  The road (HWY?) is steep and narrow in places with little or NO shoulder and is not paved!

Top-of-the-World Hwy

Kim following us

View of what's ahead

View from the top of Top-of-the-World Hwy

View as we begin the decent

It took us 6 hrs to drive the Top-of-the-World Highway.  We finally arrived in Dawson City and had to wait 4 hrs to get on the ferry because the ferry would take all cars, buses, and commercial vehicles as they drove up, before any RVs could get on.

Finally arriving at the Dawson City Ferry

The Ferry

Our tour director, Barb, sat there all day and took
a picture of each rig (all 23) on the ferry

Fellow travelers waiting in line for the ferry

Looking back AFTER our 5 minute Ferry ride

Needless to say, after we drove to the campground and got the motor home set up, Rich had a Cup of Noodles and we went to bed.

Dirty car AFTER Top-of-the-World Hwy

Motor Home Top-of-the-World Hwy

Car engine after Top-of-the-World Hwy 

So far we have been to Dawson Creek, Ft. Nelson, and Liard Hot Springs, all in British Columbia.  Then to Watson Lake and Teslin in the Yukon Territory, into Skagway, Alaska, back to the Yukon Territory where we stayed in Whitehorse and Destruction Bay.  Then back to Alaska where we stayed in Tok, Valdez, Mendeltna, (near Glenallen), Anchorage, Homer, Seward, Houston, and Healy. Now we are in Fairbanks.

Ok, well Rich & I caught the creeping crud so we've had a little bit of down time. I'm going to TRY to bring you up to date.  As you know we have seen lots of wild animals and beautiful scenery. But the trip hasn't been without it's ups and downs. Just 4 days into the tour, we discover we have a FEW holes in the radiator.

So after a few prayers, a few bottles of "radiator stop leak" in the radiator, and few bottles for backup, we left the campground and headed to Skagway for 4 days with our fingers crossed! And so far so GOOD!!

I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story!

Watson Lake, YT

These signs have been put here by
 people from all over the world

I found this one amongst all the signs

So of course, we had to add one of our own

11% incline, narrow road,
 VERY FOGGY leaving Skagway.

Even the Yukon Territory has desert

Another GOOD road

Bald Eagle

Whales playing in the ocean

Typical Road Construction, but on a Sunday??

Here are a few pictures when we went to see the glaciers!

Pam thinks she's on the Titanic

Now I know WHY Pam thinks she is on the Titanic

Columbia Glacier

Just a few more pictures!

Some of the guys went on a fishing trip
while we were in Homer

Bus ride through Denali National Park and Preserve
What a Fantastic trip that was

View of Mt McKinley from Denali National Park
(Can you beat this, Ruie?)

Well, I kind of skimmed the surface just to give you a taste of what we have seen.  So far, I have downloaded over 1700 pictures to my computer and we STILL have about 2 mores weeks left on the tour.

We leave Fairbanks tomorrow for Tok, for one night, then we will be crossing back into the Yukon Territory.  Cell phone service and internet is VERY sporadic once we cross the border so I don't know when or where the next update will be.

Take care and we WILL be in touch!!

 

Red Deer Alberta and Edmonton, Alberta

Pam trying to make the birthday boy look "good" for his party

June 27th we left Lethbridge Alberta and drove to Red Deer, Alberta Canada where we stopped for the night at The Westerner RV Park so we could visit with our fellow Nova Scotia "Back of the Bus Gang", Eugene and Linda Yaworski.  What a GREAT time we had!  Pam had planned a little get together to celebrate Rich's birthday.

Pam sitting in her chair she bought in AZ in February but had to wait  for us to bring it to her in June

Eugene giving the birthday boy some "needed" advice

Just the girls having a "good" laugh

It was so good to see Eugene & Linda again.  It was like being on the Nova Scotia Tour all over again!!   We left Red Deer the next day and headed to Edmonton Alberta Canada for a one night stay. After an unplanned tour of the city due to following the GPS instructions to a Flying J Truck Stop that NEVER existed where the GPS took us, we HAD to see the great Edmonton Mall.  It has OVER 800 stores, eateries, an ice skating rink, and 12 theater Cinema, PLUS several Amusement Parks!!

Waterslides in Water Park in Mall

Wave Rider in Water Park

Amusement Park in middle of mall

12 Theater Cinema

June 29th, we drove to Dawson Creek, British Columbia where the  Alaska Caraventure was to begin on July 3rd.  We pulled into the Northern Lights RV Park  with plans of cleaning the motor home, doing laundry, and just plain relaxing. Weather was cool and cloudy. 

Storm's a comin'

Dave & Pam taking advantage of storm to wash RV.  They soaped it up and let the rain rinse it off

We were quite shocked at the cost of laundry. $3.00 to wash and $2.00 to dry. Bathroom was $1.00 for a 3 min. shower.  But the shocker was, you had to take your shoes OFF before entering the Bathroom/laundry/meeting room building. Now how inconvenient is THAT!!!  Try holding your clean clothes and putting on your shoes at the same time! It doesn't work!!!