The "Lower 48" by way of Teslin, Watson Lake, Iskut, Stewart/Hyder, Smithers, and Prince George

August 25 - September 6, 2013

Started in Dawson Creek and ended in Smithers

 

This blog is kind of a catch-up and caravan wrap-up.  We just haven't had much for cell service or internet connections lately.  The map above is our caravan route. 

After riding the White Pass Train in Skagway, we departed the next morning for a series of one-night stops beginning with Teslin, YT.  We had stopped at Teslin on our way to Alaska.  We stopped at both the George Johnston Museum and the Tlinglet (lst Nation) Museum since we didn't take the time to visit them earlier.  Guess we must be about museumed out since we didn't stay long at either.  The George Johnston was interesting, but we didn't have it in us to read everything.

The next morning we headed to a campground near Watson Lake on the Cassiar Highway.  We had been in Watson Lake on the way in, but this was a different campground.  Not much was going on that evening so we gathered for a happy hour.  The overnight stops after a while are tiresome.  After this stop, we headed to Iskut, BC.  The campground was in a pretty setting on a lake in a pristine wilderness forest.  That evening we were served dinner by a bunch of kayakers who had come to kayak the Stikine River.  The Stikine River is the Mt. Everest of the kayak world.  These guys were from all over, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, etc.  They had agreed with the owner to work for him helping to prepare and serve our dinner.  The regular staff had all left for school.  It was interesting to hear their stories.  The meal was just okay.  It seems as if roast beef is the most common dinner that is prepared for groups.  This makes at least 3 or 4 meals of roast beef served by campgrounds during our trip.  We have decided they just don't eat fried chicken, or chicken of any kind in this part of Canada or Alaska.

After Iskut, we headed for Stewart/Hyder for a 3-night stop.  Stewart is in British Columbia and has a population of around 700, and Hyder is in Alaska with a population of around 100.  If you have ever seen videos of people standing on a boardwalk watching bears in a stream catching salmon, Hyder is the place.  The stream and boardwalk are part of the National Park System.  We traveled back and forth over the border every time we wanted to go view the bears. The US doesn't have a border crossing there, but Canada does.  We saw several bears, and one evening as we were watching a big grizzly, a wolf decided to come to the stream as well to have a salmon or two.  They came within about 25 feet of each other when the grizzly did some posturing causing the wolf to go around the bear and take off down the stream.  It was almost dark, and the pictures didn't come out very well.  I have included the picture below of the two of them together, but it is hard to make it out.

We celebrated our 45th anniversary in Stewart.  We found a restaurant in town that served King Crab legs, so that is what we had for our anniversary lunch.  Dinner that night was a chili cook off with the caravan.  Phyllis did make some chili and actually came in 3rd place.  This was a surprise since her chili is just plain old chili and nothing exotic or unusual.

Last stop on the caravan was in Smithers, BC.  We had the farewell dinner in a hotel, and you guessed it roast beef again.  They also had salmon and some vegetables which was nice.  The meal was much better than some of the others.  It was hard to say goodbye to everyone after having spent the past 48 days with them.  We have plans to have a reunion next year.  Several of us will stay in touch with each other.  Having survived a blown engine, hydraulic pump malfunction, gas filter issue, cracked and pitted windshields, no hot water (Aqua Hot leak), slides that wouldn't work right, and several other smaller issues, many of the folks were just ready to head back to the states as soon as possible.  Some just couldn't take the wilderness any longer.  Luckily we didn't have such issues and stayed an additional night in Smithers, then went to Prince George for a couple more nights.

At Price George, we met up with Pat and Bernadette and Jack and Linda, and we all had dinner together--it wasn't roast beef.  We grilled and had "regular" food.  Jack and Linda had to get two new tires the next morning before heading out--they are also the ones that had the blown engine.  Once they get home, the motorhome is going to be sold.  They were real troupers through all of their ordeals.  We had Pat and Bernadette over for breakfast the next morning.  It was so nice to have a day where we didn't have to do anything or go anywhere unless we wanted to do so.  We all went to a nice restaurant for a great dinner that evening.  Saying goodbye the next morning, we knew this was the last we would see any of the caravan folks.  Truly on our own now.

We decided to push a bit the next day and got to about 60 miles from the border staying overnight in a Canadian Tire parking lot.  The Canadian Tire stores are wonderful, so we walked around the store and parking lot before settling in to watch a movie. 

Today (Sept.6th) we crossed back into the lower 48.  It does feel good to be back.  We drove to Grand Coulee, Washington.  Once we got settled into the campground, we toured Coulee Dam, went to the casino, and then went to the laser light show at the dam.  Guess we think we have to do every thing there is to do in an area still. 

The picture taking has slowed a bit, but here are a few to hopefully enjoy.

PJ feeding year old Muskox

Biggest bull Muskox at farm

Black Bear fishing for salmon

Grizzly(R) and Wolf(L) in salmon creek at almost dark

45th anniversary in the fog at a glacier

 

Grizzly in the salmon creek

Black Bear at the Hyder dump (there were 4 bears there)

Grand Coulee Dam-largest concrete structure in the world

Pumps inside the dam

Osprey showing off at the dam

Topography sure has changed, warmer, and where are the glaciers

Chuck and Phyllis at Grand Coulee Dam