For the sake of this email, I would like to consider all Alaskan’s and Canadian’s as one people - everything equally applies to both parties. From that perspective I would like to say that everyone I met on my tour was extremely friendly and very helpful. I mean exceedingly so. In Yellowknife 3 teenage girls at the hotel said good morning to me from 25’ away. I thanked them, and then followed up with the fact this would never happen in NY. We spoke for a bit, and they told me I should move to Yellowknife right away to be with nicer people. Very nice young ladies. I don’t know what is in Egg McMuffins in Yellowknife, but it was pretty good.
The Thelon –
Mapquest says 4 days from NY to Yellowknife. We’ve got forest fires, rockslides and bison to deal with, so I allow 5.5 days. Got there in 4. Bison everywhere, but no accidents.
Frost heaves – Ok, I am used to frost heaves that are apparently in the playskool category. I surely thought the van would s snap in half. Waiting to crash to the bottom of one I actually had picked my feet up off the floor. Serious stuff, seriously.
Wherever I was in North Dakota I slept in a small town under a water tower. Customs the next morning had a rather perplexed agent asking where I was going to be for 6 weeks. Told her I had a canoe trip and after that I didn’t know. Explained I had read multiple times camping spots are everywhere in northern Canada and to just go. This is true, and since I was boondocking no plan needed. She quizzed me several different ways and asked some key questions that were repeated to me every time I crossed back and forth between Alaska. Things like, “so what did you do for a living” seemed very important. Onward.
6 weeks and 13,500 miles in a Chrysler Pacifica. Damp socks for mildew detail. I placed 5 milk crates in the back, loaded gear in them and around them, and put a 6 x 4 sheet plywood sheet over the crates. Perfect sleeping quarters.
Left Rochester, drove to Yellowknife. Did the Thelon. Pretty incredible, and all that I had hoped. Driving home took a right and followed the Alaskan Hwy to Tok (Toke) then headed to Anchorage. So much of this journey was driving through the exact same geography I have in NY, and I wanted to get to mountains. In fact, it looks exactly like driving through Michigan’s UP. I drove 400 km’s across scrub brush and burned areas, but I was quickly ahead of schedule to get to Alaska. Again, allowing for unforeseen circumstances, I had allowed 5 days to get to Anchorage but made it in three. Found a campground and had 3 days till Chick arrived. Nice enough town. Very nice people. This city has the longest dang traffic lights in the universe, but nobody complains. No horns, no screams, nothing. I was there for one day and my blood pressure was dropping.
My grandfather drove the Alaskan HWY in the 50’s and I always intended to do the same. WOW. Seen plenty of mountains but the north bound was fantastic. So much, I changed my route to drive it again on the return. I told Chick she HAD to see this, so we are planning a driving vacation for next year.
Turns out Alaska can turn the fishing season on and off at will. I was going to fish for silver (coho’s in the Great Lakes), but they closed the season the day before I was to go.
We drove down to Seward for three days to do the fiords tour, and then to the Kenai River.
I LOVED driving at the Seward Hwy. Stunning scenery, a nice smooth road and a pretty nice groove at 70. I actually drove it repeatedly while in Anchorage, wishing I had my toy car.
What’s with the number of Mustangs in Anchorage?
A Dose of Reality –
Not a lot of homeless in Anchorage that I saw, but that’s the Iceberg principle. Again, they were all very nice. While driving to get morning coffee I saw a person lying on the sidewalk at about 6 am, and it’s getting cold up there now. I ordered McDonalds coffee, 2 Egg McMuffin meals and 2 breakfast burrito’s for him. I drove back and went up the guy. My car idling close by and he never flinched. I walked up and addressed him loudly. He stirred, and I explained what I was doing. He thanked me (very polite!) and passed back out on the ground. There but for…….
Went to Fairbanks for three days. Enjoyed the Chena Hot Springs. I found the hottest spot in that pool, and I am talking insurance claims by snowflakes. Overall, I enjoyed the springs very much. I wish they would scoop out some sitting spots on the rocks, but thats just me b*tching.
The “you’ve got to be kidding me” part. I rented this van in winter because the cost nearly doubled by spring. $3800 bucks and unlimited mileage. Told them I was going to Alaska and to make sure I had a spare. And then I didn’t double check. Had a blow out right on Denali Hwy, all alone with very sparse traffic. inReach does monitor texts so as I let Chick know what occurred they let me know there was a tow company, and they had a number for it. This place was closed, but Chick found a number, called it, 6 hours later a flatbed showed up at mile marker 71. Drive me back to Cantwell where a great guy stayed up late to help me out. He patched me up and I left his shop at 10:10 pm. Tow bill - $1,400.
Driving through Denali I was surprised by the number of travel trailers in the backcountry, and I pointed this out to my wrecker driver Brian. They are everywhere. Brian explained these were not hikers/campers, but moose and bear hunters. He said you can go hiking there right now – not illegal – but with thousands of hunters stirring up moose and bear activity with 240 gr bullets try very hard to find something else to do.
Also drove the Cassiar and the Icefields HWY’s. I have read that this is one of the most beautiful areas in the world and I have to say I agree. These were even more stunning than the first one. Amazing, and neither image’s online nor my pic’s do it justice. I actually stopped taking pic’s for this reason. Can’t explain how stunning this place is.
Regarding the Cassiar – way too much trash on the road. Didn’t see it anywhere else. Assuming it is tourists but either way, come on people. The most beautiful area in the world and you throw trash out the window? Other parkways were very clean.
The “This guy isn’t from here” moment. Coming around a corner on the Cassiar I had 2 dogs, one deceased in the road and the other sporting a severed leash and was rather wildly running around the dead dog barking furiously. I stopped and walked back to the dogs. The barking dog was not letting me get any closer. Then a jeep pulled up and the first thing the driver asked me was if I had hit that dog with my car. I said no, and he told me to get back in my car right now. I must have hesitated because he told me a bear could still be very close by. It looked like the guts were scooped right out of the dog. He said there was nothing that I, or he and I could do. It just happens up there, but he also said everybody knows who owns which dogs so the owners would be notified. Ruined my day till about noon. Icefields Parkway made me forget.
I have a beef with the Canadian municipalities and their use of black/orange barrels and markers in construction zones. White/orange show up much better. And please increase the size of your residential street signs.
I love how the local radio stations are posted on a sign outside of town in Canada. This was key since I couldn’t even get a sat radio station. I drove in silence for days. Annoying at first, it turns out being alone with your thoughts and nothing else for an extended period of time actually has some very unforeseen benefits.
Currency –
I am close enough to Canada that the POP’s calculate the exchange, and you can pay with American money. Not way north. It was a par situation, so I used VISA so as to take advantage of the exchange. I had planned on living out of my cooler as I travelled. Worked well until I got further north. Then there were no longer ice machines so once my ice was gone, I couldn’t resupply. I asked the shop owner about this, and he stated no ice company would make a huge delivery loop. Used to be they would drop by once in a while but no more.
Don’t get me started on those gas stations in the north. If you can find it.
I have heard there are states where yellow lines are just suggestions for passing/not passing. Unsure about AK but a whole bunch of people pass whenever they feel like it.
All of this got put together as a result of those pesky test results I got a while back. It was time for my next test, but I arranged with the Dr. to put it off until I got back – didn’t want to be haunted while out there. I go in for the next test this week, and even if the numbers come out on the wrong side, I will be forever grateful I was able to take this trip.
On my return I drove across the Canadian plains to Michigan’s UP, a little town called Republic, to stop by my mother’s grave for the first time since the funeral. I actually laid down next to her grave and told her all about the trip. (wasn’t worried about partially laying on the next grave since it was my grandparents). Told her many other things as well. Laughed, cried and hugged her tombstone. Many, many things happened on this trip, most of which had nothing to do with canoeing. Compartmentalization, catharsis, rationalization, realization of things big and small, the impact continues to unfold. I will be eternally grateful the sat radio I ordered was not activated. I get that some of this occurs on our solo trips, but this was different because it was 785 km drive with no sweepers to break your train of thought. Day after day. Wouldn’t trade this for the world, just wish I’d done it years ago.
The Thelon –
Mapquest says 4 days from NY to Yellowknife. We’ve got forest fires, rockslides and bison to deal with, so I allow 5.5 days. Got there in 4. Bison everywhere, but no accidents.
Frost heaves – Ok, I am used to frost heaves that are apparently in the playskool category. I surely thought the van would s snap in half. Waiting to crash to the bottom of one I actually had picked my feet up off the floor. Serious stuff, seriously.
Wherever I was in North Dakota I slept in a small town under a water tower. Customs the next morning had a rather perplexed agent asking where I was going to be for 6 weeks. Told her I had a canoe trip and after that I didn’t know. Explained I had read multiple times camping spots are everywhere in northern Canada and to just go. This is true, and since I was boondocking no plan needed. She quizzed me several different ways and asked some key questions that were repeated to me every time I crossed back and forth between Alaska. Things like, “so what did you do for a living” seemed very important. Onward.
6 weeks and 13,500 miles in a Chrysler Pacifica. Damp socks for mildew detail. I placed 5 milk crates in the back, loaded gear in them and around them, and put a 6 x 4 sheet plywood sheet over the crates. Perfect sleeping quarters.
Left Rochester, drove to Yellowknife. Did the Thelon. Pretty incredible, and all that I had hoped. Driving home took a right and followed the Alaskan Hwy to Tok (Toke) then headed to Anchorage. So much of this journey was driving through the exact same geography I have in NY, and I wanted to get to mountains. In fact, it looks exactly like driving through Michigan’s UP. I drove 400 km’s across scrub brush and burned areas, but I was quickly ahead of schedule to get to Alaska. Again, allowing for unforeseen circumstances, I had allowed 5 days to get to Anchorage but made it in three. Found a campground and had 3 days till Chick arrived. Nice enough town. Very nice people. This city has the longest dang traffic lights in the universe, but nobody complains. No horns, no screams, nothing. I was there for one day and my blood pressure was dropping.
My grandfather drove the Alaskan HWY in the 50’s and I always intended to do the same. WOW. Seen plenty of mountains but the north bound was fantastic. So much, I changed my route to drive it again on the return. I told Chick she HAD to see this, so we are planning a driving vacation for next year.
Turns out Alaska can turn the fishing season on and off at will. I was going to fish for silver (coho’s in the Great Lakes), but they closed the season the day before I was to go.
We drove down to Seward for three days to do the fiords tour, and then to the Kenai River.
I LOVED driving at the Seward Hwy. Stunning scenery, a nice smooth road and a pretty nice groove at 70. I actually drove it repeatedly while in Anchorage, wishing I had my toy car.
What’s with the number of Mustangs in Anchorage?
A Dose of Reality –
Not a lot of homeless in Anchorage that I saw, but that’s the Iceberg principle. Again, they were all very nice. While driving to get morning coffee I saw a person lying on the sidewalk at about 6 am, and it’s getting cold up there now. I ordered McDonalds coffee, 2 Egg McMuffin meals and 2 breakfast burrito’s for him. I drove back and went up the guy. My car idling close by and he never flinched. I walked up and addressed him loudly. He stirred, and I explained what I was doing. He thanked me (very polite!) and passed back out on the ground. There but for…….
Went to Fairbanks for three days. Enjoyed the Chena Hot Springs. I found the hottest spot in that pool, and I am talking insurance claims by snowflakes. Overall, I enjoyed the springs very much. I wish they would scoop out some sitting spots on the rocks, but thats just me b*tching.
The “you’ve got to be kidding me” part. I rented this van in winter because the cost nearly doubled by spring. $3800 bucks and unlimited mileage. Told them I was going to Alaska and to make sure I had a spare. And then I didn’t double check. Had a blow out right on Denali Hwy, all alone with very sparse traffic. inReach does monitor texts so as I let Chick know what occurred they let me know there was a tow company, and they had a number for it. This place was closed, but Chick found a number, called it, 6 hours later a flatbed showed up at mile marker 71. Drive me back to Cantwell where a great guy stayed up late to help me out. He patched me up and I left his shop at 10:10 pm. Tow bill - $1,400.
Driving through Denali I was surprised by the number of travel trailers in the backcountry, and I pointed this out to my wrecker driver Brian. They are everywhere. Brian explained these were not hikers/campers, but moose and bear hunters. He said you can go hiking there right now – not illegal – but with thousands of hunters stirring up moose and bear activity with 240 gr bullets try very hard to find something else to do.
Also drove the Cassiar and the Icefields HWY’s. I have read that this is one of the most beautiful areas in the world and I have to say I agree. These were even more stunning than the first one. Amazing, and neither image’s online nor my pic’s do it justice. I actually stopped taking pic’s for this reason. Can’t explain how stunning this place is.
Regarding the Cassiar – way too much trash on the road. Didn’t see it anywhere else. Assuming it is tourists but either way, come on people. The most beautiful area in the world and you throw trash out the window? Other parkways were very clean.
The “This guy isn’t from here” moment. Coming around a corner on the Cassiar I had 2 dogs, one deceased in the road and the other sporting a severed leash and was rather wildly running around the dead dog barking furiously. I stopped and walked back to the dogs. The barking dog was not letting me get any closer. Then a jeep pulled up and the first thing the driver asked me was if I had hit that dog with my car. I said no, and he told me to get back in my car right now. I must have hesitated because he told me a bear could still be very close by. It looked like the guts were scooped right out of the dog. He said there was nothing that I, or he and I could do. It just happens up there, but he also said everybody knows who owns which dogs so the owners would be notified. Ruined my day till about noon. Icefields Parkway made me forget.
I have a beef with the Canadian municipalities and their use of black/orange barrels and markers in construction zones. White/orange show up much better. And please increase the size of your residential street signs.
I love how the local radio stations are posted on a sign outside of town in Canada. This was key since I couldn’t even get a sat radio station. I drove in silence for days. Annoying at first, it turns out being alone with your thoughts and nothing else for an extended period of time actually has some very unforeseen benefits.
Currency –
I am close enough to Canada that the POP’s calculate the exchange, and you can pay with American money. Not way north. It was a par situation, so I used VISA so as to take advantage of the exchange. I had planned on living out of my cooler as I travelled. Worked well until I got further north. Then there were no longer ice machines so once my ice was gone, I couldn’t resupply. I asked the shop owner about this, and he stated no ice company would make a huge delivery loop. Used to be they would drop by once in a while but no more.
Don’t get me started on those gas stations in the north. If you can find it.
I have heard there are states where yellow lines are just suggestions for passing/not passing. Unsure about AK but a whole bunch of people pass whenever they feel like it.
All of this got put together as a result of those pesky test results I got a while back. It was time for my next test, but I arranged with the Dr. to put it off until I got back – didn’t want to be haunted while out there. I go in for the next test this week, and even if the numbers come out on the wrong side, I will be forever grateful I was able to take this trip.
On my return I drove across the Canadian plains to Michigan’s UP, a little town called Republic, to stop by my mother’s grave for the first time since the funeral. I actually laid down next to her grave and told her all about the trip. (wasn’t worried about partially laying on the next grave since it was my grandparents). Told her many other things as well. Laughed, cried and hugged her tombstone. Many, many things happened on this trip, most of which had nothing to do with canoeing. Compartmentalization, catharsis, rationalization, realization of things big and small, the impact continues to unfold. I will be eternally grateful the sat radio I ordered was not activated. I get that some of this occurs on our solo trips, but this was different because it was 785 km drive with no sweepers to break your train of thought. Day after day. Wouldn’t trade this for the world, just wish I’d done it years ago.
