It has been several days since I have been able to update the blog. We have been making progress toward Colorado and home.
13 Aug. 2010
We made it to Spokane, WA to the WalMart for the evening. Naturally it was rush hour on a Friday afternoon. We only made one wrong turn to reach WalMart. After finding a place to turn around was not all that hard to find. We had a great space along the grass.
14 Aug. 2010
Today we ended up at Garrison, MT at a small RV park, Riverfront RV Park. It was a small park with large sites and open spaces. $26 for a 5oAmp full hookup. Very nice small park.
15 Aug. 2010
Sunday morning was onto Billings, MT. Billings sits in a nice setting and appears to be very busy.
16 Aug. 2010
Along the way today we stopped for about 3 hours at the Little Bighorn Battle Field, NP. We took the bus tour for $5 to the battle field with a young Crow Indian. The tour was very informative. Several of Custer's uniforms were on display. I was very surprised how small a man he was. I have always wanted to stop at the battlefield and today was the day.
More Photos will follow.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
8-12-2010
8-11-2010
We pulled out of Hyder at about 10:45. A much later start than expected. We had to go and use the city public dump in Stewart since the campground did not have a dump. Most of the campgrounds we run across did not have sewer at the site and we had to use the dump. Some parks don't even have dumps. Going to Alaska is an experience you will never forget. That is really true.
Last evening Bob & Dona stopped by to say since they spotted our rig. They are a couple from AZ we ran into in Soldotna and have been playing tag with them along the way since them.
The day was one of those really long days. We made it all the way to Prince George, Canada. For what ever reason we just didn't seem to find a place we wanted to stay at for the night. So we ended up at the Wal Mart parking log with about 25 other rigs.
8-12-2010
We were up early this morning and got out by about 8:00. There was road construction off and on all day. Not all that bad though. The drive took us to Merritt Canada this evening. The Claybanks RV Park is a very nice park with full hookups and WiFi. One can't ask for any better. The price is better than what we have been used to also.
Along the way most of the day we saw man sawmills and log home manufacturers. Wood products are a very big thing in this part of Canada.
Tomorrow we cross the border back into Washington.
My auto satellite dish actually locked onto the satellites tonight. But I have to call DTV tomorrow and get them to authorize my receiver again. Receivers go blank if they are left unplugged and not connected to the dish for several weeks.
We pulled out of Hyder at about 10:45. A much later start than expected. We had to go and use the city public dump in Stewart since the campground did not have a dump. Most of the campgrounds we run across did not have sewer at the site and we had to use the dump. Some parks don't even have dumps. Going to Alaska is an experience you will never forget. That is really true.
Last evening Bob & Dona stopped by to say since they spotted our rig. They are a couple from AZ we ran into in Soldotna and have been playing tag with them along the way since them.
The day was one of those really long days. We made it all the way to Prince George, Canada. For what ever reason we just didn't seem to find a place we wanted to stay at for the night. So we ended up at the Wal Mart parking log with about 25 other rigs.
8-12-2010
We were up early this morning and got out by about 8:00. There was road construction off and on all day. Not all that bad though. The drive took us to Merritt Canada this evening. The Claybanks RV Park is a very nice park with full hookups and WiFi. One can't ask for any better. The price is better than what we have been used to also.
Along the way most of the day we saw man sawmills and log home manufacturers. Wood products are a very big thing in this part of Canada.
Tomorrow we cross the border back into Washington.
My auto satellite dish actually locked onto the satellites tonight. But I have to call DTV tomorrow and get them to authorize my receiver again. Receivers go blank if they are left unplugged and not connected to the dish for several weeks.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
8-10-2010
8-7-2010
Another cruise ship pulled into port overnight. For the past couple of days only one ship has been in port each day. The town of Skagway was busy but not like when there were three cruise ships in port the day we arrived.
We left Skagway at about 9:30 in the morning and made it to the Swift River pullout. This is the same pullout we stayed at on the way up to AK and washed our rigs using the river water. Six other rigs also spent the night at the pullout. Three rigs were from Europe.
We asked about the Cassiar Hwy 37 road closure due to fires. One of the campers had come through the area and said escort cars were used to guide traffic through and the time was 11:00AM for south bound traffic from the Hwy 37 Jct.
8-8-2010
We got up by 7:00AM and were on the road not long after 8:00AM. It was a good thing we were out early. When we got to the Hwy 37 Jct. heading down the Cassiar there was a line of about 75 vehicles mostly RVs. We able to fuel up at the station on the corner and get back down the road to the end of the line. The road block was lifted at about 9:45, about 30 minutes after we arrived. The pilot car guided us for about 12 miles through the smoke and then we were on our own.
The Cassiar was in pretty good shape. We may have been on only about 10 miles of gravel off and on. It has been a far sight better than what we expected and the other roads we were on in Canada and AK. The Alaska Hwy through Canada and Alaska was much worse.
Tonight we are at a large gravel pullout at mile marker 330 K/M, 244 miles from south of the Alaska Hwy on the Cassiar Hwy. The pullout is on the west side of the hwy next to a creek just north of a brake check pullout. From this point south there were several good gravel pullouts to spend the night.
8-9-2010
We arrived at Camp Run-A-Much in Hyder, AK at lunch time. Hyder is an interesting place to visit. Not much here. Fuel and groceries are to be had in the neighboring Canadian town of Stewart. The trip here is worth it. There are several glaciers and scenic mountains along the road leading here.
In the afternoon we took a trip three miles up the road to view the bear viewing area to watch them catch salmon. We saw only one bear and he was not all that active. We were told they were very busy catching fish in the morning.
Another cruise ship pulled into port overnight. For the past couple of days only one ship has been in port each day. The town of Skagway was busy but not like when there were three cruise ships in port the day we arrived.
We left Skagway at about 9:30 in the morning and made it to the Swift River pullout. This is the same pullout we stayed at on the way up to AK and washed our rigs using the river water. Six other rigs also spent the night at the pullout. Three rigs were from Europe.
We asked about the Cassiar Hwy 37 road closure due to fires. One of the campers had come through the area and said escort cars were used to guide traffic through and the time was 11:00AM for south bound traffic from the Hwy 37 Jct.
8-8-2010
We got up by 7:00AM and were on the road not long after 8:00AM. It was a good thing we were out early. When we got to the Hwy 37 Jct. heading down the Cassiar there was a line of about 75 vehicles mostly RVs. We able to fuel up at the station on the corner and get back down the road to the end of the line. The road block was lifted at about 9:45, about 30 minutes after we arrived. The pilot car guided us for about 12 miles through the smoke and then we were on our own.
The Cassiar was in pretty good shape. We may have been on only about 10 miles of gravel off and on. It has been a far sight better than what we expected and the other roads we were on in Canada and AK. The Alaska Hwy through Canada and Alaska was much worse.
Tonight we are at a large gravel pullout at mile marker 330 K/M, 244 miles from south of the Alaska Hwy on the Cassiar Hwy. The pullout is on the west side of the hwy next to a creek just north of a brake check pullout. From this point south there were several good gravel pullouts to spend the night.
8-9-2010
We arrived at Camp Run-A-Much in Hyder, AK at lunch time. Hyder is an interesting place to visit. Not much here. Fuel and groceries are to be had in the neighboring Canadian town of Stewart. The trip here is worth it. There are several glaciers and scenic mountains along the road leading here.
In the afternoon we took a trip three miles up the road to view the bear viewing area to watch them catch salmon. We saw only one bear and he was not all that active. We were told they were very busy catching fish in the morning.
Friday, August 6, 2010
6 August 2010
8-1-2010
We arrived in Valdez at the Eagles Rest RV Park in the afternoon. It was a very crowded place but one of the few places in town to stay. The WiFi was very sketchy and very hard to get signed onto. The park people say there are to many users. I can certainly agree with that. We were not able to sign on but maybe only a couple of times to get our email and could not update the blog.
After we had our supper we went to Allison Point to check out fishing for pinks. There were thousands of pinks all over the place and several were catching them on the first cast out. Not many were worth keeping. The run is getting pretty much to the end.
Eagles Rest RV Park Site
Spawning Pink Salmon Near Allison Point
Horse Tail Falls
Worthington Glacier
8-2-2010The first thing on the agenda for the morning was to wash the rig and the truck at the site. Eagles Rest RV Park allows washing at the site. After lunch we headed to Allison Point to try and get some keepers. We caught about 50 fish and lost a few also. Most were not keepers. All the males already had large humps on their backs and their color was very pale.
We kept 3 fish we thought were still good and had one for supper. It wasn't bad eating.
8-3-2010
We woke up to sunny skies and almost clear skies this morning and were able to see the mountains surrounding Valdez and the inlet. Valdez is in a beautiful setting and this is the first time we were able to see the mountains around the town in the two different visits we have been here. Once in 1997 and this trip in 2010.
We headed out in the morning heading toward Tok from Valdez. We took the Tok cutoff to reach Tok. The road is a 35mph road with a lot of gravel spots bumps and frost heaves. Probably about 60 miles worth on and off. Some sections were very smooth and nice especially leading into Tok.
We filled up at the Tesoro station again. We filled up here on the way to AK and the people are very friendly and helpful. And there free rig washing if you want to.
We then headed on out on Alaska Hwy 1to find a camp spot for the evening. We ended up at a paved pull out 22 miles East of Tok at mile marker 1292.4 from Dawson Creek on the south side of the hwy. No one there but us for the entire night. Not a bad spot to stop. Very large and easy in and out.
Rig At Horse Tail Falls Pullout
8-4-2010
It was a long drive from 22 miles east of Tok at the pullout to another pull out at mile marker 936.8 from Dawson Creek. The Mendenhall Culvert was a large gravel pull out along the Alaska Hwy with a deserted building. There were several young people from Homer AK spending the night in the woods in tents. They were bicycling from Haines Jct to Skagway. We were able to fill their 2 5 gallon water containers from our fresh water tanks. The day was very warm and they had used up most of their drinking water cycling from Haines Jct to the pullout.
Earlier in the day we had encountered another group of riders cycling from Texas to Anchorage in support of the Lance Armstrong Cancer Foundation. They were happy to have only 8 days left to Anchorage.
Typical Canada Road Repair8-5-2010
The group of young people were out to wave us off this morning on our way from the Mendenhall Culvert pullout to Skagway. The day was a nice sunny day for travel until we hit the summit of White pass. The summit was very foggy and we could not see much at all. The downhill from White pass leading to the US Customs station from the summit was the first time I had to use 1st gear going downhill. It was very steep and long.
We stopped at Emerald Lake overlook and took some photos of the beautiful colors. There were probably about 12 tour buses their from Skagway and the cruise ships.
We arrived at the Pullen Creek Campground at about 1:30PM. Pullen Creek CG in located down near the boat harbor where the cruise ships come in. Our space is site 38 and backed up to about 25' from the sidewalk where the cruise ship passengers walk by heading to town to shop and look around. This is a great people watching site. People appear to be amazed to see and RV parked here from Colorado. Some stop and take pictures and most have to stop and discuss it. This park allows rig washing also. That was the first thing on the agenda after arriving. Naturally that drew a lot of attention from the passing cruise ship tourist. Our site 38 and several other sites will accommodate most rigs up to 38' with truck parking also. There is another paved RV area behind the park facing the harbor but the sites are close together. They also have water and electric. I think they put groups down there and maybe 40' motorhomes.
Entering US North Of Skagway
Pullen Creek Camp Site In Skagway
Skagway Small Boat Harbor
8-6-2010
It rained most of the night and this morning. We headed out to walk around town and see the shops and take in the free Gold Rush movie at the Visitors Center. Not as many people today since there is only one cruise ship in port today. Yesterday with three ships in the town was very busy. Skagway is a neat place to visit. I like it better than Haines on the other side of the bay. We stayed there in 1997.
Unique Building In Skagway
Skagway Shopping
SkagwaySaturday, July 31, 2010
31 July 2010
Yesterday we traveled from Seward to Palmer, AK. The park we stayed in was the Town and Country RV Park. It was priced right for up here in AK. It was $20 per night water/electric. Full hookups were $25. I liked it because there were no trees. Just wide open spaces, good for solar. But, it rained a lot also. They did have really good power.
Palmer/Wasilla has the largest WalMart I have ever been in. It does not look like any WalMart I have been in before either. So we left out contributions at WalMart and Fred Meyer stores as well as the Fred Meyer Gas Station.
Then on today to Glennallen, AK. The park Northern Lights has large sites and WiFi, but other things are marginal. The power is very low. We are here for the night and then onto Valdez. We have been thinking a lot about the desert southwest sunshine and not much rain.
Matanuska River
Matanuska GlacierThursday, July 29, 2010
29 July 2010
Yesterday we did not do much. Sort of caught up on some things. Our daughter Janet did call and say she received the Halibut we shipped home to her. That is good news. Janet be sure and let us know if it is good or should we throw it away.
Today we went to get a couple of things at Safeway. Prices here in Seward are high. So we will wait until we get to Palmer tomorrow night to stock up on other items. Propane was cheap at $3.25 per gallon on 3rd street at the Penzoil lube station.
This afternoon we took a walk down to the harbor district checking out boats and Fjord tours. One of the tours was a 9 hour tour. Must be a nice tour.
Seward Harbor District
We decided we didn't want to spend the money on this 9 hour tour. Besides someone might get sea sick. I think we will have tacos tonight, not fish.
Tomorrow we leave for Palmer.
Tomorrow we leave for Palmer.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
27 July 2010
We finally got some sun today off and on. I was able to get a full solar charge during the day. After 3 days of rain and clouds that is a change.
Sun TodayWe went to Exit Glacier after lunch today after we had picked up some propane for $3.25 per gallon. That is the cheapest we have found in Alaska.
Exit Glacier must have melted before we got there. Just kidding of coarse. We walked the trail and climbed the hills for 1.2 miles to reach the glacier to find they had it roped off about 100 yards back from it because they said it was to dangerous to get near it. The claim was you could walk up to it and touch it. Several folks were probably pretty disappointed about that.
Along the way we head talk of how alarming it was at the rate of glacier recession. This got me to thinking about the deserts in Arizona that I walk all the time and find sea shells. It took a heap of evaporating to dissipate hundreds of miles of water that once covered those areas. I find sea shells all the time out in the middle of the deserts in the Southwest. They were once covered with seas. They make current day glacier recession look like a speck in the scheme of things.
Along the way up to the glacier, recession year posts are there showing recession progress from back in the earlier 1900s. It is clear to me the current day recession may be faster than back in the early 1900s because the slope of the land is more steep today causing faster ice melt. It is like tilting my solar panels on the RV roof toward the sun instead of leaving them flat on the roof. They get more sun. In the first half of the 1900s the lay of the land was much flatter where the glacier was then. But, who am I? I don't have anything to sell to make money off of in the field of global warming.
The thought process goes on with me when I think about all the areas that were once covered with glaciers in Colorado and are now completely gone and those areas have cabins and lodges. I've decided one can go insane thinking about this stuff. So here is a picture of Exit Glacier.
Exit Glacier Near Seward
Exit Glacier must have melted before we got there. Just kidding of coarse. We walked the trail and climbed the hills for 1.2 miles to reach the glacier to find they had it roped off about 100 yards back from it because they said it was to dangerous to get near it. The claim was you could walk up to it and touch it. Several folks were probably pretty disappointed about that.
Along the way we head talk of how alarming it was at the rate of glacier recession. This got me to thinking about the deserts in Arizona that I walk all the time and find sea shells. It took a heap of evaporating to dissipate hundreds of miles of water that once covered those areas. I find sea shells all the time out in the middle of the deserts in the Southwest. They were once covered with seas. They make current day glacier recession look like a speck in the scheme of things.
Along the way up to the glacier, recession year posts are there showing recession progress from back in the earlier 1900s. It is clear to me the current day recession may be faster than back in the early 1900s because the slope of the land is more steep today causing faster ice melt. It is like tilting my solar panels on the RV roof toward the sun instead of leaving them flat on the roof. They get more sun. In the first half of the 1900s the lay of the land was much flatter where the glacier was then. But, who am I? I don't have anything to sell to make money off of in the field of global warming.
The thought process goes on with me when I think about all the areas that were once covered with glaciers in Colorado and are now completely gone and those areas have cabins and lodges. I've decided one can go insane thinking about this stuff. So here is a picture of Exit Glacier.
Exit Glacier Near Seward
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