5/31 - Stewart Cassiar Highway 37 - Still moving North

I can say that "officially" - we made it to Alaska on Memorial Day 5/30.  We stayed two nights in Hyder, Alaska - just across the border from Stewart.  Hyder is in that Southeast arm of Alaska and we're still over 1300 miles from Anchorage. There's no place to drive to from Hyder except back to Stewart and highway 37 in British Columbia.  There's a lot of Canada to drive through still, but this side trip was more than worth it!

Earlier in the day near Kitwanga, BC we joined the Stewart Cassiar Highway, route 37. This is a 450 mile road that is the most remote highway in British Columbia. Signs remind you to make sure you have gas to reach the next station and to make sure it has gas.  Technically, our range on a full tank is about 495 miles so no problem.  We've seen more black bear on this road, moose, more deer, and a beaver, but all too quick to run away as we drove past, so no pictures yet.



At junction of hwy 16 and Stewart Cassiar hwy 37

  Just a few miles North, we scooted over 2 miles to see the totem poles at the small indian village of Gitanyow, who supposedly has the largest number of authentic Totem Poles in BC which recount the Gitxsan history, we counted 16.

Our next destination was Stewart, BC and across the border, Hyder, Alaska; a 40 mile side trip off route 37 to the west. Stewart is on the border of Canada and Alaska's southern arm. The little town of Hyder, Alaska is just across the border from Stewart and that is where we stayed two nights at Camp Run-A-Muck.  The border crossing into Alaska at Stewart was unmanned and we just drove across - in fact, it looked like there was no provision for a checkpoint on traffic into Hyder.  I guess they figure you can't go any further anyhow, as Hyder is on a Pacific coast inlet with no roads to anywhere except back into Stewart, Canada. 

Our new friends Fred and Olivia were just minutes behind us, as they checked into the park about 30 minutes after our arrival at camp Run-A-muck.  After getting settled, Fred detached from his travel trailer and drove a couple miles up the road to a bear viewing platform that allows bear viewing safely while the bears forage along the river bank and catch salmon when they are running. We saw no bear as it's still a little early for the salmon runs, so we headed back to Hyder to the local bar to get Hyderized; a local custom for visitors who are brave enough to shell out $4.00 (U.S. or Canadian) and to follow the rules.  The barkeep explained the rules: One shot of an unknown brew - you're not allowed to sniff it or touch the shot glass until you're ready to take it up and put the entire contents down the gullet in one quick gulp - you must keep it down for two minutes - If you can't and don't, she showed the way to the toilets and pointed to the exit door; either one would be fine as long as it was one or the other.  When you have passed the test, she would tell you what you had chugged and give you a certificate of accomplishment.  I successfully passed the test and was told the brew was a 74 percent grain alchohol.  We had some fun and I have the certificate to prove it!

Hyderizing w/74 percent grain alchol 

Our second day we rode along with with Fred and Olivia to see waterfalls over in Stewart than back to Hyder and up the bumpy gravel road to get a better view of Salmon Glacier. 

Salmon Glacier - near Stewart, BC

Olivia falls

Salmon Glacier

Tomorrow we'll be back on Highway 37 and may not have internet access for a few days.  We plan to dawdle and smell the roses along the way (We havn't seen a wild rose except at the bar)   Can't say where we'll be the next few nights, but we do have a date in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory on June 8th where we'll be staying four nights to visit Whitehorse and the Kluane Mountain Bluegrass festival.  You can look at what that is here ----  www.yukonbluegrass.com/ybms/Bluegrass_Festival.html

Guy Bazin - A 70 Yr old on an interesting Journey

5/30 - This morning we had the pleasure of meeting a French Traveller/Explorer who has been travelling around the globe for the past 5 years in his custom built Motor Home.  Guy Bazin, a retired Information Technology Manager from Draguignan, France, has travelled in his RV in China, Nepal, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Korea, Australia, and a host of other countries.  He recently spent one year travelling Australia, and on May 2nd, having shipped the RV to Vancouver, Canada, is now touring Canada, then to Alaska.  Guy is 70 and travelling alone in this custom RV that caught our eye when he pulled into the RV park Sunday evening.  He gave me a tour of his rig and I sure am impressed - so much, we want to do the same .... not that we actually will, but it sure gets the juices flowing as both June and I love to travel this way for extensive periods of time.  We've done it before, we're doing it now, and maybe we'll get to do more.

Take a look at Guy's web site for some interesting history, pictures of the RV as it was being built, and to follow his adventure... it sure is something!  We'll get back to our blog, but I wanted to share this exciting story about Guy's around the world trip.....

Guy Bazin's web site ..... http://www.busaroundglobe.com/



Guy Bazin and his cutom RV - Diesel - 2000 mile range,
Military tires 14" x 20" - satellite communication - Ham radio,
much more - see his web site above.



5/27 Barkerville & Quesnel, British Columbia

We spent two nights in Quesnel (the 'S' is silent) ....  Day one we stayed downtown in the parking lot of the Save-a-Lot grocery store, strolled the city streets looking at their two dozen or so painted fire hydrants, then took in a 3D movie down the street - the New Pirates of the Carribean.  The second day we visited the Gold Rush era town of Barkerville, British Columbia and strolled the main street in drizzle and sleet in temperatures hovering around 35 degrees F - that's about 2 Degrees C (which is what they use here in Canada).  Temperature today reached 70 degrees F, a welcome change from yesterday.  Barkerville was a drive of about 55 miles from Quesnel, on a road that ends at the main street.  Jack of Clubs Lake a couple miles from town was still covered with thin ice and there was plenty of unmelted snow on the ground.    Lunch at a restaurant named "Wake up Jakes" then the drive back to Quesnel.  We saw black bear on the roadside but couldn't get the camera turned on before they scurried back into the woods.  Also saw some deer.

An observation - Driving in Canada (or at least British Columbia) can be more difficult than I've experienced in the states. Here's why I say that.  Highway signpost warnings.     Driving and concentrating on the list of stuff to watch out for while listenting to the Rays game on satellite radio can be a challenge.  While driving, these warning signs remind you to look out for the following (so far these are the one's we remember) 

• Deer
• Elk
• Moose
• Firetrucks
• Dump Trucks
• Logging Trucks
• Horses
• Donkeys
• Cattle
• Badgers
• School Buses
• Falling Rocks
• Avalanches
• Ice
• Frost
• Loose Gravel
• Road Breaks
• Construction
• Flaggers Ahead
• Pedestrians
• Off Road Vehicles
• Bicycles  

(A bit of Irony - we've seen a total of 4 black bear and 'no' signs,while we have yet to see a moose, badger, Elk, donkey, horse or cattle on the road)

Ice on Jack of Clubs Lake

Barkerville

Fire hydrant in Quesnel

5/23 - 25 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and North to Clinton

Our first night in Canada was just across the border at an RV park in Surrey. Next morning the plan was simple enough, drive through downtown Vancouver to Stanley Park, a really nice city park adjacent to downtown Vancouver. Monday, May 23 was a Candian Holiday, much like our Memorial day, so the park was crowded as people were off work. The day was nice and sunny and we enjoyed our stroll around the park, some 4 miles along the water and lunch of fish 'n chips on a concession patio.  After spending a few hours at the park, we headed north and stayed the night in an RV park at Squamish, British Columbia.



Stanley Park - Vancouver, BC



Squamish, B.C. RV Park

Leaving Squamish we drove to Nairn Falls Provincial Park at Pemberton, BC.  A very nice park with a trail to Nairn Falls which we walked after getting settled at our campsite.  The 2 mile round trip walk was beautiful. Through the woods with some steep inclines along a river of fast running water and rapids flowing over huge underwater rocks.   We made it to the falls, then rested for the return trip.  On the way back we heard what sounded like a powerful engine - looking down through the trees and the rapids, we spotted a boat churning upstream towards the falls. He obviously knew what he was doing (or not - depending on your view) dodging the rocks and running at full throttle.  We got a couple pics on their return trip downstream.  We could hear a woman screaming as the boat flew past us below.  We caught a glimpse of the wording on the side of the boat and saw that it was a tour boat - We don't know where it started the trip, but this part was pretty awsome.

Nairn Falls

Tour Boat

Tour Boat



June on the Nairn Falls Trail



At the Nairn Falls Campground, we met another couple driving to Alaska with their travel trailer - Fred & Olivia Harrington from Waxahachie, Texas.  We exchanged plans and ideas and enjoyed the company. 

P.S... We bought our first gas in Canada yesterday - about $5.42/gallon after the conversion to US Dollars.

Our drive from Nairn to our campsite tonight in Clinton was gorgeous.  On the way we stopped for a couple hours in the town of Lillooet where we had lunch and strolled downtown.  Our first bear sighting occured this morning.  A Black bear and her cub were on the roadside and scurried back into the woods as we drove past.  We also had to slow twice for deer on the road.  They moved off after I blew the horn.

We've been tripping now since April 3rd and it seems every day just gets better.  Follows are some of the days photos - enjoy.

 

Jade stone block mined locally - displayed in Lillooet

Glacier at Joffrey Lakes Provencial Park

Lillooet - Downtown

US

5/21 Canada Tomorrow

We spent the last two days visiting some long time friends Bob & Patricia who live in Oak Harbor, Washington located on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound North of Seattle, WA.  We took the Ferry from Port Townsend over to the Island, a 45 minute ride on the ferry, then to Bob & Patricia's place by 2:30 in the afternoon on Thursday.  That evening, Patricia treated us to a home cooked dinner of baby back ribs - Ummmmmmmm - - - On Friday, Patricia drove their car and we went over the Deception Pass bridge at the North end of Whidbey Island to Anacortes, WA; another neat port town where we visited some interesting shops and had lunch outside overlooking the marina. The weather was perfect!  After visiting in the afternoon we then had dinner at a great seafood place in Oak Harbor..... The best part of these two days - just being able to spend the time with friends we haven't seen in awhile.  "THANKS BOB & PATRICIA" You guys are great!

Tomorrow we'll cross the border into Canada and our first stop will be a visit to Vancouver .........



Bob & Patricia on their boat "Aftersail"



5/16 - 18 Port Townsend, Washington

Port Townsend is a beautiful little port town in Northern Washington and at the Eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  To the Northwest you can see Vancouver Island and Canada. To the Southeast, Mount Rainier, the highest point in Washington at 14,411 ft.  Tomorrow we'll take the ferry (see pic below) across to Whidbey Island.

Oregon Coast

We completed our trek across Northern California on Monday May 9th and stayed at our last California State Park near Trinidad, CA.... I've gotta say - The California State Parks, by comparison to everywhere else we've been, are a rip-off ...... The state parks have no hook-ups, no showers, and two we stayed in had no RV dump! Their fee was higher than most of the private parks we stayed in who all had full hook-ups including cable TV.... One could argue that the State Parks are more secluded and locations are premier, however - compared to Oregon and other states, they do not have any advantage there - so, bottom line - I would not recommend a plan that included RV'ers staying in California State Parks. Now, that's off my chest.

Oregon is a whole different story. Travelling the Oregon Coast on Highway 101 was gorgeous! We spent 6 days on that part of our trip and each day was as good or better than the next.  The Oregon State Park campgrounds we stayed in all had Electric and Water hook-ups, are in prime locations with beautiful surroundings, nice facilities - shower rooms, clean facilities, trimmed, manicured sites - etc.... What a great state to visit.

May 10 - Brookings, Oregon - A wonderful place on the beach - great view and amenities
May 11 - Cape Blanco State park and Lighthouse - Campground on a bluff overlooking the Pacific..
Lunch on the way in Port Orford, OR at the "Redfish" Seafood restaurant.
May 12 - Eel River Campground near Coos Bay, Oregon - This is a National Park at Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.  We hiked a couple of the largest Dunes, but didn't walk to the beach which was two miles across the dunes.  A beautiful view though. See the pics below.
May 13 - Beverly Beach State Park, Newport, Oregon - another great park. These Oregon beaches are awsome.  Found a great place in town on the beach for lunch - "Chowder Beach House" restaurant. Temperature today was 60 degrees but sunny.
May 14 - Fort Stevens State Park - Astoria, OR.  Another really neat place.  We toured the actual "Fort Stevens" which is on the Columbia River at the mouth of the Pacific.
May 15 - This morning we drove into Astoria where they have a boardwalk and vendors who set up their tents every Sunday. There was a light rain drizzle all night and this morning, but it drew quite a number of folks regardless. Astoria was once the largest town in Oregon.  There is still a lot of commerce as large ships stop here to deliver and pick up their cargo of various goods.  We had lunch on the boardwalk and counted six sea ships anchored on the river - probably waiting for their turn to load.

We hate to leave Oregon, but as I write this, we're staying in Hoquiam, Washington.  It's still raining and about 50 degrees outside. The forcast is for a couple more days of grey and drizzle, but we're high and dry and warm inside - I know you were concerned.

By the way - gas prices are hanging about $4.00/gallon - "Except" in California where we paid as much as $4.56 on the coast.  We're having a great trip but would have been better had we avoided California.

Here are some pics of the Oregon Coast - Enjoy!

5/8 Mothers Day Rodeo

Early in our trip June said she wanted to see a Rodeo when we got out West, so today being Mother's day, I surprised her and we went to a Rodeo in Cottonwood, California.  We were staying at a really nice RV park in Redding (Mountaingate RV Park) and I decided to buy their local newspaper where I saw an article about the Rodeo in Cottonwood, 18 miles South of the RV park.  June thought we were heading out to see some falls, but was delighted when she discovered I had pulled into the parking lot where the Rodeo grounds were located.  It was a big event and this was the second day of a two day competition.  I'm a little unshure why they call a couple events Bull "Riding" or Bronco "Riding" - most of my pictures were Bull and Bronco 'Falling Off"   -  Some did stay on though and we had a great time.  Stopped for Pizza on the way back to the RV park which we do most Sunday's anyway.  Tomorrow we'll continue West and should reach the California, Pacific coast somewhere around Eureka, California by the end of the day.

Los Molinos Junior Class Car Wash



Los Molinos Junior Class Carwash Experts (and their advisor)

June and I diverted from our planned visit to Lassen Volcanic National Park due to road closures in the Park. (The roads had not yet been opened from the winter snows)  Instead we chose route 99 then route 5 North to Redding, California where we are as I post this note. 

Driving on route 99 we passed through the town of Los Molinos and saw a group of young folks with signs advertising a car wash.  Knowing the RV was pretty dirty I turned around and pulled into the parking lot where the car washing was underway.  We discovered the 10 or so students were Juniors from the 2012 class at Los Molinos Hign School doing a fund raiser wash.  These were 10 out of the total class of about 50 Juniors helping their school - what a great bunch of Juniors!  We also met their advisor who is one of the 9 teachers at the school - Bill Stevens - History Class.  We got a great wash and a delightful experience - What a nice diversion!

THANKS MOLINOS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2012!

April 21 - May 3

We haven't had internet access for a few days, but we've covered some really fantastic places since our last post on April 21st.....

Here is where we've been:

April 21 - Valley of Fire State Park - Nevada for two nights - see pics below:

April 23 - 26 - Las Vegas:  Original plan was two days in Vegas, but we stayed four nights and it was great.  Sam's Town RV park was next door to Sams Town Casino which, in my opinion, was a better place to be than at one of the Vegas strip casino's.... We took a free shuttle down to the strip two days in a row and visited a number of casino's: Ceasars Palace, MGM Grand, Harrah's, Flamingo, Bellagio, Excalibur and a couple others I don't recall.  We took in a show at the Excalibur - a Midevil Dinner show that was really good and a lot of fun too.  Gambling (or losing) was done at Sam's town.

April 26 - Kyle Canyon State park - Just outside Vegas

April 28 - 29 - Death Valley.... What a neat place to visit..... We stayed two nights at Sea Level, and drove through several places in the park at 250 ft. or so below sea level.  This is a dry, hot, desolate place - the name suits it well.  The morning of our second day, we woke to very stong winds and sand blowing so hard most of the morning, you could not see the mountains surrounding us.  By noon it was pretty clear, but it stayed windy the rest of our time there.  One interesting tour was at the North end of the Park - Scotty's Castle.  A real interesting place as well as the story that goes with it... Check it out if you're inclined by searching on the internet.  http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/apr/stories/castle.html

April 30 - Red Rock Canyon State Park, California


May 1 - 2 - Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks;  We stayed at the same campground two nights. The roads in this park are the windiest, and most treacherous I've ever driven ...... I had a ball.  Just getting into the park was a great trip.  The South entrance was closed to vehicles over 22 ft.  We are 27 ft., so we took a route that brought us to the Northwest entrance. That road was no wider than 12 ft. in many places and that went on for miles. That detour was a 90 mile drive along the foothills at less than 1000 ft. above sea level, and then up into the Sierra Nevada Mountains at 7000 ft. that took us most of the day.... It was luck that we encountered only three or four other vehicles the entire route.  I have to wonder how others over 22 ft. got there.... 

Valley of Fire, NV



Red Rock Canyon, CA



Sequoia



Sequoia

Sequoia

Sequoia



Valley of Fire State park, Nevada

Death Valley

Death Valley

Sand Blowing - Death Valley

Kyle Canyon State park, Nevada