Friday, September 26, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008: Whidbey Island, Washington
We've made it back to the lower 48...and now truly understand why Alaskans and north Canadians call it the "Outside". It's so very different and no where near as peaceful. In the North, yes, there were roads but on almost any road, to the left or the right, one could go for hundreds of miles and only be in more wilderness. It's a very special place that we'll never forget.
Since Prince George, B.C., our last blog, we've had many campsites. On the 21st we were at the municipal campground at a little town called 100 Mile House (yes, and there are towns called 70 Mile, 50 mile, etc...all stops along the gold rush trail). The site itself was pretty normal but a short trail led directly from it to a gorgeous waterfall.
From there we took BC 99 south toward Vancouver. At the very beginning, Harley got caught in a RCMP road block and caught for not wearing his seat belt...to the tune of $165. Needless to say he wasn't in a very good mood after that but the scenery was absolutely spectacular...wonderful mountains, the deep Fraser River Canyon, the tumbling Coyoos Creek and even some snow (a bit scary given the weight of YOW). We stayed in two Provincial Parks, Nairn Falls and Alice Lake. At Nairn our site overlooked the rushing Green River and we hiked to Nairn Falls, an important spiritual site of the Lil'wat Nation. The trail would through a mixed forest of huge Western Red Cedar, Western Hemlock and Coastal Douglas Fir. At Alice Lake we'd come closer to the coast and the forest was wonderfully dark, green and dripping...a real rain forest. We took about a 4-mile hike called the Four Lakes...really special. Fortunately our campsite had power so when we got back from the hike we were welcomed by bright lights and electric heat resulting in dry clothes.
Alice Lake is only about 30 miles from Whistler and the drive from there to Vancouver was amazing...the Winter Olympics will be there in 2010 and the Canadians are building an incredible four lane highway through about 40 miles of solid rock, along the steep coast of Horseshoe Bay and all built by Peter Kiewit & Sons (a U.S. company)...hard to believe but we never had to stop during all that construction although the travel was a bit slow, 30-40 mph.
Yesterday we crossed over the border into Washington...the customs officer was amazed by my thick passport and asked what I did, especially since Harley's is so thin! We got on I-5, took it to exit 320 and then followed Washington 20 across Deception Pass and on to beautiful Whitbey Island. We'd searched out possible campgrounds and settled on Fort Casey State Park which is located on the grounds of one of the former naval batteries set up to protect Puget Sound. We're right on the water with great views, including snow covered Mt. Rainier. Not only that but we're walking distance to the Washington State Ferry and plan to walk on for a trip to Port Townsend sometime in the next three days as we plan to stay right where we are...it's such a perfect location!
Since Prince George, B.C., our last blog, we've had many campsites. On the 21st we were at the municipal campground at a little town called 100 Mile House (yes, and there are towns called 70 Mile, 50 mile, etc...all stops along the gold rush trail). The site itself was pretty normal but a short trail led directly from it to a gorgeous waterfall.
From there we took BC 99 south toward Vancouver. At the very beginning, Harley got caught in a RCMP road block and caught for not wearing his seat belt...to the tune of $165. Needless to say he wasn't in a very good mood after that but the scenery was absolutely spectacular...wonderful mountains, the deep Fraser River Canyon, the tumbling Coyoos Creek and even some snow (a bit scary given the weight of YOW). We stayed in two Provincial Parks, Nairn Falls and Alice Lake. At Nairn our site overlooked the rushing Green River and we hiked to Nairn Falls, an important spiritual site of the Lil'wat Nation. The trail would through a mixed forest of huge Western Red Cedar, Western Hemlock and Coastal Douglas Fir. At Alice Lake we'd come closer to the coast and the forest was wonderfully dark, green and dripping...a real rain forest. We took about a 4-mile hike called the Four Lakes...really special. Fortunately our campsite had power so when we got back from the hike we were welcomed by bright lights and electric heat resulting in dry clothes.
Alice Lake is only about 30 miles from Whistler and the drive from there to Vancouver was amazing...the Winter Olympics will be there in 2010 and the Canadians are building an incredible four lane highway through about 40 miles of solid rock, along the steep coast of Horseshoe Bay and all built by Peter Kiewit & Sons (a U.S. company)...hard to believe but we never had to stop during all that construction although the travel was a bit slow, 30-40 mph.
Yesterday we crossed over the border into Washington...the customs officer was amazed by my thick passport and asked what I did, especially since Harley's is so thin! We got on I-5, took it to exit 320 and then followed Washington 20 across Deception Pass and on to beautiful Whitbey Island. We'd searched out possible campgrounds and settled on Fort Casey State Park which is located on the grounds of one of the former naval batteries set up to protect Puget Sound. We're right on the water with great views, including snow covered Mt. Rainier. Not only that but we're walking distance to the Washington State Ferry and plan to walk on for a trip to Port Townsend sometime in the next three days as we plan to stay right where we are...it's such a perfect location!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008 Prince George, British Columbia
Some of you may have thought we'd disappeared from the face of the north...not so, we just were totally out of cell range and therefore air card range for almost ten days!
Since Valdez, we've been so many places and driven so many miles...about 2,000. It's so difficult to even begin to describe all that we've seen and done since then excapt that it everything was awesome.
After Valdez, we spent two nights in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park...you may remember the Wrangell Mountains from one of John Denver's songs. Like Denali, it only has one road in, the McCarthy Road, that runs 90+ miles from the main highway. The road itself was about 2/3 horrible but the views great. and the little town of McCarthy at the end we had to reach by foot bridge over a torrent. Harley's decided that for his 75th birthday he wants Wrangell Air to take him from McCarthy somewhere into the wilderness for a week or so of fishing, tenting (you're right, I won't be going on this trip!) and hiking. That's about 3 years off so hopefully one of you will go with him!!
After that we were back at the Tok River Campground and then Wolf Creek Campground outside of Whitehorse, Yukon...wonderful sites. Then down to the tiny town of Atlin, B.C. where we stayed in the "penthouse" at Norseman Adventures RV Park, an incredible location out on a spit of land totally surrounded by gorgeous 90-mile Atlin Lake. It was great fun watching Atlin Air take off and land on the water... looked as though he was coming straight into our living room/cocktail lounge.
After Atlin, we had our last night in the Yukon at Big Creek Campground and,yes, the Creek was large...we'd call it a river in the States. Then down BC 37 the Cassiar Highway with two beautiful lake side campsites. At the second, we unhitched Babe and drove the 40 miles to Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK...beautiful drive past glacier after glacier, many, many waterfalls, a roaring river that made its own steam, and finally to these two tiny towns that shared a location on the Portland Canal, a 90-mile fjord. At Hyder, we went out to Fish Creek in the Tongass National Forest but the salmon had stopped spawning so there weren't any bears to watch.
We now feel like we're headed home...nice campsites (two so far) but so much civilization. We're "decompressing" as our friend Phil Eherenman would say...what Harley calls being back to the Us and Rs (fences and rules)! Can't believe all the stoplights, shopping centers, fenced pastures with cows, etc., etc. But at least the roads are good so we can average 300+/- miles/day.
Except for my trip to Chicago October 2-3, teaching in Seattle on the 7th and heading home (1,400 miles) on the 8th, our calendar is indefinite. I'm sure we'll find some lovely places yet to see in British Columbia, will take a tour around the Olympic Peninsula and will do two days with the Meyers on the 4th and 5th but other than that, who knows. It'll be great fun whatever it is!
Since Valdez, we've been so many places and driven so many miles...about 2,000. It's so difficult to even begin to describe all that we've seen and done since then excapt that it everything was awesome.
After Valdez, we spent two nights in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park...you may remember the Wrangell Mountains from one of John Denver's songs. Like Denali, it only has one road in, the McCarthy Road, that runs 90+ miles from the main highway. The road itself was about 2/3 horrible but the views great. and the little town of McCarthy at the end we had to reach by foot bridge over a torrent. Harley's decided that for his 75th birthday he wants Wrangell Air to take him from McCarthy somewhere into the wilderness for a week or so of fishing, tenting (you're right, I won't be going on this trip!) and hiking. That's about 3 years off so hopefully one of you will go with him!!
After that we were back at the Tok River Campground and then Wolf Creek Campground outside of Whitehorse, Yukon...wonderful sites. Then down to the tiny town of Atlin, B.C. where we stayed in the "penthouse" at Norseman Adventures RV Park, an incredible location out on a spit of land totally surrounded by gorgeous 90-mile Atlin Lake. It was great fun watching Atlin Air take off and land on the water... looked as though he was coming straight into our living room/cocktail lounge.
After Atlin, we had our last night in the Yukon at Big Creek Campground and,yes, the Creek was large...we'd call it a river in the States. Then down BC 37 the Cassiar Highway with two beautiful lake side campsites. At the second, we unhitched Babe and drove the 40 miles to Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK...beautiful drive past glacier after glacier, many, many waterfalls, a roaring river that made its own steam, and finally to these two tiny towns that shared a location on the Portland Canal, a 90-mile fjord. At Hyder, we went out to Fish Creek in the Tongass National Forest but the salmon had stopped spawning so there weren't any bears to watch.
We now feel like we're headed home...nice campsites (two so far) but so much civilization. We're "decompressing" as our friend Phil Eherenman would say...what Harley calls being back to the Us and Rs (fences and rules)! Can't believe all the stoplights, shopping centers, fenced pastures with cows, etc., etc. But at least the roads are good so we can average 300+/- miles/day.
Except for my trip to Chicago October 2-3, teaching in Seattle on the 7th and heading home (1,400 miles) on the 8th, our calendar is indefinite. I'm sure we'll find some lovely places yet to see in British Columbia, will take a tour around the Olympic Peninsula and will do two days with the Meyers on the 4th and 5th but other than that, who knows. It'll be great fun whatever it is!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008 Valdez, Alaska continued
Most of you reading this know that I don't give up easily but, as you can see from the attempts that follow, I just can't get photos uploaded from Picasa2 to the blog so I'm going to stop trying. So, from now on the blogs will just be the written word and hopefully I can describe things well enough that you can imagine what we're actually seeing.
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