Online Photo Album

Online Photo Album

Day 17

Here it is our final day, day 17. We left Fort St. John early and decided to come home through Grand Cache. Lynn and Randy went the shorter way through Valley View. We said good-bye and carried on for home. Today gas is an issue as many stations along the way are out of fuel. Not a good feeling when you cant go far on a motorcycle without filling up. Randy found out just how far his bike can go as he had 12 km left of fuel by the time he found a station with gas. Mike decided to take another way home from Grand Cache and turned on highway 40 just west of Hinton. We drove on a lovely highway for about 50 kms which then abruptly turned to loose gravel. There standing on the edge of the gravel road looking at us was a mountain sheep. Oh!! someone was angry, all I could do was laugh as we turned around and rode back the 50kms and then headed on a real paved road home. No more events, got home about 9:15. 12 hours of riding in one day is almost too much. We are glad to be home, but absolutely loved the north country and have plans to go again one day...a BIG THANK YOU to Lynn and Randy for being our tour guides and showing us a spectacular holiday, you guys are the best!!!!

Day 16 - Fort St. John

We rode 8 1/2 hours today and made it back to Ft. St.John. Smoke filled the air around us and the temperature reached 30 degrees. A mountain sheep ran across the road in front of Lynn and Randy, without incident. Mike finally agrees that there is at least one bug in the north as a bumble bee landed in his coat and stung him 3 times on the back of the neck before he could stop and get it out. lol. Dont worry hes okay!! Randy also got stung today. We are staying at the Stonebridge Hotel tonight (same one we stayed in on the way up). We will be up early and should complete our wonderful trip tomorrow. This has been an unbelievable vacation.

Day 15

Well we are sad now, as it is Day 15 and we have to start our journey home. From our little camp site in Skagway, we went to Starbucks for coffee again and on to some serious shopping for souveniers. We mailed home a large box of souveniers when we were in Whitehorse so we could make room for more.lol We left Skagway around 10:00 and headed east and then south to Watson Lake. Along the way we noticed a large forest fire off in the distance and by the time we got to Watson Lake, we saw at least 7 large fires burning. They are in every direction and a local resident told us they all started last night when a thunderstorm went through the area. Smoke fills the air and has left a red glow of the sun. Ashes landing on us at our rest stops in Teslin. The temperature was 34 degrees today with wind. Tenting tonight is not an option so we are in a hotel. The weather since we left Anchorage has been absolutely gorgeous with blue skies and warm temperatures. We have had a perfect holiday so far......

Day 14

Day14- We woke up in our tent in Skagway and walked downtown for coffee at Starbucks. It was nice not to have to pack up camp before we could go! After coffee, we rode to Dyea to look at the old town site. We visited an old cemetary of the stampeders who were trying to get to the Chilkoot trail and died in an avalance on March 3,1898.Many unknown headstones stood out among the others. From here we went to the Chilkoot trailhead and met several people who were packed and going to hike the 20 miles of the trail to Bennett Lake. Wow! We hiked 100 yards up the trail and nearly died. Cant imagine doing the entire trail, let alone it being back in 1898 with 2000 lbs of gear.They say it is the worlds longest museum as there are artifacts of the gold rush along the way. They were tough people back then. Back to town of Skagway for a pizza lunch at a pub and then to a live show performance of the famous Soapy Smith and Frank Reid. After the show Lynn, Mike and Joanne took the White Pass train up the white pass for 21 miles. Unbelievable scenery along the way. Waterfalls, cliffs, bridges,and tunnels of the trail of '98. We went places on the train that are unimaginable unless experienced. The ride lasted 3 hours. We finished the night off with a wonder King Crab supper at the pier and watched seals in the harbour and salmon jumping in the nearby river.

Day 13 -- Ride to Skagway, Alaska

Today is day 13- From Whitehorse to Skagway. What a beautiful ride. Very picturesque. we saw mountain goats along the way and passed many waterfalls and lakes. Emerald lake gets its name honestly. We have never seen anything like it. WOW!!! We stopped at the little town of Carcross, where it was the 109 anniversary of the last spike driven for the White Pass railway. Lots of history. We bought our tickets to take the train tomorrow from Skagway through the White Pass. We watched as the train went by on our way into Skagway. Cant wait!!! We got into Skagway and got the last campsite along the harbour where 4 huge cruise ships are docked. There are many people in town so Mike and I decided to take a water taxi to Haines, Alaska. 1500 ft waterfalls line the corridor to Haines. A seal played in the water beside the ferry and had a 2 ft fish in his mouth. We saw old remnants of Fort WM. Seward. On our journey back we stopped for crab at a seaside restaurant. BEST we have ever had. ALASKAN KING CRAB!! Lynn and Randy stayed in Skagway and are out walking around the town.......

All is well...back in the Yukon!

All is going good! We have been in Skagway the last few days and internet wasn't possible! Were back in the Yukon heading to Watson Lake for the nigh! Skagway is a amazing place to visit! The history is so unbelievable! The Gold Rush made lot of man crazy! Wow! A full update maybe tonight!
Talk to y'all soon!