Today I made it to Alaska. I left Watson Lake early on the Alaska Highway, thinking that I’d only go as far as Whitehorse. But the weather was great (sunny most of the way, high in the low 60’s). So after lunch in Whitehorse, I kept going and got in to Haines an day earlier than I thought I would. The day’s mileage was 527 miles.
Along the way I also bagged some moose (pictorially). More on that below.
Between Watson Lake and Whitehorse I started noticing a phenomenon I’ll call “Alaska Highway graffiti.” The indigenous rocks in this region are white, and the banks along the road are full of large, white stones. And since there aren’t any overpasses to spray paint, people have formed their lovelorn messages on the banks by laying out the white stones in a matrix of characters. So along the road you can see “David & Mary”, or “J C & B A” laid out along the banks beside the road. These messages are sometimes surrounded by hearts and some are pretty elaborate. Some of the messages are from travelers (“J S to Alaska”).
It’s an interesting phenomenon. It says something about people’s need to leave a record behind, and it’s a lot more environmentally friendly and less intrusive than spray paint. Another advantage is that if Mary gives David the kiss off, it’s pretty easy to change “David and Mary” to “David and Carol”. Even easier to change it to “David and Mark.” In a sense.
I even saw some more creative uses of this communications method. I swear I saw the message “For a good time call…”, but I apparently went by too fast to write the phone number down correctly.
Whitehorse is the capital of the Yukon, and is the first real town I’ve seen in a couple of days. Nice town, with friendly people. It’s on the Yukon River. One of the attractions is the paddle wheeler Klondike, which used to travel up the Yukon to Dawson City and back. The Klondike is pretty impressive, but when you get up close you realize it’s sitting on terra firma and the Yukon River is a couple of blocks away.
Main Street in Whitehorse is 3-4 blocks long, and there is a wide selection of fast food places along the highway. Downtown even has a great bookstore. I bought books about the history of the Alaska Highway and a book of Robert Service poetry. Just gathering content for this blog. I had lunch at one of the non fast food places, and decided to keep going on to Haines.
A couple hundred miles further up the highway is Haines Junction, where the Alaska Highway turns right toward Fairbanks, and the Haines Highway turns left.
The Haines Highway is 150 miles long, and spectacular. It starts to climb out of Haines Junction and ends up cutting between mountain ridges, where you’re surrounded by snow covered peaks and rocky streams bringing down glacial melt. Then it drops down and follows the Chilkat River into Haines. And it’s the only road in to Haines, so I get to come back the same way.
It was along the Haines Highway that I saw the moose. She was standing next the road, grazing, along with her two calves. She noticed the car when I stopped, but didn’t get spooked until I started to pull forward. Then she gathered up her kids and trotted off into the woods. I was close enough to be able to tell you that these are big animals. Mother Moose was way taller than I am.
By the time I got to Haines, it was around 5:00. Somewhere along the way there was another hour time change, and in Haines, there is a four hour time difference to EDT.
Haines seems like a neat little town. It’s on the Lynn Canal, on a long peninsula, and is surrounded by mountains. By the way, the Lynn Canal is not a canal. It’s 1600 feet deep , 90 miles long, and is the longest, deepest fjord in North America. The Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Alaska are over the mountains to the west. This is the upper end of the Inside Passage that you’ve heard about. Ferries leave here for Skagway and Juneau, and the occasional cruise ship stops in.
The motel I’m staying in is basic, but nice. It’s actually a AAA rated place. I can see the Lynn Canal and mountains beyond from my window. I’ll be here for two or three days. I’ve picked up a day on my itinerary, and I’ve got to figure out what I can do with the extra day. Being off the road for a day or two sounds pretty good right now.
Along the way I also bagged some moose (pictorially). More on that below.
Between Watson Lake and Whitehorse I started noticing a phenomenon I’ll call “Alaska Highway graffiti.” The indigenous rocks in this region are white, and the banks along the road are full of large, white stones. And since there aren’t any overpasses to spray paint, people have formed their lovelorn messages on the banks by laying out the white stones in a matrix of characters. So along the road you can see “David & Mary”, or “J C & B A” laid out along the banks beside the road. These messages are sometimes surrounded by hearts and some are pretty elaborate. Some of the messages are from travelers (“J S to Alaska”).
It’s an interesting phenomenon. It says something about people’s need to leave a record behind, and it’s a lot more environmentally friendly and less intrusive than spray paint. Another advantage is that if Mary gives David the kiss off, it’s pretty easy to change “David and Mary” to “David and Carol”. Even easier to change it to “David and Mark.” In a sense.
I even saw some more creative uses of this communications method. I swear I saw the message “For a good time call…”, but I apparently went by too fast to write the phone number down correctly.
Whitehorse is the capital of the Yukon, and is the first real town I’ve seen in a couple of days. Nice town, with friendly people. It’s on the Yukon River. One of the attractions is the paddle wheeler Klondike, which used to travel up the Yukon to Dawson City and back. The Klondike is pretty impressive, but when you get up close you realize it’s sitting on terra firma and the Yukon River is a couple of blocks away.
Main Street in Whitehorse is 3-4 blocks long, and there is a wide selection of fast food places along the highway. Downtown even has a great bookstore. I bought books about the history of the Alaska Highway and a book of Robert Service poetry. Just gathering content for this blog. I had lunch at one of the non fast food places, and decided to keep going on to Haines.
A couple hundred miles further up the highway is Haines Junction, where the Alaska Highway turns right toward Fairbanks, and the Haines Highway turns left.
The Haines Highway is 150 miles long, and spectacular. It starts to climb out of Haines Junction and ends up cutting between mountain ridges, where you’re surrounded by snow covered peaks and rocky streams bringing down glacial melt. Then it drops down and follows the Chilkat River into Haines. And it’s the only road in to Haines, so I get to come back the same way.
It was along the Haines Highway that I saw the moose. She was standing next the road, grazing, along with her two calves. She noticed the car when I stopped, but didn’t get spooked until I started to pull forward. Then she gathered up her kids and trotted off into the woods. I was close enough to be able to tell you that these are big animals. Mother Moose was way taller than I am.
By the time I got to Haines, it was around 5:00. Somewhere along the way there was another hour time change, and in Haines, there is a four hour time difference to EDT.
Haines seems like a neat little town. It’s on the Lynn Canal, on a long peninsula, and is surrounded by mountains. By the way, the Lynn Canal is not a canal. It’s 1600 feet deep , 90 miles long, and is the longest, deepest fjord in North America. The Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Alaska are over the mountains to the west. This is the upper end of the Inside Passage that you’ve heard about. Ferries leave here for Skagway and Juneau, and the occasional cruise ship stops in.
The motel I’m staying in is basic, but nice. It’s actually a AAA rated place. I can see the Lynn Canal and mountains beyond from my window. I’ll be here for two or three days. I’ve picked up a day on my itinerary, and I’ve got to figure out what I can do with the extra day. Being off the road for a day or two sounds pretty good right now.
3 comments:
You made it to Alaska Alan. That is great. It looks cold in your pictures. It sounds like you are having a great time. I saw Bob tonight and he was up this morning at 5am checking to see if you had posted anything yesterday and he was disappointed that you hadn't. I told him maybe no internet connection yesterday. Your telling a great story. It will be nice to have this when you get back.
Thanks
John
To the tune of
Lord won't you buy me a Merecedes Benz, by Janis Joplin
Oh Hertz, why'd you rent me a Ford Explorer?
At home I drive a Porsche, I can't drive this much longer.
Worked hard all my lifetime, should have at least got a Toyota.
Oh Hertz, why'd you rent me a Ford Explorer?
Oh Hertz, can't I trade up to a Toyota Highlander?
I know you're out somewhere there trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until four.
Oh Hertz, why'd you rent me a Ford Explorer?
Oh Hertz, in an Explorer, Fairbanks' a long way to drive
I'm counting on you Hertz, please don't let me down.
Prove that you love me and upgrade my ride.
Oh Hertz, won't you bring a Toyota to the next town?
Oh Hertz, why'd you rent me a Ford Explorer?
Alan,
Love the pictures.The map is a great reference after reading your adventures.
Saw John when I got home and asked if you had posted.While we were talking, noticed John was building something with big metal post;he say's it is a secret."very intrigueing"
Your trip is an epic event,please continue to feed the blog.
Bob
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