The Discovery III Stern-Wheeler

Today we took a cruise on the Discovery III Stern-Wheeler down the Chena River. Your three-and-a-half hour cruise will take you into the heart of Alaska and the heart of a family who has made the rivers of Alaska a way of life for five generations.

The Brinkley family's steam boating goes back over 100 years and five generations to the Klondike Gold Rush. In 1898, when Charles M. Brinkley hiked over the Chilkoot Pass with other stampeders, he was not so much in search of gold as he was the chance to chart and navigate the Yukon. He became a respected pilot and boat-builder in the north.

The cruise down the Chena River takes us to Susan Butcher's home and the site of her world famous Alaska Husky Dog Kennels. She and her lead dog, Granite, won four Iditarod championships. Sled dogs are some of the world's best cared for athletes. They receive the best food and medical attention and they get to do what they love most, run. Mushers treat their sled dogs like part of the family, and the bond between them is as strong as the bond between human members of a family.

They also have a demonstration of an Alaskan Float Plane taking off and landing close to the boat. Alaska has the largest number of licensed private pilots of any other state in the Union. During the long winter months this is about the only way to get around from place to place. They can be equipped with wheels, floats or skies.

One place of great interest was a replica of an Athabascan Indian Village. They have lived in the Alaska area for over 12,000 years and it was not until about the early 1800's that they were exposed to outside influences. We learned that about 2,000 years ago some of the Tribe migrated south to Arizona and New Mexico and became known as Apaches and Navajo Indians.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words so here are a few pictures that will help you enjoy what we saw today.

Fairbanks, Alaska

Located in the heart of Alaska's Interior, Fairbanks the states 2nd largest city is approximately 1.488 driving miles north of Dawson Creek, British Columbia, the start of the Alaska Highway.

In 1901, Captain E.T. Barnette set out from St. Michael on the stern-wheeler "Lavelle Young" traveling up the Yukon River with supplies for his trading post which he proposed to set up at Tanana Crossing, the halfway point on the Valdez-Eagle trail. But the stern-wheeler could not navigate the fast-moving shallow Chena River.

In September 1902, Barnette convinced the 25 or so miners in the area to use the name "Fairbanks" for the town that he expected would grow up around his trading post.

On June 27, 2009, the State of Alaska celebrated it's 50th anniversary as a State of The United States.

Today, we went to see the Large Animal Research Center of the University of Alaska. This is where they are doing research on the Muskox, Caribou and Reindeer. The difference between Caribou and Reindeer is that Caribou are wild and Reindeer are tame. Both of these have antlers and the female keeps her antlers during the winter season which makes her "boss" then.

We also went to see the University Museum of the North. It was very interesting but the bad part of it is they would not permit the use of flash cameras in the museum. Thank goodness for my Canon DSLR camera and I was able to take some non-flash pictures I hope you like them.

North Pole, Alaska

YES VIRGINIA THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS

Here Is Proof

On our way into Fairbanks, AK. we passed the town of North Pole. We assumed that there must be some connection with Santa Claus since there was a Santa Land on the side of the road.

Today we drove there to check it out. I'll let the pictures I took settle any doubt you may have about what we saw.

Yea !! We Finally Made It To Alaska

After driving through rough roads in the Yukon Territory, we finally arrived in Alaska and the scenery is beautiful. The roads are a little better but they still have frost heaves that you have to be careful about.

We're in a real nice small RV Park in North Pole, Alaska. There is a rumor that there is someone special that lives here and tomorrow we're going into town and see if we can find this person. Maybe we can get a picture of him if we're lucky.

Enjoy the pictures that Jerry took. The ones of the clouds reflected in the lake were taken by me.

Haines Junction To Alaska

We thought we had left all the rough road behind us, Yea Right, we ran into about 30 more miles of this fun and games. Oh well they only have a few months during the year in which to repair the roads.

The worse part of the roads are the "frost heaves". Imagine taking about three speed bumps and stacking them one on top of another and then doing the same thing about four feet away, then drive the car over it. That will get your attention right quick. We drove through about 60 miles of that and you could not get over about 10 miles per hour safely.

Most of the pictures in this journal were taken by Jerry. For some reason she won't let me drive and take pictures too.

Heading To Alaska

We left Whitehorse, YT heading to Haines Junction en route to Alaska. The trip was only about 100 miles but it seemed like it took forever since the roads were terrible. They were doing a lot of road construction and most of it consisted of removing the blacktop and replacing it with sandy gravel. The dust was unbelievable and you could only see about 15 feet in front of you if you were lucky.

We did however drive a little further than Haines Junction and pulled into one of the convenient road side parking areas they have to spend the night and rest. We were tired and had enough of the ROUGH ROADS.

Jerry was able to get some good pictures of our trip and also of the rough roads. I hope you like them and feel sorry for us.

Whitehorse Sight Seeing

In addition to going to a grocery store and "Wally World", we decided to take a look at a couple of sights along the way.

The Woolly Mammoth and the World's Largest Weather Vane are something to see.

Tomorrow we'll be back "On The Road Again" heading to Haynes Junction for the night and then continue on to Alaska. If nothing happens, we should be in Fairbanks, Alaska on June 29Th.

Whitehorse, Yukon

Today, we arrived in Whitehorse, Yukon to spend three or four days seeing all the wonderful sites of this historic city.

Whitehorse is named after the historic rapids of the Yukon River which resembled the flowing manes of charging white horses. On the "Trail Of 98", the stampedes had to bypass the treacherous water of Miles Canyon and White Horse Rapids south of the present city.

Whitehorse is now the Capital of the Yukon and it has a population of about 24,041. This is surprising when you remember that the total population of the Yukon is only about 32,000.

We're going to take a bus/train trip from Whitehorse to Skagway, Alaska. Skagway was one of the famous booming gold towns during the gold rush of 1898. Skagway has seen tens of thousands of fortune-seeking prospectors during the great Klondike Gold Rush.

We plan to stay in Whitehorse for about three days to make sure we don't miss seeing anything worthwhile.

Teslin, British Columbia

We left Watson Lake for a long 163 mile drive to White Horse, Yukon Territory. As we were heading North we came to The Rancheria Falls which we just had to see. The site is large enough for several motor homes to park at the same time. There is a wooden walkway that goes through boreal forest to the picturesque falls.

Situated at the confluence of the Nisultin River and Teslin Lake, Teslin began as a trading post in 1903. Teslin has one of the largest Native populations in Yukon Territory and much of the community livelihood revolves around the traditional hunting, trapping and fishing.

The First Nation People have Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre which we stopped to see. It was very interesting and the country around the lake is beautiful.

Watson Lake, Yukon Territory

After finally saying Goodbye to our morning visitor, we headed down the road about 116 miles to the quaint town of Watson Lake, Yukon Territory. The Yukon is about the size of California but it's population is only about 35,000 people and the majority of those live in Whitehorse, the Capital.

Construction began on the Alaska Highway in 1942, bringing over 11,000 army personnel, civilians and contractors to the Yukon to work on the project. Watson Lake's world famous "Sign Post Forest" was started in 1942 by Carl Lindley, a homesick U.S. Army soldier. Today, over 68,000 signs are hammered row upon row on the signposts. I added a sign to the Forest.

The name of a popular recreation site at the edge of town is also a reminder of those early days when an enterprising lady set up a tent at Lucky Lake to "entertain" servicemen. Today, Watson Lake is known as the Gateway to the Yukon and the highway is still a central fixture bringing thousands of visitors to the North each year.

Watson Lake is also home to the Yukon's only visitor facility dedicated to the science and folklore of the aurora borealis or "Northern Lights".

Morning Visitor

We were getting the rig ready to roll down the road to new adventures when we spotted an early morning visitor.

Right in front of the RV came this rather large bull Buffalo slowly grazing. He was there for the better part of two hours and he didn't seem to be the least bit frightened when we went out to take his picture.

Here is what it looked like. You don't get to see this back home and this again is one reason we're "On The Road Again".

Laird Hot Springs, British Columbia

This morning after the rain stopped we refueled and started a long 93 mile trip to Laird Hot Springs.

There is a boardwalk across the marsh lands that support more than 250 boreal forest plants, including 14 Orchid species and 14 plants that survive at this altitude due to the hot spring water.

There are two hot springs pools with temperature from 106 to 126 degrees. Since the weather was still a little rainy we decided not to go into the pools. Maybe we can go on our way back home, the water was nice and clear and it really looked inviting.

Maybe these pictures will give you some idea of what they looked like.

It has been brought to my attention that I did not include pictures of the hot springs. It seems that the WiFi I was using stopped before all the pictures were loaded. I'm very sorry about that and hopefully now all of the pictures will be there.

Toad River, British Columbia

Today, we left Fort Nelson heading west on the Alaska Highway to find different towns and new excitement. Our next stop is Toad River, British Columbia and it's only about 121 miles away.

We drove through some of the most beautiful and rugged country side I've seen in a long time. Also today we ran into something we haven't seen much of on our trip...Rain. Thanks goodness it wasn't a hard rain and the roads were not bothered by it. We had some more rain tonight but it was a welome site.

As always, Jerry was very busy with her trusty camera and here are some of the results. Sit back, have the pop corn ready and enjoy.

Fort Nelson, British Columbia

Fort Nelson was originally established as a fur trading post in 1805. Fort Nelson flourished with the construction of the Alaska Highway, making it the bustling community it is today.

We went to the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum which was right next door to the campground where we're parked. It was an interesting museum.

Tomorrow, we'll be back "On The Road Again" heading further west toward Alaska. I believe I can promise more pictures.

The Alaska Highway

Today we began a 215 drive on the Alaska Highway. Although we're still technically in British Columbia, we're traveling on the Alaska Highway.

The Alaska Highway begins at Mile Zero in Dawson Creek, BC. The first 613 miles of the Alaska Highway are in British Columbia where it is designated as BC Highway 97 North. The highway travels in a northwesterly direction to the Yukon Territory border near Watson Lake.

The entire distance from Dawson Creek, BC to Fairbanks, Alaska is about 1,500 miles through some of the most unforgiving country in the world. Although it goes where "no man had gone before", it is a beautiful drive.

On our drive today, Jerry had her trusty camera ready and took some pictures to give you some idea of the beauty of this country. Get your pop corn ready and enjoy the pictures.

Kiskatonaw Bridge

Today we took a seventeen mile trip north of Dawson Creek to see the original bridge that was built on the Alaska Highway. This is the only original bridge still in use today. It is 531 feet long and about 200 hundred feet above the Kiskatonaw River. It was built from British Columbia Spruce timbers that were cut about 200 miles from the building site and brought in by truck. The bridge has a nine degree curve which makes it an engineering marvel. Remember it was built long before they had the bridge building equipment they now have.

We also went to the Walter Wright Pioneer Village which depicts Dawson Creek before the Alaska Highway construction period. It takes you back to the time when Dawson Creek was on the edge of the frontier. These houses and buildings were relocated from their original locations to the Pioneer Village. Great care was taken to move these building without damaging them.

Dawson Creek, British Columbia

On March 9, 1942, Dawson Creek, a small northern Canadian community with a population of 699 people, bustled and swelled with activity when the first train carrying American troops arrived. In a matter of weeks the town's population exploded to 10,000.

To build the Alaska Highway, seven regiments of American engineers, approximately 11,000 men (including three regiments of African American heritage), 16,000 civilians from Canada and the United States were thrown into action against some of the toughest and most unforgiving wilderness areas in the world.

After a little over eight months of intense construction, the Alaska Highway was complete. On November 20, 1942, Mile 1061 (known as Soldiers' Summit) saw the ribbon cutting ceremony that officially opened the "Alcan" Highway. The 1528 mile road included 133 major bridges and more than 3000 culverts. The cost of this construction was approximately $140 million U.S. wartime dollars.

Since completion in 1942, the Alaska Highway has held a fascination for visitors and residents. The building of the Alaska Highway is an epic tale that involves mystery, romance and intrigue. This is indeed a Town to see.

Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada

The City of Grand Prairie is a thriving regional center located in Northwestern Alberta in the heart of Peace Country. The City began as a Hudson's Bay trading post in the late 1800's and is among the fastest growing municipalities in Canada. Grand Prairie has a population of 50,227 and serves a market area of more than 250,000 people within a two-hour drive.

Grand Prairie's history and culture is brought back to life within the Grand Prairie Pioneer Museum located in Muskoseepi Park. The museum includes an outdoor heritage village with a restored post office, school, church, fire hall and barns. We drove into town to see the museum and the directions on how to get there were not for "someone who ain't from here". We found it and guess what...it was closed they were repaving the streets.

Not to be outdone, we drove north to the town of Sexsmith. In the late 1940's the town was known as the Grain Capital of the British Empire, shipping more grain than any other port in the Empire. The main street has some of the original buildings that were built in the 1940's.

After that we drove south to the very small town of Wembley. It's named after Wembley England, Yes, the same town where they play tennis. Wembley is the "Gateway to the Dinosaurs" The Pipestone Creek area has received international attention due to the discovery of the world's largest pachyrhinosaurus ("thick nosed horned" dinosaur bone bed.

I must say that Canada is a very pretty country, the scenery is breathtaking and there is a lot to see. However, I must also say that this country is "not civilized". You can go into any grocery store you want and there is a most important item you WON'T FIND.....WHEATIES. Man cannot live by bread alone, he must have his WHEATIES. I'm glad this time we came prepared.

West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

This morning we drove into the town of Morinville, AB to fuel up the car and see if there was anything of interest in town. As it turned out, the only thing there was an old Catholic Church which was built back in the 1800's. It was very impressive church. Alas, there was nothing else of note in this small town.

We began a short trip into Edmonton, which is the capital of Alberta Providence, to check out the "little mall" they have there. On the way in we spotted a rather large herd of elk on the roadside. There is an elk ranch there which we hope to go see tomorrow if it doesn't rain.

We got to the West Edmonton Mall and boy is it impressive. It is the world's largest entertainment and shopping center. The mall covers 38 square blocks and has more than 800 stores, more than 100 dining establishments and 13 movie theatres including a large IMAX theatre.

It has the following attractions "under the roof". Galaxyland Amusement Park complete with two roller coasters and everything you would find in an amusement park. It has the world's largest indoor wave pool with live Palm Trees on three sides of the pool. It has a Deep Sea Adventure and docked on one end of the world's largest indoor lake is an exact replica of Christopher Columbus's flag ship the Santa Maria.

There is also the Sea Life Caverns which is home to approximately 100 species of colorful fish, sharks, reptiles and penguins. They also have live Sea Lions in the lagoon.

And if all this is not enough they have an 18 hole mini-golf course, complete with sand traps and water hazards.

There is Bourbon Street where you can get a taste of New Orleans' vibrant nightlife. There is also China Town with exotic sights and sounds of a busy Far East market in China.

Lastly there is Europa Boulevard where art and architecture on this unique and beautiful street is fashioned after those found in various European cities.

Oh, did I tell you they also sell clothes and other things you might want from a mall?

Get the pop corn ready because I took a couple of pictures for you to enjoy.

An Update On Our Trip

We left Fort Macleod this morning heading north to Calgary. It's a long hard trip, 111 miles and since it's mainly through farming area there wasn't much to see. After we got a little further north we did see snow on the mountains on our left. They are part of the Canadian Rockies.

When I was getting ready to pull I noticed an long crack on the left side of the windshield on my side. I cleaned the windows before we left Leftbridge which is about 35 miles away and I didn't notice it. I also cleaned the windows again when we got here and nothing. We did have a small chip repaired in Great Falls and I guess it might have been from that chip, I don't know for sure. Oh well I'm going to leave it till we get back from Alaska in case I get some more windshield damage.

YEA !!! we're getting Internet and TV with our new satellite dish. This may not mean much to you but when you go north of the "lower 48" you usually loose all satellite signals. I don't know how much further we'll get satellite service but I hope it's a long way.

Sorry, no pictures today but I wanted everyone to know we're still alive and kicking. Don't give up it won't be long before the pictures start again. I'll bet that before we finish the trip some of you will say "Bob, enough, stop the pictures".

Fort MacLeod, Alberta, Canada

We arrived in Fort MacLeod on Sunday and that afternoon we went into town to take a tour. Guess what?? Everything was closed.

We drove a few miles over to Head Smashed-In Buffalo Jump to see where Blackfoot Indians used to drive herds of Buffalo over a cliff to their death. This was one way they "harvested" Buffalo to get their food and materials for clothes. It was open but it was not suited for older folks that have problems walking. You have to park and walk a long way up a big hill to the site and then walk a long way up a face of the cliff to view the site. We decided to pass on this.

Today we went into town to tour the Fort where the North-West Mounted Police were housed back in the late 1800's. The Mounted Police were created in 1873 when Canadian Prime Minister John A. McDonald proposed to the House of Commons that a police force be established to bring order to the Canadian West. His proposal was accepted and on May 23, 1873 the Mounted Police was formed. They are now known as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Mounted Police built their first post on an island on the Old Man River and named it after the man that led them, Colonel James MacLeod in 1884.

We really enjoyed the tour and of course Jerry and I took a couple of pictures. You might need more than one bowl of pop corn for this, relax and enjoy.