May 27 - to Carmacks, YT, on the Klondike Hwy

We’ve driven 3,207.5 miles in the mh, and we haven’t hit Alaska yet.

I thought we’d get off to an early start today, but it didn’t work out that way.   Our “neighbors” evidently wanted an early start and them idling their diesel engine for almost 15 minutes woke me about 6:30am   I was much relieved when they left and things got reasonably quiet again.  I shouldn’t have let it disturb me (mainly cause it kept me awake).  This evening we were graced with and idiot with a foul mouth enjoying a bench on the River Dr. boardwalk about 130’ from our door.  The diesel was better.

David had chatted with the German couple driving the unusual RV.  Turns out they had it shipped over so they could use it in Canada & later this summer Alaska.  They are carrying pieces of some sort of raft they plan to put in the Yukon and float downstream for about two months, then return to the RV and head to Alaska.  He wanted to ask the couple some question or another, and when we walked over to that part of the park; we saw our Ventana friends Spike and Kay.  We chatted with them a bit and didn’t leave the park until after noon.

We went back to the Visitor Center to check again on the progress of the Top of the World Highway.  They are still saying it will be open on Thursday (along with the border crossing into the US).  Moseying through town, we stopped for fuel and a few more groceries.  Then we finally had our first “turn” on the travel route, turning off the Alaskan Hwy and on to the Klondike Hwy.  We are heading to Carmacks today and then Dawson City tomorrow.

 

Not much traffic on this road, so when we saw a solo motorcyclist stopped on the (very limited) shoulder, we stopped.  He said his bike just stopped, but that his buddy was going for help.  He told us to go on, and since there was no way for us to get out of the roadway, we left.

Watching the info video at the Visitor Center the other day, we noticed very big (like 8” across) cinnamon rolls.  Surprisingly David asked where to get them.   The Braeburn Lodge was the place, and we stopped there and purchased a cinnamon roll pie/cake whatever.  It is good sized and surprisingly reasonably priced.  We haven’t eaten it yet, so that report will have to wait.

 

Just as we were loading up, the motorcycle guy we stopped for and a couple of his friends showed up.  Turned out a friend had installed a new battery for him, but he hadn’t tightened down one battery cable.  It looked pretty lonesome out where he was. 

 

 

No animal sightings today, except for the ASS with the mouth.  Was I ever glad when he left.  We are in Carmacks, and until 10:15pm we had the RV Park to ourselves.  We are right across from the river and I walked the boardwalk sidewalk along the river from end to end.  Not sure of the distance, but I hit over 12,500 steps today.  I skirted around the town a little too.  I thought this school looked interesting.

Boardwalk along River Drive in Carmacks, YT

We were the lone campers until about 10:25 pm.  One more RV came in then.

This was a play house sized log cabin. 

Interesting street signs.  They needed some maintenance.

Carmacks school

 

Do you see the fuel price?  The $1.559 is for a liter of unleaded.  Diesel seems to be cheaper than gas in Canada.  It was $1.479 at that station, and the pumps at the Hotel/RV Park had if for the bargain price of $1.469 per liter.   We topped off in Whitehorse to hopefully avoid these prices; although the $1.399 we paid is only 24 cents per gallon less.

Entrance to where we were staying.

Another view of the campground.  The trailer visible behind some bushes is not in the campground.

 

11:15 pm.  The pictures don’t do the sky colors justice, but I think the sun is setting.  The mosquitoes have discouraged me from trying another shot.  Tried to get something out the kitchen window; but when the bugs realized I had the screen open, I had to abort the attempt.   I have five of them at the screen next to me (sitting typing at the table), so I settled for a photo of one of these bloodsuckers.

  BTW, on the weather scene, it was 66° when we left the Whitehorse campground around noon. It was 79° in Carmacks at 4:30pm, when we parked for the day.  Unfortunately the heat brings the bugs out.

Mosquito on the window screen.  Fortunately it was still outside.  The body is about 1/2" long.