Bet you thought I fell off the face of a mountain! Well, we drove on mountains, over mountains, and around mountains, we slept on mountains, ate on mountains, and generally lived on mountains for the past week, but we did not fall off one! However, if you know anything about mountains, you know that they don't allow cell phone signals or internet access. At least not in the remote areas that we traveled.
Last Sunday we moved to Many Glacier, our favorite campground in Glacier National Park. We spent the day reading, enjoying the scenery, and scoping the mountainside for game. We found it! Ernie found a griz, and while we were watching it we saw two more bears, looked like a sow and cub. On Monday we moved a short distance up the road to Waterton Lakes National Park, which is Canada's portion of the whole Glacier/Waterton area. We walked through the quaint little village in the rain, and attended a ranger show that night. On Tuesday we took off to the north and hit the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Lake Louise, and headed northwest to Jasper where we spent the night, again in the rain. Wednesday we drove west on the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy 16) to the tiny native village of Morice where we spent the night with a smidgen of wireless internet signal for a few minutes. Not long enough to write anything. And then yesterday, Thursday, we headed North to Alaska for real, up the Cassiar Highway, (Hwy 37). What a day! I have pictures in my camera to show you, but just be warned that they aren't pretty.....road construction, bumps, frost heaves, busted up highway, gravel, rain, and two ruined bikes. Apparently they shifted off the carrier when we flew over one of those bumps, and the handle bars and seats are totally shredded. I haven't even really checked them out to see if they can be fixed because I was so upset. But they are probably history.
Today we drove a short distance, about 260 miles, which felt really great after the 500 dreadful miles yesterday. Our stay last night was at the intersection of the Cassiar Highway and the Alaska Highway, so today we are on the real Alaska Highway. And the road has been in good condition so far. However, we are only in Whitehorse. We know the road gets worse after this, so we'll be keeping our fingers crossed that it's not as bad as the Cassiar.
And our campground tonight will be a bit noisy. You see, rv'ers on the highway to Alaska are allowed to stay in the WalMart parking lot and this parking lot is right off the highway. Fun, uh? I'll take pictures to show you the unique campground.
I have a lot of pictures to post, but this signal at the library doesn't seem to want to let me post them. I'll keep trying, but I mainly wanted to let you know that we are fine, just no signals. I've missed you all!
6 comments:
Thanks so much for the report. Ole asked me yesterday if I had heard anything from you. Hope the rest of your road is better.
Thanks for once again taking us all along on another one of your wonderful trips, Marge! It looks and sounds so crisp and beautiful up north.
Once again, I can vacation vicariously with you, as I sit here between our lush, green, Iowa corn and soybean fields. No big vacation planned for us this year, but with three away at camp this past week, being down to only one child at home (out of the five out of eight still living at home until one leaves for college in August), I'd say hubby and I were on vacation! We marveled at what life would be like with only one child. That one child was happy to see siblings return today. He didn't appreciate being the "go-to" guy every time I found a chore I needed help with. The returning campers can pitch in and do their own camp laundry, while the "go-to" guy takes his own short vacation.
Enjoy your wonderful trip...and keep those goreous photos and journal entries coming (when connections allow) for those of us left behind at home.
Nancy in Iowa
Hi Marge, travel safe and keep us posted. My tote had become my purse btw and I carry it everywhere and love love love it. Doesn't have a thing to do with the fact that you made it!!!
Ouch! Sorry to hear about the bikes, but better the bikes than anything bigger or more precious (like you). Your wal-mart camping sounds interesting - we spent the night once in a trucker's rest stop and boy was it noisy...some of them kept their trucks running all night long, but I felt safe nestled in between all those big trucks with our trailer! Continue to be safe and happy tavelin'...
I can not believe your bikes have taken a beating!!! I am so sorry to hear that. I am so glad to read your blog and hear what all is going on, and yes, I have to say I am jealous. But I did NOT put a hex on you...I promise. I can not wait to see your pictures, all of them. Take care and one of these days I will post too.
My dad was stationed in Alaska during WWII. I have some great pictures that I need to scan and send to you. You might see some of the same places he was.
He was in an engineering group that worked on a big highway project. He always wanted to go back, but never did.
Sorry to hear about the bikes, but love hearing of your travels.
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