Day 365. August 6, 2014. Clean,clean

LOCATION: Haines, Alaska, on a finger of land in SE part of state, jutting into Inland Passage

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy. Highs in 60s

We did a lot of putzing around, cleaning and preparing for the ferry tomorrow.  This is one of the nicest RV parks we have stayed in.

Glorious showers, sparkling clean bathrooms, RV wash, convenient laundry, and friendly staff.

After doing some chores, we went to town.  We stopped at a bar for lunch.  We tried a Bloody Cesar (like a Bloody Mary but with Clamato) and smoked salmon vodka, made in this area.  Pretty good, but the smoked salmon was not too evident.  

Then we went to the Hammer Museum, which has 1700+ hammers.  It is very interesting.

 

We did quite a bit of work....replaced the camper's carpet, dissolved the tar from the Airstream, laundry, spring cleaning, and packing for ferry,

DINNER:  We need to use up most everything from the refrigerator as we will have to turn off the refrigerator while on the ferry.   So, we had an appetizer of toast points with cream cheese and salmon caviar.  We had some hot Japanese sake with it.  That used up all our free roe. 

I made an omelette with everything else in the refrig......potatoes, bell pepper, bacon, onion, cheese, spinach, and eggs.

We should be set to catch the ferry in the early morning.   

Day 364. August 5, 2014. Close moose encounter!

LOCATION:  Haines, Alaska, in one of the SE fingers jutting into the Inland Passage

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy. Highs in 60s

We took a hike in the state park where we had camped.  Sure enough, there was a bear sauntering down the road next to the river full of salmon.  (No camera).

Then we moved into town, to a really nice commercial RV park.  Best showers on the trip so far!  We had reserved this ahead of time so that we could get mail sent here.  It is like Christmas to open up our mail package each month!  

We took a drive to another state park.  As we were standing on the glacier-viewing platform, I heard a noise, looked down, and there was a moose, happily munching away!

We watched for quite a while.  She got so close that I could have touched her!

Then we visited a fish cannery.  It was built in 1917.  Really a bit of history.

This guy is cutting off heads and removing roe sacks.

The 1990 Disney movie "White Fang" was filmed here.  They have kept the movie set as it was, like a Wild West town....using the buildings as shops and restaurants...

And even one as a brewery, which of course we had to visit.  The brewer is from West Concord, MN, right outside of a Rochester where we used to live.  

DINNER:  Spaghetti.  I made a sauce with onions, bell pepper, diced carrots, leftover grilled hamburger, and tomato sauce. Molto bono!

Day 363. August 4, 2014. Coasting into Haines

LOCATION:  Outside of Haines, Alaska in SE finger  of state

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy. Cool. Highs in 60s

Today was our last day of long drives in this part of the country.  We drove about 250 miles from near Destruction Bay, Yukon to Haines, Alaska, with a few miles of British Columbia sandwiched in.  

We stopped at a trail along the highway in the Yukon.  We hiked a bit on the old Alaska Highway where the 2 sections finished in the middle.  The highway was built in 1942 in reaction to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  Canada and USA wanted a road for the military to protect us from an invasion from the northwest.  This trail was the site of the formal completion ceremony of the highway in November, 1942.  They even provided bits from the CBC radio station announcement.

Then we drove a bit farther and hiked around these falls, called Million Dolllars.

  

Our guidebook warned that there was no gas station for 200 miles when we turned south from Haines Junction towards Haines.  George wouldn't buy gas, as he wanted to wait for "less expensive" US gas in Haines.  The weather turned really windy, and our mileage plummeted.  We saw a sign for Haines 80 miles ahead, and our tank showed we had 70.  George loves this challenge.  It drives me crazy.  We made it through Customs easily, and had 40 miles to go.  Luckily, the wind died down, and we mostly descended to Haines, on the coast, so we made it with 5 miles showing in the tank.  Whew!

Then, we bought "cheap" gas in Haines at $4.90/gallon.

We are staying tonight  in a beautiful state park campground, then will move to a commercial one in town.  This park is on a lake full of fish.  

There are signs warning of bear in the area, also enjoying the fish.  It is very woodsy here.

Our camper battery is dying.  That means our water pump doesn't work.  Kind of a bummer.  We should be ok tomorrow, once we hook up to electricity.

DINNER:  Traditional campfire dinner....hamburgers, baked beans, and baked potato.

 

Day 362. August 3, 2014. Yukon paradise

LOCATION:  Near Destruction Bay, Yukon, in southwest part of Territory

WEATHER:  Beautiful.  Sunny. High around 70

Today was very relaxing.  We took our time in the morning, getting ready to go, and enjoying coffee.  We drove only about 100 miles.  Most of the way were terrible road conditions again.  We followed Kluane National Park.  

We stopped at a gas station/bar/motel/RV park/grocery.  I needed some eggs.  They were $6/dozen!  And small!  Since everything has to be brought in, things are very expensive.

We stopped at a campground that faces Kluane Lake, the largest in the Yukon.  Our site is right on the lake.  Gorgeous view!

We took a hike along the lakeshore.  There are signs all over warning about bears.  There are thousands of soapberry bushes here, which the bears love.  They don't allow tent camping due to fear of bears entering tents.  The bears get so numerous in a few weeks, when the soapberries are at their peak, that they close the campground altogether.  

As in other Yukon parks, we have free firewood, nice sites, all for $12.

This is the view of our site from the lakeshore. (About 9:00 PM)

Our neighbors are a nice couple from Hawaii.  Every year, they fly to the mainland, pick up an RV they leave here, and travel for 4-5 months.  We sat around the campfire for cocktails.

DINNER:  I boned the leftover grilled chicken thighs, and made a sort of Indian curry.  I added a baked sweet potato, onions, and carrot.  I served it over rice with curry powder.  

Day 361. August 2, 2014. Back to the Yukon

LOCATION:  Along Alaska Highway. About 100 miles west of Destruction Bay, Yukon 

WEATHER:  Sunny. High around 70

We hadn't unhooked the trailer last night, so got an early, easy start from Porcupine State Park. We drove into Tok , Alaska, where we had been before, on our way west.  With a gas fill-up, we got a free car wash, which we took advantage of.  Our nice, shiny Airstream is brown with dust, and spotted with dead bugs and tar.  We spent more than an hour washing it up.  It looked almost like its old self, but we will have to deal with the tar later.

Then, five miles from Tok, we hit horrible gravel roads.  It was an 80-mile stretch of road construction.  We averaged about 15 mph. They spray water on the gravel to keep the dust down.  What a mess.  The trailer is now covered with mud and dust again.  

We stopped for a picnic lunch.  I made churzuki, or something like that.  It is an easy sushi dish.....I added a bit of rice vinegar to cool rice, thn stirred in roe and dried seaweed strips.  Quite good.  

Before entering Canada, we bought some "cheap" USA gas.

We didn't have any issues with Canadian customs.  We thought we might have to surrender our campfire wood or our vegetables, or my baby basil plant.  They didn't even ask.

After driving for hours on these bad roads (the Alaska Highway), we stopped at a Yukon Territorial Campground.  Nice pull-through sites, unsmelly pit toilets, free firewood, and only $12.  

This map shows the places where we have been.  We are on our way to Haines Junction, Yukon, then Haines, Alaska.  

It was a beautiful evening.  It is the warmest it has been since Grande Prairie.  We had to turn on the ceiling fan for part of the night.

DINNER:  I made salmon burgers with the leftover filets.  This time, I added finely diced onion and bell pepper to give it a crunch.   For a side, I made Japanese cucumbers....sunomono. I marinated thin slices of cucumber in rice vinegar and soy sauce.  Good way to eat the less-than-delicious, expensive cucumber I had bought. 

Unfortunately, the salmon patty seemed to grow, and we now have salmon burger leftovers.  

Day 360. August1, 2014. Mountains and glaciers

YLOCATION:  Betweeen Glenallen and Tok, Alaska in southeast part of state

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy. High around 70

We ran errands in Valdez and then hit the road.  I was a bit nervous about pulling the camper up the steep highway.  Through Thompson Pass, you go from sea level to 4,000 feet pretty quickly.  It is really majestic scenery.  

We stopped for a picnic lunch along the way.  (Salmon, of course!). 

We drove about 200 miles along the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.  It is the country's largest national park.....larger than Switzerland and with higher mountains .

We stopped at the visitors' center, but did not actually enter the park, as the roads are gravel.  

The highway was undulating, like there had been an earthquake, but probably caused by frost heaves. We had to slow to 35 mph because the car was bouncing so much.

This is our last full day in the main part of Alaska.  Although the state is huge, we have gone to almost all the parts that are accessible by driving.  We will be going back through The Yukon, British Columbia, then to Haines, Alaska to pick up the ferry. 

We stopped at Porcupine State Park when we got tired of driving.  It is tiny...only 10 sites, and we have it to ourselves.  Just us and LOTS of mosquitos..  Someone told me that they don't like white, so I'm wearing my white mosquito shirt and my netted face gear.

DINNER:  George grilled chicken thighs that I had marinated. I made baked beans and a salad for sides.  

Day 359. July 31, 2014. Ikura sushi 1-2-3

LOCATION:  Valdez, Alaska in south central part of state

WEATHER:  Cool and cloudy. High around 60

What to do with lots of salmon roe?  We came up with this idea....

First, I bought inexpensive cucumber roll sushi in a Chinese restaurant (only option in town).  

Then we removed the cucumber slices and inserted roe.

The end product tasted just like expensive ikura sushi....

Oishii!  

After our sushi lunch, we took a bike ride along a nice bike path.   Then, we went fishing again.  George caught anotherpink salmon hen (female). As we did yesterday, we took it to the public fish cleaning station to remove the roe.  Charter boats had just come back in and people were cleaning huge halibut, rock fish, and lingcod.  

Back at the campground, we cured the second batch of roe.  George grilled all the fish...2days of salmon and the rock fish fillet we were given. 

DINNER:  Grilled fish and spinach soufflé (compliments of Stouffer).  Lots of leftover fish, I'm afraid.....