Trip from Beaver Creek to Watson Lake

Since we go for periods without Internet access or phone service, I fall behind in my blog posts.  I think I left off in Delta Junction, AK.  Aside from taking photos of the pipeline and the monument that marks the end of the Alaska Highway, we took photos of a nearby river still thawing from the winter snow.  I hope you can see the blue tint.  The water is the most amazing color. 

It is all so confusing with the change in time and the sky that never darkens that I quickly forget what we did on which day.  I think our itinerary went something like this...
June 15---Anchorage to Fairbanks
June 17---Fairbanks to Beaver Creek (Crossed back into Canada)
I must note at this point that I had started to regret that Jamie and I had spent so much time getting letters of consent notarized so that I could take the children across the border without him being present.  Since we make about 6 border crossings in this trip, we had lots of letters to coordinate for both the US border guards and the Canadian border guards.  We went through 5 border crossings and not one guard expressed any interest in seeing our letters.  They didn't ask me anything about the children.  So, I was thinking that we had wasted our time until the Beaver Creek border guard.  He asked for the letters; he questioned me about the location of the children's father; he wanted to see the rental agreement for the car; and he wanted to know how much cash we had in our possession...which at this point is quite a small amount.  We have one more border to cross...back into the USA. 
June 17----Beaver Creek, Yukon to Whitehorse, Yukon
June 18---Whitehorse, Yukon to Watson Lake, Yukon
June 19---Watson Lake, Yukon to Fort Nelson, BC
June 20---Dawson Creek if we can find a room

Our trip to Whitehorse was uneventful other than that we were all getting tired and a bit cranky.  We did see a moose, however, and that was exciting.  You can never see too many moose.

We stayed in a Best Western in Whitehorse and it felt good to have a decent room.  The kids and I had a few minutes before dinner so we toured a steam wheeler, the Klondike, that was dry docked in a nearby park.  Below is a photo of the kids in the observation room of the Klondike. 

On June 18, we left for Watson Lake.  Again, the scenery was nice, but ordinary compared to earlier scenery.  One standout on this leg of the trip was the George Johnston museum.  It was about the local Indian community and how it was forever changed by the Alaska Highway.  It was such a wonderful museum and so touching. 

Watson Lake...what can I say about Watson Lake except that the first thing you see when entering the town is a license plate forest.  The photo does not do it justice.  The forest goes on for almost an entire block. I can't help but wonder who just happens to have an extra license plate with them when they come to Watson Lake. 

We pulled into town looking forward to our room in A Nice Hotel (there are no chains in this wilderness) and found out that we had to register for our room in the gas station.  Of course, this made sense when we realized that our motel was attached to a derelict building, which was attached to the gas station.  The room was actually very nice, but terribly hot.  AAA needs to know about this!

The kids woke up this morning, June 19, and wanted to call to wish you a Happy Father's Day.  Sadly, we did not have phone service until this afternoon when I called you, just a few miles outside of Fort Nelson.  We had assumed that by this point in our trip you would be with us.  Looking at the photo of our motel last night, however, I'm sure you are glad to miss this part of our adventure.  The kids have already planned their belated Father's Day event.  They even have their presents.

Actually, it is taking us much longer to leave this area than it took us to get to Alaska.  The difference is that we first went to Ketchikan, a very southern portion of Alaska.  Now, our trip is coming from Fairbanks, a much more northern point and we can only go small distances each day to ensure that we have a room for the night. 

After two days of ordinary scenery, we were thrilled to be back in the Northern Rockies and gorgeous scenery.  Our trip from Watson Lake to Fort Nelson was fantastic.  The scenery was so beautiful and we saw lots of wildlife  We were thrilled at every turn in the road. 

Herds of bison graze near the road and occasionally walk across it.

The kids enjoyed swimming in the hot springs in Liard.  It was a ten minute hike from the highway.  The temperature ranged from 100 degrees to 127 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Well, it is getting late so I had better end here.  I am sorry if the posts do not make sense.  I'll try to organize them better when I'm home.  Please just know that we miss you very much.  We all send love to Grandma and Grandpa, too. 

Love you, Elizabeth