Jim & Mary Anne's Northern Adventure

I can see it now: fifty or so CIs all in a row and surrounded by ravenous polar bears. A year plus of dinners in a can, or as Jim calls them: meals on wheels.

On the brighter side, we would look great crossing the border into Canada (Aeh).

Monument Valley is wonderful. We were there in April of this year and will be going back for a longer stay soon.

Enjoy your adventure and keep us all posted.

Camp On,

Jim and Sue

 

Here are three more "installments", finally got to a campground with WiFi (not free). We are now some 3500 miles into our trip, our CI (Nepenthe) has performed perfectly. Having a wonderful time.
Note: These are short blogs we send to family and friends so some references to past events and conversations may not be completely understandable to this forum. Also, my duct tape repair of the side tent is still holding up but I did get a tent repair kit so am waiting for a non-travel day to lay it all out and do it properly.

Day 8 & 9 Glacier National Park
Drove north (always north) from Wolf Creek, Mt. To the east entrance to the park and stayed at Johnson's RV campground, an excellent suggestion from our friends in idaho Falls.  Practically empty, they put us in the back in an area of Aspens  between a series of beaver ponds and a meadow said to be frequented by a moose and her calf.   I've never had moose nor am I sure our pepper spray would be the ideal weapon but nonetheless we never saw either of them.  The wind was fierce so I made sure our side tent was well staked down with guys from the poles as well.  We hiked around and did laundry but saved GNP for the next day.  Eating dinner that night i kept hearing bells ringing.  Could not tell where the sound came from with the wind so went hiking  down near the ponds and as they got louder we finally saw four horses grazing lazily along the far side of the ponds.  The wind blew all night as if all the air in the world had to be somewhere else and was late.  As mentioned before the Going To The Sun road was closed but the first 13 miles were open so we had a lazy morning exploring what we could.  When we got back to camp we found the side tent torn on top along a seam from the wind.  We took it down to try to repair later after the wind died down.  Since the tent was down and we were leaving early in the morning we packed up everything else before going to bed.  It rained all night long and was still a light drizzle in the morning.  The tent would have been nice but it will be easier to "fix" if it is dry.  On to Canada today with Banff as the goal.  

Days 10 & 11 Banff, Canada
After a Father's Day breakfast of eggs, sausage and pancake (1 because 1 fills a plate) we took off for the short ride to the border.  Once there the Mounty and I adopted the U.S. military policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" regarding the bear spray and we were on our way.  We followed the "Cowboy Trail" (Hwy. 6 & 22) to Longview and then took the scenic route to Banff on the 40/541.
Had to argue with Jill (our GPS "voice" is named Jill by Garmin so we call her Gypsy Jill) for awhile but perseverance and control of the on/off switch persuaded Jill to look on it as a learning experience and go our way.  Further and longer but well worth it.  Snow along side of the road with skiers coming down alongside.  Mountain sheep all over the road licking up what we hoped was salt and a Moose contemplating a quick crossing.  Pulled into the Tunnel Mt. Campground on the edge of Banff and set up the trailer.  We had performed battlefield surgery on the side tent that morning (duct tape and seam sealer) and after some final adjustments got everything set-up.  It then started to rain as it had been, off and on, all day.  So we hopped in the truck and went into town to a brew pub that had recently opened to fill up on anti-freeze and watch the US Open.  Walked all over Banff that evening and everything we had heard about how beautiful it is proved to be true.  Surrounded on all sides by snow capped mountains it is a small pocket of perfection.  Spent today, Monday 6/18, again roaming around (still raining off and on) with one of the highlights being the First Nation museum.  It is run by the local tribes and has some great exhibits of Indian life and lifestyles both before and after the arrival of "Europeans".  The general tone we got was that Canada treated their native population much better then did the United States (and still does).  Accommodated rather than, at best, reluctantly tolerated.  Sorry for the preaching but this is a sore point with me.  Oh yes, we have all seen campground washrooms with signs stating  "No washing of dishes".  Here the signs say "No dishwashing, cooking or sleeping".  On to Lake Louise in the morning with Jasper a day or two after that.  

Days 12 & 13, Jasper & Grand Prairie via Lake Louise

Where Banff is a beautiful symphony by the Count or Duke, Lake Louise is a sweet tenor solo by Lester Young (I'm listening to them all now).  We left Banff and bypassed Hwy. 1 instead taking the Bow Valley Parkway to Lake Louise.  A mama bear and her cub by the road required a stop as did various small herds of Elk.  A wonderful drive where which ever direction you look is a "look at that" moment.  Wish you could all be with us to share the experience.  The Japanese seem to take all their friends, why can't we?  We thought we might stay near the lake but when we got there found the only place BY the lake was the MASSIVE Fairmont Hotel.  Nonetheless, the lake is everything I had ever heard about, a small slice of absolute perfection.  We continued on to Jasper (both the NP and the town) by way of the Ice Fields Parkway.   Because of the snow we didn't get to give Glacier NP an honest look but we were told that only 20 or so of the original 120+ glaciers remain and that they are getting quite small.  We only saw two.  Perhaps they didn't melt, they may have moved to Alberta.  One glacier after another and all feeding the lakes and rivers that The Parkway winds through on the way to Jasper.   This is now in my top "five" of all time great roads and "no, I don't remember what the other four are at the moment".   We camped in the Park only 3km from the town and, because it started raining (AGAIN) after we got setup, we went to town to get some dinner.  As luck would have it we (AGAIN) found a local microbrew pub and settled in to watch the end of basketball as a sport.  I may not be able to watch our Lakers but I cannot watch Lebron at his best.  Today was a driving day, nor by east through Grand Cache to Grand Prairie.  Caribou everywhere, especially on the road.  Herds of women and children with singular males showing off their "nice racks".  Ain't that a switch?  Now in a nice campground in Grand Prairie about to barbecue some lamb.  Passed up the free Bison barbecue down the road for a hot shower.  Life is strange "on the road".
Jim & Mary Anne

 

Wow, what an adventure. We have GOT to go that way. Jim's family is from Canada (Aeh) and we are going to follow the ancestral route, hopefully next summer. Keep writing, we're getting some grand ideas.

AND YOU SAW MOOSE!!! I'm so jealous!

Camp On,

Sue and Jim

 

Met a couple in a camp ground in Grand Prairie that only caught a quick glimpse of one in their rear view mirror. It was immediately after the moose ran across the road behind their truck and ran into their travel trailer. They said the whole rig shuddered and bounced. The moose continued on his slightly dazed way leaving a big dent in the trailer.
Jim & Mary Anne

 

I'm enjoying your story and stunned by the drive you have ahead. Where you are now is going to look like a metropolis compared to where you are going.

Moose are probably the biggest driving hazard you'll have there, especially at night. My brother came within inches of one last summer.

 

I know deer can really make a mess of your car. Colliding with a moose must be like getting nailed by a wrecking ball. I'm surprised that travel trailer wasn't folded in half.

Be safe, have fun and keep writing.

Sue

 

Many have been killed by moose collisions in these parts. Beware, grill guards are good to have but will do little to protect you from a good size moose if you hit one square at speed. The legs get taken out and the body may end up in your lap.
Don't mean to be a buzz kill, hope to go on a journey like yours someday.

Keep us posted, J&B

 

In Alaska once, someone told me that most accidents involving moose are fatal. When you hit a moose the car knocks its legs out from under it, and 1500 lbs of moose comes through the windshield. Not a good thing.

 

I did have a "monster" grill guard installed, it almost lifts the rear wheels off the ground but it does give our F150 some ATTITUDE. I wrote something about this earlier but with as much as 300 miles between towns with services and no cell phone coverage you must try and save the radiator so you can limp backwards or forwards to help. Anyway, no moose (meese?). Or Caribou either, those are also big tall suckers.
Jim & Mary Anne

 

Curious, what brand/model grill guard do have? Picture? PM if you like.

Thanks, J&B

 

Days 14 & 15, Dawson Creek,

Here is the next installment on our journey, basically just an R & R day before moving on.
We are here at last, Mile 0 of the Alaska Hwy.  used to be the "ALCAN" Hwy., at least that was what I had always heard it called, the locals just call it "The Road".      General Billy Mitchell told the U.S. Congress in 1935, "I believe that in the future, whoever holds Alaska will hold the world. I think it is the most important strategic place in the world."  With the war underway and Mitchell's words ringing in their ears the ROAD was started in March of 1942 right here in Dawson Creek.  In June of 1942 the Japanese invaded and occupied Attu and Kiska in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands which may have created a certain sense of urgency because this entire road was finished by September or October of that same year.  We visited a museum today with many photographs of the building of the road and found it fascinating.  For the record, my father was in the Navy during the war and was one of the Beach Masters during the retaking of Attu and Kiska in May 1943.  Our guide book (one of very many) says that this is the last really large population center before Whitehorse with over 75,000 people in a 25 mile radius.  It also says it is the HUB for travel to and from Northern Canada and Alaska with over 100,000 people stopping here throughout the summer months.  It works for us.  Repairs to tents, shopping for supplies, laundry and showers, rest.  We were both surprised at how big and accommodating Dawson Creek is.  We are off tomorrow heading, you guessed it, NORTH to around Fort Nelson.  The art festival in Inuvik doesn't start until 7/12 so we are well ahead of schedule.  We may alter our route and drop down to Skagway from Whitehorse rather than doing so on the way back.  We want to follow the Gold Rush trails from Skagway to Dawson City and it looks like we have the time to do so now rather than after Inuvik.  We also plan to make a couple of two day stops at some lakes and rivers to just sit and fish once past Fort Nelson.  Gas and food are very expensive.  Paid $1.29 a liter today which is $4.90 a gallon.  The exchange rate (US/Canadian) is basically 1:1.  We anticipated all this but it is still jarring.  Beautiful weather, no rain showers yet.  Steaks and corn on the "Barbie", ice for cocktails in the cooler.  Life is tough but the tough cope.  
Jim and Mary Anne

 

J&B,
The shop where I had the grill guard installed only had a few on display but 4 or 5 catalogs of all sorts of add on equipment. With the owner's help I went with the RANCHER model from GO Industries. He ordered it and had it there in less than a week. Around $600 installed.
Jim & Mary Anne

 

Days 16 & 17,
..
Tetsa River and Muncho Lake

Well here is our next update, this time from Muncho Lake, BC. We were going to leave today for Watson Lake but decided to extend our stay here one more day in order to go soak for a while in the Laird Hot Springs. Just as we were getting setup to make dinner last night it started to rain. Then it poured for well over an hour. Every thing was soaked (chairs, screen tent, side tent, etc.) so we walked up to the lodge here and had a very nice dinner. Cary, the "grommeted" corners of the side tent could use some reinforcement. Any side wind puts tremendous force on those corners which is really amplified if the rain cover is installed. The wind gets under the rain cover (think spinnaker on a sailboat) and all the stress is concentrated in those corners. Mary Anne's sewing and patch repair held up, no further damage, but it is a weakness. One other thing, please stock the store with an elastiized black out cover to fit over the outside of the Fantastic Vent cover. We are only in BC and it never gets dark. Perhaps a little "dim" from about midnight untill 2:00 but never dark. It will get worse further north. We bought some blackout material and Velcro strips and will make that work but it has to be on the outside in order to keep the fan available.

Anyway, here is the last trip report I sent out.

Leaving Dawson Creek we drove north and west on Hwy 97, THE Alaskan Highway.  Everything you have heard is true, well maybe not everything, but about the Alaskan Hwy. almost certainly.  Bears, Moose (saw three this morning), Mountain Sheep (Stone Sheep?), Caribou, Elk, Deer.  Not sure I can tell the difference between elk and caribou but the "locals" seem to feel it is important.  Stayed at a small private camp on the Tetsa River last night that we drove into motivated more by fear than logic.  When we got to Fort Nelson, the first major town after Dawson Creek, we had already decided to go beyond it to a more rustic, quiet location, but I was down to less than a half tank of gas and that puts travelers in this part of the world on alert.  But the three gas stations we saw in Fort Nelson were FULL of big RVs filling up and waiting in a long line is not one of my strong points. Like George C. Scott in Patton, I want to hop out and start to MANAGE the entire process.  Rather than stand there and point out everyone's shortcomings I chose to drive on.  Besides, the posted price was $1.50 a liter.  That is almost $6.00/Gal.  Well, a mere hundred miles further on and with the next "settlement" about another 100 miles, at least on our maps, we stopped at the first gas pump we saw.  I'm so smart, this was $1.69 a liter.  It was also a "Camp" and they had some nice camp sites for our Raindrop so that is where we stayed the night.  Besides, the owner was also a baker and made fresh bread and sticky buns every morning.  Went down to the Tetsa river to fish and met a small group of Indians (I have been given to understand that the term First Nation people is preferred but little used by anyone but the "Government") who were also fishing. After a half hour of casting and retrieving with not even a nibble, I approached them to ask how they were doing and what they were using?  They informed me they were about to resort to throwing rocks as nothing they were doing worked and they had been there for over an hour.  Their advice was to go to the supermarket back in Fort Nelson and buy a fish.  It would be already cleaned and filleted and much cheaper.  Oh well, I still had 7 days left on my fishing license so perhaps down the road a piece.  After delicious sticky buns and coffee in the morning we drove on to our current location on the shore of Muncho Lake.  If you have Google Earth look for the Northern Rockies Resort.  Excellent small trailer sites right on the lake with all the resort amenities in and around a very picturesque lodge.  Gas here costs $1.85/liter but you get $0.20 off per liter if registered.  What a bargain.  Ok, no more about fuel costs, it is just too depressing.    We are going to stay here two nights leaving on Tuesday, June 26 for Watson Lake and then on to Whitehorse.  As we said before, we are ahead of schedule for Inuvik so we will turn south from Whitehorse and explore all the gold rush stuff around Skagway and perhaps take the little train over the White Pass (a parallel route next to the Chilcoot Pass trail that the gold rushers also took).  We intend to take a bit of a circle route through Alaska back to Whitehorse before heading north again for Dawson City.  All is well, all our equipment is working perfectly, most certainly our beautiful little trailer.  It still acts like a human salt lick at every stop we make with the same questions over and over.  Where did you get it?  How much does it cost (I always find that rude)? Can you stand up?  Does it "pop up"?  Does it have a toilet?   Then I start to point out all the positives including getting 15 MPG with our truck, I can turn around almost anywhere, I can fit it in almost anywhere, it is totally independent (propane, electrical and water) for up to a week and it fits in one side of my garage.  If we have time we show them the galley and the cabin and how perfectly everything "nests" together with regards to the ice chest, tables and stove.  When in camp and they see the side tent attached many doubts fade away.  We have been setting up our 10 X 10 REI screen room when space and time permits.  That may well save our sanity I believe, these mosquitoes seemingly have not been fed in a long time.  DEET works but they still insist on swarming around looking for a chink in our armor. 
Jim & Mary Anne
 

 

Love the description of the CI as a human salt lick! That had us howling! These little shiny nestlings are also silly question magnets, but you already know that.

We've had lots of folks ask the price. Yes, that is rude, but nowadays I think most people no long have a sense of boundaries and don't realize when they have stepped over the line of propriety (for "stepped" read trampled). No problem: for the pricing question-unless they are a serious potential client-we simply refer them to the web site.

Well, that was off the tract! Back to your glorious adventure. Great descriptions and good info (especially about the sticky buns). Keep it up, please. And enjoy the moose!

Camp On,

Sue

 

I've had 3 requests for price in 3 days: in Idaho 2 and in Oregon today.

 

I had a lot of price questions on the trip. Folks that were serious, I felt comfortable saying. I got a little uneasy telling folks who were 'just curious'. Several apologized for asking. I usually explain that they're custom built, so the prices vary. Folks with interest usually say something like, "man, with everything here, and the beauty of the trailer, I figured it would around there!" The less serious usually give me a "wow, you can get them cheaper other places." In my mind, we are going to be using this for at least 30 years. We wanted something that had everything we needed and we got it. We never need anything else. Different strokes, for different folks!

 

Here are some quotes you could share with people who are surprised at the cost of a CI:

"You get what you pay for."

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten." B. Franklin

But seriously, in regard to the question of price, tell people they start at about $8,000 & each one is hand built to order, so the price will vary from there depending on what options you need/want (or how fancy you want to get) & then refer them to the website for specific pricing.

I don't think that most are being rude; I would say that because they have not seen anything quite like it, they are more curious. Frame of reference has everything to do with it. People who do custom work for a living or hobby (woodworking, sheet metal, building boats or street rods, etc.), will see the detail to workmanship & understand the value of it. So will people who realize the quality difference between mass manufactured RVs & a hand crafted one.

I've never thought much about it when asked the price but then, it's our business, so I expect it.

Craig thinks peoples are so overwhelmed with curiosity, amazement & questions that their entire sense of social etiquette breaks down. Any product that has the ability to draw people in & create that kind of curiosity is bound to be a hit. :grin:

Unfortunately, it's the price you pay (pun intended) for owning a CI.

 

Here is the next "installment" of the blog we send to our family, it is not written specifically for this forum hence the lack of a lot of trailering information. In that regard our 560 has performed perfectly. I did get a small gauge to mount on the propane tank periodically and after three weeks on the road this trip and two other trips of over a week each before this it is finally down near the bottom of the green band. Not out of it yet, definitely not in the Yellow "think about it" band. That is generally two meals a day and the heater occasionally at night for short periods of time. Water tight, dust tight and can take the roughest roads. The TIMEX of trailers, takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. We are now in Haines Alaska but leaving in the morning to again begin heading north. Here is the last report we sent:

Days 18 - 21 Muncho Lake to Skagway, Alaska and on to Haines Alaska


In my last report I said we were leaving Muncho Lake last Tuesday but we decided it was such a great place that we would stay another day so on Tuesday we drove up the road a bit to soak for a couple of hours in the Laird Hot Springs. There are actually two springs there with the first being a little over a 1/4 mile in from the parking lot and the second, upper pool about the same distance again. It turns out the upper pool has been closed "permanently" by the Park Service to protect the endangered Red Snail. They are undoubtedly endangered, everyone we talked to that had been to the upper pools in the past had never seen one or even heard of them. At any rate the lower pools were great and we had a wonderful time. The temperature varies from one end being way to hot for anyone to just warm at the other. We started in the middle and gradually worked our way to "lobster red". You get there walking on a boardwalk across a surreal marsh of strange plants and ferns fed from the runoff of the pools. Information signs tell you that the grazing animals, particularly the moose, seek this area to replenish their mineral uptake which the plants store in abundance. Didn't see any that day, at least not there. We assumed the we're with the snails. On the way to the springs that morning however we did see two bears, a small group of Rock Sheep, a moose, an eagle and a lot of bison. These bison are much bigger than our Plains bison, the males are absolutely huge. We talked to some people that worked at the lake and they confirmed our observation. They called them "Woods" bison. Maybe they were just better fed but they they are something to see and to avoid annoying.

The next morning we left for Watson Lake, Yukon Territory continuing on our way along the Alaska Hwy. it was only a few hours drive to our "new" lake and we took a break to drive up a one "lane" road to the Rancheria River Falls. Gravel and dirt with big holes and large humps and no where to turn around so of course we met two vehicles coming out. With a bit of rearranging we managed to get around each other but I know they thought us crazy to pull the trailer in there. But she did fine, and at the falls there was plenty of room to turn around. We did however also rearrange a number of things in the galley. For the record the falls were ok but only that. Anyone taking this route can forego this little adventure.

We have been getting information from a lot of people that a number of large "caravans" of RVs were somewhere just behind us. That extra day in Muncho put two of them right on top of us. The park we stayed in at Watson Lake was filled up that night with one group of over 40 and another of 20+. Nothing small, believe me. The people all wear name tags and have big signs in their windows. I suppose that is so they can remember who they are, which group they are in and which RV is theirs. I cannot imagine being herded along and regulated like that. We go where we want, when we want. We make mistakes but we also stumble into little adventures and discoveries that are priceless. The RV park in Watson Lake where we stayed is not pretty, it is however very functional. The "supermarket is right across the street, we simply pushed the cart back with our supplies. A bank and post office are right around the corner with the Signpost Village just beyond. The Camp Inn license plate we were going to put our names on and nail up is still sitting on my workbench but we did have the nail. Oh well, maybe next time. In the morning we set or sights on Skagway with the idea we would stop sooner if we felt like it. For the first time we didn't see any wildlife of consequence. The two hitchhikers looked wild but I was sure the had been domesticated at some point in their lives.

Pulled into Skagway after paying off the US Border guards with two suspicious tomatoes. There are three "RV" parks in Skagway. One was a big open lot with everyone parked side by side and it was almost full. The second is down on the bay front but was full except for another overflow area which really was a parking lot and the wind was fierce down there. The third was at the end of town along the railroad tracks in a pleasant stand of trees. We walked around near the office but all the campsites we saw were very small and had neither power or water. When we talked to the lady she showed us the park map and where she could put us to have both water and power and still be reasonably close to the washrooms. We took it paying for two nights and drove in. Have you seen those pictures of "homeless" encampments on the outskirts of a town or city? We just lived in one for two nights. Abandoned buses and trailers, patched together hooches made of tents, trailers, wood and the ubiquitous blue plastic sheeting. My immediate thought was Liz Taylor's line in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, "What a dump". But immediately a group of young men came out from around an old truck they were working on and welcomed us. Turns out they, and most of the other "residents", were working in town for the 4 month summer trying to earn a years wages. Many worked two jobs and we met them again all over town. They were great, they really were and we felt very comfortable and safe there. Besides, they were essentially locals who knew everything about Skagway. The best food, the honest stores, all the stuff travelers like us have to learn the hard way. Skagway is an odd place, very small with one main street up the center that most people never get off. It is lined with jewelry stores with an emphasis on diamonds and tanzanite, art shops with greatly inflated prices and dozens of gift shops all filled with the same junk. Why? Because up to four huge cruise ships come in early in the morning each day and disgorge up to 10,000 "wealthy" shoppers from all over the world. But, by 7:00 in the evening they are gone and the real Skagway comes to life. We loved it then. We asked our neighbors if we could get some Asian food in town. Turns out the Chef in a little restaurant on a side street had gone to a cooking school in Thailand. Some of the best I have ever had. Having read quite a bit about the 98 Gold Rush we spent most of our time educating ourselves further about it. We even took the train to the top of White Pass following the old trail including Dead Horse Gulch where over 3000 horses died on this steep narrow trail in just one year. We even got to a half hour power point presentation on Jack London's life here and in the Yukon. It was all good. Left yesterday (Saturday) on the short ferry ride to Haines which is where we are now finishing this. The salmon run has just started and we hope to see the bears and eagles. Will drive up the river this morning to some recommended places.

A quick update, we did go up the river this morning and spent a lot of time with two grizzly bears feeding on roots and things on the bank of the river. The salmon are running but they come in waves and we are in a lull apparently. Oh well, we saw the Griz.
I will put a picture album together when we get back and post it in the appropriate section of the forum.
Jim & Mary Anne

 

Fantastic! What an adventure you are having. Meeting the locals is the best. Small town folk are usually so friendly and helpful. We've found that so true on our journeys. Enjoy and keep the updates coming. Love the way you tell a story.

Sue and Jim

 

thanks for the update, Jim and Mary Anne - fascinating! Kathy