Alaska to lower 48 September 2016

9/16/16 Friday   Alaska/Canada Border 40ish overcast rain

Anchorage to the Canadian Border 400 miles

Topped off propane about 3 gal.

                Cool rainy day up and on the road at 9:30.  The weather was overcast and rain in the morning and off and on during most of the day.  Saw temperatures down to 43 in the higher elevations along the Glenn Hwy.  With the overcast views were not that spectacular but still beautiful with the fall color change.  The colors were mostly bright orange/yellow from the birch trees.  The Glenn Hwy was in pretty good condition, the Tok Cutoff Hwy was over all in fair shape with some areas of gravel.  The graveled areas on the Tok Cutoff were never very long several hundred yards at most but a lot of the graveled areas. 

                I made it to the border at 7:30ish with just a little daylight remaining so I spent the night just past the Alaska entry point before the Canadian Customs.

                                Fried some pink salmon for dinner I am still impressed with the results.  To fry the salmon I lightly coat it with lemon juice and olive oil, a little salt and pepper on the fish then I sprinkle on some cornmeal lightly pat the cornmeal to ensure all of the fish is covered.  I then fry it on a medium heat in a cast iron pan to an internal temperature of about 135-145 degrees. Fixed salad and some pan baked potatoes, onion, and garlic.  Everyone told me that the pink salmon was trash fish and if I did want to try some don’t try and freeze it because it does not freeze well.  I have had several pieces of the pink salmon that I froze and it is good by my standards.  If I would have gotten to Soldotna earlier and got some of the red salmon I may and felt the same about the pink as everyone else but I missed the red salmon run. 

9/17/16 Saturday   Whitehorse/Teslin Yukon 40ish clear

                Canadian Border to Whitehorse area 350 Miles

                The entry into Canada was easy a few basic questions about firearms and how long was I going to be in Canada and I was on my way.

                Up early had coffee and on the road 9:30AM.  Weather is 40ish and clear looks like a great day starting.

                Not much traffic on the Alaskan Hwy this time of the year.  The view south is a lot different view than when coming up to Alaska.  Everything was either orange or green not a lot of shades.

                Kluane Lake in Yukon has some of the most breath taking views.  It was hard to make any time because I was wanting to stop at every bend to take more pictures.  The leaves are in full color mostly orange but beautiful.  There is still snow in the higher elevations so lot of snowcapped mountains.  The weather was good through this part of the travel today.

                Today was an eventful day…plenty of sunshine light traffic…one grizzly and two moose along the road side today.  The grizzly wanted his picture taken but the moose were not sure about the red truck so no pictures of the moose.

                When I stopped for the evening I could smell wine in the camper.  I thought…this is not good…one of my bottles of red wine in the cabinet broke today one bump was just too much.  It did not make too much of a mess and all glass was contained in the sock I kept it in.  The wine was easily cleaned up.  But before the wine the lower cabinet doors on right side popped open not a problem but a little challenge to get them closed to allow the slide to open.

9/18/16 Sunday         Watson lake/Disease Lake   Mid 40’s clear 55 partly cloud

                350 Miles

                Dumped gray water tanks today in Nugget City at the campground next to Hwy 37 Junction Fuel Stop $15.00 they had no potable water this late in the season…they had pretty much closed down for the season.

                I may catch up with Bill and Kathy today.  Last time I texted they were in the Watson Lake area and I will make that today.  I send a text…did not get an answer so I assume they have no cell service.

                A little rain and sleet as I got on the Cassiar Hwy in Nugget City YT.  Most of the day was clear and cool beautiful day.

                The scenery today was not as spectacular as yesterday there was plenty of great scenery just not the same as yesterday.  The best views/photo opts were after I got onto the Cassiar Hwy.  But the Cassiar Hwy is narrow and does not have a lot of pull off options.

                Stopped for the night in a rest stop on a bluff overlooking a lake with granite mounts on the other side of the lake. As I was eating I looked out and a rainbow had formed up against the granite mountains across the lake.

                Noticed that the trim strip on the bottom of main slide rear wall was loose.  It felt like some swelling and bowing caused the screws to break and/or pull out.

                Wildlife for today was a small whitetail deer no horns.  Two cyclist one on the Alaskan Hwy and a lone female on the beginning of the Cassiar Hwy headed right into sleet/rain and some killer hills.

9/19/16 Monday         Houston BC Rest area 40ish overcast  55 mostly clear some rain

                Watson Lake to Houston BC 500 miles

                The Cassiar Hwy was a beautiful drive the road was in good condition with lots of great views.  The only problem was not a lot of photo opportunities with limited pull off areas.  The road have little to no shoulder for the most part.

                Saw one black bear but no picture no should to pull onto and lots of curves and hills.

                Stopped at one campground and paid $20 for a dump and potable water.  Once I got to dump station there was no potable water.  The attendant then told me…we have no potable water???  I got my money back and moved on to Smithers BC CA city park and got free potable water.  In the end all was well.

                Spent the night at a rest stop just before Houston BC CA.  Lots of traffic until about midnight.  Several truckers shared the area with us but no engine idling during the night.

9/20/16 Tuesday           Cache Creek BC CA  35 clear  60 partly cloudy

                Houston BC to Cache Creek BC 400 miles

                Spend the night a River View Campground in Cache Creek.  Dumped tanks and topped off potable water.  The campground sites were small but it was a well maintained and clean campground ($28).

                Traffic was a little heavier today but not bad.  I had a little rain in several areas but never very heavy or for very long.  Fuel prices dropped to as low as .98 per liter and up to 1.15 per liter.

                Got a chance this morning to look at the loose trim on the main slide.  It looks like the wall and floor is separating.  I called Orvan Fry to confirm my appointment they are looking at available dates and will get back with me.  They requested that I send a list of items.  Send emails to Cedar Creek Warranty department and Orvan Fry (Amish Family RV Services).

9/21/16 Wednesday  Puyallup WA Fairground  45-55 clear

                Cache Creek BC to Puyallup WA 350 miles

                Another beautiful day clear and cool.  I left the fall colors in the north country and not seeing any color change in the southern part of Canada.  One surprise I did get was the Frasier River in Canada.  Most of the day’s drive followed the river.  The river was in a gorge as I rode through the mountains.  The distance down to the river was probably 50-200 feet guesting as I viewed the river during the day.  I got a few pictures but it was limited opportunities when driving thru I probably should have found a place and stayed a few days…maybe next time thru.

The entry into the US was easy a few questions and a comment about not seeing many SD plates and I was free to enter.

                Send email to Nick Hale and Orvan Fry on the main slide problem.

                Otto has reserved me a site at the Puyallup City Fairground for 3 days.  Got into Puyallup about 7:30 and had a heck of a time finding the fairground campground.  The state fair was in the startup mode.  Streets were blocked and other with limited turns and lots of people on the streets both driving and walking.  I had to make two u-turns.  I made it to the campground with no tickets or running over anyone.  Once there the host rushed me to this site and when I told him I had 3 slides that extend 3’ each he shook his head…and said this is going to be tight.  The trailers were stacked in with inches of clearance between units.  I decided one night will be enough here.