Epilogue - Day 61 - Hugs and Goodbyes

“Where is everybody? “  asked Buddy Bear, looking around.

“They all left today,” I answered.

At O’ dark thirty this morning, Spence went to go pick up donuts at Tim Horton’s.  Jim and Betty got up early to start the coffee and yes, sadly, after coffee and donuts this morning, along with lots of hugs and a few tears, everybody is gone but us and our tailgunners.

This morning David proudly diplayed all his newly acquired badges, including Junior Ranger and Junior Biologist.

David with Spence, Betty and Jim

most of the group enjoying coffee and donuts

Sue giving Jim a BIG hug goodbye

Jim taking care of necessary last minute chores

Waving goodbye to Joan and Paul

There goes Jesse and Rita

When you started on this trip it probably seemed like 60 days was a long time.  Amazing how quickly the time went. Spence and I sincerely hope that your trip was everything you dreamed it would be.  We know you have made some lasting new friendships along the way.  We know you saw some amazing things as we traveled and toured through Canada and Alaska.  We hope you take advantage of the blog.  Use it as a way to reminisce about the trip.  We also hope we will see you again somewhere along the road.  It was enjoyable traveling with you and getting to know you. 

Thank you for choosing Adventure Caravans for your trip of a lifetime to Alaska.  Goodbye for now from your Wagonmasters.

And Buddy says “take care of mini-me”.

Spence and Madi Rig #1

Day 60: Travel to Vanderhoof, BC

WOW is all we can say about this trip.  The scenery was superb, weather was great, food was wonderful, and the caravaners were AWESOME.

This is a very sad day for us, because this is our last day of traveling with the Alaska Caravan group.

We started our day as usually this morning by getting up 5:00.  Doing our daily readings and getting our self ready for the day.  What a beautiful day this is.  Blue sky, in the low 70's, and no wind.  Around 7:30, Jim started thumping tires and checking out the RV's. This is what he always does, before anyone travels.  He wants to make sure that the caravaners are starting out with no problems with their rigs.

Jim is Thumping David & Jackie's tires
 

Everyone was out of the park by 10:30 and we were all on our way. The Riverside Golf & RV Park was a nice park to stay.  It was surranded by a golf course and it had large RV sites.

Jim was cleaning our windows before leaving

We never got tired of the beautiful scenery of snow topped mountians, lakes, flowers and trees.  As we travel toward Vanderhoof we are beginning to see a lot more of the fall colors. I was just a little confused because when the growth along side the highway is ugly it is weeds, but when it is beautiful it is flowers. 

Beautiful green trees with the mountain as a background

Pink, green, yellow and orange flowers along side the road

Yellow and green flowers along side the road

Our first stop was in Houston.  Their "Claim to Fame" is the World Largest Fly Fishing Rod. 

World's largest Fly Fishing Rod

Our next stop was Burns Lake.  We had 6 RVer's who were taking a lunch break and were grocery shopping at Overwaitea.  The grocery store got its name because in 1915 they started giving 18 oz of tea and sold it for a pound.  The concept continued and so did the name.

Burns Lake (cute car)

We finally made it to our final destination: Vanderhoof, BC.

Vanderhoof sign

At 5:00 we all left for our farewell dinner together.  We had a great meal and everyone shared what they liked best for the last 60 days.  Now this was something that took a long time for everyone to share.  There were so many things that everyone talked about like:  Seeing the Northern Lights, the Bubble Net Whale Feeding, seeing bears fishing, the trip thru Denali, seeing McKinley, the beauty at Homer & Kenai Peninsula, going fishing, Calgary Stampede, Liard Hot Springs, Banff, drinking glacier water at the Ice Fields, driving the Top of the World Highway, being part of the Fantic Follies and Diamond Tooth Gerties shows, the many boat rides, riding the White Pass & Yukon train,  Palmer, many many socials and how blessed they were to have seen so much with great weather and great fellow RVers. (sorry that we forgot a few of them)

Submitted by Rig #2

Jim and Betty

We would like to especially thank all of guest who took this special adventure with us.  They have made this a very very special time for us, and we will never forget them or the beauty we saw through Canada and Alaska.

Day 59: Smithers, BC

‘Twas a beautiful day in the neighborhood;

A beautiful day in the neighborhood…

What’s that I see??  Glaciers, mountains, rushing rivers, graceful waterfalls, azure lakes, 2 black bears, avalanche gates, falling rock warnings, wood plank bridges, fireweed flowers turned to “cotton”, logging trucks, First Nation villages, totem poles, a bell tower, more mountains…a modern town!

 

Soon after starting out from Stewart Bear Glacier came into view.  Once it reached across the valley where the present road now runs.  The old hwy. can be seen hundreds of feet above the present road.  Not far after that we saw a hanging glacier.

 

Bear Glacier up Close

Bear Glacier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turning south on the Cassiar Hwy (37) we saw the Cassiar Mountain range ahead again.

 

Bear Glacier

 Buddy Bear was a good companion and watched the road for us when he wasn’t trying to catch the smashed insects on the windshield! 

 

Buddy Bear loves to watch the road

 

After passing the main First Nation village of Kitwanga, we turned off on one of the village roads to see St. Paul’s Anglican Church built in 1893 and still standing.  We talked with an 82-yr. old native who has lived there for the past 50 years who told us that the roof on the steeple is still the original roof and wood shingles.   He reminded us that the church was built before they had electricity and all the boards, beams and shingles were hand-cut.  The wooden structure to the right was built about 30 years ago according to him, by volunteers to house the original bell which still rings.  Weddings and other special events are still held at the church, but it is kept locked otherwise to prevent men in the village from going into it to drink.  Those responsible for the church fear it could be carelessly (accidentally) set on fire by them.

 

St. Paul's Anglican Church

 

The totem poles throughout the village are classic examples and are still in their original locations.

First Nation Village of Kitwanga Totem Poles

As we turned onto Yellowhead Hwy (16) toward Smithers we drove along the Coast Mountains and were treated to more awesome views.  

Coast Mountains toward Smithers

Coming into Smithers we passed by the Hudson Bay Mountain & glacier.  Smithers is known for some of the best ski trails around according to our neighbor in the camp, and in the winter the town is hopping with skiers and tourists as well as in the summer.

Hudson Bay Mountain & Glacier

 

After pulling into the Riverside Golf and RV Park and getting settled in, we disconnected our car and drove into town to a car wash to get rid of the dust and dirt! 
 

Dan washing our really really dirty car

 

Gathering for travel briefing, social time, and drawing for prizes took place after everyone was into camp. 

 

Travel Briefing and Social

 

After supper many of us enjoyed playing some yard games like ladder ball and some disc toss games.  A nice ending to a beautiful day—bittersweet as we only have one day left of our wonderful Alaska Caravan!

Game Night

Submitted by Rig # 16

Dan & Nancy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 58: Stewart, BC/Hyder, Alaska

The Communities of Stewart, British Columbia and Hyder, Alaska are located at the head of the 90 mile long Portland Canal.  Today we are Stewart, British Columbia, Canada.  We meet up at Fish Creek Wild Life Observation Point in Hyder, Alaska at 10:30 am for a ride share to Salmon Glacier by way of the Salmon Glacier Road.

Share Ride to Salmon Glacier

 We headed out on the Glacier Highway.  The Glacier Highway traverses through some of the most beautiful scenery in the province.

Traveling to Salmon Glacier

This route provides access to some of BC’s richest reserves of natural resources including copper, gold & silver.  You can observe over 20 glacier formations overlooking the Highway, giving it the name ‘Glacier Highway’

Ivy, George, Tom & Rita checking out the view

Looking down as we travel on the way to the Glacier

More beautiful Scenery along the road

 

 

We arrive at Salmon Glacier from Summit.  The Salmon Glacier, the fifth largest in Canada, is a remnant of that last great age of glaciers.
 

Salmon Glacier



 Another view of Salmon Glacier 

Everyone brought a lunch and we had a nice "Brown Bag Lunch" together.

Brown Bagging it together at Salmon Glacier

Group picture with Salmon Glacier in the background

 

 

 

 







Submitted by Rig # 20

Tom & Penny

 

 

Day 57: Travel to Stewart, BC/Hyder, Alaska

I just want to reiterate, “be careful about swatting flies when Betty is looking for a volunteer!” LOL – This is a travel day from Dease Lake to Stewart, British Columbia (about 242 miles or 390 kilometers). 

The day started out dreary and misty.  As we traveled along Cassiar Highway and the Stewart-Hyder Access Road, we saw rain, clouds covering the mountains, and then the sun peeking through. The road turned out to be one of the best roads we have traveled on even though at times it was curvy and narrow; but a good part of the road was freshly paved and we drove on it as though it was a two-lane freeway. 

 

Another view of the beautiful Mountains & Lakes

 

Mountains looked like they were smoking for the fog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the many bridges we crossed had wood surfaces rather than pavement. We still were stopped by construction, and we saw more mountains, lakes, and fireweed.  The fireweed is now going to seed, but is still majestic with its fiery red leaves. And let us not forget the many waterfalls. If there is a mountain and a crevice, there is a long flowing waterfall.

 

Fireweed -- (When Fireweed goes to cotton, summer is
soon forgotten)

Construction for the one lane bridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped for lunch at Bell II Crossing and delighted in the warm soup and sandwiches. About 20 miles before arriving at our destination, we were treated to a view of Bear Glacier.  At our travel briefing at Bear River RV Park, everyone but two reported seeing black bears during the day; some had as many as 6 sightings!

Bear Glacier

Bell II Crossing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 About 6 pm most of us carpooled to Fish Creek Wildlife Viewing Area which is 3 miles north of Hyder, Alaska; Hyder is next door (but across the border) from Stewart. These towns are located at the head of Portland Canal, a narrow fjord about 90 miles in length. Stewart boasts of being Canada’s most northerly ice-free port.

Hyder Alaska

 Fish Creek, operated by the U.S. Forest Service, has a raised boardwalk for viewing the bears (both grizzly and black) as they fish for salmon in the shallow waters of the creek. What a treat!  We saw many salmon in the crystal clear water; then we saw two bears at separate times as they rustled in the bushes, splashed in the water, walked along the creek and “hunted” for salmon. 

 

 

Bear looking for another Fish

Bear with Fish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our way back to Hyder/Stewart we passed the grand yacht club of Stewart.

Grand Yacht Club of Stewart

 

Submitted by Rig # 13



Jim & Linda