Part 2 Our Alaska Trip

6/5/19 We finally arrived in Hood River at 3:04. It was a long trip. We

parked at Terry Benton’s house. He was king enough to let us stay again
with him. It was good to see him again. Got to meet his brother Paul and
his wife Mika. They had just bought a travel trailer and were going to test
it out. We had a nice supper and visit. Also had a little accident there as
well. Was trying to tell Terry not to get rapped up in the leash on Daisy and
while I telling him I got the leash around my ankles and fell on knee and
elbow. Think knee is swelling and a little soar. Daisy is enjoying running
around the yard again. Weather getting cooler here.

6/6/19 Weather did get cooler overnight. Paul and Mika leaving today to
test out their new camper. Harlan’s package is coming today as well. We
had left papers of shot records we might need to give at the border when
we enter Canada. They came on time. Duke cooked a great dinner and
Terry’s family came over and we ate well and had a nice visit. Terry has a
great family and the cutest grand kids.

6/7/19. Woke up today and it was cold. Daisy has loved the huge yard
she has got to run in. She has stayed mostly by the gate because to the
birds around there. She’s having a grand ole time. We have to make sure
to put her up before the gate opens for a car. She would have run out to
catch the birds and we may not have seen her again. But everything
worked out ok. She comes when Dad calls and we were able to get her
before the gate opened.

We saw some friends of Duke’s who had two show dogs that were English
Setters. They were just adorable. She takes them to competitions all the
time. We had an English Setter for 15 years. Daisy got along well with
them.

6/8/19 Spent a lot of time together here at Terry’s. Had a big family
gathering of friends and Terry’s family. One of his friends made a great
Manhattan Drink. I had never had one before but this was good. He does
something different than the typical Manhattan. We had a lot of laughs
and stories.

6/9/19. This will be our last day here in Hood River. We will be leaving
tomorrow. Harlan’s fixing his brisket for tonight. Terry out with friends.
Doing washing now. Last night here. Got a wonderful tour through his
house. This is his mom’s house where they grew up. It is huge and from
the back has a gorgeous view of the mountains. You would not know it
was that big looking at it from the front. Daisy has had run of the yard but
needs to be in RV when gate opens. Everything has worked out ok. We
have had a wonderful time. Terry has a great family and we have enjoyed
visiting with him.

6/10/19 Left Terry’s heading toward the border to Canada. Have stopped
a rest stop in Washington State along the way to eat. The roads are terrible
going through the Yukon. They are very bumpy, up and down, not much
straight lanes. We finally got to the border. Stopped at duty free store to
get Canadian Cash. Long line at border. Went thru but ended up in wrong
gate. Had to disconnect and back up. We needed passport and driver’s
license. Told them the guns we had and they accepted it. Didn’t come
inside RV to inspect it. Didn’t ask about pets so didn’t need to see the
papers. After a wait said everything ok and we hooked back up and left.
We are 1800 miles from Tok Alaska. We are staying over night at the Tom
Horton’s store lot. There was another truck there. It’s 8:20 pm here not
dark yet but great weather so far.

6/11/19 Getting ready to head out in Canada. This is OKennoggen Valley

wine country. See lots of wineries here. Okennoggen Lake was a beautiful
lake that went on and on for miles. Then the forest went up and up until
we were at the top of the mountain it seemed. Wish I knew what the
elevation was. Loon Lake is around here somewhere. Going thru Merrit in
Canada looking for a grocery store but didn’t find one. Going up a
Mountain and it looks like we are in the clouds. Finally saw sign that said
5000 ft. high. Saw another huge lake for miles as we go around the
mountain. I think it was Tunkwa Lake. Stopped into Case Creek to get
groceries also getting gas for Chevy. Leaving and crossed over Bonapart
River and back on Highway 97. We had been traveling a lot so we
stopped at Ten Mile Lake Provincial Park to stay overnight. It was quiet
here, but were told only could run generator between 6-8pm and 9-11am.
Well we had pulled in about 8 pm.

6/12/19 Had good nights sleep but could hear the birds chirping.Left then
pulled into Woodpecker Park and ate breakfast. Heading on down the
road. We went thru Prince George and pulled into Fort Fraizier for gas.
Stopped a rest stop to eat lunch then headed to Houston. A little tidbit
there are 3 Houstons: Houston, Texas-Houston, British Columbia, and
Alaska. We headed to the one in British Columbia. Houston had a big lake
thru it but a small-town. We got stopped at Telkwa because working on
road. We have been a lot of places that they are working on the road.
Most of the towns are by a lake and woods. You can even see snow on the
mountains. It’s raining on the mountain and we’re getting rain on the road
as well. As we were going down the road we saw a small Black Bear
cross the road ahead of us. Rain Stopped and got very sunny at 6:15 here.
We pulled in another provincial park but had no pull throughs to park.
Trying to find another Rest Stop.

6/13/19 Found one and slept overnight there. Headed out at 7:00 going
along river. We saw a bear at the side of the road. We have seen 3 so far.
The clouds are sitting on top of the mountain as well as coming down the
mountains. Stopped at a rest stop that said snow avalanche area. Since
1974 there have been 710 avalanches some reaching the highway. Duke
saw a man on the side of the road on his elbow trying to hitch hike.
Heading on down the road. It’s unusual to see clouds covering and going
down the mountains. It’s reaching to the tops of the trees going down the
mountain. Road going through forest with rivers and some lakes to the
side. We saw our 4th Black Bear very large crossing the road. We
stopped at Dease Lake,BC largest Northern Lake Trout Fishing Derby,
June 28th-June 30th. North of Dease Lake a brown bear was walking
across the road as well as a Lynx cat. With Brown Bear we’ve seen 5
bears. We are following another huge and long lake as we progress on the
highway. Stopped at rest stop and when left saw our 6th Black Bear. Just
passed another lake and saw 2 moose in it. We came into Jade City,BC
and stopped there. Didn’t know Jade was so expensive. Got some other
stones and healing stone chart. On the road again and passing forest of
dead trees due to fire. The forest went on for miles burned on both sides
of Cassier Highway. Wonder how long it lasted to burn so much land. We
are still seeing burned land a long highway. Left B. C. and in the Yukon.
Have turned on to the Alaskan Highway in the Yukon. It is called the Alcan
Highway. We are at 2600 elevation. We were stopped at construction site
on the Alcan Highway. Other lane seems to get to go by first, then we
started finally going slowly. Truck ahead kicking up a lot of dust. Finally
pulled around the truck. Road still bumpy. Pulled over to rest stop to stay
for the night. We are 4000 miles from home. I need to look up Alaska
Nellie and her story. Found Alaska Nellie in Anchorage, will pick it up
when we get there. Been having a great visit with our cousin Duke.

6/14/19 Still have no service here. There are a lot of places we will be
going with no cell or wifi service to keep in contact. Writing the story when
I can. Left rest stop at 8:15 and headed to Whitehorse to get fuel,
groceries, etc. Duke saw a lot of rabbits along the grass at side of road.
Back on ruff road in the Yukon again. Turns into smooth road down the
way. Had cell service for a short time. Tried to send a message to Ray
don’t know if he got it or not. Pulled into a rest stop and me a couple with
a golden retriever from Waco, Texas. Took picture of mountain that looked
like a picture of a bear face. Entered Whitehorse and bought groceries
and had KFC Chicken for lunch. Now headed back up to Alaska.
Stopped in Haines Junction at Top Spot gas station. The parking brake
we had fixed isn’t working. We need a choke to put behind the wheels
when stopped. Daisy escaped out the door while I had my foot on the
brake. Didn’t see her inside or out, but then saw her with Duke and Harlan.
When Harlan called her, she came to him but it still scared me. We
continued down the road to Alaska and Harlan saw an awning on the side
of the road. Heading down the highway The St. Ilease Mountains are just
beautiful. Now seeing a dusty road ahead. As we travel around a lake dust
is being kicked up ahead of us. More of the white dust was at the U turn
we made, but not so much now. It almost looks like smoke coming up
from the water. This lake is huge. We found another Provincial Park and
found 1 place, but would have been tough to get out if someone had
parked ahead of us. We saw a site just ahead of us that had more room,
but as pulled out trees scraped the sides. Now in site with more room and
can put out slides and it has a clear path to exit. We got here a 6:45.

6/15/19. Leaving site a 9:15am and heading for Tok Alaska. They had said
bears roam this campground but didn’t see any, however we did see a
moose along the road to Tok. We pulled into another rest stop and in front
of the RV was this huge black bird, a Raven I think. Daisy was pointing it,
but it then flew away. Left and continued on and was coming up to the
border at Alaska. I had fallen and hit my head, so I was in the chair with
an ice pack on my head. I have a nasty bump but the ice pack is helping it
go down. They said the rug slipped and I fell backwards and hit my head
on the wood at the front. I don’t remember falling on my back but a have
a lump to prove it. We came to the crossing back into USA, but I was not
sitting where the crossing guard could see me. I was in the chair leaning
against the table with the ice pack on my head. Harlan gave them our
passports, but the guard had to put a face with the 3rd passport. So she
came into the RV to check. After that we were good to go. We continued
on to Tok and pulled into the Tok RV Village site 810. We were leaking fluid
and Harlan and Duke checked it out. It was coolant that was leaking. We
met some nice people here. Checked to see if they had the Alaska Nellie
book. They didn’t but I bought some nice DreamCatcher earrings. Slept
good but head still hurts some. Very nice weather here. We are going to
stay another day.

6/16/19 We had seen the Blue Aspens and Birch trees going down the
road to Tok. Today they went grocery shopping. This was the first day of
constant rain. Dad worked on something and locked the keys to the car
inside. Calling AAA to get lock out service. Ray talked to day today,
wishing him a happy Father’s Day. We stayed around the RV.

6/17/19 Woke up this morning and drove out of Tok Village to take the
RV to fix the brake that was still not holding. Went over to RV place and
had to wait on them to get there. Duke had breakfast at Fast Eddies
across the street. People finally came and looked at the brake and told us
that the pads are gone and they couldn’t fix it there. Parts have to be
ordered to go to Anchorage. We will have to keep putting out chocks
when we stop until it gets fixed in Anchorage. Daisy is having a grand ole
time with the birds flying around. We are getting gas in Tok Alaska across
from RV. Now we will be headed to Gakona 120 miles away and then on to
Anchorage.

Before heading to Gakona, TOK automotive got him in touch with

someone in Anchorage but that person didn’t do chassis work. So he sent
him to someone else who sent him to someone else who will be able to do
the work. So parts are to be ordered to go to that person in Anchorage.
We are traveling thru Tarana Valley State Forest Region. Seeing nothing
but trees for a long way. Finally seeing mountains peeking over the trees
and some water. The clouds above are spectacular. Coming upon
construction on Alaska 2 Highway. It seems to be going on forever and
providing a bumpy road. Following a pilot car at a slow pace, then there
was more road rather bumpy. A jug I had to make SunTea in worked it’s
way out an fell off the edge of the counter. The floor was tile and it broke
into a lot of pieces after we hit a bump that had opened the door. I don’t
have another one yet. There is a wide river on the other side of the trees.

We finally arrive at the Gakona Ak RV Park and cabins. We arrived about

6:10 Alaska time. There is a guy at this park who is a fishing guide. They
are going to talk to him about a fishing trip tomorrow.