Hard to believe it’s been a month since I left Indiana. It feels like yesterday and feels like a lifetime ago. My days on the road are so different than my day to day life in the real world. It’s insulating, in some ways, and so exhilarating.
Watson Lake to Whitehorse was a long drive. Made even longer by a whole lot of construction and what I would say was the worst road conditions we’ve yet encountered, barring the snow. It was so bad that Jerry and Wendy cracked a leaf spring. I was fortunate and avoided that issue, but there were some bumps and holes that made me wonder if all of my internal organs would arrive with me.
I was up and out of the park around 8:30. Normally I drive behind Jerry and Wendy. Jerry and I chatter quite a lot on the FRS radios; he warns me of upcoming bumps and road issues, while I warn him of the crazy Canuk drivers who are passing us, without regard to the yellow lines on the center of the road. To be fair, there’s not a ton of traffic, so we’ve actually driven on the left side of the road at times to avoid particularly bad areas that seem worse on the right. Still, when you’re being passed by 2-3 cars on blind curves and hills, it’s a bit nerve-racking.
This day, however, I was on my own. J and W left really early to try and make the next campground as quickly as possible for personal reasons. I didn’t want to slow them down, so I just took my time and headed out. It’s not like you can get lost: you get on the Alaska Highway and go until you see your next campground’s name!
Despite the construction, there were some pretty sights along the way. I stopped just once, then kept the pedal to the metal. Saw one bear and 2 huge moose. Made it to Pioneer RV park, just south of Whitehorse. Rory was a mess after all the dust and gravel. The good news was that the tape job on my busted window held up well.
After I set up, I made a trip into town. It’s a cool little place. They have a Walmart, though it’s not very impressive. Not as bad as the one in Hinton, Alberta, but not great. I was looking for DEF; they had none at all. I ended up buying a 2.5 gallon jug from the camp store! After the shopping trip, I was in bed early. We had a busy couple of days coming up and I needed the rest!
Travel with Me! 