Drizzly Grizzlies! (5,028 miles)

We enjoyed a nice campfire last night thanks to the free firewood available in wood sheds scattered around the campground. The wood is so dry it catches fire easily and produces very little smoke. Riley grilled a steak and sautéed asparagus on the grill while I fixed a potato in the microwave for dinner. Sitting by the warm fire listening to the sound of quiet is so peaceful.

I’ve noticed some mosquitoes but they don’t seem to bite. If they do, I haven’t noticed which is shocking considering how reactive I am to the ones in the backyard at home.

After dinner we walked down a short trail through the woods to Kluane Lake not far from our campsite. Just a short way in, we saw fresh bear scat in the middle of the trail. We walked close together, bear spray in hand until,we were out in the open by the lake. If bears were close, they stayed out of sight.

A light drizzle cut our walk short. On the way back to Charlie, we passed a couple young fellows pitching tents in a campsite intended for hard-sided campers. Riley walked over and asked if they were aware of the tent camping area behind the electric bear fence and suggested they might want to consider that. They said they weren’t worried about because they’re not keeping food in the tent. Okay. Well, I hope they don’t end up being food.

We slept in a little later than usual enjoying the cozy bed while rain fell outside. It’s so nice not having a schedule to keep. Most of the time I’m not even sure what day it is and I’m perfectly happy with that.

There wasn’t much traffic on the road when we started out. The rain was pretty much just a drizzle as we drove away from camp. Not far down the road we spotted two grizzly bears just a few feet from the road!

We turned around and circled back to get a better look and take pictures. I brought a few different camera lenses, one just for such an occasion I put the zoom on the camera and Riley slowly drove to the side of the road a short distance from the bears. It was incredible!

I guess those signs at the campground weren’t just for show! It’s a good thing those fellows didn’t keep food in their tents last night.

If I don’t see anymore wildlife on this trip I’ll still be happy. I’ve never seen a grizzly out in the wild before. Seeing them from the safety of the van is even better!

More and more wildflowers are in bloom on sides of road each day. It has been interesting to see the start of the summer season. Everything is so pretty.

I noticed an unusual arrangement of large rocks and sculptures off to the side of the road near Destruction Bay. I thought it was a cemetery, though that’s not a typical sight on the Alaska Highway. I discovered it is a memorial for a young man who was obviously a well loved member of the Chompagne and Aishihik First Nations.

Up close I could see the intricate carvings in the wood and stones. So beautiful.

The road between Destruction Bay and Tok is the worst yet. Lots of potholes, loose gravel and frost heaves, think of them as nature-made speed bumps. Road construction delays were the longest we’ve encountered. From what I have seen, most of the summer is spent repairing roads from the ravages of winter weather.

I noticed these PVC pipes sticking up from the ground on either side of the road outside of Beaver Creek, YK and looked it up in The Milepost to see what they are. It’s part of the Alaska Highway Permafrost Research Project which is testing specialized construction techniques. These pipes are meant to minimize the thaw of the permafrost by allowing cold air to penetrate the road embankment. Hopefully some of this research will help minimize the constant road heave/ reconstruction cycle.

Beaver Creek is the last Yukon town before reaching the US border. Buckshot Betty’s was closed so we had to settle for lunch across the street at Ida’s Motel and Cafe. A young woman came in and sat at the booth beside us. We’d passed her pedaling her bike on the shoulder of the highway just before we stopped for lunch. Her face was wind burned from riding 60 miles a day from Edmonton, Alberta. That’s 2,433 kilometers from Beaver Creek. Her final destination is Tok, AK which is where we will spend the night tonight.

She said she’s hungry all the time and hadn’t counted in there being so few places to get food. I had to laugh when the waitress was confused when she ordered three hamburgers and a grilled cheese sandwich all for herself. 🤣

We chatted while she waited for her food and then watched as she devoured one of the burgers and a grilled cheese. She’s traveling alone and camping in a tent at night, carrying everything in a relatively small backpack or strapped on her bike. We wished her well and headed back out on the road.

We crossed the Canada – US International border about 90 miles from Tok, AK. The border agent was friendly and with a quick check of our passport cards, we were on our way. It took a minute to get used to miles per hour again instead of kilometers.

Tomorrow we’ll be in Fairbanks and finally get to see Chandler and Ben! I can’t wait to see them, their house and all the things I’ve only heard about during weekly phone calls since last August.