States – Page 65 – Wandering Dawgs

Day 32: Father’s Day in Skagway

June 17, 2013February 10, 2015Posted in Alaska, Tourist Attractions, WaterfallsTagged Gold Rush, Skagway, Skagway Brewind Company2 Comments

Day 32: Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Henry’s Father’s Day present was he didn’t have to tow the RV anywhere! He got to relax and enjoy the day.

Blondie and I started the day with an early morning stroll through downtown Skagway. As I walked along the boardwalks gazing at the historic buildings I could imagine what it must have been like during the Gold Rush days in 1898.

This is what I saw when I stepped out of the RV this morning

Pullen RV Park Site 45, Skagway, AK

Looking down State Street toward the Harbor

Skagway Visitor’s Center is one of the most photographed buildings in Alaska

Skagway Centenial Statue. The sculptor was killed in a plane crass two days ago.

Later on, Henry and I enjoyed breakfast at the Sweet Tooth Cafe before going for a drive back up the highway to enjoy the views we couldn’t stop to look at on our way to Skagway.

First Day in Alaska 2013

We enjoyed a great Father’s Day breakfast here

White Pass & Yukon Route train engines

Watching the train go by from one of the overlooks on the Klondike Highway

Pitchfork Falls

Waterfalls along the Klondike Highway

We crossed over the William Moore Bridge

Welcome to Alaska

View at the Welcome Sign

We felt like the only people in the world on the Klondike Highway

Almost 80 degrees and there is still ice on the lake

Henry and Blondie with Snow

More snow

Snow Remover

Fish and Chips at the Skagway Brewing Company with a Prospector’s Ale was a great way to end the day.

We couldn’t have picked a better place to start our Alaska adventure than Skagway. We love it here.

Day 31: We Finally Got Here!

June 17, 2013June 8, 2018Posted in Alaska, RV ParksTagged Klondike Highway, Pullen Creek RV Park, Skagway2 Comments

Day 31: Saturday, June 15, 2013. Watson Lake, Yukon to Skagway, Alaska. Pullen Creek RV Park Site 45 overlooking the Skagway Harbor and surrounded by mountains. 320 miles traveled.

I was talking to a fellow traveler at the RV park in Watson Lake before we left there this morning and I commented that this was our 31st day on the road and we still weren’t in Alaska! Our plan for the day was to continue on the Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon and enter Alaska northwest of there in several days.

It was another beautiful drive on the Alaska Highway with some nice places to stop along the way.

We crossed the Continental Divide

These purple wildflowers were growing all along the highway

Yukon wildflowers

We crossed the Nitsutlin Bay Bridge to the town of Teslin on the other side

These carvings at the Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre represent the Wolf, Eagle, Frog, Beaver and Raven clans

We stopped for lunch at a rest stop. While I was fixing lunch Henry walked over to read an interpretive sign. On the sign was a large map of the area. As we were eating he commented that we weren’t very far from Skagway. We talked about it for a few minutes and he was just as anxious to get to Alaska as I was. We had to make a decision as the turnoff to go to Skagway was in about six miles. I entered Skagway into the GPS and it was 59 miles to Whitehorse and about 102 miles to Skagway. It was a no brainer. We were going to Skagway.

We left the Alaska Highway and off we went. We were about halfway to Skagway when I realized it was Saturday of Father’s Day weekend. What if all the rv parks were full? There was no cell service and no way to find out until we got there. I read ahead in the Milepost and saw in red letters warning of an 11 mile descent with 11% grade going into Skagway. I told Henry “There’s something coming up you’re not going to like.” There was no turning back.

The drive on the Klondike Highway was spectacular. Snow covered mountains, deep blue ice covered lakes. There were even two bears along the highway. We couldn’t stop to look at anything.

I kept checking my phone for cell service. We had to get AT&T when we got to Skagway, didn’t we?

Finally, we stopped for pictures at the Welcome to Alaska sign! We were really here!

We cleared customs with no problem and headed straight for the Pullen Creek RV Park hoping for one of the waterfront sites on the harbor. We asked for 2 nights, maybe 3. He said no problem, go pick one and come back and tell me where you are. After setting up, we were happy to just sit outside and enjoy the view.

An old mine on the way to Skagway

On the South Klondike Highway on the way to Skagway

There is still ice on the lake

Over 70 degrees and there is still snow

Back in the U.S.A.!!!!!

Our campsite is in the parking lot at the Skagway Harbor

View from our campsite

Henry says I looked like I was going to cry when I saw AT&T with full bars and 3G come up on my phone. We called our kids and enjoyed the rest of the night.

Days 16 and 17: Here comes the sun!

June 2, 2013August 22, 2016Posted in Birds, Historic Sites, MontanaTagged Great Falls, Lewis and Clark, Missouri River, waterfalls6 Comments

Days 16 and 17. May 31, 2013 – June 1, 2013. Dick’s RV Park, Great Falls, Montana

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Friday was rainy all day but Saturday we finally had a beautiful, warm sunny day.

Unfortunately, Saturday was our last day in the lower 48 before crossing the border into Canada so the morning was spent taking care of all the last minute things we need to do before continuing our trek north.

Once the chores were done we took a tour along the Missouri River on River Road. A busy walking and biking trail runs beside the river. A huge city park near the river was filled with families enjoying the beautiful day. Several parking areas along the road offer great view of sights along the river.

Our drive began at the Welcome Center where a statue honoring Lewis and Clark overlooks the confluence of the Sun and Missouri River. Blondie enjoyed our stop at the city dog park where she could run and play. We stopped at some of the overlooks to view the falls.

Statue honoring Lewis and Clark at the Visitor’s Center

Statue honoring Native Americans at the Visitor’s Center

Blondie loved the city dog park!

Black Eagle Falls and Dam on the Missouri River

Rainbow Falls on the Missouri River

Rainbow Falls and Dam

Lark Sparrow

Just one group of many Canada Geese on the river

This may be our last post for a while. We will be crossing the border into Canada on Sunday, June 1 and will be staying in two national parks without internet.

Day 15: Beautiful Montana

May 31, 2013May 22, 2015Posted in Montana, Parks, RV ParksTagged Butte, Continental Divide, Dick's RV Park, Great Falls, Our Lady of the Rockies4 Comments

Day 15: May 30, 2013. Cardwell, MT to Great Falls, MT. Dick’s RV Park, Site 81. 190 miles traveled. Over 2000 total miles since leaving Georgia.

By far, this was the most spectacular travel day we have had on this trip. Although it was overcast all day, the rain finally let up for most of the drive. We continued to see pronghorn antelope in the fields and mountains all around.

Our Lady of the Rockies overlooking Butte, MT

After traveling west on I-90 since Minnesota, we started north on I-15 in Butte, Montana. Overlooking Butte, sitting atop the Continental Divide at 8510 feet above sea level is Our Lady of the Rockies statue. We could see her high up on the mountain beside the interstate.

We crossed the Continental Divide twice today. The first time was we were at 6398 feet and just past Butte. We crossed it again a little later. As we climbed into the higher elevations the trees changed to Lodgepole Pines and the grassy slopes became rocky formations.

We could see the mountains as we drove between Cardwell and Great Falls, Montana

It was snowing over the mountains between Butte and Great Falls

Beautiful view right beside I-15 in Montana

We’re in the Rockies!

Going up the mountain

Another view from the rest area

Our home for 3 nights at Dick’s RV Park in Great Falls, MT

As we continued north to Great Falls, we drove out of the mountains to lower elevations. We crossed the Missouri River several times. We saw several semi trucks with tandem trailers, and one with three trailers. We don’t see that at home!

Before we left home we knew we would need to get new tires for the fifth wheel. We stopped at a tire store in Great Falls to get that chore out of the way before we arrive in Canada on Sunday. We had lunch at a Boston’s Restaurant next door to the tire store and less than two hours later we were setting up at Dick’s RV Park.

Day 14: Rainy Day Driving in Montana

May 31, 2013August 22, 2016Posted in Montana, Parks, Rainy Days, RV Parks, WildflowersTagged Cardwell, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Rocky Mountains4 Comments

Day 14: May 29, 2013. Sheridan, Wyoming to Cardwell, Montana. Cardwell Store and Campground. Site 32. 314 miles traveled.

Today we knew we were truly in the mountains. Henry negotiated steep 6% grades on I-90 in the rain. Off in the distance, between rain showers, we could see the Rocky Mountains. The rain was coming down so hard we couldn’t see them at times. We eventually crossed into the high plains and the Big Sky Country.

We crossed the Little Bighorn River not far from the Little Bighorn National Monument which memorializes the Battle of Little Bighorn where Custer’s Last Stand took place. We also passed a few Lewis and Clark Historical Sites.

The rain finally stopped as we pulled into a small RV park/gas station/store/casino in Cardwell, Montana. We were surrounded by mountains and enjoyed watching magpies and blue birds flying all around. Several rabbits hopped through the campground. We watched a Great Blue Heron flying right over our heads and a Bald Eagle soaring high above the trees.