North to Alaska!

It took me six days to get to Alaska. I started in southeast British Columbia via Highway 6 out of Nelson, then Highway 23 to Revelstoke via the Galena Ferry. It was a free twenty minute ride:

I continued on the Trans-Canada Highway 1 and stayed at the Frog Falls Recreation Site just west of Revelstoke. It was only 4 km along another active logging road (!), but around 9pm. alone with the darkness of tree cover and noise of the raging creek, unable to see or hear, I started feeling really creepy and moved to the beginning of the road. This gave me internet and I felt safer in the open air. I've learned to trust my instincts and they screamed at me get out of there! I obeyed. It didn't help I backed into a tree stump having no room in the campsite and dented my bumper!

The next morning I continued on Highway 1 to Kamloops. The landscape changed drastically from lush green mountains, beautiful canyons with lakes and rivers to desolate desert with ugly scrub trees. Kamloops matched this ugliness with the weirdest Walmart I've ever been in. It had a large, red unwelcoming sign that said "NO RV OR VEHICLE OVERNIGHT PARKING UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES", locked grocery carts that cost a dollar, surveillance videos with warnings, and no water refill machines! However, the town did have a glorious health-oriented grocery store.

Lots of repaving of Highway 1 with detours, finally connecting to Highway 97. I stayed at the Dewar Lake Recreation Site - the road was paved all the way to the campground. Very nice, right on the lake, restroom, picnic table, very quiet, and a lot of mosquitoes. I was the only one there, but it was bright and cheerful which was the exception for recreation sites. Usually I find them at the end of a rocky, dirt road out in the middle of nowhere and all of a sudden a very fancy sign appears reminding one there is still civilization nearby! It's rather jolting yet welcoming!

Continued to Prince George on Highway 97 and the next night stayed at Swan Park RV Campground which is the city park for Fraser Lake and right on the lake with restrooms and garbage containers. Free! It was empty when I got there, but by morning filled with people even parking in the grass on the side! 

Next morning I continued along Highway 16 connecting to Highway 37. I was warned to be sure to bring a spare tire as this highway was hellish. I found it to be delightfully well-maintained with beautiful scenery. The northern half was a little potholed and some repaving construction, but I also saw a grizzly mom and two cubs at a rest stop!! I spent a very quiet night near Kinasta Lake on the side of the highway.

Cubs ran into the bushes when they heard my van door close! Darn!

Next morning continued on Highway 37. I tried to keep my fuel tank above 1/2 of a tank, but kept encountering gas stations that were closed. I finally found one with a "GAS" sign, but when I pulled up the pump was dismantled! I went in and asked and the man said because of the fires, gas deliveries have stopped which is why other stations are closed. This was worrisome! He said he had gas and pointed to a large metal container. Seeing the fearful look on my face he offered to pump it for me and after he spilled it all over the side of my van and the ground, I had a full tank of gas for a substantially increased price! What was I going to do? A full tank of gas is priceless out in the middle of nowhere!

I connected to the Alaska Highway (#1) near Watson Lake and drove to Whitehorse in clouds and rain. Very disappointing! I want summer weather! Not liking the Yukon!

I stopped in Whitehorse. The air quality from the wildfires was so bad I could hardly breathe. I visited the visitors center and the informed me boondocking in the Yukon is not allowed. She proceeded to tell me some secret spots to park overnight, but I continued on the Alaska Highway finding a spot on the side of the road at the turn off for Kusawa Lake and Takhini River parking on an overgrown dirt road behind some trees. I hate breaking the law. I have a fear of police knocking on my van in the middle of the night and demanding I leave. It was a quiet night with no knocking, but I couldn't wait until morning to get outta there!!

The next morning I continued on the Alaska Highway. I was constantly disappointed in the lack of views as the smoke haze made it really difficult to see anything. These are mountains, I think! What a tease!

In the early morning hours I saw a big-ass grizzly and two fluffy buffies. These bison were much bigger than those at Yellowstone. Later that day I passed another giant black bear. All animals totally ignore vehicles. I also saw three fox and countless big bunnies that would dash across the highway, get to the other side, then notice my van, panic and run back across in front of my van. They aren't very smart, but they seem to be able to dodge my wheels and I have yet to kill one. Lots of road kill on the highway so clearly other people (and rabbits) aren't so lucky!

Along the way I saw many RVers and vans camped at the lake just before Destruction Bay. I've heard this is a good place even though it's still in the Yukon. I reached Beaver Creek (Yukon) visitor center around noon.

However, between Whitehorse and Beaver Creek the Alaska Highway in the Yukon was quite possibly the worst road I have yet to travel. They do "gravel patches" or spread gravel all over both sides of the highway for about 100 yards, every mile, for about 100 miles. It supposedly helps to fill in the potholes, cracks, and ruts, but it only creates a whole lot of dust, fishtailing, bouncing around, and vehicle damage. I took it at 10 mph even though the maximum speed is about 50 mph. The locals went even faster thoughtlessly passing me and throwing gravel all over my van. It was hellish and I was furious! I vowed not to travel back the same way! The visitor centre in Beaver Creek said the summer is too short and they don't have enough resources to fix the road as most money goes toward fighting the wildfires. Had I known the road was so bad, I might not have made the trip.

The border officer took my passport and welcomed me back to the states. I said, "I am so glad to be back!!" I absolutely was! British Columbia was beautiful, the Yukon was cold and wet, and I was so happy to leave Canada with its kilometers, bad highways, lack of free camping and weird, unfriendly Walmarts!

Surviving the Drive

Drop Off in Dark!

I'm back in Canada. I have figured out "recreation sites" are much like BLM lands. Some of them have campgrounds that are free; others have only trailheads. They are way out in the middle of nowhere, deep in the forests, usually on really rough roads that seem to go on forever. The first one I attempted to find was 21 kilometers of rocky, dusty, dirt to Little Slocan Recreation Site. I arrived to a campground at a lake that had six sites and not one available! Darn! Since it was the weekend, I did expect this might happen, but I was still disappointed to have to drive that road all the way back!

This second attempt was a drive back to Salmo which was 40 kilometers south of Nelson and another 10 kilometers to Erie Creek Recreation Site. It boasted four campsites. The directions said the turn off was paved 200 feet then 9.7 kilometers of flat, easy dirt road. We'll see. 

I found a single lane, maybe one and one half vehicle wide in sections flat with lots of big, loose rocks, a drop off, and on the other side a rock slide. It seemed fine. Really. Maybe. What was I thinking? I kept going!! Do I have a death wish?

What gave me pause was this sign and several like it:

So what the hell do I do if a logging truck approaches? Do we have a stand off? Would I be able to back up down this tiny, twisty road to a turnout? As it was two pickups passed me and we barely fit with one pulling into a small turnout to allow me passage. I kept going, praying due to the heat, the loggers all went home early.

Near the end of the 10k road, it changed. It narrowed. It became deeply rutted with large boulders in the middle, and deep, worrisome potholes filled with dirty water. More importantly, the steeper downhill decline made me panic. We are always told, don't go down if you might not be able to drive up and out. Vans easily roll downhill, but might not have the power to pull themselves back up the hill. But where do I turn around? I don't have a choice. Many people have told me they will get out and walk down a road to check it out before driving down. How does one hike 10 kilometers to check the end of a road? I kept going. What an adventure!! Am I a risk taker or a dummy?

I found the campsite. It is in the forest along side a raging river. It might be a creek (Erie Creek), but it was wide, loud, cold, and refreshing. I even had my own beach!

Not as many mosquitoes here and much cooler with a breeze coming off the water. I was the only one in the campground. I worried all night I might not be able to drive out. Would it be too steep? What would I do? There is no cell or internet service. Do I wait for someone in a 4x4 pickup to help? Do I empty my van of towels and use them for traction? Will Big Blue fishtail right off the road into the abyss? I heard on the radio there might be rain although I found this ridiculous since it was 91 degrees all day. If it really rains and makes that steep, dirt road slick mud, I am so screwed!

There is no greater satisfaction than surviving the drive the next morning, crawling up that road at five miles per hour, at four in the morning, in the dark, and making it to the main highway! It looked a lot more foreboding going down than going up. It's such a relief as I exclaim with joy and pat my trusty van on her dashboard, "Good going, Big Blue! Well done!"

My third attempt at a recreation site was outside Revelstoke at the Frog Falls Recreation Site. It was only 4 kilometers off the highway so I thought it might be doable. The road was dirt and rock, but flat and wide...well, until the turn off for the site then it narrowed and became rutted. I was afraid I'd bottom out, but it went fine. The four campsites were scattered in the woods and the one I selected was next to a raging creek, dark and ominous. I tried backing around and facing outward which is what I do should I need to leave in a hurry, but the space was too small and I ended up denting my back bumper on a tree stump. And like so many of these dirt roads, it is an active logging road!

I arrived around 8pm and there was one logger still working up on the hill, but no trucks on the road. However, by 9pm, I felt really creepy being alone in the dark surrounded by tall trees with no internet. I all of a sudden didn't want to be there. I've learned to trust my instincts. I left, moved to the beginning of the dirt road on a large off shoot where there was internet connection. About thirty minutes later I watched a van pass me heading to the site. I wish they would have stopped and parked next to me, but we tend to respect the privacy of others. Anyway, I slept really well. The above photo was taken at 6am and the loggers started coming in with their big pickups kicking up dust around 4am.

Brush Lake, Idaho

First, I think men are better looking here in Idaho than any other state I've seen. Gorgeous men just walking around like normal. They all look like ranchers or firemen in the best sort of way, all wearing perfectly fitting jeans and cowboy boots. Hmmm...

For four days I stayed at Brush Lake north of Bonner's Ferry in Idaho while I waited for my second auto appointment to get new tires. It's only a half hour from the Canadian border. It was dead quiet on Tuesday and I was the only one in the campground with my choice of campsites. I picked one with a covered picnic table and sun to keep my solars charged. By Saturday afternoon, every campsite was filled! I went on two hikes: one called Brush Lake Hike and the second was from the campground to a lookout point that wasn't much of a lookout since trees were covering anything to be seen. Lots of horses and mountain bikers. There was a tree swing that went over the lake, but it was populated by teenage boys. I would have liked to have gone swimming. The water was clear with lots of bass swimming in the lily pads. Beautiful.

As usual, I had no idea how long the first hike would be. My camping neighbor said it's around the lake and only one hour. I assumed because the lake was visibly small. Ah, no. Three hours and 5.5 miles later I had no idea when it would end. I came around a corner...and there sat Big Blue. Relief! The trail ended at my campsite! Relief!!

On Sunday night after most people left, I moved to a new campsite right next to the lake and in the shade. After three days of scorching sun, bees and mosquitoes, I just wanted quiet and cool. It was a great location.

BEARS IN IDAHO!!

In Sandpoint, Idaho, after a day of working at Starbucks and then the library, I parked again up at the RV Parking at the Fire Station near Schweitzer Ski Resort. I had a RV and a camper for neighbors but they were spread out about 100 feet apart from each other. The bathroom was about 50 feet away from my parking spot.

I make a point once the sun goes down, I don't get out of the van. Around dusk I made a pit stop to the bathroom, returned and began reading my book.

Suddenly I heard what sounded like someone trying to open the passenger door! WTH? I felt angry and defensive right away...UNTIL I SAW BEARS! One big black bear with a smaller black bear and another smaller bear that looked blonde or light brown! I wish I would have had time to get a better look, but I was afraid if I hesitated they'd do damage. They left paw prints all over the side of my van and passenger window. Photos taken the next morning after I surveyed the landscape making sure no bears were lingering:

I can tell from the paw prints, they know to go for the handles! I dove for the van's horn so, unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to get my camera. They backed off right away and headed over the embankment I was parked next to never to be seen again. All night I kept looking! I also notice the parking lot had flood lights glaring across the space all night. I don't remember that the first time I camped here. Also, right after I honked and the bears left, a white car drove right up next to my van and stopped at the edge of the ravine. They might have seen them, too. Trust me when I say, it was all I could do not to jump out of my van and chase them!!

This might be a cautionary tale. I know bear rules. Don't cook outside. Don't cook anything smelly inside. Keep food in sealed containers (coolers and refrigerators). Don't use smelly, fruity lotions, hair products, toothpaste, gum (!), etc. Keep doors locked. Don't leave food or garbage outside. Dump any dishwashing water away from your camping site. I pretty much follow the rules and some of these rules are standard considering chemical sensitivity demands fragrance-freeness.

About a week ago I toyed with the idea I should leave some food out to ATTRACT a bear. I was getting frustrated not seeing one when everyone has told me they've seen several in many locations (Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons...). I mean with all the bear warnings, I was feeling I might be some kind of bear repellant. So I started getting lazy, maybe subconsciously, on purpose. Before the bears arrived, I had cooked SALMON outside! Stupid, I know. I also dumped my salmon-tainted dishwater only ten feet from my van. I'm sure it attracted them. Granted, if the horn hadn't scared them away, my next step would be to start Big Blue, rev the engine, and leave if I need to. I need to be better!

Whoo hoo! This might be the highlight of my trip. Brad Pitt will have to be second.

Idaho!

 After my night in Colville in the Walmart parking lot (which was comfortable, quiet and safe), I headed for Idaho. Along the way, I admired all the lakes and waterfalls. Crystal Falls is the photo to the left. Beautiful drive!

Sandpoint has not only a food co-op with healthy food and the best gluten-free bakery I've ever encountered, but they also have a Verizon store opened on Sunday! It took the Verizon employee five minutes to add roaming and fix my phone!! I also found the library which was modern and good-smelling. There is a large Starbucks, a Walmart, and a Home Depot. Great town!

I found a glorious RV parking space that is totally free up by Schweitzer which is a ski resort. Only two other vehicles in a huge, flat parking area. It was perfect. There are hiking trails all around. I hiked the loop the first day (with the view of Sandpoint), and the waterfall hike the second day.

The next morning after the waterfall hike, I drove just north of Bonner Ferry to stay at the Smith Lake Campground. I worried it would cost or be full, but it was perfect. The lake was warm but I didn't jump in as there were boys fishing nearby.

The next morning I headed north for another trip to Nelson to keep my Ford appointment. On the way my tire pressure warning light came on...my front passenger tire is low and there is a NAIL in it! I drove to the border and another two hours in a sweat hoping I'd make it to the dealership before the tire went flat or exploding. I made it!! Wow! I don't know if I can handle the constant stress, but thankful it all worked out.

After the Ford appointment, I headed back to Idaho and camped at Brush Lake Campground. Beautiful lake with lily pads and ducks. The campsites all have fire pits, picnic tables and covers over the tables. Free wood and FREE camping! I was the only one there! After a few days in Sandpoint getting work done, I vowed to go back as I have another Ford appointment in a week to get new tires.

Oh! Canada! and Woe is Washington...

I was so excited to finally reach Canada! Thrilled to spend most of the summer in lush greenery that might not fry my brains with heat. The border crossing was easy as I babbled endlessly to the man about how excited I was.

That changed rather quickly. I realized right away my phone had no internet. Do they not have internet in Canada? I was advised internet/wi-fi would be difficult to find especially as one travels more north, but WHY? It made Canada sound like a third-world country and I know they aren't!

Then I realized I had no cell service...what do I do if my van breaks down? Or I get in an accident? Or I hit a moose? WHY don't I have cell service?

I reached Nelson, a city I had visited about ten years ago without a laptop and without a cell phone. I did just fine back then, but I also remember I did some serious research before this road trip so I knew where to go and where to stay. Nelson used to have a little parking area, covered by trees for boondocking. Not anymore. They still have the glorious food co-op in the middle of town, but they sold me moldy blueberries so I was a little disappointed.

I felt stranded in a foreign country. I found the visitor's center and the woman said when she goes to the states she either has to pay extra for roaming at $15 a day (!!) or buy a new sim card or buy a new American-based phone. I remember my Canadian friend Michele complaining about having to buy a new phone when she was staying in Arizona for the winter. OMG!

The visitor's center let me use their internet and after two hours of research found several free campsites. (I also took note of the wildfires in the northern area of the province and to the east...hmmm.) I was a little concerned the reviews were 12-15 years old!!? Were the campgrounds still free? I decided to head to the Sandon Ghost Town up in the hills. Beautiful little town with a hundred year old power station, museum, old buildings, and a huge collection of electric buses the town is storing for preservation. The store/information center was closed, but there were incredibly friendly people sitting at a picnic table nearby who I found out live and work there to maintain the town. Very chatty and informative regarding the area and history. No one else is there to camp and the camping fee is now $15. Damn. 

This was my first paid camping night in six months! I resent being charged so much to just park my van! By this time it was nearly 8pm and I was exhausted from a very stressful day. They also had free internet! OK! I give up! I spent a very quiet night in a beautiful historic town.

I spent the night really pissed off at the primitiveness of Canada and pondered if this excursion into foreign territory was worth the effort. The landscape was as beautiful as Montana or Idaho. Do I need to see more trees?

I thought I would stay the morning in Sandon, but I awoke early and decided to head back to Nelson doing what I later found out to be the "loop" through Kaslo. 

On the way at 6am, I saw my first moose! He was standing in the middle of the highway. When he realized I was approaching (100 feet away), he started running. Running moose are not attractive with those gangly legs kicking to the sides. It was comical. Eventually he jumped off the road and headed into the woods. He was a lot darker than I expected, almost black. Very cool.

When I reached Nelson that morning, I headed to the co-op to buy some supplies, then the visitor's center to use their internet. I found if I park right in the front, I can get wi-fi outside. Then I visited the Ford dealership nearby. The van is running rough. I made an appointment to get a tune up, oil change and new air filter for Tuesday which meant I had three days to kill. I went to Walmart and the woman in electronics told me to check with Verizon to see what they could do about cell service. I didn't realize even without cell service, I can still call Verizon! I sat in the Walmart parking lot in 88 degree weather for THREE HOURS red faced and sweating profusively. After being transferred to five different people, I started crying. I have a plan that provides service to both Canada and Mexico at no extra charge. They got the cell service working, but not the internet. They can't figure out how to add roaming. So the last person attempted to reload the phone, had me turn it off and she said she would call me back in ten minutes. She never did. I still did not have internet on my phone.

At the visitor's center using their wi-fi, I discovered recreation sites often have free camping. Sometimes they are just trailheads. I found what looked like a great camping spot with six sites right next to a lake. Hmmm...it's Saturday which is always a risk, but it's far enough out in the boonies maybe there would be a spot? I drove about 60 km then another 21 km on a rocky dirt road out into the woods that seemed to go forever. I finally found it and it was packed...every site taken. Damn. Now what do I do? Without internet, I can't find another. I considered for a moment just parking on the side of the dirt road which seemed to work until around 5pm then all of a sudden every pickup in the province was racing by throwing dust all over. 

My frustration and stress hit an all-time high. If I leave now, I will arrive in the US of A in time to cross the border. If I find a place to stay along the way, I might, but I still would not have internet. I left heading to Washington. I had not planned to enter Washington having lived there most of my life. Washington isn't a bad place, and as soon as I was on Washington soil I felt like I belonged. Washington's gas prices are about a dollar more than anywhere else in the country! Washington also requires you have a Discovery Pass if you want to camp free. (It costs $35.) Since I didn't plan to visit Washington and I don't plan to stay, I didn't want to buy one. So after several frustrating stops checking out campsites, I headed to Coville arriving at 9pm and stayed at the Walmart. Eggs at this Walmart are only $2.96 a dozen!! Everywhere else in the country they are over $5.00!!! Hooray, Washington!

Colville is a darling little town with all kinds of amenities and cool shops! There is a rodeo in two weeks. They also have camping at the fairgrounds but it cost $15 for plain or tent camping. Tempted to stay, but I don't think Walmart would let me stay that long. Most importantly, returning to civilization and I once again have cell service and internet!!! What a relief. Walmart has free wi-fi. I will have to return to Nelson for my Ford appointment, but I've decided between the cell phone difficulty and the wildfires, I will stay in the USA and venture into Canada only when I get to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Maybe my phone will work by that time?

No photos. Too much stress to even consider taking photos.