2006 Aug 21 to 27

2006-08-21 Monday

Haines, AK to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory Canada - 260 miles 6:30 hours

Left CG around 09:00. Uneventful border crossing into B.C. at mile 39. Just a few questions by the lady border guard and I was on my way.

All I lost crossing, was another hour in my life, due to the change in time zones.

Much better weather than on my way down, none of the two passes were socked in.

In Haines Crossing the RCMP is trying to save some money by stationing a Patrol Car at a, maybe, dangerous intersection. The Patrol Car is nicely painted 1/2 inch plywood.

At the south end of Haines Crossing I picked up two students from the US hitch hiking into Whitehorse. They just had graduated from Georgia Tech, one Computer Science and one in Math, and they were on their way home. Had a good chat during the drive.

Easy drive to Whitehorse, only some frost heaves. Pulled into Mountain Ridge CG.

Jean-Marc was still at his singles event having fun, but he left me a key in an inconspicuous spot.

He arrived at around 20:00 and we had a nice talk again. He was very bubbly about his weekend adventure and the pictures proofed the fun they had.

2006-08-22 to 25 Tuesday to Friday

Mountain Ridge CG Whitehorse, YT

The week went quick with getting acquainted with Jean-Marc again, some supply runs, visiting with Virgil and Jo (fellow Escapees, who had their rig repaired in Whitehorse), helping Jean-Marc with the WiFi and computer, giving some free real estate and business advice. Couple of delightful hours spent with Jean-Marc and his mother, going to dinner and just hanging out.

The fish ladder on the Yukon is active with really big (60+ #) salmon coming up the river. There is an Eagle pair with a young eaglet at the Yukon visitor's point.

2006-08-26 Saturday

Whitehorse, YT  - Day trip to Skagway and Dyea for mushrooms

Jean-Marc and I had planned to go shrooming and Saturday promised to be a suitable weather patter for doing this.

Jean-Marc rustled up two more people from his singles club, Jean and Ken who went with us. Nice fast run down to Skagway and then to the Dyea town site on the other bay. Jean-Marc is very knowledgeable about mushrooms and the places they can be found. He also has an eagle's eye for finding them.

Net result was that we got more than 50 # of Boletus (German: Steinpilze) and about 10 # of Chanterelles (German: Pfifferlinge).

Later on in the evening we had a veritable feast with good wine, great food and fantastic company.

Mushroom Hunting pictures are here.

2006-08-27 Sunday

Whitehorse, YT

Slept very late. Last evening's entertainment lasted well past midnight.

Some house keeping and web work.

In the evening Jean-Marc, his Mama, Jean and myself, first had a nice supper at Jean-Marc's and then I invited them to the Frantic Follies Vaudeville show downtown.

The theater was filled to capacity, mostly with way past middle-age Holland-America cruise ship passengers from the mid-west.

The show is much more "earthy" than Diamond Tooth Gertie's in Dawson City, more variety and the fantastic talent is practically all local.

They do an excellent job in making fun of their visitors. We had a rousing good time.

Several poets by Robert W. Service, the poet of the Yukon, were recited and played out in sketches, amongst them the cremation of Sam McGee that starts as follows:

Frantic Follies picture are here.

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