The View from the Outhouse
The adventure continues
I got a late check out from the Edmonton Airport Holiday Inn and hung around until 1 o’clock. Then I headed for the WalMart to get some items for the trip. Still had time to kill so I stopped in at Costco. A good place to park to wait until brother Ed gets in at 4. I will have a hot dog and a sundae to pass the time. Ed arrived and we headed up the back roads on the west side of Edmonton to one of my usual fueling spots and then on to join Canada 16 headed west. It’s about 300 miles to Grande Prairie, Alberta one fuel stop from the big tank and on to our room for the night. Pretty boring ride but thankful for no problems.
Friday June 16
Our planned stop for the evening is Toad River, British Columbia. I woke up early and aired all 8 tires up to 80psi and checked the oil while Ed was getting ready. The Caterpillar jump start compressor combo from Costco did just fine on the tires. Felt good to use the free electricity I charged it up with at Jim Long’s. We topped off the tanks at Costco first thing then headed to Dawson Creek, BC and mile 0 of the Alaska Highway. A stop at the visitor center for Ed to buy a tee shirt and hat. Then it is on up the road to Ft. Saint John to top off of the fuel tanks for $1.689 per liter. This should get us to Alaska and a refuel at Young’s Chevron in Tok. We are getting 9.1 mpg not bad if you average in the Vet in the back not burning any fuel.
In a few hours we arrive at Ft Nelson. A food stop at A&W for a burger and root beer. In about 50 miles the really pretty part of the trip begins. Up the steep grade over Steamboat Mountain we were able to maintain good speed, about 30 mph, without the transmission or engine overheating. We are really heavy tankering the 100 gallons of extra diesel, but it will come in handy the next couple days. Down the backside of Steamboat “trucks use lower gears” keeping my big #8 shoe off the brake pedal. Anytime your foot is on the brake you are wasting money. On to Stone Mountain Provincial Park and Summit Lake. Then it is a very steep grade downhill. As they said at Mt. Kilimanjaro “Pole, pole” Swahili for slow, slow. Then on to the Toad River Lodge, a Moscow Mule, some cheese and crackers, and a nap.
Saturday June 17
We are up and on the road before 7. Muncho Lake is beautiful as usual even with the clouds and fog in the mountains. This is the very best part of the trip for scenery and wildlife. On past Llaird Hot Springs and the Buffalo on the roadway sign. So far we have seen dead porcupines, a coyote, several brown bears, several black bears, a moose with her calf, buffalo in the roadway, and one live porcupine. At Watson Lake we stopped at sign post village and took some pictures. It’s on to Teslin for a fuel stop and then to Whitehorse for 1 more A&W burger and a root beer. It is reported that the road from Haines Jct to Tok is extremely rough. We are going to deviate and leave the Alaska Highway and head north to Dawson City. 100 miles north of Whitehorse is our stop for the night at Carmacks, Yukon Territory. Same drill. Mule, snacks, nap.
That’s about all that happened except for the Kubota buckets shifting in the bed of the truck. We got those strapped back down. Should be good for the rest of the way. Fuel at Whitehorse was $1.98 a liter x 3.8 liters a gallon divided by the exchange rate of $1.34 Canadian to $1 US equals $5.61 a gallon. Happy to have the extra 100 gal tank and not having to buy any there.
I’m not saying that this trip is expensive but the receipts alone weigh over 6 pounds, but that’s only about 4 pounds Canadian.
Thank you Lord for taking care of us.
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!
The View from the Outhouse 