Day 6 Land of Moose habitat and No Moose

(First Starbucks I've seen on the trip, so I can upload a few days of the blog. There are 2 here in Whitehorse)

273 miles today- Downtown RV Park to the well-known Whitehorse Yukon Territory Walmart. I never thought it would come to this (LOL) but I was just too tired to keep moving. I listen closely to my body because I need to be alert when driving these roads. Although, I wonder all day, every day why there are moose crossing signs. Good grief, I saw a woodland caribou and a stone sheep which are much rarer than a moose! I figure if I want to see a moose it’s closer to travel to Yellowstone. The boreal ponds (muskeg) are fantastic; too bad there’s never a safe pull out adjacent to them so I can stay for a few minutes to see if a moose appears. I give up on the rascals.

First Wye Lake

Last night I was serenaded by loons calling and cackling. I found out where the source of the calls came from as I was leaving Watson Lake this morning. Right across the street is First Wye Lake, a lovely lake with a trail encircling it. I wandered a ways down the trail so I could see the common loon and became surrounded by tons of little birds in their fall feather colors. I suspect they were warblers and vireos moving through.

Watson Lake Yukon signpost forest

I also stopped by the signpost forest- 75,000 signs posted to trees and posts and whatever else folks can post them on. It was started in 1942 by a homesick soldier while working on the Alaska Highway. Apparently, he erected a sign pointing to his home with the distance on it and folks have been putting up random signs ever since. And these signs are from all over the world. Really, do people fly internationally with a sign? TSA must love that!

The only wildlife today, besides the moving-through birds, were the many gray jays flying over the road and a probable northern goshawk. It was an accipiter but with deeper wingbeats than I’ve seen in a cooper’s. Northern goshawks are much more common here in the northern latitudes.  Birding while driving is definitely a challenge! 

No roadkill but definite signs of past roadkill. Why do I write about roadkill? Humans built this amazing road through the middle of a vast wilderness that belongs to the wildlife that live here; and then we run over them. And the road is straightened so humans can drive faster with no forethought on how this will impact wildlife that need to cross the road for food, water, shelter, or to find a mate. Of course, this happens everywhere, it just seems like such a shame for it to happen here (not unlike national parks where they’re protected). This is something I want to change. If nothing else, making people aware of their impact and to encourage and support road departments in planning for safe wildlife pathways across roads.

 I stopped at the Tlingit Heritage Center in Teslin- not much to see but a beautiful facility. I listened to the tapes at the few displays and was reminded that this highway also completely changed a way of life for the First Nations that have lived here for centuries following their traditional ways. I'm embarrassed to say that I hadn't thought of that. This is a strong community holding to their traditional ways and adapting to more modern ways over the decades. The young people state they want to stay. That's a strong statement considering how isolated every little berg is out here. And, yes, the highway was and is a big deal. You can't help but feel it as you learn more about it and drive the length of it.

Driving

My favorite- steel grated bridge deck!

Today was a long monotonous drive; not in a bad way. It was vast open wild boreal forest for miles and miles. It was and is wondrous. I stopped to walk to Rancheria Falls and practiced panorama shots with my cell phone camera. It is a 10 minute walk through the boreal forest and no one else but a couple of parks guys were around.

Rancheria Falls

It was a day of meeting people. The other Scamp folks I met at Watson Lake were out for a couple of months exploring B.C. They’ve been to every state and province except B.C. so here they are. They gave me a gift without knowing me for more than 20 minutes or so. It’s a cool suction cup hook for the trailer. When I stopped for gas (14mpg means a LOT of stopping) at the Rancheria Lodge I met two women who were a hoot. One was born in Hawaii and grew up in Centralia Washington, my second home. My dad grew up in Centralia so we visited my grandma at least once a month when I was a kid. I still have relatives there. Not a small world, a tiny one. I may stop back by there on my way back to say hi. At Johnson’s Crossing I stopped by for the excellent bakery and was given a luscious fresh Okanogan peach- free. I bought a sandwich (real sourdough bread), scone (tomorrows breakfast), spruce tip jelly (weird so have to try it), and an Alaska Highway plant book. Then while parking my trailer and truck in the Walmart parking lot a 

Ahh Walmart parking lot camping.

young (30s?) French local started asking questions about if I was alone, how much the trailer cost, where I was going, etc. In between questions he talked about his mom (64) and how he wanted her to get out and see the world. He wants to save up enough money to buy his mom a small trailer. We had a great chat before he headed out to meet his friends. The Yukon information center folks have been absolutely great. Most folks I’m running into are quite friendly and open. I think some of it’s because the heavy tourist season is over. I’m traveling at the perfect time!

Rancheria Falls

Lesson #6 Every day is a looong day so make the most of it and be in 
the moments.