Am writing this post from Haines Alaska tonight having just driven over some of the most beautiful highway we’ve seen. Well.....so much of what we’ve seen has been beautiful but a good portion of the Haines Highway (between Haines Junction, YT and Haines AK) is perfectly smooth with wide shoulders and scenery that looks like it is just one postcard photo after another the entire way! This pass isn’t so pretty in the winter though and up til 1974 vehicles travelling this way in the winter had to check in at 5 compulsory check points along the route. This requirement was due to the severe conditions and remote location. Today the conditions were perfect though and we could see for miles. At one point when we were high above the tree line we had to pull over just to admire the views of glaciated mountain peak after glaciated mountain peak seeming to stretch on forever.
Even the final miles into Haines were stunning. Not such a great road but stunning none the less. There was 8 miles of gravel where they’re widening and repaving but then it just went back to a meandering little road that runs along the edge of the water. There are trees shading the road and eagles are aplenty taking advantage of the good fishing in the river shallows beside us.
We started our adventure in Haines with a stop for something to eat at Big Als fish and chip food truck near the cruise ship dock and as luck would have it a ship was in. It was the most beautiful cruise ship I’ve ever seen! Not your usual flat topped too tall layered cake like look....no this one was taller in the front and about 1/2 height in the back with the centre scooped out. It didn’t look too big and nestled in there where it was with the snow capped mountains and glacial blue waters as it’s backdrop....their marketing people should have been out there taking photos of it!
Big Al’s halibut and chips were delicious but we’re really surprised by the prices everywhere for seafood here. Given that it is well into halibut season right now and that we are right where the fishermen get the halibut from....I would have thought that it would be a little better price but no....it’s more expensive here than it is at home! But one thing for sure is that it is fresh fresh fresh and DELICIOUS!
The only thing that hasn’t gone well for us is that our ferry from Haines to Skagway has been delayed by 5-6 hours tomorrow so....we might be tight for time in getting to and through the Canada Customs crossing before they close at midnight. Oh well....there is a reason for everything so we must be meant to stay in AK for a few extra hours.
Lynda has been able to connect with her friends from Troncones (Mandy and Scott) this afternoon while their daughter Lily was playing a soccer game in town. That’s where Lynda was while I was down at the ferry terminal getting the skinny on our ferry tomorrow.
We’ve lucked out again and managed to get the last spot in the RV campground backed up right against the bay looking out over the water and the mountains. (it is July 4th tomorrow after all). The view from our back window by the table in our RV is stunningly gorgeous!!! In fact, Lynda has just gone out with the squeegee and some paper towel to give it a little cleaning so we can enjoy the view to the fullest. We were invited to a pot luck down at the beach tonight but when we managed to get this last spot in the campground we didn’t want to leave and risk losing it.
Lynda just got back to the RV from the campground office and she brought her friend Scott with her. He wasn’t with Mandy earlier when we met up with her as he was still at work. And guess what?! Scott is a guide outfitter and when he arrived here at our RV he had an invitation for us. And to make it all that much sweeter the offer he had for us is something super special that we cannot say no to. But....if our ferry would have been on time we would not have been able to say yes so.....here is the reason that our ferry was delayed and the world is ticking right along perfectly. The offer Scott had for us is that we will meet him tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. over near where the cruise ships come in. From there we will get into a zodiac (with about a dozen other people- one of whom is Scott). That raft will float down the river to a First Nations village where we’ll be taught about their history, their culture, and treated to a cultural dance performance while we enjoy a delicious lunch. As well, during the time we’re floating down the river, Scott will be explaining all that we’re seeing as we pass by it along the way.
Scott will have us back to our RV at the cruise dock by about 2 pm and we’ve already made arrangements to come back to this campground and park in the parking lot while we use our tokens to have a nice hot shower after our float up the river. Yep....life is good....very very good and once again I’ve been reminded of the value of letting go. :-)
OMG! Could it get any better?! It appears that there is going to be a crab feed here at 5 pm tomorrow that we should be able to sneak into as we’ll still be here from our showers. Wahoo!!! The man who is parked beside us will be helping to clean the crab tomorrow so Lynda just asked him to clean an extra one for her. LOL. Seriously...we will have to wait to see if that crab thing works out but if it does it will be just one more bonus to the adventure.
Kettle is boiling for coffee and baileys and there is a chair set up outside the RV waiting for me to come sit outside and enjoy the view so I’m going to sign off till tomorrow. Bye for now....
L & L
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