The landscape was flat for the most part until we hit the hill country, then it was rolling to flat as it was in South Dakota. Large cattle herds were grazing on large open pastures that seemed to have no end. The lands went from hilly to flat and back again. There wasn't much to see except the occasional Prong Horn Deer and large cattle herds, open lands and sage brush. Within a few hours we arrived at the Little Big Horn Monument.
We spent several hours walking over the sites and reading all the event plaques. There was so much to see and even more to read. We learned a lot of facts that the Hollywood actors don't reveal or mention on the big screen. There was a lot to be learned and our time spent there just too short. It would be time consuming to share it all with you on this short blog. I can tell you that there were five company's of the 7th Calvary who died on that battlefield, 205 men to include all their mounts. The soldiers in desperation killed their horses in order to form a shield or fortress from which to fight behind. Each knew it was their last best effort to survive. All were buried in a mass grave atop the Last Stand Hill, later the body's were removed and buried in other places. Colonel Custer is buried at West Point, NY. It was said that out of all the Indians who fought, only sixty died that day. It was the only major battle the Indians ever won and it would also be their last one. I'd share more with you but I'd suggest if you ever get the chance, make the visit for yourself. It's eerie to stand atop the grounds called Last Stand Hill and look out over the battlefield. When the winds blow thru the grasses you can almost hear the cry's and screams of confusion of that day so long ago.
Many a book has been written about Col. Custer and his life and times as a plains Indian fighter, also accounts of his last days. It's all fiction as only those who lived those times know the truth.
Many such pictures and paintings also are available depicting the battle of Little Big Horn.
This monument atop a hill is said to have been the final defensive position, called Last Stand Hill. This is where Col. Custer and his last few men gave their lives. The head stones are only symbolic, all bodies from the battle were collected and buried in a mass grave where the monument stands, later exhumed and buried in other locations.
This is said to be where the Battle Field was and the loss of 205 of the 7th Calvary. There are white head stones that marked the locations of the fallen soldiers, no names are on them just the words "Unknown soldier died here."
There were also darker head stones depicting the Indian fallen, I found it strange that they indeed had names where the soldiers head stones did not. I'm sure if you consider that the only survivors were Indians, they told of the actual events of that day. We have only their words as to be recorded as factual and not hear say. In the words of a combatant, you'd had to have been there!
Lots of actual artifacts that had been recovered from the battle field were on display as well as the white doe skin field uniform worn by Col. Custer.
There was a burial plot for the hundreds of mounts that died that day, as well as plaques that told of the locations of the last Indians. Plaques that showed the fighting positions, depicting the last few minutes of the battle.
We left the Little Big Horn Battle Field with more questions than answers. History only reports facts and some fiction I'm sure. Those who know all the answers have long had their voices silent with the passing of time. Only the story's handed down from great grandfathers to their great grandchildren remain, how much of that was changed over the generations?
Back on the road our next stop was Lewistown, Montana for the night. As we arrived at the campground a large rainbow greeted us as if to say tomorrow will be a better day. We were two hundred miles from the Canadian Border. We would spend a quiet night and drive into Canada from Sweet Grass, MT. the following day, that was Sunday May the 18th.
Our entry into Canada was without delay. The line of other campers ahead of us were few and within twenty minutes or so we were driving across the border, leaving the USA in our rear view mirror. The Canadian Rocky's were on our left and to the west.
Snow covered and stretching as far as we could see thru the dim light of the day, the Canadian Rocky's stood above all else. We drove for several hours and made it to Fort Macleod, Alberta. We would spend the next couple of days in a provisional park (Old Man River). Canada has lots of provisional parts, sorta like our state parks, without any points of interest. They are mostly just camping space with no facilities, some have sewer drops and a lot don't. There are pit toilets and some have a water tap. We ended up spending two days and using our generator for power. Our holding tanks were adaquate for our needs for those two days. We had not planned to be there that long but what we didn't know when we entered Canada, was that Monday May the 19th was Victoria Day, a day that celebrates the Queen. The Canadians refer to that weekend as May Long. I decided that with all the campers that crowded the many campgrounds we'd be better off not to get bogged down with Monday's traffic jams. While staying at the park we meet the sweetest couple from Edmonton, Alberta. Paul and Brenda, I won't reveal their last name but will tell you they were very friendly and gave us an open invitation to visit them anytime we're in the area. Their home is a large cattle ranch, and feed production center. Now retired they have reduced the size of their operation and maintain just a few head. They have an RV pad at their home and encouraged us to stop on our next trip. We have meet lots of nice folks along the way and each have been special in their own way, but none as nice as Paul and Brenda.
We left Old Man River CG on Wednesday morning and continued north. We passed thru Calgary without stopping as we had lots of miles to go before reaching Dawson Creek, BC. and the start of the Alaskan/Canadian Highway (ALCAN). Our next stop today would be Whitecourt BC. The terrain of Canada's Alberta/BC. was flat much like SD and parts of Montana. The Canadian Rocky Mountains were still to our left and would remain in our sight for most of the next few days. We were excited to be making this trip and looked forward to each turn in the roads ahead.
We took the bypass around Calgary, not wanting to fight the noon day traffic. The city reminded us of Atlanta and the traffic that can so often be an issue while trying to travel thru that southern Georgia city. I'm sure there was more to Calgary but we weren't interested in the city that hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics. Within no time we were around and continued on our way.
We arrived Whitecourt BC. late afternoon and settled into our routine of setting up camp for the night. The terrain had changed and we were now in a more hilly and rolling of high peaks and low valleys, not quite mountainous but a promise of greater and steeper things to come. There were traces of snow still on the ground and the nights brought colder temperatures. We were making good time and with each passing mile we gained closer to our destination. Time was also something we were gaining. By the end of our weeks travel thru Canada, once in Alaska we would be four hours behind the east coast and home.
The following day we would arrive at Dawson Creek, BC. No longer in Alberta but still in Canada nevertheless. Dawson Creek was a hustle and bustling point of activity. This was the start of the highway to Alaska, mile 0 of the famous ALCAN Hwy. We would spend the night and again be on the road come early morning. From this point north we would encounter many animals along the roadway and see spectacular and breathtaking sites. Our speed would slow and our stops would increase greatly for picture taking. We took thousands of pictures, I will include a few, not sure of where they were taken, except to tell you that one after the other they are endless in beauty and we never tired of seeing it all.
During 1942 at the height of WWII the Canadians and American Army's would build a 1500 plus mile highway to Alaska, starting at Dawson Creek, BC and ending at Delta Junction, AK. A task that was completed in only 8 short months. Then in 1992 the highway was reworked, straightened and reduced by over 200 miles. Now paved it's maintained all along the way by local communities. Drivers today find the going much easier, there are area's of road repairs but delays are minor.
The speed in Canada is in km, it takes some getting use to. For example 100 km is 62 mph. Canada is on the metric system and trying to convert kilograms to pounds and Celsius to Fahrenheit is troubling at times. I didn't even try to figure out what it cost per gallon of diesel, as it was liters and all I can tell you is it cost $200.00 for less than 20 gallons. Food was another cost we didn't try to figure out, breakfast for two was a mere $45.00 before the tip. The Canadian dollar is about 1.8 of the American dollar, you get more if using their currency. They have no one or two dollar bills, coins are used. There is a five, ten, twenty, fifty, and hundred dollar bill. Coins of 5, 10, and 25 cents, no pennies everything is rounded up to the next fraction. If the cost is $2.03 you pay $2.05. We made a stop at a local Canadian bank and exchanged our US dollars for Canadian dollars. A lot of the merchants and businesses will take the US dollar but they give you back Canadian change. You loose a little thru the exchange doing it that way. I'm all for getting more when possible :)
The Canadian currency is made from plastic. It feels funny to the touch. If you fold or stuff it in your pocket it's hard to get the wrinkles, folds or bends out of it. Don't put it close to the heater as it will melt. The one and two dollar coins are called Loonie and Toonie, a Loonie is a one dollar and a Toonie is a two dollar coin. We used the coins as fast as we could to cut down on the pocket full of weight.
After we left Dawson Creek we soon started the uphill climb into the higher elevations, then descend back to sea level, then back up and back down. We saw the beauty of lakes, mountains, ponds and miles of open tundra. Black Bears, Moose, Caribou, Gray Wolf, Ducks, Eagles and White Swans, Grizzly Bear, and more Buffalo than what we had seen in SD. There were snow covered mountain peaks that seemed to reach to the heavens, low heavy moisture filled clouds, that when we drove thru, opened up like a shower and sprayed us with rain droplets, lakes of blue and green ice cold beyond your imagination. Small towns and villages of friendly people who's lives are void of such modern convinces as TV, microwave, electricity and indoor plumbing, happy and cheerful nevertheless. Regardless of the size of the community, each had it's own small landing strip for a plane or helicopter. Some were located beside a large lake or at the foot of a tall snow covered majestic mountain. We slowed our travel to take it all in and to make stop after stop. The miles seem to just fly by and we never had enough time to spend in one place regardless of how long we stayed.
The days are long here, darkness is only a couple of hours and then light again. It's hard to adjust to 22 1/2 hours of light a day. We cover our windows in order to shut out the light, trying to maintain a schedule, separating the day from the night.
The weight of the moose rack and skull was around 60 pounds or better. I'd hate to have to carry that around all day .
This handsome Golden Retriever greeted us at the door, he was quiet and reserve, no barking or jumping. He seemed to listen with earnest when I spoke to him and patted his head. He followed and watched, more human like than animal. Dogs are a big way of life here, important for many reasons. Not like the dogs of the states, no excessive barking or jumping, more likely to give you a hand shake instead of a sniff. He followed us to the truck and tried his best to get in. I would have taken him if he's had his green card but with no papers I'd had to leave him at the border.
As we departed he hung his head as if to say he understood.
We will make it a point to stop and see him on our return trip. I'm sure he will have grown and matured in the time in between.
For a hundred miles or more we saw large herds of Buffalo. They looked different than their cousins down in the states, more hair on their backsides and more hearty to endure the below zero winter temperatures. Lots of new calves.
We took a week to drive the twelve hundred plus miles from Dawson Creek, BC to Tok, AK. Along the way we never tired of the beauty and splendor of the Canadian interior and the tall majestic mountains, valleys and ridges that make the drive so enjoyable. We would drive for hours and not encounter another motorist. Lots of the places where gas was reported were no longer in business. There were a lot of campgrounds out of business or not yet opened for the season. The roads for the most part were good with sections not so good. The last two hundred miles were the worst out of all the miles of road we drove. Frost heaves, sunken road surfaces, ruts, bumps, sections of gravel, and road construction. Still we made good time, driving with care we avoided any damage to our truck or trailer.
Our last night on the ALCAN was to be near Kluane Lake. Such beauty of mountains and frozen lake, reflections that made it appear as if it was right side up or right side down.
A nice provisional CG along the lake shore line. As we entered the quarter mile drive off the pavement into the woods Kathie became quite concerned. A large sign warned of bears in the area. The campground was deserted but looked well maintained. Fire wood was cut and stacked for the taking. I liked it but she did not. All she could think of was a bear that would have us for a meal. Nothing I could say would ease her fears.
Frightened of the bears we drove another hundred miles before finding a campground that was opened. As we drove in several campers were parked and set up for the night. I got out of the truck to go register and quickly got right back in. "What's wrong" Kathie ask, "look there" I said as I picked up the camera, hands shaking so badly I couldn't get the focus on the camera to work. Standing less that a hundred yards away was the biggest bear I had seen, a six hundred pound grizzly that had just walked out of the wood line and was headed for me.
Being the brave man that I am, I waited until that creature turned and walked back into the woods. So much for not wanting to stay in the woods where bears live, lets stay where humans are and bears are not. If that wasn't bad enough our camping spot was right where the bear made several visits. You could see the claw marks in the earth where the bear was digging for grubs.
Next time my vote is to stay in the woods away from other people. The real problem, some dumb people they like to feed the bears. How dumb is that? We would remain there at White River for two days, to rest up and allow the grizzly a second chance at us, haha not funny. We were about eighty miles from the Alaska State border. We would rest up and enter Alaska on Monday May the 26th. That was eight days from the day we entered Canada, the trip of some two thousand miles could have been less but we were in no hurry. We will be spending the entire summer in Alaska and starting back in September.
It wasn't until we were several miles inside the Alaskan border that Kathie spotted this Bald Eagle atop a tree on a cliff over looking the roadway.
Once in Alaska you will have the means to wash your rig and you will be glad. The road grime is covering both the towed and the tow vehicles. Every campground in Tok has a wash rack, they charge for it but your glad to pay as your unit is filthy.
It's hard to stay dust free, only the roads are paved. Pull offs, rest area's, campgrounds, gas station lots and everything in between is dirt or gravel. That is common in both the Yukon and Alaska.
We are in Tok, AK at the Tok RV Village for a week. On June the 2nd we will travel to Fairbanks and camp at the Military Famcamp on Fort Wainwright. Plans are to be there for two weeks, then to MT. McKinley (Denali) for a week. Until we make that next move from Tok, that's it for now and the last part of Gnome to Alaska. Next blog in a few weeks, after we have caught our breath and settled into a routine of some sort :)
Last but certainly not least, congratulations to Gary Sizemore. Gary is the winner of our last contest. His entry phrase of "save every year memories of u'r retirement" best describes the acronym word for Seymour. Gary's prize of $100.00 goes out in the mail as soon as his address is confirmed. For those of you who didn't enter for what ever the reason, I hope you will participate in the next contest, to be announced soon.
Until our next Blog update.
Dutch and Kathie in Alaska.
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