A Salute to Small Towns

One of the things we love about this journey we are on is that we get to experience small town Canada, small town USA! We shop in the grocery stores where the locals shop and buy our java from the the local coffee hot spot. We also have an opportunity to experience local culture, history, nightlife and get a sense of what makes each little place tick.




Clinton, British Columbia is one such place where we

stopped for a night and were pleasantly surprised by it's unique personality. Midway between Prince George and Vancouver on the Cariboo Highway, this little village of 650 residents was founded as a direct result of the boom of the Cariboo Gold Rush over 150 years ago. When we pulled off the highway for the day into the Goldtrail RV Park, we knew we were in for a treat. 

As soon as we landed we were met by owner/operator Mike Dier with a "Where are ya from?" Well....that was it! Mike is a very colorful character with a wonderfully dry and unique sense of humour. Right away, he was quick to tell us about his nightly buffet at the Roadkill Grill, "the cheapest buffet in Canada!" and that we could bring our "own Screech!" 

After driving all day, the thought of barbequing our own chicken had lost its

appeal and the delicious smells wafting from the covered patio was very tempting. So.....we poured up a glass of wine and sauntered on over and tried our luck on the buffet! It WAS delicious! And, at $25 per night with all the hookups, one of the cheapest campsites we have stayed in so far!

Later in the evening we took a walk down Main Street and visited some of the local businesses. Clinton has done a wonderful job at retaining the character of the town as well as informing visitors and locals alike about the history of this little place. We really enjoyed reading the many storyboards about the various buildings in the town, when they were built and what they were used for. A highlight was visiting the Emporium which took us way back in time with everything from vintage carriages and toys to china and old electronics. It was fun talking to the owner who proudly told us about where he gets all of his wonderful goods and that the Canadian Pickers show had visited 5 years ago. 

Clinton was such a pretty place! They do a great job of preserving history as seen here!

Though Clinton was a nice stop in our journey we were up and on the road the next morning headed towards Vancouver. A fellow traveller we had met somewhere on our travels had suggested that we drive into Vancouver using Highway 99, which takes us down along the Fraser Canyon. It was another breathtaking drive that took us along the mighty Fraser River, through little communities and canyons and along white knuckled vertical cliffs. We finally barbequed our chicken when we stopped in Whistler for the night.

Below is some dashcam footage of our drive down Highway 99 along the Fraser Canyon!

Next stop for the night, Langley, BC!! In search of a secure location to store our motorhome for a month while visiting family in Vancouver, we were taken to a

little municipal park right on the banks of the  Fraser River. Edgewater Bar Campground was a very nice trailer park with lots of sights and sounds to keep us entertained. This sight, to the right, reminded us of our childhood days watching The Beachcombers on CBC Sunday nights. We have seen sunsets in our travels, but nothing quite compared to the sunset we saw in Langley on the night that we stayed there.

With our RV all cleaned out and safely stored, the motorcycle packed up with our clothing, we ventured on in to Vancouver for some big city living with family and, who knows, maybe some other island adventures.

Until the next time....

Last stop....Haines, Alaska!

After leaving Valdez, we travelled across the Canadian border into the Yukon and on to Haines Junction for a couple of days and then back over the border again to Haines, Alaska. Our Newfie friends, Paula and Wallace, were also travelling the same route and so we had an opportunity to enjoy a few more laughs around the campfire each night.

Located along North America's longest and deepest fjord, we quickly discovered the beauty of this little place as well as the abundance of wildlife right at our

Many cruise ships can be seen sailing
in and out of Haines

doorstep. We were excited to see the grizzlies in Denali, but the real thrill was seeing the black and brown bears fish for salmon along the Chilkoot River and Lutak Inlet each evening between 5 and 8 pm. Also attracted to the area for the run of chum salmon is a population of approximately 400 eagles. We didn't realize that this area is known as the Valley of the Eagles especially when the population swells to over 3500 in the autumn months. It was a delight watching these majestic birds perch themselves upon the pier just next to our campground and then to see them take off, swoop and dive for a seafood meal. 

Always nice to share a campfire with new found friends especially when they're "from home"!

With a population of 2400 people and an equal number of dogs (yep!!! people in Alaska LOVE their dogs!), Haines has wonderful shops and little restaurants as well as the historical military base, Fort Seward. The Disney movie, White Fang, 

Main Street

was filmed entirely in Haines and you can even go and visit the set in Dalton City. However, by the end of September when the cruise ships stop their run and tourists aren't as plentiful many shops begin to close for the season. Some people stay on and live here year round but others head South for the winter and return in the Spring. 




Alaska has been an absolutely amazing experience and the last 5 days we have spent in Haines have really topped it off! Especially when you finally get to see the Northern Lights, another bucket list item crossed off the list!

On our last night, we left the city and boondocked out in the woods. The aurora gods must have known that this was our last opportunity! They did not disappoint!

We saw this handsome guy looking for food along the Lutak Inlet. The locals say that he is only a young bear and that it seems his mother has pushed him out. He seems to be doing just fine!

In the video below, watch the bear cub catch the salmon and bring it back to Mom. It was amazing to watch these animals in their natural habitat!

Haines is also one of the ports for the Alaska Marine Highway and the one from which we would be leaving Alaska and sailing to Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

We boarded the MV Malaspina at 8pm and began our next two adventure through the Inside Passage, stopping along the way to pick up and drop off passengers.

Thank you, Alaska, for a truly unforgettable experience! Our next adventure awaits!

Beautiful Valdez, Alaska!

During our travels through Alaska, so many people kept asking if we were

planning on going to Valdez. Well, I have to admit that it wasn't in the plan, but when we looked at the map it was clearly along the way, so why not dart down over the highway for a visit? And boy, we were so glad we did! 

With a population of just under 4000 people, this former Gold Rush town is located at the head of a fjord on Prince William Sound. In 1964, it suffered catastrophic damage from the Good Friday earthquake that shook the Alaska region and was eventually relocated a few

Looking down over the harbour and town

 miles further inland. Then in 1989, Valdez was the site of the disastrous Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill. It has since slowly recovered and is today one of the most important ports in Alaska from which a commercial fishery operates as well as a freight terminal. However, we were most impressed with this town's spectacular beauty and peaceful easy feeling!



As we walked along the harbour front and out through to where the freight terminal buildings stand, mountains and hills surrounded us on all sides. There was no wind and Prince William

Sound was still, reflecting the many mountains and boats that stood all around. Locals went about their business as they prepped their boats for a day at sea. Many stood on the shore casting a line to catch a Coho that were literally jumping out of the water. 

                  Watch below as the salmon literally jump out of the water!

A local fisher gutting a catch of Coho!

Wooden sculptures could be found throughout the harbourfront.











We also had an enjoyable morning hiking to the Worthington Glacier! Such an impressive sight!

The drive through Keystone Canyon was particularly pretty as we passed by waterfalls and creeks. 

As we leave Alaska behind and head back over the border into the Yukon, the enormity and beauty of this vast landscape does not leave us....we are often left feeling like specks of sand!

Kluane National Park, Yukon

Biking in Anchorage, Alaska

Our journey so far!

Two days and three nights in Alaska's largest city gave us just enough time to have a rest day and a day of exploration. We also enjoyed getting to know Zoli and Mary from Louisiana, our neighbours! Can't wait to get to New Orleans to check out all the great things they suggested we try! 

One of the activities that we really

enjoyed in Anchorage was biking along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. Leaving directly from our campsite downtown, we rode about a mile to the start of the 11 mile trail on Second Avenue. From there, we enjoyed a 5 mile ride on the paved coastal trail and then turned around and came on back. The following pics are taken along this very picturesque area!

The Alaska Railroad Station is just at the start of this trail. Historically, a very important part of the Alaska economy and still in operation today!

The mud flats and coastal areas of Cook Inlet. A lot of ships still travel 
through this area. It made for an
interesting ride!

Well used by runners and bikers. Downtown Anchorage can be seen in the background.

The trail weaves its way through wetlands and along ponds, over bridges and through tunnels.

Earthquake Park commemorates the 1964 Good Friday earthquake. Here Slump Totem is visited by tourists and locals alike.

Not sure what this is used for, but it was quite interesting to say the least!

Approaching the 5 mile mark this lovely scene greeted us! Even though we felt we could go on, we decided to turn around and bike the 6 miles back to our campsite!

It was nice to be able to track how far we were 
riding using these mileposts!

On our return, we spied this board and were happy to know that for today we were two of the cyclists that used the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in Anchorage, Alaska!






Tomorrow we hit the road again! Where will our travels take us?