Day 4 of the road trip to Alaska
We spent the night in the parking lot of Walmart in Dawson Creek and awoke to snow falling. Weather reports say its going to continue. Elmer drops me off at McDonald’s to wait while he takes the trailer in for repair. Yay! I am able to connect to the wifi and send messages. It feels like its been forever, but only a day and a half.
I sit at a long high counter/table with bar stools and there are some locals (guys) sitting there who want to chat. Again with the ‘where are you headed?’ (apparently I look out of place where ever I go, lol) So I tell them Alaska, and that I’m trying to get there for my birthday (now 3 days away) they ask ‘what’s there?’ A mystery man for one…bursts of laughter, ‘from a dating site?’ ‘have you ever skyped or seen this guy in real life?’ At this point the laughter is drawing attention from other McD’s patrons, and the manager is giving us the stink eye. So I change the subject and tell of the trailer bearing/axle. And they proceed to tell me how lucky that it was spotted and fixed or else the wheel could have fallen off and we could have been splattered on the Alcan, who knows when to be found in the snowstorms? Gee, thanks guys, for that image.
Elmer comes back to pick me up; the trailer is fixed. Now he insists I stop at a Dollar store to see if they have my Bazooka Bubblegum while he goes to the bank and exchanges American dollars for Canadian money. They do not have the gum, and while Elmer is in the bank, a couple of thieves cut the rope securing the gas can that is holding the spare gas for our trip across the Alcan. Its one rule everyone agrees on- NEVER travel the Alcan without extra gas.
So I’m standing outside in the snow waiting when he picks me back up; he is steaming pissed about the gas can. I say lets buy another one? NO! I’m not spending any more money in this town! Okey dokey, so we’re gonna stand on principle here? And that principle is gonna fill the gas tank, eh?
We officially enter the Alcan highway which is snow packed and snowing more…without any extra gas…*grumbles*
Elmer says we’ll just have to take it slow. In winter the roads up here get ‘frost heaves’. Its where moisture freezes underground and continues to swell upwards as it grows towards the surface. Here’s an example on a clear road:
You can imagine how much harder to see in the snow when everything is monochromatic white. If you’ve ever pulled a boat/trailer, you know the bouncy bounce can be unreal over bumps. And with the snow packed roads the heaves are nearly impossible to see ahead of time, so periodically we are caught off guard and he has to slow way down. Elmer says he probably should of changed the tire on the bad bearing side because it got kind of worn on one side, but he keeps checking it each time we stop for gas and says its doing ok. (we do have spares in case)
Occasionally caribou run across the road slowing us down:
Elmer takes and makes calls during the drive, each time telling whoever, that he is on his way to Alaska and should be there in 10 days. Ummm… Hello?!?!? We have been on the road for 3 days now and its still 10 more days? I am so wishing my phone worked so I could check Google maps. I KNOW it shouldn’t take that long. We’ve GOT to be half way there , no? I am so wishing I could contact my honey and ask him how close I am. I am only barely able to connect with wifi at gas stations and only just long enough to send real quick messages, and not really sure if they are sending. I am not receiving any messages at all and am clearly regretting the phone card I chose…should have went with AT&T.
We drive on through the day with no mishaps. Elmer is trying to make it to Laird Hot Springs where he is insisting he must go for a dip and is trying to convince me to do the same. Um, no thanks. Can’t we just keep driving? Ya know, since its gonna be another 10 days 🧐
So much for that no ‘mishaps’ thing. We are stuck sitting at a bridge that has been closed off because 2 vehicles on the other side have slid off the road. Its snowing and getting darker and we end up sitting for nearly 2 hours while they clear the wrecks. Back on the road and its mile after mile of snow and trees and truckers. I’ma thinkin its a good thing I gave Elmer a cup of Chai tea. He seems to be very focused at putting on some miles. We finally pull over after 11 pm and park across the highway from Laird Hot Springs Entrance (still closed for the season).
We have been on the road so long today when I look out into the dark, I would swear the truck is still moving…even tho we are parked. There’s probably a name for that kind of optical illusion; it sure is a weird feeling. I have to get out of the truck and walk around to shake it off. Its been a long day and tomorrow we will be back on the Alcan again.
Til then,
Cindi