As I drove north from La Conner, Washington, I’m thinking of all the things in the camper that the Canadian border may tell me I can’t bring.
I made sure my passport is ready along with the dogs’ rabies papers and health certificates.
What if they won’t let me bring the plants in, half are from dad’s funeral, I will be devastated.
What about the gun…ut-oh, I forgot about the gun.
Quick – google search, you’ve got to be close to the border. "I can’t do this driving…I will just exit and stop". Of course, the one exit I took, there is nothing for miles, no big parking lots to pull in and out of. Geez…where is this road taking me??
Finally - look, a gravel lot on the left, huge grave lot. Nice!
I pull in and park. I google search, and I’m reading and reading and oh crap. I should have left it in a safe deposit box – banks are closed already…aahhh!! If I get to the border and they search, they will confiscate it. Crap! What is that noise, that very loud bang noise, where am I?
I look around for a sign…a gun range…are you kidding me…of all places, a gun range?!?! I should have played the lottery. I hop out of the camper and go inside to ask if they can put my gun in their safe and I will pick it up after I come back from Alaska. Unfortunately, they can’t, however, if I call this guy, he’s a gun smith, he can do it. So, I call this guy, Bob, tell him my situation and what range I’m at, etc. He agrees to do it, but he is 2 hours away. The gun range is willing to take possession for a few hours until Bob shows up and gets it. It’s a lot of faith I’m putting into these people, but my choices are this or have it confiscated at the border. So, they have my gun, my ammo and my mace. (Apparently, you can’t bring mace into Canda either.) Well, that leaves me with my taser, and the dogs, so I guess I’ll be ok.
I hop back into the camper and head back north on highway 5. The very next exit was the border. Are you kidding me?!?! I really should have bought a lottery ticket.
Customs was interesting. She asked lots of questions and she kept trying to peer into the camper. I don’t believe she thought I was really by myself. She asked if I had any guns or ammo. Silly me, I replied “not anymore”. She asked what that means, what did I do with them. I told her I left them at a gun range. Which one…aahh…think Vicky, fast. I fumbled with the name, it was partially right, but she didn’t care. She took one last look at the dogs and into the camper and said. “Welcome to Canada, have a great visit”. Phew!!
I went to Vancouver for a few days in order to get my bearings straight and figure out my route to through Canada into Alaska.
The elderly couple next to me lived In Vancouver for 20 years. They suggested I go up to Grouse Mountain and they also walked me over the leash free dog park. Jax and Kylee didn't go leash free...I didn't trust them. They had fun anyway.
The couple helped me with my route through Canada and suggested I take the Cassiar Highway, not the route up through Whistler, at least not with a camper, and the Alaskan/Canadian highway was too far east. So, I started plotting my trip on the Cassiar Highway.
Highway 1 East to Hope
Highway 5 North to Komloops
Highway 24 West to 100 Mile House – OMG my #1 Canadian campground Eagle Island Resort, with the most beautiful lake with a huge pier/deck, crystal clear water…I worked the next morning out on the water! BC Lake Resort - Fishing Highway 24 Camping | Cariboo Resorts at Eagle Island (eagleislandresort.ca)
Highway 97 North to Williams Lake thru Quesnel onto Prince George
Highway 16 West to Vanderhoof to Hazelton
Highway 37 North all the way to the Yukon near Watson Lake – 2nd best campground with beautiful lake is Red Goat Lodge. Crystal clear water again. Caught myself a rainbow trout and had it for dinner! Red Goat Lodge - Cabins, Rooms, Campground
The first picture is looking out of my camper window at the lake. Other pictures are from 2 different days, thus the lighting changes.
Highway 1 West to Whitehorse to Hanes Junction head North thru Destruction Bay all the way into Alaska.
Did I mention I was in a blackout period for about 3 days? Thank goodness it fell over a weekend and the campsite I stayed on for a work day had wifi!
Love the GPS message, like I had a choice but to stay on Highway 37, there were no other roads, so even without GPS, I couldn't get lost!!!
Here are some pictures I took along the way, absolutely stunning, wherever I went. Even saw some wild horses!! Saw bear and moose but was driving too fast to stop and take a picture :(
Side mirror picture is my attempt at getting the mountains behind me + the ones infront of me
Funny, the name, Destruction Bay, all the roads weren’t bad until AFTER that small town…OMG…frost heaves and dips, large cracks, potholes and the LONG stretches of gravel, with more potholes…poor Sparky took a beating. Rocks flying from the camper, despite the rock guard mud flaps I had across the back bumper of the camper, plus she got pummeled by rocks from the on-coming traffic; semi trucks and campers driving WAY too fast for the conditions. After 75 miles of it on the Canadian side, I was so happy I had scheduled a campground stop. My 3rd favorite campground in Canada, Discovery Yukon Discovery Yukon Lodgings - Tents, RVs, Cabins - Alaska Highway. No lake, just nicely set up with a HUGE field for the dogs to run free.
Back on the road for another 75 miles of road torcher. Finally, finally made it to the Alaskan border.
Customs was pretty simple this time ahhh, smooth roads again…for a while anyway. Those frost heaves are brutal and everywhere. I guess when you're this far north and closer to the Artic with only have 2-3 months of summer but 24 hours of day light, it’s a constant battle to keep them as smooth as possible.
Spent the night in Tok, Alaska. Nice big campground, wooded, pretty, quiet and a much-needed relaxing night of sleep. Tomorrow - bring on the Alaskan adventures!!
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