Alaska Highway, Watson Lake to Tok

Sunrise at 5 a.m. We decided to get on the road early so there would be less traffic through the construction zones.

 That turned out to be a good decision as we were the only ones on the road for several hours.

 There were no delays at the washed out areas.

 The bridge at Teslin.

We saw our first elk.

 Another section of gravel....20 mph or less.

Purple wildflowers along the roadsides.

 Tina could be on a postcard.

 Tina and I stopped at this rest stop...for other reasons, but there was a photo op.

 This wooden bridge was built in 1903 during the gold rush days. On top of the hill is a First Nation graveyard.

 This is probably a "Spirit House" built over a grave.

Mountains in all directions.

We found Nan! She was ahead of us all along. The only reason we caught up is because she wasn't feeling well and stopped to rest in Haines Junction a couple days. I stayed with her at the campground overnight, and she was feeling ready to travel in the morning. 

 While I was there I did a walking tour of Haines Junction. 

 Apparently whatever was here has already N ded.

 THis Catholic Church was built from an old army Quanset Hut.

 Inside

 I kept my eye out for snowmobiles and 4-wheelers as I walked along.

 Fireweed is nicknamed Alaska's calendar. It blooms all summer....when the blooms reach the top of the stalk, summer's over.

 This structure was on the trail I hiked behind the Visitor's Center.

 Aspens along the trail.

 Forget-me-nots are Alaska's State Flower. These are in Canada.

 View of the Kluane National Park from the back of the Visitor's Center.

 This is a Potlatch Spoon made from a Dall Sheep's horn, on display in the VC.

 This tool was made from the leg of a moose and it's sharp inner edges were used to scrape moose hide.

 This is the apple cinnabomb I purchased at the town bakery across from the VC. I needed energy to finish my walking tour.

 One of the street signs in town.

 Locals call this sculpture on the Village Square, "The Muffin."

 Brewster House: Jack and Wilma Brewster offered lodging to highway travelers here in the early 1960s. The building was brought into town from a government maintenance camp and was the largest and best-constructed building in town for many years.

 Dakwakada Building: This building has a long and varied history...a liquor store, office for the territorial agent, daycare, craft shop, office of the Southern Tutchone Tribal Council, and now the Alsek Renewable Resources Council office.  Dakwakada is the Southern Tutchone name for Haines Junction. 

St. Christopher's Anglican Church. The land was donated by Miss Eva Hasell who along with Miss Iris Sayles operated the Anglican Sunday School Caravan along the Alaska highway beginning in 1949.

 If I kept on walking I could walk all the way across Canada. Not enough apple cinnabombs for that.

So Nan and I headed up the highway in the morning, but we had to stop at this beautiful lake.

Because we saw swans out there!

So we pulled off the road as far as we could and got out with cameras in hand.

As soon as I got out a bald eagle flew over. Can you see him?

 He landed up there...can you see him now?

He's atop that dead tree.

Meanwhile, back to the swans. There were several pair on this lake. These two were feeding.

 And these two were sleeping.

And there were ducks...lots of ducks. These are Northern Shovelers.

 Taking off...

 In flight. And so we too took our flight and caught up with the others.

We are now all in Tok, Alaska, after an hour-long wait in line with a gazillion other RVs at the Border Crossing.