Stage One - Prudhoe Bay, Alaska - San Francisco, California
April 30, 1995 - June 3, 1995
April 30, 1995
We landed in Fairbanks at noon and rented a car for the day. Dave Erven (a friend of ours) was driving our VW camper from Vancouver. He was to arrive on May 3. Chad and I drove to AAAA Care Bed & Breakfast in Fairbanks. Pat Obrist is the owner operator. She took us into her house and introduced us to the other guests. This is how you get to understand what Fairbanks is all about. Whether you are traveling or on business, it doesn't take long to realize that people living in Fairbanks have a genuine interest in others and genuine care for each other.
May 1-21995
This part of our trip took us from Fairbanks, Alaska to Prudhoe Bay. The three day trip provided Chad and I with a wealth of information about Alaska, the Alaska Pipeline and all the geographic features along the way. Terry McGhee, who owns Trans Arctic Treks in Fairbanks, took us to Prudhoe Bay in a small RV. His knowledge and friendship will always be a big part of our journey.
Terry has an incredible knowledge of the area and the people who make their livelihood driving the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay. Terry seemed to know most of the truckers we passed and chatted briefly with them on CB radio. There is an obvious bond between these people. They all share the same gravel road, face the same harsh weather and depend on each other when washouts, avalanches, snow storms make their journey extremely dangerous. In one section of road there is no service for 244 miles (425 km).
The trip to Prudhoe Bay has two distinct sections. The first take you to the Brooks Mountain Range and Atigun Pass. The Pass is 4800' and marked with avalanche warning signs. Along the way we crossed the Yukon River and Arctic Circle. We had lunch in Coldfoot which is midway to Prudhoe Bay. It gets very cold here and supposedly the town got its name from miners who came there in the early 1900's and got cold feet and headed south after one winter.
The terrain through the first section is rolling foothills covered with Arctic Spruce and a few Popular & Birch trees. The Arctic Spruce looks so weathered and stunted. In this area it only grows to about 10-15 feet tall. Given some better soil it can grow much taller. The road winds gradually and the hard gravel allows you to safely drive at 35-45 miles per hour. There are some amazing hills that provided us with a chance to far exceed our snails pace. I was driving when we headed down Roller Coaster Hill. I'm glad there were no trucks coming!! I think the scariest hill was Beaver Slide. We had to drive over a broken dam at 5 mile. We followed a truck over and had to be chained and pulled over on our way back. The water rushing over the edge was about 2' deep. Not much room on either side. Certainly the most tense part of the trip.
The second section of the trip was very different from the first. Once over the Brooks Mountains you begin the 170 mile trip to Prudhoe Bay. The landscape takes on a totally different appearance as you gradually come down from Atigun Pass(4800') to Prudhoe Bay (sea level). The road is fairly straight and has been recently refurbished with crushed gravel. This is the Arctic tundra and trees are no longer a part of the landscape. It does seem some what desolate with the snow covering the ground. Terry says it all turns green by July. That's when the warmer temperatures bring life back to the tundra. Prudhoe Bay only has two weeks when ships can bring supplies directly to the port. The rest of the time ice fills the Bay.
Along the way we came across herds of caribou grazing beside the road. We had a great time with trying to get as close as we could for that perfect shot. On one occasion, Chad got close enough that he was actually running with a large herd (about 400 caribou). He was within 75' of a herd that was running past him. He took pictures on his Quick Take Camera. I couldn't help but think how valuable this experience will be to him and also his fellow students as he relives it in his travel log.
The last stretch to Prudhoe Bay was flat and straight. There is a small town at the end of the road. It seems strange to see any kind of civilization after so many miles of unpopulated travel. The town is called Deadhorse. This is the name the workers gave this location where oil was discovered. As the story goes - one of the original engineers sent to investigate this area for oil said the chances of finding oil there would be like betting on a dead horse in a horse race. I guess he was wrong big time. I wonder if he is still working for ARCO, the oil company developing this area? Prudhoe Bay now supplies the USA with 25% of its oil supply!
Chad and I toured the ARCO visitors information center and took a drive around the site. It is huge with many small oil wells pumping to several large separation stations. Here gas, water, mud and oil are separated. The oil ends up at pump station #1 (mile 0 of the Alaskan Pipeline). Eight hundred miles later it arrives in Val Dez, Alaska. Waiting super tankers will deliver it to other parts of the United States.
We followed the Alaskan Pipeline the complete length of our journey to Prudhoe Bay. Sometimes over ground and sometimes underground, it became our constant companion. I actually enjoyed sharing our trip with this engineering marvel. In a 24 hour day 1.6 million barrels of oil flow through the Alaskan Pipeline.
May 3, 1995
This part of our journey also took Chad and I to the actual start of our trip. As we stood on the Arctic Ocean (standing is possible because the ice is 6 feet deep), I had a great sense of personal pride. I'm a very goal oriented person. One of those people who makes lists constantly. I would complete a task and quickly move on the next. I realized standing there that I had just completed an important task and finally I could actually enjoy it. My thanks to Terry McGhee for sharing his knowledge and friendship.
May 3, 1995 8:21 AM - we head south.
May 3 , 1995 (continued)
The trip back to Fairbanks was as spectacular as the ride up to Prudhoe Bay. Fog was with us till about 30km from the Brooks Mountain Range. Terry was hoping it would lift so we could see the mountains from the north side. As we drove through the fog we realized why.
Cindi Creager, the reporter from the CBS TV station in Fairbanks, decided to interview us in the mountains. She was putting together a feature story to be shown on the evening news and then on a weekend show. Chad, Terry and I all had to stand in front of a camera and answer questions. You never say what youintended to - in those situations. We had fun kidding each other about how bad we did. Cindi was great and I'm glad the whole project worked out for her. As it turned out her feature on us made it to CNN Headline News.
We kept hearing reports that the wash out at 5 mile was getting worse. Terry kept in contact with the truckers and arranged to have one put a chain on us as we crossed. As we waited for the truck to arrive, we got our first introduction to the Alaskan Mosquito. Chad and I were waiting outside (at least for a while), and they quickly found us. It didn't help that we were in a low area with water near by. These mosquitoes were about the size of house flies. Terry said the first batch of them are not as vicious as the next. My advise - bring lots of bug repellent if your camping out in Alaska.
The truck showed up and we put a chain on. It was no big deal for the trucker to stop and help - next time you may be helping him. We made it over with water rushing all around us. We all felt very relived to be on the other side. We drove late and got into Fairbanks around 12:30AM.
May 4,1995
This day was devoted to loading our gear into our VW and meeting Cindi at the TV station. Her evening news segment on our trip was to air that night. She arranged for us to be in the control room and watch her and the technicians put on a live broadcast. It was very interesting and Chad was having great fun. The evening news anchor (Ann Secrest), was very nice to us. She gave us a tour and invited us meet her at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She was very keen on learning all about how we using the Internet as part of our project. She also gave us nice gifts from the University.
We took Terry and Cindi out to dinner that night. Patty (who is Terry's partner) also came. Patty made all the food we took on the trip. She also helped convince Terry that assisting us as a corporate sponsor was a good idea. As it turned out, she played and important role in bringing Terry, Cindi, Chad and I together.
May 5-8, 1995
This section of our trip was our initiation to the Alaska Highway. I soon learned this was going to be a classic case of a love/hate relationship plus a little pain thrown in. The love is the spectacular scenery you pass through and the hate is the conditions of the road at certain points along the way. The pain is a stiff neck and sore shoulders from hanging on to the steering wheel so tight.
Leaving Fairbanks the road heads southwest towards Whitehorse, Yukon. Chad and I decided to sleep in a rest area just over the Canadian border. I'm glad we did! The next morning the initiation rites began. Huge heavy equipment vehicles were busy redoing a 40km section of road. The base left for vehicles was not gravel but small fist sized rocks. This section and the frost heaved asphalt that followed get my vote for the road from hell.
The Alaska Highway throughout the Yukon offers spectacular scenery. The road follows numerous rivers and lakes. I got to see two Bald Eagles flying over the road. Unfortunately the road had no shoulders for me to me to stop and observe them longer. Traffic was very light and 80% of it was RV's and trailers headed north to Alaska (we were headed south). Actually traveling in the first three weeks of May is a good time to travel the Alaska Highway. Logging trucks are not allowed on the road (load restrictions are in effect till the end of May) and the major tourist season (June-August) hasn't started yet.
Points of interest in the Yukon are Whitehorse and Watson Lake. Eighty per cent of the total population of the Yukon (30,000) live in these two towns. Whitehorse is the capital and has all the conveniences of a small city. I think I was disappointed by it being so modern. I had visions of log cabins, gold mines and people living in a rough & tumble town. To my surprise - and I'm sure their relief they have all the services that most other North American cities would have. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a regional office in Whitehorse.
Watson Lake is a definite place to stop, stretch your legs and walk around. You will see what I mean when you get there. Sign Forest is where travelers along the Alaska Highway can stake their claim to having made the trek. It's almost like a religious shrine without the religion. I guarantee you will find a sign from your neck of the woods.
As we traveled into British Columbia, the landscape changed. The road seemed to go to the top of the ridge with trees along both sides. We were in logging country and you could see evidence of previous logging and reforestation projects. We also began our climb through the Canadian Rockies. This was to me the most spectacular part of the Alaska Highway. It was also a chance for us to view wildlife up close. In a five mile stretch between Muncho Lake and Fort Nelson we saw: Dall Sheep, Big Horn Sheep, Caribou, and a Moose. Later that same day we saw aBlack Bear and an Arctic Fox. Great day for the camera. Chad was busy downloading images to the Powerbook.
After Fort Nelson the road turned normal. The traffic was that of commerce not travelers. We were headed to Alberta and civilization. When I saw my first McDonald' golden arches, I knew we were there. I actually was sorry to see it end. My love-hate relationship was over - but I would have quickly turned back if I could.
May 9-12, 1995
The first couple of days after our journey along the Alaska Highway were taken up with VW and computer projects. We landed in Grande Prairie, Alberta and stayed at a hotel. Chad needed to catch up on some sleep and watch some sports on TV (he was suffering from acute TV depravation). He slept in while I found the local VW dealer for our first oil change.
We drove to Edmonton the next day and contacted a friend of Terry McGhee's. He said Harry and Ada Watson would take good care of us. From the moment I called the Watson's to the time we said good bye - they showed us the best of Alberta hospitality. Within minutes of meeting, we felt totally comfortable with them. I knew this act of kindness that they showed us would be repeated throughout our travels. It was good to have Chad see how a family could open their hearts and home to perfect strangers. This lesson will encourage him to do the same for others.
Chad and I checked in the West Edmonton Mall on the 11th. That afternoon Kathy and Lindsey arrived from Toronto. It was good to have them with us. I think Chad needed someone else to talk too.
If you have ever been to Edmonton, chances are you have been to the West Edmonton Mall. If you haven't been to Edmonton, make a point of bringing your family. This is a kids Mecca with shopping for parents to boot. Over 400 stores, a huge amusement park and a mammoth water park await you. Our kids had a great time. If you go to the water park try the Sky Screamer! Beware not for people prone to heart problems.
The city of Edmonton is very spread out with lots of green areas. The Saskatchewan River flows through it and divides the city in half. I was amazed at how different the traffic flows here compared to other large cities. People are not in a big hurry to get to somewhere - and it makes traveling around the city actually enjoyable.
We met with Harry and Ada Watson for a coffee and said our good byes and thank yous. Harry told us several stories about his horse trading days. I think he held back on some of the details. He has a heart of gold and would do anything to help a friend.
May 13-17, 1995
This leg of our trip completes our travels through the Canadian Provinces. From Edmonton we headed west to Jasper and then south to Banff. This route allowed us to travel through Jasper and Banff National Parks. It also takes you through some of Canada's most spectacular scenery. Each bend in the road seems to provide you with a more beautiful view then the one you just enjoyed.
Traveling south from Jasper there are two spots well worth visiting. The Columbian Icefields and Lake Louise are very interesting. Unfortunately for us the weather was foggy and our view of Lake Louise was marginal. We continued south and checked into a hotel in Banff. It was Mothers Day so we splurged and Kathy got to pick the restaurant for dinner. We found Banff's only Mexican restaurant (Magpie & Stump) - and enjoyed our Mothers Day dinner a la Mexicana!!
Banff is located on the Bow River in a beautiful mountain valley. This is a major tourist spot as the number of souvenir shops will amaze you. We went to the mineral hot springs pool and took a gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain.
Both these side trips are well worth it. The view from Sulphur Mountain is spectacular. You can see Banff, the surrounding mountains, the Bow River and the Banff Springs Hotel. This landmark hotel sits majestically above Banff. It also has a golf course that winds along the Bow River. Banff is a definite location to put on your "someday I'll make it there" list. My suggestion - watch out for the congestion in the prime tourist season!!
We left Banff and drove to Lethbridge, Alberta. Unfortunately our schedule did not allow us to spend any time in Calgary. This is the city where I was born. It would have been fun spending time there. We spent the night in Lethbridge, Alberta at a very nice campground. The next day we drove to Coutts, Alberta and the border of Montana. This area as is much of Alberta is very flat. A large portion of the people who live in Southern Alberta depend onwheat farming. All the little towns have at least one Alberta Wheat Pool Elevator. It's almost as if you don't have one - then you're not on the map. We said good bye to Canada and headed into Montana (USA).
May 17 -20, 1995 (Montana)
This is "Big Sky Country" and yes the sky plans a prominent role in the attraction of this state. Looking from vista to vista you see many shades of blue. Begin-ning with a deep sky blue at the top to the softest blue on the horizon - a Montana sky is something to remember.
We traveled through the center of Montana to White Sulphur Springs. Crossing from Canada we drove through flat wheat country similar to Alberta. Southwest of Great Falls, Montana we joined the mountains again. White Sulphur Springs is located in a valley beside the Castle Mountains. Kathy's brother Bob lives there.
We couldn't have had better tour guides. Bob and Gail (Bob's wife) took us on trips around White Sulphur Springs. Gail's family had lived and homesteaded in the area since the early 1900's. They live on a 40 acre ranch and raise a small herd of cattle. Speaking of cattle - everywhere you go cattle are grazing the hillsides. This area of Montana is noted for very large cattle herds grazing on pastures and sage brush. When we arrived, the calving season was almost complete. Small calves formed a large portion of the herds.
Gail said a cattle branding was a must event for us to attend. So off we went to witness how the cowboys & cowgirls of today brand their cattle. I think Chad and Lindsey wish we had skipped this must event. The sound of the cattle bellowing and the white smoke rising from the calves hides, made them a little squeamish. The calves also got inoculated and tags put in their ears.
Chad learned how bulls become steers - as the bulls were also castrated at the same time. This procedure made Chad all the more squeamish. He noted this procedure to his classmates in Burks Falls. He told them to look the word up in the dictionary.
White Sulphur Springs gets its name from a hot mineral spring that surfaces in the town. A motel with natural hot pool are both a health and tourist attraction. Before the area was settled, the Indians considered this location a sacred spot. Traveling this area of Montana - is a good example of why you should not stick to the Interstate and Freeways.
Date: May 21 -24, 1995 (Idaho)
Traveling west from Montana you enter Idaho. If you get a chance to visit this state make sure you visit Coeur d' Alene. Coming out of the mountains you find this beautiful city nestled on a spectacular lake. Quite the view.
We went north from Coeur d' Alene to meet with Terry McGhee. He was on a business trip to Sandpoint, Idaho. We shared photographs and talked about the trip we took together from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay. This was also Kathy's first time meeting Terry. It was nice for her to get a chance to meet him. He was always coming up in our conversation - so now she knows who Chad and I are talking about.
We headed south from Sandpoint to Lewiston, Idaho. This is where Kathy's Dad (Ed) lives. Lewiston is located near central Idaho. The Snake and Clearwater Rivers meet here. The rivers which provide many opportunities for recreation and the climate makes this an excellent place to live or retire in. The winters are fairly moderate with golf courses staying open year round. Kathy's Dad used to work in the logging industry in this area.
Heading west out of Idaho, we traveled across the state of Washington. Although our stay in Idaho was short, certainly a state worth exploring on a future trip. We were on our way to Eugene, Oregon. Kathy's Dad traveled with us in his motor home. His rig is much bigger than ours (about ten times) so Chad and Lindsey traveled with Ed and Ruby. It was a good break for all of us.
Date: May 25 -29, 1995 (Oregon)
Traveling west we worked our way to the Columbia River. Crossing the state Washington, we stopped in Walla Walla, Washington. Now that is a city with a great name. I looked all over for the perfect T-Shirt. Unfortunately I didn't come up with one. I still have a lead on someone picking one up for me. They have a bar called the Polar Bear Bar (a bikers hang out). The Polar Bear Bar with Walla Walla, Washington on it would be my idea of an all time classic T-Shirt.
The Columbia River forms the border between Washington and Oregon. It plays an important role in the commerce and recreation of the Northwest. Thousands of acres of land are irrigated along its shores and barges carry many products up and down the river. As a recreational resource, it is world renowned. Salmon fishing and sightseeing along the Columbia Gorge, attract many people. In Hood River you will find hundreds of people wind surfing. This area with its strong constant winds, is a Mecca for wind surfers. Another place worth stopping and investigating is Multnomah Falls. Take the climb up for a beautiful view of the waterfalls and Columbia Gorge.
Kathy's brother Denny, lives in Eugene. We landed there and spent three days visiting, shopping and just plain being lazy. Denny gets my vote for the Northwest Barbecue Champion. He and Sue had meals planned that put us over the limit for excess poundage. Great meals and a large Jacuzzi to relax in. Fortunately Denny and I got up early to golf - so I was able to walk off a few pounds.
Eugene has an excellent Saturday Market. This is held downtown and covers two downtown squares. The flower children of the 60's have resurfaced. Not so much resurfaced but their children have resurfaced. Many booths with all kinds of craft items. Tye Dyed T-Shirts, health foods, pottery and jewelry everywhere. I enjoyed the Market and trip back in time.
Date: May 29 -June 3 1995 (California)
Leaving Oregon, we traveled along Interstate 5 to Northern California. This route provides you with a beautiful view of Mt Shasta. Many people travel to this area to enjoy the numerous recreational opportunities that Mt Shasta & Lake Shasta provide. The view from the hillside overlooking the lake was spectacular. You could see many people enjoying the lake - particularly with large pontoon boats.
On the first day in California, we drove to the Napa Valley. Chad was going to do a school project on a resource we found in our travels. He decided on grapes - so we planned on spending the next day touring the Napa Valley. He made a great choice for his project. One of our Napa Valley highlights was the tour of the Mondavi Winery. Our tour guide, Michelle Davis, spent extra time with Chad. She gave him extra literature for his resource report. Kathy and I enjoyed the wine tasting part the best. I think Lindsey was about as bored as she could get. I know there will be a time in her life when she will appreciate wine and perhaps an interesting tour.
My brother, Kerry, lives in Woodside, California. This town is located about an hour south of downtown San Francisco. It's location shelters it from the ocean fog that seems to dominate the weather in San Francisco. We spent the next three days touring around and enjoying some very nice weather.
On Wednesday we went to downtown San Francisco and took the ferry to Alcatraz island. This is a great spot to spend a morning or afternoon. The Island is famous for the Federal Penitentiary that housed some of the United States most ruthless criminals. Two ofthe most famous were Al Capone and The Birdman of Alcatraz. Our tickets included a walking tour complete with Sony Walkmans. The 45 minute tour gave us a detailed , historical background including sound effects. Listening to the walkmans made the experience all the more interesting. Chad was so taken that he bought a book about Alcatraz's most famous escape attempt.
The city of San Francisco has got to be one of those cities you should visit at least once in your lifetime. The Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and Fisherman's Wharf are part of the city's famous landmarks. Take a ride on a cable car and enjoy great food, lots to do and see in San Francisco.
This section of my home page represents the last entry until next Fall. On the first leg of our trip, Chad and I drove a total of 9,300 kms or 5,700 miles. It was great having Kathy and Lindsey with us from Edmonton, Alberta on south to San Francisco. I would like to thank the many people who have followed and contacted me along the way.
I hope you join us again the Fall. I'm anxious to begin our trip to Mexico.
Posts from this trip.
I want to say this is the road from hell but I know we have many more miles to go. This winding, hairpin filled road traverses the top of the Sierra de Juarez Mountain. Several times we drove in and out of the clouds. In one spot we came upon a serious truck accident that had traffic backed up. There were mangos and papayas all over the place. I'm not sure the driver made it.
What lied ahead of me was 1,100 kms of grueling and hot driving. The road ahead was through the Atacama Desert - one of the driest place on the earth. The landscape looked baked and tortured from the heat. Inside the van it was 105 degrees F (40 degrees C). I didn't dare turn the air conditioner on for fear of taxing the engine any more than it already was.
