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Jack Stafford, August 6th
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Journal entries during the "Top of the World Tour" from Vancouver to Inuvik, NWT. This chapter takes me from Haines Junction, Yukon to Prince Rupert, BC.
We arrive in Whitehorse, YT and stop at a supermarket in the north side of town. Between the mall and Canadian Tire I get everything on my shopping list. At the gas pump a local with long hair paid for my fuel. She left before I could thank her. My starter is working again after three days. Things are looking up.
Outside of town Jorge discovers a fuel leak in the ring main. After replacing the leaky hose we're on our way to Wolf Creek camp. Some of our group chose to stay on paved roads the last two days. We will be reunited, then have to split up from here. Rather than go on ahead to Johnson's Crossing we opt to stay one more night and say goodbye in the morning. I change my oil and filter. Blackened redfish and green beans for dinner. Odometer 240,200 miles.
As usual we get rolling around 11am. At 9 I could hear wood being split and kids laughing so I get up and say goodbye to the folks that are on the way south or east. We're going to miss you.
The road to Watson Lake Jorge leads at 60mph. At the junction we find some of our group. Tobin's bus had the red ALT light on. I offer the spare alternator from my old 1700 motor. At camp he would replace it.
Dease Lake has small islands in the middle of it. It seems warmer than some of the other waters we've camped next to but still too cold to swim. In the evening we get a wonderful sunset on the mountains across the lake. Odometer: 240,537 miles.
I get up, make coffee and ready around 9. Eddie is ready to roll at 10:30 or so. I team up with him for the road south to Stewart. This road is a mixture of paved and unpaved sections. The unpaved sections are pockmarked and muddy. I find myself weaving in and around the potholes from 6 to 16 inches in diameter. By the time we reach Bell II I am nearly out of fuel. I fill up and we all get coffee.
Outside of Stewart we see a large blue and white glacier. A light mist clings low in the valley where the river runs. Further up the slope are waterfalls and the peaks are lost from view by cloud cover. At the Clements Lake turnoff we find Bob. There's not much of a camp here and looks like a day use area.
Bob, Eddie, Bob and I cross the border and find a roadhouse in Hyder, AK. We all eat fish & chips. We decide to check out the camping in Stewart. The RCMP follows us into town. Ivette and Jorge arrive in town and follow to an RV park. Locals are not very friendly. Across town another RV park shuns us. Before anyone could open their mouth the proprietor says "...you're too late, you're too late." Bob asked the man, "We're too late for what?" It seems that they have run out of camp spaces for the night, yet we can see a half dozen unoccupied. We camp at Clement's Lake in the mud and rain. It's free and on the intinerary so we can meet the other VWs. Odometer: 240,929 miles.
This morning the group splits up. Eddie and Bob take the road to Prince George to the east. Ivette, Jorge and I will go south to Prince Rupert to catch a ferry.
It's raining on the road to Terrace so the VWs get washed off. We're a day early according to the itinerary so we try and find a camp for two days. The first one does not have showers so we go to number two. Lakelse Lake is on the road to Kitimaat and has lots of campsites. We find one near the edge of the park. Odometer: 241,163 miles.
The old redwoods have burl on the ground and spanish moss in the branches. The ranger says there's a bear in the area and takes the $14 fee. I've got to adjust the rear brakes. Somewhere in the past day or so I drove with the parking brake on. I get the adjustment done and head for the shower.
I wake up at 9, then fall back asleep 'till 11. After lunch we go into town for banking, groceries and beer. On the way to the beer store we find Neil and Tobin's vans at a gas station. The alternator is working. Pete and Sally have turned to their way home in WA state.
The four vans camp nearby at Lakelse Lake. Around the campfire we listen to Pink Floyd's "Pulse" and drink beer. Finally I retire around 2am.
Up at 9:30 to make breakfast and sandwiches for lunch. To pass the time I read Model Airplane News magazines. Ivette and Jorge are ready so we head back to Terrace and along the Skeena R. There's alot of fishing and boating on this river.
We stop for a break at Prudhomme Prov. camp which is on the itinerary. For the most part I tried to stay to the itinerary in the event that some folks would join in our trek. I make a pot of coffee then we drive to Prince Rupert.
In Prince Rupert we get another car wash. Neil calls on the CB to say he has a campsite for us near the ferry landing. While I&J's laundry is being fluffed and folded we dine at Smiles restaurant. Good seafood dinners here.
Back at the camp most are tucked in for the night. There's an early wake-up call to catch the ferry which sails for Vancouver Island at 7:30. To bed. Odometer: 241,286 miles.
Jack (stafford@alloth.hac.com)
