Rainy days...

So I guess sooner or later it was inevitable, we've had some gorgeous weather, but now the rain has caught up to us. It rained on and off on Saturday, most of the day yesterday, and it's been showery today as well. Tomorrow and Wednesday look a bit better, but then rain is in the forecast again for the end of the week, through the weekend.  We took advantage of the rainy weather to watch some movies, Men in Black II, and the Hunger Games.

Saturday we also went to North Pole, Alaska, which even the kids were saying was just named that to get people to come to the town and spend money!  We went into a store called Santa's Workshop, which of course was filled with ornaments of all kinds.  They had a Santa there for photo ops and for kids to tell him their lists.  Michael wanted to sit on his lap and ask for a Lamborghini and a menorah!  They also had a 2x3 foot case of Hanukkah items, but it just screamed "political correctness!" to me.  Mind you, I didn't see anything for Kwanzaa...

The best part about Fairbanks is how bike friendly it is.  There's a bike path from the campground that goes right down both sides of the main road close to us.  The kids have been going to the store, and to mini-golf.  I had thought they could go to the movies today, but since school's already in session up here, the theater doesn't open till 4pm.  Yesterday morning Michael and Jason biked 4+ miles to the local hobby shop, to find out that it's closed both Sundays and Mondays!

We'll probably leave for Denali on Thursday, but don't worry, Mario won't be backpacking there.  Also keep in mind that the guy who was just killed had photos on his cell phone that progressively got CLOSER to the bear, to within a range of about 50 feet!!  The national park service recommends staying at least 1/4 mile away from grizzlies..so, yeah, I think we're too smart for grizzly bear close ups!

On to Fairbanks...

Well, we've made it to Fairbanks, the northern most spot we'll reach.  The sun doesn't set until nearly 10pm, which kind of makes it a bit challenging to get the kids to bed, since it's still light out till around 11!  I think they're starting to get used to going to sleep without darkness.

On the way up to Fairbanks, we stopped in Delta Junction, at the end of the Alaska Highway, 1,422 miles from Dawson Creek. They had a nice Visitor's Center there, and since it's getting towards the end of the season everything was half price! We also had some fun with the large sculptures at the visitor's center. Really, the mosquitos aren't quite that large here (but almost!)

 

Here's our campsite, that's the Chena River on the right, and Ryan's "room" behind the picnic table!  It's a nice site, we'll probably stay till the middle of next week or so, then on to Denali.  One of the book's we've picked up on this trip is called "The Milepost," which is a mile by mile accounting of the major highways that lead to and around Alaska.  It's a bible to anyone taking this trip.  There's actually one of the editors staying here as she gathers more information!

 

Ahhhh Alaska!

So, we've finally made it to Alaska!  But before I get to that, I wanted to show one of the photos from Watson Lake's Signpost Forest.  It's hard to get an idea of how big this "forest" was, but suffice it to say there must have been a thousand posts, all filled with license plates, street signs, and assorted other signs.  We're thinking it might deserve a trip back to put up our own sign for Gordon's Grand Adventure!

We had a 400 mile trek today...which would normally take us about 7 1/2 - 8 hours to drive, today it took about 9!   Most of it was paved, but there was about 25 miles on and off of gravel.  The worst was a stretch of about a half mile of badly rutted gravel, where we could only go about 6 miles/hour before our teeth started chattering too much!  We told all the kids to not open any of the cabinets before Mario and I had a chance to make sure nothing would fall on them!  It was amazing how much better the roads were once we left the Yukon, and got into Alaska. 

 The scenery was beautiful, expecially while we were still in the Yukon. We stopped and had breakfast at Kluane (Kloo-an-ee) Lake , and got some great photos. Genny also took a stroll to get some pictures.

We also stopped for the Alaska sign, kind of like the ones we took on our 2008 cross country trip.  Also, one of the kids at the boundary marker.

Yukon Ho!

Well, today we made it to Watson Lake, in the Yukon Territory. It was an absolutely beautiful drive, although no cell phone service from the moment we pulled out of Fort Nelson, until we reached the "downtown" of Watson Lake.

 Along the way we saw caribou (I think he was eating the gravel!)...

Bison...

And beautiful scenery!

We also stopped at the Liard Hot Springs, with temperatures in the water ranging from 106-125 F! Thankfully, the hot water was naturally mixing with the cooler water, so the farther pool wasn't that hot. The close one was probably around 110-115. This was a much nicer setting that the pools at Miette.

Tomorrow is on to Whitehorse, which Jason tells me is the largest city in the Yukon! Again, I don't expect to have cell reception except maybe briefly as we pass by the towns along the way.

Ft. Nelson, BC

We've had a couple of really nice days here.  The campground itself doesn't hold much for the kids(they do have a restaurant/bar that Mario and I paid a visit to last night, though) .  That being said, there's a great park about a 1/4 mile from here that has a baseball diamond, tennis courts, a playground, and a sprayground too!  The kids have been going everyday to play, and today it was even warm enough to play at the sprayground.  There's also a visitor's center across the street from the park that has a good wifi signal, and is free to use.  That's been their morning activity, before the park.  In the afternoon they've been going to the local library, which has a kids reading program, and books available to buy for 10-25 cents each.

After work we've been playing family games at the park.  Monday we did a round robin tennis tournament, which was a draw between Ryan and Mario.  Last night we played baseball, but I think I've decided that it's too hard to play three on three, anybody want to join us for a game? :-)

Tonight we'll be having a fire with smore's.  We're leaving here on Friday for a 1,000 mile weekend to push on to Alaska.  The cell signals haven't quite reached a lot of northern British Columbia and the Yukon, so we're driving to spots along the way where we expect to get a signal, but by Sunday in Alaska we know we'll be good.  I think we're all looking forward to being back on US soil.

Dawson Creek!

Well, we've made it to Dawson Creek, British Columbia, which is the starting point for the Alaska Highway, Mile 0, as it's called.  We just had to get a photo by the mile marker.  Apparently they had to move the marker from the actual Mile 0, because there were too many accidents and traffic tie-ups from people wanted their picture taken!

Sorry I've been quiet for a few days, I spent Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday training in Barrhead, Alberta at one of our properties, The Barrhead Inn and Suites.  A very nice hotel, with a great staff.  They really made me feel welcome.  It was about 1 1/2 hours from the spot near Edmonton where we were camping.  Mario and the kids held down the fort there while I was gone.  On Friday after I got back, we went to the West Edmonton Mall, Canada's answer to our Mall of America.  Not only do they have an amusement park in it, they also have a waterpark, and ice rink, and two mini golf courses!  Oh, and an (exotic?) animal exhibit, which Genny really "liked" (but wasn't so sure about the large snake!)

Stony Plain, Alberta (Edmonton)

Today we're in Stony Plain, at a nice campground that backs to one of the many parks in the town.  The park has a playground that the kids really like, and there's also a BMX bike park not too far away.  Michael tells me it's HUGE! and Genny and Jason say it's very challenging.  Mario and Ryan are out today, Mario on sales calls, Ryan supporting him (ie, navigating!).  And it's been relatively quiet here.  Jason, Genny, and Michael played a long game of Monopoly.

Last night there was a beautiful sky before the storm came through.  I asked Mario to go up to the top of the RV and take a photo:

Tomorrow and Thursday I'll be going up to do some training at the Barrhead Inn and Suites in Barrhead, Alberta, one of our properties.  Mario and the kids will hold down the fort here.

Hinton, Alberta

Hi all, we had an amazing time driving up the Icefields Parkway, which links Banff and Jasper National Park.  It was truly magnificent.  So many mountain peaks just lining the highway, looking left or right.  Where Jasper Park begins to the south is the Athabasca Glacier, which is just enormous!  You have to have a guide to go on it, which we didn't, and since we had another hour to drive, we just stopped for some photos.  It's hard to see, but the tiny little specs on the ice are actually people (the longer spec is a bus!)

 We stayed at a National Park campground, which was beautiful, but only electric hookups.  Also, not much in the park for the kids to do while Mario and I worked.  Yesterday we left the park to come to Hinton, a small town just outside the park.  As we were driving, we were treated to a few opportunites for Wild Animal Photos.  The first is a Grizzly bear and her cub (to the right), and then to a trio of Elk - the third off shot in the water.

We're staying at a KOA here, so a bit more civilization, only satelite wi-fi, so it's not too good.  Tomorrow we plan to go back to Jasper Park and explore the Meitte Hot Springs.  I'm still on the lookout for a moose or a caibou, maybe we'll get lucky!

Banff, in the Canadian Rockies - UPDATED!!!

Well, sorry for not posting these last few days.  We were staying at a campground whose Wi-fi was truly lacking (read "nonexistant!"), so we had to rely on our own Mi-fi, which is a bit on the pricey side ($25/100meg).  That meant nothing other than work related, I'm afraid.  We were staying in a town just south of Banff National Park, from the campground you could see the "Three Sisters", shown here to the left of the photo.  It's really hard to get a picture that really expresses all the mountains that surround you, but I think this is pretty good.

While we were there we spent a day in the park, having lunch at Lake Minnewanka,

and going up to Lake Louise, which was spectacular!

Today we moved to a resort in the small town of Banff.  The town reminds me a bit of Jackson Hole, WY.   The resort is the Hidden Ridge Resort, and they've been very accomodating, even letting us check in at 11:30 when normal check in wasn't till 4!  We have a 2 bedroom + loft "room", with a bonus rec room.  It's four floors, with a kitchen, dining room, living room as well as the rec room.  We have spread ourselves out as much as we can!  Six of us, on four different floors, watching five different TV's!!  I think we needed the space, and the down time.  I was afraid the kids would gripe a bit about all the stairs, but they've been running up and down ever since we arrived.  I just hope they don't expect this type of lodging every four weeks!

Banff National Park (which the town is within), is really spectacular!  The Rockies surround us, and the views are amazing.  Mario took quite a few photos, so I'll put a few up as soon as I can get them off his camera.  Well worth a trip if you haven't been!