Canada Day in Whitehorse--still on the way to Skagway

July 1, Happy Canada Day!

Wild life sightings: One bear foraging just off the road. Greg stopped and I got my camera ready. The darn bear was much faster than me and was in the brush and out of camera range in a blink. We could still see him, but it would have been one of those pictures that you look at later and say geeze I wonder why I took that one.

Do you ever wonder how the manufacturers of RV’s decide what to name each model? It is something that has occurred to me on this trip. They have names like, prowler, canyon trail, adventurer, and MONTANA. There are many with the word wilderness in the name, although they are too big to go anywhere near the wilderness and seem to be driven by people from Texas. Wouldn’t you know it. My absolute favorite though is “Big Mama.” It wasn’t really the name of the RV but the semi cab that pulled it. Greg just added, "you know it was a Volvo." And where do you think “Big Mama,” was from? That’s right, Texas.

We are in Whitehorse for the second time, but we had to come through here again in order to get to Skagway. Besides, there was a museum that we missed the first time.Greg was having museum withdrawals and I indulged him. It was the Whitehorse City Museum and actually it was quite good. Again, it was one of those small town gems. Great care has been taken to display local historical artifacts and pictures. Most of it was on mining and the gold rush, but some of it was about the early settlers. There was a wonderful exhibit on the tribes that live in the area. The explanations were good and had a professional touch.

Since it is Canada Day, there were festivities going on and a parade. We did not catch the parade, but while we were walking near the river noticed a crowd gathering. We got there just in time to see a crane that was parked on a bridge holding a large bag that was dangling high above the water. Suddenly the bottom of the bag opened and released a load of rubber ducks that were swept in a big yellow swirl down the Yukon River. We were witnessing the Duck Races. A couple of the duckies were superior swimmers and were quickly out in front. It is every duck for him or herself and it is death defying. Rubber (plastic) ducks shooting the rapids! The crowd then runs along the river banks hoping to beat the ducks to the finish line. Parents with strollers, kids on bikes, even dogs take off, but they are no match for the current. Race officials have nets and are stationed both on shore and in boats. They wait for just the right moment to scoop up the yellow mass of bathtub toys. The current spreads them out some and I imagine they miss a few. The Yukon empties into the Bering Sea and I’d bet a duckie or two has made it all the way down the river. It reminded me a bit of the milk carton races on Green Lake, only this is even sillier. Oh and one more thing about Canada Day this far north. No fireworks. It does not get dark enough. Bummer.

We went to dinner at the same restaurant as the first time that we were here, and sat with a nice couple from the area. This is when I learned that the beautiful campground that we stayed at last night -Pine Lake- is known for having grizzly bears. Good thing that I didn’t know. I was walking around by myself this morning hoping to see a moose. I would have been mighty surprised if I’d met a bear.
After dinner we took in the Frantic Follies which was recommended to us by two locals. It was a vaudevillian type show that is supposed to be set during the gold rush. Of course it was full of corny humor, but it was entertaining and that leads me to:

Tomorrow we head for Skagway and I don’t know if I will have internet access. Because it is Fourth of July on Sunday, all of the campgrounds there are booked. Apparently, the city opens up some property for those of us who neglected to remember that it is a big holiday and it requires reservations. On Sunday the fifth, we board the Alaska State Ferry and arrive in Bellingham on the ninth. I am hoping that the ferry has internet, but I don’t know so this could be my last posting until we arrive home. There will be a summary post once we get back. I have really enjoyed doing this and I hope this isn’t the last time from up north. Thanks for following us and do check back,you never know! The weather looks to be getting better!
Mary