Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Wildlife & Mishap Count on our Alcan Road Trip

Here it is - finally - the last post about our Alaska Highway Adventure. We kept a running list of daily wildlife sightings and road mishaps. All in all, we fared MUCH better than many we saw along the way. We did NOT have a tire blow - on 3 vehicles, we did not have to have our windshield replaced, we did not run out of gas, but it is QUITE a road and one would be wise to have full insurance on their vehicles before leaving if driving beat up cars bothers them. LOL

Day 1  - Through Oregon 
Deer

Day 2 - Through Washington 
Deer
Coyote
*Pig
*Chickens
*Cows

* I know but they were animals which charmed us - they stay on the list. 

Day 4 -Lynden, WA to Kokanee Bay, Lac la Hache
Eagles - 2 one with fish in talon 

Day 5 - Lac La Hache to Prince George
Deer

Day 6 - Prince George to Dawson Creek 
Mosquitoes - they are ubiquitous and they count
Eagle
Deer
Moose

Day 8 Dawson Creek - Fort Nelson 
Falcons (2)
Hawks
Black Bear - Michael and Alex

* Michael begins to think of a solution to our wildlife photo blahs. They SEE them first in the motorhome, but can't stop quickly. We are following with the cell phone, but don't always see what Michael sees. When we DO see them we have a cell phone camera.  He comes up with a solution. From here on out, Alex will continue to take photos with my Nikon in Uchi. I will have Michael's camera (by far our best camera) in the Jeep. They will act as spotters, flash their lights to show us which side of the road they see animals and alert us on the radio....we will stop and take photos. We're ready to give the plan a shot! 

Day 9 - Fort Nelson to Liard River Hot Springs
3 Black Bears - this was the last blah shot before we implemented Michael's photo strategy.

Numerous hawks

2 Falcons

32 Mountain Sheep (or more) near Stone Mountain Provincial Park



Numerous Beaver Dams

Day 10 Liard Hot Springs - Watson Lake, Yukon Territory
We wanted to see more moose and bear now that we were implementing Michael's photography plan. We also hoped for the Bison the highway signs kept promising.

4 Bears


Little too friendly - I got back in the Jeep 



Big Bison - worth the wait!

Day 11 - Watson Lake - Whitehorse, YT
Dead Bob Cat

Day 12 - Whitehorse, YT  - Beaver Creek 
*Be sure to get gas leaving Whitehorse!
Squirrels

Day 13 Beaver Creek, YT - Glenallen, AK
Squirrels
Geese
Swan
Bull Moose



Cow Moose

Rabbit

Day 14  Glenallen - Valley Area
Moose


Mishaps/Repairs/Breakdowns on the trip
Day 1 
"Go to Portland Fairview RV Park " is interpreted as "Go to Joe's Coffee, Portland" by GPS

Day 2
My (De'Etta) laptop - crunched and battered and pieces hanging from it - but working
Brake controller in Uchi isn't working properly - began fix

Day 3 
Nose of RV crunched in a VERY slow moving, RV park mishap

Day 4
Tightened Bicycle carrier on Nimo

Day 6
Rocks dings Nimo's windshield
We saw many having their windshields replaced on the road (both cars and RVs). We feel lucky. 

Day 7 
Continue fix on brakes - something about trailer and uchi and playing nice together

Day 8
Windshield wipers blew off twice! Whut?

Day 9
Rock dings on Nimo
Trailer Brakes

Day 10 
Instruments on Uchi (Motorhome)

Day 11
Spray of rocks dinged and chunked the front of Uchi
*Note WE are driving slowly, you can't help others who zip past and spray rocks

Day 12 
Steps on Uchi won't retract

Day 13 
Bikes pop up and hit the Jeep window
Misc gravel dings on all vehicles

No comments: