Start: Dawson City, Yukon
Finish: Whitehorse, Yukon
Miles today: 327
Miles total: 4212
big game: zero, big goose egg, zip, zippo, no hay nada más
Growing up there were certain thing about my Dad that we all held as undeniable truths. My mother told us these “facts” and maintains their truthfulness to this day. After 15 days and 14 nights with my Dad I’m here to set the record straight.
| Previously Undisputed Facts | Truth |
| Dad is allergic to chocolate and will get canker sores and swell up. | The morning before last, Dad enjoyed a glass of hot chocolate with his pancake breakfast. Dad did not instantly explode. As far as I could tell he did not even get a cranky feeling. |
| When Dad sleeps he lays on his back, folds his arms and sleeps like the dead. | Did I mention he fell out of bed the other night? I stay up late posting each night and Dad goes to sleep. Dad tosses and turns throughout the night. He snores, coughs and gets up about three times a night. And he snores like a big dog. |
| Ketchup is as wild a condiment as Dad likes. | We had Mexican the other night. I could barely get a chip edged in to the salsa as Dad kept dipping his chips in the medium spicy sauce. He even ordered the spicy enchilada plate. |
| Dad’s taste runs toward plain meat and potatoes. He does not like all that Mugu Gai Pan, fried pig knuckles or Moo Shu Pork… Just go to McDonald’s and he’ll be fine. | We just came back from dinner. We went to “Taste of India”. Dad enjoyed the dinner including the Butter Chicken, Nan, Samosa, Goat Curry, Palak Paneer and Mattar Paneer. He really enjoyed the Butter Chicken. |
| Dad can’t do anything for himself! | Dad is doing laundry for both of us… But now I get the brilliance behind Dad pretending not to be able to do anything for himself… He did not have too! I’m still learning from Dad. |
| If Dad gets a bug bit he will pick at it all day until is bleeds and gets infected. | OH Wait… That one is true. |
The Internet is amazing. I am getting WiFi everywhere. On the other hand the AT&T cell coverage is non-existent out here. And out here is basically all of Canada. I was about to get a Skype account for calling land lines… but I guess we could use a pay phone… I think they still have those around. Don’t they?
Today was an easy day. The first day in a long time that we were on asphalt! And surprisingly very little traffic. Seems like after school is back in the only traffic are locals and the Holland America tour buses. The colors are amazing. Yellow, gold, pale and deep greens along with carpets of red. I have to remember this is not the Dempster so I can’t use both halves of the road… they have lines on these roads and they get upset if you go outside of those lines. But with very little traffic no one seems to mind. That was the Klondike. Tomorrow we start our trip south on the ALCAN.
The rains came in today and it helped clean the bugs off the windshield. Hopefully, mother nature will clean off the sides so the Last Great Road Trip sticker is visible again. I may have to break down and clean it up again.
We are in Whitehorse, Yukon. The population is 13,000. Wow that seems like a lot after staying in so many cities and towns where the population could be counted without having to take off your shoes. Whitehorse has parking meters for downtown. In places like Deadhorse you just pull off the road and call it a good. The choices we had in Whitehorse for hotels almost froze us in our tracks. Luckily, Dad was able to put that 30 years of IBM systems engineering to work, build a decision tree and picked a hotel. It was the first one that said Internet on the sign.
Tomorrow is going to be a hard day’s night. We’re looking at about 500 miles. And it looks like it will be in the rain…
I know the pictures are thin… but do you really want a picture of Dad and I eating sandwiches in the rig at a rest-stop call the roadhouse? Or Images of us filling up the gas tank again with 39 liters of premium gas?
There are long times when neither of us say much…. but when the silence is broken by calling out a mile (kilometer) marker or other mundane road sign, we both know it is just our way of saying glad you’re here with me on this adventure.
WOW: Six, Seven, Eight new comments. Thank you! Do you know why 6 was afraid of 7? Because 7,ate 9! these math jokes crack me up.
Jim: You crack me up… But seriously, use the back alley for your next expedition to Home Depot and than you can tell everyone how you had to go off road to get to the mall. Start thinking Antigua 2008.
Shelia: We are on our way back but an exact arrival ETA is tough since it depends on how many miles we feel like driving. My guess 4 more days.
Mary: it is 46 years. And Dad knew the important dates… they are engraved in his wedding band.
John: Ok if you want to live this… I’m trying to write this post while Dad sucks the paint off the walls with his snoring… I’m sure though when he is up at five and I’m dead asleep, he thinks… Great Paul is snoring loud enough to wake the dead. Yeah… It is worth it.
Barbie: thanks for the note and checking in on the family while Dad and I are on this expedition. Top of the world this time… Next adventure Antigua.
Carla / Ray: Thank you for the words of encouragement. Have a safe trip to Michigan. Say hi to Maura’s brothers. Several of them will be there rooting on the Ducks with you.
Joyce: You show people this… If I knew anyone would see and read this I would have never started the blog. Thanks for keeping us alive and well at work.
Well, the housing market is sort of … sluggish … these days so we have some time on our hands over here in escrow-land.
The comparison chart was hilarious. And I think you should blow up that first scenic picture in this post and frame it. SpecTACular.
4 more days???!!! Better call the night before you arrive so we can be prepared…And I trust that in between now and then you will have used the wench, the extra special suspension and all the other STUFF you HAD to have for this trip! Or I may have to just head out and do some furniture shopping…actually that works fine for me! Looks like the camera is paying off at least! Yes, I am finally leaving a comment now that you are almost home – I can’t resist: GO DUCKS! Beat Michigan!
Funny chart good info to know.
what will we do without your daily posts….
I just read Jim the first part of your comparison chart as he is driving to Seattle this morning for the day. You really are a good writer Paul, and Jim is on board for Antiqua.
Didn’t your mother also teach you not to pick on her???? It is “bad form.” I’m sure you are going to pay for some of those. Looks like you guys are continuing to have fun. Loved Maura’s note about the essential items. When is the slideshow presentation after you get home?
Make sure to tell Jim that Mary and I just bought a brand new front loading washing machine…with his new found passion I’m sure he can’t wait to visit us and do a few loads. Had we only knew this before!
Whitehorse has a population of 26,000 and not 13,000. The Yukon, in general, is one of the most stunning places on earth – I’m amazed that the most positive thing you have to say is that it’s “asphalt”. I hope one day you have a better appreciation for the opportunity you have been given and not so concerned about wi-fi connections and the availability of the “ancient” payphone.
Amber, clearly you’ve not read the rest of the stories we’ve posted otherwise you’d know we’re with you on how amazing the Yukon is. And after 12 days driving in and out of Arctic Circle several times and working our way through little towns… Yes asphalt, Internet and parking meters are a big deal.