Day 21 - Whitehorse, YK to Laird River Hot Springs, BC

Day 21 - Monday, July 20/2009
Starting Location: Takhini Hot Springs, YK

Ending Location: Laird Hot Springs, BC
Distance Travelled: 443 miles or 718 km
Distance Travelled to date: 6578 miles or 10985 km


Gas:
Whitehorse, YK $1.009/li 13.280 litres $13.40 total
Teslin,YK $1.099/li 10.37 litres $11.40 total
Watson Lake, BC $1.189/li 14.727 litres $17.51 total

Laird Hot Springs RV $22/ night

We started off by going into Whitehorse to see the city. The downtown centre was bustling with a lot of people walking, talking and shopping. We visited a few shops for souvenirs and walked along the new waterfront walkway that follows the Yukon River. The old train station and the Klondike, the wheel steamboat that plied the river and is now a historical monument, can be found. We ate at the interesting Klondike Rib & Salmon grill house, one of the oldest buldings in the city and had caribou and muskox burgers. They tasted great!
We left Whitehorse along the Alaska Highway South on our way to Laird Hot Springs, east and south of Watson Lake. As a result, we were covering some of the road we took on our way to Skagway. Travelling in a different direction did add some interesting views. Once past Watson Lake, we travelled thru some nice forested areas. As we went south, we entered the Peace River Basin and things became very interesting. As we travelled, I noticed that all the trees were the same size and height. You can tell that the area is new growth from forest fires of the past. The new trees seemed to go back as far as you can see, indicating the huge size of the fire. As we went along the highway, we saw a buffalo grazing along the roadway, unperturbed by our presence. Further on, we came across another buffalo walking calmly along the side of the highway. We could have touched it as it was so close. Later, Donna saw a black wolf, we saw a moose cross the road and then the saddest thing...there was a dead fox laying on the side of the road and sitting up on the guardrail, keeping company for its dead mate, was another small fox. It did not want to leave it's mate. Hope the same fate does not happen to it as it was right on an unprotected part of the highway where transports just fly by. Later, we came acorss 2 herds of buffalo, grazing on the side of the road. There were many newborn calves in the herds.
Also, a bit distressing, was the signs of a forest fire ahead. We could see the burnt trees, see the smoke and smell the burnt forest right along the roadway as we drove. Remembering the hundreds if not thousands of acres of destroyed forests we saw while in the Tok & Chicken area made the impact of a forest fire right here more ominous. We got to Laird Hot Springs late, not knowing if the road ahead will be closed because the fire is still active in the area.

Temperature: The day in Whitehorse started off very cool, in the low 50's and worked it's way up to the mid 60's. 66 is the average for the month. I saw a report that next we, when we are gone, that the temperature will be about 29 degrees celcius.

The Alaska Highway from Whitehorse to Watson Lake to Laird Hot Springs is absolutely perfect for riding. No construction, very little traffic and gorgeous scenery...just watch out for the animals and the fires.