Saturday, September 29, 2001

Hello from Skagway, Alaska!

Start time: 1000

Start odometer: 15087

Weather: Mostly cloudy, 39 F.

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Highlights:

The day started with a little bit of sun trying to squeeze through a mostly cloudy sky, with a temperature of 39 degrees. I spent the majority of the morning running around town picking up groceries, gas, stopping at the post office, and bank. Somewhat like a typical Yarmouth Saturday morning!
When finished, I decided to head towards the Whitehorse airport to visit the Beringia Interpretive Center suggested by Guy and Cheryl, my friends from Anchorage. I noticed that the DC-3 airplane wind vane was back in place, so I stopped by to see it. Back on August 23, I was visiting the Transportation Museum in Whitehorse. One of the staff took several of us to their renovation hanger, where they were refurbishing a DC-3 that was normally positioned on a pole outside of the airport, located near the museum. The unique thing about this aircraft is that it is designed to turn in winds as low as 5 knots, thereby allowing it to always point towards the wind! They mentioned it was to be back on its post within a month, and it looks like they reached their objective. It is an interesting site to see!
A plaque describing the life of the aircraft -
The construction equipment is for a pipe installation project, and has nothing to do with the DC-3
And of course, I took a picture of the Whitehorse Airport (YXY,) where a fuel starved Korean Air passenger jet diverted to on September 11 when Anchorage airport was closed.
Just to the left of where I was standing to take the airport picture was a building with some interesting antennas. There were three people working in the area, and I noticed a car with an Amateur Radio license plate. As I walked toward them, they noticed my car's ham plate (WB8KEO) and we introduced ourselves. I met Ron VY1RM, David VY1DM, and Bob VY1RB. They are members of the Yukon Amateur Radio Association VY1DX. Today they were at the Emergency Operations Management office in the building by the airport where they provide Amateur Radio communications in emergency situations as VY1EOM. While Ron, who is also the president of the club, prepared to climb the tower to replace a balun, David gave me a tour of the facilities. They have an excellent collection of equipment, and the facilities will allow them to be very effective in assisting where needed. They also have a backup system setup in a remote location in case access to this area is prohibited.
My conversation with David and the group was very interesting, and as usual the topics varied. As we were talking about their calls, they mentioned an interesting point - almost all of the Hams in the Yukon can get their initials for their calls! One of the benefits of living here!
Bob, David, and Ron -
Who is the ham in the middle?!?!?
The exterior of the EOM building -
After they finished testing the antenna and saw they had succeeded, and following a bit more conversation, they departed to work on other projects. I drove across a couple of parking lots the the Beringia Interpretive Center. They have wonderful displays of animals, plant life and humans that lived in the Beringia region, considered the area of the land mass in the Bering Straight that was exposed due to glaciations. There was much to be learned in this Center, and the staff was extremely helpful in answering questions. Tomorrow is the last regular day they will be open, besides Sundays and for special group visits. We talked a bit about their plans, as they will also be out of work after the beginning of next week. One final note about the Center...If you visit, make sure you check out the bathrooms! It seems they get MANY comments about their unique washrooms!
The exterior -
The welcoming committee at the front entrance! - \
A short face bear...It is huge! -
Description and display of the Bluefish Caves. -
I bid the staff farewell, then headed southeast on the Alaska Highway, until I reached the Klondike Highway south. I turned right and began my final leg to Skagway.
There were many things to see along the road, and the views were again spectacular! The fall colors came into play again, and even in the clouds and intermittent rain, the brightness of the colors was wonderful.
My first stop on the road was at the Robinson Roadhouse display. Roadhouses were built along popular routes in the early twentieth century to aid the traveler, and some have been preserved, while others have been lost.
Next along the road is the beautiful Emerald Lake, with this sign explaining the color of the lake. Beside the lake was a house that had a dog sled team. It must have been feeding time, because the dogs were loudly barking.
Around this point I left the Yukon Territory and arrived in British Columbia, but there was no sign erected at the border!
Continuing down the road, I noticed a desert type area to the east. The posted sign states it is the smallest desert in the world, but our "Desert of Maine" in Freeport is much smaller!
A few more miles (or kilometers) down the road and I arrived again in Alaska! This time the Customs agent asked for my passport. I had a nice conversation with him, and was soon again on my way. By the way, cruising through White Pass is another incredible drive that you should take if you come to Alaska! It is spectacular! -
I arrived in Skagway and stopped at Sergeant Preston's Lodge to get a room. They only had two left, so I am glad my timing worked again. Many of the businesses, including lodging, are closed for the season since the cruise ships are done visiting for the season. There was an Elderhostel group visiting tonight and booked up most of the rooms! One comment about the cruise ships...It is nice that Portland Maine is able to continue functioning fully as a city even after the cruise ships stop calling into port. Quite a difference from here, though here, the calm and quiet is much appreciated.
After a nice dinner, I took a walk to the docks and leaned a ferry would be arriving in an hour. Part of Alaska's Marine Highway, the M/V Kennicott is the largest ship in the fleet, and can carry 748 passengers and 120 vehicles. I decided to stay and watch it dock. To make it more interesting, one of the agents mentioned that this particular ship has to dock backwards. It was a fascinating sight to see a boat this big maneuver into the dock.
I walked back to my lodge, and while many of the stores were closed, the town looks very interesting. I will walk through again tomorrow with my camera and take a few pictures.
Tomorrow I head back up the Klondike Highway, then take a cut-off that leads back to the Alaska Highway. Then I will head towards Watson Lake, and the Sign Post Forest! Thank you for stopping by!