Thankfully, I've got half a thermos of hot coffee that I can gulp down as soon as I get up. We have a relatively short 150 or so drive today from Liard Hot Springs to Watson Lake in the Yukon Territories. After packing up and grabbing a pastry from the bakery across the street, we're back on the road.
Within a few miles, we have our first wildlife sighting of the day...a lone bison. Later on, we see a couple of small black bears. Around 1:00 or so, we cross the border from British Columbia to the Yukon Territory...now we're really out there. It's a beautiful drive, and we stop often for photos.
By 4:00, we're in Watson Lake checking in at the Downtown RV Campground. The owner is in a particularly good mood because, tonight, every spot in his campground will be filled...there's lots of folks heading both north and south on the Alaska Highway. The campground isn't much...a big gravel parking lot...but they have water and electric...and even 20 channels of cable TV!
Bill and I relax with a few cocktails before dinner. Then we whip up a big batch of sausage raviolis with vodka sauce...very nice with a Nero d'Avola from Sicily. We've had decent weather much of the day but, not long after dinner, it starts to rain again. Bill and I retreat to the shelter of his camper for a few beers before bed.
The campground is absolutely packed tonight. While I am enjoying this, my second trip to Alaska,it is much different from my first trip in 2008. When I came up in 2008, there was hardly anyone on the road...this time, it's packed. And, I saw a lot more wildlife on my first trip up. I also didn't have to contend with the "Northern Pine Beetle" in 2008. These nasty and aggressive pests are wiping out pine trees all the way from Alaska down into the U.S. They fly right at you, grab onto your clothes, and bite you (a nasty bite too) when you try to shoo them away.
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