Not yet Alaska but getting closer

We spent most of a day walking along the Skeena riverbank chatting it up with some seasoned fisherman. These guys are serious with some very expensive thousand dollar Sage fly rods.  It was windy and drizzling and they were having a difficult time dropping their flies toward the middle of the river without snagging their ears. One guy (George Wesley) was a retired electrical construction superintendent          had been travelling up here with his wife for over 11 consecutive years living out of a 5th wheel for four months at a time visiting friends and chasing the various salmon runs throughout BC and Alaska. She was a real trooper. She had her rain gear on and a nice easy chair and read the afternoon away while her husband fished. He told us she had a large umbrella for when it rains. They stay in the city campground each season for the salmon run.

The $10 van part was being shipped by Greyhound bus from Prince George but had not made it that morning because the highway was closed due to a fatal accident and immediate investigation. Its common up here for roads to be closed for hours or even days for accidents, washouts, rock slides, flash floods and forest fires. Forest fires in northern BC closed roads for 3 days and even more depending on wind gusts and direction.  We got a lot of exercise on foot and finally selected a motel within walking distance of the garage.  The car was ready by 6 pm and was given back to us for a drive about but he wanted it back at 8 am to give the van a final check out and shifter adjustments and complete the oil change.  While I passed out in the room by 9:30 or 10 from exhaustion , deflation , concern and Larry stuffed himself with more halibut and a few pints without a care in the world. ( yes, I think that's the 4rd time this trip and when he is not eating halibut he is snacking on kippers in the room).

Friday we departed the garage promptly with the blessings from the mechanic. He gave us his card and said everyone up there calls him when its a VW repair. This was it. Raining and cool the test day was ahead. It became clear sailing and we arrived in the Yukon at 7pm. We passed through forest lands that had recently burned, the blackened trees and with strong odors of burnt wood was striking. The enormous size of this country with the vast trip distances made us aware of the insignificance of our plans & desires. This is a big area and pretty wild. It became more real as the day wore on. We really feel better today than yesterday.
Its Friday nite at Watson Lake rt 37 junction Yukon, Good nite. On to Whitehorse tomorrow.