Date: 8 June 2001 (Friday)

Start: Poplars Campground and Café, Toad River BC

End: Downtown RV Park, Watson Lake YT (212 miles)

It was 48f with no clouds. A beautiful morning again.

We arose, ate breakfast, and hooked up. We learn something from our Canadian cans and packages, which are bi-lingual by law. Today it was that grapefruit juice is "jus de pamplemousse".

Then we said goodbye to our new-found Canadian friends and headed out for Watson Lake, where we were due three days ago.

First we saw a moose at the edge of the woods. Then we saw a half-dozen stone sheep (like big-horns) at Muncho Lake. At Trout River, a good-sized black bear was eating at the edge of the woods. Later, there was a pair of bison. Then came a pair of black bears, then one bear, all eating the berries that grow along that stretch of the road. Most of these bears gave us a decent view of a bear at work, so it was a good morning.

In the midst of these animals, we came to Iron Creek, the site of the culvert cave-in that broke the highway. We had to wait in a line with a lot of other RV's for some downward-bound traffic. I was pretty busy threading the single-lane bridge, but Dolores got pictures. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw this tremendous culvert crushed and flattened. I don’t know yet what did it, but that thing was big.

We pulled into Watson Lake about noon and set up in this big gravel lot they call a campground. Remind me to skip this one on the way back. Its only virtue is that it is in the center of town and things you want to do.

We did laundry – sorely needed. I received and sent e-mail, so we’re about caught up. Then we shopped for groceries – there’s not a great deal of selection up here. We bought what we need and left the rest for Whitehorse tomorrow. I did a trip to the government liquor store for some wine (only place that sells it here).

We walked over to the famous signpost forest – the place where everyone posts their signs, started by a soldier in WWII. There are thousands of signs from all over the world.

As we walked in to the "forest", Dolores ran into Fred, the harmonica playing Canadian in the band from the last few days. Then, others came out, so we chatted for a few minutes and said good-bye again.

I walked to the post office and mailed a card to son Bill’s buddy in the hospital. We walked up to the local "department store" (again, functional but sparse). Dolores bought socks and a few treats.

We waited a bit, then went to the local planetarium (yup, that’s what I said). There we saw a presentation on the Northern Lights (aurora borealis), followed by one on local wildlife. Not too bad, but costly. It’s probably the only planetarium in Yukon Territory.

Then we walked down to dinner out at the Belvedere Hotel. D had roast chicken, I had salmon, with South African Chardonnay. It was very nice. Six of the local businesswomen were having dinner (I recognized the lady from the RV park) and having a great time.

Then back to the little house in the gravel parking lot surrounded by big motor homes to relax, then write this, then to bed. Still clear, 50f at 10 pm, after a high of 70f.