WEDNESDAY July 11, 2007

We visited the sign forest today in Watson Lake near the BC and Yukon territory border. It started out with a single sign posted by a soldier during the construction of the highway (mileage to his home) and has turned into tens of thousands of signs. Visitors are welcome to post their own signs now.

We made a late decision to detour to Skagway today. Long day, but tomorrow will be a good break for everyone on the Skagway to Whitehorse train. About a 3 hr round trip. It put us in Alaska a day early, but we will have to make our way back out to the AK hwy and then on to Fairbanks later in the week. Raining and cold right now with lots of snow in the hills around Skagway. All fogged in. This would be pretty depressing if this were a typical mid-July day.

Off to bed; early to rise......

THE COLUMBIA ICEFIELD

SATURDAY July 7th, 2007
We drive from Lake Louise to Jasper with the occassional stop to enjoy the sites. We spy some mountain goats along the road and take a ride on the Athabasca Glacier in the Columbia Icefield. Our ride is a large wheeled buggy that traverses some rugged territory including a 32 degree incline to get on the glacier. We were able to get out on the glacier for a while in an area that the ice is about 1,000 feet thick. While on the buggy, we hear “you guys are from Georgia!” It was a woman who saw us in a small restaurant in town last week that we have never met before – VERY small world. This icefield is right on the continental divide, and as we leave, we notice the river along the side of the road that we have followed for 75 miles, is now running in the other direction (west). The water on this side of the continental divide is headed for the Pacific Ocean. We also realize we are as far north as we have ever been – a record we will break each and every day for a week now.

SATURDAY July 7th, 2007
Mike turns 46 in Banff NP. It turns out God is smiling on us as the day is spectacular all day. We drive NW on Hwy 93 (Icefields Parkway) toward Jasper. First stop, Lake Louise. Awesome views. We did get to see an avalanche as the continues to recede. The greenish tint of the water is due to the ground stone under the glacier being carried by the water running under the ice into the lake.We filled the tank on this RV – ½ a tank that is. We are about 430 miles into our 2,500 mile Alcan journey. Gas cost was a $1.19 / litre or a bit over $4.50 / gallon. $140+ later we determine it is a long way to Anchorage.

I did my obligatory dip in this water - my minor obsessive compulsive disorder, I guess. I at least wade into some waters regardless of their temperature. Just no photo here.