Skagway

After a day of traveling we arrived back in Whitehorse.  Part of this trip is back tracking to parts we have already seen.  But it is the only way back to the lower USA.  Planned to stay 2 nights in the same campground we stayed at on the way up, over 1 month ago.  Pioneer RV Park $32 per night Canadian ($26.50 American - full hook up).  Did a bit of stocking up at Walmart and fuel fill up in both the RV and SUV.  The campground allows 300meg of data usage on the internet, otherwise off to the Visitors Center to jump on their WiFi.  WiFi has been a challenge throughout this trip.  Dry camping there is never a WiFi, and some of the campgrounds have really poor signal so basically like no WiFi either.  It makes for a challenge, and trying to remember all the stuff I needed to do online, when we get the chance.

Last major city before Prince George and they fuel may be cheaper than anywhere else on the way south.   Decided to do the same thing with Skagway.  We had been there on our cruise in 2009 and seen the town.  Took the White Pass Yukon railway trip in 2009 so thought we would check out the town and surrounding area more.  Leaving the RV in Whitehorse and taking the SUV and Gator with for another long days trip to Skagway.  Left at 7:30am and drove the 100 miles one way to Skagway.  Canada to US border crossing again.  I got smart and brought Gator treats to keep him occupied while the border guard questioned us, not a peep out of Gator!  Now that I mentioned how smart I am, I must tell you how stupid I am.  2 days ago while we were in Haines, I had our mail forwarded to Haines General Delivery.  Today as we drive to Skagway, I remember.  So do we take the $36.50 one way ($71 round trip) ferry to Haines just to pick up the mail? Or have it returned to our mailing service, or forward it to Samantha's address?  We first stopped in the Skagway Post Office and told her our "issue".  We decided to have it forwarded to Sammi and she could open and deposit the checks that were in there into the local bank.  Hopefully, that all works!!

We had a 2 for 1 coupon in our Alaskan Tour Saver book for the Liarsville show and salmon bake.  So we drove 2 miles down the road to Liarsville.  Turns out you get tickets in town so we had to go into Skagway and luckily they had a few tickets left for today.  There are 4 cruise ships in Skagway and about 10,000 people.  OK, didn't plan that one well.  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday all the cruise ships come in (today is Wednesday).  We went back to Liarsville and had a wonderful lunch of salmon, chicken, rice, noodles, coleslaw, beans, salad, cornbread, and blueberry cake. Mmmmmm…..  They also put on a funny show telling about Liarsville.  In the 1898 gold rush Liarsville was the base camp for the thousands of gold seeking people, waiting for supplies or a break in the weather to head up the pass and the 500 miles of hiking to Dawson City.  The reporters that were sent from the lower 48 didn't really want to hike that far, nor haul 1000# of supplies to make the trek.  So they stayed back in this town and wrote there "true, on the spot reporting" from camp - 500 miles away.  Hence, it became Liarsville because the stories were rarely true to life and made the long walk seem like a stroll.  Many people weren't too happy when they returned from attempting to make it to Dawson City and found those reporters! 

The drive was the absolute best part of the trip.  Beautiful, beautiful scenery and so glad we drove the SUV.  We made frequent stops, turn arounds, and slow drive bys to get photos.  Stopped in the World's Smallest Desert - Carcross Desert.  We were told stories about friends of ours that had stopped there in their motorhome.  He thought she had gone into the RV bathroom, she took a stroll into the desert.  When he drove off and left her, she ended up walking a few miles up the road before he realized and turned around to come back for her.  Still a topic of conversation…  So now I can see how that could happen.  It is a beautiful area and photos are a must.

Carcross the town has much Tlingit First Nation history and love their paintings on the buildings!!  Local artists have a few shops open and the bakery is a neat building but no bakery goods.  Just coffee and scones.  Not our favorite, as Randy was really looking forward to a donut.  

Back to Whitehorse after doing a bit of tourist shopping in town.  A lot of tshirts and overpriced goods, but interesting to look at.  Home by 7:00pm