After a luxurious night in a 4 star hotel, I tried to head north only to find that my roaming Google Maps and Internet didn’t work. I found my way to a McDonalds and used their free Internet to connect to Google Maps and get out of town.
Most of the fishing spots were really, really large lakes, of which I had no interest in but, just 30 miles up the road I crossed over Fox Creek, and took the dirt road adjacent to it to find more fishable water. I thought I had gone 5 to ten miles up the road, moving slowly, and never finding the creek. I finally turned around, braving a gravel/cobble section that made scary sounds on my under carriage as I drove over.
It turned out that I had only gone 4 miles, but that was enough as I kept running into private property turn offs with no creek in sight. Again, on the road heading north, huge lakes and then, the Tetlin River, actually a large creek at the campground. There was little access to the creek so I drove to the highway overpass and again drove down the Tetlin River road only to find “no Tetsin River to be found”. So, again, huge disappointment, and I headed north again.
So, again, up the road until I had traveled nearly 200 miles north, and ran into a large neon sign stating that the highway is closed at mile / km 530 due to fires. I backtracked a couple of miles to a gas station to get information and to fill up as I was at ½ tank. I couldn’t find my credit card. I remembered that in Whitehorse a sign stated that the credit card had to stay in the slot. Not meaning to take it literally, I accidentally left it in the slot, driving 200 miles north. Thankfully, the area I was in had 4 bars, so I called the gas station only finding out that my roaming plan would not collect.
Three hours at 75 mph (road max is 63 mph / 100 kph. I always stay just on the speed limit up here, and have been passed by many vehicles going 75 mph. So, with worry about my card being used to fill up half of the Whitehorse community, I sped back into town. I got to the station and asked the guy “if I look familiar”? (my picture is on the back of the card. He said no and I was disappointed and worried). I told him that I had left my card in the slot, and he had it, checked my picture, and refused my $40 CAD tip stating that it is what they do.
I’m back in Whitehorse, happy, except all the hotels are over 200 CAD, and all the campgrounds are full. My copy of The Dyrt, an app to show all the pay and free campsites in the area would not work. Turns out that Travelocity had a “last room available” sale at 33% off, so I booked into a hotel. I HAVE TO STOP DOING THAT!
Final Thoughts:
1) I had to pay Verizon $55 to get International roaming. But, I got International roaming in BC. After paying, the Int Roaming didn’t work, until I clicked on allow data through roaming. So, I may be paying money for something that I could get for free. Just more money hemorrhaging in my life.
2) There is a 10 hour route from Whitehorse to Fairbanks, Alaska. I can tour around there for a while, and cover the Alcan ending in reverse if I want. It looks like lots of creeks and rivers, finally, at the end of the Alcan Highway. Choices, Choices.
Tight Lines