We pulled into Dawson City yesterday after a quick drive down from Tombstone Territorial Park on the Dempster Highway. Dawson is definitely a tourist trap but interesting nonetheless. After savouring the big room and shower at the Eldorado hotel we headed out to explore and enjoy a great meal at Klondike Kate's. I was going to go play Blackjack and take in the Can Can show at Diamond Tooth Gerties but I was too knackered after a day of hiking in the Tombstones.
Although we only did the first 100 kms of the Dempster Highway, it was well worth the detour. The road was in excellent condition and once you enter Tombstone Park the scenery is amazing. The mountains envelope the road and make you feel quite small. We sat in on a slide show by an author of a book on the Dempster Highway who entertained the kids and gave us good tips for day hikes the next day.
A thunder storm rolled in just as we got breakfast cooked the next morning so we ran everything to the kitchen shelter and swapped road stories with other travellers, most of whom were returning from Inuvik or the five day hike into Tombstone Ridge. The kids had a ball chatting with other travellers and counting the seconds between lightening and thunder to measure the movement of the storm over the mountains. They made friends with a little girl from Dawson City who hung out with us all morning.
When the weather cleared we headed up the Goldensides Trail for a three hour hike. It was a tough slog up but the kids were occupied by blueberries and the hope of spotting a dal sheep on the way. The view from the top was splendid with a clear view of Tombstone and Mount Monolith. We were back in the car and on the road to Dawson in under three hours.
This afternoon we took in a literary walk of Dawson City visiting the former cabins of Jack London, Robert Service and the childhood home of Pierre Berton. Service's cabin was especially meaningful as it has been preserved ever since he left it to serve as a war correspondent in WWI never to return to the North.
We're just about ready to head out to dinner at a Greek place and try and hit the sack early as we hit the road again tomorrow. We still haven't decided on our route but I think we will take the Top of the World Highway to Chicken and Toke, Alaska and then back onto the Alaska Highway, through Kluane National Park to Haines where we will catch our ferry to Seattle. It's a longer drive and we risk another mutiny from the kids who are quite sick of driving. It will be exciting to get our passports stamped at the most northerly border crossing in North America.
The kids are doing well and adapting to life on the road. So much time in the car makes things like school work and music practice impractical, but hopefully those will improve when we ditch the van in Alberta. My sense is that they have a good sense of the magnitude of the experience they are having. They love to tell strangers about their trip and all the countries they will visit. Mira misses her friends but makes up for it by writing postcards from every roadhouse and corner store where they are sold.
Deb and I are hanging in well. It's certainly tiring keeping two active and talkative kids entertained. Seldom a minute goes by without a "mommy?" or "daddy?" but we keep trying to remind ourselves that spending quality time as a family was the number one goal of this undertaking. Easier said than done and we wish we had more energy at the end of the day when they finally fall asleep. Most nights we're not far on their heels.
Will post again before or after we head down the Alaska Marine Highway on the big ferry.
PS Mira got her ears pierced today in Dawson. Almost held her off until she was 10. Shannon - no interest!
PPS. When in Dawson City, eat at the Drunken Goat! Damn good Greek Food! Lamb souvlaki to die for.
PPS. Met two former Yellowknifers at the blackjack table in Dawson tonight. Hilarious sharing stories of people we know in common.