Taking a Break in Whitehorse, Yukon

Day 12   

Sunday June 26, 2016          Whitehorse, Yukon Territory      Pioneer RV Park, site 119

268 miles (431 km)                    `                                                         11.0 mpg (4.68km/l)

Left very early this morning, 06:00, and we got here at noon.  This is a private park 6 miles east of Whitehorse on the Alaska Highway.  We had no reservations and got a very nice site.  As nice as if we stayed in a YG campground, but with hookups, including cable TV, and WiFi in the meeting room down by the office.  For a private park it is fairly inexpensive at $35 CAD per night.  We signed up for 2 nights with the option of a third night for catching up with blogs.

 

Site119, a great site for an RV park

About halfway here, my break controller was flashing “s.h.”.  When applying the brake it flashed “o.L.”  I pulled over at a turnoff and tried manually operating the trailer breaks with the lever and there was no response.  So here I was again (remember my trailer break story two years ago with the Casita) with no trailer breaks.  I’m asking my truck breaks to stop 10,000 lbs.  I decided to continue on taking it slow and easy, pre-braking hills and curves, etc.  It didn’t feel too bad.  After setting up in the campground I found the problem to be in the wiring to the rear, road side wheel.  I disturbed them and separated them better and they were again working.  If it happens again I will have to pull the wheel off to gain better access to the wires behind the backing plate but I feel good I know where to look.

Beautiful scenery, once again, all the way.

Lots of wildlife.  Two bears jumped out in front of me shortly after I discovered the bad trailer brakes.  I hit the brakes hard.  It was scary.  But just as was about to hit them, they turned back to the side of the road. 

We also saw quite few rabbits licking salt off the road, a red fox running across the highway into the roadside grass, and a moose standing in a small lake.  Unfortunately, we did not get any photos.

The truck is due for an oil change and there is a Ford dealer in Whitehorse.   I will check that tomorrow for availability.  We need groceries in a real store and want to catch up on emails, logging expenses, and phone calls.

We took advantage of the city water hookups and the electric hookups to take long showers in the Oliver.  Then made salmon and salad for supper. 

Very nice day.  Very happy about finding my trailer brake short.

 

Day 13   Monday June 27, 2016                              Whitehorse, Yukon           Pioneer RV Park, site 119

0 towing miles 

Stayed put today.  The trailer, not us.  We had coffee around a morning campfire.  We then cooked the first hot breakfast of the whole trip.  Marsha grabbed the cast iron skillet and threw it on the fire grate.  And then threw some bacon in it.  I pulled out the camp stove and fried some eggs.  Took out my last outdoor cooking apparatus and fired up the grill so I could make some English muffins.  Our first real traditional breakfast of the whole trip.

Drove the four miles into Whitehorse and was able to complete my “Tale of Two Forts” blog at the Yukon Visitor Center and post it.

One of our must dos was the Yukon White Pass Train Excursion out of Skagway.  I originally planned on doing it on the way home.  The South Klondike Highway (YT-2) is a little east of here and goes all the way to Skagway.  We pass through Whitehorse again on our trip home.  Originally I was planning on driving down to Skagway, sign up for two nights in one of the campgrounds there, take the train the next day, camp again that night, then drive back to the Alaska Highway the next day.

We were presented with another option available from Whitehorse area, even the campground.  There is a coach/train excursion the goes down the Klondike to Carcross, YT, stops for a 1/2 hour so we can play tourist in this tiny little gold rush hamlet, and then on to Fraser, BC where we pick up a train ready to go southbound.  We then go from there to Skagway.  After a two hour stop in Skagway, we board a bus that takes us back to the campground by 6:00.  The price is $141 USD each. 

We decided to go ahead with it and bought our tickets for Tuesday.  We did this before we went into town.  Signed up for two more days, also.

I was able to get a 03:00 appointment at Yukon Motors, Ltd., the Ford dealer.  Very nice people and were very accommodating.

Marsha found a specialty yarn shop on the Whitehorse visitor guide map.  We found it but they were closing just as we got there.

Next stop, Walmart.  We needed munchies for the next day's bus and train rides.  Next to the Walmart was a Canadian Tire.  Both these retailers allow free overnight RV parking, not camping in their parking lots.  Half their parking lots looked like an RV park.  Some fifth wheels were dropped off, lots of big motor homes.  Some had their slide-outs deployed, too.  Deploying awnings aren’t allowed.

As the day went on, I was starting to feel ill.  I really was feeling it by the time we were at Walmart.  I was shivering most of the day.  Wore my fleece even though it was 68 F and I was still cold.  I was extremely thirsty and was drinking over 4 liters during the day.  I was supposed to take Marsha out for pizza tonight but no way I could eat.  I had no appetite.  Not even for pizza!  That’s not a normal Ed.

Back at the campsite packed up Marsha’s day pack full of unhealthy goodies for tomorrow.

Went right to bed afterwards with Alka-Seltzer Cold and Flu stuff.