Day 66: Tok, Alaska to Beaver Creek, Yukon, Canad

Tuesday, July 05, 2016
Haines, Alaska, United States
Back on the road today - first we wanted to dump tanks and then wash RV since we have free power washing at this campground - the RV is now coated with bugs and dirt. However, after we disconnected from campground water, Linda noticed that water from faucets is brown, very BROWN! All we can think is that when we last filled the fresh water tank in Northpole, we got some rusty water, and then we hadn't used our fresh tank water until now - so we tried draining the tank, but it drains painfully slow, so we opted to delay draining and get on the road until we find a campground tonight with water connections. We were so distracted by this problem that I forgot to buy has before leaving Tok - a costly mistake because gas in Tok was $2.68/gal and the only gas station for the next 100 miles was at Border City, Alaska for $3.65/gal - ouch! We also discovered the water tank was still leaking - I think I turned the wrong valve, it's under one of the beds, deep in the bowels of the RV, the bed pinches me in the neck while I'm under, and Linda tries to hold the weight of the mattress and foam topper off me while I shine a flashlight in and open one of the five valves - i.e. It's a pain in the neck process! So we got the valve closed for now (need to leave a little water in the tank for toilet flushing) and continue driving through Tetlin Wildlife Refuge - more forest, mountains, and rivers. We've hit intermittent showers , then blue sky. One hundred miles out of Tok, we pass Canadian border - uneventful questioning asking if we have liquor, firearms, reason for travel, and showing our passports/certificate of health for Sara. Another 50 miles and we arrive at Discovery Yukon Campground (south of Beaver Creek) in Yukon Territory, Canada. We stayed here on the way up, it's the campground with an airfield that makes a great doggie playground! But no TV, Internet, phone service - the camp host told us he had hiked to the top of "that mountain" over 7 hours roundtrip, and was able to get a signal up there! No time to hike a mountain since I'll be working on this water tank situation! As we arrive at our campsite, I am greeted by a guy in full Georgia Bulldog attire who is asking where this "Georgia rig" comes from - turns out he and wife are from Gainesville, GA and know my Dad's wife, Pat through dog rescue contacts! Again, a small world! Now to the water tank situation - finish draining, refill tank with water and Clorox, change hose to RV direct while draining tank over couple hours, repeat process X 2 more times. In the meantime, we turned on direct line water, finding a minute trickle, much air, and sputtering - realized I must have gotten air in water heater line, but think we've got the water flowing again. Couple more flushes of the tank and hope to be back to clear tank water! Between tank flushes, we had our leftover flat iron steak and veggies, and took a walk down to the White River in the rain - it was a wide path with darkening skies due to rain and started to feel like a good place to meet a moose or bear, so Linda and I sang Christmas carols, LOUDLY, and Sara snorted and sniffed. I think it worked to scare off wildlife because we got to walk the riverbed, explore an abandoned cabin, and get back home without animal encounters! Tomorrow we will finish the water tank work, hopefully!
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