midnight panic at mcdonald's

September 28, 2013

Day: 27

Total mileage (car): 5501

Total mileage (including ferry): 6,346.5

It’s been a wild few days.  The mileage is rackin’ up.  We are in “go” mode. 

Hanging out at Kluane Lake.

The Big Girl lookin' good.

We stopped off in Whitehorse a night or so ago (they all blend together at this point) after a fun day of driving.  We had stopped and fished in Kluane Lake earlier.  CJ was hoping for a 30 lb Lake Trout that the lake is famous for – and planning to catch it on his 6 lb test line.  I suppose it’s a good thing he didn’t get any bites because I’m about 99% sure his pole would have broke.  The size of the lure was quite impressive, however, and he could really chuck that thing into the lake.  The Yukon is such a magnificent place.  We can’t wait to get back – I know Ceeg can’t wait to hook one of those big trout.  I can’t wait to eat it.

Goin' for the big one

Helloooo mountain goats by a really old cabin

Big fellow

So we roll into Whitehorse around midnight.  Colter is passed out and we are starving.  We hit up McDonald’s (Canadian ketchup is way too sweet by the way) and took out the map.  We’ve got 4 more days of driving and we need to figure out a plan of attack.  I plug in the numbers into my nifty difty iPhone and wait for Siri to tell me the fastest route.

“Whitehorse, Yukon Territory to Grand Canyon Village, Arizona:  4562 miles.”

CJ and I look at each other.  And then the panic sets in.  4500 miles?!?!!  4 days?!?!  There is just no bloody way it can be done.  Unless we drive for 4 days, 24 hours straight.  I’m sweating and the tears are starting to creep in.  How could we have misjudged the distance?  Didn’t we look at this a week or so ago?  How can our fabulous road trip end with such a brutal last leg?

CJ’s frantically eating his Big Mac and asking me to plug it in again.  Does it have the right Whitehorse?  Is it taking us to a different Grand Canyon?  Of course not, silly. 

And then my dear, dear husband has a moment of brilliance.  “Is that in miles or kilometers, Heather?” 4500 kilometers…2,000 miles.  Phew.  I admit I was still a bit shaken up but that definitely spared the tears. 

However, this did mean that we have had to cut out Banff and Glacier National Park.  But we’re already planning our next adventure northward – it is always great to have something to look forward to.  Looking back at all the pictures from this trip, I really can’t complain.

Moooooose!

It's cool, I'm riding a caribou.

Ridgecrest is never very far away...

Honk honk

Vroom vroom

Beep beep

On we go.  Today we still managed to play on old road building equipment (from building the Alaska highway back in the 40s) and fish along the Liard River.  As we drove south through British Columbia and the fabulous fall colors, we happened upon Liard Hot Springs.  What a fabulous way to end the day: A soak in the gorgeous waters before a long drive through the night.

That's my name!

 

Beautiful British Columbia

 

Hot springs :)

 

Liard Hot Springs....soooo lovely!