Camping in the Woods

When I wrote this, we were sitting outside our RV enjoying a glass of wine.  The only sounds we  could hear were the whisper of the wind through the leaves of the Aspen Trees and the gurgling water from the creek below.  We were camping at Lake Creek Campground part of the Yukon Park system.  The creek was clear and cold and we could see fish just waiting for a someone to cast a tasty tidbit.  There were no on-site facilities so we were “dry” camping or boondocking.  It is liberating not to have to do all the set-up stuff to spend one night.  We have enjoyed this type of camping in our previous trailer but this was our first experience with the Open Range.  It was our last night in the Yukon or Canada for that matter.  Tomorrow, we would cross the border back into the U.S. and Alaska.  It will be good to be back in the U.S. for a variety of reasons not the least of which will be access to our cell phones and wifi too.

While we would have preferred to be alone, we were not.  There were two other rigs there enjoying the peace and quiet of this lovely place.  After a long day of driving, I can tell you that we were certainly glad to be there.  No TV, no phones just us and the girls in God’s country.  Oh yes, in addition to the two RVs, there was a bicyclist there too.  We had seen a number of such hardy souls peddling along with their bikes loaded with camping equipment.  This fellow came in rather late riding alone.  He selected a site not far from us and quickly setup his one man tent.  We saw his meager supplies on the picnic table and wondered if the bears might visit him during the night.  I did wake up during the night hearing sounds I could not identify.  The next morning, we saw tracks along the creek that could have been a bear or something.  In any case, the rider was gone by that time.

Tomorrow it will be as if our adventure begins anew.  Alaska, our final destination has been a dream for a long time.  There will be so much to see and even friends to visit as well.  We are planning to do some “off the beaten path” things as well as the usual things visitors do.

But for us this night, a glass of wine was just right to help relax away the fatigue of the day’s driving.  I made us a light supper and we thought perhaps we would play some Mexican Train before bedtime.  Bedtime is funny.  The sun does not set until after 11 p.m. and it rises around 4:30 a.m.  The farther north we go, the longer the sunlight and the shorter the darkness.  Fortunately, we have not been bothered by the light so far.  I was sure this night would not be any different.  Tomorrow, Alaska at last!

Our chariot from end to end is 60 feet!  We refer to our truck as BAT (Big A... Truck) and it pulls the fifth wheel with ease.

We would soon leave the Kluane Range behind us.  As we approached the campground, this small lake made for a lovely sight.

Weary traveler enjoying a glass of vino.

The view of the mountains from our camp site.  It was so lovely and very peaceful.  So many birds and no noise.  Wonderful.

The actual creek.  Savannah and Charlotte wanted to go right to the water.  They loved it here.  Savannah is a tracker and she caught the smell of something that really interested her.  I would have loved to let her off leash but I feared she might stumble upon something she could not handle like a bear?

These flower abound in the forest.  They remind me of Dogwood Tree blooms but these are bushes.  They were certainly pretty.