This is one of the great things about doing a RV Caravan with Spike that no one in other caravans will ever see. Because Spike knows the people, we get to see things that others don’t.
First was the village of Kitsegueda.
The RV’s snaked through the village, stopping for a brief break.
One of the locals was standing on a street corner with a painting typical of the artwork of one of the clans on what appears to be a table-top. It was very well done.
The next village was Kitwanga.
Both villages had the last totem poles that we will see on this trip. These were beautifully carved.
Kitwanga also had an interesting old church…
There is a separate building that is a bell tower because the church building itself was not strong enough to support the bell.
Then to the strains of the song, “On the Road Again” coming through the radios from Spike’s rig, we all fall into line and are officially caravan-ing to Alaska.
As we go, we are met by several large yellow trucks. They are carrying about a quarter million dollars worth of gold ore from the mines. They are on the way to be shipped to the refineries.
The caravan stops for a 45 minute lunch break in a pull-off by the road and we move on ahead to prepare for parking them when they arrive at the RV park in Hyder, Alaska.
We passed this black bear eating grass next to the road.
The road into Hyder is amazingly beautiful. Lots and lots of waterfalls rush down mountainsides on both sides of the road.
Melting glacial ice feeds the waterfalls.
The incredible blue of glacial ice shows through the dirty snow and ice.
Bear Glacier comes down fairly close to the roadway.
So do some of the waterfalls.
Finally we arrive in wet and rainy Hyder, Alaska. There are not paved roads in town, only pot-hole filled dirt (or in this case, mud) roads.
Hyder sits in the forest next to the coast. This old boat is obviously no longer is sea-worthy. I just liked the way it looks.
One of the things that happens when trying to park a caravan of 20 or so RV’s is that patience can wear thin and folks, tired from driving can possibly get a bit cranky.
In an attempt to bring a bit of levity to the situation, Don decided to provide them all with a bit of a surprise.
The little town of Hyder is known world-wide for it’s bear population. They are easily found pretty much anywhere in town, including in the RV park.
We radioed Spike before the rigs arrived that there was a bear in the park, meaning that everyone in the caravan heard the transmission.
At this point everyone is anxious to see as many bears as possible, so people began to get a bit excited at the possibility of seeing a bear close up.
Then when the caravan was only about a block away, I radioed again, telling Spike (and the Caravan) that the bear was big and mean-looking and didn’t appear to be inclined to leave anytime soon, so please be careful.
You could almost feel their excitement coming through the radio!
Sure enough! As the RV’s approached, there was that big nasty black bear right in the middle of the park!
Needless to say, there was a lot of laughing as the cameras came out…and no growling from the drivers, either…which was our plan.
Did I not tell you that on this trip you would see Don as you have never seen him before? Well, hang on. There may be more, "Uniquely Don," sightings to be seen down the road.
This is the Caravan Staff, including the bear, at Camp Run-A-Muck in Hyder, Alaska.
OK, so they had a surprise. Well, so did we. As we were getting everything ready waiting for the rigs to pull in, a couple began walking across the RV park toward us.
We were amazed to see Allyn and Diane Hayes, a couple from our church in Sunriver, Oregon, of all places! We knew they were traveling in Alaska, but we did not know they would be here. What a nice surprise!
Spike gave everyone in the Caravan a tour of Salmon Glacier which is several miles up the mountain above Hyder.
Salmon Glacier is a beautiful “S” shaped glacier with ice that is 1000 feet deep.
Again, there is the beautiful blue of glacial ice.
Living up on top of the mountains, in a small tent, next to the glacier, is a 65-year old man, known as, “The Bear Man.”
“The Bear Man” writes books and takes pictures of bears.
He is very bright but eccentric. He lives up there from June through September every year, only going down into Hyder once every two weeks for needed supplies, (and hopefully, a bath).
He is “friendly” with several grizzlies that live up there. Not my idea of "friendly neighbors," but to each his own, I guess.
Spike and his little traveling buddy, Skippy.
I guess if you live in a tent at the top of a mountain, it helps to have great scenery, and he certainly does.
There is more than just ice and rocks near the glacier. At the very top of the mountains, there is a great assortment of wild flowers in full bloom.
Next blog posting: The Bears of Hyder… bears, bears and more bears!
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