The Road to Haines, June 3, 2011

Lake Klaune, to Haines Junction, to Haines, June 3, 2011. Three villages in 200 miles; that describes Alaska. In past days, we have driven for fifteen minutes and not seen another human. At sixty miles per hour, that is fifteen miles without seeing a person. Today, we covered 200 miles and passed through only three communities. The largest, Haines, has less than 2000 inhabitants. Haines Junction is just that, an intersection of two highways with the obligatory gas station, diner, monument and a few people trying to scratch a living out of the opportunity presented by passing RVs and other tourists.

Today, we passed out of the Yukon Territory, passed through a piece of British Columbia and finally arrived back in Alaska. The American border guard was far more welcoming than was the Canadian border guard when we entered Canada. We were asked five or six questions, then waved through with a cheery, "Welcome home and have a good day."

The scenery today was as spectacular as what we've viewed in the past two weeks. There were more glacial streams, more snow-capped mountains, more beautiful flowers and a pair of trumpeter swans with ten cygnets. The picture above was taken from long distance, so I hope you can appreciate the scene they presented. We saw no other wildlife today, though we expected to.
Haines is little sister to her better known big sister, Skagway. Skagway is the regular stopover for cruise lines and is about fifteen miles north by water. By land, Skagway is 350 miles from here. Our present plan is to go to Skagway Sunday. We're still talking about that. I'd like to do it, Annie isn't so sure. If we go, we will take the ferry, an uncharacteristically practical method of travel for us.

Our campground is on the water at the base of town. The view out the front window of Harvey is the harbor and the water which leads to Skagway. It is nice and quiet here. The campground offers cable TV. As I type this, I am watching a History Channel program on Generals Grant and Lee. What could be better? You can see the view from here as Annie talks on the phone.

We walked around Haines this afternoon. Our walk took about twenty minutes. There are several museums here, the Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center, the American Bald Eagle Foundation Museum and The Hammer Museum. If you want to see, inspect and handle over 1700 hammers, this is the place for you. We'll take in several, if not all tomorrow. I hope you enjoy today's pictures. More from Haines and Skagway to follow in the next few days.