Pawela's Garage

Day (9 & 10) Miles:  1,316 |  Total Trip Miles: 5,762

We have begun the drive back. I’m combining days 9 and 10 for there isn’t a lot of content I was able to compile. Day 9, we backtracked to the Yukon Territory and stayed the night in Teslin. The drive was uneventful and still contained a lot of road construction stretches and minor delays. Mercifully, the views kept us occupied for the times we’d have to wait (sometimes 15 minutes) for the pilot vehicle to guide us through.

We made our usual gas stops every two hours or so just for an excuse to take a breather and/or restroom stops. Our route took us back through Kluane National Park and Recreational Area for a few photos. (Featured photo is from here as well)

Lunch was in Haines Junction, YT at this odd looking little joint called Kluane Park Inn. As we sat down, the menu had items from veil to fried rice to burgers and even spaghetti and meatballs. This made us a little suspicious of the food quality. I ordered the “Deluxe Burger” and to my surprise, it and the french fries were top notch!

Watch out, Tyson! Heading out after lunch, a grizzly decided to frolic across the road in front of Tyson’s ILX.

Continuing on to our night’s stop was a steady pace. I was able to set the cruise control, lean back and enjoy the ride to Teslin, YT. We arrived late and slept at the same joint we stayed in on the way up…that’s how much we liked it! I took a walk around in the evening (11pm, actually) for a few photos of the area. The bridge looked grand when illuminated by the setting sun.

Now for today (Day 10), we left the Alaska Highway and joined the Cassiar Highway (37) south towards British Columbia. Before we got on the Cassiar Highway, some snow managed to find its way down!

This is about as cold as I’ve seen on the entire trip. 36 degrees Fahrenheit

Once on Cassiar, it made for a great change in scenery. We were able to enjoy endless Cassiar mountain ranges, green foliage and numerous wild flowers on the roadside. A few curves were also thrown in as a bonus.

Road conditions were generally very good overall, and traffic was light. Rain accompanied the travels today, but I didn’t mind.

There weren’t exactly a plethora of dining choices for lunch. When the time came for the grumbles to emerge in our stomachs, our best choice was a small deli inside of a Petro Canada in Dease Lake, British Columbia. A simple grilled ham and cheese hit the spot…or maybe I was just really hungry?

Quick stop to stretch our legs.

Gas stop in “Bell II”

We probably encountered more wildlife on this route than the entire trip! Between Tyson and I, we spotted a total of 4 bears and two moose! Luckily, all out of harm’s way. Tonight, we are settling down in New Hazelton, British Columbia. I am beat, and will be ready to replenish for the next day! See you then…