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Not Just Alaska
  • No Set Path

Not Just Alaska

This trip started off as "Wouldn't it be cool if..." and is now becoming reality. After raising a family and working for 35 years it is time for us to explore with no set path... Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 18, 2018
  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Getting Ready - The Madness Begins

    April 19, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

    we have been gathering our supplies and our living room is slowly being taken over by our camp kit and food stuffs. 

    So far, we have managed to assemble the makings of approximately 130 main meals and hope to dehydrate more vegetables before we actually leave.  Yesterday was a great day in our kitchen 2 kg of broccoli came out of our dehydrator with a now dry weight of 300gr, and we mixed and packaged 75 days worth of trail mix. I may actually eat better at camp than I do at home!

    This is exciting!    Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Alona Bay, Ontario

    May 18, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Our first camp is on the shore of Lake Superior at a little spot called Alona Bay . We arrived around 20:30 , set up camp and went down to the beach for a stroll. If we were thinking for going for a dip the sight of snow on the beach made us think again! Alona Bay is a free camp site, there are no amenities but with a view like this who cares.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Ontario

    May 19, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Clear skies at Alona Bay were replaced by clouds, cold and rain as we made our way to Sleeping Giant Provincial Park just outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The long drive around the lakehead was uneventful but our attempts to find convenient free wi-fi on the road were frustrated. We did find a couple of places, however, the parking lots could not accommodate trailers, even a tiny one like ours! We will have to adjust our plans to account for the reality that free wi-fi is not as plentiful as it is back home.

    While going for a stroll around the campsite we literally ran into a deer and then discovered some of its friends. They didn’t seem too concerned about the humans and dogs around.

    Sleeping Giant Provincial Park has incredible views out into Lake Superior. If you are lucky enough to camp here, some of the tent/small trailer no hook up sites have steps to take you down to the water. There is also a beautiful sandy beach at one end of Park. There were still plenty of sites available when we arrived late in the afternoon. That could be because even on the Victoria Day long weekend summer hasn’t necessarily begun. It was windy and chilly, but that hasn’t stopped a few hardy folks from still setting up camp and enjoying themselves.

    Tomorrow should be our last day in Ontario as we continue to make our way west.    Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Thunder Bay to Winnipeg

    May 20, 2018 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Travelled to Kenora via Hwy 11 and Fort Frances named after Lady Frances Simpson (Canada Vignettes - Lady Frances Simpson - check out this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON-Q63BO8Ok ). I thought it would be cool to see a place that a cartoon I remember very well was based on.

    Hwy 11 between Thunder Bay and Fort Francis seemed almost deserted as we saw only a handful of cars travelling it with us. For giggles, we set Kenora as our destination on the GPS but then ignored the GPS lady’s sage advice of travelling Hwy 17. The GPS lady finally gave up trying to make us turn around after about 200 kms :) . GPS is great but nothing beats a good ol' paper map (I tend to check GPS lady's work)

    Took a break at Nestor Falls and discovered Pelicans! !! Had no idea there were pelicans here. Who knew!

    We were going to stop just outside of Kenora but were feeling ok so decided to travel on and camp at Whiteshell Provincial Park, Manitoba. Unfortunately when we got there the site was packed and we thought we could find a site on the other side of the park. And when that didn’t work, we would find something just a little further down the road. And when that didn’t work, maybe closer to Winnipeg. And when that didn’t work, truck stops were looking good. Finally stopped at a Best Western in Headingley because it was late and dark and we were tired.    Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Lanigan, SK

    May 21, 2018 in Canada ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    After our long drive from Thunder Bay we had a more leisurely drive today. We are travelling the Yellowhead Route (Hwy 16). Driving across the prairies is very different than driving across northern Ontario. The roads are straighter, the views are longer and driving 100 km/hr actually seems slow. Found a wonderful free campsite just outside Lanigan, Saskatchewan. We had the place to ourselves but graciously shared it with the local mosquitoes.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Elk Island National Park

    May 22, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We had a long but easy drive on the Yellowhead with a stop in North Battleford for sustenance (i.e. – coffee for Janet) and arrived at Elk Island National Park about mid-afternoon. Unfortunately there were no Bison to greet us on our arrival to Elk Island but we intend to go Bison watching further on in our stay here. Went on a short hike after dinner and saw plenty of other wildlife as well as a fantastic sunset.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Hike Elk Island

    May 23, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Today was the first day we could spend walking instead of driving and so we did. We spent a lovely day in and around Elk Island and just getting ourselves a little organized. Elk Island is situated with the “Amisk Wuche” cree for “Beaver Hills”. They stand 30 – 60 meters above the surrounding plains. During our hike we could easily see why this area would be called Beaver Hills. I am fascinated by how much work beavers can do and how well they do it! One of the dams we came across we estimated had raised the water level in the beaver pond by about 4 feet.
    Kyle had a short showdown with a pair of Canadian geese. Both wanted ownership of the boardwalk, neither wanted to back down but in the end Kyle won and the geese (very loudly complaining I might add) swam away.    Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Ukrainian Cultral Heritage Village

    May 24, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Situated just at the Eastern boundary of Elk Island the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is a great place to spend a day. The village has a collection of historic buildings from across east central Alberta that show the evolution of farms established by the many Ukrainian immigrants who came to this area in the early 20th century. Highlights include a train station, grain elevator, several churches and many examples of houses and barns.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Bison Watching

    May 25, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Bison watching is best done in a comfy chair, with the proper provisions, binoculars, camera, snack (trailmix) and water. We watched a herd about 800 – 900m away and then a herd came much closer, the closest individual was about 100 yards away. Kyle pretty much said it all when he pointed out “Its a good thing they are herbivores”.

    Off to Edmonton for a couple of days and then back on the road again.    Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Lesser Slave Lake Prov. Park, AB

    May 28, 2018 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    We left Edmonton and headed down to Wetaskiwin to say hello and a big thank you to Glen Colbourne at Kamparoo Campers as he built our trailer. Then it was back up to Edmonton to meet up with another friend for lunch and head out. Seeing as how we got off to a late start we only went as far as Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park. There are warning signs everywhere reminding you that humans do not rule here. After setting up camp we headed out for a short hike along a small segment of the Freighter Lakeshore Trail. We ended our hike on the beach. Saw evidence that mule deer also like the beach and so do really big canine type animals. So the question is.... really big dog? Or something else.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation, AB

    May 29, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Went for another walk along the beach whilst sipping a hot cup of tea (it was 8°C) before striking camp. Beautiful clear morning and more evidence of the wildlife using the beach when humans are not around. Before leaving we visited the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation. We had a wonderful chat with Patti, who as it turns out is also the Executive Director of the Centre. We were stunned to learn how many birds migrate up here every here and of those how many are small song birds. . P.s. After speaking with Patti, it turns out, it was the something else on the beach.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Saskatoon Island Provincial Park, AB

    May 29, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We left Lesser Slave Lake and travelled toward Wembly on the advice of a friend. There is a dinosaur museum there that apparently is well worth the visit. Stopped at Eva’s Cafe (corner of 50 St & 54 Ave, High Prairie) for lunch. With very full bellies we waddled our way out the cafe but not before purchasing a “snack” for later! We are camping at Saskatoon Island Provincial Park for a few nights to allow us to visit the area and go over our equipment on last time before picking up the Alaska Highway. Got a quick glimpse of the Kleskun Valley on our way in, we hope to go back tomorrow for a better look. Also passed by a store called Trapper Gord’s – you know with a name like that it’s gotta be good! Not Set Path was fully deployed tonight and we managed to trap a cloud of mosquitoes inside with us. With the added room we have tripled our “bug free” zone.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Laundry!

    May 30, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    How to do laundry when at camp? We experimented with a nice low tech, eco-friendly method. The laundry kit included, a Scrubba bag, Soap nuts and elbow grease.

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Kleskun Hill & Historical Village

    May 30, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    After our housekeeping chores were done we headed out to Trapper Gord - Homestead & Survival store. And yes it is chalk a block full of everything you may need for hunting, fishing, trapping and camping as well as an extensive selection of books. Then it was on to the Kelskun Hills and Kleskun Hill Museum. The Museum is an open air museum that was started in order to preserve and restore some of the local historical buildings that were in danger of being lost at their original building site. From the museum site, we hiked up to the view point and Kelskun Hills. The Kelskun Hills contain some of Alberta’s northern most badlands (and dinosaur bones) and the largest parcels of native grasslands in the Grande Prairie area. You can see everything from cactus to open grassland and bush within a few minutes of each other.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Dinosaurs!!

    May 31, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Visited the Philip J Currie Dinosaur Museum. This museum is very new having only opened its doors in 2015. The museum is state of the art. It was founded because of the Pipestone Creek bone bed located near Wembly, AB by a local teacher in 1974. . My inner child had a wonderful time, Kyle enjoyed himself too!Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Mile “0” !

    June 1, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Mile “0” of the Alaska Highway! Got a picture of each of the markers because well we are tourists and Kyle is a surveyor, I didn’t want to make the mistake of not getting the correct marker! Dawson Creek is a busy little place. Fun fact, when the railway was being built, it actually bypassed Dawson Creek by 2 miles. The townspeople at the time had no intention of missing out and realized they needed to somehow get their town closer to the railway station. So they literally picked up all the buildings, and using teams of horses and rollers pulled the town to its present location. In November 1982 the Grain Elevator was the latest building to move onto its present site. The Elevator and annex together weigh about 780,000 pounds and were moved separately. They are now the site of the Dawson Creek Art Gallery and were declared a National Heritage Site in 1984. Murals depicting the history and people of Dawson Creek pop up everywhere, along with plaques and pictures on some buildings to give you a good sense of what the town was like as it grew.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Kiskatinaw Provincial Park, BC

    June 2, 2018 in Canada ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    At Mile 20 along the original Alaska Highway, the Kiskatinaw River curves and forced the construction of a curved wooded bridge. It took 9 months to complete and when finished it was the first curved wooden bridge in Canada to be built. Today is remains the only curved, banked trestle bridge in Western Canada. Kiskatinaw Provincial Park is nestled down by the river in the curve. The beach is wide but rocky and it is said that the river’s current is “lazy” enough to allow for tubing and swimming. I don’t know if that is true, it was 10°C when we were there and we just aren’t THAT hardy to find out.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Fort Nelson, B.C.

    June 3, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Fort Nelson, BC

    Got our first really good look at the mountains today, the weather has turned and we are in for a very rainy night. We saw three bears on our way up here, one quite close to where we are camping for the night and heard of another couple just up the road. Today was the first day that we made sure our bear spray etc was on our belts. The few people we met today at the campsite (Beaver Lake Recreational Park) were also carrying bear deterrents so we did not feel out of place. Walking around the camp we found a magical spot in the woods where the ground was carpeted with deep moss.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Yukon Ho!

    June 4, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    It rained all last night so in the continued rain, we had to pack up “No Set Path” soaking wet. We headed out (while the rain continued to pour) and on the advice of the girl from the Visitor’s Centre at Fort Nelson, we made our way to Tetsa River Services for a cinnamon bun, said to be “the best”. There are only three tables in the small cafe so patrons are encouraged to share tables. We had a wonderful time chatting with our table mates and then another couple at another table ending with an impromptu sing along (the couple at the other table being singers and all). The rain continued as we made our way north, at times the clouds were so low and we were climbing in altitude, we couldn’t see more that about 100 feet ahead of ourselves in the fog. Anyway, we got through but unfortunately for us we missed some spectacular scenery through the Northern Rockies due to the weather. Deciding to continue for as long as possible today (because we just didn’t want to have to set up camp in the rain) we stopped for supper at the Coal River Lodge. We were the only patrons there at the time and so had the opportunity to chat with Donna Rogers the owner. She explained to us how self sufficient you need to be to live/work up here. Her establishment is completely off-grid because the quite frankly the ‘grid” doesn’t reach as far as her establishment. Electrical power is via generators and phone and internet is a microwave system (cell phone reception is spotty to non-existent along the highway). We were fortunate in our roadside viewing today, sometimes we saw scenery but we also saw, bears, moose, wood bison and stone sheep. We completed today’s journey in Watson Lake, Yukon.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Teslin & Squanga Lake, Yukon

    June 5, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Stopped at Teslin to stretch our legs and visited the George Johnston Museum and then the Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre. There is also a restored repeater station used to aid air navigation for the Northwest Staging Route. We spent and easy couple of hours here. Unfortunately the Heritage Centre was experiencing a power outage so we couldn’t take advantage of everything there. We instead chatted with the staff and received some “try not to miss” advice. We are camping at Squanga Lake Government Campground. So far we have liked all the government run campgrounds, they are well maintained, they operate on a first come first serviced basis and are in nice locations. So far we have found that while some are larger than others, you do not feel crowded and they tend to be well laid out.Read more

  • No Set PathNot Just AlaskaNo Set Path

    Whitehorse

    June 6, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We spent quite a bit of time this morning speaking with some local people about the area, what to see etc. One of the people we spoke with maintains many of the government campsites and has a wealth of knowledge of the usual tourist pursuits along with back country travel. He gave us some excellent tips, more importantly once he knew where we were thinking of going, he was able to recommend some of the best times to travel some of the roads. We arrived at our campsite, Wolf Creek, just outside of Whitehorse shortly after noon. We will be staying in the area for a few days. A quick walk around downtown Whitehorse this afternoon showed us where we might come back to tomorrow. Janet is going to the local wool shop!Read more

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