Up early again and out of the campground by 0700 hours with a quick stop at the Fast Gas for generator fuel (Diesel is $1.49 a liter) and we were rolling towards our day’s destination by 0720 hours.
Lessons Learned: When the battery on the CB gets about half discharged it needs a full 14 to 16 hours to recharge. As the battery deteriorates you will be able to receive but not transmit. Sharon purchased wrong DC cord . . . the one to charge the battery from cigarette lighter but not the one to power the unit from the cigarette lighter. She’s fired.
We stopped at Braeburn Lodge for humongous cinnamon rolls . . . there is even a dirt airstrip there that is called cinnamon roll strip. At $8.50 each they should be big and the two of us were only able to eat half so we’ve some for the morning or a snack! Five fingers is a beautiful stop that the pooches loved and allowed Sharon to take pictures of the purple flowers (not lupines) currently in bloom amongst the dandelions here in the Yukon. Fishing licenses were purchased in Carmacks at the general store (they have a reciprocal agreement with Alaska but you must have your current Alaska fishing license in order to receive the resident rate).
The Provincial Park at Tatchun Lake ($12 per night) is five miles off the road on a dirt/gravel road that is narrow, winding but well maintained. We had to back into our space but the picnic tables are wide, the firewood cut and free and camp sites are huge. Nice set-up for the pooches and we are right on the lake. The mosquitoes abound.
Lessons Learned: A hatchet and/or ax would be a good tool to downsize some of the huge pieces of wood available in the free firewood in order to make kindling and smaller pieces.
Stephen, Bob & Arnie went fishing after camp set up. Sharon cleaned up the 3rd dog from the camper and set about doing some computer chores. The pooches are sleeping and enjoying being outside. Sharon made cole slaw, Pat a lemon meringue pie, and we had freshly caught pike for dinner. The girls and pups sat on the dock for a few minutes and watched the fishermen before heading off to cook. And then the rain started late afternoon!
Eureka! We had 3 northern pike for dinner (Stephen caught 2 and Arnie 1 so Bob cleaned and cooked). After a nice dinner outside while the boys headed back out the women cleaned up and made a campfire and relaxed with the pooches. The guys returned after 10 p.m.; still daylight; beat but with 4 more Northerns. My honey caught the biggest and one other and the other boys each caught one. After cleaning them we all hauled off to bed and snoring was soon heard from human and canine alike in the Russell hooch.
A light drizzle showered off and on later afternoon and evening but all day the sun had been shining and it was quite hot at 70F!
Distance traveled today was approximately 135 miles.
June 13, 2008 Friday Day 11 16th Wedding Anniversary
Wow! 0825 hours and the pups are still snoring! They did however wake immediately upon our slithering out of bed! Breakfast was outdoors at the Zortman campsite – a hearty one completed with Russell fruit salad. The decision was made to stay here one more day so will break camp late tomorrow so are ready to head up to Dawson City early Sunday morning.
Our late morning rise resulted in the guys getting on the water at 1100 hours. It’s nice and sunny with some cloud cover. Janice’s photo printer/camera was first thing on our agenda and we were able to make that happen . . . yahoo! I went back to the camp and the pups and I spent the afternoon outdoors cooking for the salad tonight, dinner tomorrow and
washing dishes. Seemed as if we were finally getting ready to sit down and rest when Stephen came up the walkway hollering . . . “Get the Girls, Get the Camera’s, and Get the Film Crew!” It was 1500 hours and the guys had had a great time fishing on the lake. TEN pike! We spent the next hour taking pictures, hanging with the pooches on the fishing dock and watching Bob do the wonderful filet job on the fish. The pups were impressed, Stephen stretched and Jesse snoozed. Ruger almost broke his neck looking from Bob and his filleting; Bob throwing the carcass into the lake; and snapping at mosquitoes. He’ll sleep well tonight!
Dinner was another fish fry this time Sharon providing a summer salad and we had oatmeal cake for dessert! Bob and Arnie went evening fishing again but Stephen opened a bottle of vino. We had sat in front of the campfire with the pups and celebrated our anniversary. It is SOOO light outside that at 2230 hours it was still bright and daylight . . . so, as tired as we were, sleep was tough. I put our microfibre towels over the windows to help darken the camper. Today’s weather got up into the low seventies, light winds, a few minutes of afternoon spitting and then more sun. No miles traveled today.
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