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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Sep 06, 2022 08:00 PM 160 kms to Fairbanks
Ha, ha! Little settlement of Delta Junction has public transport to Fairbanks!... The name of the company is True North Transport (!) They own one junk and dirty minibus passenger/cargo version (there is one bench for three passengers behind the driver) and they charge 40 USD per one-way ride. OK, I hitchhiked like 2200 kms on Alaska Highway plus 400 kms to get from Prince George to the beginning of the highway in Dawson Creek. How much I saved (on nonexistent buses) hitchhiking? :). The road was terrible today. No holes in the surface like yesterday but due to permafrost on the road there are natural humps and bumps so my old backbone was protesting every hundred meters... Billie Joe - the driver (see him with his boss on the picture) was driving crazy. But he delivered me directly to the Billie's Backpacker's Hostel. I was staying here some 15 years ago in the winter. It is very cozy, atmospheric place - a place with a soul. Billie is still lovely person and the institution was nicely restored in the meantime. I pay 38 USD per night in the small dorm and there is well-equiped guest kitchen. Let's rest!
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Sep 05, 2022 08:00 PM Through the border of Alaska
Frost in the night! But later on, when I was flagging the cars on the highway the sun warmer the air... Two hours waiting near Kluane Lake with a grat mountain view. An old Indian going fo work to the forest gave me 90 kms lift. Then I was waiting watching around for the bears. I do carry spray against the bears - the gift from another traveller going opposite direction. Wow! After about an hour 4WD car stopped nearby. This was Chris - very nice American returning to Alaska. Going north we enjoyed great landscapes of gold Alaskan Fall. They expecting snow here within 2-3 weeks! But now it is the orgy of colors and unbelievable clouds on the blue sky. On Canadian side of the border at Beaver Creek no exit control. On American side they checked my visa and put the stamp... OK! The time zone changed one hour back. We were traveling onward via Tok to Delta Junction. It was 5 pm when I saw at the junction of Alaska and Richardson highways monument marking "End of Alaska Highway" I did it, hitchhiking all over the way! One more dream came true!
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Sep 04, 2022 08:00 PM 622 kms - too much for one day!
Labour Day. The streets were empty when I was going to the highway at 8 am. Whitehorse town lies down on the Yukon Riverbank. To get to the Alaska Highway you have to climb up to the hill. I took me 45 minutes! I was surprised when after 20 minutes I got a ride. It was not a local but the young Frenchman going by junk car to his field camp. Funny person. We were talking all the way, enjoying the views of snowy mountains rising in front of us. Florian left me at Haines Junction. Next car I found passing petrol pump - Canadian hinter took me after checking my passport but it was only 50 kms ride. He left me in the middle of nowhere with big Lake Kluane on the horizon. After 2 hours waiting I decided to walk down to the lake. 3 kms... Again 2 hours waiting - nobody stopped! Finally I got a lift, but not to the border of Alaska: two funny locals invited me for the night to their house. Sam has white skin and Willy in the native Indian. It was to late, traffic became weak - not possible to hitch onward to the border of Alaska state...
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Sep 03, 2022 08:00 PM 440 km to Whitehorse - half of Alaska Highway!
My neighbors from the hotel were leaving before sunrise, in the rain. By car! To the north! Could you take me please? They were afraid
.. Am I looking like a bandit?? I handed them my passport and they eventually invited me to the car... After an hour drive the rain stopped and the weather eas better and better opening great views of the rivers and lakes - like 23 kms long Teslin Lake. We reached the Whitehorse - capital of the Yukon province at 11 am. Lucky me! I am already in the mid of Alaska highway! I have to look around for the hostel!
Later: the little hostel was full. I was forced to pay much more in Midnight Sun Inn.
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Sep 02, 2022 08:00 PM 7 hours on the roadside...
So far I did not see any other hitchhiker on Alaska Highway. It says something! According to my plan I have to hitch to Watson Lakes - 530 km away through the mountains. At 8.30 I was already staing on the Alaska Hoghway north city exit, with Polish flag. Average 100 cars passing in one hour. The sun was strong. After few hours many people from Nelson recognized me... Old lady brought me bottle with the water. Mexican couple - the sandwich. Imagine that I was waiting 7 hours!
Finally - miracle: the hunter going to Toad River took me there. Only 200 km but the views were excellent. At Toad River Lodge I decided to hitch again and an old Americanark tooke to the destination. Great mountains, rivers, lakes views. But when we reached Watson Lake at 10 pm it was already dark. Watson os famous for signpost forest where people leave licence plates and other signs on the trees. Otherwise expensive and unfriendly place.
In the night rain!
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Sep 01, 2022 08:00 PM 500 kms to Fort Nelson...
In the early morning it was only 9 deg Celsius when I said goodbye to my lovely hosts. First driver gave me lift to Lake Charlie just over the Saint John. Then I was flagging the cars for 25 minutes only and I boarded second car. The young driver Daniel was Russian emigrant. He was happy to speak with me his home language all over the way. We were passing Pink Mountain and Propeth river with its tiny settlements, enjoing the landscapes. Listening to my stories he decided to deliver me to my destination - farther then his house. Thank you Daniel! So at 1.30 pm I was already in sunny Fort Nelson. I visited Heritage Museum in the main street (old cars and a lot of artefacts) Then I went to the roomy Visitors Center (just opposite, they offer free coffee). Lucky me! almost 500 kms in two portions only....
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Aug 31, 2022 08:00 PM 400 kms hitchhiking to Dawson Creek
I started early today. At 8 am I was already on the road exit north of Prince George. This was a test for Canadian drivers. More then 100 cars passed by me within 40 minutes not stopping. Then a lady driving old junk car with broken windshield offered me a ride - but only 65 kms to Bear Lake. Here. Im the middle of nowhere I was flagging cars more than an hour to get a lift through the land pf forests, lakes and picturesque mountains to Chetwynd. Is is interesting small town on the junction of the roads. Along the wide main street they located the gallery of wooden sculptures. Driver left me in the centre - I was passing sculptures walkinh to the northern exit of the town. I was staing there an hour to catch the ride. In the meantime I was investigated by two police officers. Then the third driver - Gary took me to Dawson Creek - 100 kms away.
In the center of Dawson, just near the old elevator I saw the marker "mile zero" of Alaska Highway. I got it! Every tourist is taking pictures here - me too! Then I visited "Pioneer Village - where they setled old houses from all corners of the province...
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Aug 30, 2022 08:00 PM Goodsir Nature Park
This little park is located some 30 kms north from Prince George. Privately owned by strange man, who brought here trees and plants from all over wide Canada. Entry is by donation. All interesting plants has description. Well marked trail took is to the little, cozy lake with nice reflections in it. When we came back to the entrance there were two exhibitions to see: dry flowers and plants collection and collection of 42 thousands old records - this is the second passion of the owner. He found and played for me my favorite Jim Reeves song! On the way back we made stopover on picturesque Salmon River. Nice, but very hot day!
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Aug 29, 2022 08:00 PM 800 kms north of Vancouver
In the evening I reached Prince George - 90.000 souls lives here and it is biggest settlement in northern British Columbia. The town is located at the junction of two rivers. Fraser is the bigger.
They built here huge sawmils and timber industry was always main source of income. In the centre there are old houses from the 40-ties. Many homeless people. It is hot during the day. Bus to Dawson Creek - mine next destination goes only on Monday and Tuesday.
Mr Admin - I cannot upload pictures to my travel log!
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Aug 28, 2022 08:00 PM Flying to Vancouver
Sunny day! I have to say goodbye to my flowers in Wojtkówka. Frist flight -Gdansk to Munich was 30 minutes delayed so in Munich I was forced to run from gate in the wing G to gate in the wing L. You need to use automated train to do that. I boarded my Airbus 350 to Vancouver just on time. It was 10 hours in the sky ang 9 hours time zone change. I was lucky to have great lady flight attendants. One of them celebrated her 30th birthday so I got extra drinks in the decorated galley withing her all the best. When I confess that I want to hit Alaska Highway they became very enthusiastic and gave me business class bag with two cans of the beer for the way...
We landed at 5.30 pm local time. Full sun and 24 deg Celsius. An automated train to the Waterfront station in the old town cost me 8 CAD. 200 m to Gastown hostel... Welcome to Canada!
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