The Move to Missouri: Haines Junction

Distance: 290 miles

We were at the gas station down the road first thing in the morning.  They had a repair shop that was open, so we detached the trailer from the car in their parking lot (not an easy task in the –30 F temperatures) and let them check it out.  About an hour later, they told us that one of the gaskets in the vacuum line system had deteriorated and the engine was stuttering because it was sucking too much air and not enough fuel.  The repair was simple, except they didn’t have the part on-hand.  Instead, they fabricated a gasket out of rubber and we just had to wait another hour for it to cure.  When we went to pay for the patch, they told us it was no charge.  Gratefully, we left a $20 tip.

Unfortunately, by the time we were on our way it was already noon.  In better spirits, and on fairly better roads, we continued our way out of Alaska.  We could see the northern edge of Wrangell-St. Elias National Reserve.  As the highway began to take us through snowy hillsides I engaged the four-wheel drive.  Not even an hour later, the check engine light came on again.  Gritting our teeth, we drove onward.

Some time later we passed the U.S. Border Patrol and officially entered the In-Between that is the Alcan Border, a 30-mile stretch between the edge of Alaska and the edge of the Yukon Territory.  The frost heaves on the road were unbelievable, and there were a few occasions where I’m sure the back end of the car lifted off the ground due to the pivot-action on the ball hitch.

As we approached the Canadian Border Patrol, we saw a gray wolf standing silently at the forest’s edge in the dim twilight.  Getting through the border was fairly painless, even if we had to wait a while for an attendant.  We stopped in Beaver Creek for gas and cash (Canadian).

It was dark long before we pulled into Haines Junction, our stop for the night.  In order to check in I had to find the motel owner in the bar, where the entire town was celebrating the New Year.

The car seemed to be holding up fine except for the check engine light, so we decided to make up for today’s late start by getting up extra early tomorrow.