"I didn't sleep at all last night" - Bobby Lewis

When last we talked (ok, I typed, you read) I planned to continue down the AlCan to Highway 37 and turn south on "The Cassiar" highway. I did a search on-line and found absolutely nothing available on a Saturday night on a holiday weekend (today is Canada Day).

 As I lay in bed I kept going over and over different scenarios. What if I rode 300 or 400 miles through the mountains and couldn't find anywhere to stay? Canadians are just like their neighbor's to the south in few things, but one of the few is heading to the mountains for a three day holiday.

Could I campout? Numerous conversations I've had with the locals had determined that bear activity this year is at an all time high. Everyone (except me) carries bear spray. A fellow I talked to yesterday said he saw 3 black and two brown bears in the road!

I had found a place about 300 miles further down that had a room for Sunday night. What if I stayed an extra day here? Would the room I'm in even be available for another night?

I hated to whimp out, what with my reputation for being such an avid camper and flying by the seat of my pants with no advance reservations, but I am really paranoid about sharing a tent with a bear. In the mountains of Idaho I felt more in control. Away from others the bears are not used to human interaction. If you keep your campsite clean, keep odors away from your tent, no food near camp, and in certain areas sleep cuddled up with a trusty can of bear spray, you should have no problem.

But here in the YK, I am, of necessity, camping close to the highway, among wildlife that sees humans on a regular basis. I have no control over what odors may have existed recently and I have no bear spray (or did I mention that?) so I become, in my wife's absence, a worry-wart.

By the time I rolled out of bed this morning I had decided to see if the room was available for another night, if so, see if the cabin I had located down the road was still open, if so reserve it, then reserve my room for another night. This meant slowing it down again, just as I was on a roll, but hey, it's a holiday! Or, as they say here, it's a holiday, hey?

In the back of my mind I wondered how all of this would play out if Betty were with me. I didn't have to wait long to find out. I stepped out of the door of the motel to find that it was overcast and raining slightly - first indication that I was meant to stay put and not be on the road. 

I walked next door to the gas station/convenience store/office and inquired about room availability. Inexplicable the room was already spoken for tonight; it was to my surprise that I was told they had reserved it already - for me! Second indication.

Then Kelly, the owner, and her brother Rod both mentioned that it was a holiday and they were having a pancake breakfast at the rec. center that was open to the public, followed by a parade and games at noon, then a fish fry/pot luck dinner, greased pole climbing contest and music by Louie Hewis and the Fake News (I may have that name wrong), all as part of the Canada Day celebration.

I went to the pancake breakfast and found that seniors and the Elders of the Tlingit people were allowed breakfast for free! As an outsider I couldn't hardly do that, so I tipped generously and enjoyed a great breakfast.

Jason, a newly assigned member of the RCMP, in his dress uniform

I then killed a little time before I headed back to the rec. center for the parade. They were just lining up so I walked over to Rod's float that he had assembled for the occasion. 

Rod had assembled an air cannon to launch candy and, later, T-shirts, into the crowd.

He explained about all of the vehicles that had donated body parts to his tow truck and I asked him when the last time was that it ran.

"Drove it onto the trailer" was his reply. He later introduced me to Mike, from Nampa, Idaho originally, but a resident of Teslin since 1959. "Lived here longer than any other white man in town". Rod had arranged with Mike to drive me up to the micro-wave tower above town and get the "best view in the Yukon".

I busied myself by taking in the different entrants in the parade. I also met a photographer (unofficial) whose name escapes me and got a picture of Mr. Teslin, or Eric Morris, who I only later realized was Kelly's husband. 

 

Being a small village of about 450 people, the parade had a familiar taste to it. It reminded me of the small local parades we had in the Mentor Headlands each Fourth of July where every Little Leaguer, every Cub Scout and Girl Scout, every kid who knew how to ride a bike was welcome to participate.

As the parade was about (aboot?) to leave I heard my name being called. I turned and found Mike, and his wife Rita, sitting in their van as they waited to follow the parade as it wound through the village."You want to ride with us?"

I hopped in and, in addition to the low speed chase, was treated to a first person tour of the First Nation Village of Teslin. We eventually found ourselves (or I found myself, Mike probably knew where he was all along) back at the rec. center. I hopped on my bike and made my way back around to the center of the village where everyone gathered and, around a red and white Mapleleaf flag, sang "Oh Canada".

Then it was time for the games to begin. First children, then adults, played tug-of-war, had a three legged race, a missing shoe race, bicycle races and... whew. 

Eric and Kelly's niece Lilly who, with her friend, kicked the boys butts in tug-of-war!

Part way through the festivities, Mike found me and, thinking the sun was about to break through the clouds, wanted to know if I would ride with him and Rod up to the Micro-wave tower. This time Mike was in his truck and we quickly found ourselves on dirt, climbing up a mountainside. On the way there it rained very briefly, then as we arrived, the clouds rolled by, allowing a partial viewing of the largest lake in the Yukon, 90 miles long, as much as 2 miles across and, in places over 800 feet deep.

 It is, I was told, officially the headwaters of the Yukon River, despite the Yukon running into it and changing its name. From here the water flows all the way across the Yukon Territory to Alaska and on to the Bering Strait, a distance of over 1500 miles.

Despite heavy clouds it was easy to see why they were proud of their view.

On the way back to town I was given a tour of several out-lying areas (not officially included in Teslin) and the airport. They asked me not to tell anyone what an incredible lake and town they have, as the only complaints they had were the onslaught of government regulations that were being forced upon them. So sssshhhhh, you didn't hear it from me!

At 5:30 much of the village collected back at the rec. center for the fish fry, where I met, and was invited to join, Galen and his family, also formerly of Nampa! After eating the festivities moved outside where people were given the opportunity to et good and messy by attempting to climb a greased pole.

 The first successful individual would be awarded $450, or if a team was successful, $100. They didn't have any serious attempts by the time the music started inside.

Eventually I returned to the motel where I saw Rod again in the store. He invited me to see his Art Gallery so I went around the corner and checked it out. He has a nice collection of paintings, jewelry and other items, all by local artisans. His primary displays were some of his paintings, both oils and acrylic. He had a gold pan that had been painted with a wonderful mountain scene from an area only a few miles away.The works were displayed inside a large wagon that was set up to tow to different events, being perhaps the only mobile art gallery in the Yukon Territory.

All things considered, a day that started with great consternation ended up being a rich experience. My first Canada Day celebration!