Yukon Chatter Bug

In last week’s Whitehorse Star, there was a short article advising campers that “Environment Yukon has banned tents at the Million Dollar Falls campground.” Why? An incident involving a bear tearing open a tent.

Being a tenter myself, my biggest pet peeve when using campgrounds is the lack of bear-awareness that people camping seem to have. I find this especially true with people in hard-top campers, trailers, and RVs. With only a thin piece nylon material separating me from bear claws in my two-man tent, I feel somewhat vulnerable,  like  a piece of fresh meat neatly packaged up in nylon instead of plastic wrap, ready for a bear to dig its teeth in.

For example, on an early morning walk around Liard Hotsprings campground last summer, there were garbage bags (with garbage, of course) hanging on the side of some campers nearby and a couple of picnic tables not cleaned up from the previous night’s meal. Incidentally, one of the hotspring pools at Liard is closed every August partly because of increased bear activity.  There was even a fatal mauling by a black bear several years back. I can’t help but to wonder if the increased bear activity is linked to a general decrease in bear-awareness at local parks.

Liard Hotsprings

Not only does this lack of proper garbage and food storage/disposal put humans at risk, but these scavenger bears end up having to be destroyed.

Regardless of your mode of camping, please keep your campsite clean. The bears and I thank you!

Before the long-weekend, everyone asks you if you’ll be doing anything special. I was so looking forward to not being on a schedule. So being the spontaneous person that I am, I decided to take an afternoon trip to Skagway, Alaska. I now realize it’s been more than a year since my last jaunt south.

As usual, the quirky Arctic Brotherhood building with driftwood siding greeted me like an old friend:

Arctic Brotherhood Building, Skagway, AK

Established in 1899, I wonder about the history of the shovel handle I noticed between the entrance and the windows.

Arctic Brotherhood 1899

AB - Shovel Handle

There are many nooks and crannies that provide interesting photo ops, like this old axle:

Old Axle

Yet another old faithful call-him-what-you-will:

Soapy Smith's Parlour

And what would be a visit to Skagway without checking out the old rotary snowplow used by the White Pass & Yukon Route (W.P. & Y.R.)?

W.P. & Y.R. Rotary Snowplow

A train going through after the deed is done in 1899:

Snow Trench dug in 1899 by W.P. & Y.R. Rotary Snowplow...now another train can get through - photographer H.C. Barley, courtesy of Yukon Archives

Rotary Snowplow Blades

It may be a coincidence, but just about every time I leave the Yukon, it greets my return with some smiling blue skies:

South of Carcross

It’s c-c-c-cold these days, but the mutt still needs her regular exercise (as I do). Last spring, I purchased a harness for us to try bikejoring, which Smidgen seemed to take to quite naturally, so I thought I’d try it with my skis.

I’m not yet stable on my skis (aka falling a lot), so I decided to start out at Chadburn Lake where there are one-way trails and less people to run into (aka injure).

As you know, daylight time is short at this time of year in the Great White North, so if I don’t get off my butt early enough, I miss the window of opportunity. Because I didn’t get going until 1 or 1:30 yesterday, I couldn’t venture too far and ended up in the subdivision being built next to Arkell, a place that used to be part of a beautiful trail where I walked my dog.

Oh, and did I mention that it’s much more fun on skis?

Although the sky was cloudy, you could still get a glimpse of Grey Mountain in the distance. Of course, Smidgen kept wanting to go toward Dave who was taking the photos:

In an effort to train my dog to stop jumping on people, running after joggers, and chasing other dogs, we enrolled ourselves in dog obedience training a while back. She’s made some progress, but the biggest challenge has been keeping her from pulling on the leash. It seems like she always wants to be in the lead. I try and try, and I just can’t manage to make her stay behind me.

Suddenly, the light bulb came on, and I got a bright idea. Since she wants to pull so badly, why not give her the opportunity? On a recent training session on the ski trail, the trainer suggested I try it.

Off I went to Duffy’s Pets to get her fitted for a harness. Reggie, the store-owner, was extremely helpful. She spent time asking questions about my intentions, about my dog, and offered valuable tips about Dos and Don’ts. I couldn’t wait to get Smidgen into her harness to see how she would react.

The next morning, I hook her up, get onto my bike, and voilà! The dog’s a natural. It only took her a few minutes to figure out what I wanted and that it was okay to pull. Wow! I was so pleased.

This morning was her third time out with the harness, and she pulled like a pro. Fortunately, there’s no turning required on the pathway we’ve been taking, but the next step will be teaching her “Gee” and “Haw” (right and left).

Tantalus School, Carmacks, Yukon

In trying to reach my goal of losing 30lbs before my 40th birthday, I joined Weight Watchers and increased the amount of physical activity I do. One of those activities costs nothing, needs no specialized equipment, and can be done anywhere: jogging.

The school in Carmacks hosts the annual Tantalus Ridge Run, and other Yukon schools are invited to take part. There’s a 3k portion for the younger ones and a 5k for the older kids.

The two wonderful teachers in grade 7/8 at our school invited me along with their class to join them in the run. Because I was always busy teaching while groups of kids trained for the run, it was up to me to train on my own time.

I didn’t expect to run the whole race since I hadn’t quite worked myself up to 5k’s by today, the day of the run. But I got three girls in my truck, and while they took care of the tunes, I sipped my coffee and bopped along with them as we drove the North Klondike Highway two hours north, stopping to gawk at members of the Braeburn Elk Herd basking on a hillside along the way. (I love the Yukon!)

It was sweltering hot, but my water bottle kept me hydrated as I started off after the starting signal. The race started on a wooden boardwalk along the Yukon River, then edged its way left on a refreshing trail in the woods where not all the snow had melted yet. The coolness was a welcome sensation halfway through the run. (Another reason to love the Yukon!) Then came the ridge with the hot sun beating down on us. That was the hard part. While someone offered water about halfway, the sun offered my first sunburn of the year.

I’m proud to say that I managed to run the whole race (except for a short hill that was so slippery with mud that I had to hold on to trees to keep from sliding back down).

The most exhilirating part, of course, was near the end hearing my name shouted as I ran across the water-logged lawn to the finish line. I don’t know what my time was, nor do I care. I’m happy I did it! YEAH! The great people of Carmacks had water jugs full and huge bowls of orange wedges waiting for runners finishing the race.

Oh, and did I tell you I’m down 20 lbs?

It’s dark, and I click my ski boots in one after the other. I double and triple check to make sure I have my cell phone, my spare batteries, and of course, extra clothing. It’s about -20°C. I can see my breath in the ray of light cast by my headlamp. Just as I head out, the lights on the trail go out.

I’ve been on this trail a couple of times before but never in the dark by myself. Landmarks, so familiar before, are completely engulfed in darkness. So, at the first intersection, I pull the map out of my sleeve to make sure I’m where I should be. Confident, I fold it, slip it back in, and tighten the Velcro around my gloves.

At one point, I stop in my tracks and just listen. No more crunching snow. All I can hear is my breath and the nylon on my jacket rub with the slightest movement. The sky is filled with stars and slight cloud cover. I smile to myself and feel so, so happy to live here.

A short while later I can see a dancing glow in the distance, and laughter fills the air. I made it! A few people are sitting around a healthy fire. I plant my skis and poles in the snow and make my way into the hut where a table of wines, cheeses, and breads greets me. Ahhhhh, to live in the Yukon. The perfect place to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

Despite frigid temperatures hovering between -35 and -40 degrees Celcius, my honey still walks to and from work every day. We live in Arkell and he works at the College, which represents a 5km walk each way. Here he is just getting home from work today:

Davey comes home

He’s a brave soul!

Hey Musher Folks,

I got the following comment on my old blog and thought I’d pass it on. If anyone’s looking for a handler in February, I can connect you to this guy. See the end of his note for his English translation.

Bonjour je m’appelle Renaud,

J’ai 26 ans, je suis français et je vis actuellement en suisse depuis 5 ans. Je recherche un stage de Handler au Yukon à Whitehorse pour le mois de février 2009. Mon billet d’avion est déjà réservé vu la difficulté de réserver une place à cette période, de plus je devais faire le stage avec une amie chez Marcelle Fressineau mais celle-ci a déjà un autre stagiaire et ne peut en accueillir plus de 2 à la fois, je suis donc à la recherche d’un autre lieu de stage.
Je recherche un stage non rémunéré, juste être logé et nourri.

Je suis un passionné du Canada (j’ai déjà été au Québec en vacances il y a 3 ans), des grands espaces, de la nature et de tout ce qui s’y rapporte, ainsi que des chiens nordiques. Je possède actuellement deux huskys.

Je suis quelqu’un de motivé et qui veut apprendre le mushing même si je n’ai aucune pratique de la discipline. En effet, j’aimerai pouvoir un jour je l’espère le pratiquer avec mes chiens et aussi dans un futur proche partir vivre au Canada. Ce serait aussi l’occasion de vivre la grande aventure dans le Grand Nord et de pouvoir voir la Yukon Quest.

Ma pratique de l’anglais étant limitée cette expérience me permettrait de le parfaire. Je recherche néanmoins un stage de préférence chez des personnes ayant des notions de français.
Si malgré tout, vous n’étiez pas intéressé mais que vous connaissiez des personnes qui seraient probablement intéressées, pourriez vous me donner leur coordonnées, que je puisse les contacter.

Je vous remercie par avance et me tiens à votre disposition si vous désirez d’autres informations.

Hello, my name is Renaud
I am 26 years old, I am French and l have been living in Switzerland for five years. I am looking for a training period as a Handler in Yukon in Whitehorse for February 2009. My plane ticket as already been booked because it’s difficult to book a seat during this period, moreover I first had to do this training with a friend at Marcelle Fressineau’s place but she already has an over trainee and can’t take more than 2. That’s why I’m looking for an other training period.
I just want board and lodging.
I’m really passionate by Canada (I went in Quebec for holidays 3 years ago), wild spaces, nature and everything linked with that and Nordic dogs. I have 2 huskies.
I’m motivated and I really want to learn mushing even If I’ve never practiced. In fact, I would like one day to practice it with my dogs and in a close future I would like to live in Canada. It would also be a way to live the Far North adventure and the possibility to see the Yukon Quest.
My practise of English is limited, this could be a way to improve my skills. Nevertheless, I am looking for a place with people that have some knowledge in French.
If you’re not interested but if you know somebody that could be interested, could you give me it’s coordinates in order to contact them.
I thank you in advance and I am at your disposal if you need any further information.

The drive to Skagway is quite spectacular to say the least. It’s easy to bring visiting family and friends for a pleasant day trip, as it only takes two hours to drive there. Yesterday was a perfect autumn day for it, and only one cruiseship was docked, which meant no fighting for sidewalk space.

One of the popular landmarks in Skagway is the Red Onion Saloon, a bordello turned eatery. The place has much flavour of the goldrush days: ladies are dressed in corsets and wear bright red lipstick.

Since I was bringing a visitor for the touristy stuff Skagway has to offer, and trust me, there is much of that, I decided to take her for lunch at the famed red velvet curtained establishment. I wouldn’t say the food and service is outstanding, but it is good, and the prices are very reasonable.

However, when I received my bill at the end of the meal, this is what I got:

I couldn’t believe my eyes, and I was downright insulted. Not only did she write down a tip without even implying that it was just a suggestion, but she was trying for about 20% in tips. This was insulting not because of the level of service or the quality of food, but because of her presumption.

We called her over to the table and first asked if we were expected to pay the $39.00 or if it was just a suggested tip. She said it was a suggestion.

I then mentioned to her that I am from Whitehorse (most of their business is from cruiseship passengers) and have been at the Red Onion on a number of occasions, and I have never ever seen a server do this. Was this something new? She replied that “we get people here from all around the world, and sometimes people don’t know how to tip, so this is just to help them.” She’s helping herself more than anything else in my opinion.

We reassured her that the food and the service were very good, but that the norm for tipping is 15%, not 20%, and that we felt that she was being very forward by indicating a 20% tip on the tab for herself.

In the end, I did leave her a good tip (a little more than 15% but not the requested amount). She eventually came by the table to collect payment and apologized, which I was pleased about, but I have to wonder if “Madam Jan” doesn’t have something going with ‘ol Soapy Smith, the most famed con artist in Skagway’s history. Maybe his ghost resides in the old Red Onion Saloon.

——————————

To leave you with a more pleasant impression of our drive, here are a few photos taken in and around Carcross, Yukon, the halfway point:

Living in the Yukon, long distance calls can get expensive regardless of which end of the phone you’re on. Even when using calling cards or special long-distance plans through the telephone company, the costs still add up.

Before I moved to the Yukon, I lived in southern Ontario and was subscribed to Sprint. For a low monthly flat-rate fee, this plan allowed for unlimited long-distance calling ANYWHERE in Canada (so they said in all their advertising campaigns). Eventually, they capped the number of minutes you could use, and then would charge 10¢/min. for additional minutes. It was still reasonable and perfect for calling home in northern Ontario.

When my boyfriend at the time moved to the Yukon a few of months before I did, I thought, “Perfect! It won’t cost me an arm and a leg to call him.” I even called their customer service line to ask whether their plan covered calls to the Yukon.

“Anywhere in Canada” replied the clerk without a second’s hesitation.

The first statement I received after started my long-distance calls to the Yukon looked normal. Two months later, however, I was out a few hundred dollars. Okay, I’ll just call them up and set things straight.

ME: “Doesn’t your plan cover long-distance calls anywhere in Canada?”

THEM [Again, without hesitation]: ” Unlimited calls anywhere in Canada Ma’am.”

ME: “Then can you explain why I’m being charged for calls made to the Yukon? Last time I checked, it was still in Canada”

THEM [After a few minutes detailling account information and putting me on hold to check]: “Oh, because of extra costs involved, Sprint now charges an extra fee for calls to the Yukon, NWT, and Nunavut.”

ME: “Hhhmm, you didn’t charge me on my last statement, so it’s obviously very new. Can you tell me how Sprint informed its customers of this change? There was nothing indicated on my last bill — I even read the fine print — and there were no leaflets in the envelope. I didn’t see anything informing me that your rates have changed.”

THEM: “Our rates haven’t changed Ma’am. It’s still only $xx to call anywhere, uh, I mean, almost anywhere in Canada.”

RING!!!!! WAKE UP LADY!!!! You’re charging an extra fee and claim that your rates haven’t changed?

In the end, after a bit of haggling and a few phone calls later, the company finally agreed to remove the extra charges on my telephone bill, and told me that any calls to the Yukon from that day forward would incur the extra fees. You can imagine how irritated I felt the next time I saw their TV commercial advertising, “Call anywhere in Canada…[blah blah blah].” I have very little tolerance for false advertising. I think they eventually changed the wording.

Fast forward to calling FROM the Yukon.

The ridiculously high long-distance calling rates here prompted me to purchase a calling card. I researched price per minutes, connection fees, everything, and finally settled on a plan through VOX. I won’t bore you with the details, but about the same thing happened: initially, fees are straight up; suddenly out of nowhere, I learn that my minutes are being sucked into a dark, mysterious, black hole; a call to customer service confirms a new surcharge for callers in the Yukon, NWT, and Nunavut.

Damn these long-distance telephone companies!

Today, I found a new option for long-distance calling that’s affordable. SKYPE. For about $30/year, I can make unlimited – well, up to 10 000 minutes according to the fine print — long-distance calls anywhere in Canada and U.S. using the Internet. I just plug in my headset to my laptop, and dial-up any land line or cell number.

I doubt very much that I’ll ever use up the 10 000 minute limit, unless I plan on being on long-distance calls for 5½ hours a day. Even my mom would get sick of me.

When I tried making my first phone call this morning, it was like when the sun rises, and the colours dance in the sky and warm you. It was like being right there, next to my mom, talking to her. It was divine.

Now I’ll just have to keep a close eye on my credit card bill. Hopefully, this time the hype will last.