Day 12 - Alaska here we come

Speaking of 'Smart Cars' ---Campground at Destruction Bay and view of Kluane Lake across road

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We arrived at the Destruction Bay RV Campground around 1:30pm today July 16, 2010 and we were the 3rd RV to arrive. We only drove about 150 miles from Whitehorse because everyone we talked to told us that the road from Destruction Bay to Tok was horrible with frost heaves, and places where the roadway was washed away. The guy that owned the RV campground told us it would take at least 6 hrs to drive to Tok from Destruction Bay because of the road conditions, so we decided to wait until Saturday to make the drive to Tok. The campground started filling up shortly after we arrived because the Winnebago Caravan was staying there also. There were about 22 campsites with full service that were occupied and about 4 campsites in the electric only area, so it was quite a busy place.

Destruction Bay is an amazingly beautiful area. When we look out one side of the motor home the mountains are almost close enough to touch. Looking out the other side is Kluane Lake with such deep blue water it hardly looks real. The mountains are cloud covered today which adds to the beauty. Kluane Lake is the largest lake in the Yukon and is part of the Kluane National Park, which also borders Destruction Bay. Destruction Bay got it's name from a severe windstorm that hit the area in the early 1940's.The wind speed was measured at 130 mph and wiped out the entire village. The population of Destruction Bay, today, is just over 50 people, most of which are Southern Tutchone of the Kluane First Nation.

On the way out of Whitehorse this morning, I wiped out another construction cone with the side of the RV. The construction crews love to place these cones no wider than a 'smart car', therefore when you try to angle your way through with a motor home it becomes quite the challenge. I cannot understand the need for such narrow lanes since the majority of the traffic this time of year is RV's. Anyway, I'm hoping a little wax will rub it out. My car is taking a beating on this trip. It is filthy most of the time and two times now we have hit the rock guard with the front bumper driving it onto the dolly.By the time we get home I should need a new bumper and a paint job. Even with the rock guard, we have noticed small rock chips on the bumper. I believe it was the day we arrived at Watson Lake that we took the car off to drive into town for groceries and it smelled so hot. We opened the hood and the engine was covered with rock and dirt from pulling behind the RV. Larry swept and cleaned the engine off good but driving in the construction it will be the same in another day or so. Tomorrow we are off to Tok. I just hope the roads are not as bad as we have heard but I have a feeling that's going to be the case. Someone defined the road as bad and worse. I guess we'll see for ourselves soon!