WHITEHORSE
in the
is something of a rambling town, not unpleasant just rambling
but does hold a few memories for me!
Important as being the first place I had ever seen a 'pristine'
MEW GULL
(the close American cousin to our own Commn Gull)
the first of which and all subsequent having been scruffy juveniles further south.
It was also the first time ever seeing a Gull of any type both
perching
and
nesting
in trees!
The second was a shot in the dark, to say the least, that this gentleman
who did give his name but I chose to call
EASY RIDER
(certainly Born to Be Wild)
might be met again for a similar amount of craic and strong ale as before.
One pearl of wisdom which was left with him was that the lyrics of that song were the
first place ever where the now most familiar expression 'Heavy Metal' was coined.
What a pity then that composser and Steppenwolf band member Mars Bonfire could
not © it!
I like smoke and lightning Heavy Metal thunder
Racin' with the wind and the feelin' that I'm under
Yeah Darlin' go make it happen take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once and explode into space
Racin' with the wind and the feelin' that I'm under
Yeah Darlin' go make it happen take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once and explode into space
Like a true nature's child we were born, born to be wild
We can climb so high
I never wanna die……..
We can climb so high
I never wanna die……..
Born to be Wild
Not surprisingly it didn't happen but expectations were far higher for a second encounter with
David Cartier (a 'diamond geezer') and his delightful Japanese partner Toshia (right) seen here on the Al-Can with my then lovely lady friend and travelling companion Sue (left) and a Dutch lady.
David was the owner and driver of the
Alaska Express
which would run 3 times a week from Whitehorse to Tok the first settlement inside the largest
of the US States but there was the rub.
I have never heard of or witnessed for myself a Greyhound running late, having been carried by them to 48 of the US States, as punctual seems to be their by-word. At 04:00 precisely
ours pulled up outside of
where there is no compulsion to buy anything if all you want to do is sit or sleep.
By 05:30 I was outside of
Davids Office
with the sign on the door reading "vehicle full depared at 05:15".
Some you win, some you don't but there was now a decission to be made.
That fell between staying in Whitehorse for the next 3 days or, as I had done in the
Royal Navy and many other subsequent times
'rely on the trusty THUMB' a no-brainer, and after all Fairbanks was only 700 miles away!
Still dark, a taxi was summoned and dropped me outside of what the Yanks call a Gas Station where the trusty emergency Union Flag was lashed to my bag but over 45 minutes not a single vehicle had even slowed down. Time for more desperate measures and on the theory they can only say NO a gentleman bunkering his people carrir was approached.
Reluctant was the word as he told me his wife and mother-in-law were inside taking coffee and didn't know what their reaction might. On their return the ladies didn't seem comfortable with the idea but a little charm offensive and we were on our way. Within 30 minute it was if I had known Nick, wife Jane and mum Brenda all my life and with the ladies also telling me they were Hawaiian sealed the deal recalling my recent visit.
Reluctant was the word as he told me his wife and mother-in-law were inside taking coffee and didn't know what their reaction might. On their return the ladies didn't seem comfortable with the idea but a little charm offensive and we were on our way. Within 30 minute it was if I had known Nick, wife Jane and mum Brenda all my life and with the ladies also telling me they were Hawaiian sealed the deal recalling my recent visit.
This is a wild, wild road so best we let the images tell the story.
(Woodchuck)
There was a small request on the way and that was for a short stop at
and more than pleased to buy them all lunch.
from where Nick phoned his mother to say they would arrive shortly afer dropping an
Englishman
off at the North Pole Hotel where I had stayed before.
The reaction to this were loud voices from the other end of the line which turned out
to be his mum and step dad making it perfectly clear that no Englishman was staying in a hotel
while we have a perfectly good bed here for him!
and what a welcome
Jane left with mum Rachel
substantial garden and where was found an
a new bird for me
Paradise Found!
