The Next Leg Home

Technically we were on our way home as we headed south from Inuvik but it didn’t feel that way as we drove the Top Of The World Highway west into Alaska. This was new territory for us; Tok, Valdez, Beaver Creek YT, Haines and at Juneau we got on a ferry. Despite the ferry heading south for a day and a half and our stops at Sitka, Kake, Petersburg and Ketchican it is not until we arrive at Prince Rupert, BC that we feel we have gotten anywhere south at all. At Prince Rupert we find the BC Ferry we want is full. We would have to wait at least two days so we press on by road. First we explore the Prince Rupert area and find the old town part is really nice with the kind of charming shops and restaurants that we had hoped to find in Alaskan towns on our route. This is a town worth spending more time in but we are on our way home and so we head out west towards the town of Terrace. The road is almost as interesting as the roads into Valdez and Haines which we did not expect. Nobody seems to talk about this road but it deserves a lot of attention. For over 85 miles it follows a fjord/river valley, has tall, snow streaked mountains on both sides, frequent waterfalls and just gorgeous scenery. There is also a narrow gauge railway parallel to the road, just more charm. We get caught up in the end of a bicycle race, nice to see the physical energy while the Olympics are on.