Our coldest windiest night yet, but what a view to wake up to in our cheeky waterfront camping spot at Kathleen Lake. Next stop: Haines, Alaska.
As we were staying at a proper campsite, we thought now would be a good opportunity to have a proper shower. We’d been getting by with the tiny shower in the campervan (there would be no cat swinging going on in there), switching off the water mid-shower to apply shampoo and conditioner, so as to minimize water usage. I always went first though. Not that stupid. There was also lucrative use of sports wipes – like baby wipes but bigger. I was a tad concerned about more restricted water use when I realized the campsite shower was token driven. But it turns out that eight minutes is actually quite a long time in the shower. Eight glorious minutes. Easily pleased when you’re camping.
I was quite excited to be in another Alaska mecca, thought bubbles above my head materializing with beer and pizza. Although Darren did take the time to point out that it was only two days since we’d had our night out in Whitehorse, doing exactly that. And so it was, being creatures of habit, that we found ourselves at Haines brewery.
Looking around at our fellow drinking buddies, I concluded that facial hair is a required feature for Alaskan men. Beards mostly, but the odd mustache too. A lumberjack shirt also helps. Darren didn’t quite have the fancy dress shirt, but with over two weeks since he’d had a shave, he was fitting right in.
And so it came to pass that the next stop was… actually not a pizza place. Turns out they have a distillery in Haines. Nice branding, and actually the drinks weren’t bad either. Including the radioactive green absinthe (once I could get the vague recollections of flaming spoonfuls of sugar and absinthe out of my head – jeez, where was that?). Followed by pizza. OK, what’s your point?
As ‘Haines is for hiking’, we’d got our first one in upon arrival yesterday, and still had one on the cards before we left: Seduction Point trail to Moose Meadows. We headed into the dark fairytale forest, enjoying the peaty, springy feel underfoot, expecting trolls or pixies around every corner… or maybe moose. Much of the trail was a gnarly mass of tree roots, peppered with moss and fallen pine needles, with the odd ‘boardwalk’ to negotiate the boggier sections.
We also noticed the distinctive yellow plants by the side of the trail, looking like they’d been recently munched. Not to mention the floor was littered with oodles of tell tale chocolate almond moose droppings. But it was only when we were approaching Moose Meadows that we saw: A moose! Actually two moose. (So… mooses? But then more than one mouse is mice. So… mises? No, doesn’t sound right, I think I’ll stick with moose.). Two moose. And one happy chick.
