Tuesday Mornings

And this is why I golf.  It is wonderful to be on the course on a lovely summer's day.  Our threesome turned into a twosome - [Get Well Soon, Nancy] and we were sandwiched between Gran and Gramps - they even walked ever so slowly to their cart when they finally finished the hole - and the pushy women behind us - excuse me, your ball landed 10 feet from where I'm putting - but the weather held up, the wind kept the bugs away and we did have a good game.

Look on the Bright Side of Life

Thanks Coca Cola !!!!

Cheers

Ah summer.  We even enjoy the rain.  And yes MJT, summer did start on June 20th at 7:04 your time, 4:04 my time.  Each year, the timing of the solstice depends on when the Sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator. This year, in the Northern Hemisphere, that was on June 20, 2012, at 7:09 P.M. (EDT).I know it is usually on June 21st - though not always.  So today, June 21st was the first WHOLE day of summer.  My glass is beginning to be half full, as I wore shorts and spent the morning gardening.  No coat, no gloves, no boots.  Love it.

Golf Night

Yes, it is Thursday, which is our golf night.  Started out beautifully - hot hot hot and if I may say a bit humid, but not complaining.  Then on the fourth hole the clouds started to gather in the south east - the skies there turned black then the lightning started to flash.  We seldom get lightning storms in the Yukon, so continued on to hole Five - probably not a good idea as you have to t-off on a hill - the lightning and thunder continued so right after t-off, we decided it was a good idea to get off the course and let the storm pass.  We headed back to the clubhouse, luckily safe and dry.  While we were sipping our cool ones, lightning flashed not even one second in front of us - you know, one-one thousand, two-one thousand  ... It was big and bold and we were certainly glad we were not on the course.  While enjoy our ales the rain started, then it rained harder, then harder, then harder, then hail and we enjoyed it all safely under cover.

Happy First Day of Summer!!!!!!!!
And especially to us northerners, Happy Longest Day!!!!!!

Bear

Per my previous post this is what a bear looks like. And I am doing all of this on my iPad from a hidden APP I found.

Bears

We have a new web site - bear sightings.  Click Here .  Looks like it only sights bears in the Whitehorse area, but for those living in the area, it may be useful.  Just click on "+" to make the map bigger and then click on the bear to see where the bear was and what it was doing.
P.S.  Still working on how to get pictures on with my iPad.

Trial

This is a trial from my iPad. Now to figure out how to put a picture on it as well.

The Weather at 2:30 PM

And this is why we northerners do not have a tan and why our roads are closing due to washouts and mud slides.  And yes, those white spots you see are hail.  

And why I do not seem to be using my deck much this summer.  (Glass still half empty!)

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr....

It's June - almost half way through summer - it's threatening rain  [again!] - it's cold, with the windchill [10:30 AM and we're way up to 9 celcius - with the windchill it feels like 5].  Summer is half over and I wore shorts one day - that was Saturday in which I got a sunburn on my right knee and left elbow (???) - owww.  The longest day is coming up - summer solstice this year is actually one day earlier than usual - June 20 @ 11:09PM - and then the days get shorter.  My glass is half empty since I just walked outside 10 minutes ago.

At Last ...

Only we northerners can get excited about watching a truck pass by. This is the first one since last Wednesday. The road opened last night around 7:30 PM to transport trucks with single lane traffic flowing through the most damaged portion of the highway. It will be some time before everything is back to normal on the highway so driving will be very slow in parts, but at least we can now see the light.

Now that's a pothole

A van is trapped in a hole after a road caved in at Fuxing road in Guilin, ChinPicture: China Foto Press / Barcroft Media

Monday afternoon

Boy, how would you like to get behind that - semi's for as far as the eye can see - when your driving up to Whitehorse or destinations farther north??  Here's the latest headlines  (to read the whole story,
Click Here ):

Travellers still stranded in Yukon after weekend floods

Officials still expect the Alaska Highway to open Monday night

CBC News 

Posted: Jun 11, 2012 3:31 PM CT 

Last Updated: Jun 11, 2012 4:18 PM CT

And the Shelves are Bare

This is one of our major grocery stores (the one at which I shop).  

Alaska Highway, between Teslin and Watson Lake may open this p.m. Truck traffic to leave first... per CBC Blog

Let's hope it opens soon. 

Our Poor Roads

Yukon Road Conditions - Update

It's only Sunday and this is what our grocery store shelves look like.  Below is an update on the road conditions:

Parts of the Alaska Highway are now open in Yukon, as crews have been working non-stop to repair the damage done by what a government official is calling an “unprecedented event” of mudslides and washouts all over the territory.

The damage forced road closures, and delivery trucks couldn’t get through onto main highways. Stores all over the territory are running low on supplies as people rushed to stock up.

Allan Nixon, assistant deputy minister of highways, said people can breathe a sigh of relief as some major highways should be open within the next 24 hours.

“I think the best news we’ve got is on the South Alaska Highway. Crews have been working very hard. We think, we’re hopeful that we will be able to get a pioneer trail through that area either late tonight or early tomorrow … So I think, you know, for people who are concerned about supplies and stuff, we can relax,” said Nixon.

Nixon said crews have had some success in clearing the northern part of the Alaska Highway as well. The section of highway between Haines Junction and Destruction Bay is now open to two-lane traffic.

Elsewhere, the South Klondike Highway is also now open to two-lane traffic into Skagway, Alaska, to Whitehorse. Work is also being done to re-open the Campbell Highway, but that one is not yet open.

Nixon is advising drivers to be careful when using the re-opened roads.

“It’s narrow, people need to drive slowly through the washout zone,” he said. “They’re going to be rough, there’s going to be delays — it’s not going to be like driving the Alaska Highway on a normal day, but traffic will be able to get through.”

.... just in case you're interested ...

Do Not Drive

The Road Report from the Territorial Government:

Emergency road closures or advisories: 

• Several washouts and mudslides have occurred between Watson Lake and Teslin (this is the Alaska Highway - one of two roads south), and Haines Junction and Destruction Bay (unless you take the Top of the World Hwy or go by ferry, this is the only road to Alaska) on the Alaska Highway. Washouts have also occurred between Carcross and Fraser (oops, the road to Skagway, one of 2 ferry access roads) on the South Klondike Highway. Travel within these regions is not advised at this time. 
• Highway 1, the Alaska Highway, is closed between Jct 37 and Teslin (Jct 37 is our only other road to the south)  due to a mud slide and washouts.
  Highway 1, the Alaska Highway, is now open between Haines Junction and Destruction Bay with single lane traffic from km 1638 to km 1643. The highway could close with short notice.
• Highway 2, the South Klondike Highway, is now open with single lane traffic at km 79.8. The highway could close with short notice.
• Highway 4, the Campbell Highway is closed at km 141.5 due to washouts.
• Highway 6, the South Canol Road, is closed untill further notice due to a washout at Murphy Creek.
• Highway 10, the Nahanni Range Road is closed at km 62 due to washouts.
• Aishihik Road is washed out at KM 24.5 due to high water level in the Aishihik River.

And from the front page of the Government's website:

Yukon is currently experiencing road closures. Please check the Flood Risk Report before travelling. Check the report for latest information on flood situation in Yukon including road closures, information for travellers and emergency contact details.

FOR TRAVELLERS: If you are south of Watson Lake travelling north, do not proceed. The road is closed and there are is no accommodation available in Watson Lake. The road will be closed for several days.

The hydrologist reported that an unusual amount of rainfall and snowmelt at the higher elevations are causing the high water.   He said approximately 70 millimetres of rain had fallen in the area over the last week, compared to what would normally be 10 mm in an average year.

Our food is trucked up the Alaska Highway, as is our gas, oil and propane and much of the mail.  Our food stores were starting to empty out on Friday.  They will be in very sad shape by Monday.  Hmmmm.....

Inflation

$171.91

today will buy you what $20 did in 1954.

That's a 759% hike thanks to 58 years of inflation.

Movie Review

Snow White and the Huntsman

There have been so many excellent movies out lately.  Snow White and the Huntsman is one of them.  NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN.  In fact, I may have a nightmare or two tonight.  The movie stays along the Snow White story you heard as a child but this one is made for adults.  I jumped twice - once I had to duck a punch - and this was in a 2D theatre.  I have to say that our theatre has been up-graded.  In the past I missed a lot of the conversations in the movies.  I thought it was because I was "aging".  Well, the theatre finally upgraded their sound system and for the first time in years I heard all the conversations (except for a bit of the dwarfs).  Now they just have to make the seats more comfortable and unstick the floor.  But, back to the movie ... the acting was excellent and there was a twist or two to keep you on your toes.  I highly recommend this film and give it 5 Stars!