p U V V w g9 y -Page'--=Fiday; April 17, ,141-The-Michigan Daily -07 -W7 -W -W Alaska . 0 " THE CANADIAN ROCKIES extend along the Alaskan Highway from British Columbia to the Yukon Territory. Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, is located at milepost 1,109 of the 1,520-mile Alaskan Highway. Action SportsfWear FACTORY CLOSEOUTS Swimwear, Footwear, Bodywear Discounts on Summer Sports clothing and equipment Specializes in Quantity Orders for: teams, clubs, fraternities, sororities 406 E. LIBERTY 2 blocks off State Street (Continued from Page 3) apart these carefully packed items and make me pack up the rubble. Instead, they made me prove that I had enough money to make it through Canada and into Alaska. I squeezed by with an Esso credit card and $230. On previous trips into eastern On- tario, I had become used to flat, dull countryside. But I was surprised by the western section. There were huge green hills on one side of the road; on the other, sheer cliffs met Lake Superior. Heyden, Michipicoten River, and Wawa rolled by. It was getting dark, and I started looking for a place tostop I noticed that cars were parked along the highway and that people were cam- ping. There were cut-offs next to the road with other informal camping areas. I pulled into a cut-off and set up camp. I HARDLY SLEPT THAT NIGHT. Noises like hundreds of cars pulling into the area kept me alert-the din turned out to be trains in the distance. Bears were surrounding me in my imagination-the tarp was flapping against the side of the truck. I vowed never to spend another night camping. At dawn I woke up and looked out- side. I had camped next to a tree-lined lake that had early morning mist rising above it. It seemed sacrilegious for a human to be in this environment. I compromised. Each day I would drive to regular park campsites, where other campers would be at least a mile away. MY DAYS QUICKLY became routine-as if I had no past and would have no future. I would drive about 100 miles,stop to fill my thermos,and the next nice spot I found, I would stop and read. I never drove more than 400 miles a day during the 12-day trip. This was my opportunity to see places that I probably would never visit again. After reading as much as I liked, I would get back into the truck and resume my journey, stopping whenever the scenery was interesting. NO SIGNS WERE necessary to welcome me into Manitoba. The regional division was clearly visible. I was driving from a very hilly, sparkly region into flat horizons. Winnipeg, with hundreds of churchspires and old stone houses, was Manitoba's only welcome diversion. Saskatchewan turned into an exaggerated Manitoba. I never worried about timing as I passed cars-I could see the road ahead of me for miles. Once again, there was a visible line separating Saskatehewan and Alberta, with Alberta becoming more lovely the further I drove. ONE MORNING I noticed Elk Island National Park, just outside of Edmon- ton, on my map. It seemed as good a spot as any to stop, and I wanted to see at least one national park. When I en- tered and paid my camping fee, the woman at the toll house told me to drive slowly and to watch out for any buffalo I might pass. Elk Island is a buffalo reserve, and the herds are free to roam as they please. It was common to hike and find stray buffalo a few feet away. The next morning was sunny, so I took a blanket and book to a lake about a mile from the campground. That day was one of only three times on the trip that I talked to. anyone other than during business transactions. A GROUP OF people were playing baseball with a slat from a picket fence and a tennis ball. They asked me if I wanted to play and asked the inevitable question, "Where you from, eh?" When I told them I was from Detroit, they ran around saying, "Eh, we have a 'You'all' here." I guess that's the Canadian definition of someone from the United States. The foothills of the Canadian Rockies became prominent once I passed Ed- monton. I was rapidly approaching the point of no return on the trip-soon I couldn't turn around and head back home. THE ALASKAN HIGHWAY. So many tales are told about this 1,520-mile long road leading through British Columbia and the Yukon Territory into Fair- banks, Alaska. My trip had been spent in relative ease so far. The roads were good all the way until this point. I would begin driving on gravel very shortly. Dawson Creek-where the highway begins-was a magical destination throughout the trip. I didn't have to make any decisions or be particularly careful until I arrived here. THE TOWN TURNED out to be the capital of cheap diners. This was the only time that I drove further than I really wanted during a day-but I had to get out or lose my senses. Any point along the first 50 mils of the Alaskan Highway could be the pin- nacle of a nightmare. A little to the right of the road was a sheer drop. The tiny bridges across gorges were breathtaking, both because of the beauty of the scenery and because the bridges didn't seem to be structurally sound. But driving along a road out of the side of Canadian Rockies was awesome. The pavement gave way to gravel about 50 miles outside of Dawson Creek. On this road, patience was re- defined. Speeds in excess of 40 miles per hour were plain stupid. THE FIRST MORNING I drove on gravel I was plagued by an impatient Honda. It passed me once, spraying stones over the windshield of my truck. I cringed and imagined the glass cracking before my eyes. After a short Continued on page 14 I' till]ti New York, N.Y. 10020 Phone212 581.s04 Mail this ad for SPecial Student/Teacher Tariff. nRENDCTAL f LAE FQ PURCHASE OV/ERPA CK1N&. NA IR POXT W SN MrEALL TE TIME TIEu&I L jANs 15L D SYNDRtOME.. 0 -rrK Travel Tips by ELLEN DREYER and MAUREEN FLEMING 300 S. Thaver 769-3042 Next to the Be The Michigan Daily-Friday, .... ........ 1 momompowp"--I I UaUK t0 Riches - A Cloth ing and - Jewelry Boutique SUPER SUMMER SALE! 20-50% OFF COME SEE OUR NEW THINGS k" Being realistic is the most important factor when planning a vacation. Think beforehand about the expenses incurred by staying in hotels, transpor- tation other than bus or plane fare, and entertainment. Multiply these costs by the length of stay, as well as where you will be going. IF YOU ARE planning to vacation in San Francisco or New York, your costs will be higher than in Flagstaff, Arizona, where the cost of living is less. Don't forget about inflation--;a trip now will cost more than two years ago. Plan carefully how and what you are going to pack. If you plan to go to an ex- pensive restaurant only once, don't pack three suits. Plus, there are laun- dromats, so you don't need to carry your entire wardrobe on a trip. Vacations are times to relax and something you have wanted to do for a long time. If you feel guilty about never having read Dostoevsky's The Idiot, don't plan to read it on vacation. If you are having a good time, the book won't be read anyhow and will only be bulky. IF YOU ARE planning to take a slow- moving trip )train, car, bus) take along a few paperback books that you would like to read because they are enjoyable. Find out about used book shops in the town you are visiting. On the way home you can trade in the old for some new ones, thereby lessening your book load by half. Small games are a lot of fun on trips, too. Cards are invaluable, as well as a traveling Scrabble game. It's in- teresting to look at scenery, but the. human mind needs variety. If there are special things you like to - eat (especially if you are a vegetarian) bring small amounts for your longer trips. Most truckstops are partial to carnivores. WHEN DRIVING cross-country, con- sider picnicking in some of the state parks. Grocery stores usually cost less than restaurants, and the parks have hiking trails for exercise. For additional exercise, as well as fun, look into public recreational facilities such as swimming pools and tennis courts. Often these can be used for a low price. Ask about nearby lakes and hiking trails. In many places there are bicycle rentals for reasonable prices, and you can see quite a bit more this way than byrwalking, or driving in a fast-moving car. Make sure you bring proper iden- tification. A driver's license or state ID is essential. Student ID can be helpful, too, because many restaurants and theatres will give you a discount with them. BE SENSIBLE about choosing foot- wear. Sounds silly, but how much fun is it to walk with four blisters on each foot? Chic is chic, but it's more fun to be able to walk. Try to keep your money in more than one place. If a thief gets lucky, your vacation money will be wiped out. A thief will not want to take too much time searching all of your possessions for every penny you have-better yet, bring traveler's checks. A good buy if you're driving any distance is a can of "instant spare." If you are unfortunate enough to get a flat tire, this will inflate it and enable you to travel approximately 25 miles or to the nearest gas station. It can be bought in most hardware stores for about $1.50. When you are buying souvenirs, think about what you are going to like one month from the trip. It's easy to be carried away with a particular item, but usually it's not that valuable when your memory fades a little, and the ex- pense of the item won't be worth it. ONE Leavin Takea ENTIR books We're Ope 7 Days a V CLOSEOUT! E THIRD OFF LIST 00K S) .., yen Week ng Ann Arbor ? Take a train book! 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