Alaska Day 17 0-k

 

It is 5 pm here at Johnson Landing Yukon……..I am fortunate that I stopped here 2 days ago. I read on the news that all motels and campgrounds were booked in Teslin 30 k down the road. That is the spot you can not get by on your ride out of the Yukon. Road remains closed between Teslin and Watson. The slide is suppose to be cleared by Monday. Its been hard on business north of this area as there is no traffic and it has been that way for 4 days. The main beneficiaries of this event are Watson and Teslin with the latter not referring the place here to stranded travellers. Leslie is co owner with Andrea, they purchased it 3 years ago. It has a gas bar, 3 unit motel attached to the living quarters and an RV & Tent Park. The park could use about 3 days work and the bath and shower facilities are tired. These two gals sold everything in Toronto On….and took out a mortgage to buy this place. The 1st season they said business was terrific….then it suddenly fell off. They are just trying to get this season in and if the place doesn’t sell….they will walk away. The community has not been supportive and without the financial resources they can not keep the place up. The restaurant, kitchen,motel and living quarters are immaculate. The food home cooked, baked goods all delicious. Currently they are running all sectors of this business by themselves and are beat at the end of a day…….both in their mid 60’s they have rented a fully self contained condo in Spain for 500 euro a month and this winter sold or not they will retire there.

Today, I spent a couple hours tilling by round mouth shovel part of their garden which has not been used for 2 years….they have been kind to me. Another camper built a new box today for their utility trailer.

Anyone looking for a retreat and running a seasonal business with handy man skills this would be the place. Scenic….a few pics the motel,restaurant….it has a balcony  across the back  which is a storey above ground and faces the bridge…..    facing the laundry and showers  HAYES PEAK…no kidding, next to my site, across from the motel.  the garden I partially tilled by shovel…will finish tomorrow.

Received an email from Paul Hewgood who I was to meet in Fairbanks but as I was way ahead of schedule I  was there days ago….he is stranded on the other side of the slide in Watson…GO FIGURE.