five + five = ten

Written on 5/5/10

Cinco de Mayo

Today was First Ship Day so Mexican holidays are not important. No marguarita specials, no two for one tacos, no free quesadillas, nada.
But as I walked to the office this morning there was a buzz. Crews were taking down barriers from around the just-poured-yesterday new concrete. Clerks were washing windows, sweeping boardwalks and filling display cases with jewelry that didn't sell in the Carribean last winter. The ship was looming out there at the dock, the passengers still aboard. It was 7:45 am. Fast forward to 9:15. I am trying (and succeeding) not to run over the tourists now pouring into town. The first train has already departed. I will pick up five to go horseback riding. The horses arrived at midnight last night after a 22 hour drive through a late season blizzard in Alberta.
"Good morning, my name is Bill and I will be your driver...." Didn't I just say that? It all comes back so easily, so natural, I don't have to think about what to say or do. Off we go. To the north end of town, across the Skagway River, up the grade to the summit, into the snow covered Tormented Valley, through Canada customs, and on to......screeeeecchh. Not so fast there foreigner. Canada customs has a new wrinkle. First day of the season? No excuse. You are supposed to be on a list of already-been-checked-out drivers. We have to run your passport through the system. "Just pull up over there." Ten minutes. Twelve minutes. Fifteen minutes. Finally, "You can go ahead, our system is down, but have your employer get us that list."






Some shots in Tormented Valley just before and just after customs

And off we go. Frozen Fraser Lake, Log cabin, Yukon Suspension Bridge, Moose Flats, Tutshi Lake, Windy Arm, breeze past the Yukon sign, got to make up the fifteen minute delay, those horses are waiting with saddles on. Oh, up there on the mountain are mountain goats. We can slow down, but this is a no-stopping avalanche zone. Past Bove Island, into Carcross, the world's smallest desert, Emerald Lake covered in green ice and here we are at the ranch. Horses are saddled and we made up five of the fifteen minutes. Is there a horse for me? No thanks. Been there, did that, have the sand in my ear to prove it.
I drive back to Caribou Crossing to see if the same people are there. "Hi, good to see you." "It's good to see you, too." "Where did you spend the winter? Oh, that sounds good, how are things here?" Hug all the women, shake hands with the men. Would I like a free lunch? Yes, thank you, barbeque chicken is still good after having it 60 or more times. And, even though I know better, I can't resist dunking just one homemade donut in my coffee. Then a trip through the museum to make sure none of the stuffed animals have escaped, then over to see the new puppies. Take pictures for tourists holding the puppies they wish they could take home. Greet the other drivers. Then time to pick up my riders. Join them for after-the-ride cup of "cowboy coffee." That means the grounds are still in it. Run the tape backwards--- ice green in covered Lake Emerald, desert smallest world's, Carcross--Stop That! I make a stop at Bove Island explaining, "It is not only picturesque, but you've been on the bus long enough to begin stiffening up if you don't get out and stretch." The 8 year old energetic boy has conked out on the back seat. Riding horses is hard work. Next stop is the skipped Yukon sign. The mountain goats have moved over to be conveniently visible for us. Mother wakes exhausted 8 year old for family photo, then he is right back to sleep. He doesn't wake for similar photo at Alaska sign, mother knows how crabby he will get. Next thing you know we are back in Skagway. "Thank you for coming with us today, would you like to get off in town for some shopping or go straight to the ship?"
Gas up, clean up, turn in paperwork, go home.
"How did your day go?" "How was yours?" "Let's go out to eat, celebrate the first day and Cinco de Mayo." "Good idea." "I had this family on the bus....." "This lady came in the shop looking for...."
Did we actually go back to Tucson for the winter? Wasn't it last week we were doing this? This is a fun place. These are good times. The mountains are beautiful. The weather is NOT HOT!


Tutshi Lake is just starting to break up.