16. AK, BC & YT — *Best little Town*

On reflection, I have concluded that Haines Junction is the *Best little town in the west.* It’s more than a tourist stop, it’s a travelers town. The most notable aspect of Haines Junction is their community spirit. They realize their town is the source of their livelihood and that they need to all be in on it together. That feeling was noticeable in friendliness and how well kept the town was. I told several people that I liked their tidy little town. They were happy to hear that. You could tell they were proud of it.

The summer theater that I learned about at the bakery was at the school auditorium. I went to the school several minutes before curtain time and there didn’t seem to be anybody there. I went inside anyway. There was a woman at the ticket window so I bought mine and went in. The auditorium was empty.

I heard voices backstage though, so I sat down in the front row. Looking back, I should have gone backstage to see what the deal was, but I patiently waited since I had nowhere else to be. The curtain went up about fifteen minutes late and the show began. It was a goofball skit based on local characters and small town humor. They likely got their inspiration from the follies in Dawson City. Two couples showed up a few minutes late and the five of us were it as far as audience went.

After the show, the cast came out on the floor and talked with us. They were all going to the Village Bakery and invited us to come along (I think I was the only one who did). I had more fun at the bakery than at the show. Several other locals came too — the bakery seemed a prime center for the socially inclined. I learned that there was going to be live music and a salmon bake there the next night, so that settled what I was going to do for dinner then.

I talked with a cyclist from Alberta in the campground the next day. He had ridden to Jasper, up to Dawson City and over to Tok from there and was following my route to the Haines Ferry. He was going to ride over the mountains from Vancouver to Banff, and then on home. That would be around 3,500 miles all together. I have met more serious cyclists up here than in the lower 48 or even BC. For one thing, we all have to take the same roads here to go anywhere, but that grand expanse also seems to intrigue and enchant European cyclists.

The next day, I rode into town to look around. I went to the library but found it closed. I was surprised to see it in the same building as the liquor store. Their general store was well stocked, but there was nothing I couldn’t live without for the ride. The visitors center was more interesting. They had a big relief map of the region and a great slide show about the Stampede (gold rush).

A glacier flowed north in this region during the ice age. It then made a left turn and flowed south through the coastal mountains and down the Alsek River to the Gulf of Alaska. That wild river and the broad valley at Haines Junction mark the remains of that glacier. I’d be going directly south the next day to reach the sea, not north first.

The live music at the bakery was a bit hampered but very enjoyable. The usual leader of the group was the bass player. But he was in California catching up with his musical buddies. The drummer played bass on the numbers where it was essential, though.

The bakery owner played excellent guitar and he had a rich voice but he was a bit shy in the leader role. They did stirring sea shanties, 60s tunes, protest songs and Hank William’s Lonesome Blues. After the music, two of the actors from the community theater put on a skit about a blues club.

By then I had a big appetite for baked salmon (did they bake it in the bread oven?). It was excellent. I could tell their secret sauce had lemon in it, but I don’t know what else. I was sad to learn the greedy trawler fleet had devastated salmon and cod stocks, though. After dinner, I selected some muffins for the ride and returned to camp.