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From Destruction Bay, we passed through Haines Junction to follow the Haines Highway south. The Elias mountains were still prominent on our right and there were several good hiking trails. Yesterday we met two guys who tried to ascend Kings Throne mountain (shaped like a large seat) but were beaten back by strong winds well before the summit. Today the wind was even stronger so we passed it by along with several other trails that were too exposed or covered in clouds. We had already failed to find any canoe rentals on Kluanie lake and hoped that we could paddle on Dezedeash Lake but again no rental companies. It is generally so windy in this area that the lakes can get waves like seas and paddling is dangerous for the inexperienced. We see so many people touring with their own watercraft but alas we simply cannot fit one on our roof due to the solar panels and skylights, so we keep looking for rental opportunities. We managed a short walk up Rock Glacier. We were soon above the treeline with great views over the valley and lake. We have been hiking with our bear bangers for over 2 months now. If a bear is close and going to attack you then you use bear spray as your defence. If a bear is on your trail blocking the way and will not move or if they are approaching you but still distant then you can use a bear banger to hopefully scare them away. We have received conflicting advice on how to use bear bangers. You screw the banger onto a pen launcher, pull the spring-loaded mechanism back and release. The banger fires out of its case much like a shot gun cartridge. Someone said aim it at the bear but don't hit the bear, someone said if you fire it towards the bear and it bangs behind the bear then the bear will run at you not away from you, aim the banger into the sky. On Rock Glacier we found ourselves alone with lots of open space and very little vegetation, we decided we would have a practice fire of a bear banger (we have a box of 8). I fired it almost horizontally to see how far it would go. Blimey there was a bang when it fired from the launcher and a right old boom when it exploded a good couple of hundred metres away. We will definitely be firing upwards if we have to use one for real. Just down the road we had our 4th night in a no shower basic campsite. Lots of bear scat around the campsite, again Donna wouldn't go to the 'outhouse' (drop toilet) on her lonesome. Washing with jug and bowl again - we really need a long hot shower and a laundrette soon. We grabbed a spot by the lakeside and gathered a log pile of the free wood available. Starting a fire in the gusty conditions wasn't easy but once it was going the wind fanned it until it was a roaring blaze. No scrabble, no laptop, we just sat outside taking in the scenery and the fire toasted us sufficiently that we didn't feel the icy breeze. The wind just got stronger as the evening wore on and our camper 'Tilly' was rocked by it all night. Had to wear ear plugs to be able to sleep. It was a lovely spot though.Something irrelevant but relevant, I have just read the first five books of seven of Spike Milligan's war memoir trilogy! Spike was very much in the action at times as a gunner in North Africa & Italy but he also entertained soldiers away from the front line, playing jazz on his trumpet and helping to put on shows. One sketch that he wrote - curtain opens to some hillbillies in lumberjack shirts, big false beards, smoking pipes and sitting around a campfire. The soldiers started laughing even before a word was spoken. On walks another Hillbilly (Spike). You seed any bears. Yup I seed a bear. I seed a big grizzly. The bear, he scratched his head, so I scratched my head. That bear he stood on one leg so I stood on one leg. Then that bear took a sh#t. I said, shucks you got me there, I already sh#t in my pants the moment I saw you! Something irrelevant but relevant, I have just read the first five books of seven of Spike Milligan's war memoir trilogy! Spike was very much in the action at times as a gunner in North Africa & Italy but he also entertained soldiers away from the front line, playing jazz on his trumpet and helping to put on shows. One sketch that he wrote - curtain opens to some hillbillies in lumberjack shirts, big false beards, smoking pipes and sitting around a campfire. The soldiers started laughing even before a word was spoken. On walks another Hillbilly (Spike). You seed any bears. Yup I seed a bear. I seed a big grizzly. The bear, he scratched his head, so I scratched my head. That bear he stood on one leg so I stood on one leg. Then that bear took a sh#t. I said, shucks you got me there, I already sh#t in my pants the moment I saw you!
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