Late last year, in December I think, we received a commission to conduct a PCA in Whitehorse. The weather wasn’t ideal, but I still wanted to see the city, considering I’d visited Yellowknife for similar business in the summer of 2015. I thought perhaps I’d witness the majestic northern lights, which is definitely on my bucket list.
But the trip kept getting postponed month after month after month. For good reason I suppose. After all, a winter assessment would mean plenty of snow cover, and since a Property Condition Assessment encompasses the roof and site features it’s almost like doing half a job if those items are obscured by a blanket of snow. Not exactly good value for the money.
Finally however, the job was approved to proceed. I like to think I played a small part in landing this job by initiating some good karma in the form of displaying a talisman of sorts in my office cubicle in about March; a “Yukon – Land of the Midnight Sun” license plate (you know, the one with the prospector panning for gold).
However, it’s already been seven weeks now since my trip to Whitehorse, a trip I’d anticipated for over half a year, and I have yet to blog about it. And there’s lots to blog about.
First off, before I left, a colleague recommended a restaurant that I should definitely check out for dinner. “Klondike Rib and Salmon” is apparently quite a bit deal. It was certainly my intention to partake in its culinary delights, but, interestingly enough, I struck up a conversation with a fellow traveler on the plane who gave me another recommendation, “Epic Pizza”, whose main attraction was an open mic night, which would occur on my first night in town. I figured I’d leave “Klondike” for night two. Unfortunately, a report deadline cut in to my leisure time and I ended up spending 8+ hours in the library, leaving me with time only for a quick sub sandwich dinner on the way to the airport.
Open mic night was hit or miss, which is fine. That’s probably quite common for its genre. But there sure was a wide range of talent. A couple members of a band called “Whiskey Epiphany” was in da house. Folky, but quite good. My musical tastes cover a wide range. A couple more acts followed, then a few guys were urged to get on stage and jam. The lead guitarist had an eastern European accent and really seemed to know some licks, and after a short discussion it was decided they’d play a Black Sabbath classic. All they needed was a vocalist…from Whiskey Epiphany. Folk meets metal (Molk? Fettle?). It was indeed “epic”.
Good thing I did my sight-seeing on my first evening or I likely wouldn’t have seen much. I’d heard about a suspension bridge near town and just happened to see a sign for it while driving around. It was already well past 10 pm and I was intending to stay up late anyway to witness the almost-midnight-sun that Whitehorse experiences, being located slightly south of the 24-hour-sun zone. Also, I’d brought along a small prop; a 1962 Yukon license plate that I bought about 20 years ago at a Lone Butte garage sale. It had adorned the interior of my Mom’s cabin at Horse Lake for a decade or so until she sold the place. I was looking for a scene in which to place my rental car, complete with the vintage “Prospector”. At the Miles Canyon suspension bridge parking lot I discovered just such an opportunity; the Whitehorse Parks sign.
Malibu time travel.
Miles Canyon suspension bridge.
The Yukon River flowing through Miles Canyon.
Sunset at 11:37 p.m., one day past the summer solstice.
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