{"id":22682,"date":"2022-12-06T13:38:33","date_gmt":"2022-12-06T18:38:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=22682"},"modified":"2022-12-06T13:46:02","modified_gmt":"2022-12-06T18:46:02","slug":"episode-689-escape-from-yukon-juneau-and-pan-american-707-set-to-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=22682","title":{"rendered":"EPISODE 689 ESCAPE FROM YUKON JUNEAU AND PAN AMERICAN “707 SET TO GO\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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EPISODE 689   ESCAPE FROM YUKON    JUNEAU AND PAN AMERICAN “707 SET TO GO\u201d<\/div>\n

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alan skeoch<\/div>\n
Dec. 4, 2022<\/div>\n

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\"Transportation<\/div>\n

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My Escape from the Yukon began when I hi-jacked that bus from Mayo Landing and drove the bus<\/div>\n
and passengers to Stewart Crossing where the bus was vacated and then caught the early morning bus to<\/div>\n
Whitehorse from Dawson City.<\/div>\n

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September 11 to September 15, 1961 Escape from the Yukon retracing the trips of<\/div>\n
the Yukon Gold Rush   Mayo Landing to Stewart Crossing to Whitehorse to Skagway to Haines<\/div>\n
Junction to Juneau to Seattle to Vancouver to Toronto.  <\/div>\n

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(I do not expect all episodes will be read\u2026who gives a sweet goddamn about<\/div>\n
my experience in the Yukon.?    I may be the only one.  Understand that.  our<\/div>\n
two sons seem to avoid the emails. Maybe Marjorie, my proof reader, is the only<\/div>\n
reader.  Not quite so. I was amused at curling<\/div>\n
yesterday when three of my curling friends began talking about their Yukon adventures. <\/div>\n
Triggered by my emails.  That made me<\/div>\n
feel good.)<\/div>\n

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\"256<\/div>\n
Main street in Juneau\u2026with mountain hovering over.<\/div>\n

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Juneau was quite a shock after Keno City whose population was 50 or less\u2026perhaps 20 or even less.  I can count 20 people on this street alone.<\/div>\n

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What do I remember about Juneau leg of the trip?  Nothing very remarkable. Spent 6 hours in small cabin of <\/div>\n
the S.S. Chilcot, a water taxi.  Arrived at Juneau in pouring rain.  No shelter at dock, soaked.  Taxi to<\/div>\n
downtown Juneau (really uptown Juneau because the city is built on slope<\/div>\n
of mountain.  Rather miserable place in pouring rain.  As a matter of fact my<\/div>\n
memory of Juneau boiled down to one event.   Leaving Juneau on a<\/div>\n
Pan American Boelng 707 and the voice of Gordon Lightfoot:<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/div>\n

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arrived in a rainstorm \u2026 and flew out in a rainstorm.<\/div>\n

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Lyrics  IN THE EARLY MORNING RAIN<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In the early morning rain with a dollar in my hand<\/span>
With an aching in my heart and my pockets full of sand<\/span>
I’m a long way from home, Lord, I miss my loved ones so<\/span>
In the early morning rain with no place to go<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
Out on runway number nine a big 707 set to go<\/span>
And, I’m stuck here in the grass where the pavement never grows<\/span>
Now, the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast<\/span>
Well, there she goes, my friend, she’ll be rolling down at last<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver wing on high<\/span>
She’s away and westward bound, far above the clouds she’ll fly<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
There the morning rain don’t fall and the sun always shines<\/span>
She’ll be flying over my home in about three hours time<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
This old airport’s got me down, it’s no earthly good to me<\/span>
And I’m stuck here on the ground as cold and drunk as I can be<\/span>
You can’t jump a jet plane like you can a freight train<\/span>
So, I’d best be on my way in the early morning rain<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
You can’t jump a jet plane like you can a freight train<\/span>
So, I’d best be on my way in the early morning rain<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n

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GORDON LIGHTFOOT   1966*<\/font><\/div>\n

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(* Song was not written in 1961 as I <\/font>believed\u2026no matter<\/font><\/div>\n
I have always associated it with the Pan American 707 in Juneau.)<\/font><\/div>\n

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\"\"<\/div>\n
Juneau airport \u2026 I think pic was taken in 1961\u2026notice the background\u2026needs lots of power to clear the mountains.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n
\"Pan<\/div>\n
That song I will never forget.  Travelling alone is not enjoyable. Better<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n
to have Marjorie with me\u2026far better.  That was what I felt for most<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n
of those last Yukon days  \u201cIn the early morning rain\u201d.  My flight out<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n
of Juneau fitted the song so well\u2026.\u201dBig  707 set to go\u201d.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n
The Boeing 707 had to be really set to go because the Juneau<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n
airfield is short and the mountains are close.  Extra boost needed.<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n

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Before boarding I visited a tourist gift store and bought Marjorie<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n
a wall hanging titled Toads on Tidewalker not knowing this was<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n
a Tlingit legend.  Not even knowing <\/font><\/font>much about the Tlingit people.<\/font><\/div>\n

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I just wanted get home but \u201cjust can\u2019t jump a jet plane like you <\/font><\/div>\n
csn a freight train\u201d\u2026I had to arrange flight to Seattle and then<\/font><\/div>\n
a $99 prop driven flight to Vancouver and finally an Air Canada<\/font><\/div>\n
flight to Toronto.  That took time and reinforced the loneliness.<\/font><\/div>\n

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Her picture hung in every tent we pitched.<\/font><\/div>\n

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Marjorie and I had got engaged just before i took offer the mining<\/font><\/div>\n
job in the Yukon.  We got married August 24, 1963.  In September I would begin<\/font><\/div>\n
teaching at Parkdale Collegiate Institute in West Toronto. <\/font><\/div>\n

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How could I finance our honeymoon?  Mining exploration.  Dr. Paterson<\/font><\/div>\n
offered a job North of Lake Superior near the company town of<\/font><\/div>\n
Marathon.   Maker of cardboard from boreal forest pulpwood.  Air full<\/font><\/div>\n
of H2S..Hydrogen sulphide\u2026lots of it.  What does it become when mixed with moisture in our lungs?<\/font><\/div>\n
H2s04..sulphuric acid.  Not nice stuff.<\/font><\/div>\n

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 My excuse to<\/font><\/div>\n
Marjorie was the need for some cash for our honeymoon which was only<\/font><\/div>\n
partly true.  I wanted another summer doing mining exploration\u2026loved the<\/font><\/div>\n
adventure.  Probably did not fool Marjorie because when we got close to<\/font><\/div>\n
the wedding date she arrived in Marathon with my mother and aunt Phil<\/font><\/div>\n
to make sure I showed up for the wedding. That was a three day drive<\/font><\/div>\n
for them.  Maybe Marjorie felt I would not show up for the wedding as <\/font><\/div>\n
Bill Dunn did on the Yukon job.  He left his girl at the alter, or so he said.<\/font><\/div>\n
In any event  I was kidnapped\u2026willingly so.<\/font><\/div>\n

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Marjorie and her guardian and mom did all the wedding arrangements.<\/font><\/div>\n
All I had to do was show up.  Some think that is still the case.<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n

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And I was able to have one more year of wilderness adventure. \u201cNeeded to<\/font><\/div>\n
pay for the honeymoon, Marjorie.\u201d  Not sure anyone believed that half truth.<\/font><\/div>\n

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The Marathon job had lots of excitement.  I was in charge of the camp.<\/font><\/div>\n
A black bear insisted on joining us no matter how we tried to discourage the<\/font><\/div>\n
poor creature.  One night I got up to go for a leak.  John Lloyd thought<\/font><\/div>\n
I was the bear coming into the tent and grabbed an axe ,<\/font>. Close call.<\/span><\/div>\n
  We did not want to kill the bear.  Tried electricity<\/span><\/div>\n
to scare him or her away.  Our meat and chocolate bar locker was a big meal garbage can buried<\/font><\/div>\n
to the lip in the ground.  We hooked our motor generator to the garbage can<\/font><\/div>\n
lid and all of us, six men, crammed into our truck and waited.  The bear came,<\/font><\/div>\n
lifted the lid and grabbed a box of Neilson\u2019s Jersey Milk chocolate bars before<\/font><\/div>\n
we could flip the switch.  That was a very fast bear.  And dangerous..<\/font><\/div>\n

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A nasty decision had to be made\u2026I am a firm believer in gun control\u2026what to do?<\/font><\/div>\n

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NEXT EPISODE:  MINING DAYS COME TO AN END \u2014 MARJORIE JOINS THE CREW<\/font><\/div>\n

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post script   <\/font><\/div>\n

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In those long Yukon summer nights there was lots of light for reading.  That summer of<\/font><\/div>\n
1961 I was deep into the thoughts of Thoreau: I was 23 years old and a touch idealistic.<\/font><\/div>\n

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\u201cThe greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when one asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer.\u201d <\/span>
\u2015 <\/span>Henry David Thoreau<\/span><\/div>\n
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\u201cLive in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.\u201d 
\u2015 Henry David Thoreau, <\/span>Walden<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
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nature<\/a><\/div>\n
1366 likes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Like<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cRead the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.\u201d 
\u2015 Henry David Thoreau, <\/span>A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cHowever mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. The fault-finder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poorhouse. <\/span>The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouse as brightly as from the rich man’s abode; the snow melts before its door as early in the spring<\/b>. I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there, and have as cheering thoughts, as in a palace.\u201d <\/span>
\u2015 <\/span>Henry David Thoreau, <\/span><\/span>Walden<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Founding of Juneau, Alaska<\/font><\/h2>\n

by Nancy Warren Ferrell<\/font><\/h3>\n

For the most part, the vast spruce covered mountains and protected waterways along Gastineau Channel in Southeastern Alaska laid untouched to the mid 1800s. Before that, Tlingit Indian tribes fished the rich salmon routes for centuries. And a few well-known explorers had come before: Men such as George Vancouver and John Muir.<\/p>\n

But it was rumors of gold that lured prospectors to the Gastineau Channel in the 1870s. Sandwiched in quartz within these coastal mountains, ran a 100-mile belt of gold from Windham Bay to Berners Bay1. River gravel below the peaks sparkled with yellow particles washed down from the mountain lodes.<\/p>\n

A German-born mining engineer, George Pilz, then working in the headquarters of the Territory\u2013Sitka\u2013grubstaked prospectors to search for gold and silver 2 in Southeastern. Pilz offered substantial rewards to the local Indians(\u201c100 pair of Hudson\u2019s Bay blankets, and work for the tribe . . . \u201c) 3 for any promising gold-bearing ore. When Chief Cowee of the Auk Tlingits brought in rich ore samples, Pilz sent out a party of miners to follow-up on the hopeful location. The party consisted of Joe Juneau and Richard Harris. They left Sitka in the summer of 1880.4<\/p>\n

The two prospectors, with an Indian guide showing the way, located gold in Silver Bow Basin, on a stream they simply called Gold Creek.5 \u201cWe followed the gulch down from the summit of the mountain into the basin,\u201d Harris later said, \u201cand it was a beautiful sight to see the large pieces of quartz, spangled over with gold.\u201d 6 This find was the first major Alaskan gold discovery.7<\/p>\n


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EPISODE 689   ESCAPE FROM YUKON    JUNEAU AND PAN AMERICAN “707 SET TO GO\u201d alan skeoch Dec. 4, 2022 My Escape from the Yukon began when I hi-jacked that bus from Mayo Landing and drove the bus and passengers to Stewart Crossing where the bus was vacated and then caught the early morning bus […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[5],"class_list":["post-22682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-5"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22682","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22682"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22682\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}