People and Roads: Yukon and the Ghost of Beaver Creek





 Donna

I decided to take the same road back south as I came north. Exactly the same road. I even stopped in some of the same places, stood at some of the same campsides.

The reason was first to see the same way from the other side. Often I looked in the mirror and saw another asthonishing view of what I was just coming through. The open mountain side I was just riding down, or a valley when I reached the hill top.

Also to meet something again, not only seeing things one time shortly while passing with 100km/h.  And being able to make videos and photos from the missed spots. Too often I was seeing a site but missed to stop in time to make a photo right away. "Shall I stop and return?" Usually I dont and these spots are gone forever.

The other reason was to try to get a feeling of  going back to something familiar. A place where I could stay, maybe forever.

But instead the pleasure I hoped to get, I became more and more depressed. My feelings were developing in the direction that the tour would end soon. No more journey without return

Finally my idea worked out in Beaver Creek. It is the village east of the Alaskan/Canadian Border on the Alaska Highway in the Yukon territory. (Territory, not province, because in Yukon, like in Nunavut and North West, there are not enough people to have an own sufficient tax-structure ...)

On my way to Alaska, less then two weeks ago I saw one of those places where you have to make an immediate decision to stop or to continue. Right at the village entrance is a small tiny catholic church, so tiny that it is probably covered all the way up to the roof with snow in the winter just sticking out the little bell on top.

This time I stop. Growing up catholic I learned in those churches the probably one and only thing which makes sense there, to enjoy the quietness and get to oneself. So I did there, the door was open, noone inside, benches for about 20 people, an altar, some holy figures. The door of the room with a small bed and chair is open as well and I can see the spartanic chamber of the priest. I even lit a candle for my gone relatives, left a tear there, a little donation and went out.

Unfar of that church is an information center, as you see them in each town on the major roads. Often they have free wifi, good information and a coffee.

As it is sometimes in life the right people are put in the right positions. In the information center of Beaver Creek is one of them: Donna!

Chatty, she gives all information about campsides, bear attacks (she had two meetings with them), where to get which supplies and anything about the village and the Yukon in general within approximtly 10 minutes.

When I asked her if there is service in the little church, she has another theme to go on with: I hear when the priest is coming from where, who is attending the mess when, also when it is build, how many people are catholic in the village, which ceremonies the natives are doing, apperently a mix of christian and native rituals, which problems are in the village, and:

One day a dead woman was laying on the altar!

Back in the 70s. Never it was found out who she was who put her there and why and how she died.

So, there would be sometimes her ghost around the church, Donna said ... .

"Yes, the souls who had to die too early, they often hang around.", I give my limited expertise to the theme which I know from serious reports and meetings, some of my friends had. I am outing myself as someone who tells potential ghosts to disappear, as I did in the hostel in Japan, where the others were afraid of the ghosty athmosphere, and when I went around with my bells, singing and moving through the rooms, there was a strong sensation of that it was very needed.

Now, Donna has found here real theme and I hear about the ghost in her house, who didnt like her to be there, until he even called her name and threw a board into her face. That was too much even for Donna and she sold the house. We both agree that it would be very interesting to visit the new owner once how they are doing ... .

I give Donna my card and tell her about the project. In return she tells me about all the different visitors from all over the world and what they told her about their country and how the whole family is developing. A chorus of African kids on tour through North Amerika, who gave a concert in one of the Motels of Beaver Creek, a family from China who gave Donna a lot of sweets as presents, many more and all nations one can imagine, on all differnt kinds of vehicles or even by foot, many ask about the church ... .

 

When I am leaving she gives me a very good map of the whole region, a limited edition they dont have that many of, and a sticker of Yukon, even when I am already on my bike she comes out again with a big box and offers me the sweets she got from the Chinese family: "Take one of each, I dont know whats inside!"

"It looks like they put the right person into the Information center!"

"Yes, finally I have a job where I get paid for my big mouth!"

All that and some more stories happened just within 15 minutes, not more, almost as quick you were reading this article just much more densed. I wonder what would happen if I would stay a couple of days there. Will there be endlessly more?

Anyway, thanks Donna for the Information and the stories, if a reader comes through Beaver Creek, please stop by the Information Center and say hello from me and tell me if she remembered the guy from Germany on his bike, asking about the church and who was chasing away ghosts in Japan, I would bet on it.

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Contact: thomaslehmen@thomaslehmen.de                                                                              © Thomas Lehmen 2013