Anchorage, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon with stops in between for our NHL Legends group!

Whitehorse! The capital of northwest Canada’s Yukon territory survives a visit from Liam Maguire!

You know the funny thing, if you drive north up past North Bay and you're motoring toward Sudbury you will see signs saying you are entering the far north. That ain’t the far north. Where we were this past week is the far north.

After a couple of days in the Anchorage area including a fantastic visit to the home of Sarah Palin in Wasilla on Lake Lucille we made our way on the Alaska Highway embarking on the 12 hour tour to Whitehorse through some of the most rugged scenery on earth. The visit to Sarah's home, meeting her father, Chuck Heath Sr, a local living legend; her brother Chuck Jr who played in our game with the Legends team was a personal highlight of my life. Their hospitality for us, the ambiance, the scenery, the warmth exuded by all who welcomed us, of course meeting somebody who was on the Presidential ticket, all of it just a phenomenal highlight for all of us.

We stopped halfway at Beaver Creek, Yukon where we stayed ( ‘camped’ ). for the night at Buckshot Betty’s and where we ate and drank ( some more) as we continued our incredulous journey. It was a ride that included wildlife sightings and vehicles which had taken the plunge- deliberate or not- over the edge into ravenes where those cars and trucks will stay forever.

The next day we completed the drive into Whitehorse and although we took in what we could during our short stay in the town as usual we gravitated to the bars. Our intrepid leader Steve Walton said that Bar 98 or Hotel 98 as it’s formerly called is possibly the oldest bar in Canada. It was so named because Whitehorse became an official town in 1898 however upon further review it appears as if while definitely a long standing licensed establishment it ‘only’ has been around for 81 years. A mere pittance.

To my knowledge the oldest bar with the same name and in this case the same family, the St. Denis’s as owners, is the Windsor Tavern in Vankleek Hill. It first opened in 1907 and with the exception of the covid days it has remained open. If you know of one older location please let me know.

Day two in the Whitehorse area was a road trip north several hours towards Dawson City. Our destination was Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation settlement. From their webpage;

Carmacks is the homeland of the Northern Tutchone people of the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation, a community set in a breathtaking wilderness environment with the legendary Tage Cho (Yukon River) flowing through the community. This area is steeped in the rich historical culture of the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation (LS/CFN) who occupied this area for thousands of years.

It’s a small settlement of 600 people, with a school that goes from kindergarten to grade 12- an absolutely beautiful arena that is home to their minor hockey teams - such as they are- with the closest rinks at least an hour away.

I know some of you have been up and around these parts. Endless lakes, endless mountains, you run out of adjectives to describe what you are seeing literally every mile of your journey no matter what direction you take, what town you’re in - what community, what city, it’s just a very special part of the country and I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to be on this trip and work these events.

As for hockey - yes the boys had a game to play, as Lucien Deblois said post game, hey .500 on the road is okay. The NHL Legends rebounded with a 5-2 victory in an excellently played contest before breaking from the main game to engage a whole team of minor hockey players where they created memories of a lifetime with them on the ice. Our drivers Eddie and George Skookum ( George played in the game and does literally 100s of things for their community) they were just fantastic and they drove us to and from Carmacks as it’s informally called and Whitehorse. Another 2hr journey with stops along the way and in one instance the man behind the counter, Steve Franklin, told us he went to high school with Bobby Orr. Hockey is everywhere folks.

So another tour has come to an end. I got home in time to work the Bill Kitchen Memorial event for the Heart and Stroke foundation at the Centre Ice Pub located in the Sensplex. They hosted a general trivia night with prizes - I was asked to supply some hockey questions and do some of the emceeing along with Jamie Shea - who does an excellent job- and we had a fantastic night. Brian Kilrea, the man who brought Bill Kitchen to Ottawa to play for the 67s, John Barrett and Chris ‘Chopper’ Valentine showed up to support the cause. I was asked to resurrect my ‘Don Cherry’ suit, a gift years ago from Erik Hobbins who now owns the pub. It was a fantastic night as this great group, largely spearheaded by Melanie Lemieux and Lesley Holmes, Bill’s wife, ( pictured) have raised over 500K for the Heart and Stroke foundation in their time since Bill’s passing. Bill was a very special man. He is still missed tremendously by all who knew him, especially his family.

Also pictured in my collage, Dave Zivkovic, our grand prize winner of our Hosie and Brown Hockey Pool from Offside with Hawes and Maguire. Dave is going to Ireland- for free!! All for a 25$ entry fee. Get in this next year folks! What an opportunity. His flights, hotel and golf are all covered for winning our season long challenge. Congrats Dave and a huge thanks to Rodd Brown for his support of our show.

Lastly for anybody out and about tonight I’ll be at Liam Maguire’s for a fundraiser - it is open to the public, we’ll have the game on and I’ll post from there later when I have some of the other details. Also for you CBC TV enthusiasts I will be seen nationally tomorrow night- I will try and find out the time - after taping a zoom interview - at the Carkner residence in Winchester may I add - Wendy Carkner that is - thank you Wendy - it’s always a blast to talk a little hockey on our national broadcaster. Wow, that’s a lot! Let’s keep er going! I’m also doing radio tomorrow, the Roy Green Show,( I will post the link tomorrow) and I’ll be at the Prescott Hotel for my good friend Steve Fagan’s 65th birthday party. I’ll be there at 530pm. Monday is oil changes and summer tires, , Tuesday I’m off to Quebec City to see Sah!! Who’s rocking it at 93! Chat soon, gidday!!

PS- two birthday's today....Peter Oliver, my long time dear friend from John Street, Stittsville. A great chef, a great athlete, a warrior when need be and better friend. Happy birthday Oli! I've posted our team pic from one of our 5 ball hockey championship seasons. I'm in the back row- Oli is front left. We were a 'band of brothers'.

And Chuck Spider Jones (Charles David Jones) A man who was my inspiration at Seneca College where we met in 1981 and a true, life long friend ever since. Much love to him and his wife Jackie for watching out over me during those years.

The pic is from a couple of years ago as we had some breakfast in Pickering, Ontario.