Alaska. The Last Frontier.

10, 500 miles.  You betcha. And Kevin drove all of them, except 60 miles :)

Thank you to my wonderful Dad who inspired both Kevin and I to hang on to our dream of traveling to the far north.  Granted it took 31 years to actually do it, but we DID it.  We did this not only for us, but also for my Dad.  The stories that he told to Kevin and I were stories that kept our dream alive.  My Dad was a story teller.  Baseball stories, San Pedro stories, just to name a few....but the Alaska stories were brilliant.  It was like no other.  We wanted to do this.

my Dad at Wildwood Station, Kenai ALASKA

What a great trip we had.  Canada surprised us, Alaska was everything and MORE than we could ever imagine or expect.  Our memories and stories of this trip will last us our lifetime and hopefully we can get our kids excited to see this beautiful part of our country.

A big thanks to our wonderful Airstream travel buddies.  To do this trip the way we did was just perfect.  7 great couples, each traveling with their own itineraries and meeting up at a few specific designated places and sometimes we all ended up together in random spots.  We were able to let each other know about "don't miss this" and "pass this one up" spots.  We had our trusty radio's when cell phone service was obsolete.  This was our safety blanket for traveling some of these very remote and slow going "highways."  We all prepared our Airstreams with such diligence.  Wrapping, taping, mud flaps and yoga mats on windows, etc.  None of us had any major disasters. Thank goodness, but we were PREPARED for anything.  We had tools, extra spares, rivet guns for those endless popping rivets!, we had Jim and Tim, who were our FIX IT guys.  We had the "adult airstream" with Dennis and Pam. We had the Jacksons, who can really dance and party! We had the Murphs who brought some crazy, good Berry/Rhubarb cobblers. We had the Barrett's who provide us with salon services, go-pro shots and just fun people. We had the J & B team that gave us musical entertainment and Barb's funny responses and faces!  and then we had Lynda.  Thanks Lynda for all your planning and getting this whole shebang going.  WE can't imagine ever doing this trip differently than we did.  It was just perfect.

and I already miss everyone. :(

The Old Days when we lived in the Kenai! (1963 - 1965)

Cool Car....my dad

Our Highs and Lows -

• the wildlife
• Our black wolf sighting at Pelly Crossing
• meeting our young Biologist/Horse friend at the gas station
• Canada's Provincial Parks
• Denali - Everything about it
• Top of the World Highway
• 4 Airstreams going along the top of the world!
• Chicken
• ladies day kayaking in Crooked Lake PP 
• McCarthy/Kennicott Road
• Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
• Drunken Forest
• Ferry across the Yukon!
• saying "Kamloops and Ossoyoos"
• the Kenai Peninsula
• the Double Red Flags
• Fishing on Anchor Creek with Eagles, Mama Moose and her calves
• having lunch with John and Alice (living in the bush on Atlin Lake)
• Traveling with our "crew"
• Float Plane day trip with Salmon fishing with DAN!
• Yukon Railroad trip to Skagway
• The Pit and local bar in Skagway
• Halibut Fish n' Chips
• our Halibut dinner night
• our Salmon dinner night
• standing at the WELCOME to ALASKA sign
• the German Orange hotel Bus
• Breweries
• "Sister wives"
• the young couple with the coffee shop on the McCarthy Road
• Kevin's Halibut fishing trip (3 hour tour!  loosing the steering fluid)
• Homer, the Spit, the Salty Dawg, Cups Cafe, Farmer's Market
• Canadians DON't lock up their toilet paper!  (PCT hikers love this)
• the law and order of the Canadians 
• the lack of law and order of the Alaskan's
• missed seeing the moon and the stars
• endless light
• Bodie getting schooled by the beaver
• the Black gnats, yuck
• Rock Graffitti
• Liard Hot Springs
• being 'Aluminum Gypsies' for 8 weeks
• the "walk of Shame" for Kevin back into Canada 

The Walk of Shame - Welcome to the United States of America!

Mt. Vernon 1000 Trails, Washington
July 17, 18

After a stunning, scenic drive from the Thompson Valley down through a majestic canyon and a series of very cool tunnels, we arrive in Abbottsford at the US Border Crossing.  We have had NO issues getting into Canada, nor Alaska (btw...also part of the US, although they don't really want to believe that!).  Our posted wait when we cued up was 10 minutes.  Not bad.  Well, 10 min turned into 1 hour of waiting in line, then we turned that 1 hour into 2 1/2 hours of craziness.  At the check point we were greeted by Mr. Nasty and it never got any better.  From the moment we said, "hi" it went downhill.  We were drilled with questions, remarks about all the "wrong" things we had going for us. For example, our bike rack was covering a bit of our back license plate.  BAD.  We didn't have our Trailer registration on hand, immediately.  BAD.  Mr. Nasty could not see Bodie's rabies vaccination on his medical clearance records.  BAD. (I asked him if he wanted me to show him where it was) BAD.  So, after him pondering for a few minutes, staring into space, he informed us to pull over into the "inspection" station.  We were told we must put Bodie into the Customs kennel and both of us needed to enter the Inspection station.  We sat until we were called and then attempted to declare everything I could possibly remember was in our fridge and gifts and etc, etc.  Can you list ALL the things in your refrigerator??  I tried.  Believe me.  I tried.  Then there was the stump issue.  OMG.  "No Sir, we do not have any firewood, oh well, we do have a stump."  Why do we have a stump.  It was just a perfect stump.  Level and just the right height for wood chopping.  It was really perfect. So after explaining this to Mr. Nasty II, he told us we would need to take it back to Canada.  Ok.  How do we do that?  Apparently, there is a Canadian man on the other side of the border that takes all these crazy American's wood.  Ok.  So it's a bit heavy and it's a bit of a walk back to Canada.  Along comes the dolly to make the "Walk of Shame."  But first we must sit tight until they go through our Airstream and Truck and allow the drug dog to go through everything.  We wait.  Finally, the Nasty people return with not only my tomatoes, but OMG, AVOCADO's.  Oops.  Forgot to declare those. :(  Bad news.  There is a $350 fine for undeclared items.  He waits for a bit until we are sick to our stomachs and then informs us that since this is our first inspection, he will let us go without the fine. So Mr. Nasty ll is a ok.  Please just let us go now.  I want my dog out and want to go home.

He allows me to sit in the truck with Bodie and Kevin must do the WALK.  Poor Kevin.  He gets across and goes to the Canadian customs officer.  "What are you going to do with this wood?"  Oh crap, really.  Finally, they agree that Kevin will just stash the PERFECT stump behind a house. Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Canadian homeowner.  Sorry.  Now it's back to walking back to the US customs.  OMG, just reliving this is making me shake.  Welcome back home!

Tacky Welome sign????

 We finally arrive in Washington and immediately begin to relax.  We are homeward bound and to boot, this 1000 Trails is our most FAVORITE 1000 trails yet.  We are nestled among big trees, all alone with a little 1mile walk through a thick forest right next to us (which no one has used but us in 2 days!)

Day 1of 2 days of shaving down fur off of Alaskan mush dog

finished project! ready for the heat

The Road Goes on Forever and the Party Never Ends

Co-pilot.  Bodie, a great traveling dog

The Richardson Highway, Back on the ALCAN, our Atlin Side Trip, the Cassiar and the Beautiful Provincial Parks of BC - July 9 - July 16, 2016

Oh my, we are back at it again.  

Moon Lake State Rec Area - Alaska Highway near Tanacross - North of Tok

July 9 - ERIN’s Birthday!!!!

What a great campground.  From 17 sites all along Moon lake, there are 2 Airstreams Here!  Us and J&B.  We went swimming in the lake and had a nice dinner outside with minimal mosquitos.  Pretty nice and will be hard to beat this place. We are hopeful that Bodie will be totally exhausted tonight as he swam for his ball for at least 2 hours.

Moon Lake was the color of muskeg from all the roads, which is essentially the color of dirt.  But it was rather nice and refreshing for a swim in the rain. It was just a spectacular lake with no one around but a big, fat marmot that hung out by the bathroom.  Sun still never sets, but we did see a beautiful attempt at the sun going down around 11:30…it’s still so weird. I miss seeing the moon and the stars and just plain old DARKNESS.  A great thunder and lightening storm with the rain just coming down hard on the aluminum.

Sunset at 11:30 pm (still never gets really dark)

Lake Creek Yukon Govt. Camp - Kluane National Park, the Yukon

July 10

Back in Canada!  You betcha and our border crossing was quite easy.  The border patrol was like a robot programmed to ask the “questions.”  No animation on his face in the least bit.  Don’t try and make them laugh, smile or even grimace.  All business.  

Continuing south on the Alaska Highway through the beautiful Kluane National park.  Mountains surrounding us on all sides.  Crappy road with lots of frost heaves and gravel patches, but we are rather used to it now.  Airstream and Truck are looking pretty bad.  Time for a wash soon.

Lake Creek campground was another good one for sure.  Camped alongside the lake and had another nice swim in a rather interesting color lake.   We had a good thunder/lightening storm and both agreed how nice it was to be in the Airstream and not our little tents in the Sierra’s.  We must be getting old…oh well.  There’s a time for everything. These Yukon camps have free wood so we made a fire in the wood burning stove and our fire pit, just because we could and because Kevin is a fire craving kind of guy!  The Creek (hah! looked like a wild river) was too rough for us to swim, but that didn’t stop Bodie from having a grand time.  Wet, smelly dog.  Lovely.  Gave him a bath with the outdoor shower in a complete downpour of rain.  

Off tomorrow to Whitehorse, again.  We will stay at the same place as it was the best of anything in Whitehorse. 

Whitehorse, the Yukon
July 11 

Stayed at Big Country RV park again, but this time had a really crappy site.  Too close to our neighbors.  Oh well, we are only here for 1 night. Doing laundry and cleaning up the inside of the trailer a bit.  We are up to about 9 popped rivets, 3 closet doors needing some good repair, and multiple hinges that are always needing tightening.  Man…this road is something else.  Truly the worst part of our drive was today from Haines Junction to Whitehorse.  WOW..you can shake some fillings out of your teeth on this bad boy. 

Was well worth the stay as I we went for a couple of great hikes in Miles Canyon and had Sushi at the same restaurant we had went to more than a month ago on our way up North.  Laundry all done, airstream all put back together and off we go for more of our crazy adventure.  

Atlin, BC

July 12

 I had this idea of a side trip to Atlin.  Why? I’m not sure.  I had read that it was the “Switzerland of the North,” so why not.  It did’t look too far off the highway.  Final last words.  Long drive in some pretty nasty weather to a very interesting town.  Nothing there but a very beautiful lake.  Lake Atlin.  There was only 1 campground in the town (which consists of 4 streets and really no business’, restaurants, nothing).  Now this campground I can’t even explain, so I will just leave it at that. We did meet some FISH dudes that use the lil red plane to go out and get all sorts of fish and then bring them back into Atlin.  We bought some nice scallops, shrimp, crab cakes and smoked salmon.

Kevin is pretty mad all day about this little side trip.  Again, I will just leave it at that.  We were happy to see Atlin in our rear view mirror the next morning, early. 

Boya Lake Provincial Park, BC - the Cassiar Highway

July 13

Well we are on the Cassiar. This highway is a total of 450 miles of extremely scenic landscape.  This highway connects British Columbia to the Alaska highway in the Yukon.  We have heard lots of stories about this highway along our travels, so we shall see.  Narrow, winding, not paved, gravel, etc.  Lots of bears. We left Whitehorse traveling East towards Watson Lake where we dropped South on the Cassiar.  So far so good, bit of gravel patches, very narrow, not many cars, but not too bad, yet.  We had about 5 hours of driving to get to the Cassiar, so we stopped about 60 miles into it at Boya Lake PP.

Wow.  Great provincial park.  Hands down in the top 5!  The campsites sit along the lakeside.  The lake is an amazing color that none of my photo’s really captured.  A blue-green, emerald type of lake but with such clarity.  We immediately went swimming even with the threat of yet, another, rain storm.  Drinks at lakeside, swimming and a nice BBQ completed our evening.  I made brownies after dinner and passed them out to our nearest neighbors, a nice couple from Switzerland and some Germans (they are everywhere!). This spot will be missed but remembered fondly.

Meziadin Lake Provincial Park, BC - the Cassiar Highway

July 14 

Ok.  Beautiful spot.  Bit crowded but the problem here is a little BLACK GNAT.  OMG.  It is awful and there are lots of them. Awful enough that we can’t let the poor dog out and to be outside we had to swim in the lake to keep from being bitten.  It’s icky.  Poor Bodie.  A few benadryl and he feels no pain.

Gorgeous drive today on the Southern section of the Cassiar.  It’s getting even better.  We saw a little red fox this morning run across us with his “breakfast” in his mouth.  Beautiful red fox with a white tipped tail.  The road is getting better and better, but still feels like a paved Forest Service Road.  Continues as narrow as can be through really thick forests.  Near the end of our driving day, the road finally had a medium line painted on it.  

Tomorrow we will finish the Cassiar and begin the Yellowhead Highway dropping us further southeast towards Prince George and then heading directly south towards the border.  Few more days and we will be back in the lower 48!  Hard to believe.  

There is absolutely NO cell coverage or internet anywhere along the 450 miles of the Cassiar.  I have missed checking in with my children and my mom.  Hope all is well.  

Beaumont Provincial Park, BC - the Yellowhead Highway

July 15

Fort Fraser

Camped along Fraser Lake at the site of the original Fort Fraser.  Was a bit of a run down memory lane as we read the book ASTORIA while I hiked the JMT a few years back.  Kinda fun to know a little bit more about Capt. Fraser and all his explorations, and here we are! Once again, extremely nice campground.  We are nestled among a big, thick strand of aspens and cottonwoods.  The lake is quite huge, goes on forever, but also doesn’t seem to ever get deep?  We walked out for at least a 1/4 mile with the water level only reaching our knees.  Still went in and it was great exercise for Bodie as it was just deep enough for him to swim along.

Todays road trip took us off the Cassiar and on to the Yellowhead.  Such a nice highway.  Can hardly believe there are no gravel sections, pilot cars, red flags, frost heaves, etc.  The most northerly section was quite scenic as we passed through some very high mountain ranges and thick forests.  Lots of Blue Spruce, aspens and cottonwoods.  Little towns dot the way and they each have a bit of historic interest.  We had an interesting conversation at the “sani-dump” in Hazleton. So this lady was coming back to Hazleton for her high school reunion.  She grew up in this little historic town and was telling us some great stories.  Her father was a lumberjack.  He lived with his 7 children and wife on a cedar raft floating down the Babine river.  He actually built a small house on top of the floating raft.  What the heck?  She was a hoot and Kevin and I could have listened to her stories all day long.  Unfortunately, hanging out at a sami-dump is really not the greatest place to chat. 

We definitely feel like we are back in civilization.  Just the road conditions alone are super nice.  The Canadians really are clean and neat and tidy.  Each of these little towns has a lovely Visitor Center (log cabin style) with Canadians sharing their great hospitality.  

Skihist Provincial Park, BC - Canada Highway 1 

July 16

Drove almost the entire section of the Yellowhead Highway today past Cache Creek into the Thompson River valley.  The Valley of trains and railroad tunnels.  The tunnels weave in and out of the Thompson river and the Fraser river through a series of very cool tunnels.  It is quite a scene.

Our campsite was quite lovely, unlike any of the other PP's we weren't on a lake today, but instead in the middle of a forest that had great views below to the Fraser River and the railcars.  It is the base camp for many of the trailheads that go out in this beautiful forested canyon.  Just around our campground, I counted 8 trailheads.  It rained slightly with lots of thunder and lightening.  BBQ'd under the awning which was really nice.  No bugs. :) Took Bodie on a nice forest walk with my Bear Spray in hand.

  
Tomorrow we head towards our border crossing.  Sad but also so excited to get home.