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.
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| 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)
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| 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
