Anchored in Anchorage

For four days, we got up close and personal with Anchorage, by ---

Observing the Anchorage Skyline from Afar,

Taking the trolley tour, 
where (among other things) 
we witnessed evidence of the catastrophic 9.2 earthquake from 1964.
For miles and miles, the earth dropped down by 30 or more feet, swallowing houses and people
like here ---

Visiting the Alaska Heritage Center,

Marilee poses with Phillis,
our Favorite Folk #6.
Phillis is a native Alaskan
and resident of Nome
(check it out on the far northeastern coast),
just graduated
from high school,
dances this summer at the heritage center,
and plans to study "justice' in college
and become a state trooper.  
Hats off to a talented gal with big dreams!

Bob enters an early 

native Alaskan earthen home. 

Pretty cozy inside!

And Doing the Necessaries.

Bob does laundry ---

while Marilee works on 

THE BLOG.

Days 9-13 - May 17-21

Anchorage

We needed to be in Anchorage by Tuesday, May 21.
We arrived May 17.
Four days early.
One thing about that Dunklee boy --
He is not going to be late for an appointment.

Home Stretch:

Before we landed in town, we drove the 320 miles from Tok to Anchorage
bumping across rough roads and frost heaves.
However, we also witnessed more spectacles around every turn ---
like these 
(all taken from the car)

My favorite of ALL the pictures -- 

captured early in the morning while the water was glassy still.




Just left Tok, and the Alaska mountains rise in the distance. 

Getting closer -- 

and closer.

Our first glacier sighting - the Matanuska.

Well worth the rough roads,
wouldn't you say?!!!!!


Oh, yes, there is one more thing:
Favorite Folk #5

Meet Cliff Potter!
 We met Cliff 
when we stopped to photograph the quaint Gakona Lodge.
Turns out Cliff and wife Rebecca
own the Gakona and
just rolled into camp from California
 the night before to dust off the cobwebs
 and open up their
turn-of-the-century log cabins
for the summer.

Also turns out that
Cliff and Rebecca
are the friendliest two you ever want to meet -
seemed to enjoy gabbing
as much as we do.
It was a win-win!!
No doubt about it!!

Day 8 - May 16

We Made It!!

At 2:05 p.m.,
Alaska time,
we stepped over the line...

...one foot
at a time!











Spent the night in Tok, Alaska.

We loved Canada, its beautiful landscapes and friendly people, but
Crossing the Alaska line was coming home ---
No more ten bucks a day to use the phone.
No more converting American dollars into Canadian,
kilometers into miles,
or liters into gallons.
Felt good.

On to Anchorage tomorrow!!

Day 7 - May 15

Lots to Tell

First Feature:  Favorite Folk #4

Meet Mark!

(At least we think he's Mark -- check out his "Mark for Mayor" hat hanging on the red post.)

Mark sells the cheapest gas in the area according to Milepost.

We stopped.  Of course.

Meet Mark's dog,

A Girl Called Jack.

Now Mark, his wife, and his dog live in Contact Creek, population 4 --

not sure if that is with or without

A Girl Called Jack.

But that's not the best part.

Keep reading.

We chat with Mark.  Of course.

Ask if he has always lived "up here."

He says no.

I ask where originally.

He says Florida.

I ask where.

He says Kissimmee.

I say OMG!  I am from South Georgia.

He says he has relatives in South Georgia.

I ask where.

He says ohhh - Savannah and Brunswick and

BLACKSHEAR!!

I say OMG again -- BLACKSHEAR?

You live in the Yukon Territory and know about Blackshear, Georgia?????

He says yep.

I about cry.

And that's the best part.

Hats off to Mark-From-Yukon-Who-Knows-About-Blackshear-Georgia!

Second Feature:  More Than We Could Count

Most folks "rubberneck" when they pass a wreck.

Our rubbernecking involved animals.

Lots and lots of animals.

Around every turn.

Beside the road.

In the road.

Far away.

Up close.

I could post animal pictures every single day so this is what I decided to do.

Have had to write my blog in backlog style because of no internet in Canada 

so here is a sum of what we have seen - all across the Alaska highway ---

100+ buffalo

13 bears

11 elk

8+ moose

1 fox

1 rabbit

Enjoy this mere sampling. 

This one was much closer than he appears.

Could see his eyeballs.

Quite a few more elk are  getting ready to cross.

Lucky to get any shot of speedy Mr. Bobcat.

We actually saw two small buffalo herds - this is a part of one - no way to count them all.

Calving season - 

Notice the ADORABLE little ones

tagging along!!!

Again, this beauty was only a few feet away - closer than she appears - could clearly see her fur and eyes and hear her breathing.  

Hold on a doggone minute!

Where did these species come from???

Fine looking, I must admit!!!

Ya gotta grab those photo-ops whenever they show up!

Alaska, here we come!

And the Fun Begins!

We made it -- to Dawson Creek,  British Columbia -- 

The  ALASKA HIGHWAY before us!!!!!!

The Army Corps of Engineers took only eight months to build this 200-mile corridor
to connect the lower 48 with Alaska during world War II.

Running from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Delta Junction, Alaska, 

the Alaska Highway
cuts through the Rocky Mountains --
winds its way through a myriad miles of remote forests --
provides feeding ground for extraordinary wildlife --
and unveils unspeakable beauty at every turn.

The land remains wild and untamed.

The hamlets are humble.

The people are basic and strong,

cut from the cloth of their surroundings.

Over the next three days, we

soaked in the clean crisp air,

stared at the beauty until our eyes hurt,

scouted for animals at every turn,

slept in rustic lodges,

and spoke with the people whenever we could.

We did all these things on all three days,

but I shall highlight one special aspect each day.

Day 6 - May14

TOAD RIVER LODGE

On Day 6, we rose high into the Rockies, 

got into snow at Summit Lake,  the highest point on the Alaska Highway,

and then descended to the banks of the Toad River to find

MY favorite lodging spot on our whole journey.

Opened in 1947, the Toad River Lodge has hosted guests for over 70 years!

Let the pictures do the talking.

On the ceilings inside hang over 10,000 hats,
contributed by whoever wishes to "hang his hat" in the Toad River Lodge.

Bob takes in the Toad River and the hill behind it.
See why we like the place?

An original cabin -- AMAZING!!

Bob chats with Don, our FAVORITE FOLK # 3.
 Don was flying solo from Sacramento to Fairbanks, rushing to make it in time
for his grandson's ninth birthday.
Kindred soul, that Don!

Early morning coffee on the porch of our cabin - looking at the river.  Aahhh!
So the hanging plant needs a little work.  It's early May.  Whaddaya expect?

"O, Wilderness were paradise enow!"
                           - Omar Khayyam

Day 5 - May 13

If a day on the drive can be uneventful, this would be the day - 

still gorgeous farmland country - more of what we have already described.

Spent the night in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

We can SMELL the Alaska Highway - 

just over the border in British Columbia.

FAVORITE FOLK #2

Remember how we love the folks?

Well, the highlight of this day was DANIKA (you know, like the NASCAR driver),

our waitress at Big Mike's Steakhouse.

Shall we just say that Danika defines "lightbulb!"

And, to boot, she is entering her junior year in college,

MAJORING IN EDUCATION!!!!!

Did we talk shop?

What do you think? ---- Right down to classroom management.

Right there in Alberta, Canada!

Hats off to Danika, our lightbulb waitress and future gift to kids!

Just one picture today.

As you can see, I feel right at home up here.

Rural is rural -- wherever you find it.  

"The poetry of the earth is never dead."

                               - John Keats

Oh, Canada!!

Manitoba -- Saskatchewan -- Alberta -- 

British Columbia --Yukon --

Miles to go and moving forward! 

Day 4 - May 12 

Despite rainy weather and with passports in hand,

we crossed the big border!

For the next two days we trekked through the most amazing farmland I have ever seen  - 

thousands and thousands of acres of freshly plowed, coal-black dirt - 

on both sides of the road as far as the eye could see.

Tried to take pictures but there was no way to capture the vastness of the scene.

Sam Breidt challenged Bob to kiss a bear, but, try as we might, this is the best we could do in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

This bodacious bag of bison

is more ferocious than meets the eye.  Take a careful look at the close-up, and you will see why:

Yes it is --- BARBED WIRE!!!

Bet the sculptor wore gloves  - - -  or suffered mightily!

Nooo, not here.

Still looking!

Happy Mother's Day, Marilee!

A lovely dinner in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

(How's that for a mouthful!!!)

Thank you to so many for special calls and texts!

What a way to celebrate two special days this May!

Emily, this one's for you!!!

Couldn't find a Denny's anywhere

so Humpty's will have to do.

NORTH TO ALASKA!

May 9 'til Who Knows When,  2019

This is the big one, folks,

Bob's bucket list dream for a long time.

Here we go!

Days 1-3 (May 9-11)

The Lower 48

Mission "Putting the Miles Behind Us"

Loaded up the Conestoga in the wee hours of May 9th and headed out - 

the wagon master and his trusty shotgun navigator - 

with visions of glaciers and snow-covered mountains before us.

May 10 - Happy 75th birthday, Bob -  in Love's Park, Illinois - 

the perfect place to honor the love of my life!

(three-quarters of a century - impressive!!!)

Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota:  

Two state capitals - 

Mile after mile of farmland - 

nothing growing yet - I mean, the snow probably melted just yesterday - but freshly plowed and ready to plant corn and soybeans and canola and oats and pinto beans and potatoes and ---

Well, you get the picture.

Had to have a bit of Wisconsin cheese - 

Extra sharp cheddar - aged seven years - yummeee - - - 

 and there was this one wee photo op.

"Fabulous Folk"

When we drive cross country, it's all about the people.  We LOVE to meet the folks - hence this "Fabulous Folk" feature will pop up from time to time.  Wisconsin brought our first.  Didn't get her name, but this classy lassy in Wisconsin is a third-generation cheese maker/cheese store owner - LOVES her cheese and legacy - gave generous samples - and LOANED US TWO CHEESE HATS FOR THE PICTURE (and took it, too).  

HATS OFF to our CHEESE LADY!

May 11 - Stayed in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Check it out - spittin' distance from Manitoba!

Tomorrow - - - Crossing Border #1