Home again

It's Sept. 12th, and Tess and I got home about 7:00 PM. It was a great adventure, but I will sleep so good tonight, in my own bed with my own pillow! We never had any problems on the trip. No car problems, no health problems, and we only met friendly, helpful people. We are truely blessed. I don't think I'llever drive to Alaska again, but I'll fly up sometime. There were a few things I didn't get to, that I would like to do. When I have time to go through all my pictures, I'll post some of the really good ones.

Smithers, BC

Hi everyone, it rained almost all day again today, but it stopped by the time I got here (Smithers,BC). Tess and I took a long walk (about 3-4 miles) after we arrived.
I took a side trip on the Glacier Highway today. It was about 40 miles each way. The road goes to Stewart, BC and Hyder, Alaska. Even though it rained hard the whole way, it was worth it. The drive is spectacular, you drive really close th the bear and salmon glaciers. I went to try and see bears, but didn't see any today. At Hyder they have a bear viewing platform in the Tongass N.F. I really want to go back sometime in mid July to see it in sunshine. I did see a black bear and a coyote
on the cassiar highway today.

Dease Lake, BC

I drove about 515 miles today. It rained alot of the time, but it looks like it might clear for tomorrow. I didn't take any pictures today, but I'll share a picture of fall in Alaska. I'm traveling on the cassiar highway. All is well!

Back in the Yukon

Last night I stayed in Tok, AK, at the same cute little BandB I stayed at a couple weeks ago. Today I drove up Taylor Highway to Chicken, AK. Chicken has about 15 year round residents. They have no flush toilets, no internet or cell phone service. In the winter they are cut off for about 4 months except for mail delivery 2 days a week, when the plane can fly. I'm posting a picture of the out house, see if you can figure it out!
Next I drove the top of the world highway, to Dawson City, YK, it was beautiful with all the fall colors. The road was mostly dirt and gravel, but you can tell from the picture that the views were fabulous. Now I'm on the Klondike Highway, headed towards Whitehorse.
I saw a grizzley bear today, but it was a scared as I was. There was no way I could stop the truck, get the camera out, and roll the window down before he was long gone. After that I had the camera ready, but never saw another one.

Soldotna, AK

Just wanted to post a picture of the cabin Dick bought. It's really cute inside, and on over an acre and half. They were getting a well dug today, and will have electric installed next spring. The other picture is of Dick and Mary at the Gakona Lodge, a historic lodge we stayed at.

Denali Park

Were back in Soldotna now, after a week on the road seeing Fairbanks and Denali.I will start home tomorrow or the next day. I need to do laundry first. Denali was beautiful with all the fall colors. We took the bus into Katishna, the end of the road in the park. The sky was clear, and we had beautiful views of Mt. McKinley.
We saw moose, caribou, wolves, dall sheep, grizzley bears, red foxes, and golder eagles. It was a very good day. Not sure how long it will take me to get home, but I'm shooting for the 13th. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Fairbanks, AK.

Well, I'm getting pretty slow with my posts. We've been in Fairbanks for 2 and a half days, and busy all the time. I've taken some pictures and will post some when I get back to Soldotna. Everything is going well, and I will be leaving for home the first part of next week. Not really looking forward to the long drive this time, but it will probably go fast. I visited the north pole, to have Santa send greetings to Emma and Ken. I panned some gold, and have it in a necklace, a whole $15.50 worth of gold flakes. Yahoo! We spent today at the university, at the Museum of the North, and the large animal research station. All very interesting. The fall colors are every where now, but they say it only lasts another week, then all the leaves fall and winter sets in. They expect a hard winter this year, so I'll be glad to be back in Washington. Talk to you all later.

Skagway, AK

This is a view of Skagway from a hike I took up the hill.
And a picture of the bay at dawn with a cruise ship coming into port.

Alaska Highway

Buffalo along the road near Muncho Lake.
Driving away from Dawson, felt like driving off the edge of the earth!

Alaska Highway

Tess and I starting out on the Alaska Highway.

soldotna,AK

It's Aug. 28th and I've been in Soldotna for a couple days now. I went fishing with Eric on the first day. I caught 2 silvers (the limit) before anyone else on the boat caught anything. Of course I was excited. Dick smoked the salmon for me, and it came out really good. I've been helping him build an outhouse at the place he bought on funny river road. He's getting the water and electric hooked up soon. It has a cute little cabin on it, I'll post a picture in a few days. The rain stopped for a couple days, but it's starting up again today. I'm hoping it will clear when we head for Fairbanks, this Sunday. Dick and Mary will be traveling with me for a week. Hope you like the pictures. This was a moose up the road from Dick's place.

Skagway, AK

Hi Everyone:
We made it Skagway yesterday, but I don't have wireless internet, so can't send pictures.
It's still raining a little, and cloudy. This is the third day of rain for me, but I'm getting used to it now. Hope I can get some good pictures today. The drive here was nice, but because of the rain I didn't stop much. Will post again when I can upload some pictures.

Muncho Lake

Were in Muncho Lake tonight. It poured rain almost all day, so we didn't take many walks or pictures. Tomorrow we should make it to Skagway, so I can call home. I saw deer and moose today. It was so cool driving from Dawson Creek (mile one of the Alaska Highway) It quit raining for a while and the mountains were in the clouds. Everytime you approached the crest of a hill, it looked like you were drivin off the side of the earth! No wireless tonight, so I have to go now. All is well.

Chetwynd, BC

Well we made it to Chetwynd, the town of many many wood carvings. Some of them are award winners. I'll just send a picture of one for now. We drove all day today, then walked the length of the town after we got here. I drove through the Canadian Rockies, via Robson Valley. BC is all so beautiful. I had lunch at the whistle stop (for those of you who remember Fried Green Tomatoes. It was in McBride, and I bought a few souveniers. Tomorrow is another day of driving. I'll go through Dawson Creek in the morning. Tess is doing well, we stop and walk alittle every couple hours. I did get the video of the salmon jumping, but I can't get it to download, SORRY!

This falls is Spahats Falls. The top one in the previous post was Dawson Falls
and the long one was Helmcken Falls, the third largest falls in Canada.

Wells Gray Park

Were still in Clearwater for the night. Tess did well at the kennel, they thought she was so sweet, but she sure was glad to see me. Were setting out side our KOA cabin tonight relaxing. There is a man made lake in front of our cabin, and it's very pleasent. This morning I drove into the park, and hiked to 3 different falls.
Each hike was only about 15 or 20 minutes. Then I hiked (10minutes) to a place called Baileys Chute, the salmon were running and trying to jump the chute to spawn. It was so cool! I couldn't catch them in a picture, but I shot some video. At least I tried to, we will see. In the afternoon I went white water rafting, it was also a blast! Tommorow we head to Chetwynd, I don't have a reservation there so don't know if I'll have wireless available. But I know I will the next night. Hope you like the pictures of the falls.

A couple more shots of the Alpine meadows and my hike. The picture of me shows Long Hill, that we hiked up in the background. Were about a fourth of the way back down, which explains the big smile on my face!

Zip line shots from Whistler. None of me yet, I couldn't take my own picture!

Tess with her private bed and treats, the motel provided.

Driving to Whistler

Clearwater, BC

I had a marvelous day today, but I'm really sore and I will be paying for it tomorrow. I tried to upload some pictures to a previous post, but it didn't work so I will try to attach them to this post.LOL. Tess is still at the kennel until tomorrow at 5:00 PM. I hiked for over 7 hours today, the first 5 up hill. I didn't think I could make it to the top, but I finally did, and it was well worth it. I took 70 pictures today, so I obviously can't post them all, I'll try to post a couple from each day so far. The alpine flowers were so awesome, and the views were to die for. Tomorrow I hike into some of the many waterfalls in the park, just short hikes! Then in the afternoon I go rafting. Hope all is well at home.

Clearwater,BC

Hi Everyone, sorry I was so short last night. I typed a longer blog then lost it,
and it was a long day. We arrived here about 6:30 PM. Whistler is a beautiful place
with alot going on. It reminds me of Leavenworth, only lots bigger. The olympics will be in Vancouver, BC in 2010, and many of the events will be held in Whistler.
I definately don't want to be there for that! I saw how many people there were on a non holiday Monday, I can't imagine how crowded it will be for the olympics!
I met a nice couple from Vancouver WA when I went on the zip line tour. They took pictures of me, and will e-mail them to me soon. It was a blast! We were the oldest ones in our group of 10 (they were my age). We went on 5 different zip lines,
one was so long you couldn't see the other end! I went so fast the wind was trying to rip my helmet off!
Tess waited in the car. She did really well yesterday, I guess shes getting used to
the long rides. Today she goes to a kennel while I go hiking.
Have to go now, Love you all.

Clearwater,BC

It's Tuesday Aug 17,and we made it here fine. I typed this once
already but I guess I lost it. So I'm tired, and will write more
tommorrow.

Whistler, BC

Well, it's Aug.16th, and we have made it to Whistler safe and sound.

We arrived about 5:30. I'm not posting any pictures today, since some of my things

are in the truck, and they valet parked it for me, somewhere unknown to me.

We after taking about an hour in line at the border, we drove the sea to sky highway.

It's a beautiful drive, but they don't have alot of spots to pull over to take pictures.

There were lots of motorcycles on the way.

Tess has been really good, but she hasn't peed all day. I took her for a long walk after we

got here, but no action. Were going back out and try again soon.

My first blog

My daughter suggested that I start a blog page because my life is just so interesting! LOL. I'm going on a road trip to Alaska later this summer and would like a place to journal and post pictures, so I thought this might be a good way to do it. People can just check in with my blog every now and then and be updated on me and what I'm up to. So my first blog will be short, but I will post some pictures here also, to make it more interesting.

Marilyn

In Leavenworth, WA last fall with my grandkids.

Again with Emma and Ken.

With my cousin Patty.

This Easter with my mom and sister Betty.