What now?

59 days on the road, living in an RV, exploring Western Canada and Alaska....walking on glaciers....surrounded by snow covered mountains....getting close to bears, salmon and eagle.  Seeing things that many people will only see in pictures or movies.  Sharing it with my great friend Michele who's enthusiasm, flexibility, and good humor made it extra special. WOW! What a trip.

Many have asked me what my favorite part was.  I talked about the helicopter ride out on the the glacier from Juneau.  But really my favorite might have been out driving along in the vastness of the Yukon, somewhere along the Alaska Highway, far away from any town, with only an occasional car passing by, totally relaxed in the moment and realizing "I'm here.....I've done it...I'm driving it".
 

My friend Beverly summed it up pretty well:
 " ...You know what this means... now you'll have to define what your NEW Alaska will be!..."

You can be assured I am thinking about mine.  I hope you are thinking about yours and that you will make it happen.  GO FOR IT! 

Day 59

Rolling down the last stretch of road from St, Joe to Joplin this morning, trying to find something to say to cap it all off. Something more profound than I think this heat and humidity is stupid and I miss my wool sweater.

Home tonight.

13.3 minutes

Click here for a full album of pictures for this expedition.
Then you can click on a picture to start a viewing session or push the SLIDESHOW button.  You can also push the COMMENT button if you care to.

Yes, there are 399 hand selected pictures from the thousands I took.  If you spend 2 seconds on each, you'll be into this for 13.3 minutes. 

I hope you enjoy.

Steve

Flat again

It's been a long time since I've seen flat country. I think Saskatchewa was designed by the same guy that did Kansas.

Camped at Walmart in Minot, ND

Loonie

There is a loon (a noisy duck) on the one dollar coin in Canada  and they call it a Loonie.  The two dollar coin is thus called a Toonie....or possibly Twoonie....or possibly a Too-Ney which is a native word meaning "I'll take two if you can spare another, ehh".

Some speak French in Canada.  I can stumble through it roughly only because I've picked up a few phrases watching Monty Python.

An then there is the metric time.  I'm still getting used to this even after all this time in Canada.   If everyone was on it, it would be great.  It's the conversion between the two that makes it tough.

from Brooks, BC

Prince Ruppert to Jasper

It was rainy with low clouds the first time I passed through Jasper enroute to Alaska. Yesterday coming across British Columbia, after a night and oil change in Prince George, the sun was bright and the scenery stunning. It is likely the best of the whole trip.

The mountain in the picture is mt Robson, the tallest in the Canadian Rockies.

We just went white water rafting out of Jasper on the Athabasken River. The water temperature feels very much like it just rolled off a glacier. Great trip.

Now, we need to make about 8 hours still today and for the four days following that.

First cup

Matanuska

The Matanuska is the Marine Highway Ferry we are sailing on today from Juneau to Prince Ruppert.  I think Matanuska is a native word, roughly translated meaning, "a very very large canoe"


 Launch at 5:45 CDT
Arrive Tuesday 3:00pm CDT 

There is a link to track ships should you care to check it out:
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/map.shtml

Matanuska

The Matanuska is the Marine Highway Ferry we are sailing on today from Juneau to Prince Ruppert.  I think Matanuska is a native word, roughly translated meaning, "a very very large canoe"

 Launch at 5:45 CDT
Arrive Tuesday 3:00pm CDT 

There is a link to track ships should you care to check it out:
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/map.shtml

Nap

After a helicopter ride and walking on a glacier, watching salmon spawning by the thousands, and watching bald eagles eat salmon, I took a nap in the sun in downtown Juneau. The rain took a much needed day off.