After a week visiting his boyhood home, and being joined by Chambray and Hailey, we loaded up in the seven-passenger and headed for Texas. That was on Saturday, May 21. We drove down the Valley Highway through Denver to Colorado Springs. Spent a little time sight seeing at Garden of the Gods and then headed further south to Trinidad to visit Chuck and Linda's mom's childhood home. Then we headed west to end the day in Amarillo following route 287.
From Amarillo, after a stop for a doughnut breakfast, it was on to Dallas to reunite with their youngest daughter, Alana. We spent a night celebrating the reunion and then, again, headed south to Austin, then San Antonio, and finally ended the week in Galveston and more family visits. We then headed back to Dallas and spent the final week with Alana and her school friends. Chuck and family were flying back to Alaska at the end of the week, but Linda and I headed north a little early to prepare for the next leg of our adventure.
We drove up through Oklahoma City and back to Colorado. We spent a whirlwind two days unpacking, getting a new window installed in our front bedroom, and packing the truck. This time we had all the seats laid down and loaded up the Flex with family treasures from glassware to paintings to dishes to a four foot high statue all destined for the most northern state in the union.
We left Colorado on Saturday, June 4 headed for my dad's in Oregon. It was a leisurely three day trip with stops in Little America, WY and Pendleton, OR. We then spent a week or ten days at dad's doing chores, visiting friends, walking in Portland, and driving to the coast for clam chowder. Finally we headed north to spend a couple of days with my brother in Seattle.
Then, on Saturday, June 18 we boarded a ferry for a three day cruise up the inland passage to Haines, AK. There we were met by Keith and Rebecca and had a wonderful time enjoying the natural beauty of Haines and going to Glacier Bay National Park for a delightful boat cruise. Finally, on Saturday, June 25 we again turned the blue bus toward the North entering Canada on our drive up to Fairbanks. After a refreshing stay in Tok at a lovely cabin we finally arrived at our final destination. We met up with Bob and Carla at their cabin on Harding Lake and then caravaned to North Pole.
Finally we were able to unload the household goods we had carried across several states and two nations. Chuck was still at Camp Nashi, but Dawn served as our gracious host and we had a good time unpacking and telling stories about our adventures. The next morning at the bright hour of 8:00 AM father Bob, his lady friend, Ardys, and our son Mark arrived via Alaska Airlines. We were all there to meet them, and we enjoyed a day at Bob and Carla's joined by Kyle and Kevin and their families.
Chuck returned the next day from the Yukon river, and we spent two weeks exploring the Alaska interior and coast. Linda and I drove down to Anchorage and on to Seward with Mark and Chuck for several days. Upon our return to Fairbanks we met and ate and talked and drove around enjoying the wildlife and the sights including China Hot Springs and a frantic trip down to Denali when Keith spotted the mountain in the clear. Finally it was time for the rest of the Colorado clan to return home and, after a family attended departure party with many group photos, on Saturday, July 9, they boarded the plane home.
This week we've washed the car and Armour-All-ed the interior, more meals and parties as a Dallas friend of Alana's arrived, and we made use of Apple TV to wirelessly project our iPhone and iPad videos and photo slideshows to the big screen TV. (Look for that little icon of the square and the triangle and expect Lion to add that feature to the MacOS-keyboard set. Really neat technology.)
So, today is the two month anniversary of the start of our long adventure. But, more significant, is the nine week anniversary this Saturday. We will celebrate by starting our trip south. We will leave for our comfortable cabin in Tok before headed down the Alaska Highway for Whitehorse, Watson Lake, Fort Nelson, Dawson Creek (not City), Edmonton, and Calgary.
We will cross the international border, returning to the United States on Saturday, July 23. Then we will head for East Glacier located on the, wait for it, east side of Glacier National Park. A tour of the park, a meeting with an old H.S. friend, a drive by Flathead Lake, Missoula, Butte (where I started my college career), and finally to Bozeman to visit with family and friends. My sister and another H.S. friend both reside there in the Galatin valley.
We will be a little out of sync when we depart Bozeman on Monday, August 1. Again driving leisurely through Yellowstone National Park to Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons we will finally connect with I-80. Then a tough decision: turn east for the fast way home, or continue south down the Flaming Gorge to I-70 and that magnificent eastward drive. Hmmm. I think the latter.
Now, to make it all symmetrical. We will have to strive to drive and arrive on Saturday, August 7. That will be the end of this leg of the adventure. But, there is more. On Saturday (naturally), August 20 (if not a day or two earlier) we again head north, returning to Oregon for our family reunion. We will spend several weeks there and, upon our return to Colorado, hop a plane for Virginia Beach. A few weeks on the sand at the beach with friends Steve and Sandy and a reunion or our crew from the U.S.S. Vulcan, AR-5, and we head for home.
My plans beyond that point are subject to change. We may want to stay home a while and sleep in our own bed for a change, but time will tell. So, in just two days, we're on the road again — not Willie — Canned Heat. Plug in the fuzz tone pedal and play along.
Well, I'm so tired of crying, but i'm out
on the road again.
— I'm on the road again.
Well, I'm so tired of crying, but I'm out
on the road again.
— I'm on the road again.
I ain't got no woman
Just to call my special friend.
You know the first time I traveled out
in the rain and snow,
— In the rain and snow.
You know the first time I traveled out
in the rain and snow,
— In the rain and snow.
I didn't have no payroll,
Not even no place to go.
And my dear mother left me when
I was quite young,
— When I was quite young.
And my dear mother left me when
I was quite young,
— When I was quite young.
She said "Lord, have mercy
On my wicked son."
Take a hint from me, mama, please
don't you cry no more,
— Don't you cry no more.
Take a hint from me, mama, please
don't you cry no more,
— Don't you cry no more.
'Cause it's soon one morning
Down the road I'm going.
But I aint going down that
long old lonesome road
All by myself.
But I aint going down that
long old lonesome road
All by myself.
I can't carry you, Baby,
Gonna carry somebody else.
Originally written July 14, 2011.
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