The home stretch

At this point in the trip, in Norm and my minds, it was pretty much all about getting back to Anchorage and returning the RV’s.  We have a 250 mile drive along the beautiful Glenn Highway ( AK-1 ) and have a couple of days to do it, but there isn’t much in the way of activities that interest us along the way.  So we will take our time and smell some more roses.

Traveling along the Glen Highway with yet another day of beautiful weather allowed us to enjoy Alaska as much the last day as the first, 6 weeks ago!

The day before we had noticed a lot of bicyclists along the roadway, as we marveled at their ability to peddle their way up and down these monstrous hills.  We saw them climb for miles and miles, and not one of them got off to walk! Even those that appeared older, and those that were carrying many extra pounds of body weight, these Alaskans are a tough bunch! I give them such credit!

Participating in the  Fireweed Race Across Alaska, riders chose whether to ride 50,100,200 or a whopping 400 miles over 2 days. 

This morning we saw a lot more bicyclists - this time noticing their race numbers proudly displayed across their chests.  Wait a minute – could these possibly be the same people as yesterday?  The ones we gaped at 100 miles away?

We were lucky enough to talk to a couple that had stopped to rest at a scenic pullout we were at.  What they told us, plus what I learned via the internet, was that this event was called “Fireweed: The Race Across Alaska”.  These two days actually included 5 different races, from half-century ( 50 miles ) to a jaw dropping 400 mile race, some peddling through the night. It also is both a “Road Event” ( social ride - seriously? ) and a Time Trial.  The road rises 1000 feet in elevation during the very first 6 miles, testing the tenacity of 600 mighty folks.

The winner of the 400 Double Century this year was Ben Lavevers, who did it in 29hrs, 49 minutes. Peter Jackson, who rode 200 miles of Alaskan terrain, did it in 11 hrs., 41 minutes. The first woman to finish the 200 mile solo, Alisabeth Thurston-Hicks finished a mere 6 minutes behind him!  Go, Girl!

One way to stay fit is to participate in the 1000 mile Iditarod Invitational Race where people run, ski or bike the exact route as the Idatarod a week prior to sled race, with very minimal support along the way!  Amazing! (internet photo)

When you think about it, for Alaskans to physically prepare for this event held on July 8th is mind-boggling since snow doesn’t clear until a few months before, nor does it even get light outside!  How do they do it?

(Perhaps the 1000 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational  http://www.iditarodtrailinvitational.com/ where bikers, skiers and runners traverse the exact Iditarod trail one week before the Iditarod sled teams race!)





















Driving down the road, we stopped for pictures along the way to insure we have this most fabulous of places firmly embedded in our minds ( as well as saving them to our computers, phones, clouds and back-up devices ).

I had read about a Musk Ox Farm on the way, so we decided to check out one of the Arctic’s oldest living species.  Co-existing with the woolly mammoth and saber-tooth tiger ( long ago extinct ) the rare musk ox possesses a soft under-wool that is called “qiviut”.  This non-profit organization gives tours of the farm (don’t expect much) and if lucky, you will get to see a few of these near-extinct animals and perhaps some babies, depending on the time of year. They get very nervous around people, so the guides are very strict about our keeping our distance and our voices low.

This beast with the softest of under-hair is called a Musk Ox.  Nearly extinct, it has been around since the Woolly Mammoth and the Sabre Tooth Tiger.

Use this word in Scrabble

Yarn ( $114.00 for 1.2 oz. ) made from the qiviut (which is incredibly soft and 8 times warmer than wool and won't shrink no matter what temperature it is washed in) as well as knitted garments and other trinkets were available to buy there at the farm.

 From there we headed into Anchorage to the campground close to ABC Motorhome Rentals. Because the following morning we had to be at the rental office prior to 10 AM, we spent the rest of the day and evening packing up our bags, boxing up the many items we would give to other campers, and tossing any food we could neither eat nor donate. The gentleman next door was the lucky receiver of many items including the gas barbecue grill we purchased with the Little’s.

It seemed easier to pack when we were home! We didn't really buy much other than a couple of jackets and some magnets, why won't it fit?

We obviously are not big spenders.  One mug, some ornaments for the tree and 2 jackets were all we purchased.  How much space could this have taken?

 We then showered and spent our last night here in Alaska. Kinda sad, but with a little convincing, I might be ready to go home.

The last miles along the Glenn Highway, Alaska

At this point in the trip, in Norm and my minds, it was pretty much all about getting back to Anchorage and returning the RV’s.  We have a 250 mile drive along the beautiful Glenn Highway ( AK-1 ) and have a couple of days to do it, but there isn’t much in the way of activities that interest us along the way.  So we will take our time and smell some more roses.

Traveling along the Glen Highway with yet another day of beautiful weather allowed us to enjoy Alaska as much the last day as the first, 6 weeks ago!

The day before we had noticed a lot of bicyclists along the roadway, as we marveled at their ability to peddle their way up and down these monstrous hills.  We saw them climb for miles and miles, and not one of them got off to walk! Even those that appeared older, and those that were carrying many extra pounds of body weight, these Alaskans are a tough bunch! I give them such credit!

Participating in the  Fireweed Race Across Alaska, riders chose whether to ride 50,100,200 or a whopping 400 miles over 2 days. 

This morning we saw a lot more bicyclists - this time noticing their race numbers proudly displayed across their chests.  Wait a minute – could these possibly be the same people as yesterday?  The ones we gaped at 100 miles away?

We were lucky enough to talk to a couple that had stopped to rest at a scenic pullout we were at.  What they told us, plus what I learned via the internet, was that this event was called “Fireweed: The Race Across Alaska”.  These two days actually included 5 different races, from half-century ( 50 miles ) to a jaw dropping 400 mile race, some peddling through the night. It also is both a “Road Event” ( social ride - seriously? ) and a Time Trial.  The road rises 1000 feet in elevation during the very first 6 miles, testing the tenacity of 600 mighty folks.

The winner of the 400 Double Century this year was Ben Lavevers, who did it in 29hrs, 49 minutes. Peter Jackson, who rode 200 miles of Alaskan terrain, did it in 11 hrs., 41 minutes. The first woman to finish the 200 mile solo, Alisabeth Thurston-Hicks finished a mere 6 minutes behind him!  Go, Girl!

One way to stay fit is to participate in the 1000 mile Iditarod Invitational Race where people run, ski or bike the exact route as the Idatarod a week prior to sled race, with very minimal support along the way!  Amazing! (internet photo)

When you think about it, for Alaskans to physically prepare for this event held on July 8th is mind-boggling since snow doesn’t clear until a few months before, nor does it even get light outside!  How do they do it?

(Perhaps the 1000 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational  http://www.iditarodtrailinvitational.com/ where bikers, skiers and runners traverse the exact Iditarod trail one week before the Iditarod sled teams race!)

Wrapping up this fabulous trip with another wonderful day and beautiful views along the Glen Highway

Driving down the road, we stopped for pictures along the way to insure we have this most fabulous of places firmly embedded in our minds ( as well as saving them to our computers, phones, clouds and back-up devices ).

I had read about a Musk Ox Farm on the way, so we decided to check out one of the Arctic’s oldest living species.  Co-existing with the woolly mammoth and saber-tooth tiger ( long ago extinct ) the rare musk ox possesses a soft under-wool that is called “qiviut”.  This non-profit organization gives tours of the farm (don’t expect much) and if lucky, you will get to see a few of these near-extinct animals and perhaps some babies, depending on the time of year. They get very nervous around people, so the guides are very strict about our keeping our distance and our voices low.

This beast with the softest of under-hair is called a Musk Ox.  Nearly extinct, it has been around since the Woolly Mammoth and the Sabre Tooth Tiger.

Use this word in Scrabble

Yarn ( $114.00 for 1.2 oz. ) made from the qiviut (which is incredibly soft and 8 times warmer than wool and won't shrink no matter what temperature it is washed in) as well as knitted garments and other trinkets were available to buy there at the farm.

 From there we headed into Anchorage to the campground close to ABC Motorhome Rentals. Because the following morning we had to be at the rental office prior to 10 AM, we spent the rest of the day and evening packing up our bags, boxing up the many items we would give to other campers, and tossing any food we could neither eat nor donate. The gentleman next door was the lucky receiver of many items including the gas barbecue grill we purchased with the Little’s.

It seemed easier to pack when we were home! We didn't really buy much other than a couple of jackets and some magnets, why won't it fit?

We obviously are not big spenders.  One mug, some ornaments for the tree and 2 jackets were all we purchased.  How much space could this have taken?

 We then showered and spent our last night here in Alaska. Kinda sad, but with a little convincing, I might be ready to go home.

The work of going home

The weather in Alaska during our 6 weeks of vacation was pretty near perfect, and today may not  have been sunny, but the fact it wasn’t rainy while we turned in our RV’s, made it perfect enough for me. Today also promised to be a very long one. From here we fly to Kelowna, British Colombia to see Norm’s sister and brother-in-law. The only flights I could find on American Airlines or its partners (frequent flyer miles) were through Seattle. 4hrs to Seattle, 3 hour layover, 1 hour flight. ( It's not that far away ) Ugh.

Map of our travels in Alaska over a 6 week period

There was a bit of aggravation returning the RV’s due to their miss-communication.  There was a very strict rule that you had to have your RV in the return line, absolutely no later than 10AM. Sharp.  We didn’t have to dump our tanks, but the propane had to read full.  We hardly used ours, so when we checked it looked almost full on the inside guage.  We called at 8am to see if we had to go get propane, and we were assured we did not have to bother.  Well, whoever we spoke with was wrong! There was an outside gauge we didn't know about. That also had to read full.  We had to run off and find the place, get it, and come back.  Luckily they didn’t charge us for the inconvenience ( mostly ours ).

 We and the Little’s had several boxes of really nice camping necessities we purchased there in Alaska that we didn’t need, or perhaps hadn’t used, and planned to put the items on the table at the rental office to make available for those just getting their campers .  We took advantage of other’s generosity when we came in, and wanted to do the same. ( plastic cutlery, plates, some unopened condiments )  I felt passionate about passing our 2 cans of bear spray to a young family who otherwise might not have been protected out in the wilds.  At $50 each, it would have been really appreciated, I am sure, and nice to know we helped protect a family.

What happened was when Vickie and Norm put the boxes on the table, the employees of ABC Motorhome SWOOPED in, and took anything of value.  Large Britta, unopened food, and of course, the bear spray!

After a quick goodbye, Vickie and Dennis headed off to their hotel for a couple of days to await their cruise back to either Vancouver or Seattle, I am not sure.

Norm and my flights were not until 5PM, so we had a good 3-4 hour wait until we could check our bags in. As I sat there, I was so upset that these people took our bear spray!  I finally went to the counter and talked to someone I was pretty sure was not involved.  She told me they could not legally leave it sitting on the table ( I could understand that ) and they take them out back. If someone coming in asks for them ( how would they know? )they would give it to them.  I asked her to go get the spray, so I could give them away myself, and she could not find them. Gone!  Hah! I was really ticked off.  I told her how we all were upset at their behavior, and it was wrong.  I could probably find them on eBay next week.

We decided we were more comfortable sitting at the rental company, then at the airport so we hunkered down for a few hours, eating our bagged lunch.  Norm read, and I worked on the blog and people-watched.

We gave ourselves plenty of time at the airport because we knew we were heading into a difficult situation.  What was that?  Well, we flew up first class which allowed 70 lbs in our bags. Thankfully they were only about  55 lbs. or so, but these duffel bags measured bigger than Alaska Air allowed, plus we had 3 bags and a back pack. (Flying to British Colombia, we could only have two and they had to be smaller and no more than 50lbs.) (My memory is a little foggy on this, so give me some latitude with the facts). With a $75 charge per bag, this was serious.

Alaska Airlines must be used to this, because they had a lovely area off to the side with scales and tables for people to rearrange their bags. After weighing ours, hmmm….a couple were 5 lbs too heavy, but stuffed to the gills. We thought there was not much we could do other than buy another inexpensive suitcase (I looked they were $79 for a small one that would not be much help), toss a few heavy items, or put the heaviest stuff in Norm’s backpack for him to take as a carry-on. Bingo! As long as they didn’t check the weight of his carry-on we would be fine. After all, Norm is tough!

That solved, we breezed through security and while we waited, we dinner. Our flight was at 9PM so with the time change we arrived a little after midnight.  We learned we had to pick up our bags in Seattle, go through customs then re-check them. Because we were coming in so late, we got a hotel that night.

Norm in the storage room of the hotel.  Trying to figure out what we will need for the next few days. 

We had very large pieces of luggage –( after all we were gone a long time and were ready for every type of  weather plus hiking gear ) and would be staying a couple of days with Norm’s family in a small condo.  Not wanting to either overwhelm them or have to move this luggage around, I had the brilliant idea of leaving our huge duffel bags locked up at the hotel that we would be returning to for our last night. ( 5AM flight )! It was no problem.

I finally got to sleep about 3AM, and Norm fell asleep just about the time his head hit the pillow, perhaps an hour earlier.

July 12-14th

Over the next couple of days we had a wonderful time visiting Pat and Lou whom we had not seen in a couple of years.  We took a lovely drive along the shores of beautiful Lake Okanagan.

Spotted Lake in Osoyoos B.C. is owned by the First Nations People, and its many minerals are used for medicinal properties. It is a sacred site, and has been a revered place of healing for centuries. It is believed that the different colored circles have different healing properties.  During World War 1 Chinese laborers extracted 1 ton of salt from the surface every day which was used to make ammunition.

Lake Okanagan from a scenic drive view-point

The last evening we went out for a nice dinner and they dropped us off at the hotel so we could get up a 3AM for another long day of travel.  Boy, RV’ing is so much easier, I tell you!

Norm with his sister Pat and brother-in-law, Lou

Beautifully built Visitor's Center in Osoyoos, British Colombia, Canada

July 15th

It was a long day, with several changes of planes, getting us back into our house at a little after midnight.  An air conditioner malfunction greeted us, and with it a stifling 92 degrees, but about 3AM I got it working. ( I can’t imagine why my Housewatch company didn’t catch it – but that’s a whole other story .) We were Home!

Home at last!

We have taken many vacations spanning several months a few times, so leaving for only 7 weeks was not too daunting to return to.  Having a home that’s half the size of our other, and a yard that’s a fraction of both the size and work has had magnificent rewards when traveling.

The heat and humidity was so bad it took your breath away, but the rainbows we saw day after day were some of the most beautiful I have witnessed!

My timing was a little off to properly capture this double rainbow, but it was amazing for a few minutes.  

That being said, having a home is not totally trouble-free.  About two minutes after walking in, tired from traveling nearly 20 hours, we realized the air-conditioner in the house was not working.  After enjoying the cool climes of the north to suddenly enter a 92 degree home was not a pleasant one.

We discovered the cover to the filter was ajar in the garage ( must have happened when we changed the filter just before we left ). After opening our mail the next day and seeing the delightfully low electric bill, we figured it wasn’t working almost the whole time we were gone!  Living in Florida, that is not good for the house.  Luckily, for whatever reason we were really lucky - no mold or mildew! By 3AM the house started to cool. Thank goodness.

Modern heat/air conditioning systems have an app that allows us to monitor what's going on in the house.  Terrific for worry-free travel.

 Our 17 year old air-conditioner  struggled over the next several days to get the temp below 82 degrees, therefore Norm and I decided it was finally time to bite the bullet and replace it.

 After getting 3 estimates, we hired a company and had it installed. It will be interesting to see how much energy savings there is.

Norm trimmed a few hedges..........

Over the next couple of weeks we saw friends, trimmed our few hedges and pulled some weeds, went through the mail.  The heat and humidity was horrendous!

We brought the RV home, packed it, and in three weeks we were heading north, going as far as Bar Harbor, Maine! ( We had to delay leaving for a couple of days in order to get the air conditioner installed ).

After we had the RV waxed, we brought it home to load up.  Our amazing neighbors have told us they do not mind this behemoth in our drive.  How nice!

Ah, Alaska. My final thoughts

Ahh.... Alaska! This grand state not only possesses the most magnificently beautiful landscapes, but is home to the warmest of people. While here, we all marveled at how clean it is - not just scrubbed clean by the winter snows, but free of all litter and junk.  Plus, Alaskans were so darn friendly! They are so proud of their state, and how they live.  They didn’t just ask how you are, or where you are going for the sake of asking – they really wanted to know, and listened to what you had to say.

A trip to Alaska is on most people’s Bucket List.  To be able to do it the way we did is a dream come true.

Would I do it differently were I to do it again?  Perhaps a little.

Choosing when to go is always a gamble.  Had we gone a little later in the summer our chances of seeing the aurora borealis would have been good, and we wouldn’t have had to experience the adjustment of sunlight for 22 hours a day.  But we also could have had snow towards the end, and that would have been scary driving an RV!  Going when we did we were able to see snow in the mountains,( and not on the roads) which really added to their rocky drama which after we were there about 3 weeks the sun had mostly melted them away.

We also regret the trip to Kennecott and McCarthy.  It was nice, but was awfully expensive for what it was and what we did.  In hind-sight (which is ALWAYS better) we might have chosen a flight - tour to Kodiac Island; where we would be guaranteed to see the biggest, fiercest bears on earth.  We also could have done the glacier tours from several different places along the way.  I also would have loved to spend more time in Valdez. There is so much to do there.  Just saying.

We also learned a little something about ourselves after spending 6 weeks with another couple.  We discovered we prefer to take extended vacations alone.  We certainly all got along, and it was great having more people when hiking amongst the bears ,but worrying  about where we are going, where we are stopping, what we are going to do, etc. etc. just detracted from the experience.   I suspect they feel the same way.

I enjoy meeting up with people for a few days here and there a lot, but not for that long, and that big a trip.

Other than that, I can’t say I would do much differently except push my limits a little more on the hikes.  I have since discovered I am capable of a lot more than we did. Whether or not the other couple could have I don’t know.

We have heard many mixed reviews from those who had driven their RV’s all the way to Alaska.  I heard without fail that it was the most beautiful trip they have ever taken, and the abundance of animals was mind-bogling. ( We didn't see many animals or even birds ) But some sustained a lot of damage to their RV’s and very often to their tow cars,  So a lot of people praise us for doing it the way we did.

If it wasn't for the time and the potential for damage I wish we went by ourselves, without a schedule.
Next year we plan to go again to British Columbia, so perhaps we will explore a little of the Yukon while we are there.

Here we go again! Heading North

These two maps show our travel route for first 8 days

Norm and I had been talking about purchasing kayaks that either fold or inflate for a while now.  After our experience in Alaska with the inflatable, we were leaning toward a folding-type.  After spending more hours than I hate to admit, we decided to go with one carried by our favorite retailer, REI. Oru Kayak which is designed with origami in mind.  The reviews were great, and the design appeared ingenious.

This kayak seems to work pretty well in REI! Didn't even get wet!

Norm carried our two new kayaks out to the Motorhome parked in the back of the store. Can you believe how small these are? Only 23 pounds each!

Therefore, our first stop would be the nearest REI store which is in Jacksonville, Florida.  We checked them out, and purchased two!  I was so excited!  We can stick them in either the car or the motorhome and within 10 minutes be on the water!  To watch a very short video on it's assembly, click here

Our first campground that was memorable was the Petersburg Campground on J Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake built and operated by the Army Corp. of Engineers.  This is the first time we had camped at one of these - we heard they were great, they just were never on our route.

Petersburg Campground on the J Strong Thurmond Dam and Lakes,in Georgia, an Army Corp of Engineering campground was utterly gorgeous.  Flat, spacious and a view to die for.

The sites were unbelievable!  Smooth, roomy, great fire-pits, barbecues, and flawless electric service, and right on the water!  It did not, however, have sewer hook-ups so it might not be for everyone. We just conserve on our water consumption, and we are in heaven!

Once settled, we took the kayaks out, and reading the instructions as we went, put these incredible floating boats together.  The first took us about 10 minutes, the second we had completely put together in 3 minutes flat!

This kayak folds into a small box!  Handles as well as any we have paddled.

We stayed here for only 2 nights, but since there is such a variety of activities, perhaps we will be back with our local RV club.

I had made an appointment to have the RV serviced months ago at the Freightliner Factory Service Center that only services motor-homes, in Gaffney, NC.  We parked at their facility the night before, and they did all the maintenance required and basically check it over.  It was a comfort to know everything was working as it should.

Since it took all day we stayed a 2nd night then headed to Dixie Cavern Campground about 4 ½ hours away in Salem, Va.  After we dodged the low branches getting to our site, we just had to take the cavern tour right there on the premises.

This terribly bored fellow gave us a tour of the family owned Dixie Caverns

We were lead by a young guide that was obviously bored to death with his job.  He went through the motions, giving scripted facts and jokes. Acknowledging  that this is a small, family-run business, we enjoyed it for what it was.  We saw some unique formations, we got a bit of exercise and it was a great opportunity to get out of the terribly hot and humid weather. It was amateurish, but it was relatively interesting.

The caverns were pretty interesting, and a great place to get out of the heat.

After another 4 ½ hour drive we stayed at Caladonia State Park in Salem, Va. We stayed for two nights. Although it was very hot and humid, Norm and I went on a hike that followed a beautiful stream where quite a few people were swimming to cool off.

Walking along this stream was as pretty as Alaska. Alison is soaking a microfiber cloth to put around her neck to help her cool down.

We hiked the Charcoal Hearth Trail at Caladonia State Park

Friday, August 12th W

We drove 2 ½ hours to stay in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, at Beacon Hill Campground, in Intercourse, PA.  Intercourse, not surprisingly, has the distinction of being in the top 10 worst- named towns, joining neighboring towns of Blue Ball ( also in top 10 ), Virginville, and Bird-in-Hand also having bizarre names. You have to wonder who named these towns…there has to be a good story behind it.

It was so hot inside Central Market in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Beacon Hill Campground in Intercourse, Pa was very cramped to say the least.

We watched this Amish farmer move tobacco in and out of his barn, directly behind our campsite.

This seemed to be a very popular mode of transportation for the Amish. It was a scorching 100 degrees as they moved about town, up and down hills.

There was a flurry of carriages leaving Sunday church services. 

Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster, Pa 

What made us choose this location was the show, “Sampson” at the Sight and Sound Theater where story, sound and special effects bring the Bible to life.  This theater is HUGE, with a stage that curves on either side making you feel part of the story.  With horses walking down the aisles and other animals on stage, it was spectacular.  A couple of years ago we had tickets for Noah’s Arc which I hated to miss, but now that I have seen this theater, I regret it even more.  This was definitely worth the stop! Sight and Sound has another theater in Branson, MO.

Inside the lobby stood a huge larger than life display of Samson

Internet photo ( we were not allowed to take pictures ) of the production of Samson

8 days in Heaven - seeing family

Sunday August 14th

Stayed at Hickory Run State Park in Whitehaven, PA a 100 mile, 2 ½ hour drive.

The next day we drove toward Albany to see my late sister’s husband, Gerry.  He came to meet us at Schodack Island State Park, which would have been really lovely park if it were not for the 3 foot tall weeds growing in the sand throughout the site.  We had a nice dinner and caught up on each other’s lives.

Thursday, August 18th

Finally arriving in the Boston area, we were hunkered down visiting family and friends for the next 8 days. Boy, the grand kids have grown so much since our last visit!

Norm and his grandson Owen, who is 26 months old.  Believe it or not, the matching shirts were a coincidence. Aren't they cute?

Norm's grandson, Drew is 9 months old. 

Elena, Alison's granddaughter, will be three in November.  She is pointing out a "Bufferfly". 

My daughter Laura, Elena and I went for a photo shoot one late afternoon.

We had no idea Mom and daughter were going to actually need to get into the water for one of the pictures!  Luckily the photographer got the shot quickly, because Elena managed to fall completely into the water, soaking her head- feathers and all!  Needless to say the photo session abruptly ended! As all good mothers of small children do, Laura had an emergency change of clothes for the little one.  What a fabulous picture! 

Exhausted, we headed north toward New Hampshire’s White Mountains for a few days, hoping to get a little exercise, staying at Beech Hill Campground in Twin Mountain, New Hampshire for the next 4 nights.

The White Mountains in New Hampshire reminded us a lot of Alaska. The difference is that rugged terrain is everywhere you look in Alaska, whereas here you get mere glimpses as you drive. 

Norm chose this area because of Mount Washington – he and I had never been to the top, so he thought it would be fun to take the auto road up for some views.  I agreed.