Alaska Bound Day 28

Day 28

Juneau Awoke before the 6 a..m. alarm setting. We departed on time at 7 and stopped at Breeze Inn, a large convenience store that was recommended for sandwiches to take on boat trip. Parking in Coast Guard lot was easy. Judy is driving today. We checked in at the Adventure Bound office and proceeded to their dock. Huge tides in the area and this was low but fortunately had a long gang plank. ADVENTURE BOUND holds about 50 passengers and today there were 26 with a crew of two, Steve the owner as captain and Lydia, a college student from Idaho working for the summer (found the jog through Google) as mate. We followed recommended seating suggestion and each took a window on the port side. The initial ride is about an hour or more south on the Gatineau Channel and then Stevens channel before heading into Tracy Arm, a long winding fiord with glaciers at the terminus. We were warned that they had been unable to go very far in the channel earlier in the week due to an ice break off. This was caused by new freshwater ice formed from snow that froze in the cracks of the glacier. As it melted Large pieces let go from the glacier and filled the channel. As it turned out this was still a problem and we were only able to go in part way and then had to inch our way out through the blocks of ice. The sound of the ice hitting the fiberglass hull hurt my boaters “inner core”.
However it was still a wonderful ride with fantastic scenery. We saw lots of eagles, 2 bears, and incredible blue icebergs though none the size of the one I saw in Newfoundland last year (see July 08 blog posting.) Most incredible was whale sightings. I picked up the first one with my binoculars. Said to be hunpbacks they could be spotted by their “’blows”. While none totally breached, they did dive and watch those incredible tales enter the water was worth the whole trip for me. We also had some porpoises briefly circle the boat on the return trip..
The passengers were all companionable. One woman was amazing getting around with two canes. She had a poodle as a service dog. Apparently a back injury led to a rod in her back. The dog even pus on and takes off her socks. Lydia served sandwiches, drinks, and snacks to those who had not brought food.
On our return to Juneau we took a stroll through the shopping area. Three cruise ships were in port but it was after 6 p.m. so not too many out and about. We found some intriguing stuff but nothing requiring an immediate purchase. Judy stopped a roving policeman and asked about where to buy Carhardt pants. He suggested a couple places in town but said best was at Nugget Mall. We went to The Hangar for dinner about 7. It was a jumping place. There’s a great view of the harbor where the sea planes land but to get a table we had to go up to the pool room. The building is a former hangar now turned into a small mall. The food was very good. Their specialty is as a microbrewery but I had a hard cider and Judy a glass of wine.

Alaska Bound Day 26 & 27

Photos (L) View along Inside Passage (R) Mendenall Glacier from trail. Note: Click on photos to see in full screen.

Day 26 Miles 3 from campground to ferry. Aboard Alaska Marine Highway ferry M/V KENNICOTT I fell asleep at 11 p.m. and never heard the vehicles from the Port Hardy ferry arrive at the campground. I awoke before the 3:45 a.m. alarm and decided to get up and dressed. Looking out I saw a Roadtrek next to me and was relieved Judy arrived. When I looked further there were two Roadtreks, very similar and both with California license tags! I had to get my IPhone where I stored her email with her license #. She wasn’t next to me but across the way. I might have awakened the wrong people! Anyway seeing no lights, I knocked on her door at 4 a.m. and reminded her we were to arrive at the ferry dock at 4:15. I kept talking until sure she was awake and assured me she would follow shortly.
My vehicle was measured and agreed with my booked 21 ft. length, and I was directed into one of the lines. I then had to go into a terminal to obtain the tickets purchased in February for the next 3 ferry rides. There were 2 agents and both seemed to have problem passengers. After 10 minutes (seemed like ½ hour) a third agent came, went over my confirmation papers, passport, and gave me the usual immigration/customs form for entering the USA.
Judy was in line by now and had her walkie talkie. She had one of the “agents in training” who apparently had difficulty locating her record. She paged me for the itinerary number and it was resolved. However the walkie talkie was picking up the ships purser as well! After passing immigration/customs inspection I was back in the US though still on Canadian soil and waters.
We waited over an hour to board. They seemed to have to shift vehicles around, backed a charter bus on board and when we did go in, we had to turn around. Our treks are at the very back, standing alone. We are able to go them periodically when they open the vehicle deck for the pet owners. My first return was to get my US money!
Boarding the vessel we were now on Alaska time, one hour earlier (four hours earlier than Florida) which resulted in a wait until the café’s 7 a.m. opening. I had two huge banana pancakes made fresh and worth the wait. We settled into our cabin. It sleeps four but really only has two permanent berths which are bunk beds . I took the top one which I prefer and tried to figure out how to climb up. Problem solved by pulling over a chair. When looking down from my lofty perch, Judy said, “what about the ladder?” DUH! It was hanging on the wall. We both took naps to make up for the lost sleep.
We arrived in Ketchikan at 12:30 for two hours. We had lunch before disembarking (great Thai chicken soup) and struck out into the rainy day. A local hotel clerk suggested catching a free bus into town. Fortunately the stop had a shelter. Our phones worked so we were busy checking our messages and making a few calls. I had to keep reminding myself that this was Memorial Day and I was back in the US. When the bus finally arrived we were told it would take too long to be back for boarding by 2:15 so we had to make do with a local walk up the hill which gave us a good view of the KENNICOTT. A stop back at the hotel for lattes warmed our “innards, and we reboarded on time. It was a bit of a disappointment not to see more of Ketchikan and a lesson that we need to better preplan our excursions. We learned later that the “bridge to nowhere” was actually near the ferry dock and connected a nearby island where the city desperately (according to the source) needs for additional housing. The airport was nearby as well with a lot of float plane activity.
Two interpreters from the Tongass National Forest boarded and they gave a talk on the early salmon industry, the Wrangell Narrows through which we would pass, and suggestions for Juneau. The ferry berths at Auke Bay which is outside Juneau close to the Mendenhall Glacier and our campground.
Much of the day has been a steady rain with low clouds on the water. A number of people have been out walking the decks but I just could not bring myself to do it. The views out the window were good and with the binoculars I saw lighthouses and porpoises. There are laminated nautical charts and many have their GPS (including Judy) marking our route and speed. This was particularly good as we approached the Wrangell Narrows about 9. The Bridge announced they would be doing some maneuvers to await the rising tide necessary to transit the very narrow and shallow passage. This is not the route of the cruise ships and even the ferry does not always go this way. It is 2 hours shorter but requires certain conditions to make it possible. The KENNICOTT is 382 ft. long with an 85 ft. beam and max draft almost 18 ft. We were told it can be 21 ft. depth through this area. Skinny! They posted 3 on the bow to assist. Unfortunately I was getting very tired and decided to watch from the top bunk. It seemed as though you could reach out and touch the green lighted cans we passed and shore looked very close. From the chart it would even decrease in width but unfortunately I had to call it a day.

Day 27 Miles 47 Miles driven since leaving Stuart 4411. Juneau Alaska! I was awake at 4 and it was quite light outside. At 5 Judy was up and headed up to get coffee and check out what was happening. I wrote up yesterdays blog, took a shower and was ready to head to breakfast. We were arriving 2 hours early as a result of our “short cut”. Many of the passengers were on the bow for the docking. Anne of Silver Bay Tours (CA) offered to take a photo of Judy and me on the deck. It was my first deck walk and while chilly, there was no wind. We headed off the ferry with Judy in the lead soon arrived at Spruce Meadow Campground. They were surprised we were so early but took great care of us giving many suggestions and marking up a map. Corinne, who operates the campground with her mother Linda telephoned the Tracy Arm Adventurous Tours to confirm our trip on Wednesday.
After some unpacking and repacking we headed off to Mendenhall Glacier a short distance away. I drove today and Judy will drive tomorrow. We packed up energy bars, nuts, and water for our hike only to learn no food at all was to be eaten anywhere on the premises because of the bears. So back to the van to eat there and then start out again. We selected the East Glacier trail of about 3.5 miles and a vertical climb of 400 feet. It was very scenic overlooking the area of the glacier. It was a challenging trail but rated moderate. I even was warm enough to remove a layer. We stopped often for photo ops of vistas, waterfalls, and lichen covered rocks and trees. Rain fell intermittently but for the most part we were undercover of the trees. Despite the warnings we did not see any bears. We have heard though that a bear family has been visiting the campground so we may yet have an encounter.
We next headed toward the center of Juneau and toward the south end of the main road where we wanted to arrive at Thorne Oar House where freshly caught king salmon is a specialty. This was the location of a gold mine at one time. We were the only customers for the 3:30 seating. A generous salad bar, plus salmon, baked beans and corn bread more than satisfied our appetites while the owner shares tales of life in Juneau. The restaurant is on the Gatineau channel through which the cruise ships arrive in Juneau. Today there must have been 5 huge ones filling the downtown dock area. Traffic on the narrow streets was controlled by people serving as crossing guards. We drove some of the steep narrow city streets as we worked our way back south. There had been a steady rain since we left the Mendenhall visitors center and there seemed no value to more touring. We stopped at a large upscale type Walmart/Target Store Fred Meyers and checked out some items for the Roadtreks as well as some food items. We then found Udder Connection which was touted for their frozen yogurt. Finally back to the campground for the night. It is still raining and the temperature has been in the 40’s. Tomorrow’s Tracy Arm tour will be by boat and hopefully there will be drier weather.

Alaska Bound Day 25

Day 25 Miles 8 I had a good night sleep except for around midnight when the ferry was docking in Bella Bella. I had left the curtain for the porthole drawn and looked out to see the spotlight searching the shoreline for a mark. I guess the engine slowdown caused me to wake. Shortly after, a loudspeaker announced our arrival. I was asleep before departure. Next thing it was shortly before 6 a.m. and bright daylight. We were in the area that was said to be the most scenic so I decided to get dressed and go out and see the full view. The passage is narrow but deep and the land is steep on both sides with snow capped peaks. Many waterfalls were cascading down. It was really a nice brisk morning. The cafeteria opened and I was hungry so ordered the Northern Exposure named for the ferry. It was waffle, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage! Since few were about, I set the chair at the table to get the best view.
While later having a cup of seafood chowder, the captain announced we would arrive Prince Rupert an hour early at 1:15 p.m, I was the first vehicle off the boat and headed for the visitor center. I walked the area looking for the many totem poles. The sunken garden was on my list but it was in need of some tending. Some ladies arrived who appeared to be ready to correct that. I really enjoyed the Museum of North British Columbia. It’s a great timber building which may be built with the design of the native “long house.” This area has had inhabitants for over 5000 years and has a strong native history and present day influence. It is also one of Canada’s major seaports and several freighters were waiting in the harbor.
I considered going out to the Lester Center for the Performing Arts, tonight’s venue for a concert by the local hosts of the music contest. The persistent rain discouraged me. I drove back to the ferry terminal but enroute spoiled what had been a pretty good day. I went in for gas to avoid having to find it soon after arrival in Juneau Tuesday. It was a smaller station than I like to use. Unfortunately I turned too tight and a curb around the pumps caught my right side compartment in front of the rear wheel. The compartment popped open but the worst of the damage is along the bottom where it was scrapped. I was able to secure the compartment and I think the fix can wait but I’ve been beating myself up ever since.
Judy and I planned to rendezvous at the Alaska Ferry terminal when her ferry arrives later this evening. However there were no parking signs so I ended up proceeding to a nearby campground. We had been told we could camp over night at the terminal, but the signs say no. I tried to text her but it wouldn’t go through so left a telephone message. When I checked in here, the campground owner told me the next Alaska ferry was Thursday! My reservation says Monday. Apparently there are others in the campground who plan to take it as well. We have to be at the terminal at 4:15 a.m. which was part of the reason not to go to a campground. The neighbor’s dog keeps barking and my mood is getting darker so I think I’ll stop.

Alaska Bound Day 24

Day 24Miles 159 plus ferry This day began about 3a.m. when I sensed the engines of a vessel. Sure enough it was a cruise ship passing in front of our camping area. I shot a photo through the dirty front windshield but it gives the idea with all its lights illuminated. Turns out Judy tried to shoot one about midnight but wasn’t able to get it. We were both up before 7 a.m. and she came to get hot water for coffee. We agreed to depart at 8:30 but both of us did some computer work which delayed a bit. Our aim was breakfast at the Cable House Café. We were told it was 15 minutes away. Turned out to be more like 45 but the cinnamon bun was worth waiting for. The eggs were excellent (eggcellent??) too.. An interesting structure with a building wrapped with loggers cable, fiberglassed to prevent rust. They claim it’s the only one in the world. Lots of logging memorabilia around as well. Took lots of photos and will add one later. This was in the town of Sayward which is touted as being a big salmon fishing area.
Our next stop was a rest area, said to be the best along the route and with a walking trail nearby. We needed both facilities after that “loggers” breakfast. Returning from the walk we met a gentleman who was enroute to the Prince Rupert ferry in Port Hardy. He was taking his 14 old son, an accomplished violinist to a musical contest. The had emigrated from Korea about 8 years ago and he apologized for his broken English. His son has been playing since age 4 and also excels in school and basketball according to the proud father.
We next went off the main road #19 to visit Telegraph Cove said to have a population of 20 and be the only “boardwalk” town and a summer tourist destination. It was a winding hilly trip past logging areas and a sawmill. Finally we came to the quaint town know also for the first telegraph line for security purposes in the 40’s. We had an excellent halibut lunch at the restaurant on the water. Two great and generous sized meals in one day. Uh-oh.
I was getting nervous about my ferry appointment so I wanted to head on to Port Hardy. We arrived there at 3:40 which didn’t allow me time to see Port Hardy. Judy headed off to the campground for the night. Her ferry leave at 7 a.m. in the morning. I’m not sorry I chose this one. I booked a cabin and when I reached it, the Korean man and his violinist son were my neighbors and I was treated to beautiful music! My cabin is really nice, especially the bathroom. This ferry was purchased from Spain and has European electricity. I only had an apple, cup of tea and the rest of that cinnamon bun for dinner. (Be sure to see Day 23 for a photo of Judy and me. You can click on it to enlarge.)

Alaska Bound Day 23

Day 23 Miles 94 miles In a way this day is the beginning of the Alaska Adventure. My travel mate (TM) Judy and I left cousin Wilfrid and Judy’s house at 9 a.m. after a photo session of our two Roadtreks. The walkie talkies worked great and we experimented with the connection along the way. The drive was postcard scenic with snow capped mountains as a backdrop to the fir trees. Our first destination was Campbell River , BC and the museum. The parking was good and we enjoyed the exhibits of First Nation history, artifacts and early days in the area with logging industry featured. We also watched a film produced by DuPont in the 50’s detailing the explosion which cleared the Seymour Narrows Channel to give it a depth of 40-70 feet allowing traffic through this area including the many cruise ships that make their way from Vancouver to Alaska. It was an engineering feat, the largest non nuclear explosion of the time. Tonight we are camped at Ripple Rock RV park, not far from where that explosion occurred , and are facing the passage where freighters, fishing trawlers and cruise ships (though haven’t seen any yet) pass.
We had a fair lunch at Lookout Café in Campbell River whose view made up for the poor service. I found a Scotia bank and added to my Canadian funds. As we continued north we pulled off for hiking trails leading to the area of the explosion. The map of the trail indicated a 3 hour hike which was more than we anticipated but we did walk about a mile in and out through majestic conifers, across a suspension bridge, and onto shoreline of a bay.
The road into the campground is one of many logging roads that allow access into remote areas. They are usually gravel and the dust stirred up made me happy I didn’t try to wash Big Mama. They have washing facilities here but it will be back up the dusty road in the morning.
We enjoyed a cheese and cracker and wine dinner overlooking the channel while we continued to catch up on each others lives. Like me, Judy has traveling in her veins and has taken a number of trips in various parts of the world. She’s adventuresome and not afraid to try to new things. I think we will travel well together.
Tomorrow we’ll head for Port Hardy where I’ll board a ferry for Prince Rupert, BC. She’ll stay in campground and her ferry will leave the following morning. Later that night we’ll meet at the ferry terminal in Prince Rupert as we queue up for the Juneau ferry. Yes the goal of Alaska is getting closer and it is exciting.

Alaska Bound Day22

Photo: Whistler's Daughter ready to go.

Day 22 After breakfast Wilfrid and I headed out to one of his projects, a multi use sports facility which is part of a farmers co-op facility in the town of Coombs. A donor was presenting a check for the project. As it turned out it was a media event complete with TV video cameras and reporters. After the hoopla I had a private tour of the impressive facility. We then headed for the French Creek Marina where his boat WHISTLER”S DAUGHTER if moored. We put on the main sail and jib (hanked on). We then toured the nearby French Creek Boat Yard of which he is a part owner. Back to the boat, the weather seemed perfect for a shake down first of the season sail. He did a remarkable job of working out way out of the slep with me on the wheel! It was a wonderful sail. WD is so well balanced that the steering was easy and I had no difficulty holding it into the wind while Wilfrid raised the sails. We lunched on apples and energy bars from Big Mama’s larder while enjoying the gentle winds, snow capped mountains, and perfect blue skies.
A remarkable docking and a quote from as Wilfrid put it “an old friend” and equal number of landings as departures. He said he thinks of Les each time he returns from a sail. That was special too.
We headed back to the house and managed to still each lunch. Alaska travel mate Judy arrived about an hour later and we compared each other’s Roadtreks and got acquainted. Judy and Wilfrid treated us to a great dinner and afterwards a round of dominoes ended a very satisfying day. Tomorrow Judy and I head north in tandem and will try out the walkie talkies I brought along.

Alaska Bound Days 20 & 21

Inside the ferry and Horseshoe Bay harbor

Day 20 Miles 59 plus by ferry from Horseshoe Bay, BC to Departure Bay,BC Rain had ended by morning but still threatening. I pumped out again and added water to the rear tank. I also tried to remove the bugs from the hood and clean other parts. I’ve decided to wait to do the complete job. It was just too cold. I left the campground around 10 a.m. and followed directions to a gas station to fill the tank. I also tried to stop by a bank but parking was impossible and I can find one on the island. Fortunately I was able to figure out my way the Highway #1 west which takes you to the ferry terminal. Ian and I had discussed the route yesterday and he also provided me with instructions to get to his Dad’s house from the Nanaimo ferry terminal. I was early and the ferry was late but that’s better than the opposite. I get to park with the trucks, buses, and other RV’s on the lower deck. It really is easier to load than with a car. I bought a cup of tea to have with my energy bar and apple, did some crosswords, read a magazine and looked out the window and the time passed quickly. I had observed our departure on the top deck but it was cold and windy. Unloading was easy but a bit of a shock to drive off into heavy rain. That continued off and on as I headed north. With Ian’s directions, I didn’t even put the address into Greta and the trip went smoothly arriving at Judy and Wilfrid’s at 3:30 p.m. Here the sun was shining and we soaked it up outside until the evening chill set in. They prepared a wonderful dinner and again rhubarb pie! I am really doing well traveling at rhubarb time! Activities are planned for the next couple of days plus hopefully a little maintenance work.
Day 21 After breakfast Wilfrid assisted me with a clean up of the house battery and a check of the water level which was fine. He removed the battery for this and use some sandpaper to clean the connections. He also cut down the size of one of the rods that holds down the battery which made it easier to secure. We sprayed the connections and then used white grease on the battery tray slides. I had some problems with the propane valve at Vancouver, and Wilfrid was able to loosen it. I tried the stove and refrigerator and both worked with the propane. Yeah! It’s so cold though that I’m not worrying about running the refrig. I have very little in it. This probably sounds pretty mundane but it is important to my travels. The tires also were checked and are holding the pressure just fine. Several have responded to my “shimmy” problem and I really appreciate the suggestions. I think the down shifting and watching my “coasting” speed are the solutions.
Afterwards we had a good walk but short of their “geo cash” site which is up a logging road off Chatsworth, their street (for all you geo cashers I’ll try to get more info.) Toby, short for Toberlone, their dog, was unwilling to go the whole distance and kept having sitdown strikes.
After lunch we headed into Qualicum Beach, a nifty town. There’s a wonderful garden, Milner, where Wilfrid volunteers his architectural skills. The garden was full of spring blossoms in addition to wonderful tall trees. After a driving tour of some of the waterfront houses, we went to the wonderful grocery store and then home to work on various projects. I thought I had somehow deleted my family history files. I won’t bore you with the details but what was lost, not seems to be found.
Tonight I introduced them to dominoes. After a slow start Wilfrid emerged the winner. We also contacted my Alaska “mate” Judy who is still working her way to the ferry in Anacortes and invited her to make her destination, Wilfrid and Judy’s house for tomorrow night. So tomorrow will be the big “get acquainted” day and then we’ll head north together on Friday.

Alaska Bound Day 19

Day 19 Vancouver BC Yesterday was quite warm and sunny. Today began very cloudy and tonight is steady rain. I had difficulty again with the credit card on check in yesterday so tried again today after a call to the company last night. Yes, they had a record I’d be traveling but they were just making sure it was me. This time it authorized. I pumped out the tanks and it worked ok without the “donut.” But as my Roadtrek friend Susan advised, it’s a lot smellier. I also filled the forward water tank. I made use of the lounge internet connection but it wouldn’t upload photos. Ian and his 2 year daughter Ginger, picked me up around noon to head for their house in the university area. They have really done a lot to enhance the 1930’s vintage house. We caught up on each other’s lives and watched the activities of the kids. Ian grilled great burgers and we all participated in the care and feeding of their various fish inside and out. Son Oscar performed on the recorder and daughter Dixie on the piano and sang an original song. All three are bright, inquisitive and active children. The rain had begun again as we headed back to the RV park. Somehow the driver’s side door had leaked because I had left up the “Skreez” over the window. Dumb. Anyway I removed them from both front doors; no need for ventilation tonight. I dried them with the hairdryer. Tonight I have been preparing for my ferry ride at 12:30 tomorrow by loading some food and reading, crossword materials as well as binoculars into the backpack. The ride is about an hour and a half so I doubt you stay in your vehicle or would I want to.

Alaska Bound Days 17 & 18

Day 17 Miles 354 Hope Idaho to Pendicton BC An early start, I was up at 6:30 and on the road at 7:30. Drove to Sandpoint where lots of activity and street closures heralded their “Lost in the Fifties” celebration. Cars from my teenage years (aged better than I have) were all around town. Amazingly I found a parking spot and then by foot was able to find Bank of America to deposit my checks. In addition to the Fifties folks. the Farmers market was busy setting up shop. I found the van again, plugged my days destination into Greta Garmin and off we went. It was a different route than I’d planned. Mine took me by a Shell station. I found another brand and filled up. Driving away I noticed I was headed southeast. I was supposed to be going north to cross into Canada. I turned around and headed back to Sandpoint. By now there were even more cars and people and a detour. Finally I found the sign pointing to Canada. I crossed the border at 10 a.m. and the only inquiry was whether I had weapons (I don’t). She didn’t even ask to see my passport!
The day’s ride was through some spectacular countryside and up and down mountain passes. A couple of times I had a shimmy while braking on the descent. I am not sure if I have a problem or if it was the road condition. It shook me up though. There are lakes all around and a number of resort type communities. I also saw bicycle riders everywhere. I haven’t seen so many in an area since I was in the Netherlands and Belgium. The area where Pendiction is located is known for its wineries and fruit production. Vineyards line the hillsides and fruit stands are everywhere though most were not open. The area reminds me of parts of Germany and even Switzerland. I missed one turn on the way the Shirley and Sid’s but Greta redeemed herself and put me on their street. They have the same model and year Roadtrek as I do but with some differences. We bounced between the two vehicles comparing them. They had formerly driven a Prevost Coach, a much larger RV. However they spent 3 months this winter in the RT in California and Arizona.
My first request was for a shower. How’s that for introducing yourself? Every campground either had no heat in shower or no water. Sponge baths were just not doing it. I felt like a new person and then I was feted to a wonderful dinner capped off by delicious rhubarb pie. We talked well into the evening. I also talked by phone to Judy who is now in Oregon. We are going to try to connect on Vancouver Island.

Day 18 Miles 244 Pendicton BC to Vancouver BC I was treated to waffles topped with a wonderful rhubarb sauce for breakfast. We toured their incredible garden with raised beds which Sid had constructed. I took photos to send along to the gardeners in my life. I was on my way by 9:45. It was difficult to say goodbye since I don’t know if we’ll meet again. They were so kind and generous and we had fun comparing adventures.
I had difficulty yesterday getting my first gas fill up in Canada. My credit card wouldn’t work at the pump and I had difficulty figuring out the liters I needed for a fill up. Consequently I was already down to a half tank so stopped on my way out of town. The card wouldn’t work again but this time the woman was nice enough to let me fill and then charge another card. The problem card is one I use in foreign countries because they do not charge a conversion fee. I had notified them of my travel plans so I’m not sure what is wrong.
Sid and Shirley had advised me on the route to Vancouver which was #3. It was again a most scenic trip full of mountain streams and up and down the passes. I shifted down on the downhill grades of 6-8% and never experienced that shimmy. I did see an accident which I suspect was a motorcycle that went over the barricade at the edge of the road and down onto the rocks below. This is what I surmised based on all who had stopped and were looking down. I continued on my way but was passed by 4 emergency vehicles heading from Hope BC up the mountain. I can’t imagine how they will reach the victim.
I stopped at a rest area near Hope and had a light lunch and reviewed maps and plans. I called Ian, a second cousin, who lives in Vancouver and suggested that Monday might be a better day to get together. It is a holiday in Canada celebrating the birthday of Queen Victoria! I wanted to stop at Minter Gardens on my way into Vancouver and knew I would be pushing myself to stop by his house as well. The gardens are in a landslide area and were begun in the 70’s. I really enjoyed stretching my legs and seeing all the wonderful spring flowers. A garden wedding was in progress and a singer was entertaining in another area.
Greta found the campground without a problem though traffic coming into town was quite steady and building. The Burnaby Cariboo RV Park has a lot of nice features but the spaces are really tight. I had a challenge backing into my site. My neighbors are a Dutch family from near The Hague who rented an RV in Calgary. They are half way through their 3 week tour of the area and said they had snow in the Jasper Banff area.
There are lots of families here celebrating the 3 day weekend. I imagine tomorrow night will be much quieter. There is internet service in the “lounge”. They also have a fitness center and indoor pool and a vehicle washing facility which I hope I can use before leaving on Tuesday. Big Mama needs a shower as much as Sandy did! I guess that stands to reason after 4044 miles since leaving Stuart. In a way arriving here ends a phase of the trip. The next miles will partly be by ferry so it will be difficult to determine and of course will save both the driver and the vehicle some stress and strain.

Alaska Bound Days 14-16

Day 14 Miles 228 The day began very overcast but seemed clearer looking west, my direction. The temperature was 36 degrees but I decided to add water to the tank. I took a photo of myself doing it with my ear muffs under my Roadtrek hat. I also was wearing a turtleneck shirt, wool sweater, lined windbreaker, and long underwear under my jeans. Fortunately the wind was calm. I proceeded to the sanitation dump station and all went well with the pumpout until the end when somehow the donut hose attachment that secures the hose in the pipe, fell down into the pipe never to be seen again. I know from experience it is expense to replace but as the day evolved I’ve learned they are difficult to acquire. I decided I should report it to the KOA office. It could cause a sewer backup. The maintenance man assured me that since he couldn’t see it there wasn’t a problem. It is quite a thick piece of rubber but at least I had notified them. He suggested I stop by a local RV dealer for a replacement and while I was there I could pick up some of their cheap propane. After some circling around, I found the dealer. They’d never heard of such a part nor was there one in their catalogue. The man sent to file the propane tank didn’t have a clue about the way the Roadtrek tank worked and since I’d never had it done before, neither did I. I think he was delighted when I said maybe I’d better find a Roadtrek dealer. The poor man had on a stocking cap and a lightweight jacket and looked more than eager to escape from the cold.
Onto I 90 westbound there were signs that there had been snow at the higher elevations. Some of the tree branches were snow laden. I took a photo at a rest area. My route foller the fast flowing Clark Fork river which was in Missoula (miss identified at Crooked River in Day 13) and the Lewis-Clark fault which according to the information is where the Rocky Mountains rose into being.
I had several tasks planned for the Coeur D’Alane ID area and people I met Monday had advised about a Bank of America location where I wanted to get some cash. There are no branches in Alaska. The teller used to live in the Stuart area! I then placed a call to a nearby RV dealer re the problem with my refrigerator pilot light. He pleaded backed up in the service area and suggested RnR in Liberty Lake “just across the line”. “ You mean the Washington State line?” I asked. Hard to believe I had to go to another state. It was actually rather close and I found the dealership without much trouble. They though said there was no problem with the refrigerator and thought I wasn’t turning on the gas far enough. (Not true) but they filled the tank and only charged me for the propane. Interestingly, unknowingly I drove away from there with the propane powering the refrig, something safety experts do NOT recommend. I was impressed by the dealership and delighted that they also sold Roadtreks. However they did not have a “donut” for the sanitation hose either. Meantime I’d called a dealer in Vancouver as well to see about an appointment for Monday only to learn Monday is a holiday in Canada. That may play into my plans.
So tonight I am in Farragut State Park in the Idaho panhandle. Can you name the states that have “panhandles”? I came up with Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho and Florida. There are only 3 of us in the campground and word is the temp could go to 32. Now it’s raining and more is predicted for tomorrow. I realize I don’t have a good map for British Columbia. Originally I thought I wouldn’t have to navigate past this area. That reminds me that some who are reading this might have wondered about Day 13’s “now we are 2”. So I will recap of how this trip has evolved. It started when I was recruiting people to go to Newfoundland in 2008. I met a couple at a Florida Rally in March of that year who said they were not able to make that trip but were planning on Alaska in 2010. I said that was my plan and to keep me informed. By fall they wrote up the trip for the Roadtrek Newsletter. The group was limited to 12 vehicles and commitment was needed by the end of the year. I signed on and sent the money requested which would cover the first and last nights camping and dinners.
As it turned out only 3 of us signed up and all three were women traveling alone, the other two coming from California, but who were not acquainted. Plans went back and forth. The couple would be driving from Florida so we would meet up along the way or at least rendezvous and proceed from Hope ID on May 15. Then on Easter Sunday the wife called and said her husband had sustained a very serious head injury and would be unable to travel for a year. I made an immediate decision that I would still go and asked her to convey that to the other 2 and I talked to them both by the end of the afternoon.
We three then began working on reservations and plans, picking up from the schedule the leaders had prepared but missing some of their details. Then as was written on Day 13, plans changed. again We knew about the surgery but kept hoping it would be benign. One could ask oneself “was this trip not meant to be?” Some considered it but with the economic situation, diminishing funds as investments plummeted, but I told myself, this is my year for this and I may not have another opportunity. Last year it was the gas prices and the idea of going on my own that made me hesitate about Newfoundland. Thank goodness I didn’t let that stop me. It was a wonderful trip. None of us knows what is around the corner. Setting goals for myself is part of me. This trip takes me to the four states I’ve never visited plus an area where Les served in the Army. I’ve reach Idaho after about 3500 miles. What awaits me, who knows? I certainly want to give it a try!
Day 15 Miles 54 It rained all night and continued most of the day. I was in no hurry. I didn’t have far to go and my only stop enroute was to poke around the town of Sandpoint. Since check out at the park wasn’t until 1 p.m. I decided to stay through lunch and spent the morning reading Michner’s Alaska. The sun would make brief appearances but soon the rain would come again. On the road to Sandpoint I some very heavy downpours. Fortunately my time in Sandpoint while cold was dry. I think Coldwater Creek my have started here. It’s listed in the “things to do” from AAA but the clerks were to busy to inquire. The town has some upscale shops and a great book store whose rent is pricing them out of the central business area.
I am now at Island View Campground Hope Idho. This was where our “tour” was officially to begin and I think it could have been a problem as there is a lot of flooding in the area including in the campground. My site faces a beautiful view of the lake but the road is on my back side so I may sense traffic in my bedroom tonight. The good news is that my mail has been received by the Hope post office thanks to sister Margaret’s diligence. They’ll deliver it to the campground tomorrow. The laundry has one of two washers not working. There’s no internet service so I’m not sure when these last couple of days will get posted. Fortunately I can get my email on my IPhone but that will change when I go into Canada on Saturday. I’m a day ahead which hopefully will give me an extra day in Vancouver.
Day 16 After a leisurely start I hauled my laundry up the hill only to find washers already in use. There are people living in trailers for the season and one of them, Dave, was doing his laundry. He’s in Bakersfield in the winter and up here until October. They are expecting a number of seasonal and part timers arriving today for the weekend. The washing machine repairman, Stan, arrived and the owners Misha and Steve were in and out. It was the most socialization I’d had for a while. The building is an old hand laid stone structure. This is a beautiful area surrounded by snow capped peaks and overlooking Lake Pend Oreille which is Idaho’s largest and deepest lake, at 43 miles long and 1,158 ft deep. The south end is more of a sailing area and also where Farragut State Park is located. The mail came after lunch containing a couple of checks which I’ll deposit on my way in the morning. I’m going to Pendiction, BC to visit friends of Judy, my Alaska travel mate. They were kind enough to invite me to stay at their house. My new boots from Target came in handy on the squishy ground in the area. On a personal note the Family Motor Coach Magazine had a piece on my sister Karen in the recipe section talking about Solar Cooking!! Next mail comes in Fairbanks.

Alaska Bound Day 13

Day 13 My site here at the Missoula KOA is M13 Hm-m-m could that be an omen. In short now we are two. Our trio of women travelers has been reduced to a duo today when that old demon breast cancer struck its ugly head and Sherrie’s lump turned out to be malignant. The good news is that the cancer was totally removed but the bad news is the doctor wants her to start radiation right away so she must give up the trip. She had done a lot of research and reservations for us so we’ll have a bit of unwinding to do. However I think through all this our lives have been wound together and Judy and I will miss her company even though we’ve never met and hopefully one day we will get together. She’ll follow along on our blogs and write one as well.
I was able to get out to see a bit of Missoula today. The Art Museum was closed but I found a great local gallery, Dana, and some interesting downtown shops. I also drove pass the university and took a brief walk along the Crooked Fork River. Missoula appears to be very bicycle friendly but today’s strong winds and temperatures in the 40’s were not conducive. I did do some shopping though. The Albertsons ad in the Sunday Paper caught my attention with some coupon doubling and 5 lbs of apples on sale. The amount I saved more than paid for the paper. Then I remembered that they may not let me bring the apples into Canada or the pears that are still ripening. I can’t say that was a problem last year though.
For my December birthday, my family gave me a video camera to attach to my bicycle helmet (yes you read that correctly). It’s been a source of frustration in that I had difficulty mounting it and even more difficulty using the various functions. The one video I took would cause motion sickness in most viewers. So I stopped at REI which is near the campground. I explained the problem to the young salesman and he tried it and he couldn’t get it to work. Since Emily is a REI member and did the purchasing they were able to pull up the transaction, get the amount and give me a credit for the price plus the 10.25 Chicago sales tax. I am impressed with that store. They also previously exchanged my camelback backpack when the fault was mine! So I proceeded to Target and finally found a speaker set to use with my IPhone. To my amazement there was no sales tax on the purchase. It seems to work well and I can play my podcasts and music and try to drown out the noise the propane furnace makes. So some good has come from this Day 13.

Alaska Bound Days 11 and 12

Day 11 Miles 160 The drive to Bozeman went well and the temperature went up to the 50’s. The dark mountains (basalt?) topped with snow made me think of dark chocolate cake with white mountain frosting. A rest stop along I 90 said this area was the Crazy Mountains but originally named Crazy Woman Mountains for a womean who went insane while traversing the area. Therefore I adopted them as mine! I took a photo of the sign but the view from the rest stop didn’t have a good look at the mountains. That is often the case. Incredible scenery but no place to safely stop. Emily called to wish me a happy Mothers Day while I was enroute but it took several tries to complete the conversation.
I was headed to the Museum of the Rockies which had been highly recommended. It is adjacent to the campus of Montana State and many of the dinosaur fossils and copies were discovered and researched by staff and students at the school. The exhibit was very impressive as were the stories of how the finds came about. In one case a woman was walking around while her husband was fishing and she spotted some bones. She took them to the university which resulted in a quite complete fossilized called E Rex I think. Then another case a staff member had gone off on his own for his picnic lunch during a research trip. While eating he looked up at saw what looked like a T Rex foot. He couldn’t reach it so went back to the research area and took a folding chair to stand on and determined it was indeed a “foot”. The size of the bones and feet are awesome. I also learned a new term “non-avian” dinosaurs” are extinct while the avian dinosaurs are our present day birds. They have been able to obtain DNA from some of their finds and the research is continuing to refute some old theories. Wish I could have retained more. I was tempted to stay another day and go again but certainly encourage anyone finding themselves in Bozeman to take advantage of it. The facility also has a planetarium attached where I saw a presentation on the Hubble “finds”. It made me appreciate the necessity of sending the repair launch tomorrow.
Heading out to the edge of town where the KOA was located I stopped for some skin cream—my skin is really dry, and a Sunday newspaper. First newspaper in a long time! I had visited with some campground neighbors in Billings who recommended I try KOA’s. I’ve stayed at a couple others but they seem high in cost and more family oriented. This one is ok and my site is fine. I have a great view of the sunset. Their internet works well and I again studied the weather forecasts and concluded I was best to go ahead to Missoula and stay a couple of days until a storm system passes through. The forecast seems to be less severe but still indicated to be hazardous with thunderstorms, high winds, and snow/rain. Not the best for driving if I can avoid.
Day 12 Miles 219 Another cold night but this was partly my fault. I forgot to turn on the propane. The electric heat sources couldn’t keep up with the cold and the propane heater cut off of course. The sun was high in the sky by 7 a.m. and I turned on the propane to heat the interior though I think it was warmer outside. I gassed up ($2.15) and was headed west by 9 a.m. The roads were dry but as I’ve seen a number of times recently, gates similar to those used at railroad crossings are along the road so that traffic can be stopped for road problems. Signs were still up cautioning “watch for icy spots” and areas designated for putting on and taking off chains all pointed to what the roads can be like. I have had two incidences of unexpected wind gust hitting the van. I was able to correct ok but it is a reminder that I have “windage”. The colors between Bozeman and Butte were browns and grays although there were interesting rock formations. The B cities, Billings, Bozeman and Butte, all strike me as sprawled out and the areas near the interstate are lined with old vehicles and equipment which is not a very appealing introduction to a town. It’s as though they’ve always had plenty of space so they don’t need to be conscience of land usage. At 10 a.m. I crossed the Continental Divide at about 6300 feet. It brought back memories of my first of crossing it when I couldn’t stay awake because of the Dramamine to ward off car sickness. My hosts that had invited me on the trip were a bit chagrined. I was 15.
Approaching Missoula there was more color with trees farther along than the other areas although this is further north. This KOA is quite large and backs up to a street full of stores including Costco and Lowes. My site is at the farthest end near a school bus lot. I feel like a bit of an outcast. (though I have more company than usual.) However they are doing some digging in the middle area which I suspect is some type of utility problem so it’s probably best to be away from that. I’m staying 2 nights and hope to use the time to catch up with some maintenance chores, perhaps get some propane, as well as some touring of the area.
The internet connection works well and I was delighted to receive some emails which told me I have some readers! I appreciate the feedback. As I said last year on the trip to Newfoundland, it’s like having company along.
I’m hoping to put up my photos to date (146). Try it with this link and you should be able to see as slide show:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sandy41mail/AlaskaTrip?authkey=Gv1sRgCPfxvenrorWQtwE&feat=directlink
Working on the photos has reminded me of many things I wanted to share that then fleet away when I’m writing. These include the fact that the rock formations in the badlands lose about an inch a year through erosion by wind and water. If that happened to me I would be gone 67 years, 67 inches! The buffalo at Custer State Park are rounded up once a year, vaccinated, tagged and some are selected to be auctioned off thus controlling the size of the herd. Be sure to look for the photos of the baby bison. There are quite small and must be fairly newborn.

Alaska Bound Days 9-10

Day 9 Miles 81 The best way to describe this day is COLD. I had difficulty convincing myself to crawl out of the sleeping bag. The reverse cycle air went on several times during the night but it’s not very effective when the temps get low. Tonight I put on the propane furnace but it blasts so I know I’ll wake up. Anyway I was actually on the road by 8 a.m. and headed for the Crazy Horse monument. You may have read about this incredible sculpture that is being blasted out of a mountain. The sculptor originally worked on Mt. Rushmore and was asked by the Lakota Indians to do one of Crazy Horse. To give you an idea of the magnitude, the Mt Rushmore 4 heads would barely cover just the head of Crazy Horse. It is far from complete with really only the face visible. Started in 1948 it seems they would be discouraged by the progress but it seems there are many supporting and believing in the project and it will be magnificent upon completion. It is a tribute to the Native Americans and a number of artifacts are in the museum complex.
There was snow on areas of the facility and as I drove out I noticed the temperature was 34! No wonder I was cold. Time to dig out my wool sweater. I bundled up good for Mt. Rushmore but somehow I couldn’t get too excited about spending time there. In addition to the cold the wind was very strong and it began to snow!
Off I went to Custer State Park which is beautiful with unbelieveable tunnels carved out of stone, but very small. Curves and switchback make for challenging driving while at the same time on the lookout for the various wildlife. Burros on the road vying for food, buffalos (bison) goats, deer, were among those animals I saw. I ate lunch at the Blue Hill Lodge and really liked the bison meatloaf.
Once back in Custer it was laundry time and then a quick grocery store visit. All day I had been trying to upload the blog but kept getting blocked in one way or another. Finally tonight I was able to at least load the verbiage. Photos will have to wait. Hopefully I will figure out how to do an album link this weekend.
I am debating my route from here. I’m back to thinking I’ll take 90 up to Montana. If it is this cold I may stay in a motel tomorrow night. I really need a hot shower and a warm bed would be nice. I prefer the camp ground life but I have to be practical. I saw in my AAA book that most of Yellowstone services begin May 30 so I want to get more information before I tackle that area. I’m sure if we are having snow here, they are also. My phone shows Stuart’s temperatures, about 40 degrees higher!
Day 10 Miles 341 I’ve reached Billings Montana. It was 39 about 8:30 when I pumped out my tanks. Br-r-r. The night was the coldest yet and I toyed with getting a motel room tonight. However as the day progressed I decided to try camping if the temperature rose above 50. Amazing how suddenly that seems warm. It was actually close to 60 and I lost no time heading for the showers after my 5 p.m. arrival at the campground. The prediction for the coming week includes hail and more low temperatures so I may yet succumb to a motel. Meantime I celebrated my stamina by having a great dinner with yesterday’s bison meatloaf, Mary Lou’s asparagus, one of the last of my homemade carrot muffins and some wine from Julien and Kate. With my clean body and hair I felt like it was an occasion.
From Custer I drove to Newcastle Wyoming and then on to Gillette where I picked up I 90. Not too far into Montana I stopped at the Big Horn National Monument. It is also a National Cemetery as well as marking the battle in 1876 where Custer was killed. There is a new monument to the fallen Native Americans and an emphasis on peace. Fortunately the intermittent rain I’d experienced held off during my visit here.
The area of Wyoming through which I passed was not scenic. Lots of oil pumps and in the distance long trains of coal cars and I saw one open pit coal mine. The only good thing was that the road had curves unlike the straight ones in South Dakota. Montana though seemed greener and more pasture. Billings however has a refinery and lots of industry along the expressway. I’m not sure if I’ll explore any before leaving tomorrow.
I’ve spent some time tonight researching alternatives for the coming week. From all I’ve been able to learn I could get into Yellowstone through the North entrance at Gardiner as originally planned but heavy snow is still being removed and the low temperatures for the week are predicted at 15. Since I’m not winterized, I’ve decided I’ll have to forgo the park on this trip. Hopefully a future one to Colorado will give me another alternative. As I suspected, I’m at least 2 weeks early for most activities particularly with the cold spring. There has been almost no traffic on the roads.
Emily contributed offsets to the carbon footprint I’m leaving with the trip as a mother’s day gift. She also gave me a gift for an Itunes credit. I’ll have fun deciding how to use that…Iphone apps? Songs? Albums?
I’m having difficulty downloading my email on the computer but fortunately it’s coming through on the Iphone. Happy Mother’s Day everyone.

Alaska Bound Days 6-8

Day 6 Miles 190 I left the Nauvoo campground around 8:30 a.m. Stopping at the toilet facilities, I met the park ranger who asked for the camping fee of $20. I had seen him driving around earlier. I’m happy to support the park system. The GPS and I agreed on the initial route though when I saw the ancient, seemingly decrepit bridge over the Mississippi River at Ft. Madison Iowa, I wondered if it was a good idea. There was a weight and size limit but I was ok with that. Lots of work going on but it looked pretty tired to me. I found Rte 218 which would take me north most of the way through the state. There was little other traffic except for between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. The rolling farm country with substantial looking farm operations was very pleasant. I couldn’t believe the growth around Iowa City where I spent four years in the 60’s. I didn’t go into town which is struggling to get back to normal after a massive flooding last spring. There was evidence of flooding around Cedar Rapids as well and many fields had standing water.
I found the home of Mary Lou and Janice after circling the block once. They toured “Big Mama” and I toured their wonderful garden. Later I enjoyed some of the early harvest of asparagus and rhubarb. At my suggestion, Mary Lou made the rhubarb a la Les Larsen: Cut in pieces and place in bowl. Microwave 5-10 minutes and then immediately stir in a container of frozen strawberries. We had it over ice cream and even Janice, who is not crazy for rhubarb, liked it.
I had decided I would try to get the oil changed here and discovered that the Chevrolet dealer in nearby Waterloo was also a Roadtrek dealer. They have a pit for changing oil and the whole thing didn’t take 10 minutes. I was able to see a bit more of the area without taking much time out of our visit.
Mary Lou and I reminisced about our Iowa days and caught up on family news. I also benefited from the fact that she and Janice had made the South Dakota and Yellowstone Park Circuits just a year ago. Janice had produced a great DVD with their photos using Microsoft Movie Maker, something I want to try. We went over maps and brochures and debated their route into Yellowstone through Wyoming and my plan to come down from Montana.

Day 7 Miles 378 After a wonderful breakfast of homemade waffles eaten with the rhubarb/strawberry sauce, we had a picture taking time with all three cameras inside and outside. Janice transferred some to my floppy so I could load them on my computer. I sent a couple off to our friend from freshman year, Cathy. Soon I was loading everything into the van and on the road. It wasn’t long until intermittent rain became the theme of the day until I reached southwest Minnesota. The roads were good and traffic light. I took 218 to 18 to I-35 to I-90 which will be my principle route until I get to Missoula, MT.
The South Dakota welcome center was not open but I was able to find the Corn Palace in Mitchell. It wasn’t difficult as there were constant signs for it all along the way. It is an interesting structure and used by the community as a venue for both sports and culture. Every summer they start taking the coverings of grass and various grains off and then attach “about 3000 bushels of milo, rye, oat heads, and sour dock tied in bundles” to the building. When the corn is available they render a local artist drawing using “over ½ million ears of corn.” It is quite something.
I found the Lake Mitchell campground recommended in my Fodor’s RV Book, and was able to secure a spot right on the lake. Though there are traffic noises, it is a delightful park and maybe the birds will muffle the trucks. So ends my first week. It has really gone quickly.

Day 8 Awoke to rain but fortunately before I reached the Badlands National Park the sky was almost cloudless. The drive there seemed particularly long. I had given Greta Garmin the day off and I misjudged the distance. The good news is that I gained an hour of time and now I am on Mountain Daylight Time. The Badlands rock formations really are a spectacular and more colorful than I would have imagined. Of course I wanted to pull off at every viewing site and walked a few of the short trails. The rattlesnake warning signs deterred much wandering. Discussions of the fossils found in the area very much tie into the book I’m reading. I took lots of photos and will have to do some culling.
The next stop was Wall Drug. Signs for it began miles before. I confess by the time I arrived I was so tired I didn’t even look around. I bought a couple of post cards and treated myself to a root beer float and passed on the nickel coffee and famous donuts. Others in the soda fountain were exchanging travel plans but I kept quiet until it was just me and another man who of course wanted to know where I was from (“you from around here?”) I don’t know why I was hesitant as he appeared very harmless but I gave some sketchy info. I then telephoned the campground I’d chosen, Big Pine in Custer close to Mt. Rushmore and just west of Custer St. Park. It’s the oldest town in the Black Hills. They’d just opened but don’t have water yet. I decided to go for it anyway and there was a discounted price ($18 a night). What I really was hoping for was their laundry facility but there is one in town.
Today I’ve felt more ahead of the “season”. Maybe it was the snow I saw along I-90. I guess they had some last Friday in addition to the 12 inches a couple of weeks ago. Now I hear that snow showers are predicted with 30 degree temps on Saturday. At Wall Drug I learned parts of Yellowstone are supposed to open tomorrow. I was planning to be there by Sunday. I’m looking at some alternatives and will try to get some weather info when I can get online. So far the temperatures haven’t been too bad for this thin blooded woman but that may be changing.

Alaska Bound Day 5

Photos: Joseph and brother Hiram Smith statue; Loon? Family

Day 5 Total miles 255 This was a touring day. After pumping out my holding tanks (always a fun job!), I headed for the marina and used their Wifi to upload the Blog, days 1-4 with great success. Then I headed for Hannibal following my own route much to Greta Garmin’s consternation (there is a better way! She kept repeating.) My route was about an hour more in time but it followed the mighty Mississippi along the Great River Road with limestone cliffs along the way. Evidence of flooding was to be seen and I suspect parts of the road had been underwater not long ago. Fortunately no problem for me but at times the water was not far from the road. Part of my ride crossed the Illinois River on a drawbridge we went through in 1997 on HOME JAMES return to Florida that year. I stopped and took a photo and noted how swift the current was.
Lunch was in Hannibal at Lula Belle’s next to the dike. Two of their 3 flood gates downtown were still closed and it appeared some city “honchos” were evaluating the damage at a new riverside park. By the way Lula Belle’s is also a B & B but originally was a bordello begun by a madam from Chicago in 1917 and continued in operation until the 50’s. I walked around the town. The trolley tour needed at least four people so I didn’t qualify but the walk did me good after the large lunch. Becky Thatcher’s house is under renovation as were some of the other buildings.
I then drove further up the river to Nauvoo Illinois. This was where Joseph Smith the original leader of the Mormons (He authored the Book of Mormon) established their base in the 1840’s and the town was comparable in population to Chicago’s at the time. Smith though was controversial and eventually murdered along with his brother. Much of the area is under restoration. I remember hearing of a lot of archeology work in the 70’s-80’s period and this is assisting them in their work. It appeared there’s a section being done by the followers of Smith who are a separate group from those whose base is in Salt Lake founded by Brigham Young who was active here as well. Then another restoration area is more secular but unfortunately I didn’t find that area until past closing time.
I am camped at the nearby Nauvoo State Park and my site is in a pine forest on a bluff so no flooding problems. However there are only a couple of others camped here. Tomorrow it’s a short trip to Cedar Falls Iowa where I will be visiting my roommate of 3 years at the University of Iowa . The last time I saw her was at Les’s and my wedding in 1992.

Alaska Bound Days 1-4

(L) Yurt & Big Mama at High Falls

Day 1: Total miles 529 Hello from High Falls Georgia about 50 miles south of Atlanta. I drove 529 miles today in a little over 8 hours. Except for some back pain in the late afternoon, it felt quite comfortable. The High Falls Georgia State Park is only a short distance from I 75 but a world apart from all that traffic. My campsite in the tranquil area overlooks the lake. I walked the rocky path next to the water cascading over rocks and experimented with my new camera. Despite the “stay off the rocks” sign there were people out in the water and sunbathing on the rocks in the warm weather.
It was pretty hectic getting the van packed and the house prepared for my 3 month absence. I had been collecting items for the last month and amazingly most of them made it into the van which probably means I have too much stuff. Time will tell. At one of the Roadtrek rallies, tips on packing the van were given which came in handy. Now of course the question is: can I find things? The refrigerator and pantry are particularly full. I won’t need to go to the store for some time.
So my 2009 journey has begun. There were lots of motor homes on the road today and I wondered “are any of them heading for Alaska???? “ It’s good to have you along for the trip!
Day 2 Miles on Friday 578 Writing on Saturday, May 2, 2009 from Dam West Campground on Carlyle Lake about 50 miles east of St. Louis. Yesterday was a 10 hour day with lots of rain but I made it the whole way for a total of 1107 miles from Stuart. This campground is great and my site is very large, made for a 40 footer at least. Good electricity but no water connection. There has been considerable rain in the area and many farm fields are flooded. Some of the campsites have pools of water but mine does not. I expect the mosquito population will be high soon. The birds are vocalizing and the trees are in early stages of leafing with that delicate green color.
I managed to drive through Atlanta without a problem but the rain started just north of there. Nashville was the scariest with a terrific downpour and the pavement starting to collect water. The signs are confusing enough with several interstates coming and going. I was amazed I made it through unscathed. Fortunately Big Mama with her size and lights is very visible. The problem was I couldn’t see so I just concentrated on the white dashed or solids lines and listened for Greta, the GPS . Debating whether to stop in the Kentucky Lake area mid afternoon, I decided to keep going when I learned from the radio tornado warnings had been issued for the area. All went well until a 10+mile backup on I57 heading north in Illinois. It was all due to a traffic merge into one lane for a 5 mile construction area. The delay added about 45 minutes to my long day but fortunately I had no difficulty finding the campground and arrived in daylight at 6:40 CDT. The first thing I did after plugging in the electric was to go for a long walk.
Day 3 This turned out to be an active day away from the van. Cousin Julien and wife Kate arrived late morning and were introduced to Big Mama. We had lots of catching up to do for the two year interval since we’d last visited. They took me into the town of Carlyle and treated me to a great lunch at Lubar, a second choice since their usual favorite spot left over the winter.
This is the start of their sailing season on Carlyle Lake, the largest lake within the boundaries of the state of Illinois. We spent the afternoon putting on the sails of their 25 ft Catalina. Kate worked below as I assisted Julien on deck. I enjoyed every minute of the work! No time for a shakedown sail as we had a date with my friends the Huhns at their nearby sailing association Derby Day Party. Kate provided me with a hat and we placed our bets on a “blind” chart. Our horses were revealed prior to the race. Goodies and fantastic mint juleps in authentic cups added to the celebration. Kate’s horse won the race and she won some money! No luck for me except in picking friends and family, the best kind of luck. Everyone had sailing in common and I felt part of the group, having done my part on the MARY ROSE that afternoon.
Kate and Julien headed back to St. Louis and the Huhns and I caught up over dinner in the town of St. Rose. Dave and I reviewed the Illinois map in preparation for my trip Monday to Hannibal, MO. I was back at the campground around 9 p.m. from a wonderful day.
Day 4 Rain again overnight, mostly cloudy day. I did some reading on South Dakota as well as my historical fiction Pictures from an Expedition about Montana at the time of the battle of Little Big Horn. I also rearranged some of the compartments. A long walk all the way to the dam caused me to plan to return with my bicycle. It’s a great bike path but long walk. I could see a sailboat race beginning on the lake. Some of those from last night’s party might be aboard. I’ve also been preparing for a 3 way phone call with my Alaska traveling companions. We are going over reservations, tours, etc. Emails have been going back and forth but it helps to all get on the line to go over details. We did it a couple of weeks ago and I hope we’ll do continue until they leave California around the 16th.
Here’s a recipe for all my living alone friends and the rest of you too perhaps: Thanks to Roadtrek friend Susan, I was introduced to the 1 qt. “slow cooker” or as I refer to it Crock Pot. She cooks in hers as she drives. I haven’t worked up to that but today tried doing it while staying put. I found the pot for about $10 at Walmart (as many of you know I don’t usually shop there). I had a frozen chicken breast from home and didn’t think I should push my luck keeping it frozen. Of course I forgot to thaw it but another recipe using frozen chicken inspired me. So I sliced ½ Vidalia onion and put on the bottom of pot; threw in about ¼ cup quick cooking, uncooked barley (are you following this?). I laid the frozen skinless ½ breast on top and poured a can of Delmonte Fresh cut zucchini that contains tomatoes. Just because it was handy, I added about a ¼ cup V8. Lid on, set on High and let it go for 6 hours. Notes: My chicken contained bones and I had to be careful not to eat them. Boneless would work better. I suspect it would cook on Low for 8 hours and I could have managed a shorter time on high. This may depend on thickness of chicken. Anyway it was delicious and will make 2 meals for me. It also added a good smell and some heat on a chilly rainy afternoon. Bon Appetite!