Well, here's the problem:
There was a time before digital cameras - I know, its difficult
to believe - and our trip to Alaska was pre-digital. So,
although we have maybe 19 rolls of 35mm pictures and 7 hours of
videotapes, I've not really been able to post them here. We
(actually Jackie) kept a journal from all our trips. This
started when Jackie's mother gave us the original journal before we left
for Alaska. Jackie has kept it faithfully for all trips and
its become invaluable. To make a long story a bit shorter, we did
have the journal posted for some years. upon popular demand,
we would consider making all journals available.
If you want to ask about our Alaska Trip, drop us a note. Until then,
this summary will be all that remains.
It's
the Journey, not the Destination!
Alaska Trip
Complete Journal
- - An Overview -- An Accounting - -
Maryland
to Alaska Trip Statistics:
 | we took 35 days to complete the journey; traveling 12,456 miles |
| we visited 22 states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana,
Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico,
Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
| we visited two provinces: Alberta and British Columbia
| we visited one territory: the Yukon
| we drove the length of the ALCAN, the Alaska - Canadian Highway
| we spent over 20 hours on ferries; the longest trip was the 15 hour
voyage from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy
| we visited 15 National Parks, 12 in the United States and 3 in
Canada: Theodore Roosevelt, Glacier, Denali, Golden Spike, Bryce
Canyon, Glen Canyon, Navajo, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison,
Jefferson Memorial Expansion Arch, Lincoln's Boyhood Home, Yoho,
Jasper, and Kulane Reserve.
| we visited a number of parks which are either privately managed or
Indian reservations: Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods, Oregon Trail
Interpretive Center
| we visited too many state or provincial parks to mention, but the
more memorable were: Sand Bar, Lakelse, Liard Hot Springs, and Stone
Mountain
| we spent $307.67 on gasoline; as high as $2.80 (Canadian) a gallon,
had two oil changes, but not one flat tire, no broken windshields or
headlights - we averaged 28 mpg, overall
| we took 14 cassettes of video tape (7 hours), and 19 rolls of 35 mm
film
| we saw salmon spawn, three types of bear, white-tail and mule deer,
caribou, antelope, elk, coyote, fox, mountain sheep, mountain goats,
moose, prairie dogs, buffalo, hundreds of birds, and the ever popular
Columbian ground squirrels
| we found rodeo's where ever we visited; could not find a room in
over a 300 mile radius one night due to a combination of a rodeo and a
pow-wow. We were lucky enough to see the Alaska State Fair in
Fairbanks
| we had one rule: if we wanted to see something, we saw it - we had
only one scheduled event or reservation the entire trip! This caused
many tradeoff's ; the most significant was we didn't drive up to the
Arctic Circle, but the tradeoff was we had a full day to slowly visit
perhaps the most beautiful place on earth: the Skeena River
| we normally put in a twelve hour day - leaving about seven a.m. and
finding a place to stay about seven p.m.; the typical day found up on
the road about six hours, and stopping to see sights about six
hours.......
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In Conclusion
Our Thoughts, When Home at Last
The trip ends 35 days later with everyone covered with the remainder of the red dust from Monument Valley,
road weary, tired of the motels, the strange beds, and having the hum of
the highway in our ears; anxious to find out about family and friends.
Our
heads are filled with too many sights and sounds, as we struggle to
organize and reconstruct the trip, as we remember with wonder the
magnificent things we've experienced. We're ready to stop, unpack and
unwind. Yet, if you'll look real close, you'll see a smile on our face;
we're already planning our next trip.....
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