JerrysJourneys

Finally after 5 days on the road, departing from dangerously close to the Bering Sea, traveling through 4 time zones, 4 Canadian territories, and traveling east across the North American continent (north of America), we are poised to reenter our homeland. Tomorrow we turn south to the U.S.A. Alabama lies 2300 miles south of here. We should cross the border around 3:00 CST tomorrow. While we have left the Rockies behind us, the terrain is still very pretty. There are rolling hills, heavily forested areas, oil fields, and thousands of acres of yellow fields of canola. This has been a memorable trip, one we will talk about and remember for a long time. I did have to buy another gallon of windshield washer fluid today. I know it is hot at home. These people up here fuss if the temperature approaches 80*. Just remember, in the winter if it gets down to 32* we are very cold. Their frost will start in a couple of months and their temps go below 0* and stay. When the Canadian Clippers come t...

Today marks our 3rd day in Canada. Last night was spent in a very nice log cabin on the banks of Muncho Lake, said by some to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. I could not argue. Our cabin did not have dark curtains, so we woke early due to the sunrise. (around 5:30) we got up, Linda made coffee and cooked breakfast. We were underway by 7:15am. This worked out well, because we began to see animals at every turn. We saw moose, deer, Stone Sheep (Goats) and caribou. We saw them several times. I have found this trip to be one of extremes. Extreme beauty and extreme distance. The pictures we have taken does not do justice to the natural beauty around us. We left the ALCAN highway at Dawson Creek. We drove it up and we drove it back. After leaving Dawson Creek we continued on to Grande Prairie, Alberta. The terrain was rolling plains and agricultural in nature. Many of the fields were solid yellow with Canola being grown. We passed an elk farm and a caribou f...

The day started off well. We slept in, had a late breakfast and got on the road around 9:00am. We stopped in Watson Lake and gassed up and took pictures of the signpost forest. The first sign was placed in 1942. They now estimate over 70,000 signs are there. Montgomery is 3758 miles from Watson Lake. We had a good drive through the mountains. I put my last gallon of windshield washer fluid in the truck.. I have used 3 gallons so far. We did not see any animals until we got near the end of today's drive. Then we drove through 2 Bison herds, saw one black bear and as we turned into our cabin, a caribou. Tomorrow's destination is Grande Prairie, Alberta. About an eight hour drive. We will get off the ALCAN highway at Dawson Creek. This has been a journey through history. The fact that many of the men who made this highway possible are still alive made the trip special. If everything goes well we should be back in Alabama next Wed. Jerry

We started off today getting the tire replaced. The mechanic that worked on the tire wanted to know where we were going to next. I told him I was going to the USA. (Not that I did not think of Alaska as a part of the USA) The tire was replaced and it took three of us to restore the spare. What a job. Next time I'm calling AAA. The weather was good, the border crossing uneventful and on to White Horse. Today there were no animal sightings. Just a nice drive through the vast countryside. We arrived in White Horse and checked into a very nice hotel, the Gold Rush Inn. Gas is back up to $4.40 per gallon. We will leave next am for Muncho Lake in British Columbia. Cell service is very sporadic, but texting is available and facebook works the best of all. Jerry

As Geoff Darling said," you know when you get to Alaska, you have to do a u-turn and come back". Well today is u-turn day. We left Soldotna this morning for Tok, AK. But before we left, I called Auburn University and told them about my new Auburn friend in Alaska. Coach Chizik is sending him an autographed picture thanking him for carrying the AU flag in Alaska. We headed for Anchorage, then to Tok. I stopped at a service station in Anchorage to have a tire checked. The pressure sensor said the tire was low. The mechanic said the tire was OK. We headed out. When we got deep into the mountains on the Glenn Highway the tire sensor said a tire was low. Sure enough, the tire was low, then flat. A couple from Kentucky stopped by to assist. About an hour later we were underway. I called ahead to make arrangements to have the tire repaired tomorrow. Jerry Hankins called to see how the trip was going. I told him we were stranded in the mountains with a flat tire, in a ...

To days travels took us to Seward, AK. The city was named after William Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State, who engineered the purchase of Alaska from the Russians in 1867. Seward's history dates back to 1792 when a Russian explorer first discovered Resurrection Bay. It also saw life as a Gold Rush camp in the late 1800's. A quaint little town, with a mixture of old and new structures. It also the beginning of the Iditarod. Fishing, camping, hunting, skiing, sailing or just exploring, Seward has it all. While we did not do any of those activities, we did have the opportunity to see the Exit Glacier, a part of the Harding Ice Field. Very impressive. If you have occasion to travel this way, stop by Seward. After leaving Seward we headed back to Soldotna. We had seen no animals today, until we got into town. Another moose. Picture posted. When we neared our cabin we met a pickup truck, with AuburnTigers on the front and back and War Eagle on the sides, in big ...

After a delicious breakfast of a bagel w/cream cheese, we set out for Homer. After turning on to the main highway we saw a moose in a field by the road. Took a picture and continued on. Another pretty drive down the peninsula. Arriving in Homer we drove out to the Homer Spit. This is the anchorage for all the fishing boats in Homer. It is also the home base of the "Time Bandit". Known by those who watch "Deadliest Catch" on t.v. We had a lunch of halibut and scallops at a local restaurant on the spit. I asked our waitress about the "Time Bandit" She said they moor next to our restaurant, but were in the Bering Sea, fishing. After lunch we toured Homer, stopping at the "Muldenberry Store". After buying much needed Alaskan souvenirs, we continued on to "Old Kenai"( bunch of dilapidated buildings) and then to Kenai. The weather today has been rainy and cold. Temps range from 48 to 57 degrees. I was glad when it got warmer,...