Day 22 Last Road Day- to Home

Driving along the canyon

245 miles today-Red Hill Rest Area to home. Am I happy to be home? Yes...and no. Coming into Hope B.C. and the freeway traffic was difficult. So much frenzy and it continued all the way home. That's why I came home today and took Monday off to give myself two days to transition back from the wilderness.

It was strange to have the luxury of time today. I wasn't up late reading about where I was headed and what areas I should stop at, including gas. My routine will be drastically changing now.

It appears to be hunting season in British Columbia. I've noticed several vehicles with the same ORVs in their pick up truck beds or towed along behind them that I saw in Alaska. And yesterday I saw the covered head and antlers of an elk in the back of one as it went by. I've been pondering the hunting frenzy in Alaska. I don't know that all of them respect the wildlife they kill or if they are trophy hunting for wolves. I do know that that is a good reason to reinstate the buffer around Denali National Park to protect the wolves and other wildlife there.

Alexandra Bridge

Alexandra Bridge trail

Looking downstream from the bridge

I stopped at the Alexandra Provincial Park in B.C. A short 10 minute forested walk leads to the 1926 Alexandra Bridge over the Fraser Canyon. It's got such character, unlike most of today's bridges. My photos are a little off because I was holding Templeton. The metal grate of the bridge deck had large holes which he couldn't walk on. As I drove over the new higher bridge over the river I came near eye-to-eye with a soaring turkey vulture. Such cool birds.

A small group of grazing bighorn sheep surprised me. They were behind a guardrail in the little community of Spence's Bridge. There had been several warning signs and lots of craggy cliffs for them to hang out on. I'm glad I was finally able to see a couple.

My time at the border took 5 minutes. Apparently I'm not the targeted demographic for the American border patrol. Five questions and off I go. I am not likely to go through the Sumas/Abbotsford border again. This time I got lost trying to get back to I-5. Did you know that downtown Lynden looks a lot like downtown Snohomish? Yeah, now I know because I couldn't figure out where I was and how to get out!! Fortunately, google can be helpful although I still got turned around a couple more times. Geez, I drove all the way to Alaska and back and then get lost this close to home... I did see a male peacock wandering around because of my "lostness."

Home! Let me in.

Parked and done

The house was still here and so is Twig however, he keeps running off. I think he got used to my son taking care of him and gave up on me and Templeton coming back. Feeding him in the morning may change his mind.

Wildlife- several bighorn sheep, magpies, kestrels, red-tail hawks, turkey vulture, peacock.

Lesson #22 You can find your way out of "lostness".

Day 10 Dawns a Glorious Day

Byers Lake

NOTE- I need to get out this morning and explore, so day 9 will have to wait. Unfortunately the wifi is non-existent at night due to all the folks here in the RV park.

Short drive today- only 124 miles from Byers Lake to Denali National Park Visitor Center and then backtracking to Cantwell RV Park. Feels pretty good. As I was leaving the Byers Lake campground I hit a puddle so deep I nearly lost the trailer! Lovely campground but I can’t say much for the unbelievable potholes in the gravel roads. This was also the first time I forgot to unplug the truck from the trailer so I was using the truck battery for my trailer lights last night. I don’t unhook the trailer since I’m only staying one night on the road. Fortunately, I have all LED lights inside the trailer so no worries- the truck started right up.

Old cabin along trail around Byers Lake

My first stop was the Alaska Veterans Memorial and Denali State Park Visitor Center- closed. Great view of the mountain, though. Off to Denali north viewpoint. Apparently there’s camping at both the Denali south and north viewpoints. Good to know but I’d take Byers Lake over them if it wasn’t full. At this time of year there were tons of sites when I pulled in. The maintenance guy at Denali North was cleaning the restrooms so I thanked him. I remember my friends from the North Cascades National Park days and the stories they told of cleaning up after visitors. Too often it's a thankless job. Great talk- especially the story of the woman who dropped her IPhone down a pit toilet and expected him to retrieve it. Not happening= get it yourself.

View from the Alaska Veterans Memorial

View from north viewpoint

I must have seen 30 tour buses today. After seeing how some of them and Greyhound bus drivers drive this past week, I’m not getting on one. They pass other vehicles in very dangerous areas (uphill, no-passing zone) and drive like maniacs.

Adolf Murie and wolves

Checked out the Denali National Park Visitor Center and was teary-eyed realizing that I made it, I’m here. I am experiencing a lifelong dream! Then I went to the bookstore on a shopping spree!

Murie Science and Learning Center

Talked to Sherrie at the Murie Science and Learning Center. I am so excited that I was able to visit the center. (I’ve also been to the Murie Center/Murie Ranch in Moose Wyoming). The Muries were amazing people- Olaus & Mardi and his brother Adolf & Louise. If not for these folks we might not have Grand Teton National Park and many other areas. Adolf’s work as a "real" biologist following wolves and studying them stopped the indiscriminate slaughter of the wolves to “save” Dall sheep. He proved that the wolves weren’t destroying the population of sheep. Mardi has a book or two out about hers and Olaus' life. Adolf’s classic the “Wolves of Mt. McKinley” is a good read. Olaus was also a wonderful artist. I could go on but you should google them and/or read their books. Amazing rugged strong individuals that studied wildlife on their turf- no radio collars, no darting, no intrusion. All of them were real movers and shakers in the conservation movement. Heroes of mine- can you tell? But I digress. 

View of Denali before getting to Cantwell

Sherrie told me she has met two other women traveling alone like me who were harassed at the Canadian border; one was held for 6 hours! I guess we look like terrorists. Plus, one of them was threatening to sell everything and buy a plane ticket to return home because the drive up here was so bad (Yukon I bet). Yeah- I’d like to bypass it and take the ferry but I don’t think that’s doable.

Guard bear in front of visitor center

For my transportation friends, I've seen many a poster board alongside the Alaska highways covered with 6-8 8 ½ x 11 pages of their construction SWPPs. They're  generally located where there’s no place to stop. Weird.

Denali National Park along Parks Highway

Wildlife seen- yellow-rumped warblers, dark-eyed juncoes, robins, gray jays, common loons, belted kingfisher, red squirrel. Seeing wildlife is pretty rare these days and driving doesn’t help. I’ve seen a variety of birds but couldn’t stop or they would stop and all I see is a little bird in fall colors. 

Lesson #10 The destination, once reached, is worth all the challenges overcome and the journey continues.

Countdown to Adventure!

Well, the truck is now outfitted with the cargo carrier (note it says Subaru LOL) thanks to my son and his friend. It was much more complicated than we expected; especially painful on a 90 degree day. The carrier is for lightweight extra items- toilet paper, paper towels, windshield washer cleaner, food (yes food because I unfortunately can't eat just anything or anywhere), blanket, etc. I am trying to be aware of the items I'm taking because more weight means lower gas mileage. However, I still have 5 gallons of water and 5 gallons of gas, and the generator, solar panel, food, blankets, maps, books, dishes, and on and on. It's challenging to know what I need while knowing I'll still have too much.

Today was a constant of running back and forth between the truck, trailer, and house (also household chores and cooking up stew and applesauce for the week). Packing was the priority. My son installed the new city inlet for freshwater so the benches are back together. Now to figure out what goes where. The house looks like a tornado hit it with bins and boxes and maps and books all over the place!

I have a very busy week ahead- job interview, dog vet visit (followup to him being sick last week), my doctor appointments, shopping, and getting ready! I was able to get a fair amount done today. There are items I can't pack until the night before- the same night Templeton will need to go back to the vet for either x-rays or a bordatella vaccination, depending on his condition. Now, really? I'm having so many second thoughts about doing this trip, yet I'm still going to head north next Saturday with a full trailer and truck and hopefully a happy healthy traveling companion!

I have a new Thetford portapottie which I love. Sounds weird but the previous sanipottie of unknown age failed a few times and that's just not something you want to happen when you're traveling. And emptying it was not pretty. Now I have a lovely new one that is reliable and easy to empty and clean. The last little fix for the trailer is figuring out how to hold it in place. That may be challenging.

I finally called the RV park near Denali to talk about reserving a spot not knowing when I'll be there. Fortunately they're pretty laid back except I need to give them several days advance notice for dog sitting. Hopefully, she'll have the days open. They charge extra but Templeton gets personal attention along with her dog. I'm more than happy to pay for that. I plan at least two days of the 8-10 hour bus ride so he'll be spending some quality time with her.

I'm not sure I'll have time to write again for awhile so I sign off with- here I go making everyone around me either envious or wondering what the hell is up with this crazy 50-something woman! My answer: LOVE LIFE EVERY MOMENT! Chase that dream, push back the fears, follow your heart and soul to where you want to go. "A grand adventure is about to begin." Winnie the Pooh

My destination!

The Beginning- Planning

Planning for a 3 week road trip where I will be towing a 13-foot fiberglass trailer seems like a crazy idea to many. I'm nearing 60 with a little pom-chi dog, Templeton, and a bucket list that needs fulfilling. I apparently have a great sense of adventure albeit within safe limits. There's trepidation in a solo trip of over 2,000 miles one way with Denali National Park as my destination.

I have a box of brochures, and tour books, and many maps for my planning and I still haven't figured out how long it will take me to get there, where to stop, or where to stay. How much money should I budget? Wait- should I have some Canadian cash? Can I use my debit card at campgrounds? Where are all those pull offs for a quick overnight stay?  Most importantly, where are the natural wonders and wildlife spots I shouldn't miss?

This is a trip I've wanted to do all of my life. I'm nervous and excited and ready for it. Three weeks of solitude is attractive. Time to reflect, time to listen- to my inner voice, to the wilderness, to the critters. Time to find the part of me that was lost in the last few years.

"The mountains are calling and I must go!" John Muir

Whistler pull off in North Cascades National Park