Settling into Seward

I was sitting here, this evening and I realized that I have not posted anything to the blog for a couple of weeks now.  We have been going at what seems like a whirlwind pace.  Of course, it is not really a whirlwind, it just seems that way from the perspective of rapid change.  Most days, I get up early, work hard all day and go to bed tired but happy.  Life is good here.

As Susan mentioned previously, I got a good job at Icicle Seafoods (Seward Fisheries), here in town.  It will be an easy walk from our new house (rental, not purchase) and is year-round employment.  That is a real plum, in a town which runs on seasonal tourism.  I am making and fixing and doing, professionally, things that I used to do as a hobby.  It is hard work and I love it.  The people are friendly and interesting and interested in each other.  It is just a fine place to work.

After five weeks of living in the trailer, it looks like we will be getting into a house next week.  That is a really fine thing, as it has started to get cold here and waking up with the temperature, inside, at around 50 is briskish.  It will also be nice to have inside plumbing and not to have to walk across the driveway to impose on Lisa and Larry and their family.  Their generosity has been beyond description.  They have allowed us to live here and shared their facilities with such grace and good humor and true humility of spirit (in its proper sense, not its cartoonish sense) that we hardly know how to thank them.  Indeed, the only down side about moving into our new house will be not being able to visit quite as easily.  Although I hope that we will be in and out of each others houses with a frequency approaching that which we enjoy now.

We are really looking forward to unpacking the moving van.  I cannot tell you how many times I have wanted something, only to realize that it is on the truck.  We will be back in our own bed, with our own chairs, and all our Stuff.  There is even enough room for it all, I think.

The credentialing process, for the prison ministry is proceeding at its own pace.  I have made contact with the part time chaplain who has been enormously helpful and has made me feel welcome.  He has also put me in contact with the local Kairos organization and I will be going inside for a weekend in January.  I do not yet know just what form my ministry will take here.  It will be as God and the Holy spirit want it to be.  I am a willing tool of Their great work.

Susan has, by virtue of her determination and creativity, found a part time job, kid wrangling, for a local daycare.  She will be working about 20 hours a week and will be beginning a major push on the Cake Front.  She is amazing!  She has also gotten back into the pool which has been a real blessing for her.  She is still on the hunt for an Avon lady, but I am sure she will bag one soon.

We are both losing weight and getting disgustingly healthy.  It is all this clean air and good living which is doing it, I think.

So that is generally where we are right now.  I will post some typical pictures of Seward and the surrounding area soon.  Until; then, here are a couple of teasers.  God bless you all.

Susan's Perspective--On Location

Okay, okay, folks---so sorry there have been no follow ups.  My fault!  We have been BUSY!
  We are still living in our Cozy Camper in the driveway of  our dear friends Lisa and Larry and their two ADORABLE children.  Ethan, the youngest, has my heart  wrapped around his little finger.  Joel is quiet and intense and SO bright.  We are so blessed to have their help and support.
   WELL--where to start.  First, the pertinent stuff.  After 16 months of being unemployed in Richmond, Vernon , within  2 WEEKS,  got hired on at the Icicles Seafood Seward Fishery as a plant engineer.  He is one of 5 guys who keeps the machinery up and running.  It is a big job--8-4:30 m-f.  And he loves it.  He started last Monday.  He is getting his hands dirty, wearing jeans and  and  knee high Extra Tuffs boots, and is a VERY happy camper.   He is one of   The Guys,  and has quickly made friends.  Right now the plant is heading into the slow time of year--40 employees.  In the summer, it swells to over 400, with on-sight housing for the workers who are seasonal.  And his work-week will expand to 60 or so hours a week, with overtime pay. The money is good.  Most important of all , his self esteem has returned, and he is happy.  I take him to work each day--5 minutes away, and  at 4:30 I pick up my smiling, grinning blue collar worker.
      I had an interview today for a job, and I continue to look.  The pastry school  is not hiring right now,  but I plan to pester them on a regular basis.  I already know the head pastry chef--we plan to lunch next week.
       We have settled into our new church, St. Peter's Episcopal,  downtown.  Vernon has submitted his paperwork to begin prison ministry.  He met with Pastor Dave from Soldatna last week.  He heads up the program here in Seward, and said they had been praying for a person to take it over here.  And Vernon called.  So they are wasting no time in getting him cleared.  Again, Vernon is happy. 
        In these three weeks, we have met so many people, and they are all so warm and welcoming.  This is a small town.  It has the atmosphere of  Mayberry.  I kid you not.  Folks smile here.  They wave to you as you drive or walk by.  You are greeted in the street with a handshake or a hug.   Children play outside, and ride bikes all over town.  "Rush hour" lasts 5 minutes, and  means that at Nash road, it will take an extra 3 minutes to make the left going downtown.  Downtown is  6 blocks,  27 corners,  no stoplights.  Speed limit is 25, and EVERYBODY obeys it.  No buildings are over three stories high.  That's the law.  It is immaculately clean because people CARE that it is.  Everybody knows everybody, and are more than happy to help you solve a problem, or find somebody who can.
          We arrived at the perfect time, as the tourist industry is closed for the year.  We looked at a house to rent the other day that we both liked alot.  Has a view if the Bay.
           I am still overwhelmed at the beauty here.  We have spent our free time walking on the docks, watching  otters play,  talking to the fisherfolks as they come in and out,  and taking in the incredible sea air.  It is so clean here  that it takes some getting used to.
           So--we have  settled in.  Winter will be here soon, and the snow.  No wondering if Christmas will be white.  It goes with the territory, and oh, what beautiful territory it is!

Susan's Perspective

I am, three days later, still pinching myself.  We are well and truly here.  We arrived on a sunny day, stopping at the local Ace hardware store so Vernon could pick up a shipment.  A huge cruise ship was in port, and the place was full of tourists.  But we ain't tourists no more!  We are HOME, and we were expressing our jubilation with hugs and tears.  Made friends within ten minutes.  Folks we did not yet know were welcoming us...the salesman at the hardware store, the lady out front who liked our camper, the engineering recruiter Vernon met.  And the tourists were watching and listening with gazes of envy.   I felt like yelling "WE don't have to leave again....!"  The mountains were glorious across the bay.  The drive from Anchorage to Seward was so familiar; we had driven it four times on our last two visits.  The highway  runs along the Kenai Fjords,  where earlier in the year you can see whales  breaching.  The mountains all along the drive are so high you  can't see the tops due to clouds.  And covered with snow and glaciers.  Beauty such as this cannot be described.

View From St. Peter's

  We are camped in the driveway of our dear friends Larry and Lisa, and their sons, Ethan (5) and Joel (10).  We're "plugged in" and comfy, surrounded  by snow covered mountains and tall sweet pine trees.   Friday we spent at DMV, the post office, the bank, and picking up job applications.  Also rented a storage unit down the street.  We have unloaded the pickup truck, as well as the stuff in the camper we stored.  It has been a couple days of work. 
  Last night, we went for ice cream, and a walk in the rain on the docks.  Folks were coming in off the water, with enormous fish  We watched them hosing off their boats, unloading gear, and swapping stories.  Vernon had a ruddy glow about him.  His smile is quick to his face now.  He is living near the water again, and breathing salty CLEAN air.  It was not long before he was engrossed in conversation with these fisherman, talking boats and tides and rudders.  He is happy.  And I am blessed to be married to this man who guided us thru 4,567 miles of terrain to get us here.
   As we knelt in church today with our new family around us,  I  thanked  our God who was with us every step of the way, and who continues to guide us here.  Every new face we see has greeted us with  genuine warmth and  handshakes, if not hugs.  We are here because He wants us to be.  We still have alot to do...a house, jobs, etc, but we will do the work to make that happen.



    To all of you who have followed our journey, it is not over yet--we will continue to update.  But I also want to thank you for  your prayers.  You know who you are. 
    And to those of you who think a dream cannot be achieved,  I say YES it can.  Get out from behind your desk and DO it.  This life affords you one go 'round.  DON"T waste it wishing.  Get off your butt and SEE THIS COUNTRY and meet the people who live "out there"  on the road.   Take it from me...it is worth EVERY mile.

Home, at last

Dear Friends,

It is with great joy and tremendous humility that I tell you that we have made it to Seward.  We arrived last Thursday, just as predicted, to find such a welcome as could not be imagined.  We laughed, we cried, we did the "happy dance" on North Harbor Street, to the bemused gaze of the cruise ship tourists and the locals alike.  Everyone we have met has been just as kind and pleasant as you could want, with the possible exception of the surly bus driver in whose space we had briefly parked our truck and his shoes probably were pinching him..

So we got here and found a space to park the trailer with some very kind and lovely people who have made us feel welcome like family.  Ten minutes after we hit town, I met an engineering recruiter who asked me to shoot him a resume this weekend.  Susan also met, at about the same time, someone who wants to buy our Airstream.  Everywhere we turn, we are finding our hopes and dreams fulfilled.  God is good.  I mean, REALLY Good!

 

This morning, we got to worship with our new church family at St. Peter's Episcopal, here in Seward.  It was such a joy to finally be able to bow before our Lord, in the company of these dear, good people.  What a blessing!  This truly is a church family and we are so blessed to be here.

I met some wonderful people, this morning, who know the people to talk to about getting my prison ministry going.  After all these months of spinning my wheels, with ministries that did not ever quite get around to doing anything, it will be wonderful to get back into the field to serve.  Of course, there will be a period of background checks and reality checks of various kinds, but I feel like I am moving forward again.

I will be keeping this blog going as the ministry here develops.  Keep watching.  God is going to do some amazing things!

Susan's Perspective

It's HUGE, it's white, and  it sneaks up on you as you go around a bend in the road.  And it is still over 100 miles away.  Denali.  The High One.  Mount Mckinley.  Another one of those breathless moments.  The mountain welcomed us today.  Not everybody is that lucky.  It is only visible 20% of the year.  As we got nearer, the clouds around the base dissapated, and it was sharp and clear.  It followed us for about  75 miles, showing us its different sides.  Then, just as quickly, it was engulfed in its own weather system.  That's okay, I think we will see our friend again.  We live in the same state now!

Susan's Perspective

Frost heaves, No, it's not what you get when you drink too much in the cold. For those of you in Richmond, remember the excitement of you and a carload of friends careening down Cherokee road at 50 miles an hour and becoming airborn? Well, this last part of the Alaskan Highway in Canada has been like that, except you go 20 miles an hour, for 128 miles, and the thrills are closer together. Let me define this for you as I de-stress. The upper part of the highway is built on permafrost, which has a depth of about 160 feet. You cannot see it---the roads look normal. But permafrost melts and re-freezes under the road beds. Hence, the effect is swells and/or cracks in the road. Now, imagine going over these in a pickup truck, pulling a 30ft camper. Oh, joy. I am very glad I am not prone to seasickness.....! And the cats were sedated. There are actually long stretches where it is smooth, and we are told the road crews have made vast improvements over the past year. And honestly, it really is NO fun traveling without some adventure, eh?


Yesterday, as we approached the drive around Kluane (Pronounced clue AN nee ) Lake, we saw snow covered mountains and glaciers for the first time. You will have to forgive me if I overuse the word breathtaking, but it's the only one that applies. The St. Elias Mountains. It is late fall here, and the mountains are getting their coats on.. We stayed in a campground last night that was surrounded by them. As I walked to the loo at dusk (10:45 pm) I stood there and listened to the mountains. They do have a song in the silence. It's the way the wind plays with the peaks and valleys. It is the voice of God at times, telling me to STOP and listen to the grandeur He has given us, to appreciate more than just what the eye can see. These mountains have been here for millions of years, and will continue to be for many more. I feel like such a speck, but at the same time, He gave them to US to gaze at , and listen to, for our short time here. Wow.

Today was a Big Day in the scheme of our travel. Twenty miles outside of Beaver Creek, we saw the sign that said “Welcome to Alaska” and then the border station was up ahead. I LOST it, totally. I could not keep the tears back. This was what we had striven for. This was to be HOME. As I rolled up to the window after Vernon had gone through, I was a mess. I handed over my passport, was asked some questions, and then the guard looked at me and handed the passport back with a warm smile on his face and said “Welcome home”. I pulled up into a parking slot next to Vernon. We both got out of our vehicles and just rejoiced for a few minutes. Lots of hugs and tears. Recovery ensued, and we were back on the road...a road, I might add, in considerably better shape I loved Canada, but there is something about seeing the flag in front of you, and not in the rearview mirror, that makes your heart swell. Welcome home, indeed.

There's no place like home...

Ever since we left Richmond, and indeed, even before then, I have been concerned about the end of the Alaska Highway. I had been told that the road was steep and windy and very rough, with the surface totally broken and distorted by the thawing and freezing of the road bed. Well, yesterday and today, we finally got to the part that I had dreaded. Yesterday we traveled a bare 200 miles to find that the place where we had wanted to stay was full, yea, overfull of Airstream trailers. They had 33 Airstreams in a campground meant for 16. Packed in cheek by jowl. It was a caravan passing through. We had fun with the Wagonmaster for a brief while (“What do you mean we can't come in. This is an Airstream isn't it?”) and then retraced our steps 11 miles back to Destruction Bay, where we got a nice space and a good dinner. A Good nights sleep and on the road again.

More frost heaves, more broken pavement, meandering gouges in the pavement. The stuff of nightmares. We traveled 128 miles in 3 ½ hours. Not spectacular time, but at the end, we were at the US border. Now please do not misunderstand me, here. I REALLY like the Canadians. They are kind, friendly, polite and just as welcoming as any people can possibly be. Their contry is beautiful and they seem far more carefree than the Americans I k now. But there is just something about coming up over a ridge and seeing Old Glory waving from atop a pole that makes me choke up a little.

We passed through customs with minimal effort and, after a brief boo-hoo and a prayer of thanksgiving we got back on the road to Tok. With the improved road surface, we did the next 90 miles in just under two hours. We actually found someone going slower than we were! And we passed him! We arrived in Tok at about 3:30 and found ourselves a nice site at the Sourdough Campgrounds, We are finally Inside.

Tomorrow Glennallen, Wednesday Anchorage and Thursday, home to Seward. It hardly seems possible. It feels like we have been traveling for months. I can hardly wait.

Susan's Perspective

Clean air, sweet water, crystal blue skies, the smell of pine trees and campfires.  Heaven, absolute heaven.  I woke last night at 4 a.m, and walked to the loo.  I looked up, and for the first time ever, I could SEE the stars.  It was like a blanket of diamonds cast into the sky.  It was amazing, and it only gets better from here.  Temps are comparable to late fall there.  No more wilting in drippy, damp heat.  I feel like my soul is waking up from a long sleep.
   We have met some truly amazing people, including Bob and Bobbette.  Folks greet you as you walk back to you camper, and conversations just spring up naturally.  It's a sense of  camaraderie simply because everybody has come from somewhere and is going somewhere.  Lots of stories to share, and sometimes you feel  sad to part.  But we will keep the memories.
   We've not taken alot of pictures, because this kind of travel, with two vehicles and not alot of shoulder space on the road,  does not lend itself well to stopping.  We have encountered  moose, and sheep, and best of all, a whole herd of buffalo in the road.  You just gotta wait.  These are NOT cuddly creatures--I prefer to stay IN the car rather than get out as other folks do and go  "Here, kittie, kittie......"  I think NOT! 
     Yesterday at the hot springs was just the best.  They have two pools, connected by underwater doors; each pool is a different temp.  One really warm, the other hot.  A very social environment (YES we were clothed, as was everybody else, in bathing suits.....)  Popped out at one point for lemonade on the terrace, and a chat with a couple from the UK.  Back in to soak out more toxins.  So VERY bohemian.  Felt like Gumby all the rest of the evening...no complaints there!  It was the perfect cure for Rocky Mtn Nerves.  That and a spaghetti dinner...
       About the chef at Toad River.  We ate in the very rustic little restaurant there.  The chef there had been professionally trained and had been with the Sheraton hotels for quite awhile.  Got sick of the rat race, and moved up into the Rockies.  Walked into this little Mom and Pop campsite concern, and was hired within ten minutes.  He LOVES it.  And his food is REALLY good.  He has studied pastry on his own, and bakes all the breads and morning sweets every day.  Consequently, this little campground is THE place to stop to stay or eat.  The places Up There are all very rustic...mostly cozy log cabin construction.  Locals breeze in and out, and are always interested in what is going on Out There.
         So we go on tomorrow, on the last big push North to the border.  I will be  a little sad to leave Canada in two day's time.   We have so enjoyed every aspect of it.  The beauty of the place is overwhelming.  The other day, coming down out of the Rockies, we had long distances of  comparatively gentle ups and downs.  We  passed under rain squalls every five minutes, on and off, on and off.  The sun would peek out, then it was dark again.  but we could see a long way off.  At one point, we came over a rise, and a storm was moving across a valley, carrying with it virtual curtains of rainbows.  I could not breath.  The rainbow is God's promise that His Word is true.  It was, to me, a gift for persevering.  I will never forget that sight.  He has been  with us all along, and I felt He was reminding us He is still there.  Wow.

When last we left you, dear reader......

We had just spent a pleasant night at Pink Mountain, BC.  That was a reasonable nice site, for a work camp.  That is to say, it had nice restroom facilities and LOTS of construction workers staying there on a more-or-less permanent basis.  Nice folks, salt of the earth types.  We enjoyed ourselves.

The next day's journey started off about 9:00, as usual.  Since we were well and truly into the Rockies by now, the day was a long series of up and down hill experiences.  I chugged up the hills, with speeds getting as low as 9 miles an hour on some of the more extreme up grades.  But, by taking it easy and keeping the RPM's at about 1800-2100, I managed to keep the truck from overheating.  All in all, a good day.  Susan, oddly enough, had challenges in the opposite direction.  She had plenty of power to climb the hills, but was challenged to keep the speed down on the downhill side.  When she goes too fast, the trailer wants to sway and bobble about.  Most disconcerting.  So I roar down hill and crawl up, while she roars up hill and crawls (relatively) down.  At the end of the day, with a little care, we end up at the same place.

And, on Tuesday, that place was the Toad River Resort and RV Park, located, oddly enough, right on the Toad River.  We got some nice pictures there and thoroughly enjoyed our stay.  We met a lovely couple from Ohio, Bob and Bobbette (names changed because I forgot to ask their permission to mention them), who had made this trip five or more times before.  We had a grand chat and got referrals for nice places most of the way into Seward.  The following morning, we followed them out of the campground by about an hour and an half, not knowing where they were going, but having enjoyed their company very much.

The Rockies east of Toad River

After another harrowing day in the Rockies we pulled into Nugget City, in the Yukon Territories and found ourselves an RV site.  As I walked away from the Office, who should I see but Bob and Bobbette!  Another glad meeting and great fun ensued.  Nugget City was a bit on the sparse side, with no trees and a sand and gravel lot for RV sites, but they had a fine chef in their restaurant.  I will let Susan go into more detail about that, since she spent more time talking to him than I did.  We had a lovely dinner, the first one out of the trailer in several weeks, and got to bed early, since we were THAT tired.

The following morning, we dragged ourselves out of bed at around 6:30 and got ready for the last big push to Whitehorse YT.  We had a lovely breakfast, corralled the cats into their carriers and set off.  Along the way, we encountered winding roads with tight turns and a few tall hills, but no mountains to speak of.  We had apparently gotten out of the Rockies with no ill effects, beyond somewhat frayed nerves.  But we were bone tired and ready for a break.  We arrived at Whitehorse about 4:30 and got checked into the Hi Country RV Park with enough time to make a grocery run into town and still have time to eat.  After a bit of waffling, we decided that since we had been on the road, pushing hard for 23 days, it was time for a break.  So we settled in for a three day stay.  Yesterday we went to the grocery store again, did some miscellaneus shopping and set of for the Takhini Hot Springs.  Wow!  I had never been to a hot spring before and I found it very relaxing.  We stayed about 4 hours and by the time we got back to the trailer, I was so relaxed, Susan nearly had to pour me into bed.  Got a good night's sleep too.

Today we did go shopping, again, for books and for suspenders for me (I have lost about 15 pounds and my trousers are falling off).  We came back to camp and spent the afternoon writing post cards and catching up on some business over the Internet.   My mobile broadband card finally works here, so I have a secure connection.  The WiFi provided by the campgrounds is not secure, and I have been reluctant to put out anything that I did not want to share with the whole world.  Like my banking codes, for instance.

Tomorrow we will get up early and have a nice breakfast.  We will have Morning Prayer and thank the Lord for His help and protection along the way. 

then we will will continue on, refreshed and relaxed, about 150 miles to the Cottonwoods RV Camp, almost halfway to Tok, Alaska.  On Monday we should cross back into the USA, a glad thing since the exchange rate is $0.95US per $1.00Can.  I never thought I would live to see the day when US currency was worth less than Canadian currency.  We lose $0.05 for every dollar we spend.  I do not care what your politics are, that is just wrong.  We need to stop solving our national problems by printing more money.  That worked out badly for Germany after WWI and I do not think it will work any better for us.  It led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and we do not need one of those.  But enough on that subject.  We will be glad to be home.

Welcome to Pink Mountain

It was up early and out as soon as possible this Monday morning, but between fighting with the "free WiFi" and getting things squared away, we did not actually hit the roiad until nearly 10:00.  As we rolled west on Highway 43, toward Dawson's Creeek, the road began to undulate, rising and falling over what were, at first, gentle hills.  Soon, however, we started encountering some real foothills.  Then, as we started out the Alaska Highway (Highway 97, here in British Columbia), we encountered real grades, on a par with the best of the Appalacians.  And these are just the foothils.  We continued on for about 200 miles until we reached the Pink Mountain Campground and RV Park, where we have stopped for the night.  And have finally gotten a good internet connection.  Hence all the blog posts today.

The truck is either too heavy for this work or else it is underpowered.  Either way, when the grade rises above about 6%, it slows down to about 20 miles and hour.  At that rate, it could take some time to cover 1500 miles.  But, fortunaely, it is not all uphill.  To go uphill implies going downhill.  And, from what I understand, up hill and down hill are the two main directions from now on.  We hit a 10% downgrade this afternoon and my buttocks are still puckered from that one!  Someone ought to tell the Canadians about a thing called "back-filling", where you take some dirt off of the high spots and put it on the low spots to even out the grades.  Just kidding, of course.

We still need to try and maintain 250 miles a day, so we are going to try starting earlier and driving later.  The problem is that it is safest to call ahead for a reservation at an RV park and, when you do not know, exactly, how far you will get, that can be an issue.

Still and all, it a a grand adventure and, in the end, we will be in Seward, enjoying our new home and new church family.  God is good.  All the time.  Amen.

Susan's perspective

I have decided that Canadians are the best people on earth. Everybody, without exception, has been so welcoming. They are a chatty bunch, and love to hear about where we are from. The gas station attendants see the license plate and want to chat. A gal selling postcards was so proud to tell me all about each and every one. (I bought 20.....) People up here LIKE their jobs, and don't complain about what they don't have. Different attitude. I like it.


We made some wonderful new friends the other day while in Battlefords; Darcy and his wife, Kathy, and their 3 fun children. At the campground check-in, Darcy had overheard us asking about thrift stores in town. (Vernon had neglected to pack sweaters on the camper. Thanks to the intrepid Eleanor Mario, we solved the problem) About 10 minutes after we got the camper set up, there was a tap on our door. It was Darcy with some helpful suggestions as to where we might shop. That's the way Canadians are. Turned out they were in the next camping space over. They brought over their camp chairs and firewood, and so commenced what was the nicest evening on our trip so far. We laughed a lot, shared stories, and had fun watching their kids enjoy being with them. We also spoke of all the things God has done for us and them, and how blessed we are to be part of His family. We left Battlefords feeling that we really had made new friends. I hope they will tap on our door in Alaska someday. They are truly fine people, and we miss them already.

It's raining on our metal roof...a very soothing sound. Off we go tomorrow to yet another part of this glorious country of Canada, and closer to our new home somewhere in Seward. I'm told that it won't be long now before we see the Northern Lights....!

Half way there and beyond!

Following our little debacle with the bottom falling out of the trailer (did I mention that?), we got up bright and early on Wednesday morning for an easy run into Saskatoon. We were looking forward to seeing Susan's second cousin's wife's mom and to a fine visit there. As we rolled into the City, we fought our way through downtown traffic and out the west side to Saskatoon 16 West RV Park, a likely spot to stop, while visiting in Saskatoon. We had already decided that, even though we had just had an extra day of to fix the bottom of the trailer (did I mention that?) (grin), we would take a day to visit with Eleanor, because we don't get by this way often. But when we got to the Park, we found it to be flooded, due to poor drainage. We were to be camping in a swamp. And not a nice, soft, mushy southern swamp either but a cold, wet, mosquito ridden swamp. We decided that that was a bad idea and started trying to find alternatives. But there was something going on the Saskatoon and there were no spaces available within about fifty miles of the city. We ended up in a city campground in The Battlefords, about sixty miles away. A very nice place but way farther from Saskatoon than we meant to be.

Eleanor, most excellent lady that she is, drove out to see us, anyway. What a trooper! We had a lovely visit, followed by a relaxing afternoon. I finally got to do a little hiking, as I walked into town for ice and supplies. We got up the next day refreshed and ready to go.

And go we did. All the way to Alberta Beach, Alberta, where we stayed at the local golf resort and RV campground. Over priced and under serviced. We left early the next day and arrived in Grande Prairie, Alberta around 5:00. Much better luck this time at the County Roads Campground and RV Park. Nice facility, very nice folks. We have stayed here for two nights, since we do not travel on Sunday. We worshiped with the Anglicans, again, this morning and they were super. The Rector was animated and excited and plainly filled with the Holy Spirit. He preached on God's callings, how and what do do about them (Say “Yes, Lord. Take me”) What a joy!

I spent the afternoon on the phone with Verizon, trying to get my Global USB Mobile Broadband Modem to work. After three operators and several service techs, (ascending all the way to tier two), we determined that they just do not have any support in most of western Canada. Warning: Do not believe the pimply high school-ers when the try to sell you product. If this thing does not work when we get to Alaska, it goes back with a serious nasti-gram, to Verizon.

So it is on tomorrow to Dawson Creek and Milepost 0 on the Alaskan Highway. We should get to the Canadian Rockies tomorrow afternoon. Every day an new adventure. Susan and the cats are doing well. She is the joy of my life. What a blessed man I am!

Susan's Perspective

Well, we will NEVER say we got bored on this trip!  Our little incident, if you will, with Fred the Cat was in Minnesota, before we crossed into Canada.  Both cats are behaving well, considering. 
   The Canadian border was a really life changing experience for me.  First of all, it is lovely---lots of flags, and easy to navigate.  You first pull up to a booth in your vehicle, where they query you about what your plans are.  I was behind Vernon, so after he was done, I got questioned.  It was obvious  that they wanted to make sure our stories matched.  The guy was nice, but thorough.  After that, you pull into separate parking slots, and go in to get you passport stamped.  There on the wall was a large portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11.  A few more questions, and a  $25 fee to take Vernon's rifle and shotgun thru the country, and we were done.  No searches, altho they were going over a smaller car next to us very carefully, while the two young male occupants waited with wallets and stuff on a table by their car.  I got the impression that these two characters were going to be there awhile.  I would not want to get on the bad side of the Canadian border patrol. These guys are BIG!  (AND cute, I might add!)
      The other thing that was uppermost for me was I was leaving  the Lower 48 forever.  It hit me as we pulled away, and the US flags were in my mirror on the other side of the highway.  I felt very excited and sad all at once.  And then a feeling of new discovery came over me.
        Since entering Canada, we have met the nicest people.    The folks here are warm, caring, very polite, and seem content.  It is nice to see labels on packages in FRENCH and English....!  The people at Walmart actually LIKE their jobs.  And we have discovered Dollarama--makes Dollar Tree look like a storage closet!  The exchange rate here is even right now, which makes it easy.  AND their money is PRETTY!!!  Yes, I REALLY like Canada.
         So on we go tomorrow to our (drum roll please) HALFWAY POINT!  And we are having a good time.  God is truly taking care of us.  A note to those of you Down South....Get out and SEE YOUR COUNTRY!   Don't just talk about it.   DO it.

Travelling in Waltz Time

Well, here it is, Tuesday evening and we are in Indian Head, Saskatchewan.  We are at a lovely KOA, following a smooth and uneventful ride from Portage La Prairie, where we spent the last three days.  We go forward, then we stop a bit and then we go forward again.

On Friday morning, we got up raring to go to Canada.  We had a nice breakfast, packed up the camper and get ready to go.  And before nine o'clock, no less.  We were looking forward to the day's run with anticipation.  But when we went to put the cats into their carriers, there was only one cat.  Fred the Cat had gone missing.  Oh, the anguish, oh, the wailing, much consternation all around.  We searched high and low.  I crawled under the bed and unpacked everything which was stored under there and packed it back and took it all out again, in an attempt to find Fred inside the camper.  We were very much afraid that he had, somehow, managed to escape and would be lost in the wilds of Manitoba forever.  Needless to say, we did not travel on Friday, but spent the day combing the campground and surrounding area for Fred.

Late in the afternoon, Susan heard a small noise coming from the shower stall (likewise, packed solid with stuff).  We tore down the cardboard "wall" which closed off the shower stall, took much of the stuff out and discovered Fred, blinking up at us from the depths, having been rudely awakened from his nap.  Do you know how, when you have been worried about someone, you tend to fuss at them when they show up safely.  Fred has been thoroughly fussed at and is forbidden to go near the bathroom anymore.

Saturday we drove to Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.  Crossing the Canadian border was a gas.  Very easy, since we had done our homework and had all of the forms already filled out.  Fifteen minutes of "How long will you be here?" and "Where are you going?" and we were on our way.

We stopped at Miller Camping Resort for Saturday night and Sunday.  On Sunday, we found the most charming Anglican Church in Portage.  It is about 150 years old and has the most lovely ceilings imaginable.  Worship was very satisfying and we went back to the campground for a bit of R & R before continuing on our way.  Our only real complaint has been the lack of cell and 3G coverage in rural Canada.  Pretty minor trouble, I'd say.

Monday morning, we got up, packed up bound BOTH cats and got on the road by 8:30.  Wonderful.  About 5 miles into the day's run, some people came up from behind Susan gesturing wildly that something was wrong with the trailer.  Sure enough, the bottom skin (under the trailer), from the axles to the bumper, had detached itself and was waving gaily in the breeze.  In the process, it emptied the storage bumper of it cargo of sanitary hoses and fitting and of extension cords.  I found parts of the sanitary hoses and fittings shredded on the highway, but the extension cords were gone with the wind.

So we turned around, went back to Miller's and spent the day trying to figure out how to fix the damage.  We replaced the extension cords and resolved simply not to pee until we get to Alaska.  In the end, Susan came up with the solution.  We got some 2x3's and bolted them to the steel frame, under the skin, to support it.  Then we pop-riveted the ends to the bumper to complete the repair.  Now it is stronger than it was in the first place.  Well done, Susan.  As soon as I get a chance to but some 1x12's, I will put a new bottom in the storage bumper and all will be well.

I finished that this morning about noon and we made the 250 mile run to Indian Head this afternoon.  A very pleasant run, with a tail wind helping us along.  And here we are, in a truly lovely KOA campground with reliable Internet access, again, as well.  Tomorrow we go on to Saskatoon, which will mark the half-way point of our trip. 

God is good, all the time.  He has ridden with us all the way, keeping us safe and reasonably content.  Keep praying for us, out there.  We are moving on...........

A gentle rain is falling on our camper roof as I write.  We are in Minnesota, two miles  south of Fargo, north Dakota.  Looking back on all that we have delt with in one short week,  I am truly amazed at the distance we have traveled.  And we were smart to go without a third person.  Aside fron the little problems the devil has thrown at us, we are having a truly wonderful time.
   Today, for the first time, I felt as if we were  REALLY gone.  The scenery up til now has been kinda humdrum.  But today, we traveled all the way across Minessota and up.  And I gotta tell you, the vistas are breathtaking.  We drove past miles and miles of fields of corn and wheat,  and  huge farms, with cattle and horses.   Tall silos, big red barnes.  Just like on calendars.  But what really got me was the clouds.  Every shape, color, formation, height.  You could see storms WAY off in the distance as the passed over the prairie land.  And it struck me...that's what this is.  The heartland.  Vast open spaces, going off in all directions for miles, capped with these indescribable clouds.  And these are the folks who spend their lives growing what you and I take for granted at Martin's.  I personally come away from this day with a greater appreciation of this land and its recources.
  Speaking of food, we are eating better, and have both lost weight without even trying.  We FEEL better already.  My allergies have dissapeared, and both of us have lost the puffiness that went with the  constant humidity and heat.  We have been stopping each day for lunch at local places, and have met salt of the earth people.  We take the cats into lunch with us in their carriers,  and it always starts a conversation with somebody.  We have already noticed a different attitude up here, friendly and warm.  With the exception of the Chicago area, and the Union KOA campground.   DON'T stay there.  Genuinely  cold,  indifferent people.  I will never go near there again. 
   So..tomorrow we bid farewell to the Lower 48 for good.  It will be a bittersweet moment, I am sure.  But our new home in Seward is calling even louder now, and all the folks there who are friends we have not met yet.  A shout out to Lisa--I am looking forward to those hugs!

From Madison to Toledo to Joliet to Hell

Friday morning we got up early, had a fine breakfast and looked forward to getting on the road early (that is, before 9).  When I went to lock the door, I found that the key spun gaily, with no effect at all!  This was disturbing on several levels.  I am too much a city boy to be real comfortable not locking my doors when I have valuables inside.  Also, the Airstream people design this trailer with "suicide" doors, just like a '48 Lincoln.  So, if the door comes loose, the wind of passage will rip it off.  Rats!  Not what I had in mind.  So, after 45 minutes of furious machine design (Can I do this?  No.  What about this?  No, not that either....), I finally was able to drill a 3/16" hole through a plastic stop and set a padlock between the grab handle and the door.  Then we duct taped it within an inch of its life.  (Use the tape, young Skywalker :) ) 

So off we went, a mere hour and a half late, with Toledo Ohio as our destination.  We made good time and, in the early evening, pulled into one of the nicer KOA"s we have seen.  The facilities were decent, but not exceptional.  But the staff were just so nice that we felt at home. We ended up staying the weekend and jury-rigging the door so that we could travel with confidence.  I also rehung the gas piping under the trailer so that we could use the stove (it works great, btw).  It was make and mend day at the old trailer and we had a fine time.  We grilled and relaxed and had a bonfire   On Sunday, we worshipped with the faith community at St. John's Lutheran in Stoney Ridge, Ohio.  The liturgy was just familiar enough to be comforting but different enough to be unique.  We enjoyed it very much.

Sunday night, I located an Airstream dealer in Joliet, Illinois, just 20 miles off of our route.  I called him Monday morning and he said to bring the trailer in and they could probably fix it while we waited.  I then made a reservation for a campsite in Union Illinois, just north of Chicago and south of Rockford.  We made good time to Joliet, only to discover that the Airstream guy had not been paying attention when I told him it was a 1979 Sovereign Land Yacht.  He not only did not have the parts but he could not get the parts.  I will end up having to get them on Ebay or from the Airstream user group.  So we left Joliet, following the directions on our GPS, headed for Union, Illinois.  The GPS took us right through the heart of Chicago suburban rush hour traffic.  A snarl of lights and Yankees.  The right rear brake caliper locked up, the truck (and brakes) overheated and burned out the ABS sensor on the locked up caliper.  I lost most of my braking capability and ended up pulling over in front of the Public Works office in Hanover Park, a suburb of Chicago.  No brakes, hot and sweaty, AAA refused to help because the  Illinois branch does not recognize trucks, while the VA branch does (which, incidentally, is how they talked us into a premium membership), frustrated nearly out of my mind, bemused about how to deal with this latest problem, generally under full attack by the forces of Darkness.  But Satan's got nothing God can't handle.  We could not afford a tow truck, but there turned out to be a repair facility close enough to limp the truck into it, once it had cooled off.  And, on the following day, the repair ended up being $100 less than the estimate.  So now I have new brakes and all is better.  I still have a problem with the thermostat, I think.  But that should be fairly easy to fix.

So we ended up spending an extra day outside of Chicago, shopping for organizational aids (the trailer is slowly becoming homey) fixing the odd shelf or cabinet and waiting for the truck repairs.  We rolled out early yesterday and made it all the way to Chippawa Falls, Wisconsin, where we came to rest at a lovely AmericInn motel for a night off.  Today we made an easy run to Moorehead, Minnesota, right outside of Fargo North Dakota. 
Tomorrow, we will leave the Lower 48 and cross into Canada.  It is cool tonight.  Rain is falling intermittently.  The temperature is going down to the mid 60's.  Should be good sleeping weather  I am very glad to be here.  God is good.  He has brought us through every adversity and has kept our humor and our faith intact.

Susan's Perspective

  Well, hey there.  yes, I am on this adventure, too, but am just now acclimating to  the travel.  Before I delve into that, I must say some thank you's.  To Rob and Kenny, who spent several hot sweaty nights with us,  working from 9pm til almost dawn, loading the truck.  And to their significant others, who so unselfishly gave up their time with their men to allow the work to get done.   Words are absulutly insufficient to thank friends like that.  Also to Brian, our Bug Guy with the heart of gold, who has gone WAY out of his way to help us.  And to family.  Oh my.  The things  that  Susie, Coleman, and Blake  have done before the trip, and continue to do after our departure  that  have helped us in unbelievable ways.  And to my best friend and sister.  Now the tears come.  To leave Mary and  Malcolm and my incredible niece so far behind still pulls at the heart.  Mary's support thru the past 3 years has been totally selfless.  So I say to all of you.....thank you for the gift of your time and sweat to help us with our dream.  You are so very loved.
   OKAY....(sigh)  that's done.  I was absolutly jubilant when we hit Pennsylvania and OUT OF THE HEAT!   It has always plagued me.  Not ever again...YAY!  Cool evenings,  campfires,  really neat folks the likes of which you only meet in campgrounds.  The sound of kids playing outside with footballs or beanbag games is so welcome...we have yet to hear a radio or tv.  Camping people are HAPPY people. 
     I am enjoying driving the pickup and camper.  The first day was dicey, with pullovers to let Vernon adjust the anti-sway  bar.  I find the country music station on the radio, and I sing.  Tha cats have yet to begin howling.  I figure that by the time we hit Canada, I'll be back  "in voice", like the good old days on the west coast.  But that is another cup of coffee.  And we are on the road again......

Leaving VA, Part 2

We are just outside of Toledo Ohio today.  I am going to start each post by telling you whee we are.  Just so we are all on the same page, so to speak.

So, picking up from yesterday,, there we were, rolling north on I-95, finally on our way.  We got to Washington DC, negotiated the "mixing bowl" and continued on into Maryland.  At Gaithersburg, Susan had a lump-in-the-throat moment as she passed Shady Grove Road Exit, where her culinatry school is located, but we went on nonetheless, relentless, pushing ever northward.

Maryland rolled by without incident.  The cats were contented in their cat carriers. in the air conditioned pickup, and the International rolled steadily north.  We stopped at Hagerstown for tuna fish (for the cats) and sandwiches for the humans, and to allow the International to cool down.  Heavily loaded, it was struggling with the steadily rising grades.  A brief time later found us struggling upward through the Allegheny Mountains.  Drive a while, the truck overheats, we stop, it cools off, we go on again.  Gradually, I came to understand that, at 2200 RPM, the International would run pretty much all day with very few problems.  The kicker comes in when you begin to slow down.  I realized that 2200 is the key.  Not 55 MPH, but 2200 RPM.  So, we go 55 or 35 or 20.  So we go, slow but steady.

Eventually we made Breezewood PA and took of down the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  With 2200 RPM as my manytra, we proceeded down the PA Turnpike to Madison PA, where we stopped at a lovely little KOA for the night.  They had a fishing pond there that cried our for my fly rod and, had we been staying a few days, we might have dined on fresh fish.  Alas, it was not to be.  Trouble lucked just past the dawn.  I will write of it tomorrow.   (Spoiler alert:  it worked out OK.)

Leaving VA

Saturday and Sunday found us trying desparately to fit everything onto the truck which needed to go.  Pack a little, load a little, take it off again and move it around.  With temperatures in the hundreds and humidity a nearly Venusian levels, we moved with all due speed.  A snails' pace at best, that is.  Added to that, the trauma of saying goodbye to our friends and loved ones left us exhausted physically, emotionally and spiritually.  With all our good intentions and all of our enormous efforts, Monday arrived and we were not ready.  Putting off our departure until Tuesday, we worked on into the night yet again.  Another night with four or less hours of sleep.  Pressure, stress, heat, exhaustion, a devil's brew of potentially fatal conditions, disrupting our plans.  Finally, at about 12:00 Tuesday morning, we said a teary farewell to the house we had loved so long, fired up the engines and rolled out of Richmond., bound for Ashland, VA to the TA truck stop for fuel for the International.

Arriving in Ashland, I discovered that fueling your truck is not like filling your car at the corner convenience store.  First you see the nice lady at the counter and tell her how much fuel you want her to authorize.  Better to guess a little high and have the bank hold the extra money for a couple of days than to guess low and have to go back and get some more fuel pre-authorized.  All this took about forty-five minutes and, by the time I had walked back to Susan and the pick-up (hauling the Airstream, you understand), I found her sitting in the trailer, cradling Fred the Cat, who was rigid and hyper-ventilating from the experience of riding 30 miles in the trailer.  Fred was in crisis and Susan was weeping and I was beyond my self with frustration and angst.  The level of stress and near despair came close to obscuring the reason we were going.  But as "luck" would have it, this emotional melt-down took place within 2 miles of a very acceptable KOA Campground.  I made the decision to abandon our travel plans for Tuesday and to spend the rest of Tuesday and all of Wednesday resting and recuperating.  We really needed that.  And it was very good, although, as has been typical in Richmond this summer, it was beastly hot.

Tomorrow the saga continues.

Wrapping up the loose ends

The Happy Couple

Time is roaring past like a locomotive (reminds me of a Grateful Dead song).  We expect to finish loading the non-perishables on the truck tomorrow and to organize the Airstream for optimal comfort for three humans and 2 cats.  Yesterday we spent on the Chesapeake bay, with Susan's sister mary, her husband and their teenage daughter.  It was so nice to just lay in the waves and forget about deadlines and stowage and how to get that widget braced up so the doohickey does not crush it.  Relaxing and pleasant in every way.  Great scenery, great food and very, very dear people.  Then we hopped back into the pickup and came back to Richmond to attend the last Wednesday night bible study we will enjoy.

"It's A bird, it's a plane......

Today we took the cats to the vet for their travel documents.  Having made the requisite sacrifice of skin and blood, we got them both in their boxes and off we went.  Everyone check out fine and we have the necessary documents to allow us to transport them through Canada to Alaska.  Another hurdle cleared.  So forward we go, step by step, approaching the Big Day at breakneck speed.  I believe that we will get all of the necessary task done, but there are some things I will not get to; some people I will not get to see one more time.  A bittersweet time, perhaps, but all part of God's plan for His glory.  Praise God!  We leave in 3 Days, 12 hours.

Pastor Tony Preaches the Word....

Tomorrow will also see the acqusition of various spare tires and scissors jacks, propane gas bottles and other usefull items to be loaded onto the Airstream.   Evening will find us wrapping up the details, I hope.  That will leave us nothing to do except sell the rest of our left-behind belongings and wrap up the loose ends. 

North to Alaska!

Starting on a new adventure.

Well, this is the first post on my new blog. On these pages I will record, in words and pictures my experiences as Susan and I move north to Alaska. It has been a long strange trip getting here, but here we are and the time to departure has dwindled to 7 days. Lots to do still and, with the weather hovering around 105 F during the day, we are mostly doing it at night. More later.