We wander, though we are not lost…
The last few days of our journey back onto US soil have been doused with amazing scenery and family time.
An easy AM breakfast on a day when we were out of water (3 days of camping in provincial parks) followed by vast farmlands and rolling mountainsides that reminded me of many trips through central California with my parents and sister to go camping.
Continue reading ““Toto, I don’t think we are in Kansas any longer””
I thought the prior days were amazing when it came to scenery and wildlife viewing. After leaving Muncho Lake, we continued out of the Northern Rockies and ran across more wildlife and differing scenery.
This caribou was so busy doing his thing that it let us drive right up to it. We weren’t harassing it by any means, it was just right on the side of the highway next to the passenger side of the truck. It did not give a lick that we were there. So we took some pictures and continued down the road, and what a beautiful road it was!
I’m going to admit that I had no idea the Rockies went all the way to Canada. I somehow thought they only lasted through the lower 48 and then were called something else once they hit the border. I wasn’t great at geography.
The last few days we have transitioned from more flat lands into the Northern Rockies and it is beautiful! Having lived in south central Alaska the last few years, I got used to the mountain scenery and expected to not be as awed by the rest of Alaska and Canada as I have been.
Going down to Skagway reminded me of the very unique mountain ranges that kiss the sea with rolling shorelines covered in lichen.
Transiting from Takhini Hot Springs to Watson Lake, then onto Liard Hot Springs and Muncho Lake brought different scenery and, finally, my wildlife Safari!
John has been covering the fun adventure side of our trip so far, which is great because he’s good at that. His sense of humor, which I do not always understand, has a way of adding life to things that others may not be able to see otherwise.
Me on the other hand, I can focus on serious details, and though I’ve managed to include humor in writings or presentations, I’m generally more dry in my conversation.
These qualities tend to even each other out, though it can also be confusing and complicated at times. Believe me, we’ve had our misunderstandings about when each of us has been joking or serious.
Previously we had lots of space to deal with these misunderstandings. I could go downstairs or he could go to the garage if we each really needed some time to figure out what just happened. Now, we can’t get away from each other. If any of us (kids included) are having a “moment” we end up stuck staring at each other either in the camper or in the car. The silence is killer!
One of the planned highlights of our trip through the Yukon was to ride the White Pass & Yukon Route train line. Now this is a train line that is over 100 years old and though it is maintained it is not for those who are accustomed to the red line in Boston.
This train actually derailed last year with passengers onboard. I made sure to state this loud enough so that the women sitting in front of Shawnda could hear. About halfway up the pass it became quite apparent that this women was incredibly afraid of heights, so I decided to have a little fun. Continue reading “Kids Say the Darndest Things!”
I can tell you where the gold is! I was given a map, won’t say where I got it. This map was supposedly supposed to lead to a great vein deposit of gold in the Yukon Territory. Now I am suspicious of everything so this was no different. The source of the information that I received came from a reliably source, but stranger stories have been told of gold in the hills.
If you can decipher what I have written and have a sense of adventure these words will lead you to great riches. Follow along and you may be able to figure it out. But I’m not going to just give it away so pay attention.
Continue reading “There is gold in them there hills? Stores”
To say that John and I are anti-social is a slight misstatement. Though we do not generally connect with people, or do the “small talk” thing very well, when we find people who think on the same level and understand personal space we actually socialize very well. We just do not believe in wasting time if there is no direction to where conversation is going. Maybe that will change in our personal lives once we figure out how to slow down a little.
In one of my more recent employee reviews I was reminded that I need to “Socialize” more, or connect with people at work to show them I care and am supportive. I am sorry, but people who socialize at work, do not always get the job done, and you need a mixture of both types of workers to be successful. I am one of the doers, so though I understand the intent of the advice I will be passing on it for now. And yes, being a doer while others are the socializers can be very frustrating, but you know what, I am ok with that as long as they keep their socializing to themselves so I can do my part. I realize that sounds kind of crabby but I just don’t have time for the small talk since I am usually doing part of their job, or am trying to make their job easier. That is how I show I care.
We are off. Headed out to see what we have never seen or to see things we have in a different way.
We left Valdez Friday night and arrived safely at Slide Mountain. We could not resist visiting our friends here Josh and Anna Stark and their family at Slide Mountain Cabins and RV Park before we leave Alaska. Good friends are sometimes found not made and this is one of those cases. I have to personally thank them for hosting many of our adventures here in Alaska,
Addy racing in Eureka
Food is probably one of the things I am looking forward to the most on our upcoming adventure. It is a huge part of life and if you limit trying new things to eat you might as well stay home and munch on some cardboard.
Most people associate trying different foods with traveling abroad. Well this is not the case and some of the best ethnic and diverse culinary experiences can be found right here in the US of A. A simple one is fried chicken. Since KFC is just a fried dough ball with at best a chicken nugget in the middle it is hard for most people to fathom that fried chicken, real fried chicken can be better than the best Kobi beef in the world. Don’t believe me.
I’m guessing that almost every parent of a girl has gone through this; the day you realize your daughter has crossed into “girly-girl hood”.
My daughter has always been more Tomboy than girly girl. Never caring about her hair being brushed, or what outfit she wore, and certainly getting rough and dirty.
But just recently she began making sure her clothes were matching and her hair was brushed. She’s even found the blow dryer (which I have no idea why we have one, because I don’t blow dry my hair), and she has opted for trendy hair cuts and color. I think she looks a little Taylor Swift-like here.
The other part to this is the counter mess that never ends, which is bad in a house, and worse in a camper.
This bathroom is shared by both my kids. So my poor son has to deal with whatever my daughter has decided to get into that day. Luckily he is pretty easy going, and doesn’t spend much time in their bathroom to even care.
I’m just not sure I am the right mom to deal with this change, as I am still too much like my 8 year old tomboy who wears tee shirts and jeans, is lucky to brush her hair and does not wear a lick of makeup.
I’m just going to say, thank goodness for YouTube, and tutorial videos, because this is going to be a long ten years!
~S
Gallup Family Wanders 