Settling In

Life is beginning to settle down a bit. Nanny has gone to Texas, David has started to school, Mike has begun orientation on his new base, and Em has started her new job. Now the nuggets wait for their shipment to arrive so they can move into their house. Then comes the fun as we ship the animals from Texas! "I sure hope it's cool enough for me to come to Alaska in a couple of weeks. I don't get very good sleep here. Graham hogs all the covers!"
Happy Birthday, Mike! Hope the year is full of fun and adventure.
Hooray! Full-fledged Alaska residents now.
One can only imagine what these two are planning!
David's new school: Kasuun Elementary
David standing in front of the temporary lodging facility with the mountains in the background. When the sun sets the mountains look like they are made of pink granite.
Who can believe that David is a 5th grader! First day of school at Kasuun Elementary. The secretary warned us that they have moose activity on the playground. The kids have to be warned to not approach a moose. We definitely aren't in Arkansas anymore.

Extra! Extra! Read all About It

The late evening sun, 9:45 that is, cast some really long shadows. We shadowed danced for a while. Yeah! The Moose Nuggets have a house. Selling point for it, besides a back yard for Fern, is that David can walk to school!!! The elementary, which goes through sixth grade, backs up to the homes across the street. So, as soon as their belongings arrive they will have a home.

Mr. Truck Driver, rest assured that if we are flanked or attacked, we will inform you quickly. Perhaps you will want to head right out and jog to see if anything interesting flies overhead.

The blog tonight is pretty random in chronology. Just some pictures that we wanted to share.
We really thought we were a long way from home!
Good shot of the Smith brothers, Scott and Mike.
A super grin from David. Sarah, hope you like this one!
Random chronology! Just outside of Anchorage we saw this road sign. Would have been nice if this had been our address.
We were so excited to see the African Children's Choir at this stop. The children were so sweet and the volunteers so obviously committed. I can't imagine touring with a bus load of children for 15 months.
This dog seemed to be the friendly greeter at the wagon bridge. His head was bigger than Emily's and David's combined.
Old wagon bridge used during the gold rush with some of the nuggets and a BIG DOG.
Mike and David at Buckshot Betty's. I believe she has the only computer with internet in the town!

Oh Find Me a Home

The Moose Nuggets are settled in temporary lodging on Elmendorf Air Force Base. Our rooms are very near the flight line. It sure is different listening to fighters jets take off and land rather than cargo planes. An F-15 took off this afternoon fully loaded with full after-burners and it literally shook the windows in our little apartment! I realize now how much I miss hearing the C-130s running on the flightline at night. It's come to be a very soothing sound. Also sorely missed is the base lake complete with geese and ducks. Will have to settle for foxes and caribou.

We have spent the last day looking for houses to rent. The wait for officer housing on the bases is 12-24 months. We have certainly seen some interesting things in the housing market here. There is virtually no zoning - so residential and commercial/industrial areas weave throughout the city. Most homes here are ZLL - duplexes, triplexes, small townhomes. We finally saw a single family home tonight with a yard, but it's definitely at the very top of our price range! Almost every home is at least 2 levels with lots of tri-levels to conserve heat. We hope to make a decision over the weekend - although our shipment isn't expected until September 6th!

On our 10th day of driving, we traveled from Whitehorse to Beaver Creek. This was a change in plans due to the distance and condition of the roads being less than optimal! On the way to Beaver Creek, we stopped at an historic bridge, and who was parked there but - the African Children's Choir! I saw their bus and immediately recognized them from Ellen and American Idol. The kids were outside enjoying a break from the bus. They are currently on a 15 month tour of the US and Canada. You should definitely take time to check out their website (search African Children's Choir) as it is an amazing organization providing incredible opportunities to these children. When we pulled into the hotel in Beaver Creek, we were surprised to see, again, the Children's Choir! The next morning, they sang two songs at breakfast. One of the most moving performances we've ever experienced. Fortunately, the choir is headed to Anchorage, so we will have an opportunity to hear a full concert and find out how to become involved!

Our last night on the road had to have been the strangest. I guess we were a little punchdrunk and everything was just funny. We had reservations at Buckshot Betty's but changed our plans when we drove up and there were little huts a lot like the primitive ones at Camp Deer Run. Emily was NOT staying there so we went down the road to a large "lodge" which did have rooms. As Mike was checking in they kept stressing, "We have a TV in the lounge." That didn't seem so significant until we got in the room and there was no TV, no phone, and, of course, no internet. Emily marched into the hallway and declared," Have you been in the room? There is NO TELEVISION!" But the room which might have been 12 x 12 had four mirrors. We did eat dinner at Betty's which is the only place that serves lunch. The "townspeople of 116" are trying to get Betty to stay open this winter as she is the only person that cooks. Nanny Nugget identifies and almost went to the kitchen to help her with dinner. Anyway, we survived the night. Mike was the only one brave enough to shower and it wasn't so much a shower as a mist. Emily stood up to the sink, at a heighth of preschoolers, and said, "As soon as I spit this out, WE ARE LEAVING!" Oh me.

So we are now sitting on a rock in front of Border's borrowing their internet. Yes, they are closed as it is 10:30 - the Moose Nuggets don't feel like it's bedtime when it's not dark! Tune in tomorrow for the rest of the story.

Day 11--Mile 3590 Beaver Creek YT to Mile 4005 Anchorage AK

Well, once we got close to Anchorage, we just had to drive on in. So, the nuggets have finally arrived. No more gas by the liter at $1.30 or so, no more kilometers and multiplying by .62, and no more ordering lunch meat by the gram!! We really enjoyed Canada, but are glad to be back on home soil. Tomorrow will be spent trying to get checked into base lodging, doing some laundry, and preparing a home cooked meal!

The day had several highlight and I have pictures of some that will be posted tomorrow. The one thing we most wanted a picture of eluded us, although we did actually see a moose and baby. They were quite a distance but there was no mistaking the way they moved.

So, join us tomorrow as we recap the trip and share a few things that we haven't shared before.

Until tomorrow in Anchorage . . .

Day 10 & 11 Mile 3590 - ??? Tok Alaska!!!

Well, we thought for a while that perhaps we were stuck in a time warp like Groundhog's Day. But evidently we have broken out as we finally crossed the border into Alaska!!! And if we can survive the permafrost heaving on the highway, we will be in Glenallen tonight, another change of plans, which will leave us a relatively short drive tomorrow to Anchorage.

I will say that if you really want to escape civilization, you should consider moving to Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory. Trust me Mr. Truck Driver, there is no Piggly-Wiggly there. We stayed at their nicest "lodge" which also had a dinner theater, miniature golf course, and mosquitoes the size of dragon flies. Town of 116 in the winter and swells to 200 in the summer. Em was up and out of there in fifteen minutes this morning. Will tell more tonight.

So join us later this everning as we wind this trip down.

Happy Birthday Mom!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIANNE, MOM, AND NANNY! I hope we can find cake in Whitehorse, Starbucks might have to do. We absolutely could not have made this trip without you. Actually, we couldn't have gotten out of Little Rock without you! Thank you so much for tirelessly helping us the last 3 weeks (26 years?). We love you!

Day 9 -- Mile 3310 - mile 3590-- Whitehorse, Yukon Territory

As Emily worked at booking hotels for the Canada portion of this trip we found an ad in the Milepost for this hotel. The ad bragged of frilly curtains, fluffy bedspreads, and rustic pine furniture. I guess I now know why they didn't brag about their air-conditioner. However, a nice box fan labeled OLD FAN was in the room. How we have wished for Byron or Marsha on this trip as the sites we have seen would only enhance their training!
It seems that the hotels up and down the Alaska Highway are members of a hotel co-op. One thing they share for sure is baby blue paint! Of course, that certainly goes well with the blue bathroom fixtures!!
I honestly think the towels at the hotel came from mine or Mary Louise's garage sale.
About 90 miles outside of Watson Lake we found the Rancheria River Recreation Area and Falls. There is a boardwalk trail up to a natural falls in the river. This is a boreal forest with white and black spruce. We learned that the black spruce holds onto its cones while the white spruce is deciduous. That is one of the only ways for novices like us to tell the difference. The smell of all these trees is incredible.
Mike and David on the hiking trail above the falls.
Just in case you don't know these people by now, that is Mike and Emily at Rancheria Falls.
When we watched the parade in Dawson Creek we met two couples who were traveling from Michigan. Since then we have run into these nice people two other times. Today they were coming up the boardwalk as we were going down. They are headed to Inuvik on the Arctic Coast where one of the couples used to live. It has been fun seeing them again and again.

No picnic lunch today for the moose nuggets. We stopped at the Continental Divide Lodge and Pub. They served the best fried eggs and homemade sour dough toast. These little outposts show up every 30 - 45 miles or so. It seems that the people who own them live in the same building as their business and all have cabins and camping hook-ups. A very unique life-style.
The town of Whitehorse is known for its brewery. This is a little home style brewery that only sells to the surrounding area. The tour was very interesting. They literaly hand pour and seal their canned products but did buy an old Coca-Cola bottler on the internet for their glass bottles.

Before we left this morning I made the grocery store run. The other moose nuggets almost went off and left me as I couldn't tear myself away. $7.09 for a gallon of milk. Made me proud of the Piggly-Wiggly!!!

We still haven't seen a moose. I hope we don't get killed trying to find one. Today I glanced down a river bed and saw four large animals walking across the water. Thinking they must be our elusive moose, I made a quick u-turn but they were gone. We keep pretending to be Harry Potter and pointing at the forest saying "Revealio Moose". I guess Muggles really can't do magic or we are poorly trained spell casters.

After dinner tonight we drove a couple of miles out of town to Miles Canyon. The Yukon River runs through here with a suspension bridge that was built in 1922. We hiked around this area for a while. During the 1898 Gold Rush this was a major thoroughfare for miners eager to get to the Klondike. Interestingly, the "government" at that time issued a decree that only a master pilot could navigate the miners through the rapids in this canyon. Well, there was only one master pilot who must have been well-connected. We could just imagine the bribes paid to get to be one of the first each day to navigate through this stretch of the river.

We have traveled far enough north now to really be able to tell the difference in the daylight hours. Our latitude here in Whitehorse is roughly the same as Anchorage. It is 11:05 and still light outside. The brewery tour was hosted by a man who works for the local school district. He was lamenting the fact that school doesn't start until after Labor Day. They go to school through most of the month of June when it is daylight almost all the time. He preferred starting and ending earlier as the kids are finished when it doesn't ever get dark.

Tomorrow we drive to Beaver Creek to stay at Buckshot Betty's. Only 3 more nights on the road. We have enjoyed the long afternoon in Whitehorse. Glad to have Paige as a reader. I didn't exactly know the proper blog etiquette. Sorry, I should have informed you earlier. Hope you are all caught up!

Until tomorrow and hopefully a moose sighting, goodnight.

Day 8 Mile 2982 - Mile 3310--Watson Lake

The Tetsa River Campground is located with this store which was located at the beginning of our drive acros British Columbia. The owner bakes fresh bread and cinnamon rolls! YUMMM!! Most of today on the road was spent looking at the rivers and finally seeing the wildlife that we had been promised. Many of today's pictures revolve around how wonderful our world is. Hope you enjoy. We did!!! The highway wound through the northern Canadian Rockies where the forests were vast. We did end up tonight in Watson Lake at the Northern Lights museum. They advertise a one-hour show telling the history of the northern lights. I ended up being a long video of northern lights with synthesizer music in the background. After the first 5 minutes we were pretty tickled as the video was pretty strange. We all wished for David Bean who would have had everyone in the place rolling in the floor.
Caribou family on the side of the road. The mom ran straight up the cliff.
Beautiful elk -- his antlers really were furry. I thought it might be Prancer.
Stone sheep with a look that says, "Is there something you need?"
There were 10 of these stone sheep nibbling on the roadbed. We could have touched them out the car window. They were most unconcerned about our presence.
Stone sheep grazing on the road.
A herd of 40 or more bison sunning and playing on the side of the road. The group included this one enormous male who flopped down on his side and took a sand bath. I could hardly believe that we were seeing that. We have a video--wish Rachel Spencer would help us get it on the blog. We can't figure it out.
I think he wanted us to pay the toll.
This big guy was standing on the side of the road watching the herd in the grass below.
Just David at the river. Buddy, this picture is for you.
The Toad River ran parallel to the Alaska Highway for many miles. The water is the most exquisite shade of turquoise from copper oxides leached from the bedstones. There is rafting on this river but I can't imagine how cold it would have been.
Emily, Marianne and David at Toad River.

Mike, Emily and David at Liard Springs. The flora around these springs is almost tropical with ferns growing everywhere. We walked a quarter mile from the park to the springs and the temperature climbed 2 - 3 degrees Celsius.

Halfway between our two major towns today were the Liard Hot Springs. The water was about 120 degrees. Very relaxing but they advise you not to stay in too long. There are actually two pools and a hanging garden, but the trail was closed today due to "Dangerous Bear"!!! So, we missed getting to see the gardens.
Location signs from all over the world are here in Sign-Post Forest in Watson Lake. There are thousands and thousands. We found one for Gilmer TX, as well as lots of other East Texas signs. David's favorite was Chicken Town, population 27.
Sign from Lockney TX where Marianne was born and where "the girls", Marsha and Charlotte, lived for several years.

We are still waiting to see the animal that we most want to see--a moose. And we are pretty pleased that we haven't seen a bear yet. Now if one wants to reveal himself a long way off, that would be okay. We also think the Canadian Border Services should investigate the trucker who tried to poach his beta. Unsavory activity.

So, don't miss out on tomorrow's adventures as the 4 moose nuggets travel to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.

Day 7 Mile 2692 - 2982--Fort Nelson, British Columbia

Dawson Creek has definitely been the surprise "goody" of the trip. The fair was so much fun, but nothing compared to watching the parade in this small town of 14,000. Lots of people were out and we talked to several natives of the area. This is farming and oil and big trucking country. We visited with a lady during the parade who had spent 5 years living on the Arctic Coast. We questioned her extensively about the one subject that perplexes those of us who live 4 blocks from a grocery store. How do you get groceries when you live so far out. She told us interesting tales of ordering for the year. Now, please tell us how do you know how much flour, sugar, etc. you will need for a year. Hardy people!!

Emily, Mike and David at the 0 Mile Post of the Alaskan Highway. The history of this highway is amazing. The road was built in nine months in the early part of WWII. We visited the Alaskan Highway visitors center which is newly opened. There is told the history of the construction. Very interesting for all of us.
Mike waiting for the parade to start.
We aren't sure what his position is with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but he looked very impressive. He led the parade and believe me, everyone stood when he rode by.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police leading the parade.
Local bigwig in a delightful antique car.
The community band was the highlight of the parade for us! This was not a high school band but actually their community band. Most of the members were 50+. I could just see my daddy marching with a baritone and my mom leading the parade! Don't know how much they practice, but they were pretty good.
David loved the Bowles Family Gospel Group. They were having so much fun riding in the parade and singing.
This community is very proud of their heritage and have found unique ways to capitalize on their rich history.
The floats were very creative. Might give someone an idea for fair parade or Christmas.
This town loves its cowboys!!
The Kiskatinaw Bridge which was built as part of the Alaska Highway during the early part of WWII. I believe that it is one of the longest curved wooden bridges still in use. We detoured from the main highway as it is today to drive over this bridge.

Mike and David at the Kiskatinaw Bridge.


Emily and David "freezing" at our lunch stop.


The mileage was not so long today, but it seemed like a long drive. Most of the highway is two lane and for lots of stretches, we were the only two cars I could see. Most of the vehicles we did see were campers and motor homes of some kind. In addition, we have figured out that the trucking industry thrives here in support of the production of natural gas.

This is beautiful country. The sun sets really late and rises early as here there are three more hours of daylight than at home.
We have missed our riding partner. Poor Fishy.

So, join us tomorrow night as we travel to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory.