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| The mountaind as we entered into Alaska |
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| Matanuska Glacier |
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| Alaska range |
Day 11
We were both up and ready to go by 8:00. We decided that we would have breakfast at the restaurant and so we got out of the campground a little later than we expected. At first we thought we might have one more night on the road in Alaska, but soon after starting our day it became clear we were going to push on and finish our trip today. We were about two hours from the Alaska border and Anchorage is about 61/2 hours from there. We stopped at a gas station in Beaver Creek Yukon to fill up and get some drinks. Right before we entered town (one store I saw) we saw a grizzly and her two cubs by the side of the road. We tried to get a picture but as soon as we got the camera turned on they ducked into the woods. The store was having customer appreciation day and was giving away free hot dogs discounted gas and slushies. It turned out to be a great stop. A half an hour later we were at the border. The border guard was very friendly asking us few questions. He did ask if he could come on to the bus and without choice he came aboard. All he wanted to do is talk about what a great bus we had and all the time that was obviously put into what we had done. I was secretly laughing thinking (I had about two weeks from purchase to driving down the road). He asked how much we had paid and dropped his jaw at the reply. We laughed saying when he got home he was going to be talking his wife into buying a diesel school bus. We had made it into Alaska.
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| More Alaska Range |
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| mountains around the house in eagle River |
The rest of the ride through Alaska was difficult with many ups and downs and a road that went between good to poor to bad. I was led to believe the last push through the Alaska Range was mostly a downhill travel. Wrong! This was probably the toughest day of driving on the trip with lots of long climbs followed by steady downhill sections. Tough day on the Time Machine. I saw my first glacier on this day and actually saw two with the Madanuska Glacier following us to the ocean on our final push into Eagle River. It was a wonderful feeling pulling intothe driveway in eagle River. We had made it! Jess was finally home and I was absorbing the fact I was actually going to make this my home. Every day I still wake up in amazement. Every day I am reminded of the Robert Frost poem Nothing Gold Can Stay. Some of you might know it from the Outsiders book. i think of that poem and the amazement it talks about when something is new and wonderful. each new day in Alaska for me brings that feeling. I either see a bird I had never seen before or a flower, or just the on a drive to the store staring at the mountains in amazement. My adventure has just begun, and i can't wait to taste, see and experience more. For those who have been following this blog I am going to do another blog of our 100 mile journey down the Allagash River in Maine right before we left for Alaska. I hope you enjoyed our journey!
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