Home at last

Saturday, August 18, 2018 Twin Falls ID to HOME

The 106 degree heat was fading as I drove into Scottsdale with the jeep Saturday night.  Mike was following at a slow pace in the RV which had engine trouble and finally got in Sunday night.  It was an exhausting end to a fantastic trip.

We went 11,447 miles in 97 days, 1500 more miles and 31 more days than two years ago.  The newly opened US Highway 11 out of Las Vegas had the "Welcome to Arizona" sign posted.

US 11 AZ sign

A big thank you to my niece, Erin, for watching our place and to Pam and Jeremy for collecting our mail.

It is good to be home and we'll have great lifetime memories of this trip.

I can see clearly now...

Sunday, August 12, 2018 Smithers, BC through Friday, August 17, 2018 Twin Falls, ID

Last Sunday we left Smithers, BC, a beautiful little town with a great campground by the river and a glacier-fed waterfall hike...

view from Smithers campsite

folks river rafting in Smithers

waterfall hike near Smithers

Since then we have been in a perpetual haze...of smoke from the multiple forest fires across British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Colorado.  Checkout INCIWEB to see where they all are and you can click on each fire icon for details on the specific fire.

We've did a one night stay at Irvin's RV Park in Valemount, BC then a night in Harrison Hot Springs, BC where we had a so-so dip.  We drove through North Cascades National Park though the vistas are invisible in the smoke and then moved on to Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area near Grand Coulee Dam, Idaho where we saw the late night laser show.  Last night we stayed at Sloway Campground in Lolo National Forest, Montana. 

Irvin's RV Park Valemount BC

North Cascades NP

Grand Coulee Dam

Sloway CG Lolo NF

Even the RV didn't like the smoke...it's barely chugging up hills but it should get us home by the end of the week.  We've stopped for the night in Twin Falls, Idaho after driving through some beautiful scenery on route 93 where the smoke finally dissipated and we had some refreshing rain.

Route 93 south of Salmon ID

Route 93 South of Salmon Idaho

A dip in the pool and dinner delivered to the RV...now that's the way to wrap up the day!

We're baaaacccckkk.....

Thursday, August 2, 2018 Fairbanks,AK through Wednesday, August 8, 2018 Tok, AK

On the road, that is...finally!  We waited in Fairbanks for a new exhaust manifold for the RV and it was installed on Wednesday.  It had rained every day while we waited.  I went to three movies, we read multiple books, visited the library, the local fair and just....waited. I felt like these squirrels outside our RV

The flowers around the library were a cheerful note 

 

 
I was so happy to have the repair done that I talked Mike into hitting the road when we picked it up at 5:00 pm on Wednesday.  We traveled south and saw multiple moose and a fox on the way.  We spent the night Wednesday at a rest stop the far side of Tok, Alaska next to the river.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018 Tok, AK through Saturday, August 11, 2018 Smithers, BC, Canada

We left Tok early Thursday and headed about 100 miles south to cross the Canadian border.  We drove all day until we got to Whitehorse, the capital city in the Yukon Territory, Canada.  It was raining again and we spent the night in the Walmart parking lot.

Friday we headed out to the Cassiar highway and passed Kulane Lake, a beautiful, vast lake and looked for a camping spot at Boya Lake but no luck although I did get some pictures.

Kulane Lake

Boya Lake, Canada

We ended up at the north end of Dease Lake in a pullout that we had all to ourselves.  It was so quiet all you could hear was your own breathing.

We drove from Dease Lake to Smithers, BC, Canada, a pretty little town with a beautiful city campground.  We snagged the last electric hookup spot and decided to stay a couple nights after boon docking the last three.  After picking up groceries, we're catching up from four days without Internet.  It's great to be on the move!

Into every (trip) some rain must fall....

July 30, 2018 Fairbanks to July 31, 2018 Chena Hot Springs...then back to Fairbanks

We left Denali and headed to Fairbanks.  We spent a night in the Wal-Mart parking lot next to a rig running a noisy generator...sort of sounded like a rushing river if I didn't listen too close!  Monday we headed out to Chena Hot Springs for the night and a last dip in the hot waters before turning for home.  But then....

We'd heard a squealing sound since we left Denali highway that we thought was the fan belt so Mike wanted to have it checked out before we went south.  The Ford dealer pronounced it a cracked exhaust manifold on the RV so we're waiting a couple of days for the part and then it'll take at least a day to have it replaced.  

We're staying at Ft Wainwright in the meantime, just waiting to see how the problem will all work out.

Where Did I Leave Off? Oh yes, Denali

Friday, July 27, 2018 through Sunday, July 29, 2018 Denali National Park

We had made our reservations for Denali National Park before we'd left Phoenix, the only reservations we've made on this trip.  After killing time in Anchorage, it was finally time to go.

For a treat, Mike suggested I take the train from Anchorage while he drove the RV.  So at 7:30 am Friday he dropped me at the train depot.  Id booked the Golden-something passage which included breakfast and lunch and a window seat on the upper deck where huge curved windows allowed for unobstructed views.  It was a wonderful way to travel.  There were view of the rivers and lakes all along the route.

Knit River from Anchorage train to Denali

view from the dining car

bridge over the river 

Mike picked me up at the train depot in the park and after pizza in town at the Prospector's restaurant, we went to the camping spot in Savage River Campground that he'd already setup.  It was quiet, pine-scented with just a bit of chill.

campsite at Savage River Campground in Denali

Saturday morning we were up at 5:30 am to catch the 6:15 am 12 hour, round-trip tour bus ride to Wonder Lake.  We were again lucky to get clear views of Denali at Eielson point and beyond.

Denali at Eielson point

Denali

Denali on road to Wonder Lake

Along the way we saw moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and grizzles!  The caribou walked across in front of us and then along the side of the bus. 

Caribou

A mama bear and two cubs were resting in a field when a large male grizzly started to approach.  The mama ushered her cubs away quickly toward the road and crouched down in the tall grass, keeping her eye on the male who is known to attack the cubs.  

Grizzly bear

He ambled along a stream between them and then up the road in front of our bus where he preceded in a leisurely walk on the highway for about 20 minutes.  It made for a worthwhile trip and we were tired an happy to climb into bed that evening.

Sunday we slept in and took a short hike at Riley Creek before going to see the dog kennel demonstration.  

Mike greeting one of the sled dogs

We then hiked the Savage River trail before returning to camp.

Savage River trail

Savage River trail

Denali National Park is six million acres.  You can hike anywhere, get a back country permit and camp overnight in the wilderness or bring a tent or an RV and soak up the majesty of this place.  We are so fortunate to visit such a natural wonder.