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| ALCAN Highway 1994 |
July 31, 1994, Day One: It is 12:30 am… Creak, creak, rattle, rattle, that’s my memories of our first hours on the road as Elizabeth and I were riding in the camper as we head toward Alaska. In truth the noise didn’t even bother us, the only time we woke up is when Marty hit a pothole and we became airborne as we were flying in the air we thought “What the hell”. With that wake up call we peered out the window and saw the stainless arch of St Louis reaching up to the beautiful midnight sky. The riverboats were all ablaze in light and my sister was awed by the sight. I have to tell you as many times as I had seen the arch of St Louis it was still a breathtaking sight to behold. We drove all night and at sunrise I was driving through Kansas City, Kansas. When we had stopped for gas earlier Marty wanted to take a nap and was in the back of the camper. We had a signal to let the driver know we were ready to get out of the camper. It was simple turn the flashlight on and off and the driver would stop (remember 1994 NO cell phones). Marty had just signaled for me to stop and I pulled over and he is coming out of the camper “I feel like a pioneer in a runaway stagecoach” he said laughing. Well after a few more hours of driving he decided he needed to sleep and was willing to give the old camper one more try. Here we go again I make it about 200 miles when I spot the flashlight out of the corner of my eye and the frantic waving of his arms. He was ready to get out again. At this point I’m thinking of hiding the flashlight the next time he gets back there so he has to stay put. We were never going to get there at this rate. When I stop and let him out this time he said” I felt like I was in a clothes drier and it was on fluff and high heat at that”. The trip was pretty uneventful after that. We had midnight in St Louis, dawn in Kansas City, a thunderstorm in Cheyenne, and sunset in Wheatland, Wyoming what a great adventure so far.
August 1, 1994, Day Two: We start out today with 1,200 miles behind us and 3,000 in front of us! We leave Wheatland, Wyoming this morning headed north to Alaska. The landscape is changing as fast as the miles fall behind us. There are unbelievable rolling hills and plains as far as the eyes can see. The vastness of this land makes you feel insignificant. Joshua summed it up best when he said “This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen and the greatest adventure of my life”. I understood completely. We continued to drive passing through the Crow Indian reservation and Little Big Horn. We stopped and let the kids have a look around. Montana is a beautiful state. We stopped in Hardin Montana for gas and when I got back from the bathroom Marty asked “Do I have talk to me wrote on my forehead”? I laughed and replied “No, Why”? He said “ A man started talking to me at the gas pumps and I didn’t think he was ever going to shut up and I had the same problem this morning in Wyoming at the grocery store, I didn’t think he would stop talking either”. He said “My theory is people stayed snowed in all winter and when they do catch somebody still that they are making up for lost time”. A little farther down the road we spot the elusive Buffalo. The kids were so excited so we had to stop and let them see it was sunset and it was a brilliant sight to behold at the end of the day. We drive on and stop in Great Falls, Montana for the night. We get a room at the Comfort Inn and it has an indoor pool for the kids to enjoy. They needed it after two days in the truck… the natives were getting restless. We traveled 600 more miles today now only 2,400 to go!
August 2, 1994, Day Three: What a day! I’m ready to turn back; I have traveled far enough with 2 kids and a teenager! I glanced at the map today and from Montana to Alaska it is 2,400 miles and then depression set in! I tried to take a vote to see if I was the only one who wanted to go back and I was out voted 3 to 2, my 5 year old Jake voted with me he was ready to go back home too. They would not let me drive today out of fear that I would turn around and head south (smart people) so onward North we went. Marty had a crazed look in his eyes he said “we will make it to the beginning of the ALCAN highway tonight” I have some serious doubts about his sanity and mine at this moment. I think this is cruel and unusual punishment (at least that is what I will tell the divorce lawyer). My mind is hard at work on ways to get even with Marty when we get back south, the way things are looking right now that may never happen. We traveled 720 miles today and watched the sun set at 10:45 pm while we fell asleep at a roadside park. We are only 180 miles from the beginning of the ALCAN highway! Then the real adventure begins starting with the fact that it is 1,500 miles long! Jesus Christ I will be insane when I get there. I now understand why people stay when they get there. I mean who would really want to do this again!
August 3, 1994 Day Four: We started back on the road again this morning at 6:00 am. We finally got to Dawson Creek British Columbia at 9:00 am. We have to set our watches back another hour. We are now on Pacific Time. We got to the world Famous Alaskan Highway and I must confess the fatigue fell away and was replaced with renewed excitement. We took lots of pictures and visited the museum. So we are officially on our way to Fairbanks Alaska via the ALCAN highway! The scenery is breathtaking… Marty is stopping often and letting us just enjoy the vastness of the wildness we are exploring. There was a cute poem I read at the Museum it went like this. Winding in and winding out, fills my mind with serious doubt, as to whether the lout who built this route, was going to hell or coming out! I can relate to that, we finally cross over the Rocky Mountains today as they have flanked us on our left the last 2 days. I have never seen anything in my life to compare with the incredible beauty of these mountains; it literally took my breath away. I’m at once awed and amazed at the vastness of this raw wildness. You cannot explain this in mere words. You have to experience it to fully comprend the magnificence. We traveled 540 miles today and have stopped at the Tetsa River to camp for the night. The sound of the river is soothing after days on the road. We walk down to the river and the water is so cold it numbed our feet. They do however have a pump in camp so we decided to use it to wash off the dirt of the road. It was cold but felt wonderful! Joshua decides he wants to wash his hair in the pump water, by the time he got the shampoo out of his hair his poor head was numb! Poor Baby! He had a terrible brain freeze! Well we all took a little nature walk and then had a dinner by campfire. We had a guest show up and filled us in on all of the land we would be traveling through. He was a little creepy; he had seem my sister in the camper about a hundred miles back and followed us to the campsite. Marty locked Elizabeth, boys and me in the truck that night. He was gone when we awoke the next morning. OK now we only have 1,280 miles until Fairbanks, Alaska! Whoo! Hoo!
August 4, 1994 Day5: Marty woke me up at 6:00 to help him pack the
tent and bedding up. The kids all slept in the back of the truck so we didn't
have to wake them up. We had a note on the windshield from Doug telling us to
enjoy our vacation and to be on the lookout for wildlife. We were on the
lookout and we found we found them! Caribou (lots of them) and Dall sheep,
one very large moose and a huge black bear! The moose was in a small lake
feeding. You see a thing like that on TV but it is pretty amazing to see it in
real life. We drove to the Hot Springs in Liard and that was awesome! I have
never been to a natural hot springs before but after many days on the road it
was pure heaven to soak all the soreness out of my muscles. We ate at a place
called Trapper Rays and the food was delicious. The people were so friendly. We
really enjoyed that! After we left there we hadn't got down the road 10 miles
when we came upon an accident. A group of guys were traveling on their motorcycles’
and this guy John got in some loose gravel and lost control of his bike and
went off the shoulder. He was hurt. Marty and I both thought maybe he broke
something. Marty of course stopped to help. We did what we could but he could
not walk without help. So the guys put him in the back of our truck and we took
him back to the hot springs. I mean who know where the nearest hospital is???
We took him to the hot springs and his friend followed us and then rode back to
where his friend’s bike was and drove it back. You know the really sad thing
was this guy was laying there hurt on the side of the road and people were just
driving by! Oh well! We passed Muncho Lake today and it was really beautiful. We
also crossed into the Yukon today. I think we are all getting a little road
weary. We stopped at Rancheria Falls and took some pictures. We had to take a
small hike to get there but we needed it! We decided to try and find a room for
the night. We all needed a shower and bed. We stopped in Teslin. The room was
small but very clean. It looked like heaven to me. Before this trip I might
have thought it a dump but a few days without running water and a bed will
change your mind. Well only 679 miles to Fairbanks! We should cross over into
Alaska tomorrow! Thank God!
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