Ain't too proud to beg, sweet darlin'

Well this week has been a nice welcome back to Fairbanks.  I hit the ground running and went out looking for property with some help from my old friend Joel.  He found me a nice little chunk of dirt outside of town so Angela and I talked it over and decided it might not be so bad.The red arrow is roughly where we will be if things go well, still haven't had the full thumbs up but I did put some money down so cross your fingers.  The neighborhood is brand spanking new, thus the lack of houses.  Hopefully power will be available by the end of the summer.The rest of the week was spent tracking down funding which apparently requires insurance which you can't get if you don't already have it.  So back and forth and up and down and who knows if I told the right people the right things but tune in next week to find out more.  In the meantime here's the old cabana that will finance the new:

it was squirrel infested and swampy, but nothing a few firearms and some yard work can't handle.  And still no t.v.  Yea!!

Below them old white mountains...

Well we made it, at 2 a.m. Alaska time we rolled into Fairbanks Thursday night.  Hard to believe but we're definitely not in San Francisco any more.  Here are some photo highlights:

Crossing the border from British Columbia to Yukon Territory.

Angela discovers the Alpine Bakery in Whitehorse.

Liard Hotsprings, the best stop in Canada by far.

A passing squall at 11 p.m.

Back in the land of midnight shadows.

Mazzy leaves a special sign at the Sign Forest in Watson Lake.

Oh, Canada

The Beez Kneez Bakpakers Hostel

Bison on the side of the road.

We are in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory after battling 3 days of torrential rain enroute to the top of the world.  Now just 600 little miles and we will be in Fairbanks.  The truck is running well, the trailer is holding up and life is good.  We saw our 4th black bear today, about 50 Bison, a handful of Mule Deer and 3 moose.  Last night we camped in the mountains and it poured on us and our green tarp shelter.  Tonight, we are in a cozy Youth Hostel chalet, The Beez Kneez.  It's a swell spot.  See you soon Alaska.

Mt. Vernon, WA

Mazzy likes to keep an eye on the road...

We're visiting John and Margaret after 5 hours on the road from Hood River.  The temperatures have finally cooled off and tomorrow we cross the border.  We hope to make it as far as Prince George tomorrow, perhaps a bit farther, 500 miles plus.  We'll see how it goes and what the mounties have to say about us crossing with American passports...

Big Wheels Keep on Turnin'

We finally got to meet Clarity Blue- She's a peach

We had tea and crumpets at the local brewery

Walking the trails in Corvallis

Camping above Mt. Shasta

Michelle and Clarity down near the Hood River

We are in Hood River, OR with our friends Steve and Michelle and our new little friend Clarity. The weather has been hot here and yesterday we all got sunburnt on the Hood River watching kite surfers and wind surfers. The truck is running well, the trailer is holding up, and today we head for Mt. Vernon, WA to visit more friends before the border crossing and slog through Canada. Keep your fingers crossed that everything holds up!

Hot and Bothered

The city of San Francisco is giving us an 86 degree sendoff.  Today the temperature will hit 86F and tomorrow is supposed to be 90F.  The East Bay is on enforced water rationing and I've been told the cost of iced lattes is skyrocketing.  We are leaving just in time.

She's My Little Runaway

Angela is calculating the number of warm Alaska nights this little sapling represents.

Extreme shrinkage in the Eel River after the marathon.

I locked in the hubs and drove through this 5,000 year old behemoth.

Utilities included.

A town full of Angela-size people live here in their tree houses, they asked Angela to be their Queen.  She said no.

Kari would not stop barking so we put her in the back of the truck with Payton.

Guitar 'round the campfire.

Matt even brought lyrics for Angela to sing along too. (she sounds just like Dolly Parton)

Mazzy loves a good hug.

Lotta leaves here, lotta leaves.

Angela and I are just back from another half marathon, Avenue of the Giants.  I still can't feel my legs.  I did a personal best of 1:45.23 which means my average mile was done in 8 minutes 3 seconds for 13.1 miles.  Yeah, not too shabby for an old man.  Angela met her goal by finishing without collapsing.  We're all winners.