Day 24 Thoughts

As we leave the vast wonders of the beautiful and soul touching state of Alaska, we marvel at the hand of Mother Nature and the work of God. We have traveled to the Top of the World via the Klondike Highway and have soared in the air over the peaks of “The High One”, Denali in a 1953 Be

de Havilland Otter before landing on the Ruth Glacier. With each step and rise, our breath has been taken away by the ever changing sites and terrain and our eyes have filled with tears over the sheer majesty of it all. We have kissed our loved ones at these places to ensure that it was all real. Our hearts have been touched by the hard work, determination and fore thought of our predecessors. We have observed indescribable beauty in both the wild and the wildlife. We have watched the symbol of our Nation build their nests one stick at a time much as our forefathers built their homes one log at a time. We have watched them care for their young and search for food as they soared thru the sky with their graceful splendor. We have seen elk,, mule deer, caribou, moose, and reindeer and now know what becomes of their antlers. We have watched them protect their young much as we do. We have watched black bears, cinnamon bears, brown bears and even grizzly bears search for food and frolic with their cubs. We have seen beaver dams and have seen the shy creatures slip into the water at the sound of human life. We have watched the weather change so quickly from snow storms to ice storms to rain storms and even hail to the beautiful sun filled skies with breezes that have stirred our souls. And as the old timers here say, “If you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes, it will change!” We have met people from many backgrounds, races and places, and have been renewed by the goodness of our fellow man. We have braved many thousands of miles of road from asphalt to gravel to dirt to streams and with each body jolting bump, have marveled at the beauty we have seen. The sky lends the beauty of clouds and the patchwork of fields below, but the highways and byways yields the chance to smell the fresh air, hear the sounds of the wild, walk along streams where our ancestors have tread, meet new people, try new foods and touch Mother Nature as only our senses allows. Even with a burnt valve in the suburban, flat tires, chipped paint and broken windshields, it is worth every callous on our behinds. We have laughed together, broke bread together, been awed together and yes, even kept up with each other’s bodily movements together, all of which has brought us closer together as friends and “Road People”. Mike has been the trip planner, car packer, driver and decision maker backed up by the best co-pilot and navigator ever, Roddy. Debbie has taken care of the car garbage and snacks which allowed Janice to be the wildlife spotter and weather predictor. Each of us is special and has contributed to this adventure in many, many, ways. As our trip nears the lower 48, we will cherish the sweet memories of this “once in a lifetime” trip and will begin planning for the return to this land that we now love.