The Final Few Days

Once we got going, we really got going.  Willie seemed to be behaving - we think they got it this time - and we drove to Shelby, Montana. We stayed in a casino RV lot which was nondescript, but in the morning, which was September 11, we noticed the very large flag on the hill at half-mast.  It was certainly a stirring sight, and one I will remember!

The next day we made it to Casper, Wyoming.  Lots and lots of driving, but we began listening to a book named The Volunteer, which is about a Polish man who actually volunteered to go to Auschwitz to try to set up resistance within the camp and to send messages out.  It is a sobering and awful story - and absolutely incredibly interesting.  The weather actually matched the mood of the book - we must have driven through inches of rain!

Another nondescript RV park in Casper (though it did have a great dog park for the pups), and we left again early in the morning.  As we were driving out of the RV park, we saw this:

Imagine living in a town where antelope frequent the lawn of the local Baptist church.  There are about 15 antelope in this picture!

We stopped in Eaton to have lunch with Katie and then headed again toward home.  We were hoping to get to Russell, but we had to stop in Oakley.  It was dark when we arrived, dark when we left, but we arrived home about 12:30 on Friday, the 13th.  Nothing unlucky about that day!!

Woody was delighted to be home, but no one was as excited as the pups!

They haven't done this for 79 days!

We unloaded, and unloaded, and unloaded.  Other than way too many shirts that I took, we used almost everything!  Now it is time to put things away, clean the RV, and wash the outside.  Don took this picture as he was cleaning the back of the RV.

This is how dirty the RV is, even after all the rain through which we drove!

So . . . we are home after 79 days.  We had an awesome trip, albeit we had our own numerous frustrations!  Will we go back to Alaska one more time?  Maybe, but poor Willie will have to stay home.  We have realized that he is too old to make the trip, as parts for his chassis are getting harder and harder to find.  He has been a great RV, and we may have him longer, but before we take another long trip, we will have a new Willie!!

I would love to get to go back to Alaska and spend more time along the Cassiar highway, which is in Canada - it is so beautiful, and between the Golden Nugget and Meziadin Junction, the sights are spectacular.  I would also like to spend some time panning for gold - we took Dad's gold pan, but didn't have time to use it.  And I would love to spend more time in Valdez and go to Cordova, Kennecott, and other places.  So stay tuned - another trip to Alaska may be in our future!