I Made It!

I made it to Fairbanks, Alaska! It took 5 long days of travel through Canada and 11 total days on the road. It's a looong way from Fort Campbell to Fort Wainwright, especially when you stop through Tacoma in the middle!

Thank God the traveling is done. I know Picasso is happy. He's usually an amazing traveler, but the last 3 hours in the car today he reached his breaking point. He had had enough. He was whining and panting and chewing on his kennel. He wanted out of the car. I can't blame the guy. 

I didn't really have any adventures on the road today. I'm just glad to be done. I can say that I think the Yukon Territory might be one of the most beautiful places I have ever been on Earth. Below are some scenery pictures I took in both British Columbia and Yukon.

Random tree wearing a bra at a rest stop.... 

Travels Through the Yukon Territory

I crossed into the Yukon Territory today and started driving on the Alaska Highway. The name alone gave me a tiny ray of optimism that I am getting closer to my destination. Not too long after turning onto the highway, I saw an enormous bald eagle flying overhead. 

The Alaska Highway is a huge improvement from the trails I was driving on in northern British Columbia. There is actually paint on the roads and the speed limit has slightly improved. Gas stations have not been hard to come by-- I was told horror stories of trying to find gas in Canada. You just have to read the signs and be willing to get gas in places that look haunted.

I've been stopping every 2 hours or so to let the dogs out and take short walks. There was one rest stop that I swore I could hear the ocean. So we broke some brush and come out onto the beach of a gigantic beautiful lake:

My hotel was cozy. I didn't have neighbors on either side of me so the dogs weren't barking at every little noise. That was relaxing for me. The frenchies think they are guard dogs. This was also the first night Gertie didn't have any accidents. She is a dog who needs a routine and we have not had any kind of routine since the middle of July when my furniture was packed to be shipped to Alaska. There was a bar attached to my hotel, so that was convenient. I had poutine and a couple Canadian beers. I was really impressed with the Thirty Beaver beer. I don't judge the name, Canadians can't help themselves. 

I have a few more hours to drive through the Yukon tomorrow until I reach the Alaskan border. I can' wait! Canada is great, but it doesn't have shit on the US. 

The Highway

I'm slowly making progress across British Columbia. This place is huge, in case you were wondering. I drove approximately 10 hours today.

I saw a bear today! It took me 3 days before I saw any form of wildlife I had been warned was going to cross the road. I actually saw two bears and the first bear I saw was actually crossing the highway. That first bear I saw was the highlight of my day. I've never seen a real wild bear before. He was a little black bear. I was so excited when I saw him that I exclaimed, "ITS A BEAR!" to the sleeping frenchies in the back seat. They did not give a shit about the bear at all. The second bear I saw was sitting on his butt in the ditch on the side of the highway eating something.  

I keep using the word highway. It's technically a highway. It's called highway 37. But lets get real here. Half the time it's a gravel road.The other half of the time its a paved road. But it doesn't have lines painted anywhere. It's the wild west of highway travel.

The highway at its best.

The highway with no identifying lines.

The highway is really a gravel road.

The speed limit is impossibly slow, also. Not that I'm concerned about being pulled over by the police. I barely see oncoming vehicles anymore, never mind any kind of law enforcement. The speed limit is what the speed limit is on this highway because it's so curvy through the mountains. Oh, and because its freaking gravel. Death is imminent if you go too fast. 35 mph to 65 mph is all I can really muster. And 65 mph is technically speeding. 

I had to figure out how to switch my car over to read kilometers and liters of gas. It's still weird seeing it written on the dash that way. I can't wait to get into Alaska and be done with this metric system stuff. I have no idea how much gas I'm putting in my car at any given time. I'm not doing math-- I am an old dog who won't learn new tricks.

And speaking of dogs, here are pictures of my dogs in Canada:

I so badly want to call them French Canadian Bulldogs.

They are being amazing travelers. They've been on the road since the 7th and they are cooperating surprisingly well. They sleep in their kennels while we are on the road. We get out and go potty every 2 hours or so and take a short walk around a rest stop. They are great travel companions. 

Happiness Is....

Throughout my travels in Canada, I've noticed maybe two chain restaurants. Not fast food chains, but actual sit down restaurants. One is called Boston Pizza and I've made fun of the name every time I've seen it because Boston is not traditionally known for their pizza. Silly Canadians. But tonight I find myself dining in this establishment. The food is meh. But I'm going to eat it like there is a gun to my head because that's what Americans do.

Meh pasta. Good beer. 

Speaking of guns.

I'm sitting here, enjoying a beer, minding my own business and I accidentally made eye contact with a strange older gentleman across the dining area. When I accidentally made eye contact twice, I realised he was staring at me. He got up and came towards my table. I cursed Boston Pizza for being cheap and not having free wifi which forced me to glance around at other people. 

He says to me, "I was trying to read your shirt from across the bar. It says, 'Happiness is...'."

My shirt says 'happiness is a warm gun'. 1) because of the Beatles song that I love and 2) what read blooded American can't appreciate a recently used weapon!?

I didn't explain the shirt. I just read it to him. He then tells me he doesn't get it. He walked away; I breathed a sigh of relief but he turned around and came right back. "Oh, I get it, like a gun," he says to me and then made finger pistols at me.

No Sir, I really dont think you do get it. Please leave me alone.

I desperately need the internet to dine alone. 

This just doesn't add up. WTF, Canada. 

And before you ask me why the hell I was eating in a chain restaurant while traveling through a foreign country, it was the only restaurant within walking distance of my hotel that sold beer. 

Oh, Canada!

This is day one of my travels through British Columbia, Canada. My first time in Canada!

A little confident, aren't we, Canada?

I'm traveling alone due to unforeseen circumstances. I had to leave James in Tacoma with friends. James will meet me in Fairbanks via airplane after I arrive. So I am making the remaining 2,000 miles of our PCS (permanent change of station) with only the frenchies as companions. 

Like I said, this is my first time in Canada. It's only been 1 day, and I've only seen the southern portion of British Columbia, but I've already made some assumptions about Canada and Canadians.

1. So far, Canadians do not have beady eyes and flappy heads. But I'm keeping my eyes peeled. 

Terrance and Phillip

2. Canadians are restless when they have to stop unexpectedly on the highway. I've driven through quite a bit of road work and some of it has caused only one lane to be open. When you have to wait for your turn to drive on the lane, Canadians get out of their cars. They stand and face the road block with their hands on their hips like looking at it is going to make whatever the hold up is go faster or stop or explain itself. 

3. Canada expects A LOT of wildlife to cross the road. I have seen approximately zero animals since I've been here. But the road signs tell me to watch out for deer, elk, caribou, moose, bears and badgers. Wtf. Badgers?

4. Exiting the highway is an "at your own risk" activity. This was no concern for the Canadians who designed the highway system. Exit lanes? Nah, lets just post teeny tiny signs so people have to make very quick decisions about pulling off the road at 65 mph (or about 110 kph). I can't tell you how many times I've needed to stop at a rest stop but I chose life over being rear ended by the person behind me while I suddenly exit. 

I have approximately 3 more days of travel through Canada before I make it to the Alaskan border. I'm sure I'll make more assumptions during that time. Wish me and the frenchies luck on our travels!

Back to Washington

Our PCS adventures en-route to Alaska took us to Washington. 

I have such fond memories of Washington. I always thought I would like to be stationed at Fort Lewis again some day. But I think I am just nostalgic for the people. Because the place is bullshit. Not the whole place, of course. Parts of the state are beautiful and Seattle is really cool and the music scene is totally rad. 

But the traffic. I-5 might be Hell on Earth, Fuck the 5. I don't have the patience for that anymore and Fort Lewis is right in the middle of it. A 45 minute drive to go less than 10 miles makes me want to peel my face off. 

One day near Fort Lewis brought it to my attention that I never want to be stationed there again. No matter how great my memories are. 

And so the PCS journey continues. Onward to Fort Wainwright, Alaska I go!

I'm Back

Alright, so there was a leave of absence from my blog. I didn't think anyone read it. And I was personally losing interest since I have been back in school. But I visited friends and family this summer and everyone was like, "WTF." So, due to overwhelming requests to continue sharing my adventures, here I am. 

I'm between homes right now. That's the nice way of saying homeless. I wouldn't go so far as to refer to myself as a free range human because I am still employed. But I definitely do not have a home. James and I packed the frenchies into my car and we put Fort Campbell in our rear view and Fort Wainwright in the GPS. 

So here we are, en-route to Alaska for a 3 year adventure in the last frontier.