On September 20th we packed our things, said our goodbyes, threw Luna into the back of the car, and headed north towards Anchorage. After much discussion we had decided that leaving a little earlier than we planned in order to help out at Carrie’s father’s business would make our lives a little less stressful and lend structure to our wandering lifestyle. It took us 11 days to get back to Lancaster, 11 days spent listening to music, seeing friends, and sometimes just listening to the sound of the road. It was a week and a half of arduous driving I don’t relish doing again anytime soon, but it has left me with a new appreciation of eight-hour roadtrips. “What? Its only eight hours away? I can do that with my eyes shut.” If ever you’re missing a friend or feel disconnected from some far-away loved one just remember that no matter where they are, a 3-inch thick strip of pavement connects you. Yes, even 5,000 miles away, there is little more separating you than a steering wheel, boredom, and $1200 worth of fuel.
The Subaru was loaded to the gills
We drove south through Canada on the Cassiar Highway, a beautiful two-lane road, often shoulder-less, that meanders over Western British Columbia through mountains of Alder, Fir and Birch. We saw as many bears in one hour as we saw cars in one afternoon. We enjoyed meals at restaurants long-forgotten, serving turkey dinners that were as delicious as they were healthy (they were neither.)
Fall foliage
Bear!
One of Luna's many positions
Roadside advertising
Canadian deer
Ansel Adams took this for us
Another place to stretch our legs
What makes those wonderful shadows?
Odd motel room
This went on for a long time
As much as we love America’s Top Hat, we couldn’t wait to get back into the United States to see some friendly faces. Our first patriotic duty was to check voicemails and text messages as we had not had cell service for three or four days. An hour later and cell phones nearly depleted we called up Homer friends Cole and Jason to see where life had taken them. They were staying in Port Townsend, WA for a few weeks so we rolled the tired Subaru back onto the road to head over to the Washington coast for a night. What a great reunion with two old friends and their two new (one coming this winter) additions to their family.
A late-night hurrah
We spend the night in Olympia, WA just a few hours south on route to Salem, OR the following day. Leaving Homer, we were worried about Luna’s ability to weather hours in the backseat of a car; she has been phenomenal. She sleeps or stares out the window with the bored removal of a puppy who has seen more of the world than most adults.
