THE "NORTH TO ALASKA" JOURNEY ENDS

Wayne and I arrived home last night in the pounding rain.  This was only the third rain shower encountered in four months.  We couldn't even unload the RV, so just returned it to storage to be brought back later for the contents.  This morning Wayne left home at 6:30 AM headed to the barber shop.  He hasn't had a haircut in four months and looks like a real Alaskan Mountain Man. 

I'm waiting on the arrival of a plumber to repair a leak that occurred while we were gone. We have no water at this point and I'm filling jugs from a neighbor's hose for the basics.  Hopefully, by noon I can take a 30 minute shower (one that I don't have to insert quarters in to get water, which is what you encounter in Alaska.) 

Wayne drove and I navigated 13,812 miles in less than 4 months.  It was a perfect trip with absolutely no problems encountered.  The RV got 17 to 18 miles per gallon of diesel fuel and never gave us one minute of trouble.  We loved every place we visited and would recommend each of you take the journey of your dreams as quickly as possible.  Time goes much faster than we realize and we must take advantage of every day.

Thank you for following our journey.

NORTH TO ALASKA TOUR – June - October 2013 – 13,812 MILES DRIVEN - Route: Valparaiso, IN; Wisconsin Dells; Fargo, ND; Theodore Roosevelt NP, ND; Great Falls, MT; Glacier National Park, MT; Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada; Banff National Park, AB; Lake Louise, AB; Jasper National Park, AB; Grande Prairie, AB; Dawson Creek, British Columbia; Fort Nelson, BC; Laird Hot Springs, BC; Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada; Whitehorse, YT; Tok, AK, USA; Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, AK; Valdez, AK; Palmer, AK; Seward, AK; Soldotna & Kenai, AK; Homer, AK; Portage Glacier, AK; Anchorage, AK; Eagle River, Byers Lake, E. Fork Chulitna Wayside, Denali Grizzly Bear Resort; Denali National Park, AK; Fairbanks, AK; North Pole, AK; Tok, AK to Canadian Border; Whitehorse, YT; Skagway, AK; junction of Cassiar Hwy; Iskut, BC; Stewart, BC & Hyder, USA; Yellowhead Hwy to Prince George, BC; Sumas, WA, USA - Bellingham, WA; Port Townsend Ferry - Port Angeles - Olympic Nat’l Park, WA; Mt. Rainier NP, WA; Mt. St. Helens Nat’l Monument, WA; Crater Lake NP, Oregon; Redwood National Park, CA; Redding, CA; Lassen Volcanic NP, CA; Lake Tahoe, CA; Yosemite NP, CA; Kings Canyon NP, CA; Sequoia NP, CA; Bakersfield, CA; Las Vegas, NV; Fillmore, UT; Rock Springs, WY; Laramie, Wyoming; Cheyenne, Wyoming; North Platte, Nebraska; Lincoln, NE – Pawnee SP; Anita, Iowa – Lake Anita SP; Amana, Iowa – Amana Colonies; Ottawa, IL – Starved Rock SP; Valparaiso, IN; Jasonville, IN – Shakamak SP; Henderson, KY – JJ Audubon SP; Buchanan, TN – Scamp Rally – KY Lake; Lexington, KY – HOME! 

Carolyn and Wayne Wells

NORTH TO ALASKA! –Indiana through Western KY to Tennessee

TRIP DAY – 108, 109, 110, 111

DAILY MILES – 200, 117, 140, 0

TOTAL MILES – 13,527

Lottie

Dallas

9/30- We departed Valparaiso, IN with hugs for our grand-kids and headed south on IN 41 towards the Land Between the Lakes Fall Rally hosted by our friends Dennis and Susie Archer.  Tonight we stopped at Shakamak IN State Park in  the Terre Haute, Indiana area.  The park is very nice with big sites and a new restroom/shower building that is very serviceable.   

Shakamak IN State Park

10/1- This morning we were back on IN 41 and headed for the John James Audubon KY State Park near Henderson, Kentucky.  After a much needed McDonalds “fix” we reached the park in early afternoon.  The campground is very nice and has great structural “bones”, but is in need of maintenance.  One plus was the washer/dryer which I made good use of.  Tomorrow we reach Land Between the Lakes.   

John James Audubon KY State Park

10/2, 10/3- WELL, the best made plans still tend to change.  We received an email from rally host Dennis Archer advising that the LBL park had been shut down by the federal government at noon on 10/1 and the rally was being moved to Paris Landing KOA in the same area.  Eleven members of the rally group were already set-up at the campground when they were advised to vacate the park by noon on the first.  This caused a real scramble to find a new location, as there will be 41 camping units attending the rally Thursday through Sunday.  Anyway, we arrived at the KOA, via the huge country buffet served at the Bauer’s Restaurant on TN 79 before reaching the campground.  I ate so much catfish that I couldn’t eat any of the many choices of home-made pie offered.  I’ll get to remedy that on Saturday night when all the rally participants converge on the same buffet line.  It was wonderful connecting with friends that we have camped with all over the southern US.  We will be here until the rally adjourns on Sunday morning when we finally head for home-sweet-home.
 

 

"Scamp" Rally at Paris Landing KOA - 41camping units attending