God Bless the U.S.A.! August 29, 2011

  1 + 5 + 5 = DAY 11

Our last and final day on the road took us from Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, Canada to Fort Wainwright, Alaska, USA!  The scenery continued to be beautiful as the day started out at 37` and a little misty and then cleared off to spectacular 68` when we arrived in Fairbanks.  What a way to end our trip!  Highlights of the day were the fantastic pastries from the Hungarian chef, the gorgeous Kluane Lake outside of Haines Junction, and of course, the end of the Alaska Highway at Delta Junction, Alaska.

 The end of the Alaska Highway — Mile 1422

Besides finally arriving at Fort Wainwright, our favorite part of the day was arriving back in the United States of America.  We whooped and hollered (Texas-style) and sang “God Bless America”.  The border patrol agent wasn’t quite as enthusiastic about letting us in as we were about getting back in, but we didn’t have any problems whatsoever.  He just thought we seemed a tad eager about going through the gate.

Our excitement about “being home” got me to thinking, though.  Canada is a beautiful country.  In fact, Mary said, “I wish I could say the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen is in the United States, but I think I would have to say it’s in Canada.”  Banff, Lake Louise, the Icefields are all beautiful beyond words, but nothing felt as good as being back on our home turf, even though we are about 4,000 miles away from the place we consider “home.”  So my thoughts ventured into the spiritual…I wonder if I am as enthusiastic about thoughts of heaven.  Am I as eager to share with others about my home in heaven, to invite them to join me there?  I want to be like the men and women spoken of in Hebrews 11:13-16:

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.  People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.  Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

The only difference is I have received the things promised.  The Messiah has come and has brought the New Covenant…all the more reason for me to long to join Him in the city He has prepared.

But until then, I will live in this city…the one He has prepared for this season of my life, and I will live to the fullest!

p.s.  Thanks for following us on our Great Adventure to The Last Frontier.  I will continue to post pictures and thoughts about our time here, so stay tuned!

10 Down and 1 To Go August 28, 2011

photo taken at the Sign Post Forest in Watson Lake, Yukon Territory

Yeah! We are nearing the end of our journey to Fort Wainwright, Alaska. We were scheduled to travel to Whitehorse, Yukon today…to Beaver Creek, YT tomorrow …and then to Fort Wainwright; however, I decided to drive just 1 1/2 hours more today and a little longer tomorrow so that we will reach our destination one day early. We are all anxious to be there even though we are looking at another week of hotel stays. At least we can unpack our suitcases a little…do some laundry…and stay out of the car!

It was another day of wonderful scenery but still no bears. In fact, the only animal I saw was a beautiful red fox wandering along the roadway.  Oh, wait…there was one bear…Joseph had a good time leading me into this rest stop with my eyes closed…only to have me open them to this greeting.

After arriving at our hotel this afternoon, we enjoyed a FABULOUS dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.  The chef is from Hungary, and he prepared authentic Hungarian cuisine.  The kids had Hungarian goulash stew, and the adults tried the cabbage rolls.  Everyone had a clean plate!  More amazing than the food, though, is the view from our room.  These mountains are part of the Kluane Mountain Range.

Last but not least, today, our 10th day on the road, was my dad’s 70th birthday.  I am so blessed to have a father who loves the Lord and follows Him and who passed that love on to me, teaching me the truths of God’s Word all my life.  Second, I am grateful to God that He allowed both of my parents to come on this amazing trip with me, not only for practical reasons but also for the time that we will hopefully hold close in our hearts forever.  We have sung songs, laughed, marveled at God’s handiwork, and even cried a little along the way.  Thanks, Mom & Dad, for the help, but more than that, thanks for the memories!

 

Into the Yukon August 27, 2011

Our morning started out with Joseph saying the blessing at breakfast:  Dear God, Thank you for this day.  Please keep us safe as we travel today, and please help us to see wildlife.  Bless the food.  Amen.

Then we were on our way.

The first surprise of the morning was the man at the FULL-SERVICE gas station.  He was so kind to fill up the truck and send us on our way!  We made our daily picture to begin the journey at the historical Mile 300 marker in Fort Nelson.  Then it was “North to Alaska.  Go North, the rush is on!”

 

Within an hour and a half, J’s sweet prayer was answered.  We began seeing caribou in several places on the way from Fort Nelson to Watson Lake.  They were dark, dark gray (almost black) with furry antlers.  The worker at the construction stop said they are Woodland caribou.  Yes…the construction stop…we were stopped twice today for about 20 minutes each time.  The first stop was for mowers, and the second stop was for gravellers.  The mowers were great…the gravellers made a mess!

Just past the mowers construction stop, we saw stone sheep grazing on the roadside.  We were in awe.  They seemed without a care in the world.  The cars driving by didn’t seem to bother them at all.  Oh how I wish that I could be more like that.  When life comes rushing at me, I would just trust and continue on my way, knowing that I am in His hands.

  

We crossed the western Rocky Mountains and marveled at the beauty.  God is amazing and the most wonderful artist… the deep jade/blue color of the rivers, the striations in the rock formations, the trees that seem to point straight to the Father.  It takes one’s breath away!

             

I just couldn’t resist stopping at Milepost 422 in Toad River.  We had fun trying to get Libby to cooperate…maybe you can see her…she’s the lead moose!

Then westward and onward we went.  We were diligently looking for bears since the big sign said “WARNING You are entering Bear Country!”  Joseph was very excited…Mary, not so much.  You can just imagine how surprised we were when we drove up on a very unexpected animal here in Canada….For a brief, agonizing moment, I thought we had been tele-ported back to Oklahoma!

Alas, we didn’t see any bears, but there’s always tomorrow…and the day after that…and the day after that.  If we don’t see one by then, we will just have to see one on post.

Day 8 August 26, 2011

Nothing especially eventful today…

The beginning of Day 8 at Mile 0

The trees are already changing colors here...BEAUTIFUL!

The natural gas pipeline over the Alaska Highway

Eating at Triple Gs ...felt a little like home

And there you have it…Day 8 in a few pictures.  We are all tired, a little stir crazy, and anxious to arrive.  If you have been praying for us on this trip, please pray for rest and the strength to finish strong.  Until tomorrow…

Mile 0 August 25, 2011

We drove from Hinton, Alberta today to Dawson Creek, British Columbia. It was a bit shorter than previous days but still a 5 hour driving day. The 7-8% grades (at least) slow us down just a bit, but I am learning to love the power of a V8 F150!

We stopped for just a couple of fun “tourist” photo-ops. The first is at Beaverlodge, Alberta. Libby didn’t quite know what to make of the giant beaver staring at her, but I think she believed she could take it down if necessary.

We arrived at our destination, Dawson Creek, just a little earlier than usual, so we took some time to walk down to the famous Alaska Highway Cairn. We had fun taking pictures and visiting the local art gallery located in the old grain elevators.

I have been trying to think of some deep-thought to share about our trip today, but all we have done now is settled into driving. We are past the initial excitement of the grand adventure; we have visited all the people we know along the way; we have finished our scenic day of touring. Now, we are just driving miles and miles of road…with 1500 more to go.

Even as I type this, though, I am reminded of scripture ~
Philippians 3:12-14 — Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Sometimes in my life, I feel much like I did on the drive today…not on a mountaintop…not necessarily in a valley…just somewhere and nowhere all at the same time. I must remember that during those times, I need to do exactly what I did today….stop along the way to take in the sights around me and then press on. After all, there’s a prize waiting for me at the end of my journey!

1/2 Way Through August 24, 2011

Today was spectacular!  We traveled from Calgary, Alberta to Hinton, Alberta via Banff and Jasper National Parks.  I will let the pictures tell the beautiful story, but I am afraid the camera did not do the magnificent display justice.

Day 6

Bow River

Mom & Dad at Bow River

       

 

Lake Louise

Scenic Bow Lake

Glacier and Waterfall on Icefield Parkway

Peyto Lake

  

Athabasca Falls

Psalm 96:9, 11-13a Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him all the earth…Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it.  Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.  Let all creation rejoice before the Lord…

O Canada! August 23, 2011

 

 

We made it all the way to Calgary today with no problems at all. I was surprised that much of the scenery from down in Wyoming all the way into Canada is much the same, but I am looking forward to tomorrow when we go through Banff and Jasper. The Icelands Parkway will definitely be different! Mary wrote a paper earlier this year on three national parks of Canada when we were studying the French and Indian Wars. She is pretty excited about seeing in person some of the places she researched. We’re planning to stretch our 6 1/2 hour travel day into 8+ so that we can stop at every photo-op along the way.

 

One really cool thing we saw today in far northern Montana….several frozen lakes with steam rising from the top as the temp. in the truck read 94* outside! As excited as I got about that, I can only imagine how crazy I’ll be about Columbia Icefield.

 

A little about the time in the car….everyone is doing really well. We go a little crazy once we make it to the hotel each day, but all in all, it has been a wonderful, memory-making trip. We sing “North to Alaska” at least three times a day and laugh at Nee Nee’s “fancy” words. Even LulaBell made an appearance today.

My daily Bible reading today was from Hebrews 10:36: You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.

This verse could not have been more appropriate. As I prayed, planned, organized (or more likely agonized) over this trip, there were times when I thought to myself, “What in the world am I thinking? What am I doing moving myself, two kids, and a dog to Alaska while my husband is out of the country? It’s insanity! ” But this verse and others like it remind me that God is in control when I feel out of control. It is not my job to understand…just to persevere with a heart of obedience.  You, too, are called to persevere and to do the will of God. So have courage, friends! You have your own story to tell, your own journey to take…persevere and you will receive what He has promised!

Big Horn Mountains and Lewis & Clark Historic Trail August 22, 2011

     

 

We made it through Wyoming today and all the way to Great Falls, Montana, seeing more and more of the beauty of this land… rolling hills to the east, rising mountains to the west, and miles of farmland, horses, cattle, antelope, and deer. Tomorrow, we make our way into Canada where we will spend 7 days trekking across Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon. I am especially looking forward to our detour through Banff and Jasper and will post pictures as often as I can.

We picked up geo-cache # 12 this morning on our way out of Casper and will grab #13 tomorrow morning while I’m having the oil changed in the pick-up….am I a great wife or what?…even stopping at the nearest Ford dealership for the 10,000 mile service routine.

In all of the beauty that we are seeing and in all the fun we are having, though, I still miss my man. At times, my heart feels like it physically aches, especially when I see something that I know he would enjoy experiencing with me. We love road trips together. We love geo-caching together. This is his pick-up that he should be dropping off for its first maintenance check. It doesn’t seem right to be making this trip without him. But I know that I am where I need to be, doing what I need to do, and he is where he needs to be, doing what he needs to do. And God will be with both of us across the miles until we can be together again.

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play August 21, 2011

Our trip north continued through Colorado and Wyoming on Day 3, and it was the best one yet! We began the day driving to Parker, Colorado to have breakfast with my aunt and uncle, Karen and Allen Miller. It has been 9 years since I have seen Karen (Joseph was 3 months old at our last visit) and 5 years since we’ve seen Uncle Allen. They have a beautiful home in a quiet community, and the view from their back deck looks toward Pike’s Peak. It was a wonderful time to reconnect with them, and our time was definitely too short. There was talk of an Alaskan cruise with Mom & Dad and a stopover at Fort Wainwright…what fun that would be! As we pulled away I found myself feeling a bit emotional. We do not get a chance to see them very often at all…my dad and uncle did not even grow up together…but as my eyes filled with tears, my heart was filled with love. And I marveled at the idea that I could feel such a heart-felt connection with someone else, just by the bond of a shared last name. Spiritually, I pray that I would feel that same connection to my brothers and sisters in Christ…those that I fellowship with regularly and those that I may just pass along the way.

Upward and onward we drove…a whole 60 miles…before I decided to make a surprise detour to Broomfield, CO to visit one of my very best high school friends. Without warning, I called information to get her phone number, called to let her know we were about 10 minutes out, then giddily rang her doorbell a few minutes later. Nothing like advanced notice, huh? As gorgeous and gracious as ever, she welcomed us into her beautiful new home, inviting J to head on upstairs to play with the guys and giving us the grand tour. Amazing and awe-inspiring is the view from nearly every window in her house. It was wonderful, wonderful to catch up with her, but alas, our time was cut short by the call of the road ahead. Once again, God was good to me, allowing me to spend time with one of my favorite people from the past, reminding me that He has placed people in my life all along the way that love me and whom I love. Even though Noel and I have only seen each other about 4 times in the past 22 years, I feel that when I really need her, she is a friend in the present, praying for me when distance will not allow anything else. I only hope that she knows the same about me. And on a side note…remember the picture at Balanced Rock from my sophomore year in high school? I took that picture with Noel.

Finally after hitting the road from Colorado Springs at 7:00a.m., we began our actual trip to Wyoming around 2:15 p.m. I guess we did more visiting than I realized, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

If you have never had the opportunity to drive through Wyoming, you should put it on the list of things to do. Wyoming is a beautiful state and is the very picture of the words to “America the Beautiful”. We saw the purple mountain majesties over-looking the fruited plains…with 3 cowboys rounding up their cattle at day’s end thrown in for good measure. We imagined, pondered, and tried to visualize the pioneers of old, making their way west, trekking across this uncharted territory. I am amazed at their spirit, their drive, and their determination to get to a new home, without truly knowing where they were going or what they would find when they arrived. It must have been over-whelming to make it across these wide open plains only to find huge mountains staring you in the face, but I think my great adventure may be quite like that. I am determined to make it home…not sure exactly how I will get there…not sure of what mountains I will face, but determined nonetheless.

And toward the end of our day, God rewarded us with a renewed sense of peace, encouragement, and promise just like He may have rewarded those pioneers of long ago. We drove through a small rain shower (though it took us a moment to figure out what this strange liquid from the sky was), watching as it developed over the mountains and headed our way, refreshment to the land and the animals on the bluff. And after the showers, I saw the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen, bright and bold with wide bands of color…a blessed reminder that God is always with us.

 

Day 2

Day 2 found us traveling from Amarillo, Texas to Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Again, the drive was fairly uneventful with the exception of the beauty of Raton Pass and the change of scenery.  We did, however, pick up our 10th state in our geo-caching goal of all 50 states.

Another highlight of the day was stopping in Pueblo, Colorado to have lunch with my mother-in-law and her husband.  They have spent the summer camping in Fun Valley, CO and drove about 3 hours to meet us.  It was a nice rest for us and certainly good to see her for an hour or so before we have quite a long break between visits.

After finally arriving in Colorado Springs, Mom and I took the kids to Garden of the Gods where we walked the trails and took in the spectacular display of God’s handiwork.  Several times throughout the park, J commented, “God is amazing!”  and He truly is.  During our walk, we were able to see a large buck up close and personal as he was eating dinner.  Then high up on the rocky tops, we saw birds nestled in the crevices of the formations, tiny plants growing through cracks.  As I took in this majestic site, I couldn’t help but hear the words of the old gospel hymn “His Eye is on the Sparrow.”  With tears in my eyes, I felt the presence of the Lord surround me on that walkway through the gardens, reminding me that His eye is watching my every move and His hand is guiding my every step.

A funny ending to our trip to the Gardens….I really, really wanted a picture of the kids at Balanced Rock.  I had my picture made there back in my sophomore year of high school when I went on a choir trip. so I wanted to make sure they experienced it as well.  Unfortunately, I missed the pull-off parking area, so I thought I would just make a nice, easy U-turn (with an F-150 and Uhaul trailer) and go back up the road and park.  Well, the U-turn was no problem at the bottom of the hill.  There was a nice wide turn-off to the right, so I basically just whipped around there and headed the other direction.  Just as I started back up the small 2 lane road, Mom noticed a sign that said “NO trucks, NO trailers, NO vans” BUT I CANNOT AND WILL NOT back up a trailer and there were no turn-arounds in sight.  My only choice was to just keep going and hope for the best.  As we neared Balanced Rock from the other direction, we discovered the reason for the sign.  The road splits, and our lane now went through a tiny opening between two other rocks overhanging the road.  So here we were…Mom as white as a ghost…the kids giving advice on how to drive through it…and me  telling Mom, “just keep watching and make sure I don’t scrape the mirrors.”   It was pretty hilarious!  Fortunately, we made it all the way through…no problems…no incidents…only a few other tourists laughing between their evil eye looks.  The best part…I got my pictures!  I wish I would’ve taken a picture going through the gap, though, but I think reading this will give my husband enough troubles without visual aids!