-
Day Five, Halfway 2024!
We finished Saskatchewan today and drove halfway across Alberta. We are also halfway done mile-wise. 2250 miles driven since we left Virginia and about that much remaining to Healy, Alaska. We saw 3 coyotes today. One was exceptionally large with very thick fur. A local told us it might have some wolf blood as they…
-
Day Four, 2 States and 6 Pronghorn
Today we left North Dakota and spent most of the day driving north in Saskatchewan (one state and one province). We saw hundreds of ducks and geese, especially in the Des Lacs NWR. We also saw 6 pronghorn antelope before entering Canada. The dots below are ducks and geese. The lakes were mostly frozen with…
-
Day Three, 3 States and Many Snow Geese
Yesterday we finished Wisconsin, drove across Minnesota, and ended our day in Minot, North Dakota. I hoped we would encounter Spring Migration, and we were thrilled to see a flock of about 80 Snow Geese. In the foreground of the photo, there is a pair of Canada Geese. We have been seeing couples in many…
-
Day Two, 4 States and 2 Swans
Today, we started in Ohio and ended in Eau Claire, WI. We saw 2 tundra swans flying north towards Lake Michigan. We also saw a lot of deer (and so many deer stands near the highway!) We drove over 500 miles, including stop-and-go traffic thru Chicago. Our 3 previous trips to Alaska I have…
-
Day One, 5 States and 1 Goose
We have started the 4,300 mile drive to Healy, Alaska! We can check off Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and most of Ohio. Weather was all over the place with a lot of rain, some sun, and even some hard snow (though it didn’t accumulate). We stopped at Cuyahoga Valley NP as it only added…
-
Serenity Ridge Fire Update
A K-Max helicopter dropped water onto the fire Friday afternoon, then Mother Nature watered the fire and our neighborhood Friday night. While Serenity Ridge Fire is neither out nor contained, it is greatly slowed down, giving crews a chance to get dozer or hand lines in the steep, rugged terrain between the fire and our…
-
Serenity Ridge Fire
Our past few days have been consumed with wildfire preparations. Dry windy conditions led to multiple fires in the area. The Serenity Ridge Fire pictured in the foreground above is currently about a mile from our house. There is no infrastructure between it and our development – just flammable forest. Fire crews have been overwhelmed…
-
March Fishing
Fishing in Virginia in March is different than fishing in Alaska in March. We were more comfortable and more productive this weekend. We also have a LOT more practice bass fishing than ice fishing, so it is easier for us to catch a meal. Three weeks from today, we hope to be crossing the border…
-
Retirement
Plans for most days in the next month: Garden/Forage Bird Watching Exercise Prep and eat healthy food Read Other plans, not necessarily every day: Travel planning and prep Family, friends, church Various computer chores, about 2 hours per day so it doesn’t build up. No more than 4 hours in a day!!! Games on my…
-
Alaska in July
I had an incredible July in 2023. In June I was still figuring out how to best visit Denali National Park and see the wildlife there. August was focused on fishing. July was my best wildlife viewing, the World Eskimo Indian Olympics, lots of wildflowers, and the beginning of berries and fishing. Before pondering the…
Me & C
Roaming: Shenandoah River to the Alaska Range
Me & C 