Alaska from the Back of the Bike

I figured I’d better blog something lest I be banned from blogsville for eternity, so I found some of my vacation notes and decided to post them. Duane and I had high adventure and the sweetest blessing this year, for our 35th anniversary celebration, of taking a motorcycle trip to Alaska. Here are some o f my musings. A diary of sorts, you might say, penned along the way…mostly.

June 21
Duane shipped the bike to Seattle earlier in June, so the first leg of our trip consisted of flying to Seattle to find it. Today is Elli’s birthday. Kari called on the way to the airport so we could sing happy birthday to Elli before we forget. Asked her how old she is and she said, "i two". Our friend, Tom Riley, was nice enough to drop us off at the airport so we didn’t have to pay two weeks of parking.

Plane had mechanical probs so they got a new one from hangar and we were about an hour late. Met a guy named Brian who was flying with his cat, Cleopatra, from Florida. He tried to be subtly rude when he found out we liked George W. Bush, by saying we probably loved the movie Dazed and Confused and watched King of the Hill for our favorite show. I think he was lonely and awkward…obviously if he was traveling with a CAT, right? And he obviously had a stereotyped image of Texans. Also met a cute couple, Melanie and Sean who got married in Huntsville State Park yesterday in 95 degree temp. They were all smiles and said everything was perfect and it even got cloudy and cooler before ceremony.

Greg and Janet Beeker picked us up from airport. So nice. Duane shipped his bike to Greg's garage and he stored it for him, just because Goldwing people do stuff like that for each other. We took them to Red Robin for a late lunch and then got a late start.

Canadian border guards don’t like Texans, i think. Duane got frisked and we got detained mysteriously, and the bike searched. They asked Duane a lot of questions about having a handgun license and why he needed it. He told them he left the gun at home, but they searched the bike anyway.

Pretty cold on bike. Layers didn't help a lot this evening. Ride was pretty - mountains and glacier dug lakes. Pretty trees - i think they are ruby slippered dogwood. Lots of mauve and white and blue wildflowers. I think are holly hocks. Or delphinium. Saw a black bear outside of Whistler, eating purple delphinium. Stayed in Whistler at an Olympic village type community, the Sundial Boutique. So pretty/ great lodge and verrrrry comfy bed! The slate floor in the bathroom was heated. Nice and warm on my tootises.

Duane gave me a dogwood charm for a necklace and our anniversary. I smile as my head hits the pillow.