The dawn of a new day

The end of an era. The dawn of a new one.

...


Tomorrow we head north again - back to Michigan. Heading back home. Sort of. This time there is no home to go back to. We won't be moving back into our home because this IS our home now. The only home we have. And that's cool. But a bit strange.

It will definitely be different this time. For the first time in my sixty-five years, when I return home to Michigan, it will not be to Kingston.

• When I came home from college for weekends, I came home to Kingston.
• When I finished college and started teaching, I came home to Kingston.
• When we started our lives together, we made our home in Kingston.
• When we came home from living in the Dominican Republic, we came home to Kingston.
• When our kids came home from their world travels, they came home to Kingston.
• When we came home from our epic journey of seven months on the road last year, we came home to Kingston.

Kingston, Michigan has always been my home address.
But no longer.

 

'Tis the dawn of a new day.

The end of an era.

A new beginning...
　


 

Heading north to head south

First night on the road: Mountain View RV Park, Palmer, AK - where Bob was able to explore a gold mine and where we very much enjoyed shopping in a real grocery store with somewhat reasonable prices.

Yesterday we began the journey south - and east. But today we must go north to go south - and still east. We will angle up toward the Alaska Highway today.

We were talking these week with our girls about how different it is in the mountains as compared with the gridwork of one-mile squares that we are used to in the agricultural valleys of Michigan.

So today we drive north so that we can go south.

Ramblings at the half - or at the start - or somewhere

Warning: ramblings, mumblings, and possible grumblings ahead
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We must be close to the land of the midnight sun - because we had very little darkness last night. It was already light at 4 a.m. and even earlier, I think. Because I didn't sleep so well I am feeling a little groggy. So rather than try to compose a lovely piece, perhaps I just post some of my ramblings.

...

Yesterday we passed the half-way point in our journey! Wahoo! Does that mean it's all down-hill from here? I think not. Besides some of the down-hills are the worst! My worst fear!

Yesterday we also arrived at Dawson Creek, British Columbia, which is the official beginning of the Alaska Highway. That's pretty significant! Last night we unhitched the rig so we could explore the town a teeny bit. We hit Boston Pizza to celebrate those two achievements, then visited Mile Zero to take the fun photos, filled the tank on the truck and bought some groceries.

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I am always curious about life in famous towns like this - so we engaged our waitress in conversation. Dawson Creek is an oil town with lots of agriculture in the surrounding valley - besides the seasonal stream of tourists. Her bottom line: The weather sucks. Don't move here!

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We struggle to find good internet. We knew that would be likely so we try not to give in to frustration. Grrrr... We are so spoiled.

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Today we start the Alaska Highway. We would love to make it to Fort Nelson by tonight, but that might be a bit over-zealous.

...

And so it begins...

Or continues...

Or something.
 

Thankful Thursday - like it or not!

Thankful Thursday.

I didn't FEEL very thankful this morning. To be honest, fear and dread were rather near to the surface. I felt more nervous than thankful, but decided that this was a good opportunity to go ahead and BE thankful with or without the feelings. Fairly early in the day we got word that our little Tito was done with surgery and doing well. That helped me FEEL more thankful.

And then came the scary mountain roads. The ones that the guidebooks warn about in bright red italics. Oh, dear. The ones that start all kinds of thoughts bubbling in my head. Unhealthy thoughts. Negative thoughts. Out-of-control thoughts. What in the world are we doing? We must be crazy and irresponsible to attempt this! It was hard to FEEL thankful.

I remind myself that I have a choice. I can choose to "take every thought captive" to maintain sanity and a somewhat positive outlook. At least I can try. I choose to try - with varying degrees of success. I try to distract myself with studying the map or reading something unrelated or writing in my journal, but of course, I can't concentrate on anything else but this road. This stretch of highway. I avert my eyes - down to what I'm reading or writing. Or I try looking above the drop-off to the beautiful view across the valley.

Mile after mile. Nice level stretches when I could feel thankful. Long, steep downgrades when I had to discipline myself to stay steady and to breathe deeply. We stopped a time or three - just to stretch our legs and breathe a little more deeply and even to lay down and relax for a few minutes. And then we drove a few more miles.

Slowly we crept closer to our goal for the day. One more long windy stretch out of the way. One more 7% downgrade survived. And finally we made it. We pulled into the campground and I felt thankful. They honored our credit card* and I felt even more thankful. But I have to admit that the thing that might make me feel the most thankful is to have good internet. Wahoo!!!

...AND I am thankful for a gentle and patient man who gives me space to deal with my fears and who is such a good driver.

...

*Credit cards in foreign countries: It is wise to contact your bank and credit card companies to notify them of your upcoming travel - and even then you may have to call them to work out glitches.