Epilogue

And so it concludes, our Alaska adventure. Stan did the quick calculation that at 4,000 calories per day, we would have been pushing 72,000 calories for the trip. Each.  That equates to 264 hours, 40 minutes of "walking, brisk pace". In other words, if we had walked for the entire trip, we would have burned all those calories. But, we didn't, and collectively, we added 14 pounds. Don't worry Niels, I'm not saying where most of them went. 

Many friends of mine questioned the wisdom of going to Alaska in September. Wussies. It was cold - even by Alaskan standards for September - but of course, it could be anything at that time of year and it is not the sort of trip to wait and see how the weather is looking before making the decision to go. We had booked our ferry passage last November because I was told that the ferry cabins typically fill early. As it happens, for this particular passage, that was not the case but nonetheless, planning started in earnest late 2014. As Nan and I always do, we reminisce how on our wedding day, September 3rd, it was record-setting hot and that record was finally broken on our anniversary a few years ago.  We didn't get that this trip but we don't regret one iota going in September and, should we have the opportunity to go again, I am certain we would do it in September.

The trade off was this and hopefully, we were able to capture it in the photos for you: the colours were real and they were spectacular. It had been pointed out to me before the trip that so often, published photos of Alaska were fall pictures and it was plain to see why. Mountains and valleys awash in golds, yellows, greens, reds and pinks, over every hill and around every corner we were slack-jawed at the beauty.

Many thanks to all the people that e-mailed us their encouragement and posted comments on the blog. When I first started blogging (motorcycle trips), it was mainly to have a record of what we did; a diary, as it were. It is great to have pictures but a story to go with them adds so much more. It has become a fun part of any adventure for me, that I get the opportunity to interpret what I see and, on occasion, add a little artistic license. 

Lastly, thanks to Stan, Niels and John for rounding out the group with their wisdom, humour and dietary selections. And especially, thanks to my best friend and ace riding partner, the Lovely Nono Nanette who always encourages me and cares for me on these trips. 

Can't wait till the next one!

Howi

Random pictures, in no particular order. Sorry if I've repeated some of these from earlier in the blog.

 

The above video is passage through the Whittier Tunnel. It is edited for length; the actual travel time through the tunnel itself was a frightening six and a half minutes. 

They are all reading with their eyes closed.

Waiting for our turn at the Whittier Tunnel

We occasionally stopped at the bar for breakfast.

The Eureka Lodge Restaurant

Ostensibly, "Mexican" food, in Tok.

Nan was happily snapping pictures away at the U.S. border, until I told her it was likely to get us thrown in the slammer.

Sign City, Watson Lake, YT

Hat City, Toad River. The name says it all.

I had inadvertently turned on the GoPro camera, so a few, select shots. 

Niels, ever the card.

You can see our entire route on the Spotwalla website by clicking on the title, going to Adjustments and changing the history to "ALL"