Alaska Diary - Finis

June 28, 2000. Anchorage Alaska. Returning to Anchorage from the Kenai Peninsula, we follow the Turnagin Arm of the Cook Inlet. An interesting stop is made at the Portage Glacier before we arrive in the city. Here we spend 4 days camping in the front yeard of some friends. They graciously give us the grand tour of Anchorage with museum visits, restaurants, shopping expeditions et. all. A highlight for the guys was to tour Elmendorf Air Force base, where our host teaches night classes. In the days before 9/11, security restrictions were  quite minimal, as we pretty much can go anyplace. Another visit takes us to the main seaplane and private airport. There are literally thousands of planes as this is the main mode of transportation throughout about 95 percent of the state.

On our return trip to the "lower forty-eight" we retrace some ground seeing even more wildlife. Then we take a new route which bring us to Jasper National Park and Lake Louise in Canada.  From there we head south for some fun stops in my favorite fishing grounds in Montana. That's, however, another story

When we finally return to Minnesota, somewhat exhausted, but exhilerated, at our epic journey, the odometer had turned  over 9,000 miles on this trip. Troutbirder quotes General McArthur by saying "I shall return." Mrs. T agrees adding the caveat "we will do the inland passage cruise thing... but only when we're old." It's on our list of "to do's" but not quite yet!