Road Miles. Air mile. Yes, even Water Miles.
I’ve traveled to and from Alaska each way.
Each has its challenges and depends on your needs.
As I age, and life is enjoyed with extra time,
All things being equal,
I would just as soon drive.
Traveling, for me, is about being in charge.
Making my own decisions of timing, distances, and pauses.
The scenery changes all the time, and I love to pause and enjoy,
It may take more time, but the trip is amazing.
Moving to Alaska in 1980. Finally. A Job.
This was my third trip to Alaska,
The first was moving the parents in 1977.
The second was selling Alaska to my bride in 1979.
Now? It’s time to secure a job and move!
We were asked about the trip and preferences,
I’d flown and driven, and both were enjoyable.
Let’s try the Ferry!
Lock, stock, and barrel, we were being moved.
Not too many personal items six years into our marriage.
Some furniture, tools, keepsakes, and such goodies.
The mover picked them up in October.
We were now ready to go! Right? Wait a moment!
We would make a long-distance drive.
From Houston to Seattle by way of California.
My 1977 GMC truck will make the journey well.
But… I have a mechanical brother! Let’s make it better.
An extra fuel tank and a valve to switch ($30.)
Camper shell to protect goods along the way ($100.)
New Tires ($200)
And a new windshield (actually used from a junkyard)
from a thrown rock near my current job ($15).
I was glad my brother was there to help me do it.
I mowed many an extra yard and saved all the funds,
The trip was important, and I used every bit of it.
So, we drove to Seattle via Las Vegas,
Said so long to some friends.
And then my truck started acting up.
You must remember fuel was changing,
From Leaded to Unleaded, and if you have used the wrong kind
Your new catalytic converter would clog up.
It did. If you ask me, I’ll tell, but not write it here,
How we (I) fixed this problem.
Our son was two, and we didn’t think much about it.
Traveling great distances, he was a real trooper.
You must remember the times. They were different.
If I tell you what we did, you’d probably call the cops today.
No child seats or special seating arrangements.
No airbags to confuse which seat they could enjoy.
We were in our pickup truck. One Bench Seat…I’m just saying.
He often stood between us, one hand on each shoulder,
Looking out for that which we thought we could hide by spelling.
M-C-D-O-N-A-L-D-S! With glee, he would shout, “Happy Meal!”
Do you remember 1980? A huge explosive event?
Mt St Helen’s blasted in May, and in November,
We found it’s remnant. Ash mixed with rain
Makes for a messy drive. Bottles of windshield washer fluid,
And many stops to wash down the radiator.
Crowded roadways as everyone went slower.
Finally. Seattle. 5-6 days later.
We checked on the weather via newspaper…
It is 1980 before modern conveniences.
I bought an engine block heater ($40),
And some extra jugs of antifreeze.
Then we bought some snow chains ($20) and to this day,
These 45+ years later, I’ve never put any on. Whatsoever.
Seattle. November. 1980. Our ferry had broken down.
The Columbia was down for months of major repairs.
They changed us to the Matanuska, and we had a special arrangement.
A four-berth cabin, a tiny washroom of toilet and sink,
And bunk beds you strapped in for when the weather wasn’t great.
We were positioned at the front, with a tiny portal to watch the way.
But the Solarium deck had heaters and seaters to enjoy.
Food was expensive, and had we known in advance,
Snacks and sodas should have been bought in Seattle.
Finally, the song could be sung,
And if you are a mind to, join me for a musical interlude:
North to Alaska, we’re going North. The rush is on!
We boarded near dawn after sitting in the loading area for hours.
I was so tired I immediately went to bed.
My bride stayed up, our son was wired, and they got to watch
As we pulled away from the pier, streaming through the Sound,
And into the Pacific Ocean so near.
Through Southeast Alaska, with names like
Ketichikan, Juneau, and Sitka,
We finally reached our destination,
Haines, AK, 3.5 days later, and nearly at midnight.
The border into Canada was closed until 9 p.m.
So we stopped at a hotel, an old army fort, as I recall.
A restless night (different story for the future),
Then, breakfast and a line of travelers waiting to cross over.
Canada! Yukon! And the Alaskan border is some 400 miles away.
Our drive was icy and slow.
This was my first time driving over majorly frozen roads.
The further north, the temps kept dropping,
And what we thought were buzzards were just
Bald Eagles hunched over from the snow.
Hundreds of them, or perhaps thousands.
It’s hard to remember, but we were amazed.
The slow-moving river was their feeding ground,
Spawned out salmon, frozen, just waiting to be eaten.
A fellow traveler’s truck lost its heater,
So we periodically stopped for him to hop in and warm his feet.
We did not make it to Alaska that night as planned,
The slow driving kept us behind in our schedule,
So we stopped and spent the night. Beaver Creek. Whew!
It dropped into the -40’s. That’s a long way below freezing.
I spent several hours installing the engine heater,
But it failed, and my truck was frozen through the long winter’s night.
The next morning, while at the diner, the owner called her husband.
He towed my truck to his garage behind the hotel,
Jacked it up, put a heater under the block, and charged the battery.
Though it only cost us $10, I doubled it and gave him $20.
It was worth every penny of it!
We crossed back into Alaska that next morning,
And completed the 355 miles to Anchorage.
We said so long to our fellow travelers,
And went to Dad’s apartment…
Here’s a thought for you about driving to Alaska.
Winter conditions can come on very quickly.
My Boy Scott Motto? Be Prepared.
Weather, break-downs, fuel, or construction,
They will all show up and take their toll; your timing will change.
You’re stuck with what’s happened, so you had better be prepared.
Enjoy the moment. That’s one reason you came.
It’s all about the Journey to your Final Destination, that’s what I think.
We settled in and adapted quickly.
I started my new job on a Monday.
A special lunch at a local chain of restaurants, I think,
Clinkerdagger, Bickerstaff & Pett’s (Clinks for short).
First day on the job in Alaska, November 17, 1980
At National Bank of Alaska.
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