Horray for USA!

We left Dawson Creek yesterday (tues) morning and it was raining and continued to rain the entire day through Edmonton (where there were apparently some funnel clouds) and Calgary. We were planning to stay in Calgary but there was some convention and the whole city was sold out of hotel rooms. It ended up being a 14-15 hour day in the truck and we drove for the first time since Feb-Mar in the dark, way scary! We had Dairy Queen and it was pretty disappointing because they did not make the blizzards like they do in the states. The hotel people told us to just skip the next town and hit the one after that for a room. Fat Chance, nothing. So we ended up staying in some random of the highway place in the town after. We finally pulled in around 1 AM, we were so frustrated.
We wanted to go check out the place where they held the Olympics years back in Calgary but it was too rainy and this was after we were told that we were SOL and had to drive even further to get some sleep. So I just got a cheap through the windshield pic of the site. I wish it was nicer we could have gone out and checked it out.

This morning we woke up and headed across the border, Luke was all smiles and we were so happy to get back into the US. Customs was so smooth this time, the new Luke was in the US military so they did not hassle us. We were all gitty until.....
What is this $#!) ?
I thought we were out of Alaska? June 11th and east of Glacier National Park was getting dumped on not to mention we were going through this in the small twisted roads. We had frowns again.
I was deep into my book this afternoon and Luke spotted this huge rainbow, we saw both ends of it and it was a good way to cheer us back up!
Then it turned into a double! I must say it has been a very weird day and a half experiencing the variations in weather. We saw in two days what it usually takes a whole 4 seasons to see.

As for right now we stopped in Glendive Montana and it is a dive! The hotel smells like urine and I am really hoping that these sheets are clean. But I should be thankful that we have a place to stay since the first hotel we asked said they were sold out, once again another stinkin thing going on. Its the Miss Montana pageant. Tomorrow or technically this morning we will be heading out about 7am to hopefully reach Plymouth, MN 3 or 4 ish (thurs) !

On our way

On our way from Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory to Muncho Lake British Columbia. More of the amazing scenery in Canada (this picture does not do this place justice, its beautiful)
Sorry, this one is sideways. Anyway here we are in Watson Lake Canada, Yukon Territory. Yes we played our part as tourists and stopped at Sign Post Forrest, I must say this was a cool stop!

Longville, MN where my Grandpa's house is, our cabin now.We could not believe how many flipin signs there were. It kept going and going!
Shout out to my BFF Noel. I think she lived in Valdosta for a bit and as I recall was not the biggest fan.
Dang it! I thought I got all of these photos flipped before I posted them. Well Dan this one is for you, River Falls, WI.
Bison every where!

We slept crappy in Whitehorse and fell upon this beautiful lodge in Muncho Lake, BC. They had fly-in fishing which we were going to take part in this A.M. but there was no room, BUMMER!!
Our truck and trailer and Luke's @$$
His "huge" cup 'o' coffee or should we say sugar. Kid has to stay awake since he is the one driving. Oh, and that is his choice.
This is Muncho Lake, with the Rockies behind us. This is the bluest water we have ever seen.
Mountain goats that would not get out of the way multiple times as we twisted through the mountains. To our next destination, Dawson Creek, where we are sitting right now.

Ummm... can we say PARANOID!!!! We have heard stories of the locals following you and breaking into your trailer and car while you are at your hotel sleeping. Well, I think we beat the system. The last two places we have been we have been able to park our stuff right up next to the window, not even a foot away. We keep the window cracked and the car alarm turned on sensitive. Additionally, we back it so dang close to the building that no one would be able to get in the door. Okay, come on, its really to protect my precious super cute new Steve Maddens!
In this town we hit the 0 mile marker for the Alaskan Highway.
Way cool!
Lions and tigers and BEARS oh my! We have seen so many bears running across the highway! They are so cute.

Canada is looking up for us =)

A true believer in spell check

So I just realized that I am a terrible speller when I am exhausted. The blog I posted last night at 1:30am has ALOT of typos! So much for my education. Just wanted to point that out so y'all could maybe squeeze in a laugh or two! I will be sure to use spell check next time, I am a loyal fan of it =)

Oh Canada....

Thursday we had a going away with the Chili's crew. We had a BBQ and played games at the park and then went out after. This is my friends Val and Courtney.
And this is me and Val a couple hours later, a few shots down, and thinking we had the voices of Madonna! uhh, not so much.

Canada has not been such a nice place to us so far. We left Alaska this morning and drove over the border late afternoon and arrived in Whitehorse where we are staying the night. Luke got his knife taken because he was honest when they asked if he had any weapons, he got it in Iraq and was pretty darn bumbed for quite a few miles.
Then we dealt with the Alaskan Highway, keep in mind this is a major road......it was dirt! The rocks flew up and busted out the lights on our new trailer. While we were driving through this crap I was looking in the mirror behind us at the long trail of dust from the road and thinking, I am so happy we have a covered trailer for this move, our stuff is safe and sound. Well, apparently there is some microscopic area where this dang dust found its way in and COVERED everything in the trailer. It is not just dusty it is caked on, Luke's freshly dry cleaned uniforms are now.....nasty. Canada has not been our best friend so far. P.S. did I tell you that the roads here SUCK!

Homeless

Such a sad day, we are officially signed out of our house. It took them one and a half days to pack up all of our stuff and half a day to load it and then they drove away with our life in the white truck. It is bitter sweet, I personally am sad to be leaving since this is the first place I ever lived on my own in addition to me and Luke's first place together. Luke is excited to leave and I would be surprised if he took even a second to glance back. Me on the other hand have already been crying, I have grown so much as a person in my 4 years in Alaska. I am very pleased with what Alaska has given me and who it has made me. I will always have a small part reserved in my heart for this place. Okay, one question. Why do you always meet and get very close with the cool people at the end of the trip? It really stinks. We have been getting to know some people that Luke works with who are from Wisconsin, we have already planned another fishing trip next summer with them. Also our neighbors Sarah and Kevin who are also from Wisconsin have been nice enough to let us live with them the last two weeks before we drive out of here. And once again, even though we have known them for a while we have gotten much closer over the last year. So sad. for all you that don't know the plan, we are driving out of here this Friday or Saturday and heading straight to Minnesota. We should be in Canada driving for four days if everything goes as planned and then down through Montana and over to good old Minnesota! We are so excited to see all of you!

I Graduated!!!

Who would have ever thought that I would graduate from college! Well, I did on Mother's Day. I tell ya, it was soooo surreal standing in the sea of black caps and gowns! For those of you who don't know I graduated with a major in sociology and a minor in psychology. It was a nice ceremony and we had some great speakers but it lasted FOREVERRRRR. I had quite a few friends that came to celebrate; Luke, Sarah and Kevin our very good friends and neighbors who we are staying with now until we move, Ross and Val a gal I work with and her husband, and Heather who I work with that came home for Christmas with me a couple years ago. I was so happy that they came to celebrate with me, Thankyou guys!
I am so upset though, this new camera that we got.... made the pictures blurry =( There are a few that turned out but all of the very good ones were fuzzy. We did video tape it with a camcorder my parents got me to tape it ,so we have the real action! Thanks Mom and Dad!



The girl I sat next to (who you can see walking behind me) would not keep her distance and kept stepping on my feet, UUUHHHH I was so irritated. And the guy on the other side of me was very large, I tell ya it was a very long 3 hours but totally worth it!


The president of UAF opening the ceremony

The most important moment, me getting my empty diploma and its frickin fuzzy.
Of course after the ceremony our camera started to behave for this photo with my friend Sarah. I will explain the cords I got to wear! The gold sash is from Golden Key International Honor Society, I was accepted for being in the top of my class, the teal cords are from Alpha Kappa Delta the National Sociological Honor Society, and the gold cords are for University of Alaska Fairbanks honors, I graduated Cum Laude! So happy all the hard work gained me some pretty decorations =)
Her husband Kevin being funny and walking in front of the camera, dang Wisconsin people are so weird!
Lukey poo and me.