Wow, it's been a while since my road trip from Alaska to New York. I am unsure of why I have procrastinated so long on this topic. Perhaps it is because there is so much to say about all of the wonderful places that I have seen. I do not think I could easily convey what the experience was truely like. There was a great deal of driving involved, but it was all in new places making it less of a burden. I bonded a great deal with my truck, Babe, and after a certain number of miles it seemed as if we were flowing through time and space together. Many people joined me while I was on this journey, some for longer than others.
I was finished with work on August 25th and hooked up with a group of ladys heading up to see Denali. Then my father flew up and we visited the kenai penninsula and flew over Denali. After my father left I looked for someone to share expenses with me on my way down to Washington State, and I found it in Darral Smith.
I posted signs with my intent on them at the local hostel. I day later I got a call from Darral. I met him at the hostel and made arrangments for him to meet me for coffee so that we could get to know each other a little better. He was about six foot tall of sturdy build. He was wering rubber boots, jeans, a flannel, a baseball cap, and glasses. the one peculiar thing was that his glasses only had one lense. I asked Diane along to coffee so that I could get her opinion on what kind of guy Darral was. We sat around and talked about a few things. I found out that Darral was a fisherman and loved the ocean and was about 52. There are more than a few fisherman in Alaska and most of them are there because not too many questions are asked of fisherman. I decided that he was harmless and I could put up with this guy for a few days. So I tell him that he is in, but th border crossing will not be a joke. They searched my entire truck and had a dog sniff it on the way to Alaska, so it was not likely that any drugs or alcohol would slip by the border patrol. He said that he would not try any smuggling or anything like that. So I asked if there were any concerns he might have. He confessed that he had a DWI conviction in the past year and that would possibly stop him at the border. I told him to call in advance and if he could get through, then OK. I picked him up the next day. I saw that he had an Axe and large fishing knife on the outside of his bag, scary huh? I decided it was OK considering we were camping the whole way down. So, a few days later we find ourselves at the border. They ask us in for a background check. The lady says to us, "I want to know of any convictions you may have had from 16 until present except streaking and public drunkiness." Darral said that he had a DWI and she left us to wait. A couple hours later she comes back and askes Darral in her office. She slams the door behind her and it stays open ajar. I hear her yelling at him reading off a list of offenses including armed robbery, assault and battery, illegal discharge of firearms, and more. Now I am really scared. What will he do now that he is banned from Canada. She comes out and orders me to drive him back to America and leave him there for good. I calmed him down on the way back. I tried to talk about happy things and just get rid of this big angry man. Well I succeeded and learned that you do not take anyone you do not fully know across the Canadian border.
I had my mother fly into Portland, Oregon and travel with me down HWY 101 and 1 to San Fransisco. Next my sister traveled with me to Lake Tahoa, Californial; where we picked up David Robinson. Then we went through some National Parks together. A great trip in the end.
