Out of Alaska

Here is the break down for the driving time line:

Monday 6am - left Juneau on ferry

M2pm - arrive in Skagway, off ferry

M 230pm - leave Skagway with full tank of gas and hot coffee from the smoothie shop

M 7pm - Hit gross snow storm outside of Car cross and drive two and a half hours at about 25-30 mph white knuckled thinking I'm an idiot for driving through BC by myself, at the beginning of the snow season, without checking the weather report. *super glad I didn't fall off the side of the mountain, and that my car runs partly on my belief in it's gumption*

M 930pm - stop at Hyw 2/37 junction to detach my hands from the steering wheel, get gas and thank the road gods for getting safely to a parking lot with working toilets.

M 10pm-Tuesday 2am - sleep in the car

T 2am-7am - Drive

T 7am-10am - Sleep in my car

T 10am - Wednesday 1230am - Drive, drive, drive, with stops for the needed gas, coffee, and leaving the very uncomfortable sitting position my car seat puts my body in.

W 1230am - Stop in Williams Lake to have hash browns and chamomile tea at Denny's

W 130am-330am - Drive

W 330am-830am - Sleep in my car

W 830am- 145pm - Drive, cross into the US!

W 145pm - meet with Ericka and Hilary in Bellingham to give them their box of stuff I carried in my car. Went to the Bagelry, Whimsey (a jewelry store), a pottery shop (found a new mug!), and the Colophon Cafe for road coffee

W 245pm - 745pm - Drive

W 745 pm - Arrive at Ciara and Adam's in Portland!

Along the way I listened to a YA novel called Going Bovine and a fiction book called Hey Nostradamus! I don't recommend the second, but Going Bovine was an interesting combination of a coming of age/quest/Don Quixote/Alice in Wonderland mixture. The main character get Mad Cow disease and goes out to find his cure with the help of an enchanted yard gnome, who is really the son of a Norse god, and a guardian punk angel, complete with pink spiked hair and combat boots.

Ciara and I took it easy today. She dropped off some paperwork to sub-teach in a school district and we stopped at a great shop called Cork, where we picked up some awesome beer for Adam (and I got some to take home to Dan), and orange chocolate. Ciara and Adam have been together 8 years today - and those were treats to celebrate the journey.

Baxter still has an upset stomach. Too much change too quick. We're keeping him in Ciara's guest room to keep the stress low, and I'm limiting his food intake, as he is gorging himself. The little dude got pretty messed up on his wild adventure. The car ride probably isn't helping either.

Mom shows up tomorrow. Sunday we leave for Spokane. Wednesday morning I leave for IL. I keep trimming my leaving day back and back. Maybe I'll leave Tuesday... I just want to get there already!

Sorry no pictures. No camera has made the last few posts a bit boring for you. I'm hoping I can remedy that in a week or so.

More later!