We're home! Arrived on Saturday night, the 13th. Larry was the happiest one to get home. He kept going in and out of the house all evening like he couldn't decide what to do first. We traveled a total of 9,464 miles. Time for new tires! Would we do it again? You bet. Every one should get to go to Alaska at least once.

Just crossed the Red River into Minnesota (East Grand Forks). Last night and tonight we are staying in the same campgrounds we did going out West. Not that we loved them so much; there wasn't much to choose from. Will stay tomorrow night in Wisconsin and arrive home on Saturday. The prairie of Montana and North Dakota is pretty but it does get old after a while! Flooding is still a problem in North Dakota, especially around Minot. Montana looked to be pretty dried up, but North Dakota still has lakes where there shouldn't be any. You can see where the farmers couldn't plant because it was too wet. It looks like they tried to make the best of it though; they planted wheat around the puddles where they could. Sorry, no pictures.
Comments from Eldon: Driving today was boring. Once you've seen the prairie, it all looks alike. It might never end........I'm still sad about going home, but I guess all good things come to an end. I'll work on planning the next trip now.
Comments from Larry: All right already - let's get home.

Well, we are almost to North Dakota so the trip is definitely winding down. We spent Sunday and Monday night at Glacier National Park. Another beautiful national park, but the glaciers looked pretty weenie by Alaska standards. We took the park shuttle around the park to see and walk around the sites. We were on the Continental Divide at Logan's Pass. Note: if you plan to go to Glacier National Park; go soon. They expect the glaciers to be melted around the year 2030 due to climate change.

Comments from Eldon: While the trip is winding down, I'm looking for anything to stretch it out. Unfortunately, there isn't much between here and home. I don't want to go home yet.

Comments from Larry: I like national parks too; they always have lots of critters. Monday night was the best - prairie dogs. I love them. I didn't get too close, but they sure are fun to watch. I didn't go home until after midnight. E & C said I broke my curfew.

We made it "all" the way to Idaho today. It wasn't really that far, but an enjoyable drive on quiet, winding two lane roads through foothills of the Rockies. We are now on US-2 and spending the night in Naples, Idaho. We plan to take US-2 back to St. Ignace. We are about 3 hours from Glacier National Park in Montana and plan to stop there tomorrow.
Comments from Eldon: We stopped for ice cream in Sandpoint, Idaho. I had the biggest cone of my entire life. And that has been a lot of cones.
Comments from Larry: It not as hot here, so I like going outside. But there are two boxers next to me so I have to watch it. One boxer pulled his stake right out of the ground. Lucky for me, he took off after another dog and left me alone. I got up under the truck spare tire in case I had to protect E & C.

Have some cathching up to do since we haven't had internet. We arrived in Washington on Thursday. Tuesday night we stayed in Quesal, B.C. We had have traveled farther but were stuck in traffic 1 /2 hour due to an accident. A pickup pulled out in front of a logging truck. The pickup driver died and there were logs all over the highway. We drove back to a campground we had passed 15 miles earlier and chilled. Wednesday night we stayed in Kamloops, B.C. Thursday morning we were delayed by Larry's great escape. He leapt from the bed out the door when Eldon opened it. Ususally we are ready for him when he's in that mode, but he tricked us. Luckily we only had to wait an hour or so. All of British Columbia that we have seen has been beautiful. We passed up lots of Canadian fruit and veggie stands on Thursday because we didn't want them confiscated at the border. Great thinking on our part...........the customs officer did enter the camper to see what we had. They were nice and just doing their job, but it seems to us fruits and veggies don't need to be border priority! We stayed in Tonasket, WA on Thursday. There was a farmers market near the campground so we got our goodies there. We are in sweet cherry country - they are great. We didn't drive far Friday due to frequent stops. We stopped for a church rummage sale, stopped in Republic, WA for sidewalk sales and lunch and another farmers market. We also had some road construction stops. We've been traveling quiet, 2 lane highways. We stopped early yesterday in Kettle Falls WA so we would be sure to find a campground with electricity. We need air conditioning as we are roasting here. It was 98 yesterday. Looks like we are taking our time getting home!

Comments from Eldon: British Columbia is very pretty, but I'm glad to be back in the U.S. I like Canada, but it is so darned expensive. Plus they have the metric system which drives Cindy nuts. She never knows how far anything is or how much it costs. They sell gas by the liter. Oh yea, $5.00 a gallon is a bargain there. We paid more most of the time. In Washington we made the left turn home, but I want to go at a slower pace, real slow.

Comments from Larry: I made the great escape at Kamloops. I would have stayed out longer but there wasn't much to do. It is real hot in Washington. I think they should run the air conditioning in the camper when they are riding in the truck. I seem to want to get home faster than E & C, especially E. I need to get home for some mouse hunting.

We had a good ferry ride yesterday - Larry didn't chew any new holes in the door. Stayed in Prince Rupert last night. Today's drive on the Yellowhead Highway was beautiful. Tonight we are staying in Houston, B.C. We'll probably be in Canada until Thursday. We'll enter into the U.S. about the middle of Washington state, north of Spokane. We plan to take US-2 again going east. We saw a mother bear and her cub crossing the road today. Just as Eldon had put his camera down, the cub ran across so we didn't get a picture. We also saw a bear on the way to the ferry Sundary morning. The sun was actually out in Ketchikan when we left Sunday morning.

Comments from Eldon: The first time I've ever been in road block for fish. Near Terrace, British Columbia on the Yellowhead Highway, the only highway, conservation officers had a fish check. I was told we were illegal because we had thrown away our expired fishing license from halibut fishing. We couldn't prove the fish were Alaskan. I played stupid - which I was - and said I said I didn't know and was sorry. The officer came in the camper and looked at the fish in our freezer. I think he was reallly after local fishermen because the salmon are running. It is easier to stop fishermen on the road than on the water. Anyway, he ended up letting us keep our fish and sent us on our way. And told Larry to have a good adventure.

Comments from Larry: I wasn't going to let the officer take our fish. But he smiled at me and told me to have a good adventure so he's OK in my book. No boat rides today - yea!