Joey's Journey to Juneau

Meet Joey! Joey is from Juneau. My parents had taken an Alaskan cruise a year ago and when they were in Juneau they picked up rock for me. They knew that I had to go to Juneau to complete my 50 state capitals, so they said I could step on this rock and say that I was in Juneau. I put the rock aside for a while and a year later...Joey would make his way back to Juneau! It all began at Mile 'O' of the Alaska highway....It was nearing sunset as we pass over the Peace River valley near Fort Nelson. The next day we took off due north west and soon came to Liard Hot Springs. I must stop for weary travelers...

Joey enjoyed the natural hot springs so much he didn't want to leave. But after some coaxing we finally got back to the road. Northern B.C. was amazing! The spring leaves were still at their greenest...so we stopped several times for pictures. I put Joey on top of the car to take his picture....

After the photo opp...I got back in the car and shortly after taking off I heard this.... CURPLUNKITY PLUNK PLUNK. ... I FORGOT JOEY ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR!!!! He rolled off the roof and I had watched in the rearview mirror as he bounced along the highway and rolled off onto the side of the road. I slammed on my brakes, backed up, jumped out of the car and scanned the roadside.

Fortunately, I found Joey. He hadn't rolled too far! How stupid could I be!!! I picked him up and we got back to the journey. I actually did this THREE times along the way!

We stayed near Muncho Lake, one of the most beautiful parts of the Alaska highway drive, since the highway skirts around the tourquoise lake. After a long day of adventure we needed the rest! We each had our own bed! Its a good thing, cause Joey is a bit of a bed-hog.

The next day we headed for the Yukon Territory. Saw black bear, moose, bison, fox and sheep. We stopped at Mile Marker 392 which is the highest elevation of the Alaska highway.

We stopped at the Sign Post Forest in Watson Lake. Another must stop along the way.

In White Horse we stopped at the S.S. Klondike and walked around the old paddle-boat.We stopped at Kluane National Park. Usually you can see some sheep here. Saw one sheep WAY on the top of the mountain.We then came to the US/Canada border where Joey took the photo op to sit on the border line. Notice the border clearing way off in the distant horizon.We then finished off the Alaska Highway at Delta Junction and continued on our way to Fairbanks, Alaska - only 200 miles from the Arctic Circle. Because of time constraints we opted not to drive the gravel road to the Arctic Circle - maybe next time. The view from Alaska highway 3 south was awesome. We had to stop and see Mount McKinley - North America's highest point (just over 20,000 feet). So amazing how it looms over all the other mountains. You can barely see the peak in the clouds in this picture.We stayed overnight in Anchorage and then took off back east on Alaska 1. We stayed overnight in Haines Junction. Left at 4:30 in the morning. Saw a mother grizzly and her cubs! SO amazing. We got to the ferry well ahead of time and enjoyed the morning sunrise as we watched the ferry come to dock.Joey was so excited about getting on the ferry.Goodbye land - hello sea! The ferry ride from Haines to Juneau was about 4 hours. Saw humpback whales and glaciers along the way. Out of this world! After we arrived in Juneau, Joey and I went to the Mendenhall Glacier to check out the sights!

In one particular spot...I looked down and then I noticed it....JOEY'S BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!!! HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Joey made it home!

I think this might have been his mom...but she wasn't very talkative. So Joey made the journey all the way back to Juneau! What a crazy adventure! BUT...Joey was not meant to STAY in Juneau. Where will his next adventure take him?

(FYI: Joe Juneau was a Canadian prospector who mined at Juneau Alaska and the town is named after him. Joe is also my middle name.)

Adventure and Accomplishment

Today I finally finished visiting all 50 capitals of the USA in Juneau, Alaska! To celebrate, I bought TWO bagels and a mango drink from the Silverbow Bakery in downtown Juneau and walked up to the capital building. The evening was perfect. It was quiet and there was no wind. The flags were resting as I sat under a mountain ash tree which was in bloom. It’s petals we’re falling on me & my snack – almost like confetti at a wedding. The flowers around the area were giving off all kinds of delightful scents. “Alaska State Capital.” I smiled a sense of accomplishment and gladness for finishing the crazy checklist. I ask myself, “WHY?” Why this desire? It really doesn’t make much difference eternally or even for this life. Maybe I’m trying to prove something. Am I making a statement? It’s such a waste of time and money – but for me something that I enjoyed! Maybe it’s the open highway or the space and time to think. It’s really not about the 50 state capitals but an odd excuse to travel. Sometimes the road was boring and dangerous, other times the road was stunning and live. Sometimes quiet and peaceful other times loud music with the windows rolled down and my left, sunburned arm, beating to the blaring music. Perhaps this journey has been about the soul’s desire for adventure and accomplishment. Adventure, in that joy, beauty, and laughter is something we all long for. To see beauty and sense wonder and bliss. We long for beauty and see things that defy explanation. We are drawn to mystery and the unknown – afraid of it – yet desire it. Why is it that tourism is so huge? We will pay big money to see glaciers & whales – volcanoes & lions. Creation is mysterious and we desire to gaze upon its beauty – perhaps there is something deeper – a longing to see something or Someone that is beauty in all its glory. Maybe we are created for this very thing – to gaze upon the beauty of Almighty God. So what about accomplishment? It seems that we are made to be on a great adventure. We search for roller-coasters and mountains to conquer; businesses to build and horses to tame. We are built for mission and purpose. We want to achieve and be known for something. Maybe part of this whole thing (50 capitals) is to have a sense of accomplishment. Now this is no lasting, impacting accomplishment – but it WAS over 17,000 miles of driving – no little accomplishment and not many people have done it. BUT, what is the driving force and reason? I think I want a sense that I’ve done something great, that I’ve been apart of finishing something (hopefully something more substantial than the 50 state capitals) – but something great and eternal. Perhaps it has something to do with a man dying on a cross to save the world. I want to be apart of the great rescue of saving people from destruction – THAT I believe is our deepest desire for accomplishment, mission and purpose – a great RESCUE – redeeming the world from chaos!