Leaving Alaska

In January of 2003, I decided I had enough of Alaska. After a little preparation, I jumped in my car and began to drive. I was pretty naive about the world at this point; I thought that everywhere on earth was the same great wilderness as Alaska, just warmer! And warmer sounded good to me. So you can imagine my surprise when I began driving through National Forests without trees, across countless dammed rivers, and along endless suburbia that eventually gave way to agricultural fields or grazing land.

About six months later I drove through Boulder, Colorado, and decided to make it my new home. The foothills were close by, and I was told there was over 300 days of sunshine. At first I loved Colorado and its 60 degree winter days. That was before my first 100+ degree summer, where I layed panting in front of the air conditioner most of the time. And before I realized that the traffic snarled exodus to the mountains could take 2 to 4 hours. I finished my degree and met my husband in Colorado, but the longer I stayed, the more my heart was back in Alaska.

So, we came up with a plan. My husband ( an Ohio boy) and I would move back to Alaska. But first, since we were quiting our jobs anyhow, we would travel the world. After an amazing 15 months, we now have only one week to go before we fly back to the United States, pick up some stuff in CO, and drive the 4000 or so miles back to Alaska. One adventure is ending, but a new one is beginning. Although we will be returning to familiar ground, it will be with a new outlook and the way we see things will be different; reintegrating into life in the United States, and Alaska in particular, should be interesting and exciting.


No, it's not Alaska! It is the Santa Cruz trek in Peru. As I am currently in South America, the Alaska photos will have to wait until I get home.