Loved, and Lost

I took this picture June 10, 2008 to show $5.00 gas in Cantwell, Alaska in the middle of an oil crunch. Reflected is me, my camera, and my favorite gas station in America. And the fountain isn't even any good, and I'm a fountain soda aficionado.


You may or may not recognize the name Cantwell as the junction of the Parks Highway and my beloved Denali Highway, the expansive, spectacular area about 4.5 hours north of Anchorage featured many, many times on this blog, and soon to be featured again from a trip this fall. Cantwell isn't good for much more than gas, but the Cantwell Chevron became something more to me over the years. I always stop at the Chevron for gas (one of only two gas stations in town, and the one less likely to be featured in a horror movie "inspired by true events"), but while it may just seem like a fuel stop, you have to understand it's always been more than that for me. The last chance I have for the luxury of a restroom, for last minute supplies, and most importantly for cell phone service to let someone know where I'm going before it's too late, or to report I made it back OK. I don't think I can really explain it, but stopping at the Cantwell Chevron has always been part of an important tradition for me.

As of Sunday evening it's gone.


Gone, gone, gone. It exploded, but not from the tanks. Thankfully no one was killed. A 25 year old employee suffered burns while heroically running back in to save people. Five people were injured, I think three hospitalized. I hope they're OK.


I hope it comes back.

Super Troopers

So imagine you invite your parents out for a boating excursion on a nice summer day the third week of July. Now imagine the sales job involved to convince them to pack long johns, hats and gloves! Luckily my P's heeded the advice, and we comfortably had the great fortune to sail out of Seward and see glaciers, puffin, dall's porpoise, seals, stellar sea lions, otters, fin whales (huge, and new to me), and humpback whales.


What troopers! It's pretty much always cold on the water down there - third trip for me, second coldest.

I camped I think five times along Denali Highway last summer and it was always cold at night this year. The P's and I camped one night in Denali National Park (northwest of the DNH) when they were here. It was pretty warm at bedtime relatively speaking, but it did get pretty cold in the middle of the night there too, I must admit.


Deluxe accommodations for the P's to be sure in my old 4-person tent equipped with TWO fresh twin air mattresses, BUT I think it's safe to say the camping trips for the P's above the 63rd parallel have come to an end! I guess there's a reason so many people up here camp in RV's instead of on the ground....

Necessity: The Mother of Invention

I've started fires with sparks on split-open cotton balls coated in Vaseline, sparks on magnesium shavings, and my favorite sparks on char-cloth nestled in a bundle of dried grasses. Spent hours stalking around with a hand saw searching for dry wood to keep those fires going. Filtered and purified my own water on the trail for safe drinking. Learned to use a number of different fasteners, straps, buckles, and knots to great effect out in the field.

And now, I finally know where I get it from........

The classic backpack re-adjust on the baby changing station at Exit Glacier! Now THAT'S using your resources!

Some places are like people. Some shine and some don't.

Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood, AK, just south of Anchorage.

Creepy hotel. The kind of hotel you wanna make sure you don't visit for all work and no play, lest you become a dull boy.

No hedge maze, but a sweet view from the top of the tram.


Both photo credits to my pops.

Great Walkaways In History

Mom & I, the "beach" at Kincaid Park on Cook Inlet at low tide, Anchorage, AK July 2011:


Mom & Dad, trail to Byron Glacier, Portage Valley, AK July 2011:


David Banner, SoCal, July 1979: