Author: Billie Hyde

After retiring from a career in sales and marketing, I decided to do what I really love: Travel. Photography. But I like to write, too. Well, I really like to do a lot of things, and I'm sure they'll all show up at one time or another in my blog. Happy reading!

Finally, A Visit To My Ancestry

My mother’s side of the family was Norwegian, and I grew up with the lefse and lutefisk as part of my world. Oh, and the usual “Ya, you betcha” as the answer to most questions. I knew my ancestors came from the fjord country, but haven’t ever visited until now. My month-long cruise is starting with several stops in Norway and a (mostly unsuccessful) hunt for the Northern Lights. The weather has been chilly but not cold, and the people have been delightful. We had a couple of days of rough seas, resulting in a port change, but everyone seems to be taking it in stride. Even the good people of Narvik, who had to prepare to welcome a big cruise ship with only a day’s notice.

By the way, if anyone ever offers you lutefisk, I recommend saying “No thanks.” Whenever my mother made it I left the house. For several days.

Oxford and the Cotswolds

I took another tour to a place I’ve long wanted to visit: The Cotswolds. This was a smaller tour, limited to 14. If you’re wondering, it was a Rabbies tour and I highly recommend them. Oxford wasn’t my real destination, but I enjoyed it a lot. It happened to be graduation day for some of the colleges (I think there are 39) so the streets were filled with family members with flowers and graduates in their colorful robes. What an exciting day for a young person starting out with an Oxford degree!

Then on to the Cotswolds, which has beautiful countryside. All the houses are made of Cotswold limestone, giving even the new buildings a timeless feel. In Burford I learned that the are two ways to have your scones: Devon, with the clotted cream on the bottom and then the jam, or Cornwall, which is just the opposite. Apparently it’s quite a rivalry. I’ll leave it to you, dear reader, to decide which you prefer.

I also learned that even a small quaint village in the English countryside can have a traffic problem. The cars were backed up as far as you could see in both directions.

Stonehenge

I tend to avoid the big tourist destinations (for the most part), but…Stonehenge! I remember reading about it in our National Geographic or some similar publication when I was a child, and I was fascinated. Who built it? Why? What were those people like, and how did they live? Since I had a few days in London I decided I had to see it in person. I took a day tour-crowded bus, lots of tourists-but I’m glad I did. The site is magnificent, and it’s so large it didn’t feel crowded. When you stand on the hill and realize you are in the presence of 4000 years of history, you can’t help but feel awed.

The Official Mascot Name

Polly is at Stonehenge

So my traveling companion has a name. I had suggestions to use a place I loved, and I wanted something that started with a “P” ( for porcupine). There’s a mountain in Denali National Park called Polychrome, noted both for its many colors and the fact that it decided to get rid of the road that went past it. So…say hello to Polly Porcupine.

A River Runs Through It

Yes, a river literally runs through it.

There’s something mystical about coming home, no matter where it might be. In this case, as I arrived back in my home state I drove along the Blackfoot River, the one Norman Maclean paid homage to in his book. As I drove along I learned of Robert Redford’s passing , so I stopped to pay a silent thanks for creating one of my favorite movies and for getting the heart of Montana right.

The best line in the movie: “The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.”

It’s good to be home, even for a short while.

Driving the Cassiar

My only companion for the drive

Heading back to Montana from Alaska, I decided I’ve driven the Alcan enough. I think it’s been 17 or 18 times, including my childhood trips. I’ve never been on the Cassiar, which is the Western route to Alaska…and much less developed. Why not try a new challenge? I found it much like driving the Alcan used to be in the early years, although it’s paved and in some ways an easier drive than parts of today’s Alcan.

But! There are so many miles of no cell service, signs of civilization are few and far between, and I spent two long days feeling pretty alone. Ah, for want of a Tim Horton’s. And when my trusty phone ran out of battery because I wasn’t paying attention, I lost my route guidance. Didn’t really matter, I guess. There’s only the one road. Just keep following it, nitwit!

By the way, I’m trying to find a name for my travel companion. Any ideas? I plan to take her with me for my upcoming travels.

And So It Ends

My final tour group.

The first phase of my year of travel is nearly over. My last tour ended yesterday and here I sit in the airport heading back to Anchorage. I’ll be heading down the road the day after tomorrow- the end of fifteen years of post-retirement seasonal work. My guests kept asking me if it was sad to know I wouldn’t be back. Not sad, really, but bittersweet.

In these years I’ve made wonderful friends, had amazing experiences, and had the privilege of sharing this gorgeous part of the world that I love so much. I’m so lucky.

Goodbye, Alaska. We’ll meet again, I’m sure.

First Steps on My Adventure

And I’m off! I did take photos of the enormous backup at the Canadian border but decided that probably isn’t allowed. There were two cars in front of me. TeeHee! I went through the Chief Mountain crossing, mainly because the scenery is better closer to Glacier Park.

I was a little concerned about how my entry to Canada would go, given the bad feelings being generated over threatened tariffs and comments by our current administration. I shouldn’t have worried. The agent was Canadian-style polite and friendly. When I told her my purpose in Canada was to drive to my summer job as a Tour Director in Alaska, she was delighted and we had a great conversation about it. I finally had to go after a couple of cars came up behind me and looked like they were getting impatient. I just love Canadians!

The drive over the Alcan (or the Alaska Highway) was beautiful, as always. The first time I was on this road was in 1952, and it was still gravel and very primitive. It’s been paved since the mid-70s, and although it certainly isn’t a smooth freeway by any means, it’s a lot easier to drive these days. I didn’t hurry, took my time, and completed the trip without incident. I had no trouble finding gas or food, and the hotels I stayed in were a huge improvement on some of the lodging available in the 1950s and 1960s.

My wildlife count for the drive was four deer, three black bears, three herds of bison with the cutest babies, a porcupine, an elk, a moose, two bald eagles, two bunnies, and a wild herd of motorcyclists.

As I made the drive from Tok to Anchorage I was greeted by the spectacular mountains of Alaska, and it felt like coming home.