4/9/2018

questions I got tired of hearing: Going to see North America “When are you going to leave?” and A leisurely 2,824 mile drive from “I thought you were supposed to be gone!” San Diego to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada • I wound up leaving San Diego on Interstate 15 and beyond! on 27 Augg,ust, 2:45 PM PDT. (updated 9 April 2018) • Except for a side loop from Idaho Falls to Helena via West Yellowstone, I drove I‐15 from end to end, crossing into Alberta at Sweet Grass, Montana (Coutts, Alberta) • Arrived in Yellowknife at 7:00 PM MDT on 1 September

Where? (the actual route) Smoke everywhere! (Yikes!!!) Final route was dictated by FIRE activity in the U.S. and Canada…

Final route was dictated by FIRE activity in the U.S. and Canada…

Smoke! (shifting…) Actual route, day one (461 miles) Wildfire smoke at mid‐day August 24, 2017. NOAA.

San Diego to Washington, Utah (can you say HOT???)

1 4/9/2018

No pictures from the San Diego ––GreaterGreater L.A./San Actual route, day two (513 miles) Bernardino/Victorville ––LasLas Vegas ––St.St. George stretch, alas…

This is a Google Earth image of Washington Dome, a doubly plunging anticline near where I spent the first night (what might have been) Washington, Utah to Idaho Falls (air started to get smoky)

Final route, day three (459 miles) Day 2 ––backback on I‐15 northbound in Southern Utah

Colorful folded rocks! Idaho Falls to Shelby, MT (via West Yellowstone and Madison Valley)

Day 3 ––offoff I‐15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Day 3 ––offoff I‐15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT

Island Park, Idaho ––2.12.1 million year old volcanic eruption Island Park, Idaho ––airair is noticeably smoky

2 4/9/2018

Day 3 ––offoff I‐15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Day 3 ––offoff I‐15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT

Hebgen Lake, Montana – 1959 Earthquake Area Hebgen Lake, Montana ––“The“The Lake that Tilted”

Day 3 ––offoff I‐15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Day 3 ––offoff I‐15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT

‘Quake’ Lake, Montana – product of mass wasting (rock avalanche) ‘Quake’ Lake, Montana – ‘Night of Terror and Loss’

Day 3 ––offoff I‐15 from Idaho Falls to Helena, MT Day 3 ––backback on I‐15 from Helena to Shelby, MT

Madison Valley ––soso smoky I couldn’t see the Madison Range! South of Great Falls – Charlie Russell Butte barely visible from I‐15!

3 4/9/2018

Final route, day four (524 miles) Day 3 ––backback on I‐15 from Helena to Shelby, MT

Spooky sunset… Shelby, MT to Athabasca, Alberta (crossing the border at Coutts)

Day 4 – Alberta bound! (cue Gordo…) Day 4 – Alberta bound! (cue Gordo…)

First time across the 49th parallel since 1994 ––excited!excited! Coutts, where I became a ‘Landed Immigrant’ in 1975…

Day 4 ––DueDue North (for kilometers and kilometers!) Day 4 ––DueDue North (for kilometers and kilometers!)

Alberta Highway 36. GPS heading ‘000’ (true north!) Are we there yet???

4 4/9/2018

Final route, day five (420 miles) Day 5 ––AA day of BIG rivers!

Athabasca to High Level, Alberta (smoky air finally let up) Athabasca Glacier in 1975 (Source of The Athabasca River)

Day 5 ––AA day of BIG rivers! Day 5 ––AA day of BIG rivers!

Outwash Plain of the Athabasca Glacier in 1975 Athabasca River flowing north from The Glacier in Jasper National Park

Day 5 ––AA day of BIG rivers! Day 5 – Changing landscapes…

Town of Athabasca, where I spent Night 4 Peace River area

5 4/9/2018

Day 5 – Changing landscapes… Final route, day six (445 miles)

Peace River area High Level to Yellowknife, NWT (end of the road!)

Day 6 ––MoreMore Changes Day 6 ––MoreMore Changes

North of High Level ––nono smoke, blue skies, and trees! 6060°°NorthNorth latitude ––Alberta/NWTAlberta/NWT Border!!!

Day 6 ––NorthwestNorthwest Territories! Day 6 ––NorthwestNorthwest Territories!

The mighty Mackenzie River, flowing north to the Arctic 6060°°NorthNorth latitude – stopped to record a video Ocean!

6 4/9/2018

Day 6 ––NorthwestNorthwest Territories! Day 6 ––NorthwestNorthwest Territories!

The mighty Mackenzie River, flowing north to the Arctic Bison on, and along the highway (wood buffalo) Ocean!

Day 6 ––NorthwestNorthwest Territories! Day 6 ––NorthwestNorthwest Territories!

Continuously changing… Continuously changing…

Day 6 ––NorthwestNorthwest Territories!

Yellowknife, from 9/1 to 9/11

Arrived at the Explorer Hotel ~7:00 PM 1 September, after 2,824 miles of driving!

7 4/9/2018

A few pix from the first several days in First several days in Yellowknife: Yellowknife:

Foggy sunrise from my room… Sunset from my room…

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

Big guy in the lobby Big guy in the lobby

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

another foggy sunrise picture… Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

8 4/9/2018

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

Cool licence plates! Cool licence plates! (Rexxxx(Rexxxxmeans ‘rental’, apparently)

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

The Wildcat Café ––oneone of akind! The Wildcat Café ––oneone of akind!

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

The Wildcat Café ––oneone of akind! The Wildcat Café ––oneone of akind!

9 4/9/2018

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

The Wildcat Café ––oneone of akind! The Wildcat Café ––corecoretrays outside

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

View NNE from hotel room View East from hotel room

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

Bush Pilots’ Monument

Old Town and Bush Pilots’ Monument from hotel room Bush Pilots’ Monument

10 4/9/2018

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

Bush Pilots’ Monument from Bush Pilots’ Monument...

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

from Bush Pilots’ Monument... Boathouses ––whatwhat about winter, you ask???

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

The primary means of transportation The primary means of transportation

11 4/9/2018

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

The primary means of transportation The primary means of transportation

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

The primary means of transportation Wardair Float Base

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads

12 4/9/2018

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

Ragged Ass Road ––aa product of the 70’s Ragged Ass Road ––aa product of the 70’s

13 4/9/2018

First several days in Yellowknife: First several days in Yellowknife:

Ragged Ass Road ––aa product of the 70’s Ragged Ass Road ––aa product of the 70’s

First several days in Yellowknife:

AESE 2017 – Fie ld TTirip

Ragged Ass Road ––aa product of the 70’s

AESE Field Trip, 9 September AESE Field Trip, 9 September

The route… Stops 1 ––4:4: Yellowknife Town Site

14 4/9/2018

Inuvik / Tuktoyaktuk?

AESE 2017 – Mission Completed and now, further!

Sorry, no…

Further! (plan B) • Yellowknife to Cold Lake, Alberta • Cold Lake to Regina, Saskatchewan • Regina to Sudbury, Ontario – (via Grand Forks / Hudson/Waupaca/Madison/Milwaukee) th th • Sudbury to Quebec, New Brunswick Sept. 11 to 16 – • Summerside, P.E.I. via a bit of Nova Scotia 2,626 miles • Summerside to St. John, N.B. to Maine (sorry, no Newfoundland…) • seven of ten provinces, plus 1 of the 3 territories –no Yukon or Nunavut • maybe next summer?

Sept. 21st to 23rd The “Big Nickel” ‐‐ Sudbury, Ontario Sept. 23rd to 25th

15 4/9/2018

“Big Nickel”

“Inco Superstack”

380 meters (1250 feet)

The “Big Nickel” ‐‐ Sudbury, Ontario th Sept. 23rd to 25th September 25 ‐ to Angus, Ontario

visiting a friend from WAY back (co‐worker at CFB Comox, 1969 – ’72) https://sciencenorth.ca/dynamic‐earth/geotours/

September 26th September 27th ‐ Angus, Orillia, Ottawa and beyond… ‐ beyond Quebec, but just barely…

Montreal ‘rush’ hour, after sunset ‐ nightmare! new time zone for me (Atlantic: EDT+1)

16 4/9/2018

September 28th September 29th ‐ New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Is. ‐ Prince Edward Island to Maine

reconsidering the journey to Newfoundland Newfoundland will have to wait… ‐ 6‐hour (and $160) ferry ride

September 30th October 1st ‐ Vermont to New York State ‐ Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont

picturesque ferry ride across Lake Champlain!

October 2nd ‐ to Niagara County/Buffalo October 3rd ‐ through Pennsylvania to MD

sad day on all counts (L.V. shooting, Tom Petty…) Punxsutawney, Indiana, Johnstown…

17 4/9/2018

October 4th ‐ West (and east) Virginia, No. Carolina October 5th to 9th – family time

Appalachians to Piedmont to coastal plain Historic New Bern, NC

October 9th –North Carolina to S.C. October 10th –short jaunt to suburban Atlanta

heading to Alpharetta, Georgia hello Amy, Joel, Max and Porter (+ Cosmo & Angie)!

October 11th – pressing on: GA, AL, MS, TN, AR October 12th –plus: Arkansas and Oklahoma

doffed my cap to The King at Tupelo and Memphis! managed to catch anther ‘rush’ hour (OKC)

18 4/9/2018

October 13th – turned left at Amarillo October 14th – Socorro to Globe

off the Super‐slab at Canyon, TX –US 60 until AZ Bosque del Apache NWR and Very Large Array

October 15th –Globe to home! August 27th to October 15th

( 7 weeks, 7 provinces, 1 territory, 29 states )

Total: 12,401 miles ( 7 weeks, 7 provinces, 1 territory, 29 states ) That’s all I have the energy for right now…

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