Mike and Sheila ended their wagon trip about 400 miles short of Skagway. At least, the team and wagon stopped, but not Mike and Sheila. The Alaskan Highway was too dangerous and too narrow to jeopardize life and property. After a couple of near misses they decided to leave the team and wagon and continue on by vehicle. They visited Skagway, Homer, and many other towns.

Then they brought the team home to Ranchester Wyoming. After a week, they hooked onto the flatbed trailer and went back up and got the wagon and the chassis pieces.

Last week, Mike and Sheila roasted a pig. After days of cutting wood and digging a pit, the fire was started on Saturday, 4 Sept at 9am. By 9 pm, there was 3 ft of red coals so the pig was set in the pit and covered up. At 1pm on Sunday, the pig was brought out and enjoyed by many friends, family, and supporters/followers of the trip. I don’t know about everybody else, but I, for one, ate toooo much.

From Mike and Sheila:

The trip was the most wonderful thing we could have experienced. We can’t tell you the countless friends we made along the way. Every where we stopped the people were very friendly and bent over backwards to make our journey pleasant. We ate many home cooked meals along the way as we were invited to stay in many homes or at least camp on private property.

It was a wonderful trip and we want to thank all the nice people that made it happen. We’ve already started planning a trip for next year. First order of business is to build a wagon!

Mike and Sheila are still seeing the sights. They’ve went for a boat ride, they’ve visited the warfs, and they’ve done a lot of sight seeing. But this is all they’ve sent for pictures.

Largest Halibut caught for the day was 204lbs. No, Mike and Sheila didn’t catch it, they just saw it at the warf.

Out on a boat on the Kenia River.

I am assuming that there is a real town of Homer and not just a sign. But we’ll never know.

I spoke with Mike earlier this evening. He had some questions for me. Unfortunately, he didn’t say where they’d been, nor where they were going other then they were going on a boat ride. He did say they were fine and that Sheila had several pictures she was going to send. It’s now almost midnight and there are no pictures in my in-box. haha So what’s new? I expect Sheila will send them in the morning. They had had a long day.

Finally, Sheila found the button to take pictures. lol

They are going to spend a while in Alaska and see some of the sights. Here are some pictures they took yesterday and today.

Lots of Black Bear along the road. Sheila refused to get a closer picture.

Large boat in White Horse

Very large cruise ships in Skagway.

Mike didn’t have his fishing pole, so he’s waiting patiently for the fish to jump in his lap.

Another picture of the Alaskan Highway. Looking at this road shows that it doesn’t lend itself to dodging traffic.

First view of Skagway as they come into town.

This entire building is built of little sticks.

Stone Mountain.

I know I haven’t updated the website in a few days, but decisions were being made and I didn’t want to post until they were solidified.

Mike and Sheial are in Skagway tonight.

The Alaskan Highway is narrow, no shoulder, and steep ditches. A couple of incidences happened in the last week that made everybody think about what is going on.

Last Thursday, Sheila stayed back and stopped at the top of a hill with flashers on, waving a orange flag. The Semi drivers for the oil fields are after the almighty dollar and won’t slow down for nothing. A semi passed Sheila at about 60 and then topped the hill looking at the back of the wagon. A motorhome was coming the other way. The Semi locked up all 18 and started sliding. The Motorhome took to the steep ditch (wonder if they have any plates left?), giving the semi room to go around Mike and the wagon. This was not the first occurence.

As such, the decision to leave the Wagon, the Horse Trailer, and the team in Fort Nelson, was made. Mike and Sheila continued on to Skagway in their truck and camper. They arrived today. Sheila called and said they had lots of pictures to send, but wanted to eat supper first. I told her to eat, relax and enjoy. We could wait for pictures until tomorrow.

They will spend some time in Alaska before heading back.

I for one, commend Mike and Sheila for making a tough decision.

Here’s what the Alaskan Highway looks like.

New Chassis showed up on time. Wagon box was lifted on. Wagon was ready to roll late this afternoon, but I’m not sure if they decided to stay the night and leave early, or if they put a few miles behind them this evening.

Here’s the new chassis.

Got this picture late last night. Notice the Chassis is in 3 different pieces. This is what it looked like when they lifted the box.

If all goes right, new chassis will be delivered this morning.

Just got a call from Mike. Right front spindle broke. The have a guy coming out of Fort St. Johns with a trailer and will be hauling the wagon back to there to see what they can do.

The were coming down Pink mountain when it broke. This is originally caused by the wreck Mike had when the team spooked. It tore the frame. The pacthed it but it just didn’t hold.

The promised an update as soon as they know anything.

May require a compleye new chassie.  With all the hills, the brakes are getting bad also.   Mike said if it’s too expensive, he and Sheila will saddle up and continue on.

Got my call, still have great signal. They have been making some miles. But then again, there’s no place to turn off. lol

Mike said it’s really hilly and the road is real narrow. The semi’s working the oil fields come off one hill and get a run at the next hill so the traffic is just flying by. No shoulder and the ditch is very deep. The good thing is, the further they get up the highway, the less traffic.

Currently they are camped at the local fair grounds in the town of wonowon. Which happens to be at mile post 101. Imagine that!

To date, they have traveled 1431 miles.

Sheila only took one picture and it’s of the Man Camp in Wonowon.

NOTE: I started a new map at Dawson Creek. So there will be three maps on the last page. Home to Canadian border. Border to Dawson Creek. Dawson Creek to Skaqway. My map program is limited on points they stop at so I couldn’t run one continuous map. Plus, it would be getting so small of print you couldn’t read it. 5433

Annamari Miles and her son took these pictures when the wagon rolled by their house. Many thanks for sending them in!    (The wagon in back is “Drafting” so they can get better speed and milage).

This picture was taken by Sheila when they left Fort St. Johns.