I'm back! I apologize to anyone who came to my little space while I was away and kept finding that there was nothing new to read, I didn't plan to be without my computer for over a week or I would have warned you, but I will say the break was kind of nice.
The trip to Juneau was so much more gorgeous than I could have ever imagined. It was also longer and more treacherous than I imagined, but we'll get to that. We spent two days driving out to Haines, Alaska and then a day waiting for the ferry to take us to Juneau. It was fun, exhausting, breathtaking, nerve-wracking, and everything a good adventure should be.
First let me set the scene, it happened halfway through our drive, roughly about 8 hours in. Dave and I had been in Yukon Territory for awhile, AKA driving for hours and hours through gorrrrrgeous landscapes and it had been miles and miles (and miles) since we had cell service or since we had come across any sign of civilization. That's when it happened...
Some of the roads through that area are pretty bumpy and can take you a bit off-guard if you aren't expecting it. We weren't expecting it. We heard a thud, but honestly just thought it was our little hitch-hauler letting us know to slow down a bit over the bumps. No biggie. Luckily Dave needed to get out and stretch a bit, so we did. And luckily he walked around back as he was stretching, and that's when he saw it. The hitch-hauler had hit a bump (or two) and was so bent it was almost scraping the ground.
This may not sound like such a big deal, but let me assure you, it was. This was the only thing keeping the majority of my possessions (precious books, all of my office supplies, etc) attached to our car. If it were to, say, fall off completely...there would be nothing we could do about it. I got really freaked out at the idea of my things being strewn across the highway, but thank goodness my handy man had a plan.
We were really blessed that we noticed this right before one of the only places in the whole stretch to pull over in a lot. It took about an hour, but Dave was able to take the entire hitch hauler apart and flip the bent bar upside down (the picture above is after). We weren't sure if the metal was compromised or if it would hold this way, but thank goodness it did. I am so thankful we didn't have to weigh the options and figure out what else to do, our Jeep was packed so far to the brim and every nook-and-cranny accounted for so there was nowhere to put anything from the bins on the back.
Minor crisis aside, this was one of my favorite trips Dave and I have taken. Lake Kluane was to die for. I had no idea such beauty existed. The lake really was that blue and dreamy as it is in the pictures. I haven't seen water like that since our Honeymoon in Jamaica, and paired with the mountains I wanted to cry I was so happy to witness such beauty.
...up tomorrow are the pictures from Haines, Alaska. Hope you all enjoy the pictures and story from our adventure. I know I've missed sharing with you in this space.