ON THE ROAD WITH THE JACKSON

Francis and I started our travel adventures in April, 1999 with a long awaited trip to Alaska. We always loved traveling but selling our home to go “full timing” seemed a very big step. We made the decision to place house-sitters in our Tennessee home until we had the opportunity to try living “in the box” our 1989 Georgie Boy motorhome that we called “George” because it was too old to be a Georgie.

After a wonderful seven month trip including three and a half months in Alaska we were sure this was the life for us. We enjoyed being able to park the motorhome and taking our tow car (that we called Tonto) to see the area. The word was ‘wonder what is at the end of this road’ so off we would go leaving the motorhome to return after our sidetrip. We knew when we left Alaska that we would be back because there was still so much to see including what winter here would offer.

By 2001 we were sure we wanted to travel fulltime and no longer needed a house in Bartlett . . . so when the house-sitters were ready to leave for Japan we returned to have a huge (32 year accumulation) moving sale and sold our home.

After several delays, finally in 2004 we told our friends we going to Alaska to spend the winter. Many thought we had lost of minds but I think some were a little envious. Of course a concern was where to spend the cold months because we felt the motorhome (by now we had a 1999 Itasca) would not be warm enough. We learned from internet searches that there were number of state park, forest service etc. volunteer positions that provide living accommodations. Our choice was the Eagle River Nature Center located approx. 25 miles out of Anchorage. After a stop to finalize the arrangements we were off the Cordova (accessible by ferry or air only) to be campground host at Childs Glacier for the US Forest Service.

In Feb. 2005 we were asked to return the following winter. Our experience had been so great that we immediately agreed. We have volunteered in Fairbanks for Alaska Fish and Game, several summers at Cordova, City of Seward campground at Resurrection Bay and others. Have traveled the inside passage from Haynes by ferry with our car stopping at Juneau, Sitka, Wrangel, Petersburg, and Kitchekan for several days each and returning to Skagway. What a wonderful way to see these southeast cities.

As 2008 begins we are back in the Nature Center for our third winter (spent last winter outside with our children and grandkids in Arkansas). We will spend this summer once again volunteering in different areas of this wonderful state, ALASKA.