Time To Go Outside

With the fierce Alaskan winter rapidly approaching, Homer’s fisherman are pulling their boats from the water as they look forward to what next season’s halibut, salmon, or cod numbers will be like. In the same regards, it is time for us to once again pull up our anchor and get ready to move on. This time it is a little different though. We are not driving to an unknown city or state. Instead we are going back to where it all started. While we are not officially ending our travel careers, it does feel like the beginning of the end. While this is a sad notion to think about, the RIDICULOUS road trip we have planned and the prospect of being with friends and family for the holidays more than makes up for any disappointment.

Also, this road trip isn't just about being home for the holidays, it symbolizes that we are driving towards our future. And in typical Amanda and Charlie fashion, we are taking the scenic route. We anticipate covering about 8,000 miles of the US and Canada over the next month, before returning back to our old stomping grounds.

Route subject to change, but you get the idea.

Clearly, we have one heck of a voyage ahead of us. We figure, if we are going to road trip it back to PA, we are going to do it right. Scenic highways, National Parks, delicious food, and excursions galore, while visiting friends and family along the way. It really is the trip of a lifetime.

Since we have been busy planning all of this, we haven’t had much time for Alaskan adventures. It’s been pretty low key here, nothing too crazy to report. That doesn't mean we aren't still enjoying our time here though. Sallie and Dan invited the office staff over for a little going away party. We have been fortunate to work with an incredible group of people at Homer PT, so getting to have fun with them outside of work is just icing on the cake.

Amanda and I also got to experience our first Alaskan sauna. Saunas are a big deal up here. In the winter some people will sauna, jump in the freezing lakes, and then sauna again. Dan spends up to 4 or 5 hours at a time in their sauna. We did not desire to experience either of those scenarios, but it is surprising how well you sleep after baking at 120 degrees for about an hour. Amanda kept saying, “I felt like I was drugged.”

Our last big Homer event was a show that’s been years in the making. Sallie, along with the Homer Council On the Arts, managed to bring Quixotic to the Homer’s Mariner Theater. Quixotic is a music, dance, and acrobatics show that utilizes a multitude of visual effects to enhance the viewing experience. It is similar to Cirque du Solei, but not exactly. Bringing a show of this magnitude to a small town like Homer is no easy task. It was well worth the effort though as they performed to a packed house both nights while also having dates booked in Fairbanks and Anchorage. I don’t even know how to properly describe things like a mohawked guy spinning himself around in a giant metal hula hoop or an aerialist hanging 2 stories above the stage with nothing but a thin fabric sheet wrapped around the back of her neck. I wasn't always sure what was going on, but there’s no doubt I was thoroughly entertained.

Here’s a clip from a Quixotic performance to give you an idea.

From day one, we always dreamed of making it to Alaska. Our time here has been exactly what we hoped for, and then some. We have made some new friends and unforgettable memories here. A small part of me feels like we have unfinished business since we aren't experiencing the winter, but we have definitely taken full advantage of the time we had here. Besides, it just gives us an excuse to come back some day.

For the record, Amanda doesn't feel like there's unfinished business. Her main focus is quickly getting somewhere warm!

As we get ready to "go outside", which is the Alaskan expression for travelling to the lower 48, I am certain that we do so with no regrets. Also, if this should be the end of our travel PT days, we leave knowing we accomplished our goals and return to PA victorious. My friend Dave said it best, "You made it to Alaska. So, mission accomplished. You won."

A special thanks has to go to Clayt and Laura who helped us get settled here, shared with us all of their Kenai Peninsula knowledge, and have been tremendous adventure buddies. Melissa and Brady also deserve our gratitude because they were always willing to give us good Alaskan insight, helped introduce us to Homer, and kept us entertained. Darcy was a huge part of our success as she was willing to open her doors to us and quickly became our closest and most trusted friend. Last, but certainly not least, we extend a huge thank you to Sallie and everyone at Homer PT. We would have ended up somewhere in the Alaskan bush if not for Sallie. She is a gifted therapist who we have learned a lot from during our time at Homer Physical Therapy.

It is hard to believe that 5 months have come and gone. I can’t imagine what the next month on the road will be like. I definitely have no clue what happens after that. What I do know is that these last two years have assured me that together Amanda and I can handle anything, anywhere.

While we work diligently to pack the car and prepare for our big journey, kick back and relive all of our Homer memories!