Canada-Alaska Trek 2026-1: Home, a Tahoe Wedding, Family, Trip Prep

July 26-September 18, 2026
    

    After returning home in late May from our Southwest meander, we thought heading north to Alaska and the Yukon would be a wonderful way to avoid summer's heat. With a wedding in Tahoe in mid-July, we had a few weeks before we'd be back on the road.
    The yard was doing great thanks to Doug's spreading yards and yards of mulch in spring and Marilyn's vigilance over the drip irrigation.

 

   11 yards of mulch spread by Doug wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow with 3-fold effect: improves looks, retains moisture, prevents weeds.

  

Front yard with monster sunflowers. We hope the daffodils will naturalize. Hibiscus gifted by a dear friend now gone blooms throughout summer/fall.

Back yard.

  

Daylily gifted by Marilyn's younger son/wife for her birthday many years ago. Since divided, we enjoy it in both front & back yards.

St Elmo's Fire. Texas blue bonnets, a favorite of Doug's.

We had onions, tomatoes, squash from garden. Yellow squash & zucchini had some interesting cross-coloration.

    We kept up with our children and grandchildren with photos and phones.

Marilyn's grandson Hudson catching. Son Andrew warming up granddaughter Leah for fastpitch softball.

Overlooking Bolinas Bay: Hudson, Uncle Steve (Marilyn's younger son)... 

... & Dad, Andrew hiking near the Coast.

        Doug made a couple of kayak outings.

Rare scene: kayak on the Subaru Outback instead of the VW bus, at nearby Lake Kaweah.

Merganser ducks at Lake Kaweah.

Kayaking with friend Steve in Morro Bay.

    Doug also flew to Seattle for a long weekend with daughter and husband, Katie and Javier, 4-year-old grandson, Diego, and 5-month-old granddaughter, Sofia.

    In mid-July, we were off to Lake Tahoe. First stop was Marilyn's sister and brother-in-law's in South Lake Tahoe. Marilyn's shoulder not being up to snuff, she and Becca caught up while Doug and David kayaked to Emerald Cove.

David on Becca's drop stitch kayak.

Doug on Davids drop stitch kayak, Emerald Cove, Lake Tahoe.

 

   Then we headed to the north side of the lake for Doug's niece Claire's wedding (his cousin's daughter, but he was elevated to "uncle" status). A drive around Lake Tahoe on a spectacular day is hard to beat. Construction forced us to stop on a cliff for a few minutes with a view of the lake—darn! At Northstar, we checked into the comfortable condo we shared with the bride's family: parents  Joan (Doug's cousin) and Mitch, who live in Belgium, and older daughter Leigh and Kamil, who live in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Pre-wedding gathering on Truckee River, Tahoe.

The wedding party & guests took 2 gondolas to the top of the mountain for the wedding & reception (pic is going down.)

On top of the mountain: Chris, Claire, & pup. Their ceremony evoked laughter, tears, & lots of love, all with a grand view.

   

Joan & Mitch (mom & dad) at reception.

Big sister Leigh & Kamil—didn't get a pic of them at the wedding. They are awesome, too.

    Just made us happy to be with wonderful people who just happen to be family.

   The next day, as we drove down I-80 from Tahoe, we checked in with Marilyn's son in Davis to see if they were around. It turned out all her kids, grandkids, and grandpuppies were there! We joined them for a wonderful visit, great food, and watching the FIFA World Cup Final—great fun and excitement. After the game, hugs and goodbyes shared all around, it was time to head home. 

    We spent the next few days packing the van and having new tires put on. Doug also had some much needed dental work to have finished, about which he commended, "Ahh, the joy of slowly wearing out:-)"

    On July 26, Doug headed north, taking his time driving the 1,000-plus miles to Bellingham—2 days, that is. He stayed with son, Andrew, and daughter-in-law, Devon, helping them and their friends with various house and yard projects.
    Meanwhile, Marilyn took the train to Davis on July 31, for another visit with "her" Andrew, Emily, and kids. It was great just to hang out, including a bowling (she watched) and pizza outing. Then her two sons met in the middle to transport Mom to San Rafael to stay with Stephen and Jessie. 

Stephen & Rio took Marilyn to Rodeo Beach on the Marin Headlands, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. 

Son Stephen putting Rio through his turning routine.

Typical Northern California coast summer day.

Former Fort Cronkhite on Marin Headlands, now used as housing & offices for National Park Service.

Bunkers, tunnels, & batteries to protect San Francisco were constructed on the Marin Headlands from before the Civil War through the Cold War.

Typical summer view of Golden Gate Bridge.

Hwy 101. Originally the Waldo Tunnels, a retiring CalTrans working painted the rainbows in 1970, under the theory it's better to ask forgiveness than permission. The tunnels were renamed for Robin Williams in 2016.

Blue-roofed Marin County Civic Center, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, spans several hills in San Rafael.  

Marin Civic Center's distinctive arches & pink stucco walls.

    After the wonderful visits with her kids, Marilyn flew from SFO to Bellingham on August 2. The next day we drove down to Seattle to spend a few days with Doug’s daughter and son-in-law, Katie and Javier, and amazing grands, Diego and Sofia. We even got in a spontaneous birthday ice cream in Queen Anne, as Doug was nearing ancient status, 80.

Back in Bellingham, Andrew & Devon surprised Doug with an 80th birthday cake. 

    And then it was time to head to Alaska. Well, almost.... Some tire, rim, tool, and shocks issues required ordering parts, which would keep us in Bellingham a few more days. So we visited some other favorite spots while we waited.

Chuckanut Drive winds along the coastal cliffs south from Bellingham.

Looking west to Puget Sound & the San Juan Islands from Chuckanut Drive.

In Edison, former home of famed newscaster Edward R Murrow, we enjoyed huevos rancheros outdoors at Mariposa 

Crossing the Swinonish Channel from Fidalgo Island to LaConner, former home of the late novelist Tom Robbins.

LaConner harbor.

Indigenous festival across channel on tribal land. 

Indigeous festival canoe races.

    After a pleasant afternoon browsing shops, walking the wharf, and exploring the wonderful local independent bookstore, we got on the road back to Bellingham. 

Farmland heading back to Bellingham.

    In the spring this area is brilliantly colored by fields of tulips and daffodils. We visited the astounding display during the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April 2011.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in our somewhat younger days.

Blindingly colorful fields, despite the cold & rain that year.

Daffodils as far as the eye can see.

Back to the present & driving back to Bellingham. Mt Baker in distance.

    On August 10, all car parts received, installed, and stored, we were on the road. We'd cross the border to Canada 20 miles north of Bellingham, with nothing but the open road and a grand trip ahead. 

* * * * *

    Some statistics from our trip, with the details to come in future posts:
    • 8,932 miles
    • 7 states: California, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada
    • 2 Canadian Provinces: British Columbia, Alberta
    • 1 Canadian Territory: the Yukon

    The van (Uncle Robert, though Doug calls her Conchita) crossed the 100,000 mile mark, an average of 14,000-plus miles per year in its almost 7 years on the road. Since we bought it in September 2019 we have driven the van through many states and 8 of Canada's 13 provinces and Territories, including driving to the Arctic Circle in the Yukon, as far north as can be driven in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and almost as far east as can be driven in Quebec.

    A shout out to VanWorks of Fort Collins who built our amazing van and continue to help us. Their product and service is commendable.

2026 Canada-Alaska-US Trek: 8,932 miles. 7 weeks. 7 states. 2 provinces. 1 territory.

    Stay tuned as we blog all the details of our trek.
    And thanks as always for reading.