SAFE IN EAGLE,ALASKA

For some of you, that title may seem unremarkable. That's because you have not pulled a trailer about 4500 miles, with the last 160 being mostly gravel, and the last 65 often being too narrow to pass another vehicle, let alone the huge ore haulers and petroleum tankers which shortcut part of the way from Dawson City in the Yukon. This is a wonderful, but very remote and very small community on the Yukon River just west of the Canadian border. There are seven Alaska State museums here and it was the home of "Jessica Fox Mather" the subject of Betty's book, Jessie. Today in the museum she sold nine signed copies for the Society to the tourists who arrive by boat or motorcoach every mid-day. We are staying in a small BLM Campground just a mile from "downtown" and have already connected with many of our friends from our former venture up here. It remains bright even after midnight, and it was east to read outdoors at 2:30 AM since the sun which did set below the northwest hills was never far below the horizon it traversed the north to reappear in the northeast. We will be involved in the Eagle Historical Society activities for almost two weeks and be a part of the Fourth of July festivities before we start south again. We will have occasional internet connections in the local library (which Jessie started) or important messages are still possible by relay through Patty. We'll be calling her a time or two befor we leave here. This is a special time for us and I hope to share some photographs when I can use my own laptop somewhere.