tl;dr Winter is coming so we’re making most of every last day of summer, after surviving the Alaska Highway, with the video to prove it.

I guess that may mean something completely different to most people. The Winter is Coming phrase apparently has something to do with the first episode of some popular television series most people have seen. However, Rene and I aren’t like most people. For starters, we haven’t watched television since emptying our Tivo before hitting the road in 2007. Remember Tivo? You know once you’re down to the last few episodes of Robot Chicken, it’s time to Kill Your Television. For seconds, most people don’t go to Alaska for the winter.

In our case, winter is coming. For reals. We arrived in Willow just in time to catch the last days of summer. Or, last day rather. We enjoyed a sunny day canoeing on one of the many lakes surrounding us. Ever since, the days have been getting shorter, the cloud cover heavier, and the temperature droppier. When we first got here, we had fifteen plus hours of sunlight each day. The sunshine report this morning mentioned closer to thirteen hours of daylight. As a result, the temps have dropped. However, the thermometer just seems to be smirking…you ain’t seen nothing yet.

Note how that thermometer goes down to 60 below zero.

Winter Is Coming Indeed

I’m well aware winter is coming. And Rene has been preparing ever since she started shopping for winter gear before we left. We’ve got our Merino socks. We’ve got our winter boots. I have plenty of base layer apparel, and I’ve already worn my rain pants. What I have not yet worn is any of the t-shirts I brought. It’s already time for long sleeves and sweats. Did I mention winter is coming?

That’s why I continue to get up early and go out for a run. And, that’s getting harder and harder to do each day. Or, I should say, it’s getting much easier to stay in bed. What with the mornings getting darker, and the weather getting wetter, it’s taking more than motivation to get motivated. There is one thing that keeps getting me up and at ’em: Winter is coming.

When we start to feel a chill. When it rains for three days straight. When my soaked running clothes stack up. I keep saying one thing: You just wait…winter is coming. In addition, another thing keeps running through my mind. Enough that I’ve said it more than a few times already: It’s just gonna get worse.

And then, I catch myself. “Worse” is subjective. I keep reminding myself, it won’t be worse. It will just be different. Yes, it will get colder, that’s for certain. It will likely get wetter too. And then it will snow, and get colder. And snow some more, and get colder yet.

So I go for a run in the rain, because winter is coming. And, I’m going to keep running in shorts, because winter is coming. Fred once said he doesn’t don tights until the temp hits freezing. We’re not there yet. But once that thermometer drops to 32º there’s a good chance it won’t rise above that for months. As TC so aptly put it, the very first snow that hits the ground will be there until spring.

So we’ve been making the most of every sunny day, while we can.

To the End of Summer

So what if it’s raining. We hope to go camping in the Project M at least one more time. We spent the night in our new camper over the labor day weekend. Yes, rained. But we were cozy. Before long it won’t be. I went fishing. And before long that will require an ice auger. We had a campfire. We sipped cocoa. We toasted to celebrate the end of summer, and welcome the winter. Even though we have no idea exactly what that may be like. Sure, we’ve seen our share of snow in the Colorado mountains. But we’ve never endured an Alaska winter. That’s about to change.

You Can’t Tell the Future

Nobody knows what the winter may hold in store for us. Well, maybe some of the old sourdough souls may. And maybe that’s why they’re laughing at us cheechakos. Nobody knows for sure what winter will bring. We sure don’t. But I got a good idea. One thing is certain. It will be cold. And yes, there will be snow. Lots of snow. And Ice. I can’t tell what it will be like running in the snow. But I bet it will be beautiful. And hopefully, sooner or later, we’ll see those northern lights we keep hearing about. However, that will require less cloud cover. And more darkness, which won’t be a problem. Because winter is coming.

As I watch the wind strip leaves off the birch around our home, I can’t tell you what the view will be like when it’s covered in white. I bet it it will be beautiful. However, I can’t predict the future. So, I’m doing my best to mind my mother’s words: Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I’m preparing by doing my best to enjoy every rainy run, and every dark brisk morning. Because we’re in it to win it now.

No Turning Back Now, Winter Is Coming

One thing I did predict, was that we’d make it through Destruction Bay without any major catastrophe. It was really more than a wish, than any real prediction. In the end, I’m just glad it came true. Unlike our last long strange trip to Alaska, we had no worries navigating the Alcan this time. The Alaska Highway did not eat our trailer. Well, we weren’t pulling a trailer. But we made it through Destruction Bay without any problems challenges this time. I credit that to our new lightweight truck topper. And, we’ve got the video to prove it.

G asked for “tour videos of Alaska” so we’ll start with that right there. There will be more for sure, as we’ve captured plenty of footage, with more to come. And, I’m sure we’ll be spending plenty of time inside soon. Because winter is coming.

So winter is coming. I say so what. We’re here now. And it don’t get no better than this. Except maybe next winter if we head to Mexico. But I digress. Having made the 3000+ mile trek, and surviving the Alaska Highway, we’re nit headed anywhere any time soon. We are welcoming winter, ready or not.