Christmas Time at Togwotee, WY

 Currently, we are in Wyoming about an hour outside Jackson Hole at a lodge called Togwotee, where Keith has spent four Christmas seasons (last year I was with him) working for Billy Snodgrass, an Iditerod racer who operates a dog sled tour kennel here.  We're here only for a few weeks--the busy season.  Keith has been doing two tours a day and having some interesting experiences, as always (yesterday he took a Saudi prince and his enterage out).  He loves mushing, it is Beautiful up here (though so far, less snow than usual), and I get to just Relax!  I have had the time and space to do those things I always want to do and seldom do:  reading, writing in my journal, doing yoga, knitting, up-dating the blog : ) and going on some photo/snow-shoe expeditions (internet too slow to post more pictures now). It is really quite like a little "holiday" for us.

Here's Keith doing what he does... just coming in from the afternoon tour and feeding the dogs.

This is the mushers' cabin and the kennel.  However, Keith and I actually stay in the lodge employee dorms--more comfortable for married couples!

A little late perhaps, but I still wanted to wrap-up our bike trip with a post celebrating the end!  We arrived with smiles at the edge of the sea in Prince Rupert, September 6th--four months and 5,900 miles after starting our trip.  Our last day's ride was one of the most beautiful!!  We were blessed with an amazing sunny day as we biked along the inlet, although rain had been forecasted--a perfect end.  This is Keith and I getting off the ferry in my hometown Sitka, Alaska.  After a day on the ferry from Prince Rupert, B.C., we arrived in Sitka at 2:00 A.M. and I insisted on biking the three miles to my house (It would be silly to get a ride to my house after crossing North America!)  We felt disbelief at the thought that we had flown into Maine and biked from there North through the Maritimes and across Canada all the way home!  It's amazing what your own two feet and a little mental endurance can do (appropriate gear helps)!  My grandparents, mom and dad and sister were awake (2:00 A.M.) to celebrate with us and fixed a great early breakfast for us!

We had an Amazing experience (or set of experiences) this summer!!  We loved our trip!  We especially loved getting to know some amazing people along the way and feeling a bond of humanity that can exist with near strangers--especially when people surprisingly went out of their way offer kindness to us.  This touched us a great deal and we thank you once again!  Thanks also to those who have followed our blog through our journey.  It was fun to watch as we gained followers across the continent and we became excited to share our experiences and sights with you--like you were with us : )

Stay tuned for further adventures!  I am going to try to be better at occasionally posting updates again after taking a few months off : )