Day 1-2: The Herd Hits the Road

The Great Alaskan Adventure officially began on Friday.

Scott, Zed’s youngest brother, landed in D.C. from Oregon around 3 p.m. and by 5 p.m. they were rolling west. Scott drew the short straw and is piloting the 26-foot U-Haul, towing a car trailer loaded with our Explorer and everything that didn’t fit anywhere else. Ana volunteered as his travel companion and co-pilot.

Meanwhile, Zed is driving his truck, pulling our car hauler loaded with toys, gear, and an empty deep freezer that earned a spot on the journey in hopes of being filled with beef from the family ranch. Dax claimed the passenger seat and road trip navigator duties.

The convoy made it as far as West Virginia before calling it a night.

Back on the East Coast, Zoe, Mia, and I headed to Maryland’s Eastern Shore for one last relaxing weekend before the chaos of the move really set in. A pool, some sunshine, and a slower pace were exactly what we needed.

Day 2

Saturday started with high hopes and a healthy dose of optimism.

By mid-morning, everyone realized the convoy wasn’t going to be setting any land-speed records. After some GPS troubleshooting and a call to Zed’s dad, Stacy, the route was adjusted to cross into Canada through North Dakota instead of Montana, trimming nearly 300 miles off the trip.

Not long after lunch, the first trailer tire blew.

Fortunately, Zed had planned for this possibility and had everything needed to get back on the road quickly. Tire #1 was replaced, lessons were learned, and the convoy pressed on.

The night ended in Iowa, with everyone tired but in good spirits and one day closer to Alaska.

Herd Stats

  • States/Provinces traveled: 8/0
  • Hotels Occupied: 3
  • Tire blowouts: 1
  • Miles driven: 1,131 miles
  • Moose sightings: 0
  • Morale: High
  • Sanity level: High

Leave a comment