I've posted a set of some of the best pictures of the trip in a photo album here.

While I continue to work on the rest of the site, below is a funny story from the trip.

I flew into Lake Hood gravel strip (identifier Z41) on a Friday to pick up my wife and another friend who were flying commercial into Anchorage later that day. The weather was basically at VFR minimums, with very low ceilings and perhaps 4 to 6 miles visibility. When I contacted Anchorage approach, I told them that I had the Part 93 supplement for Lake Hood, but that I was unfamiliar with the area--and would appreciate progressive assistance to Lake Hood.

Anchorage approach told me to fly the Tudor Overpass Route and said that as I got closer they would direct me. Approach told me fly toward the big red hangar, turn right over the Anchorage International tower and then contact Lake Hood tower. Everything went perfectly according to their helpful instructions. By the time I got done taxiing to transient parking, I was literally less than 1/4 mile from the baggage carousel at the international airport! Outstanding!

After my wife's United flight being over two hours late, we finally got everyone in the plane and were ready to taxi for departure (South to Soldotna) about 1 a.m.. Yes, it was still plenty light out.

When I called Lake Hood tower for takeoff clearance I told the controller that I was unfamiliar with the departure procedure and would appreciate progressive assistance for my Southbound departure. As I was climbing out, just a few hundred feet up, the controller said, "Two Sierra Romeo next time you are in the Anchorage area you need to get a copy of the Part 93 Supplement." I replied that I had the supplement right in front of me, but, in that it basically refers to street corners and overpasses that I was unfamiliar with, I would appreciate any assistance she could please offer in identifying them.

She replied, "Two Sierra Romeo, Ok, here's what you need to do. Basically you want to follow Northern Lights Boulevard and turn right where the old Tony Roma's used to be."

I turned, looked at my wife, shook my head, and never even bothered to acknowledge the controller's goofey reply! Clearly, she was "Out to lunch."

We're taking a number of digital cameras with us, including a Kodak EasyShare DX-4530, a Canon PowerShot SD-110 and a Canon EOS-20D 8.2 mpixel camera.

We plan to take lots and lots of photos, both in the air and of course of unique sites as we hike, camp and explore the wilds of British Columbia and Alaska. We'll share the best of these photo's here after our trip.