We packed our little car with everything that would fit and our dog, Hogan (a boxer puppy) and started driving. Troy used to say that we drove the speed limit of the heat that day, which was 114, and honestly, I think it was pretty close. We spent a day or two in Portland with my parents and then drove up to Vancouver, BC. It was here that our car engine caught fire. I remember Troy was driving and I had one hand on the dog and the other on the door handle! We finally made it to the edge of town, with smoke billowing out from under the hood, and parked for the night in a church lot. We figured we'd be pretty safe there and hopefully no police would come and kick us out. The next morning we found a garage that would take cash for our new engine - and offer no receipt! - and so we left the car there and walked to a nearby motel. The funny thing (or not so funny at the time), was that we had less than $2000 for the rest of our trip and to get a place to live when we arrived. I nervously called my parents and asked for a loan of $800 to cover the engine cost. I think they were nervous as well - they really didn't know Troy and here we were, two young lovers, unmarried, with next to nothing and no money, driving to Alaska. Regardless, they did wire the money and a few days later we were off and running...again.
When we arrived in Skagway we had to get on the ferry to Juneau. We pulled up to the ferry parking line and discovered we had about five hours before boarding. It had been an awful long few days and we headed on foot to the Red Onion - a famous Skagway bar. By the time we had to get back to the car to load it on the ferry we were pretty blitzed! I remember once we got aboard the ferry it was around 10:00 pm and before we left the harbor the captain announced that the northern lights were viewable from the front deck. I'm not sure if it was the excitement of being in Alaska or the alcohol, but those were the most beautiful Aurora Borealis colors we had ever seen!!
In Juneau we lived in a tent for 6 weeks then rented an RV for another month. On December 1st we finally moved into a small apartment on Douglas Island (just west of Juneau a few miles, accessible by bridge). That Christmas we were too poor for a tree and all the trimmings, but I remember Troy brought home a poinsettia from the store about a week before the holiday and we used that instead of a tree. We also bought a sofa as our gift to and from each other. That was a very memorable Christmas and one I won't forget.
Juneau was fabulous! We met lots of great people and established life-long friendships. Some are still in Juneau, others have moved to the Lower 48. We also began our sailboat adventures in Juneau...first with a small 19 foot boat (that we didn't live on) and then with a 30 foot live-aboard sailboat. We spent our summer weekends traveling to nearby harbors with friends and the yacht club (even though I don't think we ever became official members!). We learned the hard way what the wind could and couldn't do. Troy was famous in Juneau for getting a speeding ticket in the harbor on his little inflatable dingy -- which had an engine twice the HP that was recommended -- naturally!
Troy and I were married in a double ceremony with Sharon and Gary (Troy's mom and stepdad) at the Shrine of St. Therese on March 25, 1995. It was a beautiful spring day with lots of snow that had fallen just the night before.
We adopted our second 4-legged kid, Handsome, the cat, in August 1995. He's been a great companion and trooper - living aboard, traveling by boat, car and plane numerous times and (so far) he's lived in about a dozen different towns. (We had given Hogan to some people we met in Juneau before moving onto the sailboat.)
We left Juneau in September 1997, but still had the passion for sailing and it didn't stop there.
I'll always have a special fondness for Juneau as that's the place where Troy and I started our married life together. I hope to visit there again someday soon..
lco
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