Introduction

May, 1995

Not just another trip to the grocery store...

My dream is to share an incredible journey with my family. Starting at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean, we will drive to the farthest point in South America - Ushuaia, Argentina. Although I've set our goal to travel between two distinct points, the distance is secondary. My hope is to again experience different cultures, people and natural wonders through travel. I've enjoyed traveling with Kathy, but this time my travels will include my children. Hopefully this will help them develop a real sense of the world and shape their lives as it has mine.

For the most part, everything you do in life has a purpose. For that matter even the mistakes we make have a purpose. Lately I've been thinking a lot about the purpose/reasons for this trip. I don't think I can list one or two reasons that will make it easy for someone else, let alone myself understand - why. Hopefully as the trip evolves the reasons will become evident in my travel logs.

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Posts from this trip.

Stats & Maps

Starting Point: Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

Ending Point: Ushuaia, Argentina

Stage One

We followed the Alaskan Pipeline the complete length of our journey to Prudhoe Bay.  Sometimes over ground and sometimes underground, it became our constant companion. 

Stage Two

Traveling to me is not knowing what the next curve in the road will bring. Everything you see and experience is different. Your life is not structured around routines, it becomes the experiences you encounter around the next curve in the road.

Stage Three

I want to say this is the road from hell but I know we have many more miles to go. This winding, hairpin filled road traverses the top of the Sierra de Juarez Mountain. Several times we drove in and out of the clouds. In one spot we came upon a serious truck accident that had traffic backed up. There were mangos and papayas all over the place. I'm not sure the driver made it.

Stage Four

Perched on the crest of a mountain with incredible views in two directions, Machu Picchu is well worth the effort to get there. The fog and mist surrounding the peaks just adds to the feeling of being in a sacred place.

Stage Five

What lied ahead of me was 1,100 kms of grueling and hot driving. The road ahead was through the Atacama Desert - one of the driest place on the earth.  The landscape looked baked and tortured from the heat. Inside the van it was 105 degrees F (40 degrees C). I didn't dare turn the air conditioner on for fear of taxing the engine any more than it already was.

Stage Six

It was an amazing feeling to be together with my family and stand on the spot of land which represents the end of the journey. I bought a bottle of wine and we toasted the trips end.  

Behind the Scenes

Many people have come together to make this trip and distance education project a reality. I am extremely grateful to these individuals and corporations. Their support has allowed this trip to become a shared experience.

Final Thoughts

It is hard to describe the feelings I get when I look at a world map and remember the road from top to bottom. I look at the length of the journey and I feel a connection with the places I've been - a mosaic of landscapes, cultures & people.