Anchorage Alaska
July 7, 2007

Alaska: Two young men took the advice! …………”OurDrivetoAlaska.com”

How many times has each one of us had someone say “do it now while you can” or how many times have you said to yourself “I really want to do this…..” but never got around to it, or found the time and always left yourself wishing you did?

This is a story of two young men who have taken this advice and are making their dreams a reality. It is a story of their friendship, their shared dreams, commitment to a goal, planned determination and true belief that there is “no time like now!”

Bryan Carey and Matt Ray met during high school in Pittsford, New York. Both of these young people found a yearning for adventure in each other and the result is a deep friendship built on shared aspirations and a strong determination to make it come true. They also found a real interest in learning about the differences in people and believe that the only way to do this is go and meet them, talk to them, experience their life, in the places they live. They found a special interest in the people who live in some of the most beautiful places on earth and close to nature. And out of these discoveries they began to conjure a plan to bring these interests to reality.

In 2002 they launched their first exploration with a 5000 mile road trip that would take them from their home to meet peoples in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Mount Rushmore, to Yellowstone National Park, on to the Rocky Mountains, continuing to Utah and the wonders of Bryce Canyon, Arches and Zion National Parks, meeting locals and travelers from all over the world. They listened to stories and reasons people came to these beautiful and often remote places. Some to visit and others to live. They learned from these people the life choices that each had made and none of these have been lost on these two young men as they chart their own courses. Having stoked their appetite for adventure they returned to begin their college experiences at the University of Tampa and Rochester Institute of Technology respectively and prepare themselves for the long ride that most of us call life.

Having previously been a foreign exchange student in Australia as a sophomore in high school, Bryan shared with Matt his learning that the best way to gather a new experience is to never compare what you already know to the experience you are having. Live the experience by engrossing yourself in it at the moment, as though it is all you know. This is the only way to really “get” what it is all about. Bryan explains, “Comparing cheats you out of the full experience, the differences and the insight on what is reality in this new place and with the people you meet.”

While on their western tour they were already dreaming of their next adventure. Having gone west they decided that driving to the farthest drivable point East on the North American continent and visiting as many of the national and provincial parks in the United States and Canada was a solid aspirational objective. Hence, the planning and budgeting began. These trips are not casual, follow your nose types of outings. These are well planned and researched in advance. Bryan and Matt don’t want to miss a thing so they research all of the potential things to see and do along their route giving themselves as many options as possible to choose from. Spontaneity, weather and most often recommendations they learn from locals along the way determine their final selections.

They drove off into the sunrise in 2005 destined for St. John’s Newfoundland. For those of you on the east coast of the U.S. who think that Bar Harbor, Maine and Acadia National Park are a long way North, think again. These points are only the beginning of a truly amazing road trip and adventure to this part of our world. With a keen eye for wild life both for their beauty and to avoid road kill, these guys made their way to Boston, thru New Hampshire, and after stuffing themselves on lobster in Maine the real fun began. For some reason Bryan and Matt can often be sited replenishing themselves at Irish pubs. They say this is because you can meet the “real people” there and after all that is what these road trips are all about! They then made their way to Nova Scotia and boarded the ferry for Newfoundland and ultimately St John’s. Camping is their lodging of choice and they make the point that you find the most “down to earth” travelers there, including the moose and bear….”for real”! The remainder of this journey took them back through Canada and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario with stops in the parks and cites all along the way. Quebec comes with high recommendations all the way around. They wrapped up the journey by coming through Toronto turning towards home at Niagara Falls. The collection of experiences, pictures, and most importantly friendships cannot be measured like the additional 6000 miles that were now on the Jeep’s odometer.

Another couple of years would pass before the plans and budget for the next adventure could be ready to go. There was college to finish up, a semester in London for Bryan with side trips to Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Israel, including a dip in the Dead Sea. Bryan and his college roommate did the backpacking thing around Europe before heading home but that is another story. Matt made the trip to Britain to check out the scene and a “few …?” of the English pubs and people. Schemes and plans for the “Ultimate Road Trip” were being formulated in more than one of London’s pubs. There is a rumor that Guinness may be the source of the adventurous stimulation. That theory is still being tested and the results to date are inconclusive!

On June 10th “Our Drive to Alaska” began from Pittsford, New York. It is billed to be an “11,000 mile ultimate road trip to the farthest drivable point “West” on the North American continent, the search for new friendships and an exploration of the mystique associated with the great of state of Alaska and points between here and there”. Since they are only mid way at this point the journey may turn something over 12,000 miles. This journey immediately takes them into Canada at Niagara Falls up over the Great Lakes, into Winnipeg, Regina, a short detour into Glacier National Park in Montana before turning back northwest to Calgary, Banff, Edmonton and to the beginning of the Alaskan Highway. The Alcan has led them to Alaska and the towns of Tok, Fairbanks, Denali, Anchorage, Kenai, Russian Creek, Soldotna, Aleyska, Seward, Homer, Deep Creek, Wolverine Creek and the farthest drivable point west on the North American continent, Anchor Point.

They have spent 2 weeks in Alaska and have been adding as many adventures to their experience bank as possible. To date they have been halibut fishing on Cooks Inlet, king salmon fishing on the Kenai River (Bryan caught a 45-pounder and Matt’s bigger one got away!), with the help of a bush pilot they went into the back country to Wolverine Creek, the spawning grounds for the famous Alaskan red salmon. They angled the reds and got into an argument with the local grizzly and black bears over whose spot this was. It was a war of determination only and having the bears fish a mere 30 feet from the boat was an awesome experience. The great American bald eagles were abundant and watched their every move. Matt was truly taken by these bald eagles and observed, “they remind me of the soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere around the world who are watching for and protecting our freedoms while they are able to gather these experiences”. The guides taught the two a lot on these trips: how to tell how long a bear was in the vicinity by the shape and texture of its 15 inch paw print, why you don’t bring bananas for breakfast on a king salmon trip (which begins on the river at 4:30am), the tale and lore of local legends and most importantly how to survive in life! These are not mere fishing guides they are stewards of these beautiful lands and creatures and caretakers to those of us they share them with.

They met the great Hobo Jim, who is a musical and folk icon in these parts. Each song is a real story, of a real life, of a real person! The stories are genuine, as is he. He captures the true spirit of adventure and hardships endured in Alaska and the locals absolutely revere him because he reveres them! That is what relationships are all about. Bryan and Matt were brought into many new relationships thanks to the Erkeneff family of Soldotna. They run a real special fishing lodge there on the Kenai River. Not only did they treat them like part of their family they even introduced them to two new born moose calves and their mother which have taken up residence on the property of the lodge as well. In suburbia good fences can make for good neighbors, up here in Alaska keeping a safe distance and announcing your arrival is much more important to survival.

The guys wrapped up their last few days in this great territory by visiting a few of the great natural wonders of this region. They went back to back, from the calving glaciers in the Kenai Fjords to a spectacular flyover of Mount McKinley often referred to as Denali. Denali is taken from the name the Athapascan people, who are native to this great land, call the mountain. It means “The High One”. On Denali, at 10,000 ft they saw climbers who were mounting an assault on the 20,320 ft summit. Planning their trek up the face required establishing camps at 7000 ft, 11000 ft and 14000 ft. This takes incredible conditioning, experience and planning; reminding Bryan and Matt that as adventuresome as their journey is, there are still higher goals to reach for! Flying at the peak and looking out at the vistas inspired them to “Go As Far as You Can!”

There are so many life lessons that are being gathered on this trip that they won’t all fit in this short story. Bryan and Matt are still out there on the road gathering them, driving their green 2000 Subaru Outback south along the coast towards northern California before heading cross country.

They have signs in the car windows “OurDriveToAlaska.com”.

Join their adventure with them by visiting the web site which is their way of sharing and capturing all they are seeing and learning. Leave them a note on their guestbook, join their blog, check out their pictures and videos, and see how many people are tracking them from all around the world. Check in on them every day and tell your friends to do the same. They are creating an incredible record of the memories and experiences that…………….. They made the time to collect!

Their advice is: “You should do it too!

Dave Carey