Written by Lynda for Spike and our RV Caravan friends, 28 July 2010
From all four corners of the lower forty-eight
We converged upon Hazelton to explore our last great state
We came from Californ-I-A
And back east from P-A
From Texas, Georgia, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Arizona
And up from the warm beaches and the Keys of Florida
We had come to feast our eyes upon the Land of the Midnight Sun
And some of us came from as far as Tennessee
to finally learn the fate of our dear friend Sam McGhee
It wasn’t until the Alaska Railroad when one of us shouted “Moose!”
And we finally glimpsed this creature… at least… some of us did.
But, throughout the rest of our journey,
Those moose, they stayed well-hid
Until we reached the cemetery in Kenai
Where we saw a moose who wasn’t quite so shy
In our bright yellow jackets we traveled north through the Yukon,
through rain and wind and hail and more cold rain
“A most unusual summer,” all the locals said.
But we kept smiles upon our faces and forged our way ahead.
Like a mother duck, Spike kept us trailed out behind him.
We blessed our luck for his patience
When over our radios we heard
“I’ve got a flat on my truck.”
“My engine light is on.”
“My shocks are gone.”
“I bumped into a pole and my door won’t open.”
“That motorcycle went off the road!” (not our fault – we were hopin’)
“There’s been another blowout – I’m seeing black smoke”
I’m sure, by then, even Roger was thinking: “Is this some kind of joke?”
We’ve stood in the cold waters of Bonanza Creek
And eagerly with our pans those gold nuggets we did seek
And we knew how very lucky we were when Denali showed us her peak
We boarded onto a boat and braved the Alaskan Seas
Not quite the Deadliest Catch
But our share of halibut we were able to snatch
We have looked into glaciers, shaken hands with the bear man
And we graciously demurred to Spike’s new plan
When the road at the Top of the World washed out
I think some of us were secretly relieved
Because that ferry…
…actually looked kind of scary
We’ve learned that wherever Spike goes,
He’s well-respected and carries clout
A true Alaskan Sourdough
We’re certainly glad that in the Last Frontier, Spike is who we know
We’ve come to appreciate his love for this land,
her history, her people and their culture.
Because the more Spike shares with us, the more we understand.
And so now, sadly, the time has come for us to part
We’ve met some wonderful people and seen the most amazing sights
The gift you’ve given us, Spike, will remain forever in our heart.
