Eagle,Alaska---Amundsen---and the South Pole

In 2002,Dad and I took a trip to Alaska. It was my 2nd trip there with him and we hiked the Chilkoot Trail---used by gold seekers in the Klondike Gold Rush---as well as the Kesugi Ridge trail in Denali Park. As we were leaving the state,we drove the Taylor Highway from Tok to Eagle Alaska. Eagle is a small town on the Yukon River and most of the buildings there are log cabins! Dad came upon a statue of Roald Amundsen here and a plaque which read that he had stopped here on his discovery of the Northwest Passage. This was a few years before his famous polar journey of 1911. I thought it appropriate to post this as well as a photo of me in Eagle on this day which is the 100th anniversary of the South Pole journey. I am still having many grand adventures here across the Bridge!
Smiley

Remembering September 11,2001

On this 10th anniversary of the tragic events of Sept 11,2001 I thought that I would share my story on where I was on that fateful day.

Dad and I were on our first Alaska trip together---he had adopted me the year before as a result of my brother Butch`s accident as they were headed home from Alaska in the fall of 2000. We had left home on the night of Sept 6 and after a few days traveling,had just reached the Alaska Highway on Sept 10. We camped that night at the Charlie Lake campground about 60 miles from the start of the Alaska Hwy in Dawson Creek,British Columbia. Dad and I awoke early the next morning and he took me on a walk along the trail that leads from the campground down to Charlie Lake. We returned to the tent,broke camp,and backtracked a short distance to the town of Fort St John where Dad wanted to stop for breakfast at a McDonalds. We were listening to a tape casette and didn`t have live radio on thus we were ignorant of the unfolding events of Sept 11,01. He left me in the car (promising to bring me back a hash brown) and went inside. As he was sitting down,he overheard a woman at a nearby table comment that a plane had crashed in Pennsylvania. Dad didn`t think too much of it at the time,as planes do after all crash now and then. He went out to his car and turned on the radio just as the 2nd tower was collapsing. Dad was in shock as he couldn`t visualize something that massive coming down! Then we learned that the US/Canada border was closed. Dad was wondering just how long we might be stuck in Canada. For the next few days,we followed the news whenever we could as radio reception can be sporadic along the remote towns of the Alaska Hwy. Fortunately the border was quickly reopened. As we were crossing into Skagway,Alaska a few days after Sept 11,Dad observed that the poor lady at the customs booth seemed rather nervous! Probably as a US government official,she felt herself to be somewhat of a target. Dad gave me my first hike along the Chilkoot Trail in Skagway(this trail was used during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898)then we returned back into Canada and journeyed up to the Alaska mainland. Traveling throughout Canada Dad was heartened by commentators on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)who professed their solidarity with the US at this difficult time. In the small town of Dawson City in Canada`s remote Yukon Territory a local resident even had an American flag in the window of their log cabin! As we neared the border of the lower 48 on the way home,we passed a fuel truck in Alberta that had a US flag on the back!
We were thus not in the US when the events of Sept 11,2001 unfolded,but this is how we experienced them. Dad and I were to travel to Alaska again in 02,05,and 07 but this trip remains special to us both.

Memorial at Best Friends

I am living life to the fullest here across the Rainbow Bridge. There are many new adventures to be had,good food,warm sunshine---what`s not a pup to like about this place? Still in spite of everything,I do miss my Dad very much. Recently he took a trip out West with my brother Wesley and visited Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab Utah. There is a lovely memorial garden here known as ANGEL`S REST and Dad had a wind chime placed in it in my memory. It reads "I Love you Smiley,you were a good trail dog. Love John" It will make a melodious tinkling sound along with the hundreds of other chimes here. In this way,we Bridge Angels can sing a song to our loved ones left behind. Thanks Dad for remembering me in this special way! I will NEVER forget you!

♥ Smiley ♥

P.S. There is a photo of the wind chime on my page!

At the Bridge for 1 year

Well I`ve been here for a year as of today. Life across the Rainbow Bridge has been rich and rewarding. I`ve explored numerous exciting places,setting paw in realms unimaginable back on earth. To quote a line from an old song "What a long strange trip it`s been"! Yes,it has been a wonderful new adventure here,but still things aren`t quite the same without my Dad here to share the adventure with me! I`ll always cherish the times we spent together back on earth,Dad---the many hikes along the Appalacian Trail,trips to Alaska and the Grand Canyon,and just the ordinary times together walking thru the park,chewing on a meaty bone that you bought me from Petsmart,or snuggling up beside you as a scary thunderstorm raged outside. The day will come when we`re reunited and our grandest Bridge adventures will begin! Watching over you,Dad!
♥ Smiley

Rainbow Bridge

Thanks for the special gifts Riley and Petey! On Sunday,August 8,it will be 1 year since I crossed Rainbow Bridge. My bridge pals and I will be having a special party on that day!
Love ♥
Smiley

My first Rainbow Bridge adventure

Paws to all,
I`ve been across the Bridge for a bit over 3 weeks now and am finally getting the "hang" of things up here. I took my first trip as a doggie angel today to the Grand Canyon. On earth,dogs are not allowed below the rim at Grand Canyon,and on Dad`s last visit there in 2006,he had to board me at the canyon kennels while he backpacked down inside the Canyon for a week. Now as an invisible dog angel,I am free to hike some of the canyon trails that my Dad explored. I`ve posted a photo on my page of myself on the Clear Creek trail which Dad plans to hike in a few weeks. He is going to travel to Grand Canyon by way of Florida so that he can visit his sister down there and retrieve my ashes. He plans to carry the urn in his backpack as he hikes the Canyon trails and my spirit will be with him!
Paws,
Smiley

Adjusting to life across Rainbow Bridge

Woofs to all,
I have been here across Rainbow Bridge for almost 2 weeks now and am learning my way around with the help of good Bridge pals like Stryker who threw me that wonderful party! I am going to post some photos from key dates in my past life as my primary photo on Dogster and will rotate them periodically. The current one is from the first backpacking trip that Dad and I took together in Nov 2000 about 1 1/2 months after I was adopted. We hiked for 3 days in the Delaware Water Gap in NJ.
Paws,
Smiley

Rainbow Bridge

Thanks so much to all the wonderful pups who have just sent me stars and rosettes. It was hard for Dad to lose me and those messages of support mean a lot to us both!
from the Bridge,
Smiley

Rainbow Bridge

Paws to all,
I crossed the Rainbow Bridge at 11:25 yesterday morning,Aug 8. I am much happier here finally free of the ailments that plagued me in my last days on earth. In the end,I could barely eat or drink and walking was even impossible. Here across the Bridge,I can run free just like on the long hikes my Dad and I used to take back home. Alaska,the Grand Canyon,Appalacian Trail,and summer rafting were all great fun,but I hope to have even more exciting adventures here! I will also watch over my earthly brother,Wesley, and try and keep him and Dad safe on their adventures together. Stay tuned,you haven`t heard the last from me!
Love,
Smiley

Goodbye to my friends on Dogster

Paws to all,
To all my dear friends here,I sadly must say a fond goodbye as my time to cross the Bridge appears imminent. I recently began having trouble eating and drinking and my aunt,Maryann,took me to the vet for a checkup. My liver enzymes are thru the roof, ALP = 2224 ALT 1070, GGT 172, BA > 140, TBIL 3.0 and the vet says it is liver failure. I am also having trouble walking and have lost much weight. I have always been an active dog throughout my life,hiking with my Dad in many places. I`ve been to Alaska 4 times and 3 times to the Grand Canyon as well as numerous shorter hikes on the Appalacian Trail and numerous summer rafting trips. My Dad and Aunt Maryann do not want to see me suffer in such a diminished capacity. I will probably be crossing the Bridge in a few days at most and look forward to an active life there with my brother Butch and sister Lady. Be happy for me as my life has not ended but merely changed. I thank Dad for adopting me from that shelter in Montana and giving me over 7 wonderful years together. We`ll meet again someday!!!

Love to all,
Smiley