Tricia Brown Books

Every year, dozens of people fail to really understand this sign at Haines Junction, Yukon Territory. Either way leads to Alaska, but unless you take a right turn at this crossroads, you’ll end up in the coastal community of Haines, Alaska, which dead-ends on Lynn Canal. Not what you had in mind if you thought you were progressing toward Fairbanks. We turned right, and drove onward to Kluane Lake and pulled into a campground at Burwash Landing late at night.

Yesterday, we pushed onward toward the border and the giant “Welcome to Alaska” sign, where we found another gathering place–a pair of bicyclers from Germany who’ve been traveling for two years, a couple from Alabama who claimed their camper was held together with duct tape, and a mob of Kiwanis members who were reinstalling a plaque at the border. People handed cameras off to each other to be included in their own photos. They exchanged road stories, and they drove onward a few hundred feet and waiting in line for processing at the border corssing.

Today we toured around our old hometown of Fairbanks. Summer in the Far North can’t be beat. It was 75 degrees and sunny most of the day. As I write, it’s 11:35 p.m., and bright enough to read the ingredients on a cereal box. Perry keeps reminding me to imagine myself in a down parka and bunny boots, standing in the dark. Okay, I remember those days, too, but moving through the sweet, well-lit landscape that is Fairbanks this time of year, I’m not ready to crawl back into the freezer, even in my memory.

The “end of the road” milepost along the banks of the Chena River in Fairbanks is yet another gathering place to mark a finish. And yet the real finish line lies in Delta Junction, Alaska, 98 miles away, where a nearly identical milepost stands outside the visitors’ center. We paused at both places for photos, feeling pretty satisfied. And yet we’re not done driving! Tomorrow, we’re going south. No, no, only to Anchorage, not yet back to the Lower 48. We have a few more days yet. Loving’ it!

The new green shoots along the Alaska Highway are an attractive nuisance–for bears emerging from hibernation. This is the fresh salad that the bears are craving. Yesterday we saw about eight black bears, two grizzlies, and another eight or ten giant woodland bison. Oh, yeah, and a couple of caribou. This time of year, everybody’s up and moving, and there’s little traffic on the road. Basically, unless you honk or make other obnoxious people noises, they don’t care if you’re there–over there, in your metal shell. So yeah, we always stay in the vehicle to take the pictures and give them the right of way.

There are exceptions, of course. Some people have bad judgment. We came over the rise of one hill and saw two Stone sheep frozen in place, wondering which direction to run, because a young guy was approaching them on foot. He had a guitar slung over his back. Had he been serenading? Engaged in a musical experiment?

Bottom line, he had no business walking closer to the wildlife. That’s harassment. I took his picture for later. Let’s see if he shows up in the next edition of the book.

Stay in your car, man!

We had a nice respite from the road yesterday at Liard Hotsprings–a must for any time of year. But this is a holiday weekend in Canada. Monday is Victoria Day, and while a dear young Canadian mother at the hot springs couldn’t say what her country does to honor Victoria, she told me people do make family camping an emphasis on this weekend. (She also sweetly suggested that maybe Victoria Day was when they named Victoria the capitol?)

Okay, we’re off to Whitehorse, Yukon, and places beyond today.

I liked hanging around the “World-Famous Alaska Highway” sign in Dawson Creek, even at this time of year when tourist traffic is still sparse. Within minutes we met an Alberta man who’d left his job and was encouraged by his wife to take off and see Alaska with his camera. He’s always wanted to do it, and finally he’s doing it.

Then a German couple drove up to pose by the sign. They’re making a pan-American trip, having started at the southernmost tip of South America in 2006, driving a squat, industrial-looking Toyota RV. While we were talking, a minivan came roaring up, a young guy hopped out and climbed up on the cairn under the sign and had his picture taken in a blink, jumped down, and they roared away again.

And then, just as we were about to leave, a big luxury car with Alaska plates pulled up and an older couple stepped out to photograph each other with a box camera. I offered to take their picture together. What a pleasure to meet the Gages, on their way Outside for some family celebrations. He was wearing a WWII Veteran hat, so I asked if, by any chance, he had worked on this highway. No, he said, he was in Germany at the time, serving in Patton’s Army. Further probing told me that George C. Scott played the general very realistically. “I met the man,” said Mr. Gage, “and I didn’t like him much.”

All these lives intersecting in one very active place in the far reaches of Canada. All following an adventure of their own making.

ALBERTA’S OLD WEST

We’ve been driving through a land that’s so foreign to us, it feels as if we’re extras in a Hollywood Western. Today we explored Lethbridge, Alberta, the home of Fort Whoop-Up, where the Yankee whiskey traders made money off their Canadian neighbors on a well-used trail between Montana and the Canadian West.

Here too is where the last great Indian battle occurred in the late 1800s. But as for today, it was quiet–three goats, a couple of cowboys, and some pale-faced Yanks named Brown were in the middle of the fort. We did get a personal roping lesson from Phil, the fort’s teamster and carpenter, who said he’s been “cowboying” for years. He’s the real deal. OK, I’m not about to put in a picture of my roping lessons, but I will put in Perry’s–he was much better than I at this hand-eye coordination thing anyway. Onward to Edmonton and points beyond this afternoon. Stay posted.

ROADIES

Perry and I are on the road again to update my research for The World-Famous Alaska Highway: A Guide to the ALCAN and Other Wilderness Roads of the North. In this first week, we’re doing those “other wilderness roads” part and trying to cover as many miles as possible. Mile 0 of the ALCAN is a long ways away.

Perry patiently stops often, whenever I see something I like and want to pause. And we’re making good use of an itty-bitty RV from Cruise America. It’s a one-way rental, and we’ve figured out how to store our things and move around each other, basically by taking turns.

We’ve seen formal gardens, lots of cattle and pasturelands, entered the rolling, arid hills around Cache Creek, and in eastern B.C., we viewed a mama black bear and her twin babies (who were standing up out of curiosity). Yesterday we crossed from Prince George, B.C., over to Calgary, Alberta, via the Icefields Highway. It’s got to be one of the most beautiful routes in North America. Yes, there was still snow down to the road at times, and those mountains overhead were booming. 

A steak dinner in Banff last night, and today we’re headed to Calgary’s Heritage Park. We’re driving south next to cover some of the towns and attractions along the route from Sweetgrass, Montana, to Dawson Creek, B.C. 

We’re going through long stretches with no radio reception, and I brought only three CDs–Hawaiian, Irish traditional, and Frank Sinatra. What was I thinking?

The quiet reminds me of the old days when we regularly traveled Alaska’s Parks Highway from Anchorage to Fairbanks. We had your very basic minivan with no cassette player (right–a long time ago), and we just talked and talked. Nothing like a long road trip to get caught up with life.

More later . . .

A New Book in the Family!

EDD ROUSH: A Biography of the Cincinnati Reds Star

ISBN 978-0-7864-4407-6

McFarland, April 2010.

Here’s a new book to be proud of, even though I didn’t write it. Still, I’m compelled to spread the word, because this is an excellent selection for your favorite baseball fanatic, written by my favorite baseball fanatic, my award-winning sportswriter cousin, Mitchel Conrad Stinson. 

Released by McFarland, this is the biography of the deadball batting king and Baseball Hall of Famer, Edd Roush. The publisher writes, “The story] centers on the events of the 1919 Black Sox World Series, but covers Roush’s life in full. Born in Indiana, Roush would eventually receive two National League batting titles and become a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. The work contains interviews with Roush and as well as a large collection of photos, many from the Roush family collection.”

Many years ago, when Mitchell was still a young teenager, he had the good fortune to meet Roush in person and wisely brought along his tape recorder when he interviewed the baseball great. When Mitchell grew up, he entered journalism and his career has taken him to newspapers in Indiana, Guam, Kentucky, and Alaska. Speaking of Alaska, Mitchell was a reporter on the Wasilla newspaper, The Frontiersman, when Sarah Palin was just entering local politics.

 I’ve got my copy of Edd Roush already, inscribed by a man who knows I prefer following the mushing circuit to major league sports. Nonetheless, he scratched this note inside the cover: “If you can’t get into it, just insert ‘dog sledding’ every time you see the word ‘baseball.’ Both center around smelly, scruffy teammates who scratch themselves in public. So it’s not a stretch.”

Yeah, he’s got a great sense of humor, too.

 Click here to find Mitchell’s book on Amazon.

A new book for Iditarod 2010!

The Lance Mackey Story:

How My Obsession with Dog Mushing Saved My Life

By Lance Mackey; Foreword by Joe Runyan; Edited by Tricia Brown

ISBN 978-0-615-34423-2

 This is the seventh mushing book I’ve edited, and what an inspiration it is to work with these great mushers!

Lance Mackey made mushing history in 2007 when he won both the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest, and then just a few weeks later, ran and won the 1,100-mile Iditarod. Back-to-back wins in the same year?! Everybody thought it was impossible. But he proved himself again in 2008, and then neatly won the Iditarod AGAIN in 2009. Lance shares the story of the rocky road that led him to championship-level racing with his superstar leaders–Larry, Zorro, Lippy, Hobo Jim, and Maple.

Mackey’s race record is amazing in itself. But consider this: he made history in mushing AFTER emerging from addiction, and AFTER surviving cancer, taking on the trail while hampered by aftereffects of neck surgery and intense radiation. Think of this guy as the “other” Lance–a super athlete and incredible animal trainer who’s in love with every one of the 60 to 70 dogs in his kennel. And that’s why they’re in still top shape they pull him over the finish line in first place. You’re gonna love this book.

An update: In 2016, filmmakers released a 1 hour, 20 minute documentary that has claimed awards in film festivals all around the world.

Lance’s story on DVD is available through Amazon. Just click HERE.

Sadly, Lance’s battle with cancer ended in 2022 at age 52. Read the full account and tribute to the great musher published by ESPN HERE.

The Itchy Little Musk Ox is on the program at Missouri State University’s Literacy Awareness event, coming up October 4-8 at West Plains.

I’m so excited to hear about a university that’s involved with its community in this dynamic way. MSU and corporate sponsors CenturyTel and Caterpillar helped make this year’s visit possible, so a big thanks to them.

Each year, as many as 4,500 local students get to hear presentations by children’s book authors. I’m speaking during the first two days of the event, on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 5-6, at the Civic Center. My groups of students are all Pre-K to 3rd-graders (favorites!), and they’ll be coming from the following area schools: Howell Valley, Koshonong, Dora, Bakersfield, Gatewood, Couch, Birchtree, Thayer, Southfork, Winona, Mt. View, Glenwood, Junction Hill, Fairview, WS Elementary, and Headstart.

It’ll be fun to talk about Alaska and read from Alaskan Night Before Christmas (in October!), Groucho’s Eyebrows, and of course, The Itchy Little Musk Ox. Can’t wait to meet you kids! See you soon!

It took a while for this birth, but finally Silent Storytellers of Totem Bight State Historical Park has arrived.

I really enjoyed working with the publisher, Alaska Geographic Association, to create a book on the totem poles and clan house at Totem Bight State Historical Park near Ketchikan.

But this is more than just an interpretive guide to the park. We’ve included history on the CCC project that employed Alaska Native carvers and their trainees during the Great Depression.

There’s also more on the symbology and cultural importance of the figures, the various kinds of totem poles, and brief profiles of today’s master carvers who have profound ties to the carvers of old.

The manuscript was thoroughly vetted by Alaska Native elders as well as those interpretive folks on the front lines of the Historical Park.

Check it out–I hope you enjoy the read!