Day 21 Anchourage, AK

Hello from Anchorage. What a beautiful day. The clouds are in the sky but it's not suppose to rain today. We checked out of the motel around 11:00a.m. and headed to the diner across the road. After a bite to eat we searched for Dr. Congdon (a friend from Warsaw hospital). We had an address and office phone so we headed out for the office. It was only a few miles from where we were. We had a hard time finding it because it was nestled in a complex of offices and a hospital. The first place we went they didn't even know him. One lady suggested the V.A., it was only a building down. The address was correct. When I talked to the receptionist she didn't know him. I was beginning to think he was in the Federal Witness Protection Program. No returned calls, no listing with the A.M.A., and we couldn't find him in the phone book. The receptionist finally located his nurse at Elmsdorf A.F.B. She was looking for Jeff because he had a surgery scheduled for 2:00p.m. We were getting closer. Jeff's nurse took our information and said she would pass him a message. We left the V.A. and headed for a motel closer to the Yamaha shop. God is so good. The shop was only a couple of blocks from the hotel. We stopped at the hotel and they weren't ready for us yet so we rode to the shop. We didn't want to leave the bike for them to work on as dirty as it was and we still needed time to check in to the hotel. I spoke with the owner and he had been in Warsaw long ago. He graduated from Houghton College in 1969. What a small world. Tracy gave him a t-shirt from Houghton that she just happened to bring with her. Originally he told us he was backed up a week. When he found out we were Christian riders he found time in the schedule. God is so awesome. We found a self wash and cleaned 7,100 miles of dirt and grime off the bike. It cost $10, it was really dirty. I called Jeff's nurse and asked if she had spoke to him yet and she told me he was in surgery. WE FINALLY GOT HIM!!! Bobbie assured me she would pass the message. We saw many homeless people on the streets. The city is spread out and has really populated in the last 24 years (last time I was here). We checked into our hotel around 3:00p.m. and I took the bike to the shop. Were having a new rear tire put on, oil changed, and a general look over so we can return safely. As I was walking back to hotel, a guy pulled over and asked me about the C.M.A. He saw my vest and wanted to know if there was a chapter in Anchorage. He was from Colorado and relocated here. He turned in his back patch from the Sober Souls M.C. because there are no chapters here. I told him I would find out for him. While I was talking to him, Jeff called. We said our farewells and I assured him I would call with the information. Jeff was just leaving the base and said he would be at our hotel in about 30 minutes. He arrived and asked if we would like to join them for dinner. It's been seven years since we have seen him so we have some catching up to do. We accepted his invitation and are looking forward to chatting. Jeff stayed for around an hour then headed out to pick up their new baby. He will be picking us up in around an hour. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends in our lives. Tracy and I are discussing taking the ferry down to Washington to see the whales. We know it's cheating but we did ride all but 34 miles of the Alaskan Highway. We proudly purchased our vest pins and declared victory. WE ARE IN ALASKA!!! Well, time to freshen up and enjoy an evening with the Congdon's. Good night for now and God Bless.