Day 56 Today started out just like any other camping day on the trip. I prepped breakfast, Liv struck the tent, we ate, I cleaned, Liv prepped the car, and I burned whatever trash remained around the site. Calistoga provided us with laundry for a couple of bucks as the temperature rose towards 90ยบ. While our clothes bathed, we walked through town in dirty running attire, checking out the local bookstore in search of an audio book for the flight. Liv found something written by the Dali Lama and I plucked through the travel section looking for a cheap place to park at the airport.
After the dry cycle, we found a town park for a Velveeta Shells and Cheese lunch over the Whisperlite before packing for Alaska. The high temperatures and screaming children made packing more stressful than necessary, but we finally we able to cram enough shit into our packs to spend a few days in the backcountry while also working at the lodge. Unfortunately, my pack weights in slightly south of a metric ton.
Time started running short, so we skipped additional wineries and drove through Napa Valley to San Francisco. Wine Country was pretty as expected, but it quickly turned in to the overpopulated wasteland that Californians seems to enjoy as we entered Oakland. Getting to the airport, we found long term parking for $12.00/day, I nearly forgot the camera in the car, and we checked in for the flight with only a brief hassle from an overworked and underpaid TSA gentleman who was filled with smiles.
Waiting for the flight was as exciting as we could ever hope for. Some passengers were getting mildly nervous about a volcanic eruption in the Aleutians causing our flight 
to be cancelled but only the obviously non-Alaskan travelers (and two Mainers) started to panic and make phone calls. It was surprising to see how many people at the airport didn’t know where the Aleutians were, despite their thousand mile length and Sig Hansen’s stature.
The flight was five hours, mainly spent over the Pacific, with Liv and me sitting apart and flanked by strangers. Liv had to contend with one tubby spilling into her seat, but that’s better than two tubbies.
Landing in Anchorage, we got a quick view of the Kenai Peninsula on the approach and I had to use every ounce of self-control to keep from cheering our arrival to Alaska while still cooped up in the plane.
Hell yes folks, we’re back in Alaska.
After the dry cycle, we found a town park for a Velveeta Shells and Cheese lunch over the Whisperlite before packing for 
to be cancelled but only the obviously non-Alaskan travelers (and two Mainers) started to panic and make phone calls. It was surprising to see how many people at the airport didn’t know where the 
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