Back in the "Lower 48".

So, a quick update on our whereabouts. We've finally, and very sadly, left Alaska.

After a few days in the stunning Mt Denali National Park (where despite the intermittent rain we got some fantastic views of grizzlies in the wild),

Denali National Park

Autumn colours in Denali

Grizzly bear in Denali

We drove back briefly through a small section of Canada to get to Haines, which is at the top of the Alaskan panhandle. Stopped here just long enough to get thoroughly soaked again, and then boarded a ferry down to Juneau, the state capital, famous for being accessible only by boat or plane.

We had a glorious campsite close to the Mendenhall glacier, which we didn't see for the longest time until finally, just before we left, the rain finally stopped and the clouds lifted enough to give us a stunning view across the lake to the glacier,

Looking across to the Mendenhall glacier in Juneau

And just enough time to build a fire on which to dry our now sodden tents (imbuing them and us with a powerful and enduring scent of woodsmoke),

Before finally boarding the Alaska Marine Highway ferry that would take us all the way back down through the Alaskan panhandle (for three days and nights, during which our neighbours really came to know and love that woodsmoke smell....),

Marking out our territory in the cinema section of the ferry, where we slept for the 3 nights...

And eventually, through ever-increasingly clear skies,

Views from the ferry

Back to Bellingham in Washington, and our first sight of a genuinely clear blue sky for several weeks!

Early morning sunshine on arrival back in Washington state

Since then we've had a beautiful campsite up on Mt Baker,

Mt Baker

Spent a fabulous few days with our friends David and Jane in Seattle,

Camped on a farm in Washington with a local farmer who used to teach at the University of Zimbabwe (and with whom we found we many friends in common, of course!),

Tents up in the farmyard

Dr Philip Northcraft - former professor of entomology at UZ Crop Science dept, on his farm in WA

And now hooked up with our dear friends the Cumpstons in Portland, Oregon.

With Bryce and Mary at the local car show in Oregon City

Tomorrow we leave Portland for Eugene and Bend, before moving on down to San Francisco and then, before the end of September, we'll be in Brazil!