Believe it or not, I spent over 50 hours putting together this journal.  Even so, I want to make sure it is a good quality product.  Please send all comments, criticisms, corrections, suggestions and additions to me at john@alaskarails.org and I will make changes as time permits.

As I sit here working on this epilogue, I realize what an unbelievable trip it was.  Unfortunately, there were dozens of people I didn't get to see, places I didn't get to visit and things I didn't get to do.  Randy and I plan on doing this trip every three years so maybe next time I will allow two full weeks.  However, this is what I did on my 2002 trip and I didn't have enough time then.  The bottom line is there will never be enough time.

I brought home a lot of photos, negatives, video, recorded audio, stories, historical information, charts and other items.  It will be months before I get it all online.  Please be patient.

Several people were amazed that my wife let me go on this trip.  I heard "How is it that he gets to go on this trip?" and the angry "When does she get to go on her trip?" and the submissive "My wife would never let me go on a trip like this!" and the comical "Yes, but she has your credit card."  The truth of the matter is my wife is a strong, family oriented, giving individual.  She can hold here own while I am away.  And it is rare that she goes on a trip without her beloved family.  I guess the bottom line is she loves me.  However, she has admitted that a trip like this is far better than us moving to Alaska.

A grand and glorious trip like this can only happen when there is a small arsenal of helpful and dedicated people.  I want to say thanks to Josh Coran, Jo DiBernardo, Bob Barrett (although he will never be on the Internet to see this), Brett Brown, Jeff DeBroeck (he's got the greatest laugh), Pat and Nancy Durand, Wayland Ferreira, Pat Flynn, Bob Focht, Paul Gangstad, Don Hill, Jack Klingbeil, Robert Krol, Greg LaHaie, Al Price, Jeff Rognes, Tanya and Sandy Sandefur, Jim Seeburger, Adrie Setten, Jim Somerville, Bob Yost, my seat mate who disappeared on the out bound flight and the guy who snagged my meals for me on the return flight.

A special thanks goes to Frank Dewey, Don Prince, Curt Rudd and Randy Thompson for making my trip an event of a lifetime.  Very special things happened when you folks got involved.

And a very special thanks goes to Terry, Laura, Annie and John Michael for giving me up for fourteen days and listening to my stories again and again upon return.