We are back from our trip in our truck and 30-foot travel trailer after driving 18,262 miles, preparing 321 in-trailer meals, and spending 119 days on the road. It was the trip of a lifetime. My husband, John, was route planner, overseer of maintenance, driver, and final decision maker. My sister, Peg, was historian, geologist, navigator, Scrabble expert, and assistant planner. I was the logistician for in charge of reservations; groceries; all other needed supplies and equipment; and the dogs; as well as chief chef and biologist.

I was saddened by the news of the loss of so many people who were important members of our life here at Ocean Point during our absence. I extend a belated heartfelt message of sympathy to their families from ours.

I hope you all escaped the damages from the lightening storm here a few weeks ago. We lost our TV, computer, and telephone system, but are grateful that we sustained no more damage than that.

Mary Ellen did a wonderful job writing the column during my jaunt and I appreciate her efforts. I also would like to hear from the kind people who took in our old gray and white cat when she ran away from home this summer. Our daughter, Anna, who took great care of our house, was concerned that my cat had met a sad demise. Matt the cat returned the day after Labor Day in good shape, so I figure her rescuer had been a summer neighbor. I want to thank whoever you may be for helping her to have a good summer too! Our two little dogs were great canine good citizens throughout the trip, but having the cat along too would not have worked!

We have received many questions about our trip, so here are some interesting facts: The strangest animals we encountered in Alaska were a wolverine, musk oxen, and a marmot that was the largest, friendliest and strangest looking squirrel we'd ever seen. The most abundant were the buffalo that crowded along the side of the car in Yellowstone; the herd of 200 elk racing across the road in the elk refuge in the Grand Tetons; and the endless community of prairie dogs in the Badlands who popped up out of their holes as we passed, whistling a shrill warning. The most frightening were the deer on the roadside at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon at dusk. They came right out into the road without warning, in bunches of six to 10 animals and all we could see were their eyes, while we tried to get safely home without hitting any of them.

Most exciting were the grizzlies and their cubs, concentrating on foraging for blueberries before hibernating in Denali Park, Alaska. An adult bear needs to stuff in more than 100,000 berries a day to prepare for the oncoming winter. The most thrilling animal experience was observing the nearly extinct condors souring in the Grand Canyon, enormous black birds with nine-foot wingspans. There were only 22 birds left in the world in 1992. Thanks to a sanctioned breeding program at the Canyon, there are now 59 in the Canyon and 300 in the world!

The dog teams in Whitehorse, Yukon that run in the Iditarod race and the dog teams used by the rangers in Denali Park in the winter were amazing in their enthusiasm and expertise in pulling the sleds (they all yelp to be picked for the demo) and their affection for their trainers, other teammates, and us. Glaciers fascinated us with incredibly deep ice that could be at least 40,000 years old and dangerous crevasses.

Deserts were another new and interesting terrain, especially at night in full moon under the stars. It was beautiful when the coyotes howled at the moon, but our little Bridgette answered them, all night long! A 19-year dream became reality when we were finally able to fly in a bush plane up into the peaks of Denali The Great One (a.k.a. Mt. McKinley). We prefer to honor the traditional name given by the Native Americans to the highest mountain in North America. It is seldom out of the clouds of its own atmospheric weather conditions, and this is one time where the word "Awesome" is all I can say.

We continued on through ever-changing scenery that is best described in pictures throughout the canyons and National Parks of the Southwest. We deeply respected the pride and heritage of the Native Americans, and admired their skill at pottery, weaving, and jewelry, and other items of art.

Our best meal, by far, was the fresh halibut that John and our visiting son, John, caught fresh in the bay at Homer, Alaska and then transported home deep-frozen. What a treat, especially when served with the abundance of huge, delicious vegetables that had grown during the long daylight hours in soil enriched by glacial granite dust, a.k.a. "rock flour" that comes down from the mountains in the rivers and streams in the spring run-off. Stop by if you'd like to see and hear more.

From now on I will tend to the news of Ocean Point only, but my memories will provide me with food for thought for a long time to come, especially the joy of sharing this experience with loved ones.

You may contact me at 633-3669 or e-mail: waldman1@roadrunner. com .