I can see the homestretch through the smoke.

I am past the halfway point of my tour.  Thank goodness!  As I have mentioned before the dutch are a tricky bunch to get along with.  At dinner, conversation is a constant chatter of dutch.  The other day in McCarthy, we had another MSAT van led by Colin with another tour present.  After dinner,  Colin and I sat behind the van and chatted.  It was nice to be able to talk with a friend- in person!  On my return, the group complained that I was "withdrawn" that evening and that I didnt sit with them for coffee after dinner.
I am in Dawson City now.  I was able to drive the Top of the World/ Taylor highway through Chicken this time although there was plenty of smoke and the occasional tree burning like a matchstick.  Got some cool pictures that I cant wait to download.  Tok is afraid that their city will burn to the ground.  I attended a public emergency planning meeting while I was there and there are alot of upset citizens there wondering why the forest service isnt trying to put out a fire that is 25km from town and approaching.
We are another couple of nights in Dawson now and then on to Whitehorse and Kluane- then the end of the trip!  I was able to get the whole group rafting which will be fun coz it means that I get to go again.  They do a full day trip on the river.  Had a blast last time.  Unfortunately I was too sick in Valdez to get out kayaking to the Columbia Glacier.
So I will leave you with that.  Just a short blurb, and I probably wont get a chance to write again till I get to Anchorage in a week and a bit time.  I hope that all is well with everyone at home.
 
"A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled surfaces. We need wilderness whether or not we ever set foot in it. We need a refuge even though we may never need to go there. I may never in my life get to Alaska, for example, but I am grateful that it's there. We need the possibility of escape as surely as we need hope." - Edward Abbey