1400 Miles on the Alaska Highway

1400 Miles on the Alaska Highway

by | Aug 12, 2026 | Blog, Home, Leisure

The journey to Alaska continues!

In this episode of our Alaska RV adventure, we leave the breathtaking scenery of Jasper National Park and begin one of the most iconic drives in North America—the legendary 2,200-kilometer journey toward Dawson City along the historic Alaska Highway.

Our first stop is Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, where one of the world’s greatest road trips officially begins.

Along the way, we discover not one—but TWO incredible cinnamon rolls. First, we stop at the famous Hug A Mug Bakery in Dawson Creek, then compare it with the legendary cinnamon rolls at Tetsa River Lodge, a must-stop destination for travelers driving to Alaska.

Next, we relax in the beautiful natural pools at Liard River Hot Springs, one of the most popular stops on the Alaska Highway. Camping behind an electric bear fence made for an unforgettable experience…but the swarms of mosquitoes nearly chased us away! Thankfully, our mosquito tent saved the day.

We continue through Whitehorse, Yukon, before ending our drive at one of the most beautiful campgrounds we’ve ever visited—Tatchun Lake Territorial Campground. Getting there required surviving five miles of one of the roughest roads we’ve driven so far, and by the time we arrived, Nancy had to reorganize the pantry after cans exploded out of the cabinets!

If you’re planning an Alaska RV trip, this episode is packed with tips, incredible scenery, delicious food, and honest reviews of some of the most famous stops along the Alaska Highway.

View this incredible adventure HERE.

Crossing into Canada with our RV…Here’s what really happens…

Crossing into Canada with our RV…Here’s what really happens…

by | Aug 9, 2026 | Blog, Home, Leisure

Our Alaska RV Adventure officially enters Canada!

After traveling all the way across the United States from Michigan to Montana, it’s finally time to cross the Canadian border on our journey to Alaska.

Border crossings can make many RV travelers nervous, especially after hearing stories from friends who experienced unexpected delays and problems. In this video, we show exactly how our crossing went and share tips that can help make your own border crossing smooth and stress-free.

Our first Canadian stop is the breathtaking Waterton Lakes National Park, one of Canada’s most underrated national parks and a perfect destination for anyone driving the Alaska Highway. Despite some rainy weather limiting our hiking plans, we still experienced some incredible scenery.

During our visit we:

🇨🇦 Cross the U.S.-Canada border in our RV

🚐 Share border crossing tips for RV travelers

💦 Visit beautiful waterfalls in Waterton Lakes National Park

⛴️ Take the scenic boat cruise across Waterton Lake back into Montana

☕ Enjoy High Tea at the iconic Prince of Wales Hotel

🏔️ Explore one of the most beautiful stops on the drive to Alaska

If you’re planning an Alaska RV trip, driving the Alaska Highway, or simply looking for one of Canada’s hidden gems, Waterton Lakes National Park deserves a place on your travel bucket list. 👍

If you enjoy our adventures, please Like, Subscribe, and join the Phase 2 Flock as we continue our incredible journey to Alaska!

View this beautiful episode HERE.

Barefoot Beach Cooking In Cozumel, Mexico

Barefoot Beach Cooking In Cozumel, Mexico

by | Nov 4, 2023 | Home, Leisure

Today we are in Cozumel Mexico, and we did some barefoot cooking on our beach excursion.  It was a great time!  We had margaritas while prepping and then sharing a meal while barefoot on a beautiful Cozumel beach.  We highly recommend this excursion if you are in Cozumel.

After our fun on the beach, we went to the wonderful restaurant on Allure of the Seas, “150”.  It did NOT disappoint! 

Then after our amazing dinner we had some drinks and competed in the game “The Prefect Couple”.  It was some real ‘adult’ fun.

As mentioned, before the barefoot beach cookout was announced, we were originally going to go on the Cozumel Bar Hop which is an excursion to book on your own.  It is not available through Royal Caribbean or other tour group.  We had planned this until this special President’s Cruise Excursion came available.  Here is the link to the Cozumel Bar Hop: https://cozumelbarhop.com/

Here is a link to a video we did doing the Cozumel Bar Hop on a previous visit. Cozumel Bar Hop Shore Excursion – Fun On The Back Side of the Island – YouTube

Thank you friends for watching and live life to the fullest in Phase 2.  See you soon!

Mike and Nancy

Costa Maya Mexico Port Takeover

Costa Maya Mexico Port Takeover

by | Nov 3, 2023 | Home, Leisure

Welcome to Day 5 of our Royal Caribbean President’s Cruise.

Today we are in Costa Maya Mexico on Allure of the Seas.  Being on the President’s Cruise we got to swap cruise ships and tour our home for the world cruise, Serenade of the Seas. 

There was even a Costa Maya Port takeover!  Royal took control of the entire port, and we had a great time with free food, drinks and activities. 

Upon returning to the ship, we enjoyed some great food at Chops grill and amazing entertainment from MO5AIC. They were incredible. Here’s a link to find where they are performing. http://www.mo5aic.com/

Continuing enjoying these adventures on the 2023 Allure of the Seas President’s Cruise.

Make it a great day living in phase 2.

Mike and Nancy

 

Roatan, Honduras President’s Cruise Day 4

Roatan, Honduras President’s Cruise Day 4

by | Aug 27, 2023 | Home, Leisure

Today we partied with Michael Bayley the President and CEO of Royal Caribbean as Royal Caribbean hosted a beach party in Roatan Honduras. It was an amazing day!!! There was delicious wide variety of food with open bar and a beautiful beach!  We had such a fun time.  After our day on the beach the delicious food didn’t end there as we ate at Chops, the steakhouse on board Allure of the Seas.  This was followed by a great show in the ice rink, Blades.  The skating performers were amazing! We hope you enjoy this overview of our day 4 on the Royal Caribbean President’s Cruise. Here is a link to Turquoise Bay Resort where the party was held: https://www.turquoisebayresort.com/ Please leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you. Have a beautiful day, Mike and Nancy
Allure of the Seas President’s Cruise Day 3

Allure of the Seas President’s Cruise Day 3

by | Aug 26, 2023 | Home, Leisure, Uncategorized

Today is day 3 of our Royal Caribbean Presidents Cruise.  We enjoyed a fun and relaxing sea day on Allure of the Seas before our 3 port days in a row. Time was spent relaxing by the pool and we had NO issue getting a chair, even with a full cruise.  Our day getting some exercise with aqua aerobics and fun in the pool.  After that we enjoyed the excellent piano player at the Schooner Bar, followed by dinner at Sabor.  After dinner and a little dancing we went to the Aqua Show which featured special guest Victor Kee from the Ukraine.  Watch for more from Victor on Icon of the Seas in the near future as he will be involved with the entertainment on Royal Caribbean’s newest ship.  We LOVE the aqua shows on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class Ships.  They never disappoint.  Here’s a link to Viktor Kee: https://viktorkee.com/ If you enjoyed the video, please leave a comment.  We’d love to hear from you. Have a beautiful day! Mike and Nancy
Allure of the Seas President’s Cruise Day 2

Allure of the Seas President’s Cruise Day 2

by | Aug 25, 2023 | Home, Leisure

Today we fought off a pirate attack on Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas! Well not really, we enjoyed a great parade down the promenade. It would rival anything Disney would do on their ships. It was a ton of fun for all ages. Today was day 2 of our amazing Royal Caribbean President’s Cruise our of Galveston Texas on Allure of the Seas. We enjoyed a relaxing day by the pool, some great food and excellent entertainment. Come along with us to see Day 2 on the 2023 Allure of the Seas Royal Caribbean President’s Cruise and all the fun activities.
Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas

by | Aug 24, 2023 | Home, Leisure

Join us on our Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas President Cruise adventure. Today we cruise with Royal Caribbean’s President Michael Bayley on the Oasis Class Ship Allure of the Seas. We will show you our boarding and all the first day events and how we almost over did it with everything going on. Come tour with us and see our crazy first day on Allure of the Seas President Cruise 2023.
Highs and Lows of Life in Phase 2

Highs and Lows of Life in Phase 2

by | Jul 19, 2023 | Family, Home, Uncategorized

Highs and Lows. Grief and Loss. It is part of Phase 2.

We have recently experienced the terrible lows of life’s grief and loss followed in the same week by incredibly joy and highs of life. Recently, in the same week Nancy lost her mother, after a long struggle in hospice and then 7 days later, our youngest child got married.  See the video above to hear our story.

That is Phase 2 of life in a nutshell. You have lots of highs and lows. You can have a new grandchild born, then your family can experience a tragedy. The most important thing is as life throws these highs and lows at you that you don’t get stuck in the lows. Understand these will pass and there will me good times ahead.

If you are feeling overwelled there are resources available.  First talk to your doctor about how you are feeling. Don’t keep it to yourself. You can talk to your faith leader, spouse, friends, or anyone you trust. 

National suicide hotline: Call 988 on your cell phone across the US.

Friends, enjoy your highs and work through your lows.  We wish you all the best through these times of your life.

Have a beautiful day,

Mike and Nancy

Cave Tubing in Belize

Cave Tubing in Belize

by | May 18, 2023 | Home, Leisure

Today we go cave tubing on of the best Belize cruise excursions we’ve tried.  After attaching our headgear with lighting and our life jackets, we headed intothe dark cave tunnel.  It was a great time and an amazing experience which we highly recommend.  

So come into the caves of belize with us and enjoy the natural beauty below the ground.

Have a beautiful day,

Nancy

What You can Plug into Cruise Ship Electrical Outlets

What You can Plug into Cruise Ship Electrical Outlets

by | May 17, 2023 | Home, Leisure

Today we are talking about what electrical items you can bring and plug into your cruse ship cabin electrical outlets. What is allowed and what is not? Many cruise ships ban certain electrical items. The biggest reason for banning items is a concern over causing a fire. We’ll not only help you to learn what you can and cannot bring, but WHY.

Lets help keep ourselves and everyone else safe on our cruise ships.

Have a Beautiful Day, 

Mike and Nancy

Franklin Barbeque Worlds Best Barbeque Restaurant

Franklin Barbeque Worlds Best Barbeque Restaurant

by | May 16, 2023 | Home, Leisure

Today we travel to Franklin BBQ. This is said to be one of world’s best barbeque restaurants and we let you know if it truly is. Is travel to this BBQ restaurant and waiting in line for 3 hours worth it? Or is this just another Texas BBQ joint?  

Thanks for traveling with us Friends,

Have a beautiful day,

Nancy

Monkey and Sloth Roatan Honduras Excursion

Monkey and Sloth Roatan Honduras Excursion

by | May 15, 2023 | Home, Leisure


Come on our excursion to see the monkey and sloth sanctuary in Roatan, Honduras. The sloths and monkeys excursion was one of Nancy’s favorite, ever! Friends, we cannot stress how fun this was.  We booked this tour through Shore Excursions Group, however you can get a similar tour through you cruise line or directly with Daniel Johnson’s Monkey & Sloth Hangout.  Enjoy traveling virtually on this tour with us.

Have a beautiful day,

Nancy

590 Mile Walking Goals for Health and Fitness Week 1 Update

by | Apr 4, 2023 | Health, Home

First week update of 590 mile walking goals for health and fitness.

There were things that went well throughout this first week and things that didn’t.

I give my thoughts on what went well, what didn’t and lesson’s learned.

Overall, I’m very happy with the way the week went.  On to week two now and I’m off for a walk.

Make it a beautiful day. 

Nancy

590 Mile Walking Goal Day 2

590 Mile Walking Goal Day 2

by | Mar 29, 2023 | Daily Chatter, Health, Home

https://youtube.com/shorts/SWE04bhWFOo?feature=share

 

Update of day 1 walking goal.

Yesterday I completed 3, 30 minute walks, plus walked several laps around a mega grocery store.

Stats:

  • Distance – 6 miles
  • Steps – 14,393
  • Active calories burned – 478

To acquire these statistics, I’m using the Health App on my iPhone.  I find this app to be reliable and accurate.  Another great app is Map My Walk.

I would use Map My Walk, as although the Health App is good, Map My Walk is great.  However, I don’t want it running in the background all the time as it uses GPS tracking and that just runs the battery down too fast.  So just dong the best I can.

I hope you have set a goal and are walking along with me.

Make it a beatuiful day Friends,

Nancy

590 Mile Walking Goal Day 2

590 Mile Walking Goal Day 1

by | Mar 27, 2023 | Daily Chatter, Health, Home

I’ve set a walking goal of 590 miles before my 59th birthday in August.  I am doing this both for my health as well as to help be physically prepared for our travel adventures this summer.

To reach my goal, I will need to walk almost four miles a day, every day.  Somedays I may walk more and somedays less, but 590 miles is the goal.

So I have som accountability, I plan to share my journey with you.  Perhaps you can set a walking goal for yourself and walk along with me.

Today is day 1.  I’m using the health app on my phone to record the distance I walk.  I have found it to be very accurate.  Another option is the Map my Walk app on my phone.

Tomorrow I’ll check back in and let you know how I did.

Have a beautiful living phase 2 day friends,

Nancy

Cozumel Mexico Bar Hop

Cozumel Mexico Bar Hop

by | Mar 27, 2023 | Home, Leisure

We recently tried the Cozumel, Mexico Bar Hop excursion and it was GREAT!

We hopped between 4 bars on the back side of Cozumel where it is much more quiet and unspoiled. Our hopping guide was excellent, and we had an amazing time. You might think this was an all-out party, but it wasn’t. It was all people about our age, having a great time. We met some wonderful people from a Carnival Ship as well as some form our Royal Caribbean Ship.

This is an independent excursion you can book here: https://cozumelbarhop.com/

Give it a try and leave us a comment letting us know what you think.

Have a beautiful day friends living in phase 2.

Mike and Nancy

New Life on the Farm

New Life on the Farm

by | Mar 22, 2023 | Daily Chatter, Family, Home

daughter with new grandson

Mike and I took a trip down to Texas as our daughter and son-in-law have given us our third grand baby.  We have three grandsons now!

Baby lamb

They live on a farm with 3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 cows, 9 sheep and too many chickens, turkeys and geese to count.  They raise and sell both eggs and chicks.  It is a fun and exciting place to be on the spring.  Not only do we have an new grandson, there are many new babies on the farm.

Life on the farm

Living the empty nest, phase 2 life is honestly the best.  Even though Mike and I are not yet retired and still run our own business, it is running well with an amazing team which enables us to travel and enjoy our blessings.

Baby chicks

Baby goslingIncubating goose eggs

Have a beautiful day friends and enjoy living in phase 2.

Nancy

New life on the farm

 

Carnival Versus Royal Caribbean

Carnival Versus Royal Caribbean

by | Mar 6, 2023 | Home, Leisure


We are comparing Cruising on Carnival Cruise Lines with Royal Caribbean. Is Carnival the Walmart of the Seas? How does it compare to Royal Caribbean. We just got back from our first Carnival Cruise and (Spoiler Alert!) it was great! We will compare 10 areas between Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean to see how they stack up.  You might be surprised!

Live a great phase 2 life friends,

Mike and Nancy