- April 24, 2024
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Out on the mountains in the southwestern corner of Wyoming, Carl Hanlon and his wife, Denise Godreau, make their way along winding roads.
There’s no one else there in that singular space — just the pair, gliding alongside a mountainside.
But then, something pops up that causes them to stop in their tracks and pull off to the side of the road. It’s a sight Hanlon said was the first real “aha” moment of his trip.
“It opens up into this humongous plateau where you are overlooking this valley that has absolutely nothing in it, except for wilderness,” Hanlon said. “And it’s miles across — you see the mount ranges on the other side.
“Denise and I pulled out our small fold-up camping chairs, and I sat there for probably 45 minutes looking out over at this plain,” he said. “There was no extraneous noise anywhere, except the sounds of nature. That, to me, was like, ‘Oh my goodness.’”
That moment was one of many during the Winter Parkers’ trip from Florida to Anchorage, Alaska — during which he traveled 10,272 miles through 18 states and two countries — that spanned from the time they left July 23 to when they returned Sept. 12.
Hanlon’s destination of Anchorage makes sense when you know his past. The son of a U.S. Air Force veteran, Hanlon and his family were stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska — it was a time Hanlon remembers with great fondness.
“I remember going with my brother, Keith, who was only a year younger than me, fishing and hunting, running all over the woods,” Hanlon said. “It was paradise for two teenage boys.”
Then, there was the fact that Hanlon — who turns 61 this year — saw this as being his best chance to ride up — not to only see the place he used to call home but also to truly experience America.
With that thought in mind, Hanlon told his staff at Belicoso Cigars and Cafe — which he owns — he was taking time to get out and explore the country.
Before leaving, he mapped out the roads he was looking to take, making sure to avoid interstates as best as he could. For Hanlon, traveling the back roads would allow him to see more.
His plan worked, as he traversed through the Ozarks in Arkansas, and weaved his way around the Rockies before picking up Godreau in Denver.
From there, the couple traveled through the great wildernesses of the Northwest — into states such as Montana and Wyoming — miles away from any cell tower.
“You get to that point where you’re somewhat nervous in the beginning — you realize that you have no contact with anybody, so if I have an issue or a problem, I’m just out of luck,” Hanlon said. “If you have a flat tire or run out of gas, you’re going to be there for a while, so better get use to it.”
But being unplugged from the outside world made Hanlon appreciate the journey even more. It gave him one less distraction.
At one point during their journey, the couple had to sit and wait as a herd of bison meandered in the roadway. While in the Yukon Territory of Canada, Hanlon and Godreau came across an animal most folks would be happy never to encounter.
“I was probably 12 to 14 feet away from a grizzly bear,” Hanlon said. “He was right on the side of the road eating berries and digging up roots, and he paid us absolutely no mind.”
Once they finally made it to Alaska, the exploration continued. Hanlon gave his wife the grand tour; it was her first time.
They checked out the famous Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla — just 45 miles north of Anchorage — where dogs train to run the race.
Also by happenstance, at the Headquarter’s museum, Hanlon and Godreau ran across an older couple from The Villages who had spotted their Florida tag. It’s not a trip unless you run into fellow statesmen, Hanlon said.
After the long tour through the state, during which the couple rode 1,390 miles on the Alaska Highway, it was finally time to head back to Florida — which was a miserable trip, Hanlon said.
On the drive home, Hanlon and Godreau were met with constant bad weather and a temperature spike from the 52 degrees in Alaska to the 100-plus mugginess of a Florida summer.
But despite those issues, overall it was a ride that led to not just outside exploration, but also some soul-searching. Being able to experience other parts of the country and meet people from all walks of life was as eye-opening as it was fun, Hanlon said.
“I found so many different people along the route that I was able to engage with,” Hanlon said. “What I found is that there is this essence of humanity … there’s always something that binds us together.”
