RUFUS!! ------------------Andrew & Jim ready to depart in B2B-33

LAB ROVER DOT COM

Trans-American Trek 99 -Sept. 4- Sept. 30

Follow the travels of this station - W2EMT - as Jim journeyed with his son Andrew and his faithful companions, Labrador Retrievers Rufus & Queen Cleo along with other Land Rover vehicle enthusiasts aas they retraced the routes of the Klondike Gold Rush Stampeders through Alaska and The Canadian Yukon and Northwest Territories. With Rufus & Queen Cleo as your official "guides" the team will traveled as far north as the town of Inuvik, N.W.T. above The Arctic Circle.

Amateur Radio Special Events Station K2A (/ VY1/VE7/KL7 & VE8) conducted daily ham radio schedules along with e-mail exchanges, real-time chat room , and message board access from the expedition web page.This enabled students from around the world to continually participate in this exciting "virtual" field trip. Follow the planning and ultimate journey at the Team's following site: TEAM LAB ROVER

UPDATES:

May 4,1999 - Log onto B2B for NEW TA 99 EXPEDITION details and school registration information. Your ADVANCE REGISTRATION provides you with Pre-Trek curriculum materials to assist your classroom participation planning and gives you password access to the entire site's activities. Reserve your space NOW for this educational adventure that will liven up your classroom this coming September.

June 18, 1999 - More information continues to be posted on the Expedition's web pages. We now have schools registered from South Africa, Australia, UK, & USA. You don't have to be a school to sign up - parents and others are welcome too!

June 27,1999 - Teacher/Parent Registration & Curriculum Support Materials are now available on-line.

July 28, 1999 - The education/curriculum materials are now available to prepare for your participation.

August 25, 1999 - W2EMT prepares to leave his home in Maine on September 1st. and travel to Portland, Oregon where his son Andrew and Driver of B2B-33 (Team Lab Rover) and Rufus & Cleo await him. Beginning on Monday, September 6, 1999 (Labor Day) Jim will be calling in daily live radio reports to FM broadcast station WMDI-FM 107.7 in Bar Harbor Maine at 0830 EDT / 0530 PDT. Look for audio streaming files of the contacts to be posted on Lab-rover.com shortly after their live airing.

September 4, 1999 - October 4, 1999 - DAILY TREK REPORTS ARE POSTED AT: TREK UPDATES INCLUDING PHOTOS, E-MAIL UPDATES AND AUDIO REPORTS.

Andrew & Jim arrive!! 09/18/99 0845 AM PDT

Temperature 35F - Wind SSW 20-25mph

Post Trek Update

October 4, 1999 – Portland, OR

Our delayed vehicle off-loading from M/V Columbia in Bellingham early Friday morning 10/1 proved correct. Andrew went ashore with the puppies leaving Jim to negotiate the truck. After 4 days of “Doggie-Do” on the Car Deck you can imagine the “pleasant” odors wafting about!! Never fear – The Crew had done this drill before and soon there were two HUGE fire department smoke ejector fans put to use to assist in fresh air circulation. After 45 minutes of maneuvering, B2B-33 exited the ship – next stop Mc Donald’s and off for our final 180 mile drive South to Portland.

Will cellular phone service active again, Andrew checked in with the world: Mom, Nicholas, Alexander and Cricket advising of plans for a BBQ that evening. Our final touchdown at SW Radcliff St. was temporarily disrupted as reality stepped in. The friend’s wedding Andrew was to attend in Hood River – an hour away – was TONIGHT in three hours – NOT on the following Saturday!! OOPS – Off to a quick shower fine a suit and tie – pick up Cricket and yet begin another final drive!!

I took one look at the vehicle in which I had lived (with R&C!) for 5 weeks and thought better of tackling it’s unpacking and cleaning. Specifics are not necessary to describe the cleaning task ahead – though the word demolition came to mind. It’s about all that doggie hair – forgotten chips – Pringles – Jolly Ranchers - beef jerky etc!!! YUK!! Luckily no Oregon Health Dept or OSHA reps around. After at least starting some laundry, Nicholas and JW had a relaxing evening and dinner at the Fulton Pub and beginning the de-briefing and an early night.

Sunday 10/3started early with REAL coffee and Dunkin as it was the official decommissioning and cleaning day. Bags were unpacked – radios unwired – equipment sorted – repair lists made - and JW re-packed for his trip back to Maine. Chinese takeout was in order for dinner after most of the tasks had been accomplished.

Monday, 10/4 was a quiet, final last minute detail day with the afternoon spent in Michael’s Slade’s darkroom reviewing his 1000+ slides of the adventure. We will soon be assembling a “selective” collection of slides to present. Michael is truly an outstanding photographer and we all look forward to viewing his images. As this was to be JW’s final night a “grown-up” dinner (coat & tie) was planned at The Ringside – an old steakhouse in Portland. We boys put ourselves together with Cricket arriving in a splendid black dress that outclassed us all! It was a great formal Expedition celebration evening ending a “life experience” for JW and leaving many memories and thoughts to ponder for a long time to come.

(NOTE: We hope you have enjoyed following our adventures to these unique destinations. The updates and classroom materials will remain posted on http://www.lab-rover.com as will your ability to e-mail us with you comments and ideas.

During the coming weeks, the site will take on a new look and become a place to explore other educational expeditions, projects and field trips via The Internet. If you or your school know of a cool trip that is being planned and think Team Lab-Rover could help provide an educational component – let us know – we would be delighted to talk to you.

Thanks for your interest and support and we will see you on the road!!

TEAM LAB ROVER and RUFUS & CLEO

E-Mail comments, suggestions to:[email protected]

"Ovaltine" shared equally the passion for adventure with Andrew that is now carrried on with Rufus & Cleo.

B2B/EDU is dedicated in loving memory.

(1990 - 1993)

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Author's Bio Click Here

FOR LINKS & RESOURCES Click Here

FOR Special Events Station "W1C" Click Here

For Team Lab Rover's main Page Click Here