Alaska Bound Days 58 & 59

Day 58 Miles 88 Lake LaBarge Campgound, Yukon Territory We have sites overlooking the beautiful lake made famous in Robert Service’s poem about the Cremation of Sam McGee . It is really a stunning scene with mountains as backdrop, There are only 16 campsites and few are on the lake so we were really lucky. Some of the weekend people from nearby Whitehorse waited until the last possible minute to leave and we were there to get their sites. One even left the campfire going. The provincial parks provide firewood at the sites. So many in the states require you purchase their wood so they can control what is burned. This way no one would be tempted to sneak in other wood.
It rained during the night and into the morning but the “rain before 7 stop by 11” saying proved true if you went by Alaska time. A fair amount of traffic on both the Silver Trail down from Mayo and the Klondike. Some of the tourist attractions of First Nation exhibits were closed because it was Sunday. We had lunch overlooking the Five Fingers Rapids on the Yukon. Last week all those paddlers in the Yukon River Quest Race had to conquer the rapids. There are 219 steps down to the water and Judy decided to do the trek but I opted out. I went on to Carmack and checked out the campground Hotel Carmack RV which was on our original schedule. It was pretty bleak though located on the Yukon with a boardwalk along side. I suggested we aim for this one even though it meant a later arrival. I cooked a “Crock Pot” meal as I drove using chicken breasts, carrots, a can of mushrooms and a can of tomato zucchini mix so dinner was ready when we arrived.
I learned today that the highway we have been traveling since Dawson City was built in the 1950’s completed in ’55. Until that time to reach Dawson City you had to travel by boat. It’s always amazing to learn about life up here in the 20th century. In many ways it was another world and often primitive and certainly remote.
Wildfires have caused major damage along the Klondike Highway particularly in 1958 and 1998. Signs were posted in those areas and the latter in particular still had charred sticks where trees stood. With the short growing season it takes many many years until the forests return. Some of the hillsides show rows of dark green spruce with large sections of the lighter, silvery leaves of the aspen. Other areas though are void of any trees. In addition to the fires, a lot of logging occurred to build buildings and to provide fuel for the steam ships on the river.
This area was also the eastern most of what was called the Beringia the land bridge on what is now the Bering Strait, brought plants, animals and people from the area now known as Siberia across ice free land between ice fields here 10-12000 years ago. It seems to me that many of the First Nations people have facial characteristics of those photographed in Mongolia. There is a museum in Whitehorse that features this history so I hope to learn more in the days to come. I have not had cell telephone service since Tuesday at Tok. It may be that AT& T doesn’t know about the Yukon Territory. Judy has some luck with her Verizon.
Day 59 Miles Caribou RV Park, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory Awoke to rain and a gray start to the day. We were soon off to Mom’s Bakery up the road from the campground. Her sign promising sourdough pancakes was what attracted me and they were delicious, very light and fluffy. Sourdough pancakes was on my “to do” list but they are not easy to find. This was akin to eating in someone’s home, a breakfast bar overlooking her lush backyard while enjoying the birds having their meal at the feeder. I told her the story of Mom’s Bakery truck in Georgetown in the Bahamas and she showed me a photo of her earlier days with the back of her car outfitted with racks for the baked goods she would take around to the campgrounds late in the day. It was an enjoyable way to begin a dreary day.
Then on into Whitehorse about 45 minutes away and the first stop the Visitors Center. Judy is having problems with a leak around the toilet so we headed out to PhilMar RV services next. Their yard was crowded with RV’s and one had to wonder if all of them were in for repairs. They suggested Judy return the next morning and that it should be an easy fix with an existing part. Let’s hope so. We then went on south on the Alaska Highway to Caribou RV which I’d reserved via phone without realizing how far out of town it is. We decided to stay one night so we can shower as we may elect to do the Walmart in town the next 2 nights. We met Roadtrek owners from Ontario who are doing that and say it will be very convenient for the Canada Day Activities on July 1.
After a bite of lunch we headed back into town on now a very sunny day. At the Greyline/Holland American office we purchased tickets to the Follies for tomorrow night. The show has been recommended by many people. Also a stop for information regarding the Skagway-White Pass RR resulted in buying tickets from Skagway on Sunday. Unfortunately the train no longer runs to Whitehorse but this too has been recommended and difficult to get seats. There do seem to be more and more travelers about with a number of Rv’s traveling north as we head south.
The McBride History Museum is small but had some interesting artifacts and well done exhibit on wildlife where I learned that the Muskox is related to sheep and goats not bison. The species has been around for 150,000 years and is one of the oldest. The meat was on the menu at the restaurant tonight in a stew but I opted for lighter fare. The real Sam Magee’s cabin is there. Robert Service asked permission to use his name in the poem and he received more fame than he needed! We picked up a 3 day free parking pass given out by the Economic Development Council. (Now that’s a good idea!)Next door was the start of the walking tour. It certainly was not on the caliber of Juneau or Dawson City but we did learn some interesting facts and saw some buildings that we might have missed. The most impressive is the 3 story log cabin. Hopefully I’ll post a photo of that. On the way back to the campground we saw the world’s largest windvane, a DC3 mounted on a pole. I’ll try to get a photo of that tomorrow. I enjoyed Dawson so much that Whitehorse is a bit of a let down. However it is the government city for the Yukon Territory which has a population of 30,000 and most of those live in Whitehorse. The US army and WWII really put it on the map but it was a transportation hub before that getting goods and people to the north via the Yukon River even before that.

Alaska Day 56

Day 56 Gold Rush Campground, Dawson City, Yukon Territory This day was one full of dark grey clouds that from time to time dropped rain and the result was very chilly temperatures. It didn’t stop us from having a full day beginning with a load of laundry at 8 a.m. Then on the road in Big Mama to visit one of the Parks Canada interpretive sites outside the immediate town, Gold Dredge #4 the largest wooden hulled, bucket lined dredge in North America. Located on Bonanza Creek this huge dredge worked its way up the rivers and creeks in the area finding a lot of gold for the owners during the 30+ years of service. It is difficult to describe how large it is and even more difficult to imagine it moving slowly up the creek beds discharging the tailings. It is also difficult to realize it floated. Our interpreter, Sue, was also amazing. She had worked a gold claim with her husband from the seventies and had met many of those who had been mining the area for a number of years. She led us through the explanations of the mechanics and features of the dredge as well as telling of the lives of those who worked her and those who worked their own claims. There are still active miners in the area today and she said last year their gold mined was valued at 44 million!
Heading back into Dawson, we parked on Front Street by the river levy. We knew that a race from Whitehorse by canoes and kayaks that began two days ago should have the first arrivals in Dawson this afternoon. Sure enough the finish line was marked and a board indicated the position of the 70 some craft that were participating. The two lead boats were Voyager 6 man canoes. We saw the first one come in about 2:30 but the rest were hours or even a day away. It was exciting waiting with binoculars trained on the upstream water. For more information check http://www.yukonriverquest.com/ In between waiting we visited the First Nations Cultural Center and learned about the Han group known as Tr’ondek Hwech’in. The word Klondike came from the interpretation of that name. They trace their heritage in this area back to the end of the last ice about 10,000 years. Much of their language and culture has disappeared but they are attempting to relearn it from others with a similar heritage. They also now are self governing and have a number of businesses in the area included home construction.
We walked over to the Dawson City Museum with a number of exhibits on the history of the area including a train shed with steam locomotives used in the gold mining area. A hand operated sluice machine-rockerbox was demonstrated. Patience is definitely required for the process.
Last night at dinner Judy and Larry from Kansas gave us a couple of drink coupons for one of the hotels which we combined with a shared order of tasty mussels. Then back to Klondike Kates where we had a great meal last night. Tonight we chose to share the 2 specials, a curried pork dish, and fish and chips. It’s a good thing we are doing lots of walking.The other big event in Dawson City this weekend is the Dust to Dawson motorcycle rally. Some of the 200+ are staying here at the campground and encouraged us to come to their “rodeo” tonight. It began at 9:30 p.m. and goes to midnight. It was fun to see the way they competed: How slow(slowest wins); blindfold ride with the crowd giving directions; slalom ride around small cones; and riding while tossing tennis balls in buckets. This all took place on half a block of one the streets. We had to call it a night long before the end. Tomorrow we head further south planning to reach Whitehorse a few days before Canada Day on

Alaska Bound Days 53, 54 and 55

Note: A recent comment on the blog Days 51 &52 was by Ron Lavery. He and wife Joyce originally planned this trip and put a lot of time and effort into organizing, researching, and talking to people who expressed interest. As you may recall from earlier in the blog, Ron suffered a serious head injury and on Easter Sunday Joyce called to say they had to cancel. It is great that he is now back home in Florida and keeping up with us on the blog. It’s thanks to Ron and Joyce that Judy and I are here enjoying this phenomenal part of the world. We owe you a huge debt of gratitude and wish you continued healing!

Day 53 Miles 212 Tok RV Village, Tok, AK The day began with sunshine but I was a bit weary. It was so warm when I went to bed that I wasn’t prepared for the cold after 1:30 a.m. and had to rouse myself for more layers as well as retrieve my sleep mask. Sum total was lack of sleep. I suspect I was also a bit anxious with the knowledge that new roads were to be traveled the day ahead.
We left around 9:30 with Judy heading out for gas. We travel at our own pace and select places from the Milepost Book to rendezvous along the way. If we are a mile apart., the walkie talkie works. Our phones work depending on the signal.
The route away from Fairbanks is #2 called the Richardson Highway. It travels through the town of North Pole and heads primarily southeast toward Delta Junction. Eielson Air Force Base can be seen to the east with very large planes. Milepost warns no stopping or photographing. Tours can be arranged however. This base served during WWII as part of the system of ferrying planes to Siberia. There is a monument to this service in Fairbanks. It is an interesting and I suspect little known part of the war and illustrates the closeness of our relationship at that time. The air base occupies a very flat area which also seems to be the case for this section of the road. In the distance though, the peaks of the Alaska Range with their snow form a stunning backdrop to the west which I pull over to view several times. The road has unannounced gravel sections. It is heavily traveled by trucks and RV’s so one must stay alert. A lot of dust is raised in those gravel areas. The Tanana riverbed follows along though often seems devoid of water
As I approached a bridge I see a huge cable held structure that I first think is a railroad bridge. Instead it is supporting the pipeline bringing that oil down from Prudhome Bay. I stopped to take photos. It jogs here and then goes underground again near our meeting point Rika’s Roadhouse and Landing, a state historical park. This roadhouse was begun in the days when travel was limited to 15-20 miles a day by dogsled or horse and there was a ferry here to cross the river which is wide and swift at this point.
A lot of tour groups were going through but fortunately the café was not busy and we were able to get some soup and rhubarb pie. However the pie was a disappointment after those wonderful homemade ones by Judy and Shirley. The tables are surrounded by gift shop items and the original roadhouse building is part museum and part gift shop with impressive fur coats. I wasn’t tempted.
Soon after we reached Delta Junction, which was the end of the Alaska highway. Fairbanks also claims that distinction but that road was built earlier. We took photographs of the signpost at the Visitors Center. We both felt tired and having learned of some local ice cream, Northern Lights, went off in search of coffee and ice cream which was found at the local IGA. Both were very tasty and prepared us for the ride to to Tok which included more gravel sections, but these were better marked. The mountains were closer. These are the Wrangell Elias I think which head down toward Valdez.
We went through Tok in the early part of the month so at least the interchanges and gas stations were familiar. A quick dinner at Fast Eddies, walking distance from the RV Park, we hurried back to catch the 7 p.m. nightly show by a local singer/guitar player accompanied by a young fiddle player. This entertainment and RV park were suggested by Jane and Dave, met in Fairbanks, and we enjoyed the performance which was woven with stories of life in the interior of Alaska.
Day 54 Miles 78 Goldpanner/Chicken Creek RV Park, Chicken AK From Tetlin Junction you turn left onto the Taylor Highway. There are no services or buildings for the most part for the 60 miles to Chicken. Stretches are gravel, often with little shoulder area. The road climbs with sharp grade descents but for the most part is straight. Some sections are like a washboard so the total trip took a couple of hours with a stop or two to read about the gold miners who settled the area and the caribou who still live here.
There was a bit of confusion in finding the RV Park. A town of 15 people in the winter, there are 2 or 3 RV parks highly competitive with each other. This one is on the highway and offers a walking tour of the original town of Chicken. Judy and I had both read the book Tisha, about a young woman who came here to teach school in the 20’s. The original buildings are now being overgrown with foliage but we were able to go into what had been the General Store as well as the school house and Tisha’s dwelling. They hope to preserve the old log cabin buildings. The young man who led the tour is from Maine and in addition to working for this establishment is also a fireman/policeman/ EMT for the area.
I seemed to need to catch up on sleep and for the first time on the trip took an hour’s nap. We then walked to see the areas where the two competitor operators were located. At one we visited a couple from Kansas traveling in a small Winnebago. That area had a gift shop and small café. The third area has the General Mercantile, a café, liquor store and saloon. Our sites back up to the creek and have electricity due to a 24 hour generator. The Taylor highway continues on across the creek from us. Tomorrow we’ll head that way for Dawson City. The highway is known there as Top of the World partly because it is above the tree line. We’ve been warned the road is very rough, with steep stretches and curves. It is not advised to drive on a rainy day. We’ll be crossing into Canada as well.
We had another of Judy’s wonderful grilled dinners with vegetables and caribou burgers, from the meat bought Saturday day the farmers market. I said no restaurant we’ve visited has provided a better meal.
Day 55 Miles 110 Gold Rush Camp Ground, Dawson City Yukon Territory Back in Canada again having come via the “Top of the World Highway”. There are a lot of cautions given for the road which is for the most part gravel. Areas have numerous potholes and there are steep assents and descents as well as blind curves. Pretty steep drop-offs and no guard rails. Fortunately it was a beautiful clear, dry day and with light traffic both ways. I took it slow primarily between 15-25 mph and usually in 3rd or 2nd gear. We stopped frequently as well which resulted in a long day. The scenery was magnificent with tremendous vistas of distant mountains. The road name derives from the highways location at the top of the tree line. Yet the highest point is around 4500 feet. Shortly after a “town” called Boundary comes the border crossing. The US sign says the farthest north US border crossing. Basically there is little sign of habitation along the road. The road ends at the Yukon River where you must board a small free ferry to cross the strong currents of the Yukon to Dawson City. In addition to the slow driving we lost an hour. Canada is one hour later. Alaska originally had 4 different time zones but settled on one called Alaska time which is four hours earlier than the US East Coast.
We choose the only campground in the town on the advice of Jane and David. It’s a good walking town and we tested that out a couple of times before days end. There are several other campgrounds south of town. Much of the central area is under the auspices of Parks Canada Historic division. They have done some major renovations of buildings taking most back to the Klondike gold rush era of 18897-98. Dawson was the center of the activity. Gold is still being mined here and small claims are spread throughout the area.
Another claim to fame for Dawson is 3 writers, Jack London, who wrote about the area, and Robert Service, mainly known for his rhyming lengthy poems often featuring the gold miners and people of the area and Pierre Burton, a novelist. After dinner we walked up to Robert Services cabin on the edge of town and enjoyed hearing about his life and listening to some lesser known works. The young man an interpreter from Parks Canada who made the presentation was superb and really knew his subject. Judy is a big fan of the poet and she is one of many.
Day 55 Gold Rush Campgound, Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada We headed over to the rebuilt Palace Theatre for the 9:30 walking tour. Again the Parks Canada interpreter did an excellent job telling of the history and lives of the people of Dawson city. It was one of the first cities on the North American Continent to have electricity. The river was filled with paddlewheel boats bringing goods in and sometimes people out. Thirty thousand hopeful miner descended on the town after word of the Gold Rush was out making Dawson City the largest north of Seattle and west of Manitoba. Many buildings of that era are still standing which is remarkable with the many floods and the heaves of the permafrost. The town now has about 1800 year round residents but has an art academy, the theatre with year round performances, museums and a number of residents. Yet it is a step back in time but more authentic then many of the recreated historic towns.
After the tour we saw a film on the gold rush followed by another interpreter playing the part of Martha Black a leading Dawson figure for many years. Our morning guide also led the afternoon tour through the Commissioners house which has been brought back to its 1914 era when Martha Black was in residence with her Commissioner husband.
We then headed for the Westmark hotel where every afternoon at 3 p.m. an Irish actor Tom Bryne tells stories of Robert Service and recites his poems. He’s been doing this for 30 summers in Dawson. The weather went from hot to cold during the presentation which caused some Canadians dressed in shorts to be uncomfortable and for me to add layers. By dinner time it was warm again. It all depends on the sun and clouds. At bedtime it is warm and cozy but around 2 a.m. it must be in the 40’s outside and I have to add some layers.

Days 53 & 54

Day 53 Miles 212 Tok RV Village, Tok, AK The day began with sunshine but I was a bit weary. It was so warm when I went to bed that I wasn’t prepared for the cold after 1:30 a.m. and had to rouse myself for more layers as well as retrieve my sleep mask. Sum total was lack of sleep. I suspect I was also a bit anxious with the knowledge that new roads were to be traveled the day ahead.
We left around 9:30 with Judy heading out for gas. We travel at our own pace and select places from the Milepost Book to rendezvous along the way. If we are a mile apart., the walkie talkie works. Our phones work depending on the signal.
The route away from Fairbanks is #2 called the Richardson Highway. It travels through the town of North Pole and heads primarily southeast toward Delta Junction. Eielson Air Force Base can be seen to the east with very large planes. Milepost warns no stopping or photographing. Tours can be arranged however. This base served during WWII as part of the system of ferrying planes to Siberia. There is a monument to this service in Fairbanks. It is an interesting and I suspect little known part of the war and illustrates the closeness of our relationship at that time. The air base occupies a very flat area which also seems to be the case for this section of the road. In the distance though, the peaks of the Alaska Range with their snow form a stunning backdrop to the west which I pull over to view several times. The road has unannounced gravel sections. It is heavily traveled by trucks and RV’s so one must stay alert. A lot of dust is raised in those gravel areas. The Tanana riverbed follows along though often seems devoid of water
As I approached a bridge I see a huge cable held structure that I first think is a railroad bridge. Instead it is supporting the pipeline bringing that oil down from Prudhome Bay. I stopped to take photos. It jogs here and then goes underground again near our meeting point Rika’s Roadhouse and Landing, a state historical park. This roadhouse was begun in the days when travel was limited to 15-20 miles a day by dogsled or horse and there was a ferry here to cross the river which is wide and swift at this point.
A lot of tour groups were going through but fortunately the café was not busy and we were able to get some soup and rhubarb pie. However the pie was a disappointment after those wonderful homemade ones by Judy and Shirley. The tables are surrounded by gift shop items and the original roadhouse building is part museum and part gift shop with impressive fur coats. I wasn’t tempted.
Soon after we reached Delta Junction, which was the end of the Alaska highway. Fairbanks also claims that distinction but that road was built earlier. We took photographs of the signpost at the Visitors Center. We will be following the highway off and on to the other end at Dawson City Yukon Territory. We both felt tired and having learned of some local ice cream, Northern Lights, went off in search of coffee and ice cream which was found at the local IGA. Both were very tasty and prepared us for the ride to to Tok which included more gravel sections, but these were better marked. The mountains were closer. These are the Wrangell Elias I think which head down toward Valdez.
We went through Tok in the early part of the month so at least the interchanges and gas stations were familiar. A quick dinner at Fast Eddies, walking distance from the RV Park, we hurried back to catch the 7 p.m. nightly show by a local singer/guitar player accompanied by a young fiddle player. This entertainment and RV park were suggested by Jane and Dave, met in Fairbanks, and we enjoyed the performance which was woven with stories of life in the interior of Alaska.
Day 54 Miles 78 Goldpanner/Chicken Creek RV Park, Chicken AK From Tetlin Junction you turn left onto the Taylor Highway. There are no services or buildings for the most part for the 60 miles to Chicken. Stretches are gravel, often with little shoulder area. The road climbs with sharp grade descents but for the most part is straight. Some sections are like a washboard so the total trip took a couple of hours with a stop or two to read about the gold miners who settled the area and the caribou who still live here.
There was a bit of confusion in finding the RV Park. A town of 15 people in the winter, there are 2 or 3 RV parks highly competitive with each other. This one is on the highway and offers a walking tour of the original town of Chicken. Judy and I had both read the book Tisha, about a young woman who came here to teach school in the 20’s. The original buildings are now being overgrown with foliage but we were able to go into what had been the General Store as well as the school house and Tisha’s dwelling. They hope to preserve the old log cabin buildings. The young man who led the tour is from Maine and in addition to working for this establishment is also a fireman/policeman/ EMT for the area.
I seemed to need to catch up on sleep and for the first time on the trip took an hour’s nap. We then walked to see the areas where the two competitor operators were located. At one we visited a couple from Kansas traveling in a small Winnebago. That area had a gift shop and small café. The third area has the General Mercantile, a café, liquor store and saloon. Our sites back up to the creek and have electricity due to a 24 hour generator. The Taylor highway continues on across the creek from us. Tomorrow we’ll head that way for Dawson City. The highway is known there as Top of the World partly because it is above the tree line. We’ve been warned the road is very rough, with steep stretches and curves. It is not advised to drive on a rainy day. We’ll be crossing into Canada as well.
We had another of Judy’s wonderful grilled dinners with vegetables and caribou burgers, from the meat bought Saturday day the farmers market. I said no restaurant we’ve visited has provided a better meal.

Alaska Bound Days 51 &52

Day 51 Miles We decided to get an early start back to Fairbanks. At 10 a.m. there was a Summer Solstice walk at a nature area The Creamery. A one time dairy farm, it now serves as a nature preserve and bird sanctuary. Today is a celebration of the Dragon Fly and booths with information or products were featured. The morning walk was their usual celebration of the almost 24 hour day and a way to point out the adaption of plants and wildlife to the lack of darkness. One of the results was a large owl out looking for food. He thought he found it in a nearby Robins nest but the birds defended their territory even flying at the owl’s head until he gave up. Twenty pairs of binoculars followed the action! Our guide confirmed what Judy and I had concluded, the wildflowers come and go very quickly. The beautiful wild iris were in bloom across the fields and in boggy areas and the wild calla lilies were just coming out which is usually a solstice happening. The wild roses we’ve been enjoying are fading and will become rosehips (don’t use the seeds was the caution). Yarrow, canola (also called rapseed), and arnica were also identified. We walked through the boreal forest path. Unfortunately many of the group were unprepared for the mosquitoes though they had been offered the headnets. Everyone wanted to know where I bought my bug jacket!
We left Big Mama and took Judy’s trek to the twice weekly Fairbanks farmers market. Everything there is supposed to be grown or made in Alaska. I purchased some rhubarb to try in the crock pot, and wildflower honey. We also bought some beautiful radishes. The grower said he started them Feb 13 inside. There were many tempting baked goods. For lunch I had a Buffalo “dog” and Judy a Reindeer “dog”. They were out of Elk but we purchased 1 ½ lb of frozen ground elk for a later meal. Many crafts people had booths as well.
The Summer Solstice celebration includes a number of activities including a 10K run which begins at the University of Alaska at 10 p.m. We drove over to the starting area about 9:30 and mingled with the crowd. Some were participating in the costume contest part of the race. A mermaid, Uncle Sam on an unicycle, robots, birds were a few of the many we saw. All ages were participating and there was a great spirit in the air. The serious runners began but soon all groups were hustling past. We drove to about the 2/3 mark and watched for awhile from the comfort of Big Mama. Rain began almost simultaneously with the race but it was fairly light. The race will end at Pioneer Park with the anticipated final finish at midnight. Of course it will still be light.
Day 52 Rivers Edge RV Park, Fairbanks AK It seemed to rain most of the night and into the morning. The irony was that it was one of the “darker” nights and yet it was the summer solstice. By noon though the sky was clear and with the sun doing its thing which here in Fairbanks means it is high in the sky for many hours and makes the air surprisingly warm though the thermometer only shows 70. We picked up a map and recorded walking tour and intermingled that with the Midnight Sun Festival activities which were occurring in the center of town over about a nine block area. There were three performance stages, 3 on 3 basketball tournaments, one block devoted to skate boards, lots of food venders, games, community groups and much more. Lots of people of all kinds and colors and everyone seemed to be having a good time and enjoying the wonderful weather.
The recorded tour was informative but unfortunately didn’t match the map so it was a bit confusing. The visitors center is in a beautiful new building but they are out of funds to redo the map we were told. Never the less it caused us to walk the area and see some log cabins and 20’s dwellings as well as the beautification project along the Chena River.
Tomorrow we turn south and head for Tok through which we passed in the beginning days in Alaska. It seems almost sad to going into this next phase of the trip. There is still much to see and do but this marks the beginning of the end. Alaska is an amazing place with incredible landscapes and unique people. In Fairbanks we have settled long enough to get around town, talk to many who are residents and participate in some of their lives. As the season begins to change toward winter after today’s zenith so I begin my travels southeast.

Alaska Bound Day 50

L Ice Museum Chena Springs R. Granit Tor Path

Day 50 Miles 67 Chena Hot Springs We left River’s Edge RV after securing sites for Saturday and Sunday. The summer solstice is their biggest weekend of the year with many activities. I picked up a Friday paper so we could review the options.
The drive on Chena Hot Springs road was tree lined with multiple crossings over the Chena river which apparently winds back and forth. Moose were spotted along one section of river bank and all the photographers almost caused a traffic jam. We stopped at Granite Tors hiking trail access, a paved lot with toilets and picnic tables along the river. A very informative trail description was available and we walked the first few miles of the trail which followed the river. The mosquitoes were thick and I was thankful for my “bug” jacket. We saw evidence of wildlife but no actual “critters”. Those ranger led hikes have heightened our awareness to look for tracks, broken branches missing leaves, teeth marks on the birch (moose have only lower teeth and scrape the tree going up) and beaver dams.
Back at the vehicles we debated eating at a picnic table but were warned by a family that the bugs were bad so ate inside. Shortly after leaving, it began to rain. The sign said “Road Ends” but then we spotted the Chena Hot Springs Resort site. Selecting a couple of RV sites we went in and registered. This will be a night without electricity. We then went over to arrange for the 3 p.m. tour of the ice Museum. However we elected not to have the Aappletini in the glass made of ice, an extra charge, at the end of the tour. The temperature is 20 degrees and I prepared with long underwear, wool sweater, hat and gloves. The building is made of blocks of ice taken from the nearby creek. Inside ice blocks are stacked high waiting to be used. They are clear more than ¾ of the thickness and the top 1/3 is very white. This is actually the snow that fell on top of the ice. We had a large group and everyone was offered a down parka to wear. I added it to my layers. Inside the walls are frosty. Ice sculpted into life size knights on horses, chessmen, a polar bear, a wedding chapel (“short services”) a large bar where the appletini’s were served, 3 rooms available to stay in, one of which had an ice “porta potty” with a conventional seat were all part of the high ceiling building lighted by chandeliers made of ice. It was truly unique.
After that cold experience it was time for the hot springs. First we used the indoor pool and I went over some of the Schooner Oaks water exercises with Judy. The pool water was definitely warmer that the one at home. I could tell I hadn’t done those exercises for a while. Then it was out into the 50 degree outdoors in our wet suits and quickly into 106 degree hot springs water. It was not very crowded and you move around on a sandy/gravel substance under foot. The depth is probably 4 ft. No children are allowed. A fountain of cold water provides a rain like experience in the middle and the hot springs water beats down on you from an incoming pipe. All in all I really enjoyed it but then I like hot showers too. What really surprised me was that I was able to sit out on the rocks in my suit with a terry cloth jacket over my shoulders and I wasn’t cold. It was a cloudy day but the surrounded wooded hills made a very attractive backdrop and I felt like I was on vacation!
We decided to eat at the lodge’s dining room and had a very relaxed meal. Our waiter was from Bulgaria and .worked all over the states including Kissimmee Florida. This resort has the bulk of its business in the winter when in addition to the many activities, they provide rides on a tank like vehicle to get a good view of the Aurora Borealis. Much of their clientele come from Japan. It is truly a unique place.

Alaska Bounds Days 48 and 49

Day 48 Rivers Edge RV Park Fairbanks We had checked out this park yesterday. It is more centrally located, doesn’t have all the caravan activity, and provided us with complementary bus transportation to the Discovery Paddlewheel Boat tour that we had scheduled for this afternoon. In addition I was disappointed in the condition of the Riverview toilet facilities (they allowed the lights to go totally out) and the laundry where a number of machines did not work and those that did were not very good.
The boat tour was 3 hours on the Chena River which connects to the Tanana. Slit has filled the channel so that the boat can no longer enter the Tanana. Never the less it was a very interesting and entertaining time with a demonstration of a seaplane take off and landing, sled dog training and running at the home of Susan Butcher, and a Athabascan type village with some of their dwellings before and after the white man’s arrival. I discovered an Iowa classmate in the seat behind me and we compared notes. We didn’t know each other at school but were in the same dorm and graduated the same year.
On returning to the campground, Judy received word from a Roadtrek couple that they would be arriving at the campground around 6 and we would all have dinner together at the Chena Grill which is part of this complex. David and Jane left their Vermont home in mid May and came up into Alaska the route we will be taking out of the area. It was great to exchange information on what to do or not do and where to stay or not stay! They are flying to Barrow on the Arctic Ocean Sunday to celebrate the summer solstice. Judy and I looked at some of the options and costs of the trip but decided it was more than we wanted to added to our itinerary. Instead we will go for an overnight to Chena Hot Springs, about 80 miles northeast of Fairbanks for one night and then return for the solstice here in Fairbanks.
Day 49 Rivers Edge RV Park Roadtrek owners and Alaska lifetime residents, Dell and John, invited us to visit their homestead on the outskirts of Fairbanks. It is 150 acres and on a clear day they can see to Mt McKinley/Denali. We made a wrong turn enroute and John came out with his pickup to lead the way. They have a wonderful one room cabin divided by a huge fireplace built by Dell’s father. Her family has been in Alaska since the 1890’s and John’s about as long. Part of the property has a 125 foot easement for the Alaska Pipeline and we walked that area. Here it is underground. They have photos of Del’s father and their son watching the building of the pipeline.
We enjoyed our conversation learning more about Alaskan life and history. John also told of the relationship between the Rotarians in the area setting up Rotary clubs along the Siberian coast of Russia and the interchanges between the two areas.
Back in Fairbanks we visited the impressive Visitor, Convention, and Cultural Center, less than a year old. Dave and Jane had warned us of some forest fires in the Whitehorse area so Judy obtained some website information from the Land Management people who also occupy the building. We’ll check as we approach that area in about a week. There were also maps and info on our Yukon stops.
Greek was the menu for a late lunch in downtown Fairbanks and then off to Fred Meyers for supplies and food. As we returned to the campground, my site was blocked by a large tow truck. He was towing off a pickup that apparently had been damaged by one of the roads traversed but the owner said it was worth it with all the wildlife they saw. Unfortunately I didn’t learn the road involved.

Alaska Bound Day 47

Day 47 Riverview RV Park North Pole, AK I’m happy to report Arctic RV in Fairbanks was able to solve Judy’s electrical problem which was a breaker replacement. She may have more details in her blog. You can link to her blog from this page. I also made progress. I started by telephoning Progressive Insurance and doing a claim on the pitting on the windshield. They referred me to the Glass Doctor franchise here in North Pole whoco uld take me right away. When I arrived I noticed they had a 76 Lube sign and asked about oil change. Yes they did that, and rotating tires, and replacing wiper blades. In other words I found one stop shopping for my automotive needs as a result of the glass problem! I was very impressed by their service. So after such a productive morning we headed into Fairbanks for the afternoon to check out Pioneer Park which was originally “Alaska Land”. A combination of park with playgrounds, a carousel, train ride and train museum, air museum, art museum and a number of old original Fairbanks buildings which were moved to the park in 1967 after a major flood in the downtown area. Most are now shops primarily selling local art and crafts. We rode the train and toured the historic buildings. Having read a book about Fairbanks in the early 1900’s it was fun to see the structures and in several incidences talk with the people whose families had been in the area at the time the buildings were still in use. Even those growing up in the 50’s told of some primitive lifestyles. We also discussed the present use of outhouses with a couple of shopkeepers. Lack of water in many areas is part of the reason. Many expensive homes, have water trucked in.
The highlight of the day though came this evening. We were treated to dinner at the famous Pump House restaurant located on the river. Our hosts were Alaskan Roadtrek owners John and Dell who were celebrating their 48th wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful table outside where we could watch the river traffic. After dinner we toured the university’s botanical garden and then had a driving tour of the downtown. They both grew up in Alaska and spoke of their lives as children. We have been so fortunate to have the Roadtrek network and the wonderful people who are part of the group and so willingly give us information, suggestions, and special treatment when we visit their area.

Alaska Bound Days 44-46

Day 44 Denali National Park The day began cool and cloudy. We both did some catch up work including for me working on the blog. Then we took Judy’s van over to the visitor center. It is a hub of activity and the place where most of the Cruise ship related passengers arrive. We watched a film on the park and then set off with Ranger Karen for a ranger guided hike on the McKinley Station Trail. This trail follows the sites of some of the early park buildings and roads/trails and Karen had photos of that period. She also handed each of us pictures of plants and we were to say when we matched up. Karen could be a younger version of my sister-in-law Sara. The resemblance and mannerisms were striking. Perhaps it was the enthusiasm Karen showed for the wildlife and living in Alaska. She pointed out scat and tracks of animals, told stories of the park (these are being repeated but assists me in remembering them) as well as identifying plants and their position in the life cycle of the area. We walked back to the visitor’s center and spent some time at the bookshop/gift store before using the Wifi in the café area. The connection was not great but I managed to get the blog posted.
Returning to the campground we had another of Judy’s great grilled vegetable and steak dinners. Afterwards we walked up for the ranger program only to discover there wasn’t one. The day had turned beautiful after on and off rain so perhaps that had cancelled the program.

Day 45 Miles 94 Nenana RV Park, Nenana AK We headed over to the Denali Park Visitor Center for another ranger guided walk at 10. This one was led by Ranger Michael whose theme was Wild Things in the Wilderness and he began and ended with quotes from Maurice Sedlack (?) book Where the Wild Things Are. He fostered our imaginations and senses as he gave us challenges along the Horseshoe Lake Trail. There were some steep and rocky areas and rain threatened during the first half of the 2 hour trip but it was exhilarating. The tiny drops of water on the plants were like jewels and the fragrance of the plants varied. (See what Michael did to my senses.) We have noted how many wildflowers have come out in just the short period of our visit. Yet areas of ice and snow are still visible.
I wished we had more time to do some of the ranger led walks farther into the park. We could have stayed another day but it seemed best to move along. We have tasks for Fairbanks where we’ll also sketch out our final weeks. Judy needs to resolve her electrical problems and I need to get my oil changed and tires rotated. I think I will also get new windshield wiper blades. Rain today convinced me they could do a better job. As I was leaving Wassilla the other day, a motorcycle swerved in front of me and threw off a stone that hit the windshield. It caused a small spot but I worry it could spread so I’m hoping to get either a kit to fill it in some way or have a glass shop do it. I’m told you can purchase such a thing in a parts shop or even that the insurance company will send someone out to do the job since it may prevent eventual replacement of the windshield.
We had a great lunch at Rosie’s Café north of Healey, suggested by an Alaskan Roadtrek owner. We also took a side trip down Stampede Road. It was in this area that the young man of the novel and film Into the Wild spent a winter and died. The Milepost Book says there is a memorial at the site and our driver, Lisa, says she has passed the bus when she’s been in the area with her dogs. It is quite a distance from the road however. We walked a short way over what might be described as muskeg.. It was full of fluffy white flower heads bending in the wind. A rain storm was coming over the hills to the west and it wasn’t long after we were back in the vehicles until it reached us.
In a miscommunication we had two different campgrounds in our GPS’s. Discovering the difference we visited Judy’s first. Perhaps it was the gloomy rainy day, but it didn’t appeal to me. We then tried a compromise at Anderson AK riverfront park near Clear A.F. Base. That didn’t work for either of us. So Judy headed back to her more wilderness location and I came on to Nenana, a small historical town that is pretty quiet on a Sunday night. The campground owners winter in North Point Florida and I met someone who bought their Rialto in Sebastian FL.
I picked up the Sunday Fairbanks paper. Sunset tonight is 12:41a.m. and Sunrise is 3:01 a.m. “Civil twilight” begins 2:13 a.m. and “Civil twilight” ends at 2:13 a.m. I guess that means it never is totally dark. I’ve been using a sleep mask. It’s just difficult to know when to go to bed. With such brightness at 10 p.m., I’m tempted to hit the laundry.

Day 46 Miles 68 Riverview RV Park, North Pole AK No I haven’t visited Santa yet. The drive here was scenic with frequent truck lanes for slow traffic like me. We first rendezvoused in Nenana and decided our initial Fairbanks stop would be at the Museum of the North at University of Alaska. It is a spectacular building and highly touted but we felt that the displays at Juneau and Anchorage were easier to read and follow. True to form we parked in a decal only lot which we discovered on returning to the vehicles. Fortunately no tickets and the campus seemed pretty quiet. We watched two films at the museum. One was on the Aurora Borealis. Fairbanks is supposed to be the best place in the world to see this magnificent light show. The other film was about experiencing winter in Alaska. Surprisingly a number of people have out houses. In fact one of the “art” exhibits was a humorous portrayal of the Alaska outhouse. I guess the alternative is frozen pipes. Fairbanks has the most extremes in temperatures and -60F is not unusual. Judy noticed the electrical boxes by the parking spots for plugging in the vehicles in the winter. We’ve heard tales of frozen batteries.
We checked out the location of Arctic RV where Judy with take her Trek in the morning. Hopefully they can make speedy work of the diagnosis and cure for her electrical woes. The campground is fairly crowded with a caravan of large vehicles arriving about the same time as we checked in We are staying here two nights as of now. My mail was waiting for me thanks to sister Margaret’s diligence. No big surprises or problems either.
Fairbanks has always been the turning point on the itinerary. The next stops will take us more easterly. And back into Canada. We both are feeling like we’d like to do parts we’ve done over again now that we’ve figured out what it is all about. Also it is getting warmer! However last night the mosquitoes almost did me in. My flight information for my Europe trip in September was part of the mail which is another reason that this wonderful trip will have to come to an end.

Alaska Bound Days 41-43

Day 41 Miles 85 Talkeetna, AK The name Talkeetna means three rivers which reflects that merger near this small town. Our principle goal here was a 7 p.m. flight up to the Ruth Glacier of Mt. McKinley which Judy had reserved some time ago. On the Talkeetna Air Taxi it was one of the discounts on the coupon book she had purchased. Judy who has owned and flown her own plane knew a pilot who had flown for them and thus was confident with their equipment and personnel. The coupon book also featured a “float” trip on the Talkeetna River which is glacier fed and traveling at this time about 7 mph. It seemed like a good way to have a raft experience and we were able to get on the 2 p.m. departure. Four of our fellow floaters were from Florida and 2 of those from nearby Port St. Lucie. We had two rubber rafts. The oarsmen were outstanding in their strength at handling the rafts and rapid currents. We ducked in and out of small clear lakes but primarily were on the murky silt laden river. No fish or animals were to be seen however. I guess we’ve been spoiled by our previous trips. Never the less it was great to be out on the water hearing lots of bird calls and seeing some wildflowers. The day was beautiful and actually hot when you were wearing a fleece under your lifejacket! We had a great view of Mt. McKinley and the surrounding area of the Alaskan Range. It was hazy which we later learned was due to forest fires to the Northwest.
Upon our return at 4 p.m. we went over to check on our flight arrangements only to find they had us booked on a flight that did not land on the glacier. They were willing though to take us on the 5 p.m. if we could get to the airport by 4:45. Needless to say we grabbed what we could and headed over in Judy’s Trek. Mine was parked in front of a “private Parking” sign which I had neglected to notice when arriving at 1:20 p.m. Oh well, this wasn’t the first time!
We never had lunch since we barely arrived in time for the float trip so all this was done on what we could quickly put our hands on, for me half a pear, an energy bar (thanks so much Kate!) and a handful of almonds. At the airport we signed in and gave a phone number for emergency contact. We were weighed with all our gear. Our 4 companions were men helping one of them celebrate his 50th year driving the Alaska highway (He commented that over those years the changes in the highway had saved 13 hours in the trip from Anchorage to Dawson City). Before coming to the airport they had been panning for gold but decided the weather was perfect for a trip up the mountains. Our plane was a 7 passenger Beaver which I guess has been around for a while and no longer manufactured (since the 60’s). It is slow but that made for a great flight as we dipped around the mountain peaks. Our pilot, Richard, was terrific at explaining what we were seeing and handling the aircraft. We each had ear phones to hear his commentary and that of other traffic. What a magnificent scene of craggy peaks, glaciers in various stages, snow banks seeming close enough to touch. The touchdown on the Ruth glacier which originates on Mt. McKinley seemed easy. I’m not sure of our altitude but it must have been at least 8000. We were above the base camps for the climbers. This is a very popular area for different types of climbing and considered by many to have more challenge than Everest. Talkeetna is where they gather to fly up to the base camp and pilot radio transmissions for this could be heard during our flight. “Talkeetna, the small town with the climbing problem” is one of the mottos here.
When we got out of the plane, there was about a half foot of soft wet snow under our supplied gortex boots. Amazingly it wasn’t that cold though I had on my fleece with a wind breaker cover. Our pilot had on a short sleeve tropical shirt! Of course throughout the trip we took photos constantly and hopefully I’ll share some soon. Two other planes from a competitor were also there but parked a distance away. It was fascinating to see them take off going down the slope and around a curve. As we took off, Richard said, “see we are off the ground and still going down.” He traced this glacier to the end to show how it changes. Where we landed was 3000 ft. thick. It is moving 3 inches a day and small aqua pools of water are some surface melting. Layers of soil/silt cover areas and actually provide insulation. Further down trees are growing on top of the glacier. All this put into my imagination the way the “land” looked during the ice ages. It probably was not all ice as I had pictured. All I can say is WOW what an experience!
Finally we retrieved Big Mama and headed for the campground Judy had chosen. Fortunately there was still space at Talkeetna Camper Park. We were offered the opportunity to double up on one of the large spaces and save $10 which we did. Then we purchased $3 tokens for the showers. It is a nice park backing up to the railroad. Mosquitoes are thick though and a number joined me for the night! After parking Judy’s van, Big Mama took us back into town for a delicious dinner, red pepper soup with crab and an oriental salmon wrap half of which will be tomorrow’s lunch. That was topped off with ice cream at the old Nagley’s General store on Main St. We saw a number of places we would like to stop in tomorrow before heading for Denali National Pak.

Day 42 Miles 157 Denali National Park Riley Campground Wolf Loop Site82 Arrived at the Park a little before 5 p.m. Checked in at the Mercantile Center was very slow. They seemed to have plenty of room and had our reservation but indicated to “choose your space”. Many are designed more for a car and tent but we fit into the car spot fortunately. The toilets are much better than expected (flush not pit) and look quite new. Showers are usually available at the Mercantile Center but are closed now for a new floor. Internet is also available at the Mercantile or Visitors Center near RR station, and the cell phone has good reception, also unexpected. There are at least 4 other Roadtreks here, one a couple from Northern New Hampshire. A ranger program at 7:30 in the nearby amphitheater was a good introduction to some of the small plant and animal life in this 6 million acre park.
Judy is having difficulty with her “house” batteries (her vehicle has 2; mine has 1) She had a similar problem in the early days of her trip but not there seems to be no charge at all. Generator restrictions are quite strict here: 8-10a.m. and 6-8p.m. Fortunately she is used to dry camping.
The morning started leisurely which was good since all my mosquito friends and the abutting railroad trains disturbed my sleep and it was almost 9 when I awoke for good. The shower was good but again mosquitoes for company. We headed into Talkeetna and visited some of the shops before leaving. Lots of people from the cruise ship excursions were in town. Fortunately they don’t need parking. By the way Talkeetna is one of the towns the on which tv show Northern Experience is based.
I missed the Wal-Mike’s that is written up. It looked full of “stuff” and I wasn’t up to even browsing. Several opportunities along the road for McKinley views but again I passed the opportunity. The view today is not nearly as clear as yesterday and all pales compared to our flight yesterday, up close and personal.
The big event today was that enroute to the camp amphitheater, a young couple motioned me over to point out a huge moose with her calf not 200 years from their campsite. Her legs looked as long as I am tall. Judy was able to get a photo. The moose seemed oblivious to us continuing to munch on the spruce trees. The young one seemed more hesitant. During the rangers talk, someone came to tell us of the moose being close by but it never appeared and the ranger did not seem concerned. She did say to watch the moose ears. If they are laid back, the moose may charge!

Day 43 The alarm was set for 5:45 a.m. and I was sound asleep. We needed to be at the bus shuttle by 6:50. Fortunately it was not far from our camp sites. This shuttle took us to the Wilderness Center where we would catch the bus for our all day Kantisha Experience. This is the longest tour both in time and miles, the full length of the 93 mile park access road. Our 7:20 bus arrived about 7:30 and we were able to get seats toward the front on the left as had been recommended. Many of our fellow passengers seemed to be doing part of a cruise ship package and the driver confirmed that was the bulk of their business. The driver Lisa has been in Alaska since the early 80’s when she hitchhiked from Montana. She’s 50 but looks younger, came in 47th in the Idilarod a few years ago and trains sled dogs. She’s also been a commercial fish captain out of Kodiak and will do halibut in the fall. In addition she’s written a book “Running with Champions” and is working on one about sourdough. She is a wealth of knowledge and full of fresh enthusiasm. We were so fortunate to draw her as our driver as she only does this route one day every two weeks. I can understand why as the road is very challenging. For the most part it is one lane gravel road with twists and turns up and down the passes with sheer dropoffs. McKinley/Denali was not visible with the low cloud cover.
We were also fortunate that the passengers were great animal spotters. We saw at least four groups of bears, the last of which seemed to be a mama and two cubs which were playing with each other. We saw moose, caribou, marmot, red fox, bald eagles which are rare here and one appeared to be eating a young moose, snowshoe hare, arctic squirrel, dall sheep, red squirrel, ptmargian, the state bird both parents and young on a nest, artic tern, magpie, and raven. That’s what I remember. Photos were taken out of the window with the zoom. We did a walking tour at the end of the road, led by a ranger Jamie from the Moose Creek ranger station, who works at Everglades National Park in the winter. She led us on a walk near Wonder Lake and again in an area where gold prospecters lived. She told stories of those days including that of Fannie Quiqley whose reconstructed cabin we saw. They handed our mosquito hats but I had my mosquito jacket purchased in 2004 in Nova Scotia to ward off Florida “no see-ums”. It’s getting lots of use. There was no wind and the mosquitoes were about as thick as I’ve ever seen. Jamie was amazing to not be bothered by them and fellow passengers were good sports too.
The bus seats were quite comfortable and lunch sacks provided more than enough food and drink for the day. I would recommend this trip for those who can take 12 hours on a bus, but the two walks with Jamie and several other stops plus popping up and down for animal photos did provide movement. We were dropped off at the campground at 8 p.m.

Alaska Bound Day 40

Note: I've added links to a map and to Judy's blog. The map was set up by Judy but I've added my trip beginning. I will update with my various stops enroute as time and internet access allow.
Day 40 Miles 46 Wassilla AK Home area of “you know who” . We are at the home of Gunnel’s daughter Christina which has a Palmer mailing address but is between Palmer and Wassilla. She is manager of the new Target store in Wassilla. We shopped yesterday at the Target in north Anchorage where her husband is manager.
I was up early and telephoned Donna the friend of Florida friend Jerry. Donna is from the Chicago area but has been working in Alaska for some years with the cruise lines. She works the gift shop on the trains. So all you Alaska Cruise people look for her. Jerry had sent me via Donna some of her Alaska materials. We met for breakfast at County Kitchen and enjoyed exchanging information. She recommended we get to the Anchorage Museum for the 10 a.m. docent tour which turned out to be a fantastic suggestion.
A very diminutive Peg a former teacher was a incredible interpreter of the history of Alaska history from the beginning of the migration across the ice bridge that formed across the north (not through the Aleutians as I had pictured.) Lifesize dioramas portraying the various groups living arrangement were extremely well detailed. Faces were made from living descendants of the groups. Peg’s energetic presentation and personal knowledge of some of the native villages added much to the visual presentation. Her daughter was with Alaska fish and game and she often traveled with her to the villages. This daughter, a breast cancer survivor, participates in the Iditarod race. This year she came in 13 and wore pink!
We toured the some of the art exhibit which included drawing and paintings by early exporation team members. Much of the information of those early times and peoples that we had seen represented in the dioramas was illustrated by these artists reinforcing the authenticity of the exhibits. It was wonderful to have it all in the same building.
Parking the Roadtreks in a city can be challenging but we happened on a lot that had just been resurfaced and was adjacent to the Museum and to the downtown enclosed mall. You pay by credit card with minimum $4 for 2 hours. We ended up staying 4 hours or $8, the same as the museum admission. We had lunch in the museum café and of course went to the wonderful gift shop. This museum is undergoing an extensive remodeling with additions and is a fantastic facility. They have a traveling exhibit on gold but we didn’t take time for that. We did visit the mall where Judy was able to get her glasses repaired at a Lens Crafter shop in short order.
We next headed to Suburban Propane back in the Ship Creek area. I have run my furnace so much and though my gage showed ¾ full I decided to fill up. It took 3.2 so I am happy I did so. By then it was getting past 3 and we felt we needed to head north which unfortunately meant that my last stop to visit sailing friends of friends could not be included. We would have also like to visit the Native Cultural Center. Perhaps there will be another time to do more in Anchorage.

Alaska Bound Days 38 & 39

Day 38 Miles 175 Hope AK Porcupine Creek Campground Chugach National Forest. (Note: I finally put my computer on Alaska time. I don’t know if anyone took note but with it being on Florida time, it appeared I was posting the blog in the wee hours of the morning!) By 10 a.m. most of the camp sites between me and the water had cleared out and I had a fantastic view! Unfortunately it was time for me to pull the power cord and head out of Homer. It would be better to be here on a week day I think. I had the impression many here were weekenders. Also there are several other camp grounds on the spit. I would check those out too. Homer Spit Rv seems the most popular perhaps because it is an easy walk to shops and restaurants, but nothing is very far. Heritage Park, Mariner Park and one that might be a municipal one are on the end of the spit toward town.
I went to Safeway to connect to the internet as I had never succeeded with anything but email with the campground’s connection. I also picked up some fruit and a Sunday Anchorage Daily News. Judy and Gunnel were at the store and soon we were all headed north. The drive seemed much more enjoyable in this direction. I don’t know if it was because I was fresher or the orientation to the water was better. It was also a beautiful sunny day so everything looked better. There still was a lot of traffic however and some road construction with work on Sunday. A number of boats were being trailered. These are a lobsterboat type design but look like they are built to withstand heavy, icy seas. On top was lashed an inflated inflatable (dinghy?) that seemed almost as long as the boat itself.
We stopped in Soldaton or as I call it the town with all the stoplights and franchises, and I topped off my tank. Lunch was eaten at a state park along the Kenai River. Lots of people were out enjoying the beautiful day. I had selected a campground that was part of the Chugach National Forest. The surrounding area had road construction and I had a funny feeling it might impact the campground. Sure enough a big CLOSED sign greeted us. We pulled out books and maps and decided to follow AAA recommendation for another National Forest campground. This required a drive away from route 1 and turned out to be very scenic and paved all the way into the campground. Even the sites were paved and not the gravel we’ve had lately. No water or electric but we had a fantastic dinner cooked outdoors on Judy’s grill. We cut up lots of vegetables and marinated them. She added ribeye steaks to the tasty meal. Gunnel had purchased wine so we really had a party complete with a campfire. In the beautiful wooded setting, it was idyllic.

Day 39 Miles 95 Ship Creek RV Park, Anchorage Another beautiful day and following breakfast we took an hour hike along the wooded trail that runs parallel to the water. We are on Turnagain Arm which is off the Cook Inlet. The tides here are second only to the Bay of Fundy. There was a nice breeze but we were shedding layers before returning to the camp ground. The wind had really increased on our return and there was a warning not to take the path on windy days because of all the damaged spruce trees. We had seen many toppled over. The disease caused by a beetle has caused a lot of destruction in all the areas we have travelled.
I ran my generator as I prepared my lunch using the microwave. I was very pleased that the new battery held its charge well. We’ll be dry camping 3 nights at Denali National Park and will have to depend on our own resources. I haven’t decided whether to get propane or not. The temperature has been rising and I haven’t used the heater in a couple of nights.
We left the campground reluctantly. It is the nicest campground I think I have been in on the whole trip. Heading back along the Hope Highway and then north on the Alaska Highway, we arrived at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. There were bison, muskoxen, moose, black tail deer, reindeer, and bears all behind fences. However seeing them away from their natural habitat was not the same. I realize they are doing important work here but I’ve seen so much as recent as yesterday when a moose meandered across the road in front of us. (Fortunately we were stopped.) They have a better than usual gift shop though. We also stopped at a roadside area overlooking the Turnagain Arm and Cook Inlet confluence. The full moon tides had the water all a-swirl. July and August this is supposed to be a good site to view Beluga whales. Passing by here was a “Princess” train headed from Anchorage to a cruise ship in Seward. The passengers were seated in dome cars with linen tablecloths. The speed at which the train was traveling made me think they were not able to take full advantage of the view.
Anchorage was another of the places where I kept changing the RV reservations as our numbers and dates changed. I had to work through a travel agency and prepay. I finally cancelled the other day when our plans were still fluid. We chose an RV park that looked like a good location, from an ad in the Milepost book. Arriving amidst rush hour traffic with road construction added in, we pulled into the worst looking RV park I’ve seen. It’s Creekwood Inn and RV. The cost was going to be $41 which was particularly painful after last night’s $7 . We decided to try the original RV park location, Ship Creek. I’d heard mixed reviews about that area. The railroad runs alongside the park. However compared to Creekwood, it was fine and the cost was the same As is typical of RV parks in a city, it is very close quarters. I could hand my neighbor a cup of coffee. However the laundry is nice and is where I am writing this.
Tomorrow I will get together with friends of friends and also visit the newly redone Museum of History and Art and hopefully the Native Center. Anchorage is very spread out, some calling it Los Anchorage. In some ways it is too bad to have such a short time, but somehow the congestion just makes me want to run the other way. For those living here, they don’t have far to go to reach beautiful scenic areas.

Alaska Bound Photos

Valdez Dock Point Walk

Ferry from Valdez to Whittier. Having some trouble uploading. Hopefully more to come.

Alaska Bound Days 35-37

Day 35 Seward Gunnel and Judy brought their breakfast over about 7:30. We headed for the tour office on foot. Seward has a wonderful walking path along the water. Not sure if I mentioned that our campsites front on the water as well. Cruise ships and freighters pass by heading to docks and sailboat were out yesterday. The walk was about 15 minutes. After checking in we perused the gift shop and then boarded at 9:30. It is such a nice boat, well appointed and very comfortable. We choose seats at a table on the upper deck. There were only 37 passengers on a boat that could take well over 100. Captain Chris was a wonderful guide and the 3 mates were always ready to help particularly in pointing out the wildlife as well as seeing there was plenty of coffee and hot water for tea.
We hadn’t gone far when Chris pointed out 3 separate pods of Orcas also known as Killer Whales. These are in the dolphin family and follow boats more like dolphins. They were very active all around us. He cut the engine so we could just drift and watch. It was an incredible experience. We turned toward the glacier area where we could see two glaciers before arriving at our destination, the Alialik. These glaciers are part of the Harding Icefield as is Exit which we saw last night. At the glacier Chris also cut the engine so we could hear the sound of the glacier. He said though that the sound would come after the sight of the glacier calving so we all kept our eyes on the massive ice right in front of us. There were also harbor seals about. We witnessed a number of incidences of calving, one piece of which Chris said was the size of our vessel. He had anticipated this and moved the boat a bit further out. His years of experience showed throughout the trip.
Reluctantly we had to leave but we saw sea otters, humpback whales, Stellar sea lion (now considered endangered species), and Dahl porpoises. Among the birds we saw two types of puffins, horned and tufted, in the water and nesting, eagles, Cormorants , Murres, Artic terns, Black Legged kittiwakes also nesting, and gulls. The rocky cliffs were filled with birds as was often the air around and above.
Dinner was at a lodge owned by the tour company which also houses overnight guests. A park ranger presented a talk on the park while we ate. We returned to Seward awe struck by this incredible opportunity to see so many species up close and personal in a phenomenal setting not to mention the glacier . What an experience of a lifetime. Anyone visiting this area should be sure to do this tour.
Our walk back to the campground was in a light rain which changed to a steady rain as the evening wore on. We sipped some of Judy’s port while making plans for tomorrow. “Don’t you ever take a day off?” Gunnel asked. Of course today we didn’t drive at all which was like a day off!
Day 36 Miles 185 Seward to Homer I am writing this from Homer spit Campground overlooking the rocky beach and water as the sun is starting to lower in the sky at 10:10 p.m. it will rise again about 4 a.m. The tides tonight will be about a 20 foot range and I’m hoping to view some tide pools at low tide in the morning. Homer is on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula and Seward on the East. To get from one to another you must first travel north, then southwest and finally southeast.
We began our day with a visit to Seward’s fantastic Sea Life Center. In addition to being a great interactive mari facility, they do research and rescue of sea life as well. It was particularly interesting to learn more about some of the species we saw yesterday and even see a live web cam of the Stellar Sea Lions on the rocks with their young, some of which were new born. We were also able to see the Puffins as they swam underwater. Part of the cost for the facility was from the Exon Valdez settlement.
After a few gift shop purchases we headed to Safeway for some foodstuffs including lunch supplies. Our departure from Seward was about 11:30. Around 12:30 we stopped in the Russian and Kenai Rivers area. This is supposed to be great salmon fishing. The season will not begin until June 11 and will be very limited in time and allowable catch. There were also signs regarding the deterioration of the shoreline and how that was detrimental to the salmon “fry” which I gather is the young. They have provided metal stairs to get down to the water without walking on the banks and request the fishermen wade into the stream rather than fish from edge. There were also instructions on proper catch and release.
The sun was in and out and we elected to eat in Judy’s trek but had a good view of the river. There was more traffic on the road than we’d seen in a long time. This peninsula is very popular for weekend visits by those living in Anchorage. A number of the vehicles were motor homes. School is now out in Alaska so vacations are probably starting. Many people rent RV’s in Anchorage, 225 miles north of there (which is probably more sensible than driving from Florida!) and come here at the beginning or end of their trip.
We made a mid afternoon stop for ice cream. This drive seems much longer and not nearly as scenic as the one to Seward. We even passed a town with multiple stoplights and national franchises. That hasn’t been the case in a long time. However as we approached Homer we followed the water and came down a long hill overlooking the entire area including the “spit” where I am tonight. We first stopped at the home of friends of Judy’s. They live in a very high area. Judy and Gunnel are staying there tonight. I begged off as I had guaranteed this campsite and was looking forward to being on the water. It will probably be my last waterfront campground at least for a while. After enjoying my leftovers from the other night I walked along the boat harbor and took some photos. I have not had time to put any photos on the computer in a long time. I am hoping I can devote some time to that this weekend and secure a strong enough internet site to post them for viewing. It will be difficult to cull them out. I appreciate hearing from some of you on email. I am sorry that I can’t seem to have time to answer but know that I am enjoying hearing your news and will reply eventually. Now I’m going to try to see a sunset!
Day 37 Homer Spit RV Park I didn’t make it until sunset which was after 11 and by 4 it was light again. Amazingly I slept until almost 8 so not much luck with the tide pools either. I did walk the rocky beach and collected some rocks. Judy and Gunnel picked me up and we headed into Homer to see the Pratt Museum. Their featured collection is in memory of the 1989 Exon Valdez Oil Spill the consequences of which are still very evident in the area as stormy seas and tides bring up the oil that sunk and the disruption in peoples lives continues. Works of art depicting the grief and anger were part of the presentation as well as recorded voices of local people. Other exhibits included life at sea, early homesteaders, local wildlife and sea life and some local art. Weather was also featured as was volcano and earthquake activity which play a major role in the life here. A nearby volcano on Mt. Redoubt has been active since spring and ash is still evident in places. The 1964 earthquake did major damage including destroying the area on which I am camping. As we paid our admission, the woman at the desk knew Stuart because she lived in Jensen Beach for a couple of years. The woman in the gift shop is of Russian heritage and lives in a Russian dominated village on the east end of the area. Another volunteer was interpreting in a pioneer cabin and told of her life in such a cabin in the 1980’s. I suspect a lot of these are still inhabited now.
A delicious lunch at Fat Olives followed by a Mead tasting at a local producer, Ring of Fire, mellowed us for the afternoon. We also enjoyed some fascinating exhibits at an art center and additional ecological information at Islands and Oceans visitor center sited on a hill and reached by a footpath. A brisk cold wind chilled us but otherwise it was very sunny.
We met Judy’s friends for a great fish dinner at Captain Pattys here on the Spit. The plans for tomorrow are to begin to work our way to Anchorage.

Alaska Bound Days 31-34

Day 31 Sunshine in Haines AK Miles 202 Judy drove for a further tour of Haines including a search for smoked fish. Apparently there was a big fishing derby going on so no one was around. We did a walk around Ft. Seward. This area was purchased from the US army in the late 40’s by some service men and now is on the National register. Many of the original buildings have been converted to residences. A cruise ship dock is at the base of the hill and receives some small ships. A store owner said “the cruise ship companies want to own the shops and Haines would not agree like Skagway did.” Perhaps because of the fishing tournament, the town was very quiet. The Mountain Market coffee shop and health food store was the only busy place we saw.
We were on the road north by 11. I bought gas which turned out to be 50 cents more than Juneau! Bad decision there. Then it was pumped by an attendant who could not coax enough to reach full. I stopped again for gas at Haines Junction Yukon where it was back to liters and Canadian money. We crossed the border 40 miles north of Haines. Initially the route is in the far corner of BC but then goes into the Yukon territory. The scenery was awesome. Snowy mountain tops of Kluane National Park with areas that felt quite desolate with few cars on the road. We stopped at the highest point of the Haines highway for a photo op. Temperatures dropped as low as 40. Haines Junction was our late lunch stop at the Village Bakery. A better name would be Temptations. Everything looked good but I settled on salmon soup and a slice of Greek style pizza. They also sold local “cold” smoked salmon and each of us selected some. Tempting as it was I passed on the wonderful breads, muffins, and cookies. It was a busy place in a very small town. Across the street was the Kluane National Park Visitor Center. I picked up information for our final leg in the Yukon/BC area. I also inquired about the area where my husband Les’s base camp might have been on the Alaska Highway in 1945. (At that time it was referred to as the Alcan. He was with the Signal Corps at one of the telegraph/repeater stations along the highway. A distinction of his camp was its location on a glacier which caused many additional challenges with the difficult environment.) Next stop was the location of the meeting of the two ends of the road. This area also has a glacier which has been receding. Judy hiked part way up the path to the summit location but I opted out. I was very tired at this point and eager to find our campground for the night. Surprisingly enough it was a a short distance beyond. Cottonwood RV park was very nice with a setting on the still ice covered lake. We met a German couple from Hamburg who had picked up a rental RV in Whitehorse. They planned to travel the area for a couple of months.
No garbage was allowed in the area because of the bears. We shared the smoked salmon for supper. It was a very full day and I am actually writing this several days later.

Day 32 Miles 310 We had planned to leave at 8 a.m. because this would be one of the longer days. Judy popped in at 7 as I was preparing my breakfast. She was ready to go! Turns out she was using her phone for a clock and it had switched to local time an hour ahead. We had agreed to stay on Alaska time. She had been up at what she thought was 6 and photographed the sunrise. I was up at 6 and the sun was high in the sky. There are about 20 hours of daylight now.
We were on the road at 8 Alaska time and traveled through more magnificent scenery with mountains and lakes. The night before we had highlighted in the Milepost book areas where we would rendezvous or didn’t want to miss. One was a former telegraph station now campground but was closed. However there were a number of army vehicles there. We are on the Alaska Highway. All the problems of muskeg (marshy like area) and permafrost lifting the roadways of which Les spoke are still very prevalent. In some areas they seem to be moving the road; in others they strip in down to the gravel. One area was such a washboard, I went 15 mph. Trucks were going much faster. One RVer we later met said his TV fell off its bracket in this area and he was almost hit by a semi. It was not a road for the faint of heart and made the outstanding surroundings more difficult to appreciate. We did have a wonderful lunch in Beaver Creek at Buckshot Bettys. A fun place with good food. They promised Wifi but it didn’t seem to work. We also stopped in Tok. Our coupon book promised free fudge. “It comes next week” was the answer. That shop also promised Wifi that we could not get to work. We bought gas there and I purchased a Fairbanks Sunday paper. The headlines told of earthquake tremors in Fairbanks. Uh-oh.
In Tok we turned south onto the Tok cutoff. The Alaska Highway went on to Fairbanks. I know Les drove this route many times during his service here and he was in my thoughts all during the day.
We were headed to Hart D Ranch in the town of Slana. A big “For Sale” sign greeted us at the entrance which was a bit of a put off for me. The RV/Lodge is adjacent to the Wrangell/Elias National Forest. We had thought we could take advantage of the proximity but it did not appear an area easily accessed. We were the only RV’s in the park though some bicyclists were tent camping. I don’t think anyone was in the lodge facility. Mary Louise the owner is an artist. At one time she also raised sled dogs. Four of their houses still remained and were behind our campsites. She says with all the play on the Idilirod and the commercial sponsorships, the sport has really changed. She now raises small show dogs.
We decided to only stay one night and go onto Valdez for 2 nights. We both felt the need to catch up up a bit and didn’t think the Hart D Ranch would provide that opportunity though there was good internet service but no telephone reception. The routes are taking longer with the stretches of gravel covered and permafrost lifted roads.

Day 33 Miles 203 Judy slept in today. I had thought she’d gone for a walk. By the time we actually departed it was 11:30 a.m. We wanted to check out a couple of other campgrounds for friends of Judy’s doing the trip next year. Somehow I missed the turn for the first one and the walkie talkies don’t work with more than a mile between us. I have to say they have been very helpful to stay in contact and point out things to each other. We found a place for lunch and a man coming out commented that he had seen us earlier. He advised us to watch the roads and keep our speed at 45 mph. He was trying to fish for red salmon and the season began today. I guess the fish didn’t get the word though and they haven’t arrived.
We had delicious hamburgers at Trailside Grill mm115, though with Fox news in the background, and a nice visit with the owner/chief. He has a very interesting collection of Alaska books, new and used.
Next stop was the Wrangell/Elias National Park Visitor Center. It was an impressive facility with a separate theater where an excellent film on the park was shown. This park is larger than Switzerland with higher peaks according to the film. The park came into being in 1984 but is not very accessible or restrictive. There are a number of privately held properties with “subsistence living” we were told by a ranger.
Our trip took us through Thompson Pass. At one point we could see the Alaska Pipeline headed for Valdez. Somehow they were able to get it through these incredible mountains. We saw glaciers, waterfalls, spruce trees some of which are being damaged by a fungus. This is the same range as the Kluane National Forest in Canada where we were yesterday. All along there are silt filled streams from the glacier run off. The water is often “tea with milk” colored but also slate gray due to the sediment from the glaciers.
In some ways I feel I have followed spring north. I’ve watched the budding trees, the delicate green leaves, the brighter foliage and the many wildflowers along the roadside. In Alaska it seems to be happening in a fast motion speed. At Cottonwood last night the trees were still budding out on the east side of these mountains. On the west side everything looks in full bloom.
We worked our way down to Valdez while debating on campgrounds along the way, but eventually found Eagles Rest a primarily gravel covered site but with views of mountains all around. Eagles come in for feeding and Dall sheep are on the hillside. It’s not the wilderness we had wanted but it is scenic. Donald led us to our sites which have electric, sewer and water. I asked about facilities for washing our vehicles and he said we could do it on our sites. We investigated the laundry facilities which are the best yet and heated shower rooms to boot! I can take this “urban setting”. A trip to the nearby grocery was possible by foot which was welcomed after the long day at the wheel.

Day 34 Valdez AK This will be a long post and I apologize but most nights I have been too tired to write. Judy has been more diligent (and less wordy) and you might want to check her blog www.judysroadtrek.blogspot.com. I decided to complete this tonight because tomorrow will begin a new phase of our trip. We will catch a ferry to Whittier in the morning 8 a.m. departure which means ferry dock by 7 a.m. The remainder of the week will be spent in the Kenai Peninsula which is south of Anchorage. We’ll first visit Seward where our arrangements have been made by some local Roadtrek owners. Then we’ll head over to Homer, where Judy has friends. During this time we’ll be joined by another friend of Judy’s, Gunnell who will travel with us until Anchorage. Gunnell and her husband are sailors so I’m sure we’ll have some sea stories to swap.
Today has been a sunny beautiful day in Valdez. We began in search of a hardware store for some RV items. I found a gadget for use with the hose in filling the water tanks. We had difficulty locating the visitor center as both the address and map illustration was wrong. As a result though we found a resale shop where I found some jeans. I only had one pair and they are my primary dress so I had been hoping for a cheap pair and $3 met the bill. The visitor center had maps of trails in the area. However most were longer and more arduous than I wanted. We saw a film on the earthquake that destroyed what had been Valdez before 1964. It is the largest quake to ever hit this continent at 9.8. Incredible film footage showed the magnitude of the 40 ft. waves that came ashore. Amazingly only 115 deaths were reported. We drove the area where the original Valdez was located but nothing indicated what had happened. We found an area across the harbor near the pipeline headquarters that made a great setting for lunch. We agreed on the “local” hiking trailn which featured some interesting plant life as well as views of the water.
I wanted to give Big Mama some attention and that involved the rest of the day. Judy decided to do the same and came up with the idea of using the picnic table to access the higher parts of our vans. We worked at bug removal, filling tanks, pumping out and trouble shooting some problems. Finally I was able to head for the showers and then a load of laundry. I’d done a crock pot dish and that together with vegetables made dinner in between wash and dry cycles. I regret missing the museums here and a historical walking tour tonight but I feel more rested from this physical work and satisfied that Big Mama is looking good after the pounding these roads have given her.

Alaska Bound Days 29 & 30

Day 29 Juneau Miles 67 We had a leisurely start for a change and departed the campground about 9:30. First stop was Nugget Mall where we found Carhartt jeans at Alaska Outdoors, an REI type store. I tried on a lot of sale merchandise but settled for a full price hat. Judy found some pants she liked. We then visited Alaska Gourmet where she purchased a coffee making funnel, the type I use to brew a single cup, and measuring cups that will go in microwave. We then headed to town. The recommended parking at the Coast Guard facility where we parked on Wednesday was closed due to construction at the entrance. There was a spot in front of the Tracy Arm boat office. It didn’t look like regular parking but we didn’t see any signs. On our return about 6 hours later we saw a “30 minute limit” sign that had been blocked by a large van earlier. Fortunately there was no ticket on the windshield.
Starting at the Juneau/Douglas City museum to sign up for their 1:30 walking tour of the historic downtown area, we then crossed through the State Office Building where taking an elevator down saves a long stairway and leads to the State Museum. Emphasizing all of the state, there is an excellent collection of native history as well as a section on the Russian influence. We ran out of time though so decided to come back later in the day. Back to the state office building where we found a canteen, had a hot dog, and made it back to the city museum for the tour.
Marie, a life time resident of Juneau since her birth in 1925 and a descendent of those arriving in the 1890’s, was our impressive leader. One participant was from Vancouver traveling on a cruise ship, and the other an 18 year resident of Juneau who came specifically because Marie was leading the tour. To top it off it was a beautiful sunny and somewhat warm day. We first toured the state capitol which Marie remembered once also housing all the state offices and the post office. She pointed out old photographs and shared their history. As we toured about 6 blocks of the historic district she brought the various families who had owned the buildings and businesses to life including a Japanese family who ran a laundry and one of whose sons was Marie’s classmate. Before he could finish high school, his fqmily was relocated to an internment camp. (She described it as evacuation.) The building was still inscribed as “Laundry 1930”. The family never returned to Juneau. She told of the Goldsteins and the Ballantynes buildings and their various businesses. She talked of the gold miners and cannery workers as well as pointed out where the red light district had once been located, now filled with shops for the cruise ship passengers. Many of the “streets on the hillsides are actually stairways that have names and serve as addresses. Back at the museum Marie suggested we take in the video which was a further history lesson which had more meaning after the “real life” descriptions of Marie.
After checking out the recommended Silverbow bakery bagels and buying for tomorrow’s breakfast, we headed back to the State Museum for another hour. They have one of 33 globes of the planet earth that receives computer and satellite feeds from NOAA. There are a series which include weather patterns, ice formation and melt, earthquake data, and the passage of the sun over the earth with the night illuminations. Very fascinating.
Our next decision was Robert’s Tram for which we had a discount coupon. It goes up a mountain overlooking the harbor. Instead of seeking that view we drove over to Douglas, on the island across from Juneau and a more residential area. We headed north along the water until we reached a pull off with a view across to the Mendenhall glacier. This was also a boat launch area and the locals were out for an evening of fishing. Back on the Juneau side we went back to Fred Meyers store. The campground discounted our stay with a contribution to their community food pantry. Fred’s had a good buy on peanut butter so we each bought a couple of jars. We also picked up cooked chicken and salads and headed north to the end of the peninsula for a picnic at St. Theresa’s shrine. A large flat top rock was our table and we had a delightful dinner with wine over looking the Gatineau Channel and the sun going behind the mountains to the west. We will sail out this channel tomorrow on the ferry to Haines.

Day 30 Juneau to Haines By 7 a.m. I was off to the main campground building, a mobile unit containing the office, laundry room, toilet and shower facilities nicely heated. It was 9 by the time my clothes and I were clean and dry. Judy and I had bagels, cream cheese and coffee in Big Mama. I pumped my tanks, stowed the clean clothes, did the dishes and some needed straightening. Judy made yet one more trip to Fred Meyers and a gas stop. I decided to get gas at Haines thinking it might be less $$ than Juneau. I haven’t mentioned that through all of this it was raining. The temperature was tolerable but I wore my boots the whole time. We met at the ferry dock shortly after noon. The latest to check in was 12:30 for our 2:30 departure. We were in separate but adjacent lines Personnel came back and checked over the vehicles putting tape over the propane valve. They also taped someone’s broken tail light. Again the loading was incrediably slow. The number of vehicles was high and many of them motor homes. I was probably loaded almost an hour before Judy and that was at almost 2:30. I could watch her in line from the observation lounge on the ferry. We left over an hour later than scheduled.
We did enjoy halibut burgers (grilled fish on a bun) in the cafeteria. People mingled and talked of fishing, pipelines, travel. Many seemed to be workers or politicians from Juneau heading off for the weekend. I met a German couple who live in Ft. Lauderdale in the winter and are doing a car tour. They left Florida the day before I did. We were alerted to whale sightings which happened several times. Unloading at Haines took a while and when we came out of the terminal, a very rough road was the route into the small town of Haines. We finally reached the campground after 8. They had reservations for 3 of us but were willing to apply Sherrie’s deposit to my site and I’ll repay her. It was a very efficient checkin Judy wanted to find a restaurant but the closing hours were 9 and it was 9:10. One did agree to serve us a large bowl of chowder in their non smoking bar. Called the Bamboo Room, the building has a long history. Beginning as French food restaurant in the 20’s, at one time it was a bordello. The current owners took over in the 50’s and are known for their halibut fish and chips. The place has a very homey, local flavor.