Seward: almost the end of our journey.

We awoke to another sunny day in Homer, Alaska.  Wow, four in a row! As we drove west to Seward, the clouds started to roll in, and by the time we arrived in Seward, it had clouded over.

When we visited the Pratt Museum in Homer, there were some interesting facts about Alaska that I thought was worth putting in the blog.  We learned from this driving adventure that Alaska is a huge state, but I didn't know that if we divided the state in half, the half would still would be larger than any of the other states.  2).The shoreline is longer than all other states combined...33,904 miles.  3).It not only is the northern most state, it also is the westermost and the eastermost state.  The 180th meridian passes thru Alaska.  The dividing line between east and west runs through the state.  4.)Alaskans eat more ice cream per capita than people from any other state.  5).Alaska also had the most female vice-presidential candidates (one) than any other state.
Our observations: there are more personalized licence plates than other state; more smokers per capita than any other state; more RV parks, and the rainiest vacation than any other state; the biggest cabbages; the most miles between cities; the most expensive gasoline; and the most beautiful mountains than any other state.

The Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward is a worthwhile visit.  We did that this afternoon and saw many different fowl, including the puffins.  Funny looking creatures.  We also learned the five stages of the life cycle of salmon.  One is never too old to learn.  The test is, can we remember?

A few photos of the day that may be of interest.  A sign on the road, and the name of the restaurant where we had supper.  So much for today.

A visit to Norman Lowell Gallery

On the way to Homer this morning, we stopped to see the Norman Lowell Gallery.  The 85 year old gentleman is not only a collector of art objects, and a poet, he has built a gallery for his paintings and collections.  What impressed us was his eye for putting on canvas the beauty of creation.  His poetry gives expression to his faith.  In his poem, 'Remember', the following excerpts captures this: "...may the grandeur of this great land overwhelm your imagination, and cause you to wonder, to reflect on all you have seen on this earth.  May you know with certainty that it was God who formed this earth,and his hand that touched with beauty this place."

There was a painting that our caught our attention.  It is a print on canvas. Technology is amazing. We couldn't afford the real thing, but the method called giclee (zhee-clay) is close to the original.  We had our picture taken with the artist.

We had supper on the Homer Spit at Captain Pattie's.  We shared a Sampler Seafood platter. A wonderful place to eat.  Our B & B is about 7 miles  out of town.  Again, today was sunny, cool, and clear.  The mountains showed their beauty once more.

Only God can clothe the earth with His majesty!

What a glorious day we had driving the 'All American Highway', from Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula.  We have seen many mountains, valleys and rivers on this journey, but today's sights  on the Seward Highway were the best.  Was it because it was sunny, or just getting out of the big city and on the road again?  Probably some of both.  As we stopped to take pictures, we were in awe of God's creation.
  Tonight we are staying in a B & B in the little town of Kenai. The river is running right along side the property.  Mo tried fishing with his old fishing rod, but the line broke and he lost two lures.  He decided he had better look for another rod, which he did, plus a 3-day fishing license.  As you can see, he caught a fish shortly after casting.  Of course, I had to get a picture of that! So you know what he will be doing for the next couple days.

  When Mo was fishing, the tide was low, so he could get near the water.  A couple hours later, we looked out, and the water was flowing the opposite way.  The river fills up as the tide rolls in.   Thinking about rolling in, it is time for me to roll into bed.  Goodnight!

 

From Denali to Anchorage, AK

We experienced the best and worst of B & B's this past weekend.  After our Denali visit, we headed south.  Rain accompanied us on the way.  After driving for a few hours, we found a B&B in Trapper Creek. It had a great view out our bedroom window, and the best breakfast we have had on our trip. Continuing on our way, we found a 10:30 service in Wasilla .  It was a small fellowship, very relaxed, with the service of song starting 20 minutes late, sermon an hour, followed by communion at 12:15. It was a good service, and very welcoming. There was no offering.

a male musk ox

  We took a short tour of the Musk Ox farm in Palmer on the way to Anchorage.  The animals reminded me of bison, but actually they are related to the goat family.  They shed their undercoat each Spring (molting) and make a yarn from it called qiviut.  It is very soft and very expensive.

  Then we arrived at our B & B in Anchorage.  I don't have words to describe how bad it was.  The picture may give a hint of the condition of the place.  We had reserved 4 nights, but we both knew we could not stay even one night.  It was a stressful time letting her know of our decision.  The place should be condemned.  We left there with a heavy heart; also not sure if we would find  another place.  We did, and today turned out to be a good one. It included a trolly tour of Anchorage, a visit of the ULU factory, a walk on one of many trails in the city, and sharing a halibut sandwich at noon.  The flowers downtown Anchorage could compete well with Lynden's display.
  Each night our feet and backs are very tired.  It is time to put both to rest.  Goodnight.

Majestic mountains in Denali

On our way to Denali on Friday, we were recounting the many ways God has blessed us on this trip.  As we were driving south and seeing the mountains, valleys, rivers and lakes, our eyes were filled  with the beauty of God's creation.  America, the Beautiful.... 'for purple mountains majesty' and Psalm 19 came to mind.  Suddenly the sun came out!  An added blessing.

moose scat by cabin

  We have stayed in comfortable hotels, motels, and B&B's on the way.  But the little log cabin in the woods where we stayed Friday night was a special treat.  It was 10 miles north of the park entrance in the small town of Healy. It was small, secluded, and clean.  There was nothing to distract the peace and quiet.  Mo was excited about the moose presence next to the deck!

  Today we took the 'green bus' 66 miles into the park.  We did not see Mt. McKinley, but there were so many other beautiful mountains, ice patches, river and glacier beds, it did not matter.  Some of the park's residents greeted us along the way:  a wolf, grizzly bear, moose, caribou, and a couple Dall sheep resting on the rocks.  The park consists of over 6 million acres.  We are very thankful for the men and women who had the vision to preserve this beautiful place and keep it unspoiled for future generations to enjoy.  Goodnight.

Fairbanks, continued

Yesterday's blog did not mention the cruise we took on the Chena River aboard a Sternwheeler.  We learned about the art of dog mushing and saw the dogs in action loving every moment of the short run. I bought a picture story book about Susan Butcher, and her dog Granite, signed by her husband.  (Google them) We stopped along the way and visited a typical Indian village where Indian college students explained the ways their ancestors lived.

  Today we went gold panning.  That was a disappointing experience for us.  First, it was very commercialized.  After riding on an open train, we each received a little bag of dirt that we poured into the pan; then we all sat in rows with a trough of water in front of us.  In the end, we each had some tiny specks of gold that they wanted to put in a necklace that we could purchase for $40.00.  What bothered us more was the way the land was ruined through the process of placer mining.

  Back to the WEIO which is going on in Fairbanks this week, there is an event called Native Baby Contest.  We watched the mothers or grandmothers dress the babies in skin, fur or cloth.  The photo shows it all.

  Finally there is the Golden Days Parade on Saturday in Fairbanks.  To promote this, members of the Chamber  dress up like strippers and go around town selling red garters and pins.  In Fairbanks, anything can happen.  It has been an adventure.  Tomorrow we leave this fair city.

Reaching Fairbanks, and experiencing its charms

My turn to write.  From Tok we stopped at Delta Junction to see the end milepost of the Alcan Highway.  I was never one to collect hat pins, but this trip I've collected quite a few, including another one there.  Next stop was North Pole a hokey town built around the idea of Santa Claus.  The streets are named after Santa's reindeer, and even the light posts are painted to resemble candy canes.  People like to send post cards from there.

     In Fairbanks I had to get used to driving in traffic again, after days of hardly seeing another vehicle.  The University of Alaska Fairbanks has a fantastic museum.  We spent almost four hours there.  The highlight was a mummy of a 36,000 year old Steppe Bison, that was found by a mining company.  It was named Blue Babe.

     On recommendation from a friend we ate dinner at the Turtle Club, renowned for its prime rib.  It was excellent.  Today was cool and drizzly again.  For us, maybe not for the rest of you, it is becoming The Summer That Never Was.  We went to a farmers' market that had a lot of craft booths. Nell bought some more ear rings.  We got a bowl of hot chili and ate it in the pickup to warm up.  On the grounds of the visitors center is an arch made of moose antlers.  I wanted to get a pair to hang on the wall of our living room, but Nell said "No".

     This evening we went to the Olympics.  Not the ones you're thinking of, but the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics (WEIO).  There were ancient native dances, women blanket tossers, (it's seeing how high she can jump from a trampoline made out of hides held by about 30 men), toe kick, ear pull, etc.  There were craft booths there too.  Since Nell had been buying stuff, I thought it was my turn, so I bought a small statue of an Eskimo fishing.  It is made of whale bone, walrus ivory, and baleen.  After that I think I'm done shopping.  We got a picture of the Eskimo and his wife.

Inupiaq  Eskimo & wife

Greetings from Tok, Alaska

on the ferry, with beautiful scenery

Scenes on the road to Tok

By sea and land,  through dust, gravel patches, frost heaves, and bumps, we have arrived in Tok.  With four ferry trips this last week to visit Juneau, Sitka, and back to Haines, we are becoming pros at ferry travel. The inland passage has beautiful scenery.  Our pickup was waiting for us on returning to Haines.  Then came the long ride, first to Haines Junction and then to Tok today.  We experienced the worst roads on this part of the trip.  Up and down, dodging holes, and dips, it was more than I could enjoy.

Grizzl

The Lord provided a couple of exciting moments, however.  A grizzly bear on the side of the road having a lunch of flowers, and later a moose taking a bath in a shallow lake.  It made the trip worthwhile.  And I must not forget the cache that Mo found in Tok.

..a moose taking a bath

One of the annoying things in staying in different motels in our travels, is where the T-paper is located. I try to remember to check it out before going to bed, so I don't have to search for it during the night.  It can be behind me on right or left, on the side, either right or left, or in front.  Maybe the gov't will make some regulation on that too, in the future!   Goodnight!   Nell

Sitka: A day of Culture

What a day.  Two dance performances, a couple museums, lots of walking, a break for lunch, and a touching story about the Alaskan Flag.  When George Parks, Governor of the Alaskan Territory visited Washington D.C. in 1926, he found out that Alaska had no flag.  So he asked the American Legion to promote a contest of pupils in 7th grade and older in all the schools to design a flag. 1st prize was a gold watch enameled with the winning design.  2nd prize was $15.00.  Students were encouraged to study and back their design with their own ideas.   The winner was a young boy of 13, Bennie Benson, who had lost his mother at the age of four.  His father could not take care of the children and work also, so two of the children were raised in a Mission Home.  Bennie's entry consisted of "eight stars of gold on a field of blue".  The words below the design read: "The blue field is for the Alaska sky, the sea, the forget-me-not flowers.  The North Star is for the future of the state of Alaska, the most northerly in the union.  The Dipper is for the Great Bear, symbolizing strength".  There were 142 entries that were submitted to the committee.  Bennie's flag was unanimously accepted at the Territorial Legislature in May, 1927.

The other highlights were two dance programs:  The New Archangels performed Russian dances, since the Russians had control of Alaska for over a hundred years.  Sitka was the capital during the Russian rule. The other dance group was the local Tlingets sharing stories through their dance movements.
Tomorrow we leave Sitka, but we won't forget the stories we learned from the museums, totem poles and dances.  A great day.    Nell

Our Day in Juneau, AK

You may have heard about how much it rains along the Alaskan coast.  Well, we're experiencing it, plus cool and breezy.  I thought this is like going on vacation in Michigan in late November in the rain.

Malaspina Ferry 

..inside church

Totem Post

Mendenhall Glacier

Here's a picture of the ferry S.S. Malaspina that brought us here.  It looks like a midget compared to the huge cruisers that dock 4 at a time in the harbor.  Downtown Juneau is packed with tourists, many speaking foreign languages.  We took a bus to Mendenhall Glacier.  Awesome, and it's only one of 38 coming from the same ice field.  Excellent visitors center there to explain all about glaciers.  Back in town we stopped in at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church.  Tiny place, but the rector, or priest said that it will hold about 100 people, all standing up.  I don't think my back would handle that.  We stopped for lunch at a bakery and dropped $32 there. Ouch!  Yesterday we visited the Alaska State Museum, which had excellent displays of native tribes of the area, as well as of the Japanese invasion of Alaska in 1942.  Tomorrow we get up early to ferry over to Sitka. I know that there are reasons for it, but it is hard to imagine Juneau being capital of Alaska.  You can get here only by air or water.  It is so skinny between the ocean and the mountains, that where we got the bus it was less than the length of a football field from the cruise ship across the parking lot and street to the mountain that seemed to go straight up.  There is a lot of snow up there yet, with many little water falls.  Nell reminds me to "keep 'singin' in the rain'"!!  Mo

A sunny Sunday in Haines, AK

The view of mountains from our motel.

We woke up to a beautiful sunny day this morning, with the mountains rising above the clouds. The scenery changed every few minutes as the clouds moved around and receded. It is the first warm day of our trip!  We walked to church and sang some familiar songs:  To God Be the Glory, Create in Me a Clean Heart, and He Leadeth Me.  It was a good service of encouraging each of us to personally know God and put him first in our lives.  The Presbyterian Church was the 1st mission among the Tlingit people in 1879.  The town, Haines, was named after Sect'y of Presb. Home Missions, Mrs. F.E. Haines.

on the ferry to Haines

   Yesterday was rainy and miserable.  But we walked anyway. Visited the Bald Eagle Foundation and saw the interns feed the bald eagle. They are very stubborn birds. We learned that they prefer red meat to fish, but fish is more plentiful here.  We enjoyed a crab feast, thanks to Jim and Judy's suggestion we visit the RV camp where they stayed last year.  The ferry from Skagway to Haines on Thursday lasted about an hour and we saw many waterfalls.  Tomorrow we travel again by ferry to Juneau.

Skagway Adventures

In front of Visitor Center, Skagway

Actor Mo in the play.

Finding a cache brings smiles!

What an interesting day yesterday. It was a 'red' letter day for Mo.  We did let the pickup rest and we walked and walked all over town.  First, we took an hour tour with the Nat'l Park Ranger, who shared a bit of history and info on historic buildings.  Then we attended a special show about Soapy Smith, a con man during the gold rush.  Mo became a character in the play, much to his embarrassment.  But I thought it was very funny.  Later in the day, we went hiking to a lake.  I went half way and knew I didn't have the energy to climb the switchback trail.  Mo decided he wanted to try it, so we parted.  He came down sometime later, thoroughly exhausted, and realized that some hikes at his age are a bit risky.  Finally, while I was in the library going through the photos, he went geocaching and found 2 caches.  It was a good day, plus the sun did shine for part of the day.  Later this afternoon, we will take the ferry to Haines.  Goodbye Skagway.

On the road again and into Alaska

Ford pickup speaks:  They are calling me 'make a u-turn pickup', because Mo & Nell can't decide which way to go in Whitehorse while looking for museums and restaurants.  I do my best to please.  I was glad to get out of Whitehorse on the 4th of July.  Travelling on Hyway 2 to Skagway was one of the most beautiful rides of the trip so far.  The scenery was gorgeous, as you can see.  I had to make many stops for pictures.  Mo even had to climb a hill to take the best picture--like a mountain goat! The road went from the Yukon T. to B.C. back to Yukon, and finally we saw the sign for Alaska.  Before we entered Skagway, Mo wanted to take the 9 mile Dyea Rd, where there was an early settlement of the Tlingets long before the Gold Rush. The road was curvy and narrow.  Nell did not like it much.  Finally they let me park at the B&B.  It is a great place to stay, and I will get a well-deserved rest.

Final day in Whitehorse, YT

found cache behind this sign. Brrr!

sphere made with bicycle wheels

We woke up to 43 degrees, misty, wet, and cold.  That did not keep us inside.  With layers on, we turned the heat up in the pickup and were on our way.  Qwanlin Dun Cultural Center, Yukon Art Center, geocaching (found 2),  some walking plus supper at Tim Horton's, and the day was filled.  The sun did come out late afternoon, and it got to 56 degrees with a cool wind.  A few pictures for you to enjoy.The sphere we found in the front yard of a bicycle repair man. The weathervane plane is a DC-3 mounted at the Whitehorse airport.

largest weathervane in the world

Notes on historical sites in Whitehorse

I thought I should expand a little on what Nell wrote.  The S.S. Klondike was a special experience for me, because 60 years ago the four of us guys boarded it and looked all around.  At that time it was just an old ship moored alongside a dock.  I think in the 80s they moved it onto land, restored it, and it is now a National Historic Site.  It's the only one of its kind, I believe, that has survived.

The old Log Cabin Church is a museum now, although prayer services are still held on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.  It gives a good history of the Anglican Church in the pioneer days.  You have to have a lot of respect for the missionaries who were willing to live and work in such a hostile environment as this.  One bishop, Springer I think his name was, took a 500 mile trip on foot in 1909 to visit the tribes and settlements in the northwest. One night he ate his leather boots, because he was starving.  He was rescued shortly after, and became known as"The Bishop Who Ate His Boots."
At the McBride Museum Sam McGee's cabin is on display.  The writer, Robert Service, liked his name so well that he asked if he could use it in a poem.  You should read "The Cremation of Sam McGee."  It's hilarious.  Sam was a little upset, though, because he was always known after that as the man in the poem.  Besides, Service didn't get all the facts right.  Sam came from Ontario, not Tennessee.  It was a good day, in spite of the weather.   Mo