10 THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU TRAVEL -
1. CONTACT THE KENNEL AND/OR THE HOUSE SITTER - Once your travel date is confirmed, give a quick phone call and "reserve" your space. People are traveling more, which means pet sitters and kennels are busier!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Dedication to my Father-in-Law
I dedicate my Travelogues through today to my Father-in-Law, Mel. He was my biggest Travelogue fan and really enjoyed reading about what we did each step along the way of each journey we took. He looked forward to our Travelogues and was always so complimentary when he read them. The last day of his life, he was reading our Travelogues and knew we were going to be in Fairbanks. I know deep in my heart that when he passed on July 10th and we were on the train from Fairbanks to Denali - that was no coincidence. We were where we were meant to be. "Fairbanks" was the code name for the ship that both he and my Jim served on. And, he loved trains. I know he's on a great train ride now - and he's the Conductor!
Melvin James Carpenter
January 16, 1920 to July 10, 2010 - (90 years) A long life well lived
Melvin James Carpenter
January 16, 1920 to July 10, 2010 - (90 years) A long life well lived
DAY TWELVE - TRAVELOGUES NORTH TO ALASKA - DENALI TO ANCHORAGE
TRAVELOGUES – DAY TWELVE – JULY 11th – DENALI TO ANCHORAGE
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
We woke early this morning to the pitter patter of water dripping from the roof. It was raining. This was the last day of our trip. After we gathered up everything, Jim and I headed over to the Denali Park Visitors Center to look at the exhibits. I found a nice cozy corner near a massive stone fireplace where I was able to catch up on a couple of my Travelogues and look through some of my pictures. Our group began to gather around 11:30 in the lobby of the Visitors Center, and then we all walked over to the Alaska Railroad Depot where we caught our southbound train at 12:00 noon.
It continued to rain outside, which made going out on the platform behind our rail car to take pictures not a real pleasant experience. As we pulled away from Denali, the car got quiet for awhile as we all realized this was the end of a great adventure with Holland America. By the time we reach Anchorage, we will have traveled over 5,250 miles together through some of the most beautiful and scenic wilderness on earth. We passed Summit Lake at 2,368 feet which is the highest point on the Alaska Railroad. From here, the rivers will flow south towards Anchorage.
The ground up above 2,500 feet is known as Tundra; and below 2,500 ft. it becomes Tiaga (pronounced Tiga). The trees are beginning to get thicker and bushier and the ground cover is also thicker. The railroad parallels the highway with flat marsh lands with countless pools of water dotting the vast landscape.
There is a deep deep gulch that the railroad passes over that is known as Hurricane Gulch because of the hurricane force winds that have been known to pass through there. The trestle bridge is quite impressive as it spans the gulch. From here we traveled south into “bush” country. Those Alaskans who have chosen to live in remote locations in the “bush” only can access it by plane or train. The Alaska Railroad is the only railroad that will actually stop to pick up and drop off passengers along the tracks.
Our ground cover has now changed from the thick brush bushes to Fiddle head ferns that are completely edible and cow parsnip that looks much like Queen Anne’s lace and is very toxic. There are meadows of the ferns and cow parsnip, so thick you cannot see any dirt on the ground. About 3:00 p.m. the rain stopped and the clouds began to break up to give way to the sunshine.
The train moved at a slow pace of about 15-20 mph while passing through certain areas; but most of the time, it moved along at about 30 mph. Several in our group took short cat naps while the rest of us were still constantly looking out the windows of our domed cards not wanting to miss anything.
The reflections of the trees in the mirrored ponds looked like mirrors because they were so calm. As we passed by the Indian River which is crystal clear, we could actually see the red spawning salmon as they swam upstream. The next river we crossed was the Susitna River. “Na” is an Athabascan work meaning running water. Today we actually will cross five rivers: 1) Nenana 2) Chiquitna 3) Chulitna (4) Susitna 5) Talkeetna. The Susitna River is quite wide with many islands in the middle of the running waters. The Susitna River is a glacial fed river and is cloudy and grey from the glacial soot. The river was moving at a good pace. You could see the currents swirling around on the top of the river; but there were no rapids.
The banks of the rivers have rocky shores with numerous very large boulders that have traveled downstream thousands of years ago on icebergs as the glaciers melted. The calm, waters of the ponds dotting the meadows were home to several Trumpeter Swans. They are solid white with dramatic long necks. Their babies are called cygnets.
The “bush” area comes to an end in Talkeetna. We arrived here around 4:45 p.m. Talkeetna has a population of 840 and was the backdrop for the TV show “Northern Exposure”. Our young guide on the train was Jason. He told us the story of the Alaska state flag and its meaning. It was designed by Benny Benson in the 1920’s. The stars are in the shape of the Big Dipper because you can see it so clearly in Alaska. The North Star symbolizes the northern most state of the United States.
Wasilla, the next city on our itinerary, really came to be known as the home of Sarah Palin. South of Wasilla we entered the low lands of the Knik Arm and the Cook Inlet near Anchorage. After eight hours on the Alaska Railroad today, our journey was coming to an end. Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska with a population of 275,000 permanent residents. To the west was a large mountain range known as “The Sleeping Lady”. As you look at the mountains, you can see a woman lying on her back with her head facing south and her legs pointing north. To the east is the Chugach Mountain range with its snow capped mountain peaks. Just before we entered into Anchorage we spotted a moose, but it quickly disappeared into the trees before we could get any pictures.
As we pulled into the Anchorage Rail Depot, our tour guide, Gabe stood up and thanked us all for coming along on this cruise tour. Unfortunately, our group dispersed all too fast once they disembarked the train, and Jim and I were not able to tell many of them good bye. We will leave early tomorrow morning before the final group gathering at breakfast with the Alaska Visitors Bureau.
We did enjoy a final get together with new friends Sam and Melinda from Palmdale and Denise and Erik from Texas at The Brewhouse. The Brewhouse is a microbrewery directly across the street from The Westmark Hotel where we stayed our last night. At 9:00 p.m. in a Sunday evening, the wait was 45 minutes! It is a very large restaurant and bar that could easily seat over 200 people. Luckily as we were about to leave and go somewhere else when the hostess told us they had a cancellation and within ten minutes we were seated at a table for six. We enjoyed one last toast to a great adventure and new friends.
And, so it ended – fourteen days – cruising from Vancouver up the Inside Passage to Skagway; traveling into the Yukon Territory and learning about the gold rush and then enjoying the “interior” and Denali. It is truly a “great” land. I think perhaps one of my favorite parts was talking to some of the permanent residents when we visited their cities. The Alaskans love sharing their state. They are proud of its heritage and history. One thing that is obvious to me is how much they enjoy living in the wilderness. They are a very friendly people and willing to help you in any way they can.
Thank you to Holland America, Joanie, Kyle and Gabe for being terrific hosts and guides all along the way. To all those in our group that we weren’t able to say good bye to – it was a pleasure getting to know you. And, thank you Alaska. We enjoyed getting to know you and hearing your stories. We’ll be back!
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
We woke early this morning to the pitter patter of water dripping from the roof. It was raining. This was the last day of our trip. After we gathered up everything, Jim and I headed over to the Denali Park Visitors Center to look at the exhibits. I found a nice cozy corner near a massive stone fireplace where I was able to catch up on a couple of my Travelogues and look through some of my pictures. Our group began to gather around 11:30 in the lobby of the Visitors Center, and then we all walked over to the Alaska Railroad Depot where we caught our southbound train at 12:00 noon.
It continued to rain outside, which made going out on the platform behind our rail car to take pictures not a real pleasant experience. As we pulled away from Denali, the car got quiet for awhile as we all realized this was the end of a great adventure with Holland America. By the time we reach Anchorage, we will have traveled over 5,250 miles together through some of the most beautiful and scenic wilderness on earth. We passed Summit Lake at 2,368 feet which is the highest point on the Alaska Railroad. From here, the rivers will flow south towards Anchorage.
The ground up above 2,500 feet is known as Tundra; and below 2,500 ft. it becomes Tiaga (pronounced Tiga). The trees are beginning to get thicker and bushier and the ground cover is also thicker. The railroad parallels the highway with flat marsh lands with countless pools of water dotting the vast landscape.
There is a deep deep gulch that the railroad passes over that is known as Hurricane Gulch because of the hurricane force winds that have been known to pass through there. The trestle bridge is quite impressive as it spans the gulch. From here we traveled south into “bush” country. Those Alaskans who have chosen to live in remote locations in the “bush” only can access it by plane or train. The Alaska Railroad is the only railroad that will actually stop to pick up and drop off passengers along the tracks.
Our ground cover has now changed from the thick brush bushes to Fiddle head ferns that are completely edible and cow parsnip that looks much like Queen Anne’s lace and is very toxic. There are meadows of the ferns and cow parsnip, so thick you cannot see any dirt on the ground. About 3:00 p.m. the rain stopped and the clouds began to break up to give way to the sunshine.
The train moved at a slow pace of about 15-20 mph while passing through certain areas; but most of the time, it moved along at about 30 mph. Several in our group took short cat naps while the rest of us were still constantly looking out the windows of our domed cards not wanting to miss anything.
The reflections of the trees in the mirrored ponds looked like mirrors because they were so calm. As we passed by the Indian River which is crystal clear, we could actually see the red spawning salmon as they swam upstream. The next river we crossed was the Susitna River. “Na” is an Athabascan work meaning running water. Today we actually will cross five rivers: 1) Nenana 2) Chiquitna 3) Chulitna (4) Susitna 5) Talkeetna. The Susitna River is quite wide with many islands in the middle of the running waters. The Susitna River is a glacial fed river and is cloudy and grey from the glacial soot. The river was moving at a good pace. You could see the currents swirling around on the top of the river; but there were no rapids.
The banks of the rivers have rocky shores with numerous very large boulders that have traveled downstream thousands of years ago on icebergs as the glaciers melted. The calm, waters of the ponds dotting the meadows were home to several Trumpeter Swans. They are solid white with dramatic long necks. Their babies are called cygnets.
The “bush” area comes to an end in Talkeetna. We arrived here around 4:45 p.m. Talkeetna has a population of 840 and was the backdrop for the TV show “Northern Exposure”. Our young guide on the train was Jason. He told us the story of the Alaska state flag and its meaning. It was designed by Benny Benson in the 1920’s. The stars are in the shape of the Big Dipper because you can see it so clearly in Alaska. The North Star symbolizes the northern most state of the United States.
Wasilla, the next city on our itinerary, really came to be known as the home of Sarah Palin. South of Wasilla we entered the low lands of the Knik Arm and the Cook Inlet near Anchorage. After eight hours on the Alaska Railroad today, our journey was coming to an end. Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska with a population of 275,000 permanent residents. To the west was a large mountain range known as “The Sleeping Lady”. As you look at the mountains, you can see a woman lying on her back with her head facing south and her legs pointing north. To the east is the Chugach Mountain range with its snow capped mountain peaks. Just before we entered into Anchorage we spotted a moose, but it quickly disappeared into the trees before we could get any pictures.
As we pulled into the Anchorage Rail Depot, our tour guide, Gabe stood up and thanked us all for coming along on this cruise tour. Unfortunately, our group dispersed all too fast once they disembarked the train, and Jim and I were not able to tell many of them good bye. We will leave early tomorrow morning before the final group gathering at breakfast with the Alaska Visitors Bureau.
We did enjoy a final get together with new friends Sam and Melinda from Palmdale and Denise and Erik from Texas at The Brewhouse. The Brewhouse is a microbrewery directly across the street from The Westmark Hotel where we stayed our last night. At 9:00 p.m. in a Sunday evening, the wait was 45 minutes! It is a very large restaurant and bar that could easily seat over 200 people. Luckily as we were about to leave and go somewhere else when the hostess told us they had a cancellation and within ten minutes we were seated at a table for six. We enjoyed one last toast to a great adventure and new friends.
And, so it ended – fourteen days – cruising from Vancouver up the Inside Passage to Skagway; traveling into the Yukon Territory and learning about the gold rush and then enjoying the “interior” and Denali. It is truly a “great” land. I think perhaps one of my favorite parts was talking to some of the permanent residents when we visited their cities. The Alaskans love sharing their state. They are proud of its heritage and history. One thing that is obvious to me is how much they enjoy living in the wilderness. They are a very friendly people and willing to help you in any way they can.
Thank you to Holland America, Joanie, Kyle and Gabe for being terrific hosts and guides all along the way. To all those in our group that we weren’t able to say good bye to – it was a pleasure getting to know you. And, thank you Alaska. We enjoyed getting to know you and hearing your stories. We’ll be back!
DAY ELEVEN - TRAVELOGUES NORTH TO ALASKA - DENALI NATIONAL PARK
TRAVELOGUES – DAY ELEVEN – JULY 10th – DENALI NATIONAL PARK
TUNDRA WILDERNESS TOUR
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
Did you know that wildlife seekers are far more certain to see animals than baseball fans are to see home runs? This is true – and our Tundra Wilderness Tour into Denali National Park today was actually a grand slam.,
McKinley National Park was established as a game refuge in 1917. In 1980, Congress more than tripled the size of the park and renamed the area Denali National Park and Preserve. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) enlarged the park by an additional four million acres of wilderness frontier.
This expansive area is habitat to caribou, moose and grizzly bears, along with wolves, Dall sheep, Ptarmigan, eagles, ravens and countless other species of animals and birds. There are more than 650 species of flowering plants along with mosses, fungi, algae and lichens that cover the slopes inside the park.
In 1972 the National Park Service started a bus system to protect visitors and reduce threats to the wildlife. The buses used for our Tundra Wilderness Tour look much like old school buses painted a light tan color to blend in with the landscape – but on the inside, the interiors are plush and comfortable like the motor coaches we have been traveling on during this tour.
The alpine tundra covers the ground in Denali and provides a fast food supply for the resident wildlife. Our first wildlife sighting for the day was a caribou feeding on the top of a hill to the right side of our bus. When someone on the bus spots an animal, they are to yell out and give an approximate location based on the face of a clock. So, this first sighting of the caribou, someone yelled out “CARIBOU! 10:00!!” Then, everyone tried to get a place at the window to click off their pictures before the animal moved on or went behind the bushes.
The bus has drop-down video screens that display the real-time video the bus driver is filming of the animal spotting. What we did not know, but were not surprised either, is that the DVD is available to us to purchase once our tour was over. Ours will be mailed within 2-3 weeks.
The road into Denali is not paved, but is compacted bedrock. Though the windows on the bus can be opened when animals are spotted, they are generally closed to minimize the dust coming back into the bus while the bus is traveling.
Our tour today began at the McKinley Chalet where we were picked up and traveled to the park entrance. We passed the Stony Overlook and stopped for a photo opp and continued on our way for 62 miles into the park. The scenery is as dramatic and colorful as the Grand Canyon with every color imaginable in the mountains and valleys. As the clouds moved overhead and cast shadows down below, the colors changed. It was simply breathtaking.
There is a very nice Visitors Center near the entrance along with a great book store offering a wide variety of books on the animals and history of the park.
As we traveled into the park, we passed several mountain peaks – Mt. Margaret at 5,509 ft. – Double Mountain at 5,899 ft. – Igloo Mountain at 4,800 ft. – Sable Mountain at 6,002 feet – Divide Mountain at 5,195 ft. and Polychrome Mountain at 5,790 ft. Polychrome Mountain was by far the most magnificent of them all with its multi-colored rock of Rhyolite and basalt. It is a dramatic pointed mounted with every color of brown and red tones imaginable.
After our first caribou sighting, we saw several herds of Dall sheep high on the rugged cliffs of the mountains, strategically located to protect themselves from their predators, the wolves.
While golden eagles soared above us, black ravens were also spotted along with one bird that actually had some small animal clinched tight in its talons – probably flying back to enjoy it for dinner. Though the wolves remained elusive and out of sight today, I did get a picture of a den on the side of a mountain. There are three packs of wolves that inhabit this portion of the park but dozens more packs throughout the entire 6,000 acres.
The animal that most everyone hopes to see when they enter Denali is the phenomenal Grizzly Bear. Though its fur is actually a light golden color, the grizzly is also known as the brown bear. We had three separate sightings of grizzlies today; but, by far, the one where we spotted two bears as they ate their way down the hill next to our bus was a definite grand slam!
With their fur of light golden brown, these two bears were easily spotted amongst the green grasses and tundra on the hill. They were enjoying several plant roots along their way down. As they got closer and closer to the bus, the more spectacular each picture was. We were told to be quiet as them came closer and closer to the bus so as no5t to frighten them or disturb them. But even though “we” were being quiet as told, our cameras were constantly clicking those shutters in hopes of getting one phenomenal picture. After we drove away and the windows again were closed, everyone sat back down in their seats and had a huge smile on his or her face. It was truly splendiferous!
We had two other grizzly sightings¸ but they were farther off in the distance. Some smaller animals were sighted as well including the pika (a small bunny), squirrels and a beaver; a gyrfalcon was perched on the top of a rock outcropping but was far enough away that our pictures could not pull it in close enough; and many birds.
The breathtaking scenery was everywhere you looked; and we couldn’t take our eyes off of it – even though we could have used a little cat nap as this was a 7 hour tour. We didn’t want to miss a thing – and we didn’t. It was a glorious day. While the skies above us were overcast, it did not hurt our experience in Denali National Park.
After our tour, a group of us headed over to the Alaska Salmon Bake for dinner and put our glasses together with much delight for such a fabulous day.
Tomorrow we will head south on the Alaska Railroad and McKinley Express as we end our tour of this “great land” in Anchorage.
TUNDRA WILDERNESS TOUR
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
Did you know that wildlife seekers are far more certain to see animals than baseball fans are to see home runs? This is true – and our Tundra Wilderness Tour into Denali National Park today was actually a grand slam.,
McKinley National Park was established as a game refuge in 1917. In 1980, Congress more than tripled the size of the park and renamed the area Denali National Park and Preserve. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) enlarged the park by an additional four million acres of wilderness frontier.
This expansive area is habitat to caribou, moose and grizzly bears, along with wolves, Dall sheep, Ptarmigan, eagles, ravens and countless other species of animals and birds. There are more than 650 species of flowering plants along with mosses, fungi, algae and lichens that cover the slopes inside the park.
In 1972 the National Park Service started a bus system to protect visitors and reduce threats to the wildlife. The buses used for our Tundra Wilderness Tour look much like old school buses painted a light tan color to blend in with the landscape – but on the inside, the interiors are plush and comfortable like the motor coaches we have been traveling on during this tour.
The alpine tundra covers the ground in Denali and provides a fast food supply for the resident wildlife. Our first wildlife sighting for the day was a caribou feeding on the top of a hill to the right side of our bus. When someone on the bus spots an animal, they are to yell out and give an approximate location based on the face of a clock. So, this first sighting of the caribou, someone yelled out “CARIBOU! 10:00!!” Then, everyone tried to get a place at the window to click off their pictures before the animal moved on or went behind the bushes.
The bus has drop-down video screens that display the real-time video the bus driver is filming of the animal spotting. What we did not know, but were not surprised either, is that the DVD is available to us to purchase once our tour was over. Ours will be mailed within 2-3 weeks.
The road into Denali is not paved, but is compacted bedrock. Though the windows on the bus can be opened when animals are spotted, they are generally closed to minimize the dust coming back into the bus while the bus is traveling.
Our tour today began at the McKinley Chalet where we were picked up and traveled to the park entrance. We passed the Stony Overlook and stopped for a photo opp and continued on our way for 62 miles into the park. The scenery is as dramatic and colorful as the Grand Canyon with every color imaginable in the mountains and valleys. As the clouds moved overhead and cast shadows down below, the colors changed. It was simply breathtaking.
There is a very nice Visitors Center near the entrance along with a great book store offering a wide variety of books on the animals and history of the park.
As we traveled into the park, we passed several mountain peaks – Mt. Margaret at 5,509 ft. – Double Mountain at 5,899 ft. – Igloo Mountain at 4,800 ft. – Sable Mountain at 6,002 feet – Divide Mountain at 5,195 ft. and Polychrome Mountain at 5,790 ft. Polychrome Mountain was by far the most magnificent of them all with its multi-colored rock of Rhyolite and basalt. It is a dramatic pointed mounted with every color of brown and red tones imaginable.
After our first caribou sighting, we saw several herds of Dall sheep high on the rugged cliffs of the mountains, strategically located to protect themselves from their predators, the wolves.
While golden eagles soared above us, black ravens were also spotted along with one bird that actually had some small animal clinched tight in its talons – probably flying back to enjoy it for dinner. Though the wolves remained elusive and out of sight today, I did get a picture of a den on the side of a mountain. There are three packs of wolves that inhabit this portion of the park but dozens more packs throughout the entire 6,000 acres.
The animal that most everyone hopes to see when they enter Denali is the phenomenal Grizzly Bear. Though its fur is actually a light golden color, the grizzly is also known as the brown bear. We had three separate sightings of grizzlies today; but, by far, the one where we spotted two bears as they ate their way down the hill next to our bus was a definite grand slam!
With their fur of light golden brown, these two bears were easily spotted amongst the green grasses and tundra on the hill. They were enjoying several plant roots along their way down. As they got closer and closer to the bus, the more spectacular each picture was. We were told to be quiet as them came closer and closer to the bus so as no5t to frighten them or disturb them. But even though “we” were being quiet as told, our cameras were constantly clicking those shutters in hopes of getting one phenomenal picture. After we drove away and the windows again were closed, everyone sat back down in their seats and had a huge smile on his or her face. It was truly splendiferous!
We had two other grizzly sightings¸ but they were farther off in the distance. Some smaller animals were sighted as well including the pika (a small bunny), squirrels and a beaver; a gyrfalcon was perched on the top of a rock outcropping but was far enough away that our pictures could not pull it in close enough; and many birds.
The breathtaking scenery was everywhere you looked; and we couldn’t take our eyes off of it – even though we could have used a little cat nap as this was a 7 hour tour. We didn’t want to miss a thing – and we didn’t. It was a glorious day. While the skies above us were overcast, it did not hurt our experience in Denali National Park.
After our tour, a group of us headed over to the Alaska Salmon Bake for dinner and put our glasses together with much delight for such a fabulous day.
Tomorrow we will head south on the Alaska Railroad and McKinley Express as we end our tour of this “great land” in Anchorage.
DAY TEN - TRAVELOGUES NORTH TO ALASKA - FAIRBANKS TO DENALI
TRAVELOGUES – DAY TEN – JULY 9th – FAIRBANKS TO DENALI
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
I start today’s travelogue with a heavy heart. Jim’s Dad has been ill for the past few months, and we got word yesterday that he was not doing well. We tried to get a flight out of Fairbanks before our tour left, but we could not do that; so to ensure we could continue moving south and try to get an earlier flight home, we left early in the morning with our tour group on the train headed for Denali.
When we got into Fairbanks, we were talking about Jim’s Dad, and Jim shared a story with me. Both Jim and his Dad served in the Navy on the USS Edson – but at different times. The code name for the Edson was “Fairbanks”. We think it was ironic that we were in Fairbanks on this particular day. Jim’s Dad also loved trains. We boarded our train in Fairbanks and headed south to Denali. Unfortunately, while we were on the train, we received word that Jim’s Dad has passed away. So, we dedicated our train ride today from Fairbanks to Denali to Jim’s Dad.
Two engines pulled our train of four Holland America domed cars and three from Princess along with several others for the Alaska Railroad. We passed by the University of Alaska as we left town. The University of Alaska is home to a fabulous museum; and if you get the chance, you should go visit that.
We continued south for our five hour ride on the rails through absolutely gorgeous country; and we were all lucky enough to become official members of the “30% Club”. We are among the 30% who actually have seen Mt. McKinley.
It was a gloriously clear day outside with very few clouds in the sky. It was a bit cooler than it was yesterday. Today we hit a high of about 60 degrees. The tour guide on our rail car gave us a few minutes notice that the “Great One” was going to be coming into view. Many of us went downstairs from our domed car seats and stood out on the platform in between the rail cars so we would perfectly clear views of the mountain. And, we were not disappointed in any way, shape or form. Through the low brush alongside the rail tracks appeared this magnificent mountain – snow capped and standing proud all alone off in the distance. What is so fabulous about McKinley is that it is the highest peak on the continent at 20,320 feet. McKinley reigns supreme in the Alaska Mountain range; and because of its height, it creates its own weather.
We continued on our journey passed through the meadows full of Alaska fireweed, lupin, along with many other dainty, low wild flowers that could be spotted all over the ground. We passed by rivers and troughs of glacial waters that were a dramatic contrast to the low brush and evergreens. Along the way, we were lucky to spot a moose off to the left side of the rail cars.
Once we arrived in Denali at the McKinley Chalet Resort, we were given our room keys. Our luggage was brought to us, so we didn’t even have to collect it and get it to our room. We found our room and then took of to explore the area. Because the McKinley Chalet’s are so spread out over several acres, there are shuttles that will pick you up at either the Moose stop, Bear stop, Caribou stop, etc. and transport you up the hill to the main lodge. This was especially nice for us as we were in the furthest room complex from lodge which is along the highway – our room was only about 50 feet from the trail along river below.
We walked across the highway and walked along the wooden plank sidewalks that are home to a plethora of gift shops and restaurants. While we were walking along, we met up with more people from our group and so we all enjoyed a light lunch and just explored the area. The McKinley Chalets are just north of the Denali Park entrance and the Denali Visitors Center. On one side of the highway is a dramatic mountain and as you turn and face the other way, you face a beautiful, vast wilderness of hills and mountains as far as you can see. Several people from our group either took white water rafting trips down the glacial river or did a helicopter flight up to a glacier.
At 5:30 p.m. our group met for a Cabin Nite dinner at the Chalets for a family style dinner and show put on by the waiters and waitresses, bartender, etc. The show was a musical all about the discovery of Denali and one “Fannie Quigley”. There was participation from the guests as well. It was very well done. The piano player was playing music from the early 1900’s and getting everyone to join in for a sing-a-long at one point. Dinner was served family style and included delicious and tender ribs, baked salmon, baked beans, whole kernel corn, homemade biscuits and was absolutely delicious. Dessert was a mixed berry cobbler with whipped topping. Those who enjoyed the dessert all proudly displayed their newly dyed “blue” teeth – thanks to the berries in the cobbler.
After Cabin Nite, several of us enjoyed going up to the Crow’s Nest, where we all went out onto the deck and enjoyed a cocktail and toasted Jim’s Dad and our train ride from Fairbanks to Denali today.
So, though it was a sad day for us, we know that Mel was with us on our train ride in spirit; and we know that we were in the right place because of the coincidences of the day. We cherish our memories and know that every day is so precious. Good night…
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
I start today’s travelogue with a heavy heart. Jim’s Dad has been ill for the past few months, and we got word yesterday that he was not doing well. We tried to get a flight out of Fairbanks before our tour left, but we could not do that; so to ensure we could continue moving south and try to get an earlier flight home, we left early in the morning with our tour group on the train headed for Denali.
When we got into Fairbanks, we were talking about Jim’s Dad, and Jim shared a story with me. Both Jim and his Dad served in the Navy on the USS Edson – but at different times. The code name for the Edson was “Fairbanks”. We think it was ironic that we were in Fairbanks on this particular day. Jim’s Dad also loved trains. We boarded our train in Fairbanks and headed south to Denali. Unfortunately, while we were on the train, we received word that Jim’s Dad has passed away. So, we dedicated our train ride today from Fairbanks to Denali to Jim’s Dad.
Two engines pulled our train of four Holland America domed cars and three from Princess along with several others for the Alaska Railroad. We passed by the University of Alaska as we left town. The University of Alaska is home to a fabulous museum; and if you get the chance, you should go visit that.
We continued south for our five hour ride on the rails through absolutely gorgeous country; and we were all lucky enough to become official members of the “30% Club”. We are among the 30% who actually have seen Mt. McKinley.
It was a gloriously clear day outside with very few clouds in the sky. It was a bit cooler than it was yesterday. Today we hit a high of about 60 degrees. The tour guide on our rail car gave us a few minutes notice that the “Great One” was going to be coming into view. Many of us went downstairs from our domed car seats and stood out on the platform in between the rail cars so we would perfectly clear views of the mountain. And, we were not disappointed in any way, shape or form. Through the low brush alongside the rail tracks appeared this magnificent mountain – snow capped and standing proud all alone off in the distance. What is so fabulous about McKinley is that it is the highest peak on the continent at 20,320 feet. McKinley reigns supreme in the Alaska Mountain range; and because of its height, it creates its own weather.
We continued on our journey passed through the meadows full of Alaska fireweed, lupin, along with many other dainty, low wild flowers that could be spotted all over the ground. We passed by rivers and troughs of glacial waters that were a dramatic contrast to the low brush and evergreens. Along the way, we were lucky to spot a moose off to the left side of the rail cars.
Once we arrived in Denali at the McKinley Chalet Resort, we were given our room keys. Our luggage was brought to us, so we didn’t even have to collect it and get it to our room. We found our room and then took of to explore the area. Because the McKinley Chalet’s are so spread out over several acres, there are shuttles that will pick you up at either the Moose stop, Bear stop, Caribou stop, etc. and transport you up the hill to the main lodge. This was especially nice for us as we were in the furthest room complex from lodge which is along the highway – our room was only about 50 feet from the trail along river below.
We walked across the highway and walked along the wooden plank sidewalks that are home to a plethora of gift shops and restaurants. While we were walking along, we met up with more people from our group and so we all enjoyed a light lunch and just explored the area. The McKinley Chalets are just north of the Denali Park entrance and the Denali Visitors Center. On one side of the highway is a dramatic mountain and as you turn and face the other way, you face a beautiful, vast wilderness of hills and mountains as far as you can see. Several people from our group either took white water rafting trips down the glacial river or did a helicopter flight up to a glacier.
At 5:30 p.m. our group met for a Cabin Nite dinner at the Chalets for a family style dinner and show put on by the waiters and waitresses, bartender, etc. The show was a musical all about the discovery of Denali and one “Fannie Quigley”. There was participation from the guests as well. It was very well done. The piano player was playing music from the early 1900’s and getting everyone to join in for a sing-a-long at one point. Dinner was served family style and included delicious and tender ribs, baked salmon, baked beans, whole kernel corn, homemade biscuits and was absolutely delicious. Dessert was a mixed berry cobbler with whipped topping. Those who enjoyed the dessert all proudly displayed their newly dyed “blue” teeth – thanks to the berries in the cobbler.
After Cabin Nite, several of us enjoyed going up to the Crow’s Nest, where we all went out onto the deck and enjoyed a cocktail and toasted Jim’s Dad and our train ride from Fairbanks to Denali today.
So, though it was a sad day for us, we know that Mel was with us on our train ride in spirit; and we know that we were in the right place because of the coincidences of the day. We cherish our memories and know that every day is so precious. Good night…
Sunday, July 11, 2010
DAY NINE - TRAVELOGUES NORTH TO ALASKA - TOK TO FAIRBANKS
TRAVELOGUES – DAY NINE – JULY 8th – TOK TO FAIRBANKS
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
This was to be another day of motor coach travel for us as we moved more inland from Tok, Alaska to Fairbanks, Alaska along the Alaska Highway. We traveled along the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountain range, the third youngest mountain range in the state. The “younger” mountains have very jagged and dramatic peaks at the top as opposed to older mountain ranges that have been worn down with time and are smoother and more rounded. The second youngest mountain range is the Alaska Range and the first is Denali.
As we were moving along the highway, someone spotted a moose. Moose are in the deer family. They can get up to 1200 pounds. The hair of the moose is actually hollow which gives it a natural built-in heating and cooling system. The antlers of the bull moose fall off every season.
Construction began in 1942 on the Alaska Highway and when finished was 1,500 miles long. Every person who worked on the highway received a Purple Heart and there is a stretch of the highway that is named the Purple Heart Trail after those men. We were shown a documentary about how the Alaska Highway was built and constructed. It was a PBS film that Jim and I have seen before; nonetheless, it was interesting to see that again while we were actually traveling on it.
The landscape and the scenery is as majestic and beautiful as anything I have described to you before. Today the weather was noticeably warmer as we got closer and closer to Fairbanks and the interior of Alaska.
Our first stop for the day was at Ricca’s Roadhouse which was a charming roadside stop with several buildings and a fascinating story of how Ricca was hired by a gentleman to help him at the roadhouse and she would cook for the guests. While the owner would go out trapping or fishing, Ricca would perform repairs around the property and maintain it. At one point the owner left for three years; and by the time he returned, Ricca had
added on several other buildings and greatly improved the property. She had not received her wages the entire three years he was gone and was not real happy when he returned. She wanted compensation for what she had done to maintain his property and keep it running all that time. So, for $10 the man sold it to her and it was hers from then on. It is refurbished now and maintained as a tourist attraction. The main house has been decorated and furnished as it was back during the Gold Rush. There is a blacksmith’s cabin and several other buildings along with a new building that is home to the restaurant and gift shop (there is not one place in Alaska that does not have a gift shop attached to it in some way, shape or form).
After enjoying a warm cup of coffee and walking around the property, we were off again on our coach. With the Alaska Mountain Range to the left and the Tenana River to our right, we were again traveling down the Alaska Highway. There were many troughs as we looked down in the valley and could see the Tenana River. Troughs are just like little fingers running in the river bed. When the waters runs high with the snow melt, there are fewer troughs. The rolling hills climbed up to the majestic, snow-capped mountain peaks in the distance.
What is interesting is that when you look out over this vast land, it appears that there is a blanket of green grass covering the hillsides. In reality, it is a thick brush about 3-4 feet high with taller trees standing out. There are black spruce and white spruce. The black spruce looks like a pipe-cleaners standing tall with a very dark trunk and no limbs to speak of. The white spruce is fuller and more like the trees that I am used to seeing with more branches towards the base of the tree narrowing to one at the top.
We spotted seven moose along the highway today. The driver told us that is one of the highest number of moose sightings in one day that he was aware of. We passed by Birch Lake, a beautiful mountain lake and we traveled through the town of North Pole, Alaska. You all know who lives there!!
When our coach finally arrived in Fairbanks after our five our trek on the highway, we were taken to Gold Dredge No. 8 for lunch. Gold Dredge No. 8 was a working Dredge from 1928 to 1959 when it became too expensive to operate any longer. We were taken inside to a huge dining room with dozens of long tables all set out in family style dining. We enjoyed some hearty beef stew and delicious homemade biscuits along with a blueberry muffin. After lunch we walked over to the gold dredge and had a tour through that then we boarded the coach and were off to the El Dorado Gold Mine up the Elliott Highway about five minutes or so.
The El Dorado Gold Mine is where we all were able to pan for gold. Before we did that, however, we took a train ride through a tunnel where we were shown where the gold was actually found in the “bedrock” under the permafrost; and we saw how they transported the rocks and dirt out in the rail cars. Once we traveled through the tunnel, we saw a miner’s cabin and then watched a demonstration on how they actually panned for gold at this mine using different grates to ultimately sift out the rocks that would allow the gold (which is heavier than rock) to fall below the cracks and catch in a carpet like material.
After the demonstration, we were all taken inside to pan for gold ourselves. We were each given a bag of “pay dirt” and directed to sit along troughs of water where we found our own gold pan and we panned for gold. Whatever we found in the bottom of our pans once we were done with all the swishing and flushing of the rocks and dirt, was gold! We got to put what we had found into small, black plastic containers that we took inside the “gift shop” where it was weighed and we could purchase a locket or earrings where the employees would transfer our own gold into the jewelry. Jim actually found a nugget worth $8 which we put in a small locket by itself; and the rest we put into another locket.
We stopped by the Alaska Pipeline along the side of the road where we could actually get up close to it and touch it and see an example of what the inside is actually like and how it works; and then we finally arrived in Fairbanks at our hotel, the Westmark Fairbanks.
Now, I know this next part is not going to surprise any of you, but Jim and I signed up for the tour going to where else? The North Pole! We could NOT travel all the way here and not visit our favorite guy!! Our coach to The Santa Claus House picked us up and drove us back down the highway from where we had just come about 11 miles to North Pole, Alaska. And, on Santa Claus Lane is The Santa Claus House. It is a year-round Christmas store – complete with reindeer out back and that jolly man with the white beard and the big round belly! Santa sat in a huge chair in the middle of the store where anyone could go have their picture taken with him – free of charge – and the kiddies would receive a big candy cane. Jim and I did have our picture taken; and yes, we had to buy a Santa there! It is being shipped home.
The real highlight of the day was a surprise dinner that we did not know we were getting on the tour. We were taken over to The Pagoda – which is one of the restaurants Guy Fieri from the Food Network visited on his show “Diners, Drive-ins & Dives”. We were given a choice of Mongolian Beef, Sesame Chicken or Shrimp with vegetables. We chose the beef and the chicken and they were both delicious along with our egg drop soup and egg roll and rice.
We did not get back to the hotel until about 10:30 tonight and we were exhausted. But, it was a fun day. Amazingly, the sun was still high in the sky at 10:30 p.m. – so we once again pulled our black out curtains across the windows and fell asleep.
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
This was to be another day of motor coach travel for us as we moved more inland from Tok, Alaska to Fairbanks, Alaska along the Alaska Highway. We traveled along the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountain range, the third youngest mountain range in the state. The “younger” mountains have very jagged and dramatic peaks at the top as opposed to older mountain ranges that have been worn down with time and are smoother and more rounded. The second youngest mountain range is the Alaska Range and the first is Denali.
As we were moving along the highway, someone spotted a moose. Moose are in the deer family. They can get up to 1200 pounds. The hair of the moose is actually hollow which gives it a natural built-in heating and cooling system. The antlers of the bull moose fall off every season.
Construction began in 1942 on the Alaska Highway and when finished was 1,500 miles long. Every person who worked on the highway received a Purple Heart and there is a stretch of the highway that is named the Purple Heart Trail after those men. We were shown a documentary about how the Alaska Highway was built and constructed. It was a PBS film that Jim and I have seen before; nonetheless, it was interesting to see that again while we were actually traveling on it.
The landscape and the scenery is as majestic and beautiful as anything I have described to you before. Today the weather was noticeably warmer as we got closer and closer to Fairbanks and the interior of Alaska.
Our first stop for the day was at Ricca’s Roadhouse which was a charming roadside stop with several buildings and a fascinating story of how Ricca was hired by a gentleman to help him at the roadhouse and she would cook for the guests. While the owner would go out trapping or fishing, Ricca would perform repairs around the property and maintain it. At one point the owner left for three years; and by the time he returned, Ricca had
added on several other buildings and greatly improved the property. She had not received her wages the entire three years he was gone and was not real happy when he returned. She wanted compensation for what she had done to maintain his property and keep it running all that time. So, for $10 the man sold it to her and it was hers from then on. It is refurbished now and maintained as a tourist attraction. The main house has been decorated and furnished as it was back during the Gold Rush. There is a blacksmith’s cabin and several other buildings along with a new building that is home to the restaurant and gift shop (there is not one place in Alaska that does not have a gift shop attached to it in some way, shape or form).
After enjoying a warm cup of coffee and walking around the property, we were off again on our coach. With the Alaska Mountain Range to the left and the Tenana River to our right, we were again traveling down the Alaska Highway. There were many troughs as we looked down in the valley and could see the Tenana River. Troughs are just like little fingers running in the river bed. When the waters runs high with the snow melt, there are fewer troughs. The rolling hills climbed up to the majestic, snow-capped mountain peaks in the distance.
What is interesting is that when you look out over this vast land, it appears that there is a blanket of green grass covering the hillsides. In reality, it is a thick brush about 3-4 feet high with taller trees standing out. There are black spruce and white spruce. The black spruce looks like a pipe-cleaners standing tall with a very dark trunk and no limbs to speak of. The white spruce is fuller and more like the trees that I am used to seeing with more branches towards the base of the tree narrowing to one at the top.
We spotted seven moose along the highway today. The driver told us that is one of the highest number of moose sightings in one day that he was aware of. We passed by Birch Lake, a beautiful mountain lake and we traveled through the town of North Pole, Alaska. You all know who lives there!!
When our coach finally arrived in Fairbanks after our five our trek on the highway, we were taken to Gold Dredge No. 8 for lunch. Gold Dredge No. 8 was a working Dredge from 1928 to 1959 when it became too expensive to operate any longer. We were taken inside to a huge dining room with dozens of long tables all set out in family style dining. We enjoyed some hearty beef stew and delicious homemade biscuits along with a blueberry muffin. After lunch we walked over to the gold dredge and had a tour through that then we boarded the coach and were off to the El Dorado Gold Mine up the Elliott Highway about five minutes or so.
The El Dorado Gold Mine is where we all were able to pan for gold. Before we did that, however, we took a train ride through a tunnel where we were shown where the gold was actually found in the “bedrock” under the permafrost; and we saw how they transported the rocks and dirt out in the rail cars. Once we traveled through the tunnel, we saw a miner’s cabin and then watched a demonstration on how they actually panned for gold at this mine using different grates to ultimately sift out the rocks that would allow the gold (which is heavier than rock) to fall below the cracks and catch in a carpet like material.
After the demonstration, we were all taken inside to pan for gold ourselves. We were each given a bag of “pay dirt” and directed to sit along troughs of water where we found our own gold pan and we panned for gold. Whatever we found in the bottom of our pans once we were done with all the swishing and flushing of the rocks and dirt, was gold! We got to put what we had found into small, black plastic containers that we took inside the “gift shop” where it was weighed and we could purchase a locket or earrings where the employees would transfer our own gold into the jewelry. Jim actually found a nugget worth $8 which we put in a small locket by itself; and the rest we put into another locket.
We stopped by the Alaska Pipeline along the side of the road where we could actually get up close to it and touch it and see an example of what the inside is actually like and how it works; and then we finally arrived in Fairbanks at our hotel, the Westmark Fairbanks.
Now, I know this next part is not going to surprise any of you, but Jim and I signed up for the tour going to where else? The North Pole! We could NOT travel all the way here and not visit our favorite guy!! Our coach to The Santa Claus House picked us up and drove us back down the highway from where we had just come about 11 miles to North Pole, Alaska. And, on Santa Claus Lane is The Santa Claus House. It is a year-round Christmas store – complete with reindeer out back and that jolly man with the white beard and the big round belly! Santa sat in a huge chair in the middle of the store where anyone could go have their picture taken with him – free of charge – and the kiddies would receive a big candy cane. Jim and I did have our picture taken; and yes, we had to buy a Santa there! It is being shipped home.
The real highlight of the day was a surprise dinner that we did not know we were getting on the tour. We were taken over to The Pagoda – which is one of the restaurants Guy Fieri from the Food Network visited on his show “Diners, Drive-ins & Dives”. We were given a choice of Mongolian Beef, Sesame Chicken or Shrimp with vegetables. We chose the beef and the chicken and they were both delicious along with our egg drop soup and egg roll and rice.
We did not get back to the hotel until about 10:30 tonight and we were exhausted. But, it was a fun day. Amazingly, the sun was still high in the sky at 10:30 p.m. – so we once again pulled our black out curtains across the windows and fell asleep.
Friday, July 9, 2010
DAY EIGHT - TRAVELOGUES NORTH TO ALASKA - DAWSON CITY TO TOK, ALASKA
TRAVELOGUES – DAY EIGHT – JULY 7th – DAWSON CITY TO TOK
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
The Holland America motor coaches have all been designed to carry only 44 passengers now as opposed to a standard motor coach that carriers 52. This is definitely the difference between flying coach and first class as far as space in your seat and leg room. These coaches have all leather interiors and are extremely comfortable.
This definitely was a nice feature on today’s long ride to the interior of Alaska from Dawson City to Tok. Our day actually started, however, on a catamaran ride on the Yukon Queen II on the Yukon River. We boarded our boat early in the morning before 9:00 a.m. for a three hour ride up the Yukon River. We passed the paddle wheel graveyard where several turn of the century paddle wheel boats were broken up in the swirling currents of the Yukon and went aground; we passed the Athabascan native village of Moose Hide; the mouth of the Forty Mile River; Old Lady Rock and Shipwreck Rock.
As with all of the other scenery we have passed in Alaska so far, this was no less spectacular and majestic than any other. There were small rivers and tributaries around every turn in the river. The banks of the river were dramatic granite cliffs and then meadows of beautiful green. We did see one moose along the river bank near the home of a year round resident on the river; but the noise of the boat engine scared it off and it quickly ran into the woods. Many of us stayed out on the back deck in hopes of catching a glimpse of more wildlife; but that was all we saw.
The crew of the Yukon Queen served us a nice sandwich for lunch along with tea or coffee to drink before we reached our destination on the river of Eagle, Alaska. Eagle is a small town on the river where we were able to get out and walk around for about an hour as our luggage was transferred from the boat to our new motor ¬coach. The Eagle “Mall” was a series of banquet size plastic tables set up under tarps alongside the dirt road; and the local women were selling their jewelry and handmade items to those who wanted something “authentic” Alaskan. In the small white Court House, the school children put on a mock trial; and some of our passengers played roles of the villain and the judge.
We walked down to the Visitors Center and around the town to take it some local flavor and get a feel of what life in Eagle is like. It seems to be a simple life. One elderly resident was sitting on the front porch of his cabin as we were all walking around. We waved to him as we walked by and he waved back while rocking in his chair. He looked much like Santa Claus with a big round belly and a beard of white.
The most intensive driving of our trip started in Eagle as we began an eight hour trek across the Wrangle, St. Elias Mountain Range to Tok, Alaska. We passed mile after mile of burnt forest with breathtaking patches of brilliant magenta fireweed being the first thing to grow back after the devastation. It was a surreal landscape to see. Tree trunks that resembled black pipe cleaners stuck out of the ground every few feet, charred black from the fire. But on the ground was green grass growing and the breathtaking Alaska fireweed. I cannot tell you how many miles of forest we passed that was like this, but it went on for hours.
At times we paralleled the Tenana River and the American River. The road was rough as it was not paved at all and full of large potholes in many spots. We had to have a pilot truck ahead of us about ¼ mile with a sign on the front telling oncoming motorists that the pilot truck was being followed by two motor coaches. We bounced and were jostled about for about 8 hours.
We did have a couple of stops along our long journey into Alaska. One of the funniest was “Chicken”. Yes, there is a town called “Chicken” in Alaska. It was actually a large gold mining area and the remnants of the old gold dredge are still there on site. Along with the dredge however, we three buildings for tourists – a gift shop, a bar and a bakery. We were told that the chili and the homemade chicken noodle soup were the best – so we opted for a cup of chili before we got back on the road for another three hours. As we left town, the tour guide made sure we all used the restroom facilities – better known in Chicken as the “Chicken Poop”. They have a university here called Kluck U; and their airport is known as the Chicken Strip.
It was a very long day to say the least. The skies were blue with a few spotted clouds and the temperature was beginning to rise the further north we traveled. We eventually found the end of the Taylor Highway and began driving on pavement when we reached the Alkan Highway.
We finally arrived in Tok after 8:00 last night and everyone headed over to the hotel restaurant because we heard they had some delicious Mexican food and margaritas. And after that day of travel, we all really could quench our thirst on a delicious Margarita. After dinner we headed back to our room and organized our luggage a little, took a shower and hit the hay. It had been a long day. And, tomorrow we still have more motor coach travel from Tok to Fairbanks – although it will not be as much! Yeah!
Till then…
HOLLAND AMERICA MS VOLENDAM
13 DAY CRUISE/TOUR
“NORTH TO ALASKA”
The Holland America motor coaches have all been designed to carry only 44 passengers now as opposed to a standard motor coach that carriers 52. This is definitely the difference between flying coach and first class as far as space in your seat and leg room. These coaches have all leather interiors and are extremely comfortable.
This definitely was a nice feature on today’s long ride to the interior of Alaska from Dawson City to Tok. Our day actually started, however, on a catamaran ride on the Yukon Queen II on the Yukon River. We boarded our boat early in the morning before 9:00 a.m. for a three hour ride up the Yukon River. We passed the paddle wheel graveyard where several turn of the century paddle wheel boats were broken up in the swirling currents of the Yukon and went aground; we passed the Athabascan native village of Moose Hide; the mouth of the Forty Mile River; Old Lady Rock and Shipwreck Rock.
As with all of the other scenery we have passed in Alaska so far, this was no less spectacular and majestic than any other. There were small rivers and tributaries around every turn in the river. The banks of the river were dramatic granite cliffs and then meadows of beautiful green. We did see one moose along the river bank near the home of a year round resident on the river; but the noise of the boat engine scared it off and it quickly ran into the woods. Many of us stayed out on the back deck in hopes of catching a glimpse of more wildlife; but that was all we saw.
The crew of the Yukon Queen served us a nice sandwich for lunch along with tea or coffee to drink before we reached our destination on the river of Eagle, Alaska. Eagle is a small town on the river where we were able to get out and walk around for about an hour as our luggage was transferred from the boat to our new motor ¬coach. The Eagle “Mall” was a series of banquet size plastic tables set up under tarps alongside the dirt road; and the local women were selling their jewelry and handmade items to those who wanted something “authentic” Alaskan. In the small white Court House, the school children put on a mock trial; and some of our passengers played roles of the villain and the judge.
We walked down to the Visitors Center and around the town to take it some local flavor and get a feel of what life in Eagle is like. It seems to be a simple life. One elderly resident was sitting on the front porch of his cabin as we were all walking around. We waved to him as we walked by and he waved back while rocking in his chair. He looked much like Santa Claus with a big round belly and a beard of white.
The most intensive driving of our trip started in Eagle as we began an eight hour trek across the Wrangle, St. Elias Mountain Range to Tok, Alaska. We passed mile after mile of burnt forest with breathtaking patches of brilliant magenta fireweed being the first thing to grow back after the devastation. It was a surreal landscape to see. Tree trunks that resembled black pipe cleaners stuck out of the ground every few feet, charred black from the fire. But on the ground was green grass growing and the breathtaking Alaska fireweed. I cannot tell you how many miles of forest we passed that was like this, but it went on for hours.
At times we paralleled the Tenana River and the American River. The road was rough as it was not paved at all and full of large potholes in many spots. We had to have a pilot truck ahead of us about ¼ mile with a sign on the front telling oncoming motorists that the pilot truck was being followed by two motor coaches. We bounced and were jostled about for about 8 hours.
We did have a couple of stops along our long journey into Alaska. One of the funniest was “Chicken”. Yes, there is a town called “Chicken” in Alaska. It was actually a large gold mining area and the remnants of the old gold dredge are still there on site. Along with the dredge however, we three buildings for tourists – a gift shop, a bar and a bakery. We were told that the chili and the homemade chicken noodle soup were the best – so we opted for a cup of chili before we got back on the road for another three hours. As we left town, the tour guide made sure we all used the restroom facilities – better known in Chicken as the “Chicken Poop”. They have a university here called Kluck U; and their airport is known as the Chicken Strip.
It was a very long day to say the least. The skies were blue with a few spotted clouds and the temperature was beginning to rise the further north we traveled. We eventually found the end of the Taylor Highway and began driving on pavement when we reached the Alkan Highway.
We finally arrived in Tok after 8:00 last night and everyone headed over to the hotel restaurant because we heard they had some delicious Mexican food and margaritas. And after that day of travel, we all really could quench our thirst on a delicious Margarita. After dinner we headed back to our room and organized our luggage a little, took a shower and hit the hay. It had been a long day. And, tomorrow we still have more motor coach travel from Tok to Fairbanks – although it will not be as much! Yeah!
Till then…
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