Prince Rupert to Alberta - Aug. 1-3, 2014

The ferry stopped for 4 hrs at Ketchikan.  It was only 2 miles from city center (unlike the 14 to Juneau) so it wasn't so stressful.  There was bus service but it only ran every hour so we chose to take a cab.  A curious thing was that it cost $10 dollars to take it in and $12 to come back.  There also was several cruise ships docked right at the town center area but didn't seem so crowded as in Juneau.  Ketchikan has many totem poles in various spots in the area.  We did a walking tour and saw several on them, watched the salmon in the river that runs through the town, and had ice cream before returning to the ferry.

We couldn't decide whether it was worth trying to sleep with the docking time at Prince Rupert so we basically just dozed without actually returning to our room to go to bed.  That may not have been the best decision.  It was 1 a.m. by the time we got off the ferry.  The first stop was just blocks from the dock at a Walmart parking lot to sleep until daylight to begin the journey home.  It turned out to be a long day as we ended up driving almost 600 miles.  It was a Canadian holiday weekend and I don't think a single Canadian stayed home.  There was an unbelievable  number of vehicles in Banff and Jasper National Parks.  Our fuel was getting perilously low so we drove into the town of Banff to find more people in one small area than we have ever seen and back ups at the small gas stations that we couldn't have gotten into with the rig anyway.  It was a relief to get out of there and we made it to the next exit.  We finally found a rv park with space for us and I ask what the holiday was.  Her reply was, "I am not sure, I think it is just for the government workers to have another day off." Lol  It was located at McBride, BC.  In the meantime, we needed more fuel and paid the most we have paid on the whole trip - $2 a liter.

Sun. we got a fairly early start and drove almost 500 miles to Fort McCleod, Alberta.  We called ahead and they said they had one space left.  Four years ago, we hardly ever had to make reservations.  It has been a very different situation this trip so we are assuming there are many more people traveling.

Today, Aug. 4, we crossed the border into the lower 48 and are now at the most expensive RV park we have stayed in.  It is in Billings, MT.  They must be very proud of the park as it cost $72 dollars a night.  You would think for that price, the wifi would be fantastic.  Not so, so I don't think I will even try to load pictures.

This will be my last entry into the blog this trip as tomorrow will be traveling flat none scenic roads.  It has been a fabulous trip and we are still speaking to each other.  Actually enjoying each others company.  I could not love anyone more than I love and enjoy being with Gary.

Thanks for all the readers of this blog.  I hope I haven't bored you too much.  It has been hard for me to determine how many were reading it each day.

   

Ferry to Juneau July 31, 2014

We loaded our rig and ourselves on the Matanuska Ferry at Haines and headed south in the inside passage.  The ferry held many motorcycles, cars, RVs, buses, and even semi trailers.  Talk about tight!  We could barely get between them to get to the passenger deck.  There are three decks for the passengers:  The berths, the cafeteria and observation areas, and the top deck mostly open.  We chose to pay for a room which seemed more like a closet.  It had bunk beds, and a bathroom with a shower.  We needed to "shift" to pass each other.  I chose the top bunk at first, I didn't think I would be able to sleep but I did pretty well.  I woke up once and felt like I might have a little claustrophobic issue but that passed.  We had two stops during the night:  Petersburg , 12:30 to 1:45 and Wrangell 4:50 to 5:30.  I did get up so I could say I had seen Wrangell but not at Petersburg.

There was  quite a diversity of  passengers.  There were young people who obviously were rugged outdoors individuals.  Most of them chose to sleep in tents, sleeping bags, and pool like recliners rather that a room.  It appeared most of them did not spend a lot on their travels and some of them appeared to not have visited a shower for a while.  There were also some from Germany, Switzerland, Japan/China, and other parts of Europe.  It was interesting to visit with those of them who could communicate in English and most of them could.  Then there were those like us and even older if you can believe it.  There were several tour bus groups also.  A few were traveling as a family.

The first stop the ferry made was Juneau.  There was a four hour layover and we wanted to at least see the city.  That proved to be very difficult because the dock was 14 miles from there.  The information said there were buses to take us there then we were told there were no buses. We finally were invited to share a cab with a couple from Canada.  Thirty five dollars later we got to town.  They were riding a tram above the city so we just went along since we didn't have a clue what to do and we were extremely worried that we would get back to the ferry in time since it was so difficult to get a taxi.  As soon as we finished the tram ride we headed back to the ferry.  Another $35 dollars.  There must have been 4 or 5 cruise ships docked in the down town area so you can guess what it was like.  I guess we are pretty chicken but we could just imagine what it would be like for us to be left in Juneau and our RV still on the ferry.

 The ferry ready to load

 Saying good-by to Jeff and Marcella

 Our accommodations

 Gary getting into the laid back life style

 Two of the lighthouses we saw on the way

 High above Juneau

 A tour bus loading behind us

 Scenery and sunset along the way

Destruction Bay to Haines - July 30, 2014

The roads on the 200 mile journey from Destruction Bay to Haines were much better today.  We went through a variety of land forms from mountains to valleys and along rivers.  Also, the sun was shining most of the way and I could even take off my wool socks.  However, by the time we got to our destination, Oceanside RV, it was pouring rain so back with the sweatshirts and  wool socks.

The camp hosts asked us to come to a crab boil.  Gary and Jeff even went down to the dock and helped prepare them, as in cracking and cleaning them.  That is the nice way to put it.  They were delicious and many of the campers joined the feast.

After we ate. we drove along the bay north of town where we watched a grizzly trying to catch fish.  He must have been a young one because he didn't seem to be very proficient at it.  There also were several eagles seemingly waiting for fish to appear.  We say 2 black bears and four grizzlies today.

 Leaving Kluane Lake

 Mama grizzly and 2 cubs in the ditch along the highwya

 Crab legs are ready

 Eagle near Haines

 Grizzly "fishing" near Haines  Below:  scene approaching Haines

Fairbanks to Destruction Bay - July 29, 2014

We traveled the worst roads today that we have driven on the whole trip.  It was rocking and rolling all the way from Tok to Destruction Bay.  We had a lot of things shaken out, loose, and scattered.
There was some great scenery and we did see some Trumpeter Swans at lakes along the way.
We stopped for the night at Cottonwood RV Park which is a beautiful park along the Kluane Lake.

Arctic Circle Trip - July 26, 2014

We have now been  the farthest north that we will ever be.  Rather than drive the rough Dalton Highway in our own vehicles, we choose the do a guided tour.  We had a very well spoken, personable,  and knowledgeable young man as our driver/guide.  It was about 180 miles one way to the southern edge of the Arctic Circle on the Dalton Highway.  It is paved about half of that way and the rest was dirt/gravel quite rough and many pot holes.  The eight of us were the only passengers in the van so made it more enjoyable.
We made several stops along the way.  One of them was at the mighty Yukon River.  It is a wide river with a very strong current.  In fact, sometimes it actually has waves so high small boats can not navigate on it.  We stopped at a couple of interesting places for breakfast and lunch.  As you can imagine, there isn't many businesses along the way.  When we reached our destination, there wasn't much there but the sign, picnic tables, and bathroom facilities but we knew that because it had been researched.  While there, we celebrated Dee's birthday with cupcakes and singing Happy Birthday.

 The van we rode in to the Arctic Circle

 Moose and calf (can barely see its ears) we saw along the way

 The beginning of the Dalton Highway

 Bridge over the Yukon River

 Dalton Highway pretty much parallels the pipeline

 A stop at finger mountain

 We made it.  Below:  All eight of us.

 It was a long day but we all agreed that we are glad we did it.

Fairbanks - July 25, 2014

We all started the day by taking a guided

 Shows the path of the Alaska Pipeline

 About half of the pipeline is above ground because of permafrost

 The sternwheeler we rode on

 Float plane landing by the boat

 Susan Butcher's husband and co author, David Monson

 At the kennel with sled dog pups

 Native dependent and UA student demonstrating coat made of several kinds of skins

 Standing by the statue of Granite, the dog no one but Susan thought would be useful as a sled dog, who was the lead dog for her 4 Iditarod wins. Below:  David Monson, Susan's husband.  An not sure about the woman - may be their daughter.

tour bus on a city tour.  It drove by Pioneer Park, Downtown Fairbanks, the Alaska Pipeline, and the University of Alaska museum.  We spent a little time out of the bus at the pipeline and an hour at the museum.  All and all we felt the tour was very informative and well worth the price.

Then this afternoon, we went on the Discovery sternwheeler boat on the Chena River that runs through Fairbanks.  It joins the Nanana River in this area.  They are very different kinds of rivers.  The Chena is spring fed and the Nanana is glacier fed.  The trip was narrated by a gentleman who was informative and humerus.  It passed by the residence and kennel of Susan Butcher who won the Iditarod three consecutive years and won 4  times.  She died of cancer in 2006.  The runt pup that no one but Susan thought would be of any value was her lead dog for all of her wins.  She also took a sled dog team to the Summit of Mount McKinley.  There also were replicas of a native fish camp, and village.  We got off the boat to listen and watch demonstrations in the areas and learn more about the native cultures.  It rained almost all day so the reason for the ponchos in the pictures.
Still don't know what I do to separate the typing.

Fairbanks - July 23, 2014

Yesterday we traveled from Healy to Fairbanks.  There was road construction several places along the way where we had to wait for a pilot car the escorts us through.  When they do road construction in Alaska, the entire asphalt is removed with only dirt and a little gravel remains.  At least it wasn't raining but we quickly washed the truck when we got here.  The journey was only a little over 100 miles but it took us about 4 hours.

Three members of our entourage is coming down with colds.  Thank goodness one of them is not me - yet,  but Gary is.  So today he pretty much just stayed under cover in the RV.  I started the day out doing laundry.  I think that will be the last time I have to do that before we get back to Bates County.  I did 3 loads to the tune of $15.

We did schedule some sightseeing/information tours so we are pretty much booked up with things to do for the time we are here.  We are in a very nice RV park, much improved from the one we stayed in at Healy.  We all agreed that we would rate that one as pitiful.  It was in a mud hole, poorly maintained, and some campers (construction workers we think) partied well into the night.

I went with Jeff and Marcella this afternoon to a street market.  It was billed as a farmers market but there was a lot of craft booths.  It was enjoyable none the less.  Then we drove about 12 miles to North Pole (not THE north pole).  We did a little shopping at the gift shop, one of many we have visited since we started the trip, took some pictures, and mailed some cards so they would have North Pole on the postmark.

Jeff and Marcella fixed supper

 Scenery along the way yesterday

 Santa house at North Pole

 Santa signing books

 One of Santa's reindeer

 Hope your name is on this list.

  for all of us for supper.  Really hit the spot on this cool (cold) evening.  I think I heard on the news this evening it has been a record low summer for Alaska.  I can believe it.  However, when I hear about the weather back home, I certainly am not complaining.