Here we come!!!!
July 6-19, 2004
I need to start at the beginning of my story to make this a complete 'tale'. In August, 2003, Owen and I went on a 7 day cruise from Seattle, WA up to Juneau, AK and back. We were with many friends and were on the Holland America Lines cruise ship.
We loved Alaska from what we saw at the time. We had 3 stops along the way, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka. We loved it!!! So when our local radio station, KWAT, began advertising for their Alaska trip in 2004, we were the first to sign up! This tour included, air, bus, train & cruise ship and would be 14 days. We attended their travel show on Feb. 11 and were totally sold on the idea. Dean Johnson, General Manager of the radio station, and his wife, Diane were the host and hostess for the tour. At first it seemed like a long time ahead, but time flew and it was soon time to leave.
Day 1: Actually our trip began the night before day one! We drove up to Watertown, did that last minute shopping and then stayed in the Ramkota Inn so we could be there early the next morning. Several others on the tour did this also.
Early, but not bright (it was drizzling rain) the bus arrived to pick us up (about 6:30 AM). On the bus was Dean and Diane, Ernie and LuAnn, Ross and Bonnie, Don and Rosie, Bob and Carna, Herb and Jo, Norbert and Charlotte, Burdette and Colleen, Bill and Evonne, & Owen and Lucille. And last but not least, our wonderful tour manager, Bonna Maypark from Eau Claire, WI. We rode the bus to Sioux Falls where we were joined by Roger and Maxine, Larry and Dee and boarded the airline for Minneapolis. There we were joined by Lyndon and Ann and others from Wisconsin, I'm not sure just which ones.
We then boarded an airline and flew 5 hrs. to Anchorage, AK. We had great flights and arrived there at 5 PM. We stayed at the Anchorage Hilton. Clem and Shirley were already there. Others who were part of the tour were Clarence and Becky, Steve and Gloria, Don and Dorothy, Dean and Marlene, Milt and Rita, Merlin and Genevie, Dick and Marcia, Bob and Ruth, Harold and Sandy, and our great bus driver, Larry Wegner.
That evening we were on our own for our meal. We did some walking around and exploring, then realized how tired we really were!!! We had lost 3 hr. (most of us had) and the sun didn't go down until 11 PM! We soon discovered that it didn't really get dark at all and the sun rise was about 3 AM! WOW....we learned to sleep in the 'twilight'.
This is a map of our tour.
Day 2: Our second day began with
breakfast at the hotel before 8 AM. A bus with a city tour guide
picked up us at the hotel and we toured the down town area, Port of
Anchorage and the Lake Hood float plane base.
The tide was out at the time, the sandy area that is covered in high tide really showed up. We walked across a foot bridge on the river that flowed into the Port area and watched the salmon swimming. The Chugach mountain are to the east of Anchorage.
The tide was out at the time, the sandy area that is covered in high tide really showed up. We walked across a foot bridge on the river that flowed into the Port area and watched the salmon swimming. The Chugach mountain are to the east of Anchorage.
Then the bus took us to Lake Hood where the float
planes are located. There were many companies available to take
you on a sight-seeing trip on the planes and also areas where
individuals had their planes docked along with a very small structure
that
was used to store their needed possessions in.
The plane on the right is getting ready to take off.
The plane on the right is getting ready to take off.
From there we went on to visit the Alaska Native
Heritage Center. It was a large area with a building that housed
exhibits, eating and demonstration areas. Also a great outdoor
area that had rebuilt native houses and other items to view.
This was all run by the Native American - Eskimo people.
There were a lot of interesting exhibits here.
We returned to the hotel. Some attended 'The Alaska Experience Theatre', an cinema domed screen and then had some shopping time in the down town Anchorage area. (many of the men took naps or watched TV)
This corner(left picture) was about 2 blks from the hotel. It had many souvenirs for sale! Note the hanging flower baskets. The streets were lined with hanging baskets, all so beautiful. The visitors information center was very colorful with all of the flowers. Note the sod roof on the building.
That evening we went by bus to the Sourdough Mining Company Restaurant. This was very rustic looking, many of the old gold mining days artifacts were displayed. We had a very good meal served family style. There were also two other buses there, so it was a bit crowded.
A wonderful day it was!! We saw many things, learned much and enjoyed all!
Day 3: Today we set out on a day long journey. We left Anchorage at 9:30 AM in the bus for Prince William Sound. We drove along the coast area on the scenic Turnagain Arm for many miles, watching for Dall Sheep along the way. I didn't see any, but some did. (from a distance they look like grains of rice with legs!!) We stopped at a very small town, Girdwood, and visited a gift shop. Then on to Portage where we were lined up and waited for the appropriate time to enter the tunnel. This tunnel was built during World War II for the railroad. It was quite a feat and has stayed in tact even during the earthquakes. Now the tunnel is shared by the train and motor traffic. So you need to know the schedule and be on schedule to get through it promptly. I did not get a picture of the tunnel.
The left is scenery along the Turnagain Arm, the right is a scene from the gift shop at Girdwood.
When we arrived at Whittier, we had a wait a bit before we boarded the Klondike Express cruiser that would take us on the the 4 1/2 hr., 135 mile trip on the Prince William Sound. We ate lunch on the boat before setting out. The scenery was beautiful, the air was cold coming off of the Glaciers. Along the cliffs when our cruise first began, we viewed the rookery of the Kittiwakes.
On the left is a view of the mountain and glacier behind the town of Whittier. The right is a scenic view on the cruise.
This is the falls along the rock sides where the Kittiwake Rookery was. An enlarged picture of the birds on right.
We returned to the hotel. Some attended 'The Alaska Experience Theatre', an cinema domed screen and then had some shopping time in the down town Anchorage area. (many of the men took naps or watched TV)
This corner(left picture) was about 2 blks from the hotel. It had many souvenirs for sale! Note the hanging flower baskets. The streets were lined with hanging baskets, all so beautiful. The visitors information center was very colorful with all of the flowers. Note the sod roof on the building.
That evening we went by bus to the Sourdough Mining Company Restaurant. This was very rustic looking, many of the old gold mining days artifacts were displayed. We had a very good meal served family style. There were also two other buses there, so it was a bit crowded.
A wonderful day it was!! We saw many things, learned much and enjoyed all!
Day 3: Today we set out on a day long journey. We left Anchorage at 9:30 AM in the bus for Prince William Sound. We drove along the coast area on the scenic Turnagain Arm for many miles, watching for Dall Sheep along the way. I didn't see any, but some did. (from a distance they look like grains of rice with legs!!) We stopped at a very small town, Girdwood, and visited a gift shop. Then on to Portage where we were lined up and waited for the appropriate time to enter the tunnel. This tunnel was built during World War II for the railroad. It was quite a feat and has stayed in tact even during the earthquakes. Now the tunnel is shared by the train and motor traffic. So you need to know the schedule and be on schedule to get through it promptly. I did not get a picture of the tunnel.
The left is scenery along the Turnagain Arm, the right is a scene from the gift shop at Girdwood.
When we arrived at Whittier, we had a wait a bit before we boarded the Klondike Express cruiser that would take us on the the 4 1/2 hr., 135 mile trip on the Prince William Sound. We ate lunch on the boat before setting out. The scenery was beautiful, the air was cold coming off of the Glaciers. Along the cliffs when our cruise first began, we viewed the rookery of the Kittiwakes.
On the left is a view of the mountain and glacier behind the town of Whittier. The right is a scenic view on the cruise.
This is the falls along the rock sides where the Kittiwake Rookery was. An enlarged picture of the birds on right.
This cruise boosts of seeing 26 glaciers. I
believe we just about did!!! Lost count! We did not see
any major 'calving' of the glaciers (this is when large pieces break
off and fall in the water). There was plenty of ice floating so
that we knew it had happened.
The blue color on the face of the glacier is from the compacting of the ice and the oxygen is forced out.
Sea Otters are comical.....they lay on their back, many times carrying their young on their tummies.
These are seals, I'm not sure of the kind.
It was a great day. We scurried to be on time to get back through the tunnel on time. Then Owen and I asked the driver to drop us off along the road south of Anchorage where a high school classmate, Jim Johnston, picked us up for the evening. We had a nice visit. Jim made supper for us, and we heard tales of living in the woods! He had a nice home, drove us back to Anchorage in his BMW!. Thanks, James, for a lovely evening.
The blue color on the face of the glacier is from the compacting of the ice and the oxygen is forced out.
Sea Otters are comical.....they lay on their back, many times carrying their young on their tummies.
These are seals, I'm not sure of the kind.
It was a great day. We scurried to be on time to get back through the tunnel on time. Then Owen and I asked the driver to drop us off along the road south of Anchorage where a high school classmate, Jim Johnston, picked us up for the evening. We had a nice visit. Jim made supper for us, and we heard tales of living in the woods! He had a nice home, drove us back to Anchorage in his BMW!. Thanks, James, for a lovely evening.
The end of another day!!!
Day 4: Our day began early! Our luggage needed to be ready for pick-up at 7 AM! We were leaving Anchorage and heading up the Matanuska Valley. We grabbed a bite for breakfast and departed the hotel at 8:30. Our first stop was at Palmer to see the beautiful gardens. It was a beautiful day, just cool enough for a jacket.
Left: The sign at Palmer, on right, Owen & Lucille by the large rhubarb.
Some took rides on a dog pulled wagon.....................the sign marking the place ................... Our tour manager, Bonna with a puppy!
Lake Lucille sign with Owen and Lucille...................................Lake Lucille...........................Rosie and Don with Vern Halter, Iditarod contestant.
Day 4: Our day began early! Our luggage needed to be ready for pick-up at 7 AM! We were leaving Anchorage and heading up the Matanuska Valley. We grabbed a bite for breakfast and departed the hotel at 8:30. Our first stop was at Palmer to see the beautiful gardens. It was a beautiful day, just cool enough for a jacket.
Left: The sign at Palmer, on right, Owen & Lucille by the large rhubarb.
Then we continued on to the Iditarod Trail Committee
Visitor Center and Headquarters at Wasilla, AK. There were many
dogs around and also a litter of puppies! They were so cute!!
Some took rides on a dog pulled wagon.....................the sign marking the place ................... Our tour manager, Bonna with a puppy!
Then we journeyed on to LAKE LUCILLE!! Wow, a
lake with the same name as I!! It was a beautiful place. We
had a very nice luncheon here.
Lake Lucille sign with Owen and Lucille...................................Lake Lucille...........................Rosie and Don with Vern Halter, Iditarod contestant.
From here we traveled on down the road, highway #3.
We stopped at a small place along the highway...the ice cream
was wonderful!! The lady who owned this shop with her
mother, was Jean Richardson, a children's book writer.
The view
to the mountains was great from there.
From here we continued down the road to the Alaskan
War Memorial. I didn't get a picture here, not sure why! I
was trying very hard to get a picture of Mt. McKinley!!
I didn't realize this was my only chance!!! The clouds were
hovering over the top, I took several, but this is the best one.
In the center of the picture, there is a break in the clouds and you can see most of the
mountain. Not quite to the tip top.
As we went down the road, a medium size black bear ran out infront of us but he went back in the woods so fast that no one got a picture. The rascal!!
We soon came to the Denali Princess Lodge near Denali National Park. This was where we were to stay overnight. It was a beautiful place, with a main lodge, several buildings with accommodations plus a dinning room in another building. Very spacious. There were mountains on both sides of the Lodge area with the road running down the center of the canyon, along with a river! Several people opted to do the white water rafting. They had a good time and came back excited.
There were souvenir and food places across the street from the lodge. A few people live here, making their homes on the mountain side.
This was the end of a big day. So many things to see and do......We needed to get to bed early because it was early up the next morning. Our luggage needed to be out very early.
Day 5: This day began early, but of course, it was light out! We climbed aboard a bus for a guided wildlife tour into Denali National Park and Preserve. This is one of the last intact ecosystems in the world. This was the day for cameras, binoculars, snack box and enjoyment!!
The lay of the land and the scenery was quite different from other areas that we had visited.
Alaska's State Bird-Willow Ptarmigan Caribou Alaska's State Bird-Willow Ptarmigan
What a day, we saw several grizzly bears, mothers (sows) with their cubs, most had twins, one had triplets!!
Our tour guide was fabulous. He also found a wolf family, but they were too hard to catch on film. He
knew his way around the park and where to look for the animals.
In the center of the picture, there is a break in the clouds and you can see most of the
mountain. Not quite to the tip top.
As we went down the road, a medium size black bear ran out infront of us but he went back in the woods so fast that no one got a picture. The rascal!!
We soon came to the Denali Princess Lodge near Denali National Park. This was where we were to stay overnight. It was a beautiful place, with a main lodge, several buildings with accommodations plus a dinning room in another building. Very spacious. There were mountains on both sides of the Lodge area with the road running down the center of the canyon, along with a river! Several people opted to do the white water rafting. They had a good time and came back excited.
There were souvenir and food places across the street from the lodge. A few people live here, making their homes on the mountain side.
This was the end of a big day. So many things to see and do......We needed to get to bed early because it was early up the next morning. Our luggage needed to be out very early.
Day 5: This day began early, but of course, it was light out! We climbed aboard a bus for a guided wildlife tour into Denali National Park and Preserve. This is one of the last intact ecosystems in the world. This was the day for cameras, binoculars, snack box and enjoyment!!
The lay of the land and the scenery was quite different from other areas that we had visited.
Alaska's State Bird-Willow Ptarmigan Caribou Alaska's State Bird-Willow Ptarmigan
What a day, we saw several grizzly bears, mothers (sows) with their cubs, most had twins, one had triplets!!
Our tour guide was fabulous. He also found a wolf family, but they were too hard to catch on film. He
knew his way around the park and where to look for the animals.
It was a wonderful day in the park! Following
this we were back on the road again, heading for Fairbanks. We
stopped at the village, Nenana. The lady there showed us
more Ulu knives and the landscape. It was a good rest break!
Just as we were coming into Fairbanks, a moose was spotted
along the road, but there was no way we could stop, we got a fleeting
glimpse of him.
Day 6: We were in Fairbanks on day 6. We departed our hotel about 7:30 AM and sent to the Discovery III stern-wheeler that was on the Chena and Tanana Rivers. This large paddle wheeler had 4 decks with great observation spots. It was a beautiful day. It held a lot of people as there were several buses parked in the parking lot whose passengers were aboard when we were.
We arrived at the Bear Lodge at the Wedgewood Resort
in Fairbanks. It was a beautiful place, so many flowers.
The food was great and the rooms were wonderful! The end
of another great day. We didn't think each day could get better,
but it did!
Day 6: We were in Fairbanks on day 6. We departed our hotel about 7:30 AM and sent to the Discovery III stern-wheeler that was on the Chena and Tanana Rivers. This large paddle wheeler had 4 decks with great observation spots. It was a beautiful day. It held a lot of people as there were several buses parked in the parking lot whose passengers were aboard when we were.
This tour lasted 3-4 hours. Along the banks
there were demonstrations. The first one was the landing and take
off of a small plane. We also so many beautiful homes.
Next we came past a small Chena Indian village, complete with caribou.
The lady gave a talk from shore, showing us how they dried fish
and etc.
On the right is part of the training area and dogs of
Susan Butcher. Susan has won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
four times. The puppies were so cute.
Next we came to a Chena Indian village. There the boat docked and we all got off, divided into groups and went to different demonstration areas.
Next we came to a Chena Indian village. There the boat docked and we all got off, divided into groups and went to different demonstration areas.
#1 This young girl is
telling us about the skins that are tanned and how it works, which are
warmest and etc. #2 She is showing a very specially
made fur coat
with beading and etc. The lady behind her is doing bead work. Many of their designs are flowers instead of geometrical. #3 This is a 'cache'. This is made to set up off the ground with metal on the legs so the animals can't climb up it. Food and other commodities are kept in this. These are the Athabascan Indians.
That noon we had lunch at the 'Pump House' Restaurant that was originally built to pump water to gold dredging operations. This restaurant is on the National Historical Site. It was crowded and I didn't get a picture.
Then we had a photo stop at a viewing site of the Trans-Alaska pipeline.
On the right is Owen standing under the pipeline. On the left is a 'pig' that is sent down the line to clean it out.
with beading and etc. The lady behind her is doing bead work. Many of their designs are flowers instead of geometrical. #3 This is a 'cache'. This is made to set up off the ground with metal on the legs so the animals can't climb up it. Food and other commodities are kept in this. These are the Athabascan Indians.
That noon we had lunch at the 'Pump House' Restaurant that was originally built to pump water to gold dredging operations. This restaurant is on the National Historical Site. It was crowded and I didn't get a picture.
Then we had a photo stop at a viewing site of the Trans-Alaska pipeline.
On the right is Owen standing under the pipeline. On the left is a 'pig' that is sent down the line to clean it out.
Our next stop was at the El Dorado Gold Mine.
This is a working gold mine found in the Tanana Valley.
When we first arrived we boarded a small train that took us to
the mine area. Then we watched them as they dumped the rocks and
earth into the box and then ran a lot of water through it and using
their pans, found gold.
This is the slush and water coming down, you can see the slats on the right bottom that catch the gold because
it is heavier than the dirt. On the right he is also showing us how to pan for gold.
This is the building that we were in. We all wished we could have found the nugget at the right!!!
This is the slush and water coming down, you can see the slats on the right bottom that catch the gold because
it is heavier than the dirt. On the right he is also showing us how to pan for gold.
Next we went into the building and there
we were given small sacks of dirt and every one had a pan and we panned
for gold. It looks easier than it was. Was glad to have
some
help.....we did find a few flakes of gold!! These we picked out
and put into a film case and took it into the shop to have it weighed.
Several of us did have 'gold dust' necklaces made from the gold that
we panned ourselves!!!
This is the building that we were in. We all wished we could have found the nugget at the right!!!
Following this, we returned to Wedgewood Resort for
the evening. This was time to ourselves, some did laundry.
We had to find our own place to eat, that worked too! We
went across the street and had pizza!! Just walking around the
grounds of the resort was really neat, they had so many beautiful
flowers.
It was early to bed because we had to have luggage out about
6:30 AM the next morning.
Day. 7 We left Fairbanks this morning, embarking on another leg of our journey. The mystery ahead unfolded by the mile......
Day. 7 We left Fairbanks this morning, embarking on another leg of our journey. The mystery ahead unfolded by the mile......
Our first stop was at a small souvenir shop along the
way. This was also a place where we could view the big Alaska
pipe line as it goes south to Veldez. This was on the Tanana
River.
Our next stop was at Rika's Roadhouse and Landing on
the Tanana River. This is at the Big Delta State Historical Park
on the Richardson Hwy. This area played an important part in the
history of Alaska as the crossroads for four of the most important
elements of life in the Interior: shelter, transportation,
communication and supplies. It was an early trading post.
It was purchased in 1909 to be developed into a roadhouse by John
Hajdukovich. He became a very busy man, so hired Rika Wallen from
Sweden to run it
for him. She developed it to it's fullness....buying it
from
him in 1923. We ate lunch there after shopping and touring the
facilities.
Rika's
Roadhouse and Landing as seen today.
Bill & Evonne in front of the blacksmith shop.
Dean doing some 'dream'
shopping!!
We stopped at Delta Junction to view the last mile marker of the Alaskan Highway. Not too far down the road we could see the smoke of several forest fires.
We reached the International Boundry........we were now entering the Yukon territory.
We stopped at Delta Junction to view the last mile marker of the Alaskan Highway. Not too far down the road we could see the smoke of several forest fires.
We reached the International Boundry........we were now entering the Yukon territory.
Ann and Lyndon by the
International Marker. Looking back was the mileage sign and strip
cut in
the trees to mark the boarder. Dee & Larry headed out!
As we started out on our journey..... a young black bear came down the highway, but soon jumped the guardrail and ran into the forest.
We journeyed on down the road to Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory. This is where we will be staying tonight. It was warm that day and most of the rooms were hot, but we quickly got ready for the big meal ahead and . entertainment It was a light hearted dinner show titled "Beaver Creek Rendezvou Review" featuring some of the history of the building of the Alaskan Highway. This was a log building in a round shape interior. Note the center top of the roof!! During the play, a man comes through the center top!! Part of his 'crashed' airplane hangs inside!! It was cute!!!
As we started out on our journey..... a young black bear came down the highway, but soon jumped the guardrail and ran into the forest.
We journeyed on down the road to Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory. This is where we will be staying tonight. It was warm that day and most of the rooms were hot, but we quickly got ready for the big meal ahead and . entertainment It was a light hearted dinner show titled "Beaver Creek Rendezvou Review" featuring some of the history of the building of the Alaskan Highway. This was a log building in a round shape interior. Note the center top of the roof!! During the play, a man comes through the center top!! Part of his 'crashed' airplane hangs inside!! It was cute!!!
After a walk and a visit to the gift shop, we all
retired fairly early as we had to have our luggage out by 7 AM the next
morning.
Day. 8 We were up and ready to go early. But our poor tour guide, Bonna, had a problem. We are kinda out in 'no where' and her nylons all have 'runs' in them. So someone was so helpful and mended it with duct tape no less!!!
POTHOLES!!!
Day. 8 We were up and ready to go early. But our poor tour guide, Bonna, had a problem. We are kinda out in 'no where' and her nylons all have 'runs' in them. So someone was so helpful and mended it with duct tape no less!!!
We are now leaving Beaver Creek and heading for White
Horse. The scenery is beautiful, also there is a smoke haze
hanging over, making good pictures hard to come by. We visited
Kluane
Lake at Lkuane National Park, Haines Junction, YT and then went
on to Sheep Mountain. It was clear at Sheep Mountain but try as
we may, we couldn't spot any sheep. The rangers theory was that
they were over the mountain, on the north side where it was
cooler.
Kluane Lake
Sheep Mountain
Ravens, They play a part in many
Alaskan fables.
Then we arrived in White Horse. Again the sky is smoky. We are in a nice hotel, supper out, visit with some people who sat next to us and she graduated from Hot Springs High School, where I graduated from!!!!! Small world. That evening we attended Frantic Follies at our hotel, the Westmark. It was hilarious! We choose participates from the audience....we had two members of our group chosen, a third person from the other bus that traveled with us was also chosen, but I didn't get his picture, didn't realize he was one of our tour.
Then we arrived in White Horse. Again the sky is smoky. We are in a nice hotel, supper out, visit with some people who sat next to us and she graduated from Hot Springs High School, where I graduated from!!!!! Small world. That evening we attended Frantic Follies at our hotel, the Westmark. It was hilarious! We choose participates from the audience....we had two members of our group chosen, a third person from the other bus that traveled with us was also chosen, but I didn't get his picture, didn't realize he was one of our tour.
Marcia was chosen
to
come up front and they sang to her. Ernie was chosen to come up
and
remove the garter from this lady, he did a good job!!!!
A good time was had by all at this performance!! We took a little walk and then went to bed, guess we are getting a little tired and run down!!!
Day 9 This was our morning to sleep in. We didn't have to have our luggage out until 8:30 and departed the hotel at 9:30. Our first bus stop as at Emerald Lake. A beautiful lake that has a natural emerald green color. Just prior to arriving at the lake, we did catch glimpses of a couple moose. Then we stopped at Spirit Lake Wilderness Resort near Carcross, YT for lunch. This little family owned operations served us soup and sandwiches and a choice of home made pie. From there we went on down the road to the Carcross Desert. Yes, a desert!! It is very small, apparently an old lake bed that was silted in and not much grows there. Beautiful fine sand, perfect for the sand box!!!
At Frasier we boarded the train and went to Skagway. At this
point we have traveled 1300+ miles. The railroad will take us 27
miles down to the ocean port where we will board the cruise ship
tomorrow.
The little railroad was really neat. Some people had a problem with the elevation and being able to look down, but all in all it was pretty nice. Something different.
There are some old buildings in Skagway like the one on the left and then many new ones have been built to look old.
Store hours: When the ships come in they open, when the ships leave, they close!
On the left is the Skagway Surplus store, Maxine, Ann and Jo are the ones on the left!
Across the street was a neat little shop with an outdoor area, Diane and Dee were found here.
The fishing didn't go so well for the fellows. Of course that relieved them of the decision and arrangements they would had to have made to have the fish shipped home! They did enjoy their time on the water. (Most men don't like to shop anyway!)
Our Ship....The Norwegian Sun
This was taken from the top deck (#12) of the ship as it left the Skagway dock at about 8 PM. On the left
is some of the scenery as we sailed away.
A good time was had by all at this performance!! We took a little walk and then went to bed, guess we are getting a little tired and run down!!!
Day 9 This was our morning to sleep in. We didn't have to have our luggage out until 8:30 and departed the hotel at 9:30. Our first bus stop as at Emerald Lake. A beautiful lake that has a natural emerald green color. Just prior to arriving at the lake, we did catch glimpses of a couple moose. Then we stopped at Spirit Lake Wilderness Resort near Carcross, YT for lunch. This little family owned operations served us soup and sandwiches and a choice of home made pie. From there we went on down the road to the Carcross Desert. Yes, a desert!! It is very small, apparently an old lake bed that was silted in and not much grows there. Beautiful fine sand, perfect for the sand box!!!
Beautiful
Emerald Lake, north of Carcross, YT.
Spirit Lake Wilderness
Resort Bonna & Diane sifting
sand in their hands.
You can see on these photo's that we are still in an area where the smoke is hanging, looking hazy and gray. We didn't smell it very much.
You can see on these photo's that we are still in an area where the smoke is hanging, looking hazy and gray. We didn't smell it very much.
Foot bridge in
Carcross
Church in
Carcross
Old gold mine along the road from Carcross to
Fraser, BC
We spent some time in Carcross, YT. It was a very small town, pretty much dependent on the tourists. They had a neat old souvenir shop, great ice cream, a nice visitors center and several run down residents. It is still smoky here, hard to take a clear picture. From Carcross we go to Fraser, BC where we will meet the end of the White Pass & Yukon Route headed for Skagway, AK. This narrow gauge railroad was built at the height of the Klondike Gold Rush. It brought the gold seekers further north before they built their boats at Carcross, launching them in Lake Bennett and then followed the river up to Dawson.
We spent some time in Carcross, YT. It was a very small town, pretty much dependent on the tourists. They had a neat old souvenir shop, great ice cream, a nice visitors center and several run down residents. It is still smoky here, hard to take a clear picture. From Carcross we go to Fraser, BC where we will meet the end of the White Pass & Yukon Route headed for Skagway, AK. This narrow gauge railroad was built at the height of the Klondike Gold Rush. It brought the gold seekers further north before they built their boats at Carcross, launching them in Lake Bennett and then followed the river up to Dawson.
The little railroad was really neat. Some people had a problem with the elevation and being able to look down, but all in all it was pretty nice. Something different.
We were in one of the front 3 cars,
so when
we went around the corners, we could look back at the last cars.
We arrived in Skagway to spend the night in the
Westmark Inn before boarding the ship the next day. We were on
our own to explore the little village and to shop. We found out
real fast that when the cruise ships are docked, the shops are open,
when they leave, the shops close! Interesting. It was a
warm night, unusual for Alaska....no air conditioning, so a bit hard to
fall asleep and be
up early in the morning!!
Day 10: Today is the day that we move onto the Norwegian Sun Cruise ship. It is a big one, has 2000+ guests plus crew on board. Our bus driver took us and luggage to the dock. After a lot of standing in line, paper works and formalities, we are finally on board........just in time to EAT!!!! Wow, what a spread of food!! It takes awhile to get orientated to the ship, so with map in hand, we found the dinning rooms and decided that we preferred the cafeteria for today.
Several of the men decided to take a fishing excursion so they were off to that for the afternoon. The ship would not leave the port until evening, so most all of the ladies and guys went back up town Skagway to do a little more shopping. Skagway really had an assortment of stores, tourism is the name of the game here!!!
Day 10: Today is the day that we move onto the Norwegian Sun Cruise ship. It is a big one, has 2000+ guests plus crew on board. Our bus driver took us and luggage to the dock. After a lot of standing in line, paper works and formalities, we are finally on board........just in time to EAT!!!! Wow, what a spread of food!! It takes awhile to get orientated to the ship, so with map in hand, we found the dinning rooms and decided that we preferred the cafeteria for today.
Several of the men decided to take a fishing excursion so they were off to that for the afternoon. The ship would not leave the port until evening, so most all of the ladies and guys went back up town Skagway to do a little more shopping. Skagway really had an assortment of stores, tourism is the name of the game here!!!
There are some old buildings in Skagway like the one on the left and then many new ones have been built to look old.
Store hours: When the ships come in they open, when the ships leave, they close!
On the left is the Skagway Surplus store, Maxine, Ann and Jo are the ones on the left!
Across the street was a neat little shop with an outdoor area, Diane and Dee were found here.
The fishing didn't go so well for the fellows. Of course that relieved them of the decision and arrangements they would had to have made to have the fish shipped home! They did enjoy their time on the water. (Most men don't like to shop anyway!)
Our Ship....The Norwegian Sun
This was taken from the top deck (#12) of the ship as it left the Skagway dock at about 8 PM. On the left
is some of the scenery as we sailed away.
Now to settle in on the ship. There were other
large ships in the harbor, some small ones and the float planes and
helicopters were still flying. We are off on our last segament of
our Alaska trip.
Day 11: We traveled all night, going south in the inside passage from Skagway to Wrangell. Today is the first drizzly, damp, cloudy, cool weather we have had. Wrangell is on an large island, as city of about 2,200 people, built on the side hill. We, and several others, had paid for a trip into the interior of the island by Jeep. Fortunately these jeeps were covered!
Day 11: We traveled all night, going south in the inside passage from Skagway to Wrangell. Today is the first drizzly, damp, cloudy, cool weather we have had. Wrangell is on an large island, as city of about 2,200 people, built on the side hill. We, and several others, had paid for a trip into the interior of the island by Jeep. Fortunately these jeeps were covered!
On the left is the line of 7 jeeps that headed up the
trail toward the top the mountains above Wrangell. We were in the
back one. The put 2 couples in each jeep, the the fellows
took turns driving, the led jeep had the narrator in it and we were
connected by 2 way radio. We were to see the rain forest, all
kinds of trees and an explaination of the ecology of the rain forest.
We were shown the bog areas and tall trees. The animals
were hidding, we saw one deer! By the time we came down from our
2.5 hr. trip, the weather was clearing and it
became very nice.
This is a picture of Wrangell, taken from our ship. On the right, just right of the buses
you can see the jeeps parked, ready to take more folks up on the mountain.
Day 12: Today was a day on the ship as it traveled south. Time to explore the ship..... There was food and dining rooms everywhere....it seemed!!! The food was wonderful, there was always food available......
I was facsinated with the garnets (it is my
birthstone). This is the way the children sell them.(left)
On the right is a close up of some of the stones, you can see the
garnets inbedded in the stones. So I looked up a little history
on this and this is what I found:
"These Garnets are Almadine Garnets, they are formed from intense heat and pressure in Mica Schist rock, they have 24 faces on each. They are found about 10 miles from Wrangell, on the mainland, on a garnet ledge. This garnet ledge was owned by a group of ladies who tried to mine the garnet and have them cut into perfect gems, but because this type of garnet doesn't cut well and is not perfect, the venture did not work out, so they gave the ledge to the children of Wrangell and the Boy Scouts of America". They are unique!!
"These Garnets are Almadine Garnets, they are formed from intense heat and pressure in Mica Schist rock, they have 24 faces on each. They are found about 10 miles from Wrangell, on the mainland, on a garnet ledge. This garnet ledge was owned by a group of ladies who tried to mine the garnet and have them cut into perfect gems, but because this type of garnet doesn't cut well and is not perfect, the venture did not work out, so they gave the ledge to the children of Wrangell and the Boy Scouts of America". They are unique!!
This is a picture of Wrangell, taken from our ship. On the right, just right of the buses
you can see the jeeps parked, ready to take more folks up on the mountain.
Day 12: Today was a day on the ship as it traveled south. Time to explore the ship..... There was food and dining rooms everywhere....it seemed!!! The food was wonderful, there was always food available......
This was our cabin on the ship. On the left is
our dresser and closet, with the bathroom across the aisle. This
little hallway led to the door going out into the larger hall way.
The center picture is our bed and shows that we did have a
window! The last picture is a scene from our window.
There were a lot of things to do on our ship. A
lot of elegant shopping (left), gambling casino (center) the
center area was very pretty. In the picture on the right you can
actually see
3 floors, on the left of this picture is one of the glass elevators
with
someone in it. This is deck 5, 6, & 7. We lived on deck
7 so had access to several nice lounge and sitting areas.
The Chefs gave a demonstration of craving fruits and
veggies for decorations. A lounge area, Merlin and Genevie
found comfortable. The third picture is a view from our ship as
we went along. We did see several other tour ships, many islands
and could see land of some kind most of the time.
Our tour manager, Bonna, had a cocktail party for us
where we all gathered in the lounge (Pict. 1 & 2). Then we
all went to one of the dinning rooms for dinner. With their backs
to us in
front of the picture are Carna and Bob, Ross and Bonnie on the
right
and Jo and Herb on the left. Others can be seen across the
dinning
room. This was our last night on the cruise ship,
tomorrow
we dock early and spend the day at Vancouver, BC.
Day 13: Today began with departing the Norwegian Sun Ship, claiming our luggage and clearing the Canadian Customs. All went well!!! Even tho we had 65 Ulu knives strung through our people's luggage!!!! We boarded a bus for a tour of Vancouver, Stanley Park and historic Gastown.
Day 13: Today began with departing the Norwegian Sun Ship, claiming our luggage and clearing the Canadian Customs. All went well!!! Even tho we had 65 Ulu knives strung through our people's luggage!!!! We boarded a bus for a tour of Vancouver, Stanley Park and historic Gastown.
Stanley Park was very pretty,
so
green and colorful. At some stops we could view the city, a very
large
city and very pretty.
We visited the sunken gardens,
which included some neat bronze statues (that is our tour guide
by them) and we all agreed with Bonna, we were getting tired!
A shopping stop in Gastown was next. We purchased Vancouver souvenirs, ate at the local 'Sub shop', checked out the pretty flowers, shops and history of the area. I do think we were all ready to get on the bus and head south. It was a rather warm day.
Our next stop was at the Canadian/United States Customs. We all had to leave the bus with our carry on's and go through a line, showing our ID and birth certificates. All went well and we were soon back on the bus and into the state of Washington. The scenery was beautiful and we soon came to our hotel on the north edge of Seattle at Lynnwood.
Mt. Baker, north of Seattle, Inside court area of our hotel at Lynnwood.
A shopping stop in Gastown was next. We purchased Vancouver souvenirs, ate at the local 'Sub shop', checked out the pretty flowers, shops and history of the area. I do think we were all ready to get on the bus and head south. It was a rather warm day.
Our next stop was at the Canadian/United States Customs. We all had to leave the bus with our carry on's and go through a line, showing our ID and birth certificates. All went well and we were soon back on the bus and into the state of Washington. The scenery was beautiful and we soon came to our hotel on the north edge of Seattle at Lynnwood.
Mt. Baker, north of Seattle, Inside court area of our hotel at Lynnwood.
That evening was our fareweek. A wonderful
meal was served at the hotel.
Left Picture: Bonna facing us, Ernie & LuAnn, Jo & Herb, Don & Rosie and the bus driver (back to camera)
Right Picture: Charlotte (back to camera) & Norbert (red suspenders), Dean & Diane, Marcia & Dick, Merlin & Genevie
Left picture: My (Lucille) empty chair & Owen, Clarence & Becky, Dean & Marlene, Burdette & Colleen
Right Picture: left side clockwise: Ruth & Bob, Rita & Milt, Sandy & Harold, Clem & Shirley
Left picture: Evonne with her back to camera,
clockwise, Bill, Carna & Bob, Ross & Bonnie, Dee & Larry.
Right Picture: Steve with back to camera, clockwise, Gloria, Dorothy & Don, Roger & Maxine, Ann & Lyndon
Right Picture: Steve with back to camera, clockwise, Gloria, Dorothy & Don, Roger & Maxine, Ann & Lyndon
Left Picture: Bonna facing us, Ernie & LuAnn, Jo & Herb, Don & Rosie and the bus driver (back to camera)
Right Picture: Charlotte (back to camera) & Norbert (red suspenders), Dean & Diane, Marcia & Dick, Merlin & Genevie
Left picture: My (Lucille) empty chair & Owen, Clarence & Becky, Dean & Marlene, Burdette & Colleen
Right Picture: left side clockwise: Ruth & Bob, Rita & Milt, Sandy & Harold, Clem & Shirley
Day 14: The next morning began rather
early. Good bye was said to two couples who had folks picking
them up at
the Hotel. The bus took us to the Seattle airport, where the wait
began in the check-in line. Some had to do some switching of
items
in their suitcases to get under the weight limit. Funny...we
didn't
have any problem with that when we left 2 weeks ago!!!! We
boarded the airline for Minneapolis. Some left on different
planes
to make their connections. So some good byes were said here
again.
Burdette & Colleen were ready to go home, as were the rest. The bus arrived in Watertown. The end of the journey.
Burdette & Colleen were ready to go home, as were the rest. The bus arrived in Watertown. The end of the journey.
In Minneapolis we said good bye to more of our
traveling companions. It had been a very good trip, a very fun
time for everyone. You could even hear a little planning going on
for another trip in
the future!! Those of us from South Dakota flew on to Sioux
Falls
where a bus picked us up and we drove to Watertown where we either had
cars
waiting or family to meet us.