It's been a long time since my last post and a lot has happened. We arrived in the Mankato, MN area on 9-7 and we camped in Shady Oaks Campground inside the county fairgrounds in Garden City. The town was very small but the campground was quite and surrounded by trees-very nice. We were alone and then others came in and they all parked around us when there was all this room--don't know why. It didn't much matter because we were always gone. Bob's Mom's side of the family the Kresoya's were having a reunion. Just cousins except for one 94 yr. old uncle. Everyone congregated over at the home of Pat & Pete Hansen just a few minutes from us. Pat fed all of us the whole time thru the 12th and it was all good. She would hardly let anyone help her. We had brought 2 watermelons: We bought them while in Montana researching my grandfather but they had come up the day before from Nebraska from the farmer that grew them and boy were they good and sweet. We all ate on it the entire time we were there and she said she ate on it for another week after that. The other one went with us to IN. We had a great time visiting with his cousins. A few were missing but a good time was had by
all and I got everyone to write up a short geneaology and took pictures by family groupings and will pass it on to someone else to pass out to others who might want it along with the pictures.
We left on Sunday morning for DeKalb, IL to stop and see Karen Haas and her new baby. We parked in a WalMart lot and she came over where we were and we had a really nice visit. She is like another daughter because she and Christy were always together. It was so good to see them both. We left the next morning.
We arrived in Seymour the same day and parked in my cousin, Candy's driveway. We had a 50 amp hookup and was out of her way. Took our car to be serviced and cleaned and polished while we were going to be gone. Bob and I went our separate ways visiting with friends in town. The next morning Candy took us to the Indy airport to fly to Tampa to visit for a few days with Christy and her family. Couldn't get up to see our son so hopefully at Christmas time on the way to Tampa. We had a great time playing with our grandchildren and celebrating our son-in-laws birthday with his family. We flew back to Indy and my step-father picked us up at the airport because Candy was gone to Gatlinburg, TN for several days. We picked up our car and spent more time visiting with friends and getty my hair cut by my hometown beautician-Yea!!!!! Two different couples came out to the RV and spent time visiting with us and seeing our home on wheels. The weather was wonderful fall and it was so nice to be home. That will always be home for me no matter where else I may live.
We left Seymour on the 24th to drive to Campbellsville, KY to Heartland Campground on top of a hill across the road from Amazon.com where we are now working and hopefully will be until Dec. 23. They just finished the campground in Aug. so it is just flat gravel with elec., water and sewer and WiFi if you can get it. The laundry and shower area is very nice and clean and the people are real nice. The town is quite nice also.
Bob is working full time now which is M,T,Th,F from 5pm till 3:30 am which is the hours he wanted and I am working part-time days which is W,Th,F from 6am till 4:30 pm. We will be working until Dec. 23 if all goes well.
We went to Bowling Green last Sat. the 2nd to get a new head for our antenna. Somewhere we lost a one wing off the bat wing.It is now installed by Bob but it needs an additional hook up to be fully operational and that requires electrical and he doesn't do that. Then on Sun. we went to a local Christian Church which was real nice and the congregation was very friendly. Next weekend we go back to Seymour because my brother is in from Yuma and we will be buring my cousin Kenny who died out in AZ. and then near the end of the month we will also go back for one final eye Dr. app't. Things are "looking" good with my eye so I am in hopes I can stop putting in drops. That's pretty well put me up to date so I will close and hope to keep up better from now on.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
To Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D. 9-5-7-2010
In Montana and Wyoming we were beginning to see ranch land with grassland and then planted alfalfa fields for hay and lots and lots of hay bales and pronghorn antelope.
In South Dakota we were seeing more planted fields with corn and lots of sunflowers, some corn and either milo or sorghum, I think. The weather has been nice and sunny and comfortably warm. We would never get anywhere if I took all the pictures of old run down shacks and out buildings that I wanted. The way it is by the time you see it you have passed it. I guess I will have to come back riding a bike in order to stop fast enough to get the pictures. I did get a cute picture of a metal guy leading a huge metal dinosaur near 1880 Town on I90 Exit 170.
We spent overnight in the R&R Campground in Mitchell, S.D. Nice place. We have stayed in several Passport America parks at about $18/night and they were nice. Passport is very worth belonging to, I think and we did this by calling the night before on a holiday weekend. It had rained the night before and was still threatening and cooler. We drove to the Corn Palace in town and toured the inside and out. This is an auditorium where they play local basketball games, have concerts, proms, etc. This is the 3rd one built since 1892. It was built to showcase the crops grown in the area and to attract immigrant farmers to settle here and also a festival was planned to celebrate the harvest. Renowned entertainers were brought here and area crops were exhibited to celebrate the fertility of the land and the productivity of the people and this continues today. It is also known around the world as a folk-art wonder on the prarie of South Dakota. Each year a new decorating theme is choses and the outside of the building is stripped and redecorated with new corn and grain. In early summer the process begins with removal of the old grasses and grains. Over the summer, 3,000 bushels of milo, rye, oat heads and sour dock are tied in bundles and attached. The corn murals have to wait until late summer when the corn crop is ready. The corn they now plant in a separate field in order to grow the colors and keep them consistent: red, brown, black, blue, white, orange, calico, yellow and green. Over a half million ears of corn are sawed in half and nailed to the buildings following patterns created by the local artist. All summer long you can watch this process being completed. This year's theme was transportation so their were pictures showing all the different modes of transportation. Inside there is a lobby with a couple of food areas and gifts to buy and then the auditorium with bleachers on one side and a stage on the other with mural above the stage and high on the side walls. These permanent murals were created byOscar Howe a Sioux artist and South Dakots artist laureate. Along the walls their are pictures of all many of the past completed palaces thru the years. This is the 3rd one. The first burned and I think the second they tore down because it was all wood and the city had passed an ordinance against public buildings being all wood but they discovered that it was too small also. The first was built in 1892, then 1905 and the present one in 1921. They used to decorate both sides as well as the front but the city built their city building right next to it and eliminated one of the sides. It costs around $130,000/year to do this. It is an interesting sight.
The next evening we had rain and lots of strong wind and the next day as we drove toward Mankato, MN we had strong side winds and gloomy weather but we made it here to the little town of Garden City in a county fairgrounds campground. One of only two campers surrounded by trees. Very nice and inexpensive. This is as close to his cousins house as we could get. Patsy and Pete live back in the woods with no way to take in the RV. Their house will be the center of all the activity. We went there last night and had brats and beans and enjoyed their company. Penny and Ray are flying in today and and we are to meet them at his Uncle Ben's house in Edina which is near Minneapolis. His wife just died a few weeks ago.
Recived a call last night from Mr. Lambert from whom we bought the melons and whose father-in-law worked on the railroad. The father is hard of hearing so he transmitted info back and forth and at least I know where the home office for the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe RR is which is Forth Worth. I will see if they have any info on my grandad.
In South Dakota we were seeing more planted fields with corn and lots of sunflowers, some corn and either milo or sorghum, I think. The weather has been nice and sunny and comfortably warm. We would never get anywhere if I took all the pictures of old run down shacks and out buildings that I wanted. The way it is by the time you see it you have passed it. I guess I will have to come back riding a bike in order to stop fast enough to get the pictures. I did get a cute picture of a metal guy leading a huge metal dinosaur near 1880 Town on I90 Exit 170.
We spent overnight in the R&R Campground in Mitchell, S.D. Nice place. We have stayed in several Passport America parks at about $18/night and they were nice. Passport is very worth belonging to, I think and we did this by calling the night before on a holiday weekend. It had rained the night before and was still threatening and cooler. We drove to the Corn Palace in town and toured the inside and out. This is an auditorium where they play local basketball games, have concerts, proms, etc. This is the 3rd one built since 1892. It was built to showcase the crops grown in the area and to attract immigrant farmers to settle here and also a festival was planned to celebrate the harvest. Renowned entertainers were brought here and area crops were exhibited to celebrate the fertility of the land and the productivity of the people and this continues today. It is also known around the world as a folk-art wonder on the prarie of South Dakota. Each year a new decorating theme is choses and the outside of the building is stripped and redecorated with new corn and grain. In early summer the process begins with removal of the old grasses and grains. Over the summer, 3,000 bushels of milo, rye, oat heads and sour dock are tied in bundles and attached. The corn murals have to wait until late summer when the corn crop is ready. The corn they now plant in a separate field in order to grow the colors and keep them consistent: red, brown, black, blue, white, orange, calico, yellow and green. Over a half million ears of corn are sawed in half and nailed to the buildings following patterns created by the local artist. All summer long you can watch this process being completed. This year's theme was transportation so their were pictures showing all the different modes of transportation. Inside there is a lobby with a couple of food areas and gifts to buy and then the auditorium with bleachers on one side and a stage on the other with mural above the stage and high on the side walls. These permanent murals were created byOscar Howe a Sioux artist and South Dakots artist laureate. Along the walls their are pictures of all many of the past completed palaces thru the years. This is the 3rd one. The first burned and I think the second they tore down because it was all wood and the city had passed an ordinance against public buildings being all wood but they discovered that it was too small also. The first was built in 1892, then 1905 and the present one in 1921. They used to decorate both sides as well as the front but the city built their city building right next to it and eliminated one of the sides. It costs around $130,000/year to do this. It is an interesting sight.
The next evening we had rain and lots of strong wind and the next day as we drove toward Mankato, MN we had strong side winds and gloomy weather but we made it here to the little town of Garden City in a county fairgrounds campground. One of only two campers surrounded by trees. Very nice and inexpensive. This is as close to his cousins house as we could get. Patsy and Pete live back in the woods with no way to take in the RV. Their house will be the center of all the activity. We went there last night and had brats and beans and enjoyed their company. Penny and Ray are flying in today and and we are to meet them at his Uncle Ben's house in Edina which is near Minneapolis. His wife just died a few weeks ago.
Recived a call last night from Mr. Lambert from whom we bought the melons and whose father-in-law worked on the railroad. The father is hard of hearing so he transmitted info back and forth and at least I know where the home office for the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe RR is which is Forth Worth. I will see if they have any info on my grandad.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Researching Pappy in Montana--9-4-10
We left Reed Point, MT this morning and headed to Hardin and Crow Agency. Saw a flock of wild turkeys close by in a field we passed early on in the morning and all day still saw lots of pronghorn antelope. They love the fields of growing green alfalfa--you see these white spots and know what they are before you get close.
Hardin is a town just before you get to Crow Agency and I thought maybe they might have a museum or something that I might do some research on my grandfather. My grandfather Stegner worked in the town of Crow Agency when he was 23 in 1910. He was a telegrapher for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway Company and the reason I know this is because my brother gave me information and because I found a copy of a train order dated Aug. 16, 1910 with his signature in my genealogy papers. Sure enough there was the Hardin Historical Museum with lots of buildings and stuff outside and other things inside. One sweet little lady lead me to the backroom where they kept the old newspapers. The oldest book was from 1908-1910 but didn't find anything in them; however, she knew a gentleman who used to work for the railroad. Unfortunately he had just moved to Nebraska but his son-in-law was supposed to be up here delivering watermelons, squash,etc. yesterday. We found him by phone at a local store and he stopped by the museum on his way out of town. Not only did we buy 2 melons to take to MN for the reunion and an acorn squash for me but the ladies in the museum were happy also because they hadn't gotten any as of yet. We told him about my grandfather and what I was doing and he took our card to give to his father-in-law. That was a very interesting stop.
We headed into town to go back to the interstate and to DQ for lunch; however, we didn't turn where we were supposed to and ended up going the opposite direction on a narrow county road. After a few miles we finally found a road to the interstate and back to DQ.
We headed toward Crow Agency and went into their downtown(barely). I think this is almost totally an Indian town. I went into the local store and told her what I was doing and ask for any really old people 90-100+ and after some discussion with others in the store they sent me to the local nursing home. I bet they don't suffer from all the dimentia that we white people do. Anyway I had the opportunity to speak with a lovely lady of 94 years named Winona Plenty Hoops. She is almost totally blind but so sweet. Again didn't really learn anything regarding my grandfather but we had the nicest conversation and she was telling me about her grandfather and where they lived in Lodge Grass and how they came to live there. They were getting ready to play Bingo so I had to quit talking because we were in the same room but she asked me if I was going to be around for a few days but I had to tell her no and she said that was too bad. She would like to talk more. I didn't learn much the whole day but sure had a great time.
The railroad now is called Burlington Northern Santa Fe. I have to discover how to get in touch with them. Tonight we are parked in a WalMart in Gillette, WY
Hardin is a town just before you get to Crow Agency and I thought maybe they might have a museum or something that I might do some research on my grandfather. My grandfather Stegner worked in the town of Crow Agency when he was 23 in 1910. He was a telegrapher for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway Company and the reason I know this is because my brother gave me information and because I found a copy of a train order dated Aug. 16, 1910 with his signature in my genealogy papers. Sure enough there was the Hardin Historical Museum with lots of buildings and stuff outside and other things inside. One sweet little lady lead me to the backroom where they kept the old newspapers. The oldest book was from 1908-1910 but didn't find anything in them; however, she knew a gentleman who used to work for the railroad. Unfortunately he had just moved to Nebraska but his son-in-law was supposed to be up here delivering watermelons, squash,etc. yesterday. We found him by phone at a local store and he stopped by the museum on his way out of town. Not only did we buy 2 melons to take to MN for the reunion and an acorn squash for me but the ladies in the museum were happy also because they hadn't gotten any as of yet. We told him about my grandfather and what I was doing and he took our card to give to his father-in-law. That was a very interesting stop.
We headed into town to go back to the interstate and to DQ for lunch; however, we didn't turn where we were supposed to and ended up going the opposite direction on a narrow county road. After a few miles we finally found a road to the interstate and back to DQ.
We headed toward Crow Agency and went into their downtown(barely). I think this is almost totally an Indian town. I went into the local store and told her what I was doing and ask for any really old people 90-100+ and after some discussion with others in the store they sent me to the local nursing home. I bet they don't suffer from all the dimentia that we white people do. Anyway I had the opportunity to speak with a lovely lady of 94 years named Winona Plenty Hoops. She is almost totally blind but so sweet. Again didn't really learn anything regarding my grandfather but we had the nicest conversation and she was telling me about her grandfather and where they lived in Lodge Grass and how they came to live there. They were getting ready to play Bingo so I had to quit talking because we were in the same room but she asked me if I was going to be around for a few days but I had to tell her no and she said that was too bad. She would like to talk more. I didn't learn much the whole day but sure had a great time.
The railroad now is called Burlington Northern Santa Fe. I have to discover how to get in touch with them. Tonight we are parked in a WalMart in Gillette, WY
Friday, September 3, 2010
Smelterville, ID to Reed Point, MT--9-3-10
We left a little late this morning because we were on the phone checking on my insurance. We are driving on Interstate 90 thru Idaho and now thru Montana. The countryside was really beautiful. We are in mountains and then rolling hills and then into some pasture and farmland where I think they are growing mostly alfalfa for hay. The mixture of colors is wonderful and the some of the trees are beginning to turn a little yellow.
Missoula is located in a large valley very spread out. I would like to come back here and visit some time. We saw this very tall smokestack that was used years ago which we had seen on the way up or last year and we also went past Butte. This was the town we found in which we found the pasties on the way to Alaska. I also had a good view of the large white statue of Jesus up on the mountain top.
We saw lots of antelope munching on the new green alfalfa that the ranchers were growing and also crossed the Yellowstone River a couple of times and it followed us along. We came into Reed Point, MT where we are spending the night in the Old West RV Park. Quaint little town but not much here. This Sunday they have a big sheep drive thru town and I guess there are vendors and the town is packed--we leave tomorrow morning. It would be interesting to see though.
Missoula is located in a large valley very spread out. I would like to come back here and visit some time. We saw this very tall smokestack that was used years ago which we had seen on the way up or last year and we also went past Butte. This was the town we found in which we found the pasties on the way to Alaska. I also had a good view of the large white statue of Jesus up on the mountain top.
We saw lots of antelope munching on the new green alfalfa that the ranchers were growing and also crossed the Yellowstone River a couple of times and it followed us along. We came into Reed Point, MT where we are spending the night in the Old West RV Park. Quaint little town but not much here. This Sunday they have a big sheep drive thru town and I guess there are vendors and the town is packed--we leave tomorrow morning. It would be interesting to see though.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Still in Oregon--Aug. 25-Sept. 2
I am not keeping as good a notes as I was but somewhere during these days this is what went on with us. As far as the coach is concerned it is as finished as it will be until we get to Florida in 2011. The cargo door is new and silvery but it will be painted in Florida. We left the coach sitting at Monaco and drove to Florence which is on the coast. It is a lovely town right on the ocean. Bob and I just wandered around the shops and they also had some tents set up by the marina that was selling things. I finally bought me a french butter keeper. You can keep your butter sitting out and it will not get rancid. This was the least expensive one I've seen. A Baptist church had a small tent and was handing out things but the wind caught it just right and tore it up so we were holding things down so he could start taking it down.
We went on down the coast road just a little and went to the Sea Lion Caves. They say it is the largest sea cave in the U.S. It is a 2 acre cave. They have even put in an elevator that is 208 feet thru solid rock and this was done over a period of 2 years because they could only work on it when the sea lions were out of the cave. It is still privately owned and is very nice. The state or national talked of taking it over and the people of Oregon wouldn't have it. The owners have done a great job of protecting the Stellar Sea Lions. Their are also Grey Whales that pass thru the ocean in this area. A side note: the California Sea Lions disappeared from San Francisco Bay and many of them were tagged and they discovered that they had come up into this area in order to follow the fish into cooler waters. The sea lions have already had their calves and are beginning to go back into the ocean but there were quite a few mom and pups lounging in the sun on some rocks outside the cave. From their building property you could see up the road to the Heceta Head Lighthouse which is very pretty and still being used.
We drove on up the coast and then caught a road going inland and wandered awhile trying to locate a William J. Finley National Wildlife Refuge. We finally found it and drove thru a portion of it and at one point we parked and I hiked down one of their trails to the lake and saw some ducks and white pelicans and I think the back half of a red fox. There were blackberry briars and ripe blackberries so I went back to the car for my jug and picked a half gallon to take home. Back at the coach the next day before we left I baked a cake and added 2 cups of berries. It was good.
We left Monaco and drove north from Eugene toward Portland but stopped at Champoeg State Park and stayed for 2 nights. In the morning I got up and went for a hike on some of their trails while Bob went to Camping World. I got some good walking in and then after he returned we went over to McMinnville to the Evergreen Air and Space Museum and spent the rest of the day touring it. The main attraction is the Spruce Goose that Howard Hughes designed and had built and flew. It was very interesting. The next morning I went to the Pioneer Mother's Cabin which was closed and up to the Museum which was very interesting but I missed the garden but I also ran out of time. I also drove to the Butteville Store in the town of the same name. It is one of the oldest continuously operating stores. It began in the 1860's. I picked up a small Zucchini and Squash Receipe Book. We drove back to Portland.
We parked in front of Penny and Ray's again just for 2 days. My Dr. appt. went well and he cut my doses down so that was good. They had friends over for dinner that night and we showed them the coach. Nice couple. The next day Penny and I went looking at bicycles for us both. Neither bought but we have information at least. Saw Derek at the mattress store and tried out mattresses and then went home. That evening we treated Penny and Ray to dinner out in thanks for all their hospitatality. We went to the Portland Grill, a very nice place with a full view of the city. Great food and great company.
We left about 9:30 thursday the second and drove to Smelterville, ID and parked in a WalMart.
We went on down the coast road just a little and went to the Sea Lion Caves. They say it is the largest sea cave in the U.S. It is a 2 acre cave. They have even put in an elevator that is 208 feet thru solid rock and this was done over a period of 2 years because they could only work on it when the sea lions were out of the cave. It is still privately owned and is very nice. The state or national talked of taking it over and the people of Oregon wouldn't have it. The owners have done a great job of protecting the Stellar Sea Lions. Their are also Grey Whales that pass thru the ocean in this area. A side note: the California Sea Lions disappeared from San Francisco Bay and many of them were tagged and they discovered that they had come up into this area in order to follow the fish into cooler waters. The sea lions have already had their calves and are beginning to go back into the ocean but there were quite a few mom and pups lounging in the sun on some rocks outside the cave. From their building property you could see up the road to the Heceta Head Lighthouse which is very pretty and still being used.
We drove on up the coast and then caught a road going inland and wandered awhile trying to locate a William J. Finley National Wildlife Refuge. We finally found it and drove thru a portion of it and at one point we parked and I hiked down one of their trails to the lake and saw some ducks and white pelicans and I think the back half of a red fox. There were blackberry briars and ripe blackberries so I went back to the car for my jug and picked a half gallon to take home. Back at the coach the next day before we left I baked a cake and added 2 cups of berries. It was good.
We left Monaco and drove north from Eugene toward Portland but stopped at Champoeg State Park and stayed for 2 nights. In the morning I got up and went for a hike on some of their trails while Bob went to Camping World. I got some good walking in and then after he returned we went over to McMinnville to the Evergreen Air and Space Museum and spent the rest of the day touring it. The main attraction is the Spruce Goose that Howard Hughes designed and had built and flew. It was very interesting. The next morning I went to the Pioneer Mother's Cabin which was closed and up to the Museum which was very interesting but I missed the garden but I also ran out of time. I also drove to the Butteville Store in the town of the same name. It is one of the oldest continuously operating stores. It began in the 1860's. I picked up a small Zucchini and Squash Receipe Book. We drove back to Portland.
We parked in front of Penny and Ray's again just for 2 days. My Dr. appt. went well and he cut my doses down so that was good. They had friends over for dinner that night and we showed them the coach. Nice couple. The next day Penny and I went looking at bicycles for us both. Neither bought but we have information at least. Saw Derek at the mattress store and tried out mattresses and then went home. That evening we treated Penny and Ray to dinner out in thanks for all their hospitatality. We went to the Portland Grill, a very nice place with a full view of the city. Great food and great company.
We left about 9:30 thursday the second and drove to Smelterville, ID and parked in a WalMart.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Still at Monaco in Coburg--Aug. 24
We had a nice visit with Deven and Raiko at their home in Eugene. We missed Elly because she had previous plans. We spent most of the time visiting outside because I am allergic to cats but it was interesting seeing what he had planted in his yard and is planning to do. His back yard has 2 levels and on the upper level he has the frame of a greenhouse and several raised beds and some are already planted. Because the soil is not real good on the hill he has planted prarie flowers and grasses as well as in some of the front yard. He will put plastic over the frame and enclose it. On the lower level he also has some raised beds for vegetables and around the sides of the house. In the front on one side he has a fence encloser that has berry briars. They make a lot of freezer jams using marionberries, blueberries, and blackberries. We are at the end of the growing season here but I bet his yard is beautiful in the spring and early summer. I love plants and knowing what they are so I really enjoyed his yard tour.
We left and stopped at the grocery near him to pick up a few things and outside they had a large display of organic vegetables and we tried some very small tomatoes and it was like eating candy they were so sweet.
Over the weekend we stayed in the Monaco parking area where they have electricity. One afternoon we drove to a couple of parks and stopped to do some hiking in the Elijah Bristow State Park. It was so good to get out and do some hiking. This is the season for the blackberries to ripen and they are everywhere. All I had to collect some in was a quart ziplock bag but I could have filled a gallon without a problem. These wild briars are everywhere and the wild are always sweeter and tastier than the tame. There are a couple of fields right next to the Monaco and Cummins businesses and around them are they huge briar patches. People from the coaches have been picking them. It is very dry here. There are farms all around this area and when you are driving into the large valleys the sky is hazy. The farmers are out cutting hay and plowing and the dust is rising so I am assuming that accounts for the haze. All the fields except for the fields of broccoli or brussel sprouts are brown as well as the yards. They are waiting for the rains to begin.
On Monday afternoon we drove back to Portland to stay with Penny and then go to my eye Dr. on Tues. a.m. early. We stopped at Camping World on the way up and back to pick up some items. Deven and Raiko arrived at Penny's in the late afternoon/early evening. Raiko was going to stay with Penny and Ray while Deven went on business to Washington State to meet with some mint buyers for the rest of the week. Penny was trying to bribe us to stay and help but we are still dealing with the RV--waiting for an OK from the insurace company to do one last thing.
The report from the eye Dr. was that everything is progressing and he has cut back my medication. He will see me for the last time next week and then I have to see my doctor in either IN or FL in the next few weeks. When I look only thru my left eye it is still blurry but at least it doesn't affect seeing out of the other eye. He says this may take a few months and then I may still not have as good a sight as I had in that one eye but there is nothing I could have done besides cancel our trip or delay our leaving and caught up with them later. That would have meant that we missed a lot and wasted money. Oh well, that's life on the road with a caravan. Caravaning is fun but is not something I would do on a regular basis. After the appointment we went to a beauty school and had my hair trimmed and Bob had the oil changed in the Saturn as well as the air filter which was no surprise considering the dust we were in travelling. We headed back to Coburg and our RV so we are waiting.......
We left and stopped at the grocery near him to pick up a few things and outside they had a large display of organic vegetables and we tried some very small tomatoes and it was like eating candy they were so sweet.
Over the weekend we stayed in the Monaco parking area where they have electricity. One afternoon we drove to a couple of parks and stopped to do some hiking in the Elijah Bristow State Park. It was so good to get out and do some hiking. This is the season for the blackberries to ripen and they are everywhere. All I had to collect some in was a quart ziplock bag but I could have filled a gallon without a problem. These wild briars are everywhere and the wild are always sweeter and tastier than the tame. There are a couple of fields right next to the Monaco and Cummins businesses and around them are they huge briar patches. People from the coaches have been picking them. It is very dry here. There are farms all around this area and when you are driving into the large valleys the sky is hazy. The farmers are out cutting hay and plowing and the dust is rising so I am assuming that accounts for the haze. All the fields except for the fields of broccoli or brussel sprouts are brown as well as the yards. They are waiting for the rains to begin.
On Monday afternoon we drove back to Portland to stay with Penny and then go to my eye Dr. on Tues. a.m. early. We stopped at Camping World on the way up and back to pick up some items. Deven and Raiko arrived at Penny's in the late afternoon/early evening. Raiko was going to stay with Penny and Ray while Deven went on business to Washington State to meet with some mint buyers for the rest of the week. Penny was trying to bribe us to stay and help but we are still dealing with the RV--waiting for an OK from the insurace company to do one last thing.
The report from the eye Dr. was that everything is progressing and he has cut back my medication. He will see me for the last time next week and then I have to see my doctor in either IN or FL in the next few weeks. When I look only thru my left eye it is still blurry but at least it doesn't affect seeing out of the other eye. He says this may take a few months and then I may still not have as good a sight as I had in that one eye but there is nothing I could have done besides cancel our trip or delay our leaving and caught up with them later. That would have meant that we missed a lot and wasted money. Oh well, that's life on the road with a caravan. Caravaning is fun but is not something I would do on a regular basis. After the appointment we went to a beauty school and had my hair trimmed and Bob had the oil changed in the Saturn as well as the air filter which was no surprise considering the dust we were in travelling. We headed back to Coburg and our RV so we are waiting.......
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Time in Portland & around Oregon--Aug.14-18
Bob found a really good deal at the truck stop for washing and putting rainX all over the coach so he and Raymond went and had that done. It certainly looks better. On Saturday evening Penny, Ray, Bob and I went to see the movie Salt and afterwards they showed us around the town. We went into a hotel that has a balcony on the 8th floor outside their bar. It was really beautiful looking at all the lights. While we were in the bar with Penny and Ray there was a guy who came over and asked Bob if she was Judge Judy. She says that she gets that a lot. We went from there to another spot that serves drinks and warm Gorgonzola cheesecake with bread. This was one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth. This was about 11 p.m. We made one more spot that they wanted to show us. It was a good restaurant but not serving by that time but it also had a bar and music and the place was hopping. We just hung around for a few minutes and they said Hi to some people they knew and we went home. Needless to say, the next morning we slept late.
On Sunday I washed clothes and tried to collect all our stuff and put it back in the coach so we could leave on Monday. I've also been going thru old mail but not doing much on the computer. We also drove over to Derek and Mike's house for dinner. We ordered Thai food which was real good and Penny had made a fresh peach cobbler for dessert. I was in the back seat holding it and trying to keep it level and not spill it all the way over. I was so glad to get there and never spilled a bit. I took my computer and Mike showed me how to do a few things with my pictures which really helped me.
I went to the eye Dr. on Mon. morning early and he gave me a good report, but I could already tell that it was getting better. My eye is no longer blurry--thank you Lord--but I will see him again on the 24th to see if maybe I can cut back on the medication I am taking. After getting back to Penny's we hooked up the car and left for Coburg near Eugene for the coach repairs and maintenance. Coburg is the location of one of the manufacturing plants for diesel Monaco coaches and some trailers they make. We also took a tour of the plant and learned about all the new things they are doing since being bought out by Navistar. They started work on our coach on Tues. morning.
Today we went over to the town of Sisters which is toward Bend, Oregon. Dee and Marvin are there and we were going to spend some time with them. It took longer than we expected to get there because one of the roads is a scenic byway and it is really twisty and going up to over 5000 ft. and back down. It was a beautiful drive and we went thru where the Belknap Crater had exploded 1700 years ago and there was all this black lava rock for about 20 miles. We didn't know about it before hand. It was truly something to see and still not much growing throughout the area. They still have some things to do on the coach so we will still be here for a few days because when they are done we go across the road to a Cummins shop to change the oil and filters. We also want to see Deven and his family again and see where they live in Eugene which is very near here.
On Sunday I washed clothes and tried to collect all our stuff and put it back in the coach so we could leave on Monday. I've also been going thru old mail but not doing much on the computer. We also drove over to Derek and Mike's house for dinner. We ordered Thai food which was real good and Penny had made a fresh peach cobbler for dessert. I was in the back seat holding it and trying to keep it level and not spill it all the way over. I was so glad to get there and never spilled a bit. I took my computer and Mike showed me how to do a few things with my pictures which really helped me.
I went to the eye Dr. on Mon. morning early and he gave me a good report, but I could already tell that it was getting better. My eye is no longer blurry--thank you Lord--but I will see him again on the 24th to see if maybe I can cut back on the medication I am taking. After getting back to Penny's we hooked up the car and left for Coburg near Eugene for the coach repairs and maintenance. Coburg is the location of one of the manufacturing plants for diesel Monaco coaches and some trailers they make. We also took a tour of the plant and learned about all the new things they are doing since being bought out by Navistar. They started work on our coach on Tues. morning.
Today we went over to the town of Sisters which is toward Bend, Oregon. Dee and Marvin are there and we were going to spend some time with them. It took longer than we expected to get there because one of the roads is a scenic byway and it is really twisty and going up to over 5000 ft. and back down. It was a beautiful drive and we went thru where the Belknap Crater had exploded 1700 years ago and there was all this black lava rock for about 20 miles. We didn't know about it before hand. It was truly something to see and still not much growing throughout the area. They still have some things to do on the coach so we will still be here for a few days because when they are done we go across the road to a Cummins shop to change the oil and filters. We also want to see Deven and his family again and see where they live in Eugene which is very near here.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Our 1st week in Portland at Penny's--8-10 thru 14
I haven't dropped off the grid just slowed down some. We've had family time which has been super. Deven, Ely and 2yr. old Raiko came back to Portland from a family reunion with her family in Denver and were picked up because their car was here. Derek and Mike came over and we all had a big time catching up and getting to meet the newest member of the family. Mike and Derek also have two large dogs that are just adorable-Portuguese Water Dogs. Raiko is a typically active and curious 2 year old and very verbal. I think the worst part for Deven & Ely is that if he sees any light in the morning he is up and ready to go, be that 5 or 6 a.m. and I don't think he takes naps. He is a real cutey though. Deven and his family had to return home the next day to get organized and back to work.They live in Eugene and we have to go up there for coach maintenance so we will see them and their house then.
Penny fixed Bob the family favorites. One night it was Baba's bean soup and another it was the pasties. The boys (Derek & Mike) came over for pasties also. They are a lot of work to make and no one gets them very often. Last night we went out with Penny and Ray and another couple to Applebees for drinks and appetizers which was very good. Then we went downtown Gresham to the bed races and hung around for awhile. That was fun and on the way home enjoyed seeing the sun set over the Columbia River.
On Tuesday I had an eye Dr. app't. to see what the problem was with my eye. It was my eye infection I had that had cleared up but the last treatment would have been using steroid pills and some drops and the Dr. will not use that if you cannot stay in one place and they can monitor it; therefore, it came back and I have been living with it for 58+ days till we got back here. Now I am on that regimen and that will keep us here for awhile--not sure how long but from one app't. to the next we can travel up to Eugene for the maintenance and do some sightseeing. We will play it by ear.
One full day was taken up trying to clean our dusty, dirty coach. We drove it over to Ray's Vet Clinic parking lot because he was closed, put out the sides and started in--Bob on the outside in the bays and me inside. This was done in between him going to have blood drawn and visitors coming to see the coach, but it broke up the monotony of the work. We left it sit over night and then went and finished the next morning. When Mike and Derek came into the coach to see it after the first day they couldn't believe how big it was. Mike said it smelled good so that made me feel good. That's all for now.
Penny fixed Bob the family favorites. One night it was Baba's bean soup and another it was the pasties. The boys (Derek & Mike) came over for pasties also. They are a lot of work to make and no one gets them very often. Last night we went out with Penny and Ray and another couple to Applebees for drinks and appetizers which was very good. Then we went downtown Gresham to the bed races and hung around for awhile. That was fun and on the way home enjoyed seeing the sun set over the Columbia River.
On Tuesday I had an eye Dr. app't. to see what the problem was with my eye. It was my eye infection I had that had cleared up but the last treatment would have been using steroid pills and some drops and the Dr. will not use that if you cannot stay in one place and they can monitor it; therefore, it came back and I have been living with it for 58+ days till we got back here. Now I am on that regimen and that will keep us here for awhile--not sure how long but from one app't. to the next we can travel up to Eugene for the maintenance and do some sightseeing. We will play it by ear.
One full day was taken up trying to clean our dusty, dirty coach. We drove it over to Ray's Vet Clinic parking lot because he was closed, put out the sides and started in--Bob on the outside in the bays and me inside. This was done in between him going to have blood drawn and visitors coming to see the coach, but it broke up the monotony of the work. We left it sit over night and then went and finished the next morning. When Mike and Derek came into the coach to see it after the first day they couldn't believe how big it was. Mike said it smelled good so that made me feel good. That's all for now.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Yakima,WA to Portland, OR--Aug.9
The sky was clear and it was warming quickly. We didn't leave until about 9:30. Had a beautiful view of Mt. Adams when we left and as we drove on a beautiful, clear view of Mt. Hood at 11,240'. There was also a large windmill farm. Then we crossed the Columbia River--quite large and went up the Columbia River Gorge. There was lots of wind as we went thru the Gorge. The river had lots of white caps and waves but people were windsurfing with boards and kites. It is also a beautiful area. Passed thru The Dalles and Bonneville Dam and Multnomah Falls area and they were working on the other side of the road coming toward us
which was lucky for us because they were really backed up with traffic.
It didn't take long and we arrived at Penny and Ray's, Bob's sister and husband where we will stay for about a week. Had a nice evening with them after Bob and Ray ended up parking our coach out in front of their house on the street.
which was lucky for us because they were really backed up with traffic.
It didn't take long and we arrived at Penny and Ray's, Bob's sister and husband where we will stay for about a week. Had a nice evening with them after Bob and Ray ended up parking our coach out in front of their house on the street.
Oliver to Yakima, WA--Aug. 8
We left Oliver about 7:30 a.m. and just up the road we stopped to spend the rest of our Canadian money. We went into a 7Eleven and bought donuts and cookies for the four of us. About half way to the border out of Oliver was where there had been a landslide just 2 days after we left there on the way north. There had been a lot of rain and a dam up above somewhere had not held due to the government's lack of maintenance. It wiped out 5 houses and vineyards and closed the road in and out of town. The government did accept responsibility and are compensating the homeowners to some degree but they have lost their livelihood for about 7 years as well as everthing they owned.
The border crossing at Oroville was not far for us by that time. On the way into Canada it consisted of a few questions and a look at our passports. Coming back into the states they did that and then had us pull over to the side for them to come in and look inside. He opened one cabinet in the bedroom and the frig. but didn't take anything and on we went. We waited down the road for Ira and Bev who underwent the same thing. The two coaches parted company in Omak, WA because they are headed east to their home in PA. They have a stick house to go back to.
We have phone service again. Yeah!!! So I began making phone calls to the family. I had missed talking to the kids, cousin and step-dad. We are still into farm and orchard country probably apples. We stopped alongside a river near Chelan to eat and take a nap. The river was busy with boaters. We continued on thru a narrow mountain valley with lots of bikers heading the other direction. This was a Sunday so I suppose there was something big going on because they went on for miles in small groups or singularly. Found a DQ so Bob had to stop. We arrived at our WalMart parking lot in Yakima for the night.
The border crossing at Oroville was not far for us by that time. On the way into Canada it consisted of a few questions and a look at our passports. Coming back into the states they did that and then had us pull over to the side for them to come in and look inside. He opened one cabinet in the bedroom and the frig. but didn't take anything and on we went. We waited down the road for Ira and Bev who underwent the same thing. The two coaches parted company in Omak, WA because they are headed east to their home in PA. They have a stick house to go back to.
We have phone service again. Yeah!!! So I began making phone calls to the family. I had missed talking to the kids, cousin and step-dad. We are still into farm and orchard country probably apples. We stopped alongside a river near Chelan to eat and take a nap. The river was busy with boaters. We continued on thru a narrow mountain valley with lots of bikers heading the other direction. This was a Sunday so I suppose there was something big going on because they went on for miles in small groups or singularly. Found a DQ so Bob had to stop. We arrived at our WalMart parking lot in Yakima for the night.
Monday, August 9, 2010
On to Oliver--Aug. 7
It was slightly rainy and 59* when we left The Chasm. We drove Hwy. 97 to 8 to 97c to 5a to Oliver.
Darrell and Linda peeled out first because they had to stop for fuel somewhere so we said goodbye again to them. We left at 7:30 a.m. Ira and Bev were still behind us and they saw Trish and Irv parked at a campground and then later we passed Linda and Darrell getting go-go juice(fuel). The drive was beautful thru area of green pastures and hay fields some green and some with the big round hay bales and hills that have interesting shapes. Took Hwy.8 from Spences Bridge to Merritt and there were some nice pull offs for dry camping thru this area. We went around the mountains and thru the valley it was wonderful. There were Indian Reserves thru there and one was the Shackan Indian Band.
At the end of the valley was the town of Merritt which calls itself the Country Music Capital of Canada. On to 97c and over to Peachland. Somewhere along the way we saw another black bear and then into Okanagan Valley and Lake Okanagan. This whole valley is so beautiful lined with vineyards. We camped again at Desert Gem RV Park in Oliver. At night Bev and Ira grilled a and fixed broccoli while I fixed corn and sliced a loaf of bread and had pecan bites for dessert. We sat and talked for awhile before hitting the sack.
Darrell and Linda peeled out first because they had to stop for fuel somewhere so we said goodbye again to them. We left at 7:30 a.m. Ira and Bev were still behind us and they saw Trish and Irv parked at a campground and then later we passed Linda and Darrell getting go-go juice(fuel). The drive was beautful thru area of green pastures and hay fields some green and some with the big round hay bales and hills that have interesting shapes. Took Hwy.8 from Spences Bridge to Merritt and there were some nice pull offs for dry camping thru this area. We went around the mountains and thru the valley it was wonderful. There were Indian Reserves thru there and one was the Shackan Indian Band.
At the end of the valley was the town of Merritt which calls itself the Country Music Capital of Canada. On to 97c and over to Peachland. Somewhere along the way we saw another black bear and then into Okanagan Valley and Lake Okanagan. This whole valley is so beautiful lined with vineyards. We camped again at Desert Gem RV Park in Oliver. At night Bev and Ira grilled a and fixed broccoli while I fixed corn and sliced a loaf of bread and had pecan bites for dessert. We sat and talked for awhile before hitting the sack.
1st day on our own-Vanderhoof to The Chasm--Aug.6
Marvin and Dee left about 5 a.m. I put an envelope with a note in it on their door window but he didn't see it until he was already down the road and the note had fallen out. He thought it might have been something the staff put on there and was worried. We stayed for the staff prepared breakfast of hotcakes and the owners brought over a warm coffee cake made of saskatoons (like blueberries, I think) and boy was it good. We said our goodbyes and left and it so happened that Linda and Darrell left before us and Ira and Bev were behind us and we were all going the same direction--down Hwy. 97--so we travelled together the rest of the day. It was fun. Bob and Ira and Darrell enjoyed talking on the CB.
We saw a helicopter with a water bucket going to or from a fire. We went in and out of smoke pretty much all day. There are quite a few old restored trucks and cars on the road. We saw an early 50's chevy pulling a small old camper all painted a light green to match. Saw 2 hawks sitting on posts and one sitting on a hay bale, a farm raising a number of white turkeys and a llama. There are more farms with cows,horses and lots of round hay bales and more growing. There is lots of logging going on here also. There are no mile markers along the road. This used to be a wagon road, I guess, and they had roadhouses so they name them by the mile. They are different distances apart maybe 30 maybe 10 but that is how you find out where you are using the Milepost.
I guess Linda and Darrell stopped for fuel somewhere and they ended up behind Ira and Bev so we had our own caravan. We stopped in Quesnel at a train depot for lunch in our coaches and before we know it here came Jim and Evelyn. They missed the turn so they turned around and came back and talked for awhile. Then Jeff, Noreen, Bill and Marilyn passed us in their rigs. I think they are also going to the Rally in Redmond, OR like Dee and Marvin. We drove on to Williams Lake and the 3 coaches had to stop for a DQ. There was lots of construction on this road. I also saw our first deer grazing on the roadside--he never moved.
Just below the 70 mile house we cut off to go the "The Chasm" supposedly a Provential Park. I am not sure what those are but this was just a pull off on a loop road. This is where we were going to spend the night and it was beautiful. We drove down first to make sure we could all get in there and then used the CB to call in the others. After we parked other people came just to view the area. It was dug out by a receeding glacier and waterfall and is now quite a sight. Bev brought out hamburgers to grill and buns and the rest of us added potato salad, macaroni salad, chips, dip, cheese, pickles and condiments. As we were sitting on the edge of this chasm having dinner and talking we heard something near the edge and thought it was an animal but it was a small rock slide. A little later we heard a loud and long noise from the other side, another rock slide. It sounded like a glacier calving. That was really something. There were a couple of other small ones before we finally broke up the party and went to bed. During the night it rained a little but I never heard a sound.
We saw a helicopter with a water bucket going to or from a fire. We went in and out of smoke pretty much all day. There are quite a few old restored trucks and cars on the road. We saw an early 50's chevy pulling a small old camper all painted a light green to match. Saw 2 hawks sitting on posts and one sitting on a hay bale, a farm raising a number of white turkeys and a llama. There are more farms with cows,horses and lots of round hay bales and more growing. There is lots of logging going on here also. There are no mile markers along the road. This used to be a wagon road, I guess, and they had roadhouses so they name them by the mile. They are different distances apart maybe 30 maybe 10 but that is how you find out where you are using the Milepost.
I guess Linda and Darrell stopped for fuel somewhere and they ended up behind Ira and Bev so we had our own caravan. We stopped in Quesnel at a train depot for lunch in our coaches and before we know it here came Jim and Evelyn. They missed the turn so they turned around and came back and talked for awhile. Then Jeff, Noreen, Bill and Marilyn passed us in their rigs. I think they are also going to the Rally in Redmond, OR like Dee and Marvin. We drove on to Williams Lake and the 3 coaches had to stop for a DQ. There was lots of construction on this road. I also saw our first deer grazing on the roadside--he never moved.
Just below the 70 mile house we cut off to go the "The Chasm" supposedly a Provential Park. I am not sure what those are but this was just a pull off on a loop road. This is where we were going to spend the night and it was beautiful. We drove down first to make sure we could all get in there and then used the CB to call in the others. After we parked other people came just to view the area. It was dug out by a receeding glacier and waterfall and is now quite a sight. Bev brought out hamburgers to grill and buns and the rest of us added potato salad, macaroni salad, chips, dip, cheese, pickles and condiments. As we were sitting on the edge of this chasm having dinner and talking we heard something near the edge and thought it was an animal but it was a small rock slide. A little later we heard a loud and long noise from the other side, another rock slide. It sounded like a glacier calving. That was really something. There were a couple of other small ones before we finally broke up the party and went to bed. During the night it rained a little but I never heard a sound.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Smithers to Vanderhoof--Aug. 5
This is the last day of our caravan and it is only 169 miles to Vanderhoof so Dee, Marvin, Bob and I went to eat at the Capri Steakhouse in Smithers for breakfast. We finally left town at 8:30 which is a late start for us.
Our first stop was at the Visitor's Center in Houston to view the World's Largest Fly Fishing Rod which a local man had made and then inside was a huge stuffed grizzly. Several other people also stopped because it was right beside the road and ample turn around parking. We went on to a rest area but not because we were tired. I had read about it in the Milepost. There was a large rock cairn there and imbedded in the center was a large rock that came from Tintagel Castle in England where it was supposed that King Arthur of the Round Table was born. How and why it came to be there is still to be discovered but of course I took a picture.
More farm country and a interesting description of a rest area said it was "savory"--go figure. Some of their gas stations they call gas bars up here.
We stayed at a really nice campground called Dave's RV Park. These people were super and their showers were free and everything was so clean and well kept. Several of the girls rushed into their laundry room and did their clothes and the lady even did laundry in her own house for some of them. The next morning she brought out a large cake roll pan with warm coffee cake made with her own berries. How nice is that.
That evening we carpooled into town to a restaurant for our last meal-J & S Restaurant. It was either a really good roast beef dinner which turned out looking real good or the german meal and I too the german--big mistake. I do not like german and it wasn't that hot and it is all starch. After dessert--sundaes which were good we had our remembrances. Each couple had to get up and tell what was most memorable and the funniest thing they remember. That was great fun. The wagon master had gifts for each of us-a group picture, a stuffed black bear and something else. Everyone told Marvin and Dee goodby as they left the restaurant because nobody was getting up at 5am to say hey the next morning. We all went back to our coaches and eventually went to bed after getting ourselves and our coaches ready for the next day.
Our first stop was at the Visitor's Center in Houston to view the World's Largest Fly Fishing Rod which a local man had made and then inside was a huge stuffed grizzly. Several other people also stopped because it was right beside the road and ample turn around parking. We went on to a rest area but not because we were tired. I had read about it in the Milepost. There was a large rock cairn there and imbedded in the center was a large rock that came from Tintagel Castle in England where it was supposed that King Arthur of the Round Table was born. How and why it came to be there is still to be discovered but of course I took a picture.
More farm country and a interesting description of a rest area said it was "savory"--go figure. Some of their gas stations they call gas bars up here.
We stayed at a really nice campground called Dave's RV Park. These people were super and their showers were free and everything was so clean and well kept. Several of the girls rushed into their laundry room and did their clothes and the lady even did laundry in her own house for some of them. The next morning she brought out a large cake roll pan with warm coffee cake made with her own berries. How nice is that.
That evening we carpooled into town to a restaurant for our last meal-J & S Restaurant. It was either a really good roast beef dinner which turned out looking real good or the german meal and I too the german--big mistake. I do not like german and it wasn't that hot and it is all starch. After dessert--sundaes which were good we had our remembrances. Each couple had to get up and tell what was most memorable and the funniest thing they remember. That was great fun. The wagon master had gifts for each of us-a group picture, a stuffed black bear and something else. Everyone told Marvin and Dee goodby as they left the restaurant because nobody was getting up at 5am to say hey the next morning. We all went back to our coaches and eventually went to bed after getting ourselves and our coaches ready for the next day.
From Stewart/Hyder to Smithers--Aug. 4th
I have not been able to blog since the 4th and it is now the 8th and I am writing this from my notes so it won't be as good, sorry. We left for Smithers today and it was about 57* and slightly foggy. There was a mist or fog over the water which was neat looking and the sun is coming up later and going down earlier now. The days are shortening up north. One of the things most of us just couldn't get enough of was the glaciers and we were seeing them again as we left Stewart. I never knew there were so many. We went over the Nass River Bridge across the gorge and it was over 400' down--what a sight.
We saw a black bear crossing the road and the lakes and small ponds are so beautiful but you just can't swim in them because it is too cold--it is such a shame to have all this water and not be able to use it except to fish and boat for fishing. We took a side road and went to this little native community called Gitanyoul. It has one of the largest concentration of standing totem poles in British Columbia (28). They are not all painted and everything like you see because they are years and years old and the paint is gone but they are still quite a sight and each so different. The museum was closed but we are glad we stopped. One or two others stopped but all they could do was complain to our tail gunner, who told us about it, that the museum was closed. Some people just can't appreciate things. Many of the coaches in the group never stopped to see any things along the way unless it was right beside the road. They just drove from point A to point B each day and then went on our guided tours and some sightseeing around the towns. There was another native village that we couldn't stop at named Kitwanga. Originally they lived on "the grease trail" called that because they were a trading people and traded their candlefish oil for other things. We also stopped at the town of Old Hazelton which had a lot of old buildings and ate at "The Trading Post Cafe" which had just opened in July--lovely building with lots of old pictures of the area and the people with captions, a wheel out of a ship, stools at the bar and holding up the bar were rifles(very interesting) and the food was delicious. After we left some of the others went there and also enjoyed it. Also there was a reproduced Ksan native village. While the boys slept Dee and I went in to take a tour of the buildings and it was really interesting. We got to go in all five buildings and inside there were items appropriate to what it was used for and they played an audio which talked about it. Near the end of our driving we stopped along the road at Mouricetown by the river to see natives fishing using their huge round nets and weirs.
We came out into farm country and it was such a surprise and a joy to see something that was familiar. The wilderness was spectacular but to finally see something you could put your mind around was really nice. We camped at Riverside Golf and RV Park and had our briefing for the next day.
We saw a black bear crossing the road and the lakes and small ponds are so beautiful but you just can't swim in them because it is too cold--it is such a shame to have all this water and not be able to use it except to fish and boat for fishing. We took a side road and went to this little native community called Gitanyoul. It has one of the largest concentration of standing totem poles in British Columbia (28). They are not all painted and everything like you see because they are years and years old and the paint is gone but they are still quite a sight and each so different. The museum was closed but we are glad we stopped. One or two others stopped but all they could do was complain to our tail gunner, who told us about it, that the museum was closed. Some people just can't appreciate things. Many of the coaches in the group never stopped to see any things along the way unless it was right beside the road. They just drove from point A to point B each day and then went on our guided tours and some sightseeing around the towns. There was another native village that we couldn't stop at named Kitwanga. Originally they lived on "the grease trail" called that because they were a trading people and traded their candlefish oil for other things. We also stopped at the town of Old Hazelton which had a lot of old buildings and ate at "The Trading Post Cafe" which had just opened in July--lovely building with lots of old pictures of the area and the people with captions, a wheel out of a ship, stools at the bar and holding up the bar were rifles(very interesting) and the food was delicious. After we left some of the others went there and also enjoyed it. Also there was a reproduced Ksan native village. While the boys slept Dee and I went in to take a tour of the buildings and it was really interesting. We got to go in all five buildings and inside there were items appropriate to what it was used for and they played an audio which talked about it. Near the end of our driving we stopped along the road at Mouricetown by the river to see natives fishing using their huge round nets and weirs.
We came out into farm country and it was such a surprise and a joy to see something that was familiar. The wilderness was spectacular but to finally see something you could put your mind around was really nice. We camped at Riverside Golf and RV Park and had our briefing for the next day.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
To Stewart B.C./Hyder,AK--Aug. 2 & 3rd
This was a beautiful day but not a lot to stop and see. We drove to Stewart B.C down the Cassier Hwy. thru a valley with mountains and streams and lakes on either side at one time and another. Went over Gnat Pass Summit--probably appropriately named but we were not outside to find out. Saw lots of ponds with the fog lifting over them, quite a lovely sight and at one I saw something crossing the pond leaving a wake behind it--possibly a muskrat or beaver, I figure. Later on right in the middle of the road were two horses taking their half down the middle and then two others beside the road really enjoying the fireweed flowers. The ones in the road finally moved slightly to the left but not much. That day Dee and Marvin saw several bears but they were ahead of us so usually we never saw them except for two black bear cubs we saw scurring into the brush beside the road. Another time there was a ptarmagin standing absolutely still right beside the road and he never moved as we both passed by him or her. We saw some beautiful waterfalls and as we came into Stewart we got great views of Bear Glacier.
We arrived here fairly early so Bob and I toured the town a little in the car, took pictures of the entrance signs and a St. Mary's Community Church building and found the post office to mail some cards. We went on to Hyder, AK which is right next door but you cross the border so to get back into Stewart in Canada you have to keep your passport with you all the time. We went over and visited with the guy in the "Information Center" first and learned that the best place to eat was the bar down the street or "the bus". We also found out that his blind dog can sense bears and chases them off his property after biting them in the butt. The town of Hyder has a population of 63 in this last census. Their sign says on the way out that it is the friendliest little ghost town in Alaska. It certainly isn't much but fun to experience. The bar was not serving food on Monday so we went to "the bus" and yes she cooks in the bus and has outside seating or there is a building right behind if you prefer inside. Her husband catches the salmon and halibut and I think she buys the crabs and shrimp. Some of the others were inside so we joined them and waited to be served because we ordered outside. I had a toasted shrimp sandwich(small pink shrimp in a sauce on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato and onion)--very good while Bob had fried shrimp and fries. I also had salmon chowder also very good.
After eating we went on out to Fish Creek where we were up on a board walk where the salmon come to spawn and the bears, ravens, wolves and eagles come to eat them. Just before we got there Bob spotted a black bear up on a rock outcropping on my side of the road so we stopped to watch her and then he spotted her cub. I took some good pictures of her and her cub before we went on to the bear viewing platform. There were a lot of people with binoculars and cameras with huge lenses watching some leaves move down by the water. I walked on down the boardwalk and when I got to the end there was an immature eagle flying around deciding to fish or not. Clicked a few pictures of him and went back to the beginning. Marvin and Dee saw what they thought was a weasel but the volunteers and ranger said it was probably a mink because they had a den near there and the weasel was usually seen in a different area but I did not see it so I don't know. Just after they left the black bear showed up and walked right under our feet and across a small path behind us so everyone shifted and then went into a small patch of woods right by a stream--again everyone shifted. I moved down toward where I thought he was going and finally he showed up for a short time. He was enjoying eating some berries and then don't know where he went. We left happy and went back to the coach.
Next morning,the 3rd, Dee and Marvin got up early as is their custom and went down to Fish Creek by about 6:30 and got to see the grizzly show up and eat some. Don't know what else they saw. We went up about 8 and saw nothing except a bunch of raucous ravens having a grand old time so we finally went back to the coach. Marvin and Dee had eaten b'fast in town and then went on to Salmon Glacier from there.
When we got back to the coach, I had gone with the wagon master and wife, we asked Barry and Monique if they wanted to go to Salmon Glacier and we set out. We stopped at Fish Creek but no bears so we went on. All this road is dirt and it was dusty. We had a lot of fun following a car tour guide paper, looking at flowers, glaciers and waterfalls. Barry got up on a hunk of glacier that had broken off on the right side of the road and we took a picture. We saw remains of mines, a tunnel entrance and exit and the exit had a huge chunk of ice in it. We arrived at the summit where we had a great view of Salmon Glacier but we decided to go on to find the tunnel and besides there was still road ahead of us. We probably went another 6 miles to the other glacier and from what we found out later we could have gone on farther because people are living back there in campers, etc. Besides it was getting later and we needed to turn back. The glaciers were huge and you never do see the beginning of them just the end. As we went back up to go back down we passed Barry's hunk of glacier and there was a guy there with a pickup and he was breaking hunks off with a shovel and putting them in about five of the 20 gal. plastic containers you buy at WalMart. We were heart broken.
We were not going to make it back for the briefing so we stopped to buy fish at "the bus" for Monique and put it on ice and then went into Hyder to cross the border back into B.C. and on to Stewart to find food. After having a great burger and fries while Bob had fries and putine which is brown gravy over them and he had previously stopped and had an ice cream sandwich we walked around town a little and talked to one of the locals. Stewart has a population of approx. 350 with some leaving in the winter. We stopped in a small grocery and Bob bought another ice cream. He hadn't eaten much earlier.
We finally arrived back at the coach and I went to pick raspberries that are wild in the park and then Bob had to quickly unhook the coach and go get gas in the coach before they closed. We came back, hooked up the car after we washed it and settled in. I am not caught up again.
A few days ago we lost one of our coaches because the man has bad knees and the long drives finally got to him and they went home. Today another coach left because they have to be in southwestern Utah by Friday. Tomorrow night will be Barry and Monique's last night with us because they are going on to Prince Rupert and stay in the area for a little while longer. We will miss them. They are fun to be around.
Before I go to bed I must tell you that the blog and our phones will be silent until the 8th or 9th because we will still be in Canada and our service is no longer effective. I will catch you up as soon as I can.
We arrived here fairly early so Bob and I toured the town a little in the car, took pictures of the entrance signs and a St. Mary's Community Church building and found the post office to mail some cards. We went on to Hyder, AK which is right next door but you cross the border so to get back into Stewart in Canada you have to keep your passport with you all the time. We went over and visited with the guy in the "Information Center" first and learned that the best place to eat was the bar down the street or "the bus". We also found out that his blind dog can sense bears and chases them off his property after biting them in the butt. The town of Hyder has a population of 63 in this last census. Their sign says on the way out that it is the friendliest little ghost town in Alaska. It certainly isn't much but fun to experience. The bar was not serving food on Monday so we went to "the bus" and yes she cooks in the bus and has outside seating or there is a building right behind if you prefer inside. Her husband catches the salmon and halibut and I think she buys the crabs and shrimp. Some of the others were inside so we joined them and waited to be served because we ordered outside. I had a toasted shrimp sandwich(small pink shrimp in a sauce on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato and onion)--very good while Bob had fried shrimp and fries. I also had salmon chowder also very good.
After eating we went on out to Fish Creek where we were up on a board walk where the salmon come to spawn and the bears, ravens, wolves and eagles come to eat them. Just before we got there Bob spotted a black bear up on a rock outcropping on my side of the road so we stopped to watch her and then he spotted her cub. I took some good pictures of her and her cub before we went on to the bear viewing platform. There were a lot of people with binoculars and cameras with huge lenses watching some leaves move down by the water. I walked on down the boardwalk and when I got to the end there was an immature eagle flying around deciding to fish or not. Clicked a few pictures of him and went back to the beginning. Marvin and Dee saw what they thought was a weasel but the volunteers and ranger said it was probably a mink because they had a den near there and the weasel was usually seen in a different area but I did not see it so I don't know. Just after they left the black bear showed up and walked right under our feet and across a small path behind us so everyone shifted and then went into a small patch of woods right by a stream--again everyone shifted. I moved down toward where I thought he was going and finally he showed up for a short time. He was enjoying eating some berries and then don't know where he went. We left happy and went back to the coach.
Next morning,the 3rd, Dee and Marvin got up early as is their custom and went down to Fish Creek by about 6:30 and got to see the grizzly show up and eat some. Don't know what else they saw. We went up about 8 and saw nothing except a bunch of raucous ravens having a grand old time so we finally went back to the coach. Marvin and Dee had eaten b'fast in town and then went on to Salmon Glacier from there.
When we got back to the coach, I had gone with the wagon master and wife, we asked Barry and Monique if they wanted to go to Salmon Glacier and we set out. We stopped at Fish Creek but no bears so we went on. All this road is dirt and it was dusty. We had a lot of fun following a car tour guide paper, looking at flowers, glaciers and waterfalls. Barry got up on a hunk of glacier that had broken off on the right side of the road and we took a picture. We saw remains of mines, a tunnel entrance and exit and the exit had a huge chunk of ice in it. We arrived at the summit where we had a great view of Salmon Glacier but we decided to go on to find the tunnel and besides there was still road ahead of us. We probably went another 6 miles to the other glacier and from what we found out later we could have gone on farther because people are living back there in campers, etc. Besides it was getting later and we needed to turn back. The glaciers were huge and you never do see the beginning of them just the end. As we went back up to go back down we passed Barry's hunk of glacier and there was a guy there with a pickup and he was breaking hunks off with a shovel and putting them in about five of the 20 gal. plastic containers you buy at WalMart. We were heart broken.
We were not going to make it back for the briefing so we stopped to buy fish at "the bus" for Monique and put it on ice and then went into Hyder to cross the border back into B.C. and on to Stewart to find food. After having a great burger and fries while Bob had fries and putine which is brown gravy over them and he had previously stopped and had an ice cream sandwich we walked around town a little and talked to one of the locals. Stewart has a population of approx. 350 with some leaving in the winter. We stopped in a small grocery and Bob bought another ice cream. He hadn't eaten much earlier.
We finally arrived back at the coach and I went to pick raspberries that are wild in the park and then Bob had to quickly unhook the coach and go get gas in the coach before they closed. We came back, hooked up the car after we washed it and settled in. I am not caught up again.
A few days ago we lost one of our coaches because the man has bad knees and the long drives finally got to him and they went home. Today another coach left because they have to be in southwestern Utah by Friday. Tomorrow night will be Barry and Monique's last night with us because they are going on to Prince Rupert and stay in the area for a little while longer. We will miss them. They are fun to be around.
Before I go to bed I must tell you that the blog and our phones will be silent until the 8th or 9th because we will still be in Canada and our service is no longer effective. I will catch you up as soon as I can.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Travel to Dease Lake--Aug. 1
Up and ready to travel by 6:30 a.m. but went outside where others were gathered to learn that the forest service would have to do a fly over before they would open the road till about 7:30 so we would begin to pull out and get in line up by the road at 7 a.m. Bob was about the 2nd coach out. Our staging area was a very large parking lot at the top of the small hill. Just like the army--hurry up and wait. We waited until about 9 a.m and the line from the other way had come thru and now it was our turn. A few campers and fifth wheels were before us. When they were ready our tour master did not come up so Bob just went out and he led us most of the way thru the fire area. We caravaned thru this whole area for safety. We saw a couple of places where the fire was still burning slightly but mostly we were in smoke for a short distance and then that was all. When it was safe and we had a large turn out we pulled out and let our tour master go ahead and off we went. We were out of the smoke in about 6 miles.
Up here they usually clear back from the road a good ways and at one area it was all dirt beside the road and there was a black bear just walking along in the dirt. Later on we stopped at a jade store. They mine it, process it and have it made into things. This area mines 60 to 90 percent of the jade found in the world. They ship it all over the world. They had large hunks of it out in front and they would cut pieces off using diamond saw blades right in front of you.
After we arrived and set up at Dease Lake RV Park we had our briefing, fixed somores and doughboys again and had our white elephant exchange which was a lot of fun. We all had small paper bags with either the gift or a note and our leader read a story and we kept passing the bags to the left and right and across the circle. When finished everyone ended up with something. It was a lot of fun. Bob took our stuff and went back to the coach and then came back because he couldn't find our coach keys. After everyone fruitlessly scoured the area we had been standing in he remembered he had put them in the bag he had carried home. On to another day.
Up here they usually clear back from the road a good ways and at one area it was all dirt beside the road and there was a black bear just walking along in the dirt. Later on we stopped at a jade store. They mine it, process it and have it made into things. This area mines 60 to 90 percent of the jade found in the world. They ship it all over the world. They had large hunks of it out in front and they would cut pieces off using diamond saw blades right in front of you.
After we arrived and set up at Dease Lake RV Park we had our briefing, fixed somores and doughboys again and had our white elephant exchange which was a lot of fun. We all had small paper bags with either the gift or a note and our leader read a story and we kept passing the bags to the left and right and across the circle. When finished everyone ended up with something. It was a lot of fun. Bob took our stuff and went back to the coach and then came back because he couldn't find our coach keys. After everyone fruitlessly scoured the area we had been standing in he remembered he had put them in the bag he had carried home. On to another day.
Travel Day to Northern Beaver Post--July 31
We pulled out from Skagway early again. We began by following the White Pass Railroad thru White Pass at least for some of the way. White Pass was the other route to the gold fields but much harder although the stampeders said that one was "hell" and the other was"damnation". They both killed a lot of people and on the White Pass about 3000 horses died on the trail. Eventually this was the route for the railroad.
We crossed the AK/Canada border again at Fraser and went past Carcross again and the turn bridge and turned onto Hwy. 8 to Tagish. We stopped at Teslin for lunch and a nap and shortly after saw a brown bear near the road. Had to stop for ice cream at Continental Divide Restaurant and then arrived at our destination--Baby Nugget RV Park. We had our briefing for the next day and ended the day. P. S. Forgot to mention that there is a forest fire that is 7 miles from us but the wind is blowing it away from us; however that leaves us in a bit of a pickle as to what tonight or tomorrow will bring. The good thing is that the communication area is located in the campground the some of their people are staying here. We are to be ready to move by 6:30am and to get into line to be escorted past the fire unless things change during the night. This was a long drive to here today and we certainly are hoping not to have to turn around and go back the way we came, but time will tell.
We crossed the AK/Canada border again at Fraser and went past Carcross again and the turn bridge and turned onto Hwy. 8 to Tagish. We stopped at Teslin for lunch and a nap and shortly after saw a brown bear near the road. Had to stop for ice cream at Continental Divide Restaurant and then arrived at our destination--Baby Nugget RV Park. We had our briefing for the next day and ended the day. P. S. Forgot to mention that there is a forest fire that is 7 miles from us but the wind is blowing it away from us; however that leaves us in a bit of a pickle as to what tonight or tomorrow will bring. The good thing is that the communication area is located in the campground the some of their people are staying here. We are to be ready to move by 6:30am and to get into line to be escorted past the fire unless things change during the night. This was a long drive to here today and we certainly are hoping not to have to turn around and go back the way we came, but time will tell.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Last day in Skagway--July 30
The staff prepared a breakfast for us and we helped. It was omelets in a zip lock bag and they turned out real good also with toast, juice and coffee and hot chocolate for Bob. After the breakfast we had our briefing concerning the next day's trip. Then we were on our own. Marvin and Dee were going to stay in but eventually they went at least to the Gold Rush Cemetery and I don't know where else. Bob was going to stay home but went off gallivanting with Ira. Marilyn, Monique and I(I drove) went into town for the 11 am tour of the town done by a ranger. Because many of the buildings in town are owned by the National Park Service and leased to business owners. Up here lots of things cooperatively function with city, state, federal and native. I don't know how they do it but I guess it works. Unfortunately we were too late to join that group and couldn't get another until 4pm; however they had a good movie that was definitely worth seeing. We've been hearing and seeing a lot concerning the gold rush and each time we see or hear something else it reinforces what we heard and invariably adds another piece to the puzzle so we get a more complete picture. After that we looked around the museum and bookstore(I didn't buy a book).
We ran into Bob and Ira and they had been out to a cemetery where a famous scallywag and con man (Jefferson Randolph"Soapy" Smith) was buried along with Frank Reid who he shot and was shot by Frank. In the process the Deputy Marshall who was waiting for his first child to be born was also shot and killed but died in the Dr's office where his wife gave birth. We wanted to see the cemetery which was on the way to Dyea where we were also going to take a tour at 2pm. We rushed back to the RV park to pick up Barry and drop off Marilyn so she and Bill could go to Dyea also in their car. It's confusing I know.
I drove Monique and Barry and we went to the cemetery first and saw the White Pass R.R. leave town. Up to the cemetery on the hill, found the graves and almost forgot about the waterfall which Bob had told us about so we practically ran the rest of the way up the hill to see that. Rushed back down the hill to get to Dyea and then Barry couldn't find his lens cap so while he went back toward the cemetery Monique found it in the car. Men can't locate anything!!!
It's only 8 miles to Dyea but the road is mostly dirt and bumpy in places and goes in and out around the side of the mountain next to the water and it's barely a two way road. We made it just by 2pm(I'm so good--poor car). Dyea was a native settlement(Tlinget natives) before it was invaded. They were traders originally--trading with the explorers coming into the area and then taking things over the Chilkoot Pass to other groups for others things. They were a very shrewd people.They also had slaves from other tribes. When the gold rush began they saw other ways of surviving and prospering. They became pack carriers for the stampeders but the women did the negotiating but when they got up to the very steep section of the trail they began to negotiate again. And since the prospectors had to take up about 1000lbs of stuff(enough to last a year) they didn't have much choice if they had the money. It also didn't take long for the natives to realize that paper money was no good so they would only take gold coin for gold dust or nuggets. At one time this town was bigger than Skagway but due to Skagway having a much better water port(deeper) it became the only town to remain. But at the time Dyea had a Military Reservation, a native village and the town.The military was a group of black soldiers who were to keep the peace and to show a U.S. presence in the area. We walked around where the town stood and the ranger showed us pictures and told us all about the town because nature has taken back it all. There was only boards left and one store front. It was very interesting to see how it started as meadows and now had gone back to forest. Six years after the gold rush there were only about a dozen people left in the area and they were farming. Harriet Pullen(a hotel owner) and she ran a farm to provide her food.
The glaciers had been here and receeded so the mountains with rounded tops were worn down by the glacier while the taller peaks were above the glacier. Also over the years since the glacier receeded the land has risen about 10 inches--like a sponge it rises after being flattened. There is much more but have to stop somewhere or it will be a book.
We rushed back into town in order to make our 4pm walking tour of downtown. The ranger was an older man and he did a great job. The land that Skagway was built on (160 acres) first belonged to a Capt. Moore who had been a ship's captain but when the stampeders started coming in droves they came into his port and just began to become squatters and take over so it became Mooresville. They just started building things on the land. Capt. Moore's philosophy was "never quit-look for opportunities" which he did. He had built a dock and so he charged people to use it to load and unload goods off the boats. He also built warehouses to store the 1000lbs. of stuff each stampeder had to take up the Chilkoot trail to his claim. He found a number of ways to make money off those who stole his land. Eventually it was renamed Skagway from a native name for it. Many women came here also with and without men. One of them was the Harriet Pullen, I mentioned earlier. She bought a wagon and worked as a teamster hauling stuff back and forth between small towns in the area and she also baked pies in the evenings and sold them. She did so well that eventually she bought a hotel in Dyea and ran it for a number of years while also owning a farm to produce food and milk for her customers in the hotel. We saw Capt. Moore's cabin dating back to 1887 and the house his daughter and family lived in as well as a cigar store and a warehouse. We also saw "Soapy" Smith's Parlor from which he ran his scams and bar(yet to be restored-but in progress). Skagway was a very lawless town. Jefferson Randolph"Soapy" Smith ran it with his minions for a few years until he was killed and then law and order did come to town.
As soon as the tour was over we set out to go to Northern Lights Pizza where Bob, Marvin and Dee were waiting. We were followed by probably another dozen people. The pizza was good. We stopped by the grocery with Barry and Monique and then went home.
We ran into Bob and Ira and they had been out to a cemetery where a famous scallywag and con man (Jefferson Randolph"Soapy" Smith) was buried along with Frank Reid who he shot and was shot by Frank. In the process the Deputy Marshall who was waiting for his first child to be born was also shot and killed but died in the Dr's office where his wife gave birth. We wanted to see the cemetery which was on the way to Dyea where we were also going to take a tour at 2pm. We rushed back to the RV park to pick up Barry and drop off Marilyn so she and Bill could go to Dyea also in their car. It's confusing I know.
I drove Monique and Barry and we went to the cemetery first and saw the White Pass R.R. leave town. Up to the cemetery on the hill, found the graves and almost forgot about the waterfall which Bob had told us about so we practically ran the rest of the way up the hill to see that. Rushed back down the hill to get to Dyea and then Barry couldn't find his lens cap so while he went back toward the cemetery Monique found it in the car. Men can't locate anything!!!
It's only 8 miles to Dyea but the road is mostly dirt and bumpy in places and goes in and out around the side of the mountain next to the water and it's barely a two way road. We made it just by 2pm(I'm so good--poor car). Dyea was a native settlement(Tlinget natives) before it was invaded. They were traders originally--trading with the explorers coming into the area and then taking things over the Chilkoot Pass to other groups for others things. They were a very shrewd people.They also had slaves from other tribes. When the gold rush began they saw other ways of surviving and prospering. They became pack carriers for the stampeders but the women did the negotiating but when they got up to the very steep section of the trail they began to negotiate again. And since the prospectors had to take up about 1000lbs of stuff(enough to last a year) they didn't have much choice if they had the money. It also didn't take long for the natives to realize that paper money was no good so they would only take gold coin for gold dust or nuggets. At one time this town was bigger than Skagway but due to Skagway having a much better water port(deeper) it became the only town to remain. But at the time Dyea had a Military Reservation, a native village and the town.The military was a group of black soldiers who were to keep the peace and to show a U.S. presence in the area. We walked around where the town stood and the ranger showed us pictures and told us all about the town because nature has taken back it all. There was only boards left and one store front. It was very interesting to see how it started as meadows and now had gone back to forest. Six years after the gold rush there were only about a dozen people left in the area and they were farming. Harriet Pullen(a hotel owner) and she ran a farm to provide her food.
The glaciers had been here and receeded so the mountains with rounded tops were worn down by the glacier while the taller peaks were above the glacier. Also over the years since the glacier receeded the land has risen about 10 inches--like a sponge it rises after being flattened. There is much more but have to stop somewhere or it will be a book.
We rushed back into town in order to make our 4pm walking tour of downtown. The ranger was an older man and he did a great job. The land that Skagway was built on (160 acres) first belonged to a Capt. Moore who had been a ship's captain but when the stampeders started coming in droves they came into his port and just began to become squatters and take over so it became Mooresville. They just started building things on the land. Capt. Moore's philosophy was "never quit-look for opportunities" which he did. He had built a dock and so he charged people to use it to load and unload goods off the boats. He also built warehouses to store the 1000lbs. of stuff each stampeder had to take up the Chilkoot trail to his claim. He found a number of ways to make money off those who stole his land. Eventually it was renamed Skagway from a native name for it. Many women came here also with and without men. One of them was the Harriet Pullen, I mentioned earlier. She bought a wagon and worked as a teamster hauling stuff back and forth between small towns in the area and she also baked pies in the evenings and sold them. She did so well that eventually she bought a hotel in Dyea and ran it for a number of years while also owning a farm to produce food and milk for her customers in the hotel. We saw Capt. Moore's cabin dating back to 1887 and the house his daughter and family lived in as well as a cigar store and a warehouse. We also saw "Soapy" Smith's Parlor from which he ran his scams and bar(yet to be restored-but in progress). Skagway was a very lawless town. Jefferson Randolph"Soapy" Smith ran it with his minions for a few years until he was killed and then law and order did come to town.
As soon as the tour was over we set out to go to Northern Lights Pizza where Bob, Marvin and Dee were waiting. We were followed by probably another dozen people. The pizza was good. We stopped by the grocery with Barry and Monique and then went home.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Cruise to Juneau from Skagway--July 29
We had a beautiful day for a cruise to Juneau--Alaska's capitol which can only be reached by plane or boat. It is the 3rd largest city in Alaska. We left at 8am and returned by about 8:30pm. It was a long day but a fun day. The Fjordland, a catamaran, fully glass enclosed except for the very back where we could stand or sit took us there. The water was good. We left from the docks for smaller boats but saw the 3 cruise ships still docked there. The Chilkat Mountain Range was what we were seeing along the way. The Long Fall Waterfall was the longest one on the trip but we saw many others. On Taiya River Point were a bunch of harbor seals hanging themselves out to dry on the rocks. The first glacier was the Rainbow Glacier and it is a hanging glacier followed by the Stevenson Glacier. Yet some more sea lions but these were the Stellar sea lions. Another unnamed falls and unnamed glacier and then we passed this large bunch of rocks in the channel upon which was a octagon lighthouse that is known as the Eldred Rock and Lighthouse. It is the oldest lighthouse still standing in Alaska and it still operates(unmanned). The captain pointed out a gold mining operation that has only been operating for 3 years but are doing very well and also has produced a huge mountain of pilings which is what is left over of the rock after it has been sluiced. Right soon after that someone spotted the humpback whales. The captain followed them for a little while trying to get us some good pictures. We had seen the humpback before and still enjoyed them but when we saw the Orca's everybody went wild. There were a small pod of them so we kept moving around the boat as they moved around. It was wonderful to watch them. None of them did any great leaps but they did small ones. They finally went on when we spotted about 25 small ducks all flying in a line just above the water. They had short wing spans so they were really flapping their wings a lot. Our boat was going about 35 to 40 miles per hour and these little things passed us up and went around in front of us to the other side and kept flying. We were cheering them on. They were surf scoter--a sea duck--cute little things.
We arrived at a spit of land outside Juneau where there was a dock and a bus drove us into Juneau and told us about the area. Southeast Alaska is a temperate rain forest with lots of growth but not a lot of variety. A coastal temperate rainforest must have more than 55" of annual precip. with 10% or more occurring in the summer, cool, frequently overcast summers with midsummer avg. temps. less than 61 degrees, a dormant season caused by low temperatures, infrequent forest fires and be in close proximity to the ocean. Now you know more than you ever wanted to know. We passed a wetlands and the confluence of Eagle River and Mendenhall River(I think) which was at low tide. I think she said that they have the 3rd largest tide like 26'. We stopped at a view point to see the Mendenhall Glacier and it had a field with lots of fireweed in front of it blooming-it was so pretty. We crossed the Mendenhall River into Juneau. She let us off the bus right beside one of the huge cruise ships docked and would pick us up there later. We had all looked at menu's while on board the boat and decided where we were going to eat lunch. I had the best Halibut and chips I've had fixed tempura style--yum. We ate at the Wharf in The Hanger Restaurant and as we were leaving in comes 3 float planes to land right in front of us, unload their passengers and go out again. That was neat to see it up close.
We didn't have but about an hour more so we just wandered around town on our own walking tour but didn't see much but shops. Without a car or more time we hardly could see the museum or other things. That was a disappointment but another time, maybe. Time to go back to the bus but unfortunately, a family of 3 was not there and we had to wait around about another 20 minutes for them which cut us short on time at our next stop. There were people on the bus who were not with our caravan and this was one of them. Oh well.
Our next stop was at the Mendenhall Glacier which is actually located in the Tongass National Forest. John Muir first named this the Auk Glacier for the local Tlingit tribe. It is the most visited of all the glaciers because it is the most accessible of all in the Juneau Icefield. It was formed during the shorter Little Ice Age and is the 5th largest. There is a beautiful and large waterfall there named Nugget Falls that comes out the side of the glacier and fills the pond below it where you also see the ice chunks which have calved off of the glacier. There are also glacial ponds off from it where a large hunk of ice has washed near shore and then stayed and melted the the depression causes a pond to be formed. They also have salmon come up the streams to spawn and they had a fish weir which we could see on one of the streams. It looks like a picket fence across the stream but funnels the fish thru a small area where they have a fish cam so they can count the returning salmon.
Tongass National Forest was designated as such by Teddy Roosevelt in 1907 and is over 100 years old. It is 16.9 million acres, the largest national forest in the U.S. It includes 2 national monuments, 13 campgrounds, 19 wilderness areas, 150 cabins and 450 miles of hiking trails and is part of the largest coastal temperate rain forest in the world. It also includes icefields, glaciers, mountains, valleys, estuaries, islands, lakes, caves and 14,000 miles of shoreline. It is home to over 5,000 brown bears and approximately 75,000 people. It surrounds the north end of the Inside Passage a very popular and historic travel route. We watched a short movie in the visitor's center and they had marvelous displays. We headed outside to see the glacier but not with enough time to walk down to the falls and the glacier to see them even more up close but still with a beautiful view and over to see the fish weir and back on the bus to head back to the boat.
We crossed the Mendenhall River again and returned the way we had come. While on the boat we were served very good smoked salmon chowder, a roll and a cookie. Earlier in the day they gave us coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and a muffin and apple juice then again later before lunch an apple( all of which I stashed away because I had eaten b'fast in the coach). Then our tourmaster handed out cheese sticks at some point which I also stashed. Bob didn't like the chowder so I enjoyed both small bowls. On the way over we were on the boat about 3 hrs. because of slowing down for the whales and they way back only took us about 2 because we saw no sea life only eagles.
The sun's rays were coming down into valleys or onto the water and it was gorgeous. We passed the Sapphire Princess and the Royal Princess as they headed out to their next destination. The captain took us a lot closer to the Eldred Lighthouse Rock. It is quite a place. He also took us up close to the Saw Mill Falls-beautiful. We then went into the Haines, Alaska small harbor port to disembark two passengers going there to visit friends for 8 days. The only way in or out of Haines is either boat or plane. Our crew and captain live in Haines also but they took us back to Skagway first. It was a long day but a very enjoyable one and so I say goodnight all.
We arrived at a spit of land outside Juneau where there was a dock and a bus drove us into Juneau and told us about the area. Southeast Alaska is a temperate rain forest with lots of growth but not a lot of variety. A coastal temperate rainforest must have more than 55" of annual precip. with 10% or more occurring in the summer, cool, frequently overcast summers with midsummer avg. temps. less than 61 degrees, a dormant season caused by low temperatures, infrequent forest fires and be in close proximity to the ocean. Now you know more than you ever wanted to know. We passed a wetlands and the confluence of Eagle River and Mendenhall River(I think) which was at low tide. I think she said that they have the 3rd largest tide like 26'. We stopped at a view point to see the Mendenhall Glacier and it had a field with lots of fireweed in front of it blooming-it was so pretty. We crossed the Mendenhall River into Juneau. She let us off the bus right beside one of the huge cruise ships docked and would pick us up there later. We had all looked at menu's while on board the boat and decided where we were going to eat lunch. I had the best Halibut and chips I've had fixed tempura style--yum. We ate at the Wharf in The Hanger Restaurant and as we were leaving in comes 3 float planes to land right in front of us, unload their passengers and go out again. That was neat to see it up close.
We didn't have but about an hour more so we just wandered around town on our own walking tour but didn't see much but shops. Without a car or more time we hardly could see the museum or other things. That was a disappointment but another time, maybe. Time to go back to the bus but unfortunately, a family of 3 was not there and we had to wait around about another 20 minutes for them which cut us short on time at our next stop. There were people on the bus who were not with our caravan and this was one of them. Oh well.
Our next stop was at the Mendenhall Glacier which is actually located in the Tongass National Forest. John Muir first named this the Auk Glacier for the local Tlingit tribe. It is the most visited of all the glaciers because it is the most accessible of all in the Juneau Icefield. It was formed during the shorter Little Ice Age and is the 5th largest. There is a beautiful and large waterfall there named Nugget Falls that comes out the side of the glacier and fills the pond below it where you also see the ice chunks which have calved off of the glacier. There are also glacial ponds off from it where a large hunk of ice has washed near shore and then stayed and melted the the depression causes a pond to be formed. They also have salmon come up the streams to spawn and they had a fish weir which we could see on one of the streams. It looks like a picket fence across the stream but funnels the fish thru a small area where they have a fish cam so they can count the returning salmon.
Tongass National Forest was designated as such by Teddy Roosevelt in 1907 and is over 100 years old. It is 16.9 million acres, the largest national forest in the U.S. It includes 2 national monuments, 13 campgrounds, 19 wilderness areas, 150 cabins and 450 miles of hiking trails and is part of the largest coastal temperate rain forest in the world. It also includes icefields, glaciers, mountains, valleys, estuaries, islands, lakes, caves and 14,000 miles of shoreline. It is home to over 5,000 brown bears and approximately 75,000 people. It surrounds the north end of the Inside Passage a very popular and historic travel route. We watched a short movie in the visitor's center and they had marvelous displays. We headed outside to see the glacier but not with enough time to walk down to the falls and the glacier to see them even more up close but still with a beautiful view and over to see the fish weir and back on the bus to head back to the boat.
We crossed the Mendenhall River again and returned the way we had come. While on the boat we were served very good smoked salmon chowder, a roll and a cookie. Earlier in the day they gave us coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and a muffin and apple juice then again later before lunch an apple( all of which I stashed away because I had eaten b'fast in the coach). Then our tourmaster handed out cheese sticks at some point which I also stashed. Bob didn't like the chowder so I enjoyed both small bowls. On the way over we were on the boat about 3 hrs. because of slowing down for the whales and they way back only took us about 2 because we saw no sea life only eagles.
The sun's rays were coming down into valleys or onto the water and it was gorgeous. We passed the Sapphire Princess and the Royal Princess as they headed out to their next destination. The captain took us a lot closer to the Eldred Lighthouse Rock. It is quite a place. He also took us up close to the Saw Mill Falls-beautiful. We then went into the Haines, Alaska small harbor port to disembark two passengers going there to visit friends for 8 days. The only way in or out of Haines is either boat or plane. Our crew and captain live in Haines also but they took us back to Skagway first. It was a long day but a very enjoyable one and so I say goodnight all.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
1st full day in Skagway--July 28
Last night I prepared my laundry for this morning. By 7am I was off to the laundramat in the park while Bob slept in, at least for awhile I guess. While the wash and dryer did its thing I met a man and wife who had come from Wyoming by covered wagon and finally parked it in some farmer's ground while they came ahead up here. They said the drivers almost killed them 3 times. Nice people. If you want to read about their experiences go to wyomingwagonadventures.com. Their names are Mike and Sheila. They were real nice people. After putting all that away I finally got to eat-lunch. Then I started writing one of the blogs because I was behind 2 days and if I can stay awake long enough till I finish this one and don't go blind I will be caught up. Marv and Dee rode with us into town to the "Days of '98 Show". It is the longest running show in the North and is held is Alaska's oldest Eagles aerie,F.O.E. #25 established in 1899. It is a 1 hr. musical/drama based on historical records and centers on con man Jefferson (Soapy) Smith's reign over Skagway during the days of the Klondike Gold Rush. It was very entertaining--definitely worth seeing. After that we walked around town into a few shops, down toward the train station and made it thru all the people because there were 4 cruise ships in port (ugh). The ships were sure beautiful. I tell you we are at least getting foreign tourism money into this country if nothing else. A bunch of our group was taking the White Pass/Yukon train ride and one of them had parked in a loading zone and a policeman on a bike saw our coats (Adventure caravans) which matched the large yellow sticker on the back of the car and asked if we knew the owner of the car so we started looking for them in the nearby stores no realizing they were loading on the train. Luckily we found the tailgunner who got their keys and moved their car before they got a ticket or worse.
It was dinner time so we found a restaurant and afterwards took a ride out to Dyea looking for bears fishing but didn't see any, but it was a beautiful drive. More about that another day. Tomorrow is a big day so I need to get to bed.
It was dinner time so we found a restaurant and afterwards took a ride out to Dyea looking for bears fishing but didn't see any, but it was a beautiful drive. More about that another day. Tomorrow is a big day so I need to get to bed.
Trip from Destruction Bay to Skagway--July 27
They only had 15 amp service in the park so rather than pull in we just parked at the side of the park in a gravel area. The others said even the 15 amp was not very dependable. The day began with sunshine and 56*. Yeah!! We went next door to the restaurant for breakfast and then took off. Kluane Lake which was right across the roadfrom the campground is the largest lake in the Yukon Territory which is 154 miles long and very few people up there to boat on it and you don't swim in any of the water up here because it is toooo cold. It is a beautiful lake. We stopped at a lot of places today.
Our next stop just down the road a short piece was named Sheep Mountain but has been renamed Tachal Dahl because of the native people and it means "skin scraper mountain". We did spy Dall Sheep up on the mountain with binoculars and a scope--quite a few actually. The mothers give birth right up on the mountain and/or side. The info said that 1 in 5 ewes will be killed by eagles and 1/3rd won't live thru their 1st year and a large percentage will not see maturity which is 12 years. As we continue on down the Alaska Highway (Yukon Hwy. 1) we arrived in Haines Junction (pop. 840) and turned onto the Haines Hwy. 3. Just as we turned they had built a mountain with animals all around it and a man on top looking thru binoculars. We went less than a half mile and turned to go to the Kluane National Park Visitor's Center and to a bakery. The park is a part of a joint UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Center had very nice displays and a layout of the whole Park and Reserve. They also had a very good movie about the park. The bakery was nice but decided against it but we saw a goodly number of our cohorts who were enjoying the food.
As we continued on down the road we saw either wild horses or free ranging ones because there were no fences and we saw them in two different spots fairly close to the road. We had to go back thru Whitehorse so Marvin stopped at Canadian Tire and Bob and Dee went to WalMart next door and I went to the coach. While I was in the coach and we had cell service I enjoyed talking to Bob's sister Penny and our son Jeremy. This was after we ate our lunch at Ricky's which we had done before when we stopped in Whitehorse. As we left town we gassed up at Pioneer Village(where we camped on the way into Alaska) because it was much cheaper. Within a few miles we turned onto Klondike Hwy.2 to Skagway.
On we go to our next stop. Actually these stops help break up this boring long drive. The road was definitely better but we drove in the valley with black spruce growing on either side and not much in the way of animals.Then we came to a sight that took our breath away. It was Emerald Lake also called Rainbow Lake. The different shades of green and blue are the result of blue-green light waves reflecting off the white sediment of the lake bottom. This white sediment called marl, consistes of fragments of decomposed shell mixed with clay; it is usually found in shallow, freshwater lakes that have low oxygen levels during the summer months. It was fantastic!!Caribou Crossing was a stop especially for the boys because they bought ice cream. I took pics of a giant metal mosquito, a huge tall hunk of jade, stuffed sheep on a mountain and metal sculpture of caribou. It was false fronted old time looking buildings, gift shop and if you wanted to pay $7 you could go see the sled dog (we didn't). Just barely up the road was the Carcross Desert. This unusual desert aarea of sand dunes is the world's smallest desert and an International Biophysical Programme site for ecological studies. The desert is composed of saandy lake-bottom material left behind by a large glacial lake and then there are strong winds going thru the area. This was quite interesting.
We were told by our tailgunner that there was a little town we might want to turn off to go to so we did. Carcross, pop. 399, has 4 gift shops, a post office (only Canadian one open 7 days a week), a library and a community pool can you beat that. The Nares bridge that crosses the narrows between Lake Bennett and Nares Lake brings you into town. This town was a stopping point for gold stampeders on the way to the Klondike goldfields and it was also later a major stop for the White Pass & Yukon Route RR. In the early days they transferred freight and passengers from the railroad onto stern-wheelers. They were remodelling one of these ships called the S.S. Tutshi (too-shy) until it caught fire and partially burned in 1990. Now they are constructing a building to house its remains in the order of its location in the ship. They also have a small locomotive called The Duchess which operated a 2.5 mile portage between several places until 1921.There is also a St. Savior's Anglican Church built in 1902 and an unusual railroad bridge that went across the river but only half would rotate if a stern-wheeler came thru. The only problem was that every tour bus in the country comes in there. You can't stir people with a stick.
The rest of our drive was really beautiful. The road was back in the mountainous area with the lakes and streams right beside or below us. We had to stop to see a black bear feeding right beside the road--we didn't seem to bother him at all. That was a treat. Later we stopped to see where the Chillkoot trail went and the route the train went and a cabin that was along the trail.
We went past the Fraser, BC Border Crossing but didn't have to stop there and shortly thereafter we went across the US/AK border and a time zone change again. We are doing this several times. We went past numerous wonderful waterfalls and right before the Yukon/U.S. Customs border we crossed the Skagway River on the George & William Moore Bridge. The crossing was very easy and as we continued on a short way to Skagway we enjoy some magnificent views of the mountains and more glaciers. We stay at the Garden City RV Park for 4 days. Time to quit and go to bed.
Our next stop just down the road a short piece was named Sheep Mountain but has been renamed Tachal Dahl because of the native people and it means "skin scraper mountain". We did spy Dall Sheep up on the mountain with binoculars and a scope--quite a few actually. The mothers give birth right up on the mountain and/or side. The info said that 1 in 5 ewes will be killed by eagles and 1/3rd won't live thru their 1st year and a large percentage will not see maturity which is 12 years. As we continue on down the Alaska Highway (Yukon Hwy. 1) we arrived in Haines Junction (pop. 840) and turned onto the Haines Hwy. 3. Just as we turned they had built a mountain with animals all around it and a man on top looking thru binoculars. We went less than a half mile and turned to go to the Kluane National Park Visitor's Center and to a bakery. The park is a part of a joint UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Center had very nice displays and a layout of the whole Park and Reserve. They also had a very good movie about the park. The bakery was nice but decided against it but we saw a goodly number of our cohorts who were enjoying the food.
As we continued on down the road we saw either wild horses or free ranging ones because there were no fences and we saw them in two different spots fairly close to the road. We had to go back thru Whitehorse so Marvin stopped at Canadian Tire and Bob and Dee went to WalMart next door and I went to the coach. While I was in the coach and we had cell service I enjoyed talking to Bob's sister Penny and our son Jeremy. This was after we ate our lunch at Ricky's which we had done before when we stopped in Whitehorse. As we left town we gassed up at Pioneer Village(where we camped on the way into Alaska) because it was much cheaper. Within a few miles we turned onto Klondike Hwy.2 to Skagway.
On we go to our next stop. Actually these stops help break up this boring long drive. The road was definitely better but we drove in the valley with black spruce growing on either side and not much in the way of animals.Then we came to a sight that took our breath away. It was Emerald Lake also called Rainbow Lake. The different shades of green and blue are the result of blue-green light waves reflecting off the white sediment of the lake bottom. This white sediment called marl, consistes of fragments of decomposed shell mixed with clay; it is usually found in shallow, freshwater lakes that have low oxygen levels during the summer months. It was fantastic!!Caribou Crossing was a stop especially for the boys because they bought ice cream. I took pics of a giant metal mosquito, a huge tall hunk of jade, stuffed sheep on a mountain and metal sculpture of caribou. It was false fronted old time looking buildings, gift shop and if you wanted to pay $7 you could go see the sled dog (we didn't). Just barely up the road was the Carcross Desert. This unusual desert aarea of sand dunes is the world's smallest desert and an International Biophysical Programme site for ecological studies. The desert is composed of saandy lake-bottom material left behind by a large glacial lake and then there are strong winds going thru the area. This was quite interesting.
We were told by our tailgunner that there was a little town we might want to turn off to go to so we did. Carcross, pop. 399, has 4 gift shops, a post office (only Canadian one open 7 days a week), a library and a community pool can you beat that. The Nares bridge that crosses the narrows between Lake Bennett and Nares Lake brings you into town. This town was a stopping point for gold stampeders on the way to the Klondike goldfields and it was also later a major stop for the White Pass & Yukon Route RR. In the early days they transferred freight and passengers from the railroad onto stern-wheelers. They were remodelling one of these ships called the S.S. Tutshi (too-shy) until it caught fire and partially burned in 1990. Now they are constructing a building to house its remains in the order of its location in the ship. They also have a small locomotive called The Duchess which operated a 2.5 mile portage between several places until 1921.There is also a St. Savior's Anglican Church built in 1902 and an unusual railroad bridge that went across the river but only half would rotate if a stern-wheeler came thru. The only problem was that every tour bus in the country comes in there. You can't stir people with a stick.
The rest of our drive was really beautiful. The road was back in the mountainous area with the lakes and streams right beside or below us. We had to stop to see a black bear feeding right beside the road--we didn't seem to bother him at all. That was a treat. Later we stopped to see where the Chillkoot trail went and the route the train went and a cabin that was along the trail.
We went past the Fraser, BC Border Crossing but didn't have to stop there and shortly thereafter we went across the US/AK border and a time zone change again. We are doing this several times. We went past numerous wonderful waterfalls and right before the Yukon/U.S. Customs border we crossed the Skagway River on the George & William Moore Bridge. The crossing was very easy and as we continued on a short way to Skagway we enjoy some magnificent views of the mountains and more glaciers. We stay at the Garden City RV Park for 4 days. Time to quit and go to bed.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Drive from Tok to Destruction Bay--July 26, 2010
It started out sunny and 56*---that was the best part of the day. For whatever reason we were joined up with a Fantasy Tour Caravan just till we arrived at Destruction Bay. This meant that for the first time during the trip our foursome could not leave early--everyone had to wait until the wagonmaster left at 7:00a.m. and we might be interspersed with their coaches until we stopped to see things.The bad part was yet to come. We had washed our coaches and our tow vehicles last night and before long we hit road repair which was dirt. We knew it would happen but the very worst part was that all the way to Destruction Bay, a distance of 225 miles we were in the valley where they built a road over permafrost and it buckles because the permafrost melts and then it is always unstable and believe me it certainly was the case. They do have many of them marked with flags or metal signs or the white lines on the sides of the road suddenly become wavy but you are going slow and changing speed all day long. Everyone was exhausted by the time we arrived at Destruction Bay.
Our next stop was at Burwash Landing, another small town, but they all seem to have museums. We went into the Kluane Museum of Natural History and they had absolutely beautiful mounted wildlife exhibits in their natural habitat dioramas along with native artifacts and clothing with all the pertinent information. The Canadians call them First Nation people and the government up here has certainly treated them much better than we have and they have a lot of influence in the country. Out in front of the museum they had the world's largest gold pan--all painted up. There had been a large fire in the area several years ago and the town had been evacuated but all was saved except for about 3 houses.
We finally arrived at Destruction Bay Lodge and RV Park. There are only about 33 people in town and it received it's name from the fact that when they were building the Alaska Highway they had just set up the temporary housing, etc. when a storm came thru with enormous winds and blew it all down. That area is known for getting strong winds from all directions. The best wind is the one that blows away the mosquitoes. We arrived in time to go pick out a diamond willow stick that I now will have to peel and sand and finish. Then we had our briefing for the next day's trip followed by a dinner prepared by the owner and chef of the lodge. It was very good--wonderful roast beef, baked potato salad, salad, and a home baked roll. Later in the evening there was music by the group, Loose Gravel. They took their name from the signs announcing all the loose gravel on the road. The owner also plays drums, guitar and sings. They were good just way too loud. The mountains around us were the Kluane mountains--prounced Klu (clue) and ane (short a and long e)--sounds hawiian. It's time for bed.
We passed through the Donjek River Valley and the Icefield Ranges of the St. Elias Mts. The Icefield Ranges include the highest and the youngest mountains in Canada and includes Mt. Logan, Canada's highest mountain at 5,489 meters (you figure)700 meters = 2200ft. This is the largest non-polar icefield in North America extending over most of the Kluane National Park and Reserve sending long glacial fingers into the valleys between the peaks. The ice is more than 2200 ft. thick.
Our next stop was at Burwash Landing, another small town, but they all seem to have museums. We went into the Kluane Museum of Natural History and they had absolutely beautiful mounted wildlife exhibits in their natural habitat dioramas along with native artifacts and clothing with all the pertinent information. The Canadians call them First Nation people and the government up here has certainly treated them much better than we have and they have a lot of influence in the country. Out in front of the museum they had the world's largest gold pan--all painted up. There had been a large fire in the area several years ago and the town had been evacuated but all was saved except for about 3 houses.
We finally arrived at Destruction Bay Lodge and RV Park. There are only about 33 people in town and it received it's name from the fact that when they were building the Alaska Highway they had just set up the temporary housing, etc. when a storm came thru with enormous winds and blew it all down. That area is known for getting strong winds from all directions. The best wind is the one that blows away the mosquitoes. We arrived in time to go pick out a diamond willow stick that I now will have to peel and sand and finish. Then we had our briefing for the next day's trip followed by a dinner prepared by the owner and chef of the lodge. It was very good--wonderful roast beef, baked potato salad, salad, and a home baked roll. Later in the evening there was music by the group, Loose Gravel. They took their name from the signs announcing all the loose gravel on the road. The owner also plays drums, guitar and sings. They were good just way too loud. The mountains around us were the Kluane mountains--prounced Klu (clue) and ane (short a and long e)--sounds hawiian. It's time for bed.
Monday, July 26, 2010
From Valdez to Tok--July 25
No I am not repeating a blog, but yes we have been in Tok before but on the way into the state. Sometimes there is no good way to somewhere else except to backtrack some, at least in this state. Here there are only so many roads. I read somewhere in the Milepost that one of the govenors years ago was being lobbied for another road in the state and his comment was " we already have 2 roads--how many roads does one state need?" In tomorrow's blog I will expound on the subject of roads in Alaska.
When we left Valdez it was still raining as it had for some time and was only 51*--that is my degree mark. The fog can be beautiful as it covers the lower part of Sugarloaf Mt. and leaves the top showing. The rivers were very high and I wouldn't be surprised that somewhere more roads have been washed out; however, we did not experience any. The only animals we saw were birds: an eagle sitting in a tree and about 4 swans and some with cygnets (babies).
We took the Copper Center Loop road again so we could stop and see the Copper Center Roadhouse is a site of historice importance. It had its beginnings in the gold rush days of 1897-98. It was the first lodging place in the Copper River Valley and the original was replaced by the current one in 1932. Also there housed in historical cabins are two museums of which one is specific to the Trail of '98. This trail went from Valdez over the glaciers and came down from the mountains and joined here with the Eagle Trail to Forty Mile and Dawson. 300 miners, destitute and lonely, spent the winter here. Many suffered with scurvy and died. The men who came west and/or north to find gold were tough, brave, fool hardy and many other things but they followed their dreams. Since the museums were not open yet and we wanted to see the inside of the roadhouse we went inside and Marvin and Dee had tea and toast while we sat and enjoyed the ambiance. It was a lovely old log building. We then toured the museums and I took some pictures of some other old log buildings.
We drove on toward Tok but first stopped at the Mentasta Lodge--we ate in the coach but went in to check it out anyway. The lady running it had beautiful hair that hung down below her rear end and also did some beautiful bead work but expensive. Her husband was outside in another building selling his tables and other things made from the burls that grow on one of the trees up here. He also carves pictures of animals and other things on the antlers of the moose. The moose and caribou shed their antlers every year and people go out and collect them and do this carving. It is extremely expensive but very nice.
If anyone wants to move up here there sure are a lot of old deserted log cabins everywhere. We finally arrived in Tok and after gasing up the boys washed our coaches and cars--not that it was going to stay that way long but it looked nice for a few hours. We had our briefing followed by a staff prepared dinner of salad, garlic bread and lasagna. It was very good. The park every night puts on some music. There were two young girls that played violin and a young boy on banjo and they did a very good job. They also talked a little about the town of Tok and how their parents ended up there and what it was like in the winter time. This was followed by a hot shower and writing the blog and bed.
When we left Valdez it was still raining as it had for some time and was only 51*--that is my degree mark. The fog can be beautiful as it covers the lower part of Sugarloaf Mt. and leaves the top showing. The rivers were very high and I wouldn't be surprised that somewhere more roads have been washed out; however, we did not experience any. The only animals we saw were birds: an eagle sitting in a tree and about 4 swans and some with cygnets (babies).
We took the Copper Center Loop road again so we could stop and see the Copper Center Roadhouse is a site of historice importance. It had its beginnings in the gold rush days of 1897-98. It was the first lodging place in the Copper River Valley and the original was replaced by the current one in 1932. Also there housed in historical cabins are two museums of which one is specific to the Trail of '98. This trail went from Valdez over the glaciers and came down from the mountains and joined here with the Eagle Trail to Forty Mile and Dawson. 300 miners, destitute and lonely, spent the winter here. Many suffered with scurvy and died. The men who came west and/or north to find gold were tough, brave, fool hardy and many other things but they followed their dreams. Since the museums were not open yet and we wanted to see the inside of the roadhouse we went inside and Marvin and Dee had tea and toast while we sat and enjoyed the ambiance. It was a lovely old log building. We then toured the museums and I took some pictures of some other old log buildings.
We drove on toward Tok but first stopped at the Mentasta Lodge--we ate in the coach but went in to check it out anyway. The lady running it had beautiful hair that hung down below her rear end and also did some beautiful bead work but expensive. Her husband was outside in another building selling his tables and other things made from the burls that grow on one of the trees up here. He also carves pictures of animals and other things on the antlers of the moose. The moose and caribou shed their antlers every year and people go out and collect them and do this carving. It is extremely expensive but very nice.
If anyone wants to move up here there sure are a lot of old deserted log cabins everywhere. We finally arrived in Tok and after gasing up the boys washed our coaches and cars--not that it was going to stay that way long but it looked nice for a few hours. We had our briefing followed by a staff prepared dinner of salad, garlic bread and lasagna. It was very good. The park every night puts on some music. There were two young girls that played violin and a young boy on banjo and they did a very good job. They also talked a little about the town of Tok and how their parents ended up there and what it was like in the winter time. This was followed by a hot shower and writing the blog and bed.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Last Day in Valdez--July 24,2010
We woke up to another cloudy, rainy day but we were inside a bus for the morning. We were picked up by a school bus for a tour of the town of Valdez. Now I must tell you that we had a very nice bus driver and a fantastic guide. They both have lived her a long time and they were very funny and informative.
Valdez is not very large it seems but it has a population of 4,498. There is actually Old Town and New Valdez. The reason for that is that the original town was built on very unstable ground and on Good Friday of 1964 there was a 9.2 earthquake that lasted for 5 min. and the ground turned to mush. A series of local waves caused underwater landslides which swallowed the wharf and 33 people lost their lives. The town was very damaged but the waterfront was destroyed. Due to the instability of the ground the powers that be relocated the town 4 miles west. There is nothing left of the Old Town. It is all grown up in bushes and trees but the stories were interesting and we enjoyed a good look at an eagle sitting on a light post.
While going there we went past the ships they would use for any future spills that may occur in the area. They are anchored off shore and have 42 miles of oil booms to contain an oil spill. They have sent some of it to the gulf for the problem there.
They also took us out to the fish hatchery release point to see the salmon but we had all been there the night before waiting for "The Bears" which did not show. We continued on to the Aleyska Terminal at least as far as we could go. Up until 9/11 they gave tours of the area but no more. We had seen it from the cruise ship at a distance but we did get a little closer. We had a real good look at the #1 dock although it is not used and they did not build 2 or 3 but they did build and do use 4 and 5. We also had a view of some of the large holding tanks. The property that it was all built on was owned by a local family--don't you know they must have made out OK.
They also have their own glacier so they drove us out to where it is located and you could see hunks of ice which have broken off of it but it has receeded and is hiding in a valley--it is the Valdez Glacier. We did find it interesting that the two picnic tables had no carving of initials in them but people love to shoot holes into all the signs in the state.
They drove us around downtown to point out different business', museums and government buildings. Valdez thanks to the money they have received due to the oil spill and the state is one of the richest towns in Alaska. Their economy is built upon the oil industry, the fishing industry, government and tourism (mining the tourists). But they know that the oil industry is slowing because they used to have 25 oil tankers per week come into port but now it is down to about 6 per week. They are trying to get a gas pipeline built but it hasn't happened yet.
For a number of years they had extreme skiing going on in the area and people would fly in from around the world to ski straight down the mountains but it was extremely dependent upon volunteers and kind of petered out but they are trying to begin it again. They also have a Mother's Day fly in and they can get as many as 400 airplanes come in for the weekend.
After dropping us off at the end of the tour most of us went to find food at one of the local hot spots followed by trying to hit the local museums and seeing some footage of the earthquake caught on film. Unfortunately we also had to go back to the coach and cook something for the potluck supper which we were having that night. It was kind of tricky finding the location of the potluck but all the food was good and a good time was had by all. We also had our briefing for the coming days journey.
Some of us were dog tired and went home to clean up our kitchens and get our coach put together for the next morning and go to bed while some others went back out to find "The Bears" which of course they did. Needless to say I was disappointed but I was in bed by 8:30 and I never do that. That's it. See you tomorrow.
Valdez is not very large it seems but it has a population of 4,498. There is actually Old Town and New Valdez. The reason for that is that the original town was built on very unstable ground and on Good Friday of 1964 there was a 9.2 earthquake that lasted for 5 min. and the ground turned to mush. A series of local waves caused underwater landslides which swallowed the wharf and 33 people lost their lives. The town was very damaged but the waterfront was destroyed. Due to the instability of the ground the powers that be relocated the town 4 miles west. There is nothing left of the Old Town. It is all grown up in bushes and trees but the stories were interesting and we enjoyed a good look at an eagle sitting on a light post.
While going there we went past the ships they would use for any future spills that may occur in the area. They are anchored off shore and have 42 miles of oil booms to contain an oil spill. They have sent some of it to the gulf for the problem there.
They also took us out to the fish hatchery release point to see the salmon but we had all been there the night before waiting for "The Bears" which did not show. We continued on to the Aleyska Terminal at least as far as we could go. Up until 9/11 they gave tours of the area but no more. We had seen it from the cruise ship at a distance but we did get a little closer. We had a real good look at the #1 dock although it is not used and they did not build 2 or 3 but they did build and do use 4 and 5. We also had a view of some of the large holding tanks. The property that it was all built on was owned by a local family--don't you know they must have made out OK.
They also have their own glacier so they drove us out to where it is located and you could see hunks of ice which have broken off of it but it has receeded and is hiding in a valley--it is the Valdez Glacier. We did find it interesting that the two picnic tables had no carving of initials in them but people love to shoot holes into all the signs in the state.
They drove us around downtown to point out different business', museums and government buildings. Valdez thanks to the money they have received due to the oil spill and the state is one of the richest towns in Alaska. Their economy is built upon the oil industry, the fishing industry, government and tourism (mining the tourists). But they know that the oil industry is slowing because they used to have 25 oil tankers per week come into port but now it is down to about 6 per week. They are trying to get a gas pipeline built but it hasn't happened yet.
For a number of years they had extreme skiing going on in the area and people would fly in from around the world to ski straight down the mountains but it was extremely dependent upon volunteers and kind of petered out but they are trying to begin it again. They also have a Mother's Day fly in and they can get as many as 400 airplanes come in for the weekend.
After dropping us off at the end of the tour most of us went to find food at one of the local hot spots followed by trying to hit the local museums and seeing some footage of the earthquake caught on film. Unfortunately we also had to go back to the coach and cook something for the potluck supper which we were having that night. It was kind of tricky finding the location of the potluck but all the food was good and a good time was had by all. We also had our briefing for the coming days journey.
Some of us were dog tired and went home to clean up our kitchens and get our coach put together for the next morning and go to bed while some others went back out to find "The Bears" which of course they did. Needless to say I was disappointed but I was in bed by 8:30 and I never do that. That's it. See you tomorrow.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Scenic and Wildlife Cruise--July 23
This was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and it was clear. This was a 9 hour cruise out thru the Valdez Narrows into Prince William Sound. I have pictures as we pulled out of the dock that shows the other side of the port where the oil tank farms are located and the tankers are filled. The tanker Sierra was being filled the day we were on the water. They also have a power plant that burns off the vapor fumes from the filling and it also produces electricity. Since the spillage they have plenty of booms and a ship to contain sucked up oil and other things incase of another spill. I guess the coast guard was lax in upgrading a particular radar navigation out near a point--they had diverted funds for its modernization to other places and this is what happened. We as people in the U.S. seem to be short sighted--we don't think ahead and then have to react to situations. They also failed to test the pilot early enough for alcohol and I guess he was a well known heavy drinker and was drunk at the time. Also he ran into heavy ice and wanted to change shipping lanes to avoid it but the Coast Guard wouldn't allow him to do this. He also put another man in charge while he went to his cabin and thru mistake or miscommunication the accident occurred. All around the sound is the Chugach Mts.
We saw lots of cute sea otters with pups. We went past an area where the fishing boats were very busy. They use different types of boats but one is called a seiner which puts out a large net and then pulls it in to put its catch in the hold and there is a small helper boat or skiff which helps keep the net out of the props and they are called purse seiners. Then you have large boats called fish tenders that come out from the canneries to suck the fish out of the fishing boats so that they can keep fishing and not have to continue to go back to the cannery. While in Homer we saw the Time Bandit and then here we saw the Northwestern and the Kodiak ships that are featured on "The Deadliest Catch" tv program. We saw beautiful Anderson Falls coming down the mountain side and then Andrews Rocks which sits out in the shipping lane. After passing there we went past Buoy #9 where several sea lions were resting.
Our captain was a 30 something female--real nice. She then took us up to the Columbia Glacier which is a tidewater glacier. There are about 4 different types of glaciers:tidewater, piedmont, cirque and hanging. The Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in Alaska and Columbia is next. Columbia is the 2nd fastest moving glacier in the world. It travels about 80' per day and discharges 2 cubic miles of ice into the sound annually.It is currently 34 miles long, 3 miles wide and 3,000' thick. It is the biggest North American glacial contributor to increasing sea levels and boy did it get colder the nearer we got to it. I was out on the bow all of the trip going and some of it coming back until I went into the wheel room and that was a magnificent view. It was very large and there were others up there so I stayed for a good while. I digress. Then we went thru the glacial passage of ice. She showed us Miner's Bay which was the epicenter of the 1964 earthquake and the mountains on that side rose and on the other side of the sound they shrank down some.
They served us lunch as we were going thru the glacial passage which was very good (baked chicken on rice with a white sauce over, various colored wax beans and a stick of bread and lemonade). It would have been even better had I been able to eat it hot---just after we were served(last) she told us she had sighted a humpback whale so up top I went. It was a nice sighting. It doesn't jump a lot but some and we had a few tail flaps and after a while I went back to finish lunch. We did see more on the way home. Whales are always a treat but we haven't been able to see an Orca yet.
She took us to see the Meares Glacier next. It is known for its calving or breaking off and falling parts of the glacier. We saw small pieces but no large hunks but you could hear it groan. As we went back she showed us Bullhead Point where a lot of Stellar Seals hang out and there were a lot of them. The tankers have to have pilots who are familiar with the area come on board and guide them thru the Sound so the pilots work 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. There is a cove where two boats are kept--one is for accomodations while the other is to take them out to the ship which is in motion and no matter the weather they have to board her by way of a ladder up the side of the ship--very dangerous. It was a wonderful cruise and of course we saw our different birds.
We arrived home at 8pm and took off for the fish hatchery where it was reported that because of the salmon returning to the stream a mother bear with 3 cubs was frequenting the area to teach them how to fish. The night before others saw them up close but while we were there and we were there until 9:45 they decided not to arrive. We will try again tonight after our potluck. A wonderful day.
We saw lots of cute sea otters with pups. We went past an area where the fishing boats were very busy. They use different types of boats but one is called a seiner which puts out a large net and then pulls it in to put its catch in the hold and there is a small helper boat or skiff which helps keep the net out of the props and they are called purse seiners. Then you have large boats called fish tenders that come out from the canneries to suck the fish out of the fishing boats so that they can keep fishing and not have to continue to go back to the cannery. While in Homer we saw the Time Bandit and then here we saw the Northwestern and the Kodiak ships that are featured on "The Deadliest Catch" tv program. We saw beautiful Anderson Falls coming down the mountain side and then Andrews Rocks which sits out in the shipping lane. After passing there we went past Buoy #9 where several sea lions were resting.
Our captain was a 30 something female--real nice. She then took us up to the Columbia Glacier which is a tidewater glacier. There are about 4 different types of glaciers:tidewater, piedmont, cirque and hanging. The Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in Alaska and Columbia is next. Columbia is the 2nd fastest moving glacier in the world. It travels about 80' per day and discharges 2 cubic miles of ice into the sound annually.It is currently 34 miles long, 3 miles wide and 3,000' thick. It is the biggest North American glacial contributor to increasing sea levels and boy did it get colder the nearer we got to it. I was out on the bow all of the trip going and some of it coming back until I went into the wheel room and that was a magnificent view. It was very large and there were others up there so I stayed for a good while. I digress. Then we went thru the glacial passage of ice. She showed us Miner's Bay which was the epicenter of the 1964 earthquake and the mountains on that side rose and on the other side of the sound they shrank down some.
They served us lunch as we were going thru the glacial passage which was very good (baked chicken on rice with a white sauce over, various colored wax beans and a stick of bread and lemonade). It would have been even better had I been able to eat it hot---just after we were served(last) she told us she had sighted a humpback whale so up top I went. It was a nice sighting. It doesn't jump a lot but some and we had a few tail flaps and after a while I went back to finish lunch. We did see more on the way home. Whales are always a treat but we haven't been able to see an Orca yet.
She took us to see the Meares Glacier next. It is known for its calving or breaking off and falling parts of the glacier. We saw small pieces but no large hunks but you could hear it groan. As we went back she showed us Bullhead Point where a lot of Stellar Seals hang out and there were a lot of them. The tankers have to have pilots who are familiar with the area come on board and guide them thru the Sound so the pilots work 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. There is a cove where two boats are kept--one is for accomodations while the other is to take them out to the ship which is in motion and no matter the weather they have to board her by way of a ladder up the side of the ship--very dangerous. It was a wonderful cruise and of course we saw our different birds.
We arrived home at 8pm and took off for the fish hatchery where it was reported that because of the salmon returning to the stream a mother bear with 3 cubs was frequenting the area to teach them how to fish. The night before others saw them up close but while we were there and we were there until 9:45 they decided not to arrive. We will try again tonight after our potluck. A wonderful day.
Trip to Valdez--July 22
We slept in this morning. We didn't leave till 6:30. The day was cloudy and overcast pretty much all day--oh well. When we left we were on the Glen Allen Hwy and eventually turned onto the Richardson Hwy. The Richardson goes thru a lot of muskeg tundra and boy did we have lots of frost heaves.The first stop was to read about the formation of gypsum in the mts there due to volcanic action and they were reddish due to the iron oxide. Our next stop was to take pictures of the Matanuska Glacier which heads in the Chugach Mts. and trends NW 27 miles. Some 18,000 yrs. ago it went all the way to Palmer. Now its avg. width is 2 miles and at its terminus it is 4 miles wide. I am always awed by their beauty and immensity. Our next stop was breakfast at Grandview Cafe. It was new, only built in the late 90's. The people who owned and ran it were Christians and the food was good and a very pleasant place to stop.
We stopped at the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Visitors Center.It is the largest National Park we have at 13.2 million acres of wild land and 9.7 is designated as wilderness. It is formed by the Wrangell, St. Elias, and Chugach mountain ranges. The park contains the greatest collection of peaks over 16,000' on the continent and Mt. Elias is the 2nd largest peak in the U.S. The park also contains the largest concentration of glaciers on the continent. Hubbard Glacier which flows out of St. Elias is one of the most active glaciers in North America. It is advancing in spite of "global climate change" if you believe in that which I am doubting more and more. Nature has been changing for millions of years and will continue to change no matter what we do--we are not the Creator. There are only two roads further into this park and neither are real good. This is honestly a preserve first and a park second. This place is magnificent but you explore more on foot than anything else. They had a visitor's center, a theater, a cultural center and an exhibit building and of course a restroom building and a trail out back. We saw a movie which wet your appetite for the park and listened to a ranger talk about the wolves in the park. The pelts from all these animals are beautiful and each so different. The sea otter pelt has 20,000 to 30,000 hairs per inch, yes per inch. You can't even see its hide when you try and separate the hairs(which you can't).
Passing more smaller glaciers and beautiful waterfalls to Worthington Glacier. It is located in the Copper River basin and is the most visited site in the area. It is a National Natural Landmark. This one heads upon Girls Mountain at 6,134'. The sight of it on the way to it was the best because you could see where it splits and forms two and then we went on up to the kiosk and read a little about it and if they all receeded, it would be the last to go if it did. Unbelieveably there were two men and a younger boy who walked up onto the glacier with no poles or ice spikes on their shoes and as they were coming down it was difficult. They also could have fallen into a hidden crevass.
We drove through Thompson Pass at an elevation of 2,678'. The National Climatic Center credits snowfall extremes in Alaska to this pass. The station there has recorded these extremes: 974.5" for the season in 1952-53, 298" for a month is Feb. 1953 and 62" in a 24 hr. period in Dec. 1955. That is something else. They have snowpoles that look like upside down "L's" for the snow plows-for guidance.
As we were getting closer to Valdez we also passed two wonderful waterfalls called Bridal Falls and Horsetail Falls. I never get tired of waterfalls either. Then our last stop before the RV park was an almost completed tunnel. There were copper mines up here very early on and 9 railroad companies were trying to be the first up here to get the business. This tunnel was being dug by hand into the solid rock of Keystone Canyon until a fued and a gun battle insued which ended the whole thing. It was never finished but you can go up to and inside if you want. Our RV park is practically right off the waterfront and the marina.
We stopped at the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Visitors Center.It is the largest National Park we have at 13.2 million acres of wild land and 9.7 is designated as wilderness. It is formed by the Wrangell, St. Elias, and Chugach mountain ranges. The park contains the greatest collection of peaks over 16,000' on the continent and Mt. Elias is the 2nd largest peak in the U.S. The park also contains the largest concentration of glaciers on the continent. Hubbard Glacier which flows out of St. Elias is one of the most active glaciers in North America. It is advancing in spite of "global climate change" if you believe in that which I am doubting more and more. Nature has been changing for millions of years and will continue to change no matter what we do--we are not the Creator. There are only two roads further into this park and neither are real good. This is honestly a preserve first and a park second. This place is magnificent but you explore more on foot than anything else. They had a visitor's center, a theater, a cultural center and an exhibit building and of course a restroom building and a trail out back. We saw a movie which wet your appetite for the park and listened to a ranger talk about the wolves in the park. The pelts from all these animals are beautiful and each so different. The sea otter pelt has 20,000 to 30,000 hairs per inch, yes per inch. You can't even see its hide when you try and separate the hairs(which you can't).
Passing more smaller glaciers and beautiful waterfalls to Worthington Glacier. It is located in the Copper River basin and is the most visited site in the area. It is a National Natural Landmark. This one heads upon Girls Mountain at 6,134'. The sight of it on the way to it was the best because you could see where it splits and forms two and then we went on up to the kiosk and read a little about it and if they all receeded, it would be the last to go if it did. Unbelieveably there were two men and a younger boy who walked up onto the glacier with no poles or ice spikes on their shoes and as they were coming down it was difficult. They also could have fallen into a hidden crevass.
We drove through Thompson Pass at an elevation of 2,678'. The National Climatic Center credits snowfall extremes in Alaska to this pass. The station there has recorded these extremes: 974.5" for the season in 1952-53, 298" for a month is Feb. 1953 and 62" in a 24 hr. period in Dec. 1955. That is something else. They have snowpoles that look like upside down "L's" for the snow plows-for guidance.
As we were getting closer to Valdez we also passed two wonderful waterfalls called Bridal Falls and Horsetail Falls. I never get tired of waterfalls either. Then our last stop before the RV park was an almost completed tunnel. There were copper mines up here very early on and 9 railroad companies were trying to be the first up here to get the business. This tunnel was being dug by hand into the solid rock of Keystone Canyon until a fued and a gun battle insued which ended the whole thing. It was never finished but you can go up to and inside if you want. Our RV park is practically right off the waterfront and the marina.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Day in Palmer--July 21
It began raining last night and rained all night long and into this morning. It sounded wonderful on the roof. We left at 8:45 this morning to go ride share to the Palmer Visitor Center/ Museum. The docent gave us a good run down on Palmer. Alaska is the most seismically-active state in the U.S. and contains 10% of the Earth's identified volcanoes. The rugged Chugach Range encloses the Mat-Su Valley to the south. To the north is the Alaska Range(Mt. McKinley) is only one of the peaks and the Talkeetna Range partially divides the Matanuska Valley from the Susitna this Mat-Su. Due to where Palmer is located the winds blow and they blow in a lot of top soil. The docent says he has 6' of good top soil on his land from being blown in. Their winter weather is not as extreme as the interior of Alaska partially due to their proximity to the water of the Knik Arm. The proximity to the North Pole causes the Mat-Su Valley's hours of daylight to vary greatly. In June there is an avg. of 19 hours of light per day while in Dec. the avg. daylight hours are only 5.
Gold was discovered near what became Knik near here in 1897 but in 1898 an expedition came up this valley and coal was discovered and became of interest. The Alaska Central Railroad in 1904 began construction since it had access to top grade coal for their engines but it fell thru until Alaska became a territory in 1912. Along with the construction came homesteaders who settle in the valley and begin some agriculture but the big change occurred in 1935 during the Great Depression. FDR proposed a relocation effort to move destitute Midwestern farmers onto more profitable lands around the U.S. Two places of the many others in the lower 48 produced 2 well known people. One was an Arkansas boy named Johnny Cash and a Tennessee boy named Elvis--both came from one of these communities. I digress.From the beginning of this Don Irwin who was director of the experimental station at Matanuska,AK was involved with the criteria and selection process. He was involved with FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration) and that is how Alaska became involved. Part of the criteria was age (25-40), hardy pioneer type farmers with Scandinavian backgrounds from Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota( due to weather adjustments). 204 families were chosen to receive 40-80 acre tracts(by a draw), a house, barn, well and outbuildings on a $30,000 dollar, 30 year loan. This gave the people hope where they had no hope before this opportunity. This was truly the beginning of Palmer. Go read about this program on the internet. It was very interesting. I never knew about this. Then outside the museum they had the most beautiful gardens combining flowers, trees, berry bushes, vegetables so we could see what is grown up here. They only have a very limited growing season but long days during that time so things grow fast and large up here.
We then went down to Colony House Museum which is one of the original homes built during the Matanuska Colony Project in 1935. There were 5 different house plans they could choose. This was 3 bedroom, 2 story with living room, kitchen, and bathroom, It was very nice, but they first lived in tents because the houses were not built yet--actually nothing was built except the railroad they came up on and the land was not cleared for farming. But we toured this house and it was very nice--furnished with all original furniture from different families. The docent was very nice and informative.
We went across the street to The Inn Cafe for our lunch which was included. We had a wonderful tomato basil bisque soup, a salad with a huge sandwich of ham, cheese,lettuce, tomato and onion on a croissant followed by ice cream with raspberry sauce (umm!!) and iced tea. One of the better lunches we have had and the service was great.
Bob went back to run errands and make phone calls while Marvin, Dee and I went to Eklutna,AK. It is hardly even a community although they say there are about 377 people residing there. It is an Athabascan village and when the Russians came here in 1741 mostly for the furs rather than settlement, they occupied the land for 126 yrs. The main influence you see now is the Russian Orthodox Churches throughout Alaska. In most places the native cultures readily accepted their teaching because it made sense to them. Located there is a small historical park which contains St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church(still having services),a hand-built Siberian prayer chapel and traditional spirit houses or grave houses. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of fishermen. There was a priest there who told us about the area and when we went into the church also explained the icons and whatever else we asked. He must have just been burning the incense in the church because it was real strong so Dee and Marvin missed some of that explanation. When someone from the native culture dies they bury them and then put a blanket over the grave to keep them warm because they believe that the spirit of that person stays around for a year. That is also why they build small little houses on the grave to house the spirit. Many are deteriorating but that is what is supposed to happen because the spirit has moved on. They are also painted different colors to match the colors scheme of the family. As we left Dee asked several questions as did I to better understand the Orthodox faith in comparison to our own. The basics are very much alike but they have a lot more ritual. One very interesting thing was that when the first group of priests came over, except for one area which misunderstood the priest but later did understand, the people readily accepted their teachings and one of the explanations the natives gave to them was that they expected them. They had visions or dreams of men in black carrying a black book coming to them. I so wish Bob could have been there because he comes from the Orthodox faith originally.
We then drove back to Wasilla--home of Sarah Palin and drove around a little but never found the Iditarod Home base and museum. I guess that will be for next time we come. We had our briefing and then later tonight we will have a campfire and do somores and doughboys over the fire. That's all folks.
Gold was discovered near what became Knik near here in 1897 but in 1898 an expedition came up this valley and coal was discovered and became of interest. The Alaska Central Railroad in 1904 began construction since it had access to top grade coal for their engines but it fell thru until Alaska became a territory in 1912. Along with the construction came homesteaders who settle in the valley and begin some agriculture but the big change occurred in 1935 during the Great Depression. FDR proposed a relocation effort to move destitute Midwestern farmers onto more profitable lands around the U.S. Two places of the many others in the lower 48 produced 2 well known people. One was an Arkansas boy named Johnny Cash and a Tennessee boy named Elvis--both came from one of these communities. I digress.From the beginning of this Don Irwin who was director of the experimental station at Matanuska,AK was involved with the criteria and selection process. He was involved with FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration) and that is how Alaska became involved. Part of the criteria was age (25-40), hardy pioneer type farmers with Scandinavian backgrounds from Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota( due to weather adjustments). 204 families were chosen to receive 40-80 acre tracts(by a draw), a house, barn, well and outbuildings on a $30,000 dollar, 30 year loan. This gave the people hope where they had no hope before this opportunity. This was truly the beginning of Palmer. Go read about this program on the internet. It was very interesting. I never knew about this. Then outside the museum they had the most beautiful gardens combining flowers, trees, berry bushes, vegetables so we could see what is grown up here. They only have a very limited growing season but long days during that time so things grow fast and large up here.
We then went down to Colony House Museum which is one of the original homes built during the Matanuska Colony Project in 1935. There were 5 different house plans they could choose. This was 3 bedroom, 2 story with living room, kitchen, and bathroom, It was very nice, but they first lived in tents because the houses were not built yet--actually nothing was built except the railroad they came up on and the land was not cleared for farming. But we toured this house and it was very nice--furnished with all original furniture from different families. The docent was very nice and informative.
We went across the street to The Inn Cafe for our lunch which was included. We had a wonderful tomato basil bisque soup, a salad with a huge sandwich of ham, cheese,lettuce, tomato and onion on a croissant followed by ice cream with raspberry sauce (umm!!) and iced tea. One of the better lunches we have had and the service was great.
Bob went back to run errands and make phone calls while Marvin, Dee and I went to Eklutna,AK. It is hardly even a community although they say there are about 377 people residing there. It is an Athabascan village and when the Russians came here in 1741 mostly for the furs rather than settlement, they occupied the land for 126 yrs. The main influence you see now is the Russian Orthodox Churches throughout Alaska. In most places the native cultures readily accepted their teaching because it made sense to them. Located there is a small historical park which contains St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church(still having services),a hand-built Siberian prayer chapel and traditional spirit houses or grave houses. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of fishermen. There was a priest there who told us about the area and when we went into the church also explained the icons and whatever else we asked. He must have just been burning the incense in the church because it was real strong so Dee and Marvin missed some of that explanation. When someone from the native culture dies they bury them and then put a blanket over the grave to keep them warm because they believe that the spirit of that person stays around for a year. That is also why they build small little houses on the grave to house the spirit. Many are deteriorating but that is what is supposed to happen because the spirit has moved on. They are also painted different colors to match the colors scheme of the family. As we left Dee asked several questions as did I to better understand the Orthodox faith in comparison to our own. The basics are very much alike but they have a lot more ritual. One very interesting thing was that when the first group of priests came over, except for one area which misunderstood the priest but later did understand, the people readily accepted their teachings and one of the explanations the natives gave to them was that they expected them. They had visions or dreams of men in black carrying a black book coming to them. I so wish Bob could have been there because he comes from the Orthodox faith originally.
We then drove back to Wasilla--home of Sarah Palin and drove around a little but never found the Iditarod Home base and museum. I guess that will be for next time we come. We had our briefing and then later tonight we will have a campfire and do somores and doughboys over the fire. That's all folks.
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