Category: Trips

Gold I Tell YOU

Yesterday we drove to Hope and set up camp at the end of Main St right on the water. After tracking someone down to unlock the electric we headed off to explore.  I walked up to the gift store on Main Street of course it was closed the hours are if I’m here it’s open. (Super small town).

We then drove up to Resurrection Creek USFS recreation area.  Roy looked in the creek to see if there were any salmon swimming, nothing.  We didn’t think there would be because the fishing down by the campsite was not good sowe were told.  On the way up we saw a Ptarmigan medium size  game bird in the Grouse family. She was stopped in the middle of the road and would not moved until all of her chicks crossed the road.

Today I tried my hand at gold panning at Goldrush Peck’s, funny old man he helped me pan and kept correcting my form.  A twenty dollar pail of dirt netted me about four dollars in gold.  The flecks weren’t super large, they weren’t super small either.

I think I have a boat tour for bear viewing on the 19th for bear viewing.  Tomorrow we will start our boondocking can’t wait to explore and share. 

I See the Train A-Coming….

 and I hopped on to see some glaciers only seen by train, or plane, or a really LONG hike.  We decided to do the train again this year and wanted to also see more glaciers we combined the two and added a trip through the Whittier Tunnel.  This was the tunnel we drove through last year, driving it was more exciting. On the train you are just going through a tunnel, driving it’s the only time you can drive on the train tracks. Here’s more info on the tunnel http://tunnel.alaska.gov/index.shtml Amazing how lucky I am  so cool to be sitting soaking in the beauty.

If you ever get the chance to do a train trip in Alaska and want to see glaciers this is the train Glacier Discovery https://www.alaskarailroad.com/ride-a-train/our-trains/glacier-discovery  We also was lucky enough to get a glimpse at Trail glacier past our last stop.  There was a bear by the tracks that I didn’t get to see but did see a moose and an eagle.

Today we are headed to Hope and the Kenai Peninsula for a couple of weeks looking forward to boondocking and BEARS.

Glad I Went Shopping.

Not because I found something cool but, we avoid an accident.  I wanted to head right out to the campsite after lunch which would have put us in the mix of the accident.  Roy won out and we went shopping which put us at the scene later.  This is the second major accident I’ve seen this trip.  The first one a camper went off the road over the side, this one involved multiple cars and a boat trailer.

It wakes you up when you see stuff like that as bad as the second accident was there is only one in critical.  It took us an hour and a half to go 15 miles.  This happened right at a spot where you could pull off the road and get spring water.  This is alsoo the only road that connects the Kenai to Anchorage.

On a brighter note we are heading out on another train adventure today.  The trip is on the Glacier Discovery train so you get to travel to a glacier that can only be reached by train.  I think I have a ice fetish this trip.  Last year was all about bears, This year all about snow and ice.

Catching Up

Today was very wet we floated into Sheep Mountain Lodge in Glacier View Alaska.  It’s a cold rain, hopefully it won’t turn into snow.  Last night we did the long run from Haines Alaska to Tok Alaska, over 400 miles in one stretch not bad.  I think I am over the bug that I’ve been fighting since Haines but I might have passed it to Roy.

We stayed at the Sourdough Campground and even though I was tired I went to the pancake toss trying to win a free breakfast for me.  You had to toss a pancake so it lands in the ‘BUCKIT’ you get two tries and the first one does not count.  The game was fun and by the time it was all over I felt not as tired.  If you are ever near Tok Alaska plan a stay there.   I feel like I’m a writing plug machine with these websites, but if I don’t link them now I forget when I get home. https://www.sourdoughcampground.com

Our animal sightings have been down the last few days because of construction I think.  On our way to Tok we saw a cute big brown bear just chomping on flowers.  He sure looked like you could run up and hug him, love those ears and that nose.  It took over a month but we finally saw our first moose, no pictures though.  Coming round a corner we see this younger bull moose crossing the road, didn’t get the camera out in time.  After having my camera on my lap most of the morning heading to Glacier View (Sheep Mountain Lodge) we saw nothing a mile after I put it down we see a mama with her two cubs scurry into the woods.

Today July 9th we are headed to Portage Alaska near Anchorage.  Shopping, train, shower before our boondocking on the Kenai begins.

44 Eagles in One Spot

AMAZING!  After clearing up some miscues on the part of the tour company I was able to get my Eagle Preserve Raft Trip from Chilkat Guides.  I had booked the trip through our RV place and even stayed over an extra day, pick up time came no pick up.  The office called them and was told there was nothing well after some talking back and forth they were able to get a trip together just for me.  I would highly recommend these guys to anyone travelling near Haines or Skagway Alaska. http://chilkatguides.com/adventures/chilkat-bald-eagle-preserve-float/

 My guide Patrick pulling me out on the river.  Patrick was an actual native of Haines and for all my Goldrush fans he grew up with Parker, you know we talked about him a little.  It’s amazing how down to earth small town people are very refreshing.
Now for the eagles,  we started at 26 mile (Haines Hwy) on the Suku river then eventually joined the Chilkat river took this down to 14 mile (Haines Hwy).  I of course asked how he knew where he was on the river.  Pat said he knows the river like the back of his hand.  The river itself is only 24 inches at it’s deepest so my lack of swimming skills were not a problem, and the raft was float worthy.

The weather was cooperating also, because it was the first real clear day. I was able to see the glacier and mountain across the fjord.   We also saw 32 eagles on the main part of the trip and the remaining 12 in the scenery part of the trip.  We got within 8 feet of one before he took flight saw 4 eagles on a log, some juvenile eagles, some just taking flight, and others just hanging out.   I think this could be labeled look at those silly hoomanz looking at us.   

I would come back to Haines just for this.

Parade Pics and Other things

  He’s still looking for a nail to pound.  Yes the museum is worth the build up. 

Great way to carry a drum.   This was the rainy parade where I got sick. 

In the afternoon they had homemade raft races cold but fun.  These guys won.

Anyone got a quarter?

Happy 4th

I know it’s a day late, but Happy Birthday America 241 years old.  That number caused a small age meltdown or the number in 9 years did, when the US will be 250 years old.  I had a flashback to 1976 when I was 8 years old and the USA was 200 years old.  I remember thinking back then in 50 years that is far away, 58 is so OLD.

Let me clarify this for EVERYONE 58 is not old, and 50 years goes by QUICKLY!

Kinda fun how a view changes as you age.  Ok, after that realization we headed downtown to see the parade in the rain.  Roy was so cute he said the parade will be smaller because of the rain and there will be fewer people watching.  He hasn’t been exposed to alot of small towns 😀.  The parade was a blast it started with a Military Color Guard, firetrucks, candy, dogs, animals. After the parade we decided to find some grub but not at the park, rain does not mix well with burgers.

At 3pm they had a race down the river in homemade rafts that was fun to watch even though I almost got talked into participating.  After the fifeteen minutes of fun it was still early so we headed out to the mining area featured on Gold Rush. On the way back into town we took a detour because of a sign that said ‘come stop by for some food, talk, and a visit at the blue house’.   We found the house no one was home so we left a note. Once home we had a king crab dinner we bought the legs yesterday, and steamed them in the electric skillet.  Where there’s a will there’s a way.

Today is laundry day, picture prep day, and grocery day, rafting tomorrow.

Hit It On the Head

at the Hammer Museum in Haines Alaska.  After Roy clawwed his way in he had a ball.  He was able to show me some of the hammers he used to own.  He even learned the name of a hammer he owns that he has had for ever.  It is a fencing hammer.  I was impressed with an extend-a-hammer which is also called a bill post hammer.  You would put the nail and bill or poster on the side of the hammer which is at the top of a long pole tap it to release the nail then turn the hammer to tap it in.  Here’s some info about the place  http://www.hammermuseum.org  There was even a geocache outside and I will be getting pictures posted hopefully tonight.