MERRY CHRISTMAS



HAPPY NEW YEAR

It is that time of year when we pause to remember family and friends far and near. For those web friendly, a link is sent – to all the rest – we’ll do a print.

Christmas 2003 was one of rare bounty. Ken’s sister, Barbara, from Brazil; brother Don, wife Linda; nephews Mike, wife Jeanne and daughter Katie; John, wife Alice and daughter Stephanie; Cousin Rich and wife Wanda along with Terri, Gary, Marci, Lauren and Sean; friends Phil and Sheri joined us for our annual Christmas eve hoopla.

On Saturday after Christmas, several “Gray” cousins joined us for brunch to round out a wonderful Christmas season. Our table “runnethed” over.

Over New Years, the Burns siblings attempted to revive their youth by reliving desert memories, exploring sand dunes, desert floral, ravines and gullies in and around their old haunts in Palm Desert. It didn't help. They still looked their age.

Barbara joined us in “travel by RV” for a visit to Tucson, Tombstone and Karchner Caverns before return to her adopted homeland. Ken and I then spent the next two months in the Southwest and Mexico experiencing the RV lifestyle.

On June 6, the Burns and Helmstetter families celebrated the High School graduation of granddaughter, Lauren. We beamed and applauded with pride as our lovely graduate received her passport to higher education. Ah youth – it is too soon spent. Lauren is completing her first semester at SMU and will be “home for the holidays”.

Grandson, Sean, grows taller as he pursues a “niche” in sports while engaged in the “art of learning” and adjusts to his acquired “only child at home” status.

Ken and I enjoyed a three-month trip to Alaska by RV. We explored a vast wilderness both en route to and in Alaska. During our travel,we visited an old friend in Alberta, friends in the Seattle area, a niece in Portland with her fiancee whom we met for the first time and lunched with a friend in Medford, OR.

In Alaska, we experienced with wonder the tranquility of open spaces, the grandeur of towering mountains and marveled at the awesome sounds of calving glaciers. Who can ever forget the majesty of Mount Denali, the sight of animals grazing in the wild and the enchantment of lakes fed by flowing rivers? These are sights that will forever be etched in our memory bank. When the reality of 586,412 square miles of land with a population of only 643,786 (more than 50% of whom reside in Anchorage and Fairbanks) is grasped, one realizes that the Alaskan challenge requires a pioneering spirit of immense proportions. A highlight of our Alaskan adventure was an overnight stay in Barrow, the Northern most part of the United States. The “native Alaskan” is a rare breed that deserves our highest regard. It was a wonderful trip filled with experiences that will require a lifetime to assimilate and savor.

We arrived home for Labor Day to baby sit with the cat while Terri “sprung” herself away for a few days in Mexico. She continues to pursue her career as a MFT (Marriage and Family Therapist) and, thankfully, resides with us which gives us greater flexibility for our “nomadic” lifestyle. When we get testy, she threatens independence. We shape up!

In October, we joined friends for two weeks in Kauai and the big Island of Hawaii respectively. It was a very good year.

As we approach the end of another year and look expectantly into the New Year, may you be blessed with family and friends and your life glazed with good health, happiness and prosperity.

With sincere good wishes for a very Merry Christmas.

Ken and Pat Burns

THANKSGIVING NOTE

In case you have been wondering, I have been recovering from an uncommon urge to laziness. After a long trip, I “bask” in the joy of being home. Thankfully, I am beginning to come out of my hibernation phase and once again the computer is on and the keys are clicking as I cast onto the web my latest observations and thoughts.

Our Thanksgiving was thankful and appreciative for all of the good things to which we are permitted access. The most important of these are, of course, family, friends, health, happiness and the freedom that we enjoy. Our granddaughter, Lauren, was home from college to adorn our table and grandson, Sean, along with their parents, Gary and Marci, Terri and our wonderful extended family of friends filed our table with the joy of Thanksgiving.

After our Alaskan adventure, we flew to Hawaii where we joined our friends, the Haselmans, for a week on the garden island of Kauai in Hawaii. There, we celebrated Bruce’s newly declared state of retirement from the 9A-5P daily grind and enjoyed time in the sun. At the end of the week, the Haselmans departed for the Caribbean and we flew to the big island of Hawaii for a week with our friends, the Gerstens. Now we are once again resolved to enjoying time at home where Ken is busy with “odd jobs” and performing “gofer” errands. In the interim, of course, we are looking to the next phase of travel which will be predominately domestic.

We plan to be “in residence” over the holidays. With the exception of a brief visit to the Desert area in the month of January and possibly, a trip to Mexico for some spring fishing, we have no plans until after Easter when we plan to again, hit the road. Our very tentative planning includes stop overs in Texas, the South, Florida through the Midwes, the East Coast and Canada, perhaps the Maritimes though that is not yet certain.

Now that the election is over, I have relaxed somewhat but I must confess that my attitude was not very pleasant during the height of the political rhetoric. I felt that both parties engaged in too much mud slinging.

Until my next post, may the beauty of the holiday season bring joy and good will to you and yours.

A few pictures from our Hawaii visit.





100 FOOT BELOW THE SURFACE

SUBMARINERS

BLACK SAND BEACH

ISLAND FISHING

VISIT TO THE VOLCANO

LAVA FLOW SINCE 2002

VIEW FROM THE LAVA FLOW

LUAU SCENE
SWIMMING WITH THE TURTLES
COFFEE FOR THE BIRDS

DAY IS DONE

SUN IS SETTING

HEADING HOME

Saturday, August 14th, we boarded the ferry for Ketchikan, arriving there at 5PM. We had reservations at the Alderhouse, a bed and breakfast just a few blocks from the port. Exercising “age” as justification, we “hailed” a cab for the short trip to our weekend “rendezvous On arrival at Alderhouse, we were met by a nice gentlemen who announced that he was the “bag man”. He was surprised to see that we were traveling light with only two small hand carried bags, an advantage of RV travel when doing side trips. We later learned that in addition to the job title of “bag man” he is the very personable and thoughtful husband of Alderhouse CEO, Alyce Bethel.

Alyce met us inside the house, showed us to our room, briefed us on the amenities of the house, gave us some tips on places to go and things to do. Ken’s back was giving him some discomfort as a result of his foiled “search for the top of the mountain” the day before so we decided to stay quiet and enjoy an evening of peace and quiet watching television.

Sunday morning we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast prepared by Alyce which included juice, fresh fruit, muffins, a wonderful Frittata, sausage and a mild pepper chutney. Breakfast was outstanding in presentation and excellent in taste.


After breakfast we walked down the steep hill to the main road leading into Ketchikan’s town center, expecting to catch a bus into town. We waited for a few minutes at the bus stop and finally decided to walk on. That was a good decision. We had walked the two miles into town before a bus passed us.

A Holland America Cruise ship was tied up at port and the streets were filled with tourists. We checked out some of the “offerings” for special tours etc. but nothing was available until the next morning. Shortly after noon the cruise ship steamed out of port and the town closed up shop. A few stores that also cater to the locals remained open but for all intents and purposes, the town emptied out and rolled up the streets in the process. We visited the Discovery Center for a historical perspective on the native culture, watched children swimming in the creek and caught the tram to the West Coast Cape Fox Hotel, where we enjoyed an outstanding lunch overlooking the beautiful bay and harbor below. The food was delicious and the view magnificent.

We checked out the few stores that remained open and walked half way back to the house before “hailing” a cab and taking the lazy persons way home.

Monday, August 16, Alyce served us another wonderful breakfast and visited with us as we enjoyed fresh squeezed juice, fruit, muffins and eggs benedict with fresh melon. Alyce is a native of Alaska and we were enthralled with her explanations of the native culture, traditions and social customs. She had shared with us a two part story from a magazine in the 50's about a man whose boat motor failed him in the Portland Canal and his “near death”experiences as he fought to save himself after his boat was flung upon a reef during a ferocious winter storm. She was personally acquainted with the man, who maintained a cottage near Hyder and frequently visited there until his death a few years ago. She also shared with us a magazine about the customs of the native people which we found extremely interesting.

Ken had read that the custom of the potlatch was banned from 1881 to the mid 1900's, when it was reinstated as a sanctioned event. Ken asked what a potlatch was. Alyce explained that it is a celebration or “party” given to honor someone, a time of gift giving and celebration. She said that she had given one for her mother upon her retirement from the Postal service. The potlatch was banned because it was believed that it was a misuse of assets and to much emphasis was placed on the gift giving aspect of the tradition. Customarily, a potlatch may go on several days with guests from far and near invited to participate and special entertainment, food and accommodations are provided by the sponsor. I personally thought it sounded like a great social event that provided an opportunity for new friends, new ideas and new opportunities in addition to a rededication to old customs, traditions and culture. In some ways, I am a traditionalist. We enjoyed Alyce’s company so much, it was difficult to leave and we would have liked to had more opportunity for her to share her insight and knowledge of her very personal Alaska. As we said goodbye to Alyce, we felt like we were saying goodbye to an old friend. We enjoyed our stay immensely and found Alyce to be a delightful person, one that we would like to know better and count as our friend.

Later, as we visited the Totem Bight and totem villages of the Island, we learned that often a Totem pole would be dedicated to the honoree of a potlatch and thus, the significance of the totem pole to the native culture. We were grateful for our brief lesson in Alaskan culture that Alyce had instilled within us. We had a new interest in this native culture and the good people who have preserved and protected our 50th State.

Taking our leave from our very pleasant weekend abode, we spent the day exploring the Island by car and enjoying the hospitality of Ketchikan , a beautiful island, surrounded by many Islands most of which rely on fishing as a primary source of industry. Of course, Ketchikan itself is a “tourist” town well attended by the many cruise ships that dock there during “the season”. In addition to visiting Totem Bight, we explored the many beautiful bays and coves, walked through the scenic parks and stopped to smell the scent of pine and admire the beauty of the forest. For me, the island activity, the boats, ships and busy port brought back fond memories of our first trip to the U. S. and British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. It rekindled the spirit, awe and excitement of an island kinship that I find unique to the island experience and lifestyle. Ketchikan is different from the Caribbean and, althogh our weather was pleasantly warm, their usual weather is in no way reminiscent of the Caribbean. However, the island spirit is there amid what is surely outstanding beauty, friendly people and a relaxed lifestyle that hints of a well adjusted, happy citizenry. The weather on Ketchikan was delightfully pleasant but we understood from Alyce that it was unseasonably warm and totally out of the ordinary. Ketchikan gets an average of 200 inches of rain per year.

After dinner at a Mexican/Italian restaurant, we watched the barges arrive and leave carrying supplies and freight to surrounding Islands. At 1AM, we checked in at the ferry in preparation for our return trip to Prince Rupert and departure for home. Once aboard the ferry, we found recliner chairs on which we could stretch out and when we awakened at 7AM, it was raining and breakfast was being served in the cafeteria.

Back at Prince Rupert, we retrieved our car and RV and made our way to Smithers, where we spent Tuesday night.

Wednesday we drove to Burns Lake and because of the name, decided to check it out. We went to the visitors center who referred us to the museum run by a delightful woman who has recreated a pioneer home, complete with all of the amenities for that time period. Farm machinery had been meticulously restored to their original state and her compliance with originality was utterly remarkable. I am not much for museums but we thoroughly enjoyed her background stories, the museum and its many unique items and the wonderful attention to detail that she has given to the project. It is obvious that her work is a work of love and the results are a tribute to her dedication. Oh, Burns Lake is not named after an individual. There was a terrible fire at the lake and for many years the area was called Burnt Lake. It was subsequently renamed Burns Lake. So much for looking for hidden relatives but one never knows what other great enlightenments might accompany such searches.


Wednesday night was spent in McBride and Thursday morning we encountered the first major accident of our trip. As we approached the turnoff to the Icefield Parkway in Jasper, Albertta, traffic was stopped. After a one hour delay, we were rerouted around the accident scene and were able to proceed. We later learned that one person was killed and several people critically injured in a crash of a pick up truck with a SUV carrying eight people. We have been shocked with the driving habits and “chances” that people are prone to take in the interest of speed and what seems to reflect a “getting there first” mentality.

We drove on to Lake Louise, where we were surprised to find a “no fee” park as a result of a strike by park employees. We toured Lake Louise and Lake Moraine and now add our own raves to those friends and relatives who warned us of the outstanding beauty of Lake Louise and the Chateau that stands in awesome magnificence on the shores overlooking that small but incredibly beautiful lake. As I stood there, bathing my eyes on that beautiful scenic picture, I thought that it could very well be one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, spots in the world. It is truly a beautiful sight to behold. We have seen so much beauty on this trip, and there are so many wonders to absorb visually, one small lake and Chateau seems unlikely to be the epitome of beauty but it certainly goes a long way.

We continue to be plagued by an I-net challenged mentality in the Canadian Rockies. The Alaskan Highway, Yukon Territory and Alaska provided good I-net communications and rarely did we stay at a RV Park without the availability of the net even though it was not necessarily the latest up to date technology. Once we left the Alaskan Highway, we did not have an opportunity to even “access” e mail, let alone send and receive from our computer. At any rate, not until we were back into the States were we able to access our e mail from our cell phone (which has been a disastrous failure on this trip as well).

Friday, we drove to Banff and enjoyed lunch at a supposedly “renown” restaurant in that very “touristy” town. We visited the beautiful Banff Springs Hotel which was built in 1888 by the Canadian Pacific Railroad but at posted room prices of $500 - $1,400 per night, we were not about to inquire of restaurant availabilities. That beautiful old hotel reflects the “pampered” lifestyle of the early 1900's into the early 30's, a time when our society was well endowed with the riches from gold, silver, copper, canneries etc. The old hotel is glorious in its European Architecture and I could easily have spent the day just roaming around the halls. Alas, there was too much to see and absorb to waste time enjoying the beauty of yesteryear. After lunch, we “pressed on” to find the “hot springs”, the golf course, the river and the falls. Another lovely day in the Canadian Rockies.

There is no question that the Canadian Rockies and the Icefield Parkway provide a very scenic entry to the historic Lake Louise and Banff area. It is an area laden with beauty and a blessing to eyes overwrought with smog, city lights and drab buildings. On Saturday we crossed back into the United States. Our cup “runneth” over from 10 weeks of unbridled visual beauty amid nature’s splendor.

PICTURES TO ACCOMPANY THE RHETORIC

CARIBOU IN THE BUSH

MOUNT MCKINLEY IN ALL ITS GLORY

SALMON GLACIER AT HYDER

THE ROAD TO THE 2ND GLACIER --

NO IT ISN'T A WHORING MARMEC -- IT IS A HOARY MARMET -- WHAT DO I KNOW?

SALMONS LAST DAYS

FISHING FOR DINNER

AT THE JADE MINE

A VIEW OF PRINCE RUPERT

LIFE AT THE CANNERY

SATURDAY AUGUST 20. SORRY THAT I WAS UNABLE TO POST THIS LAST WEEK. I RAN INTO PROBLEMS WITH E MAIL ACCESS.

WEEK ENDING AUGUST 14, 2004

Saturday, Aug 7, we stopped over night at the Junction of the Alaskan Highway and Highway 37. To Ken’s inquiry regarding Highway 37 (our proposed route to Stewart/Hyder), he was advised that there were 40 miles of gravel or dirt road. We understood that it was a secondary road, but Ken assured me that the view was worth it. “Iffy” roads notwithstanding, we pressed on as if we had good sense. There was a Jade Mine along the way which, of course, we visited for a walk through the gift shop as well as Ken wanted to check out the authenticity of the mining operation. It passed. My confidence improved as to the safety of the road when we recognized that the caravan of 37 vehicles that had overnighted with us at the RV Park were also traveling our road South.

We arrived at a campground maintained by the local Lions Club in the Dease Lake area around 3PM. There were 16 spots and only two sites occupied. We decided to spend the night there and parked next to a lively creek where we could look out at the water rushing by. The soothing sound of the water made good background music for a restful night.

Monday morning Ken was up at 5AM. He has been “harping” on our not seeing wild animals thus, an early departure in the hope that we will catch some early feeding animals. My enthusiasm was not at a “high level”. Nevertheless, it is hard to sleep in when there is someone banging around preparing to move ones house down the road. We were on the road by 6, bad “attitude” and all. Traffic was very light, with only an occasional vehicle interrupted our scenic bliss. An early morning mist hung over the valleys and lakes as we made our way along the curving steep canyon roads. Just as I was about to remark that it didn’t appear an early start made any difference in “animal sightings” we went around a 30 degree corner and there just venturing onto the highway was a big black bear. Of course, I fumbled with the camera and before I could even get it on, the bear had escaped back into the bush. About 50 miles further down the road, a bear cub crossed the road in front of us just as we came within sight of it. Again, no picture. It was too fast. However, Ken was ecstatic. He had been vindicated. Although it was 10 AM, we were in the right place at the right time, a justification for “his nibbs”.

Although we suffered through several stretches of bad roads on Sunday, Monday was a nightmare in bad roads. Extensive road construction was underway. The washboard gravel road and many deep ruts combined to make navigation “testy”. However once through the construction area, we were greeted by a brand new road, taking the edge off our displeasure with the previous three hours of ruts, dirt and gravel . When the road work on Highway 37 is finished from Highway 16 to the Alaskan Highway, it will be a highly desirable route. It is an incredibly beautiful drive. There are lots of fish camps, lakes and rivers along the way, a true wilderness paradise for the outdoors person or one who enjoys the beauty of nature. We turned off Highway 37 onto 37A for the 50 mile side trip into Stewart and its neighboring Alaskan town of Hyder, located on the Portland Canal, 70 miles from the inside passage of the Gulf of Alaska. As we entered the canyon floor, we passed Bear Glacier, just off the highway on the outskirts of Stewart. Small icebergs floated in the glacier fed lake along the road, providing yet another incredible view of the glacier beauty that we have seen on this trip.

We were successful in getting accommodations in the RV campground located downtown Stewart. As we hooked up our coach to the utilities, the caravan crowd from Saturday’s overnight began arriving. Once connected, we were out for a drive to the bear viewing platform and boardwalk in Hyder Alaska. The platform has been built to protect the people from the bears and vice versa as the bears feed on the salmon at this large spawning area. As we walked the distance of the boardwalk, we could see the salmon dying and carcases of those already dead. It was very sad and for me, very unpleasant both in smell and sight. I have been well indoctrinated in the spanning habits of the salmon. I understand that this process is the culmination of the salmons earthly endeavor and that they have been pre-programmed to achieve this last act but still, it is a depressing sight. It was 300P and no bears were out at that time of the day. Nevertheless, people stood on the platform with cameras ready in the event that one might be prone to “an afternoon snack”. The Ranger told us the best viewing time was 6-10AM and 6-10PM.

Enlightened, we drove on to visit the Salmon Glacier, 20 miles beyond and six miles beyond that a second Glacier. The road up to Salmon Glacier was as bad as that which we had traveled earlier in the day, except this time we did not have to endure the rough and tumble road in a RV. We passed several mines en route to the Glacier, all of which were of interest to Ken. Once at the Salmon Glacier, Ken pushed on to the second Glacier in spite of my objections and a notice that the road beyond was not a maintained road. If the previous road was maintained, I could not imagine what one that was not maintained could be like. Of course, that did not stop Ken. We made our way carefully over the road, following others who were just as misguided in their search for adventure. The road was a remnant from mining operations of yesteryear and on the hillsides, buildings and old machinery lay in various phases of deterioration. As we approached the second glacier we were shocked to see a RV camped on a nearby overlook with a phenomenal view of the glacier and the glacier floor below. Ken thought perhaps the owner of the vehicle couldn’t get his nerve up for a return trip. It would not be a trip that I would choose to make in a RV (or even in a car again).

We turned around and made our way back up the hill and were surprised as a long furry animal crossed the road in front of us and made its way up the mountainside. Ken stopped the car, grabbed the camera and the animal stopped and stood while Ken snapped pictures of it before it ran up the hill. We did not recognize the animal but when we returned to the fish viewing area, a ranger identified it as a “whoring marmac”, a furry rodent type animal. We were delighted that our picture of the animal came out as that was the last pictures from that camera. When we tried to access the picture to show the ranger, the camera gave us a “disk error” and we have been unable to use it since. Fortunately, the pictures that were had already saved to disk were okay and we were able to transfer them to the computer.

Ken was up early Tuesday morning in hopes of getting a picture of a bear from the bear viewing platform but alas, it was not to be. Tuesday evening, he went again for another try and watched as a grisly made its way up the river, picked up a dead salmon carried it to the creek bank smelled it and returned to the river. The bear caught a fresh salmon by laying on it, picked it up, took a bite and dropped it and the fish swam off. We were told that the bear picks up the salmon, shakes it to confirm that it is a female and then takes a bite out of it for the eggs. Apparently, it is the salmon eggs that the bear wants and not the salmon itself, according to this source.

Stewart and Hyder are both small “towns” on a 75 mile fjord. Stewart is relatively up to date though certainly not a modern city. We stayed in Stewart. Our campsite was next to a creek providing us a lovely woodlands setting amid advisory signs warning of bears. We had both a lunch and dinner at two different restaurants and the food was very good. As we traveled through the many areas that are dependent on the very short tourist season for their economic livelihood, we were inclined to patronize these businesses out of a sense of appreciation for their “pioneering” courage.

Hyder is a ghost town from the gold mining era and it has had its “heyday”. It’s residents appear to be “leftovers” from the 60's with limited ambition or enterprise. Hyder has a reputation for its night life, or being Hyderized. We did not engage in this “night sport” but we understood that it is a drink that is highly potent and one is enough to achieve “Hyderized status”. Hyder, like the dying salmon was depressing and one trip through the town was enough. The glaciers, bear watching and beautiful canyon setting were spectacular but, as a destination, not a high priority.

Wednesday, we left our site behind the caravan and as we made our way up the highway encountered a baby moose just off the road that I thought was surely going to sprint out in front of us. Fortunately, it chose to go the other way and we picked up speed. A few miles up the hill, a grisly and her cub sauntered up the hillside as two bikers watched their progress and waved at us with a gleeful smile. Our day was a success, it was a moose and two bear day. Whatever amenities may have been missing from our visit to Stewart and Hyder, we received a dividend in animal sightings and enjoyed the natural beauty of the area.

The trip to Prince Rupert was pleasant and without incident. Prince Rupert is a beautiful seaport town. We were amused at what, to us, seemed a “laid back” casual attitude by the business people. No one seemeds to worry about the elements of commerce and a “manna” attitude seemed to prevail. Business hours announced a 10AM opening, and doors remained closed at 1015. A return trip at 1130, found the doors open and the help helpful, friendly and relaxed.

Friday, at the suggestion of an “old codger” that Ken met, we embarked upon a back country trip up the mountain from whence it was promised that we would be able to view the islands and be treated to an outstanding overview of Prince Rupert and the surrounding area of islands. Ken is a sucker for any adventure or exploration that might take him to new sights. This sounded like a must do. The mountain road was barely passable and never ending with each curve in the road holding promise of a top of the hill spectacular only to proceed yet further up the mountain. We could glimpse the beautiful sight below through the trees, but, my patience with narrow roads, rocks, chuck holes and dirt run its limit. I was concerned about the abuse we were doing to our car as well as my adventurous spirit had run its course. Ken under duress turned the car around and we made our way down the hill with silence speaking louder than words.

After our disaster on the mountain, we stopped by the North Pacific Cannery Museum where we were given a guided tour through the old cannery which was opened in 1889 and closed in the early 60's. The North Pacific Cannery is one of many canneries once located in this area. It has been retained as a museum and contains the cannery operation (complete with machinery), homes that were provided for the families, quarters for the single workers, general store and cookhouse where meals were provided. The many canneries that once operated from Sacramento to Canada are now few but, like the mines of that era, museums and authentic historical sites like this provide a rare insight into the colorful and glorious history of the pioneer spirit and enterprise of our forebearers. As a final treat, we were entertained by a folklore presentation and Indian dance depicting the importance of the salmon to the native ancestral culture and lifestyle. It was an interesting and enlightening afternoon.

Saturday, the 14th, we will take the ferry to Ketchikan and spend two nights there, catching the ferry back to Prince Rupert Tuesday morning. Once again, we are at a locale where I cannot take the time to post pictures but when we again get to a good I-net facility, I will post pictures.

Until next week when we will be back in the US, have a good week and stay well. Congratulations to our beautiful granddaughter who has embarked upon her college career at SMU. We are exceedingly proud of her and wish her much success and happiness as she pursues her career development.

Until next time...................

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Saturday, July 30, we visited the El Dorado Gold Mine, a once flourishing mine from which millions in gold was extracted. Today, the operation is still a gold mine as a tourist attraction. The El Dorado is run by the Binkley family, a third generation Fairbanks family who also operates the Discovery River Boat attraction that I bored you with in my last discourse from Fairbanks. The Binkley family enterprise and resourcefulness reminded me of the Walter Knott family of Knotts Berry Farm fame. The Binkley children have followed their parents and grand parents in the business and three generations are active in the business. Mrs. Binkley, the matriarch of the family, is in her 80's and still involved in the business. (On our river trip she waved to the boat from the yard of her home as we made our way down the river.) Mr. Binkley died last year. I was impressed with the value conscious efforts of the family in providing what seemed to me a fair “bang for the buck” in both the river boat and the mining adventure. Both operations seemed to reflect a personalized pride of ownership, family unity and dedication to the business not only as the source of their livelihood but as a genuine reflection of their Alaskan roots and good citizenship.

We were loaded onto a bus for the approximate twenty minute ride to the mine. Once there, we were taken by train through a mine shaft to familiarize us with the interior of a mine, how it is reinforced and the role of the permafrost in the mining operations. At the El Dorado, there are two phases, hard rock mining of the ore and the placer operation. The mined ore is taken to a staging area where it is crushed (smaller mines who do not maintain crushing facilities take their ore to a smelter where it is crushed and processed). Once the ore has been retrieved and crushed, the process of removing the gold from the bulk ore is achieved through the placer process, concludes with the panning of the gold . In the presentation, once the ore “sifting” and placer process has been concluded, the final step of panning the gold or retrieval of the actual flakes of gold or on a very lucky day in the life of a gold panner, a gold nugget is retrieved.

After the staff had concluded their presentation, showed us how to pan for gold and developed “color” in their pan, we were taken inside to tables for panning the small bag of ore that each of us was given as we entered the building. Everyone was guaranteed to get some gold and, as far as we know everyone did, with the average being somewhere between $10-$15. Ken and I did our panning and in the process, together retrieved a few grams of gold, valued at approximately $22.00. I confiscated Ken’s gold and he had our combined “pan” made into a pair of earrings which were assembled in front of us to assure us that the earrings were from our very own panned gold. I will wear them in remembrance of our day at the mine.

On Sunday, we drove approximately 50 miles out of Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs. One of the recent fires in the Fairbanks area came perilously close to the hot springs, but luckily it was spared, thanks to a little rain and the great fire fighting efforts of the fire crews who worked long and hard to control the fires in Alaska. A fire in 2001 also came very close to the hot springs which is a garden of Eden in the middle of nowhere surrounded by beautiful forests filled with wild animals. As we walked around the park, fresh animal tracks could be seen in the dirt, providing credibility to the many “beware of bear” signs. We did not go prepared to enjoy the hot springs but we should have. People were enjoying the hot pools. The remote location is large with a hotel, cabins, RV sites, restaurant and acres of beautiful foliage. The facility has its own hot houses and gardens which supplies garden fresh vegetables to the restaurant. A Sunday barbecue was in progress which turned out to be one of the best “food” bargains of our trip as well as tasty. A choice of barbecued beef ribs, chicken, hamburgers with potato salad, macaroni salad, cold slaw, chips and a drink (more than we could eat) for $8.95 each. Inexpensive for Alaska..

After our visit to the hot springs, we drove into an area where good panning creeks were said to be located. Ken stopped at a creek along the road and joined some fellow “panners” in trying their skill at finding a few ounces of gold (gram, specks?). One panner was from Redding, California. He and Ken shared prospecting stories as they tried their luck in the creek. Both were able to claim a few signs of color in the pan, but no significant find.

Monday, was devoted to clean up in preparation for starting our trip South and return home. Our planned Monday departure was delayed for Ken to see a chiropractor in hopes of getting his back tuned up for the trip home.

Tuesday, after Ken’s trip to the “chirp”, we reluctantly departed Fairbanks and started the long road home. A stop off at the North Pole, another tourist spot, just outside of Fairbanks completed what we both felt was an enjoyable stay in Fairbanks. We both agreed that Fairbanks had a good tourist attitude with friendly people. For us, it reflected what we identified as Alaska’s pioneer spirit and what we thought Alaska would be. The traditions of the past and the native culture seemed to have been proudly preserved and respected.

We had intended to do a short drive on Tuesday after Ken’s visit to the Dr., but it was a beautiful clear day, Mount Denali and its mountain range were alive in a rare spectacular distant view which prompted us to keep going and enjoy a clear day in which it seemed you could “see forever”. Thus rewarded, we drove into Tok, the “jumping off” place for the return trip through Yukon Territory.

The next morning, Wednesday, we fueled and prepared for our departure over the Top of the World highway to Chicken and Dawson City en route to White Horse. Ken had planned do the Top of the World Highway to Dawson City on our way into Alaska. However, that area was ravaged by wild fires that created road closures and hazardous driving conditions. Thus, we had set this destination for our return trip. Our inquiry at the visitor center Tuesday night seemed to solidify our proposed itinerary but Wednesday morning the smoke seemed much worse. En route to our turnoff, Ken expressed reservations because of the smoke and wondered aloud whether we would be able to see the beautiful view in the smoke. When we reached our turn off point, Ken decided there was just too much smoke to warrant our endurance of what we knew would be mostly gravel and dirt roads. It was a difficult decision for him (and one that I stayed out of) because the Dawson City stop had always been a “big item” on his itinerary. We both felt that the decision to stay on the Alaska Highway was okay because we had not really been able to enjoy the view from White Horse to Tok on our trip into Alaska because of the smoke.

We remembered that the Alaska highway between White Horse and Tok had a lot of maintenance and repair work that would require breaks in the pavement and considerable travel on dirt and gravel roads. However, On the way down, we stopped at a RV Resort on Klhune Lake which we thought must surely be beautiful but we were unable to see more than 25 feet in front of us. What we didn’t recognize was that the break in travel gave us a chance to relax and revamp. This time, we did the drive all in one day and by the time we reached White Horse, our patience with dirt and gravel roads had been maximized. We knew that the Top of the World Highway was 60% gravel but we had forgotten just how much of the Alaskan Highway was under construction. A new road is being built between White Horse and the Alaska State line and construction goes on for miles and miles. It will be nice when it is finished, but I do not recommend that stretch of road until the new road has been completed. In retrospect, we thought that the Dawson City route was probably not any worse, but our choice had been motivated by smoke and not the road. However, in talking to those who did the Dawson City route, their experience was as traumatic as ours so it sounds like “a wash”.

To make matters worse, there are frequent gravel breaks in the pavement that appear suddenly and create a hazard from flying rock. One Alberta driver passed us just as we were entering a gravel break, creating a “rock storm” that pitted our windshield. He was clearly driving recklessly and speeding in a maintenance area. Ken is very even tempered and rarely gets upset with the stupidity of others but when it comes to his “precious coach” his patience is impaired. He tried to catch the man but alas, he was soon out of sight. Fifty miles down the road at the Canadian border, he, and approximately 30 other “escaping” Alaska RV tourists waited for clearance to enter Canada. Ken and another man who had undergone a similar incident with the same man went up to the “offending driver” and asked for his name, address and license number. The driver apologized and had the good sense to not make any excuse or employ an “attitude”. I was reluctant to have Ken pursue the matter because in Los Angeles, it would invite a “shooting” but our presence at a border crossing tended to provide everyone a “level head’.

We arrived in White Horse at 730 PM, tempers short, patience exhausted with both car and coach covered with dirt and rocks. We parked at Wal Mart, had a sandwich and let our tired bodies relax. After our dusty, dirty and challenging drive from Tok, we decided to spend an extra day in White Horse for clean up and rejuvenation.

Thursday, Ken washed the car and the coach, while I caught up on my e mail. In the afternoon we drove up to the fish ladder where we watched as Chinook salmon were helped over the ladder of the falls into the hydroelectric company dam for their return to their spawning grounds in the Yukon river and its tributaries. There is a nearby hatchery that releases the baby salmon into the surrounding streams and rivers in an effort to maintain the balance of nature. The young salmon then travel hundreds of miles down stream, sometimes as far as the Arctic ocean before returning to the site of their spawning to lay their eggs and meet their maker. Once the salmon reach fresh water, they do not eat and when the eggs are laid in a nest by the female, the male fertilizes them and the female covers the nest and the two die. The spawning salmon are between 3 and 6 years of age. On average 600-700 salmon return to their spawning grounds each season. When we visited the fish hatchery and ladder on our way to Alaska, the salmon were not yet running. Our revisit rounded out our education on the spawning habits of the Chinook salmon.

After dinner in a decent “pasta” restaurant, we prepared for the next dayt’s exodus and a return stop over at” Muckluck Annies”.

Saturday we stopped overnight at the Junction of Highway 37 and 2 and Sunday we will proceed to Dease Lake en route to Prince Rupert. Highway 37 has about 40 miles of gravel road but travel via this road to Prince Rupert reduces travel miles significantly. Ken wants to stop in Stewart for some salmon fishing. The road is not a primary highway but is said to be a beautiful drive with several “spurs” of interest en route.

We are on our way South but there are still items on our (Kens) itinerary that require attention. Until our next report, have a good week.

ARTIC EXPLORERS?
After our wonderful tour of Denali, where the mountain greeted us in all of its glory, Monday was a cold and dreary day, reinforcing our awareness of how fortunate we were to have been blessed with a beautiful tour day.

Tuesday, the 27th, we traveled to Fairbanks. We checked into a lovely RV Park on the rivers edge for our “nesting” space for the week. The temperature was warm when we arrived, which was pleasant after Monday’s dreary day in Denali. We did our usual drive around Tuesday afternoon, visited the Visitors Center, checked out the city and Ken prepared his itinerary for our Fairbanks stay.

Wednesday we enjoyed a river boat trip on a diesel electric sternwheeler with bow thrusters. (A reminder of the past, with modern day technology.) The trip featured a history of the two rivers, the Chena and the glacial-fed Tanana River which, until construction of the Alaskan Railroad, were the primary mode of travel, shipping and commerce into the interior. We were treated to a take off and landing of the modern day Alaskan mode of transportation, a small piper cub which became airborne in the owners backyard (less than 100 foot) and landed in the same short distance. As we cruised the river, small planes sitting in the back yards of the beautiful homes along the river, highlighted the importance of the small plane to the Alaskan lifestyle.

Our boat paused at an Iditarod training facility operated by champion dog team trainer, Susan Butcher and her husband, Bruce, a former chamption of the Iditarod race. The dogs were put through their paces as Bruce gave us a brief review of considerations involved in the breeding, training and diet of the dogs as they are prepared for competition. Some of the traits considered important in choosing a dog for competition is overall intelligence , adaptation to structure and compatibility with other dogs as well as people. Older dogs are used to train the young dogs and training starts from the day the puppies are born by subjecting them to love and attention that will reinforce their trust in man. A final stop at a recreated Athabascan Indian Village portraying Athabascan and Eskimo history rounded out our river adventure. Young native Alaskans gave us a background resume of where they were from, brief family history, college or university in which they are enrolled (all were college students), modeled clothing, explained traditions, lifestyle and culture. They demonstrated skills and/or talents that have permitted their ancestors to survive the harsh Arctic climate for thousands of years.

As we have traveled Northward, we have had a greater opportunity to learn native Alaskan history and tradition. In the Southern part of the State, the emphasis was on the bounty and harvest of the sea in the form of commercial and sports fishing. The role of the native Alaskan is acknowledged but not highlighted. In the Southern part, greater emphasis is placed on the role of the “conquerors”, the Russian fur traders, trappers, hunters, sea explorers and the commercial pursuits related to the conquest of Alaska. Further into the interior, the native Alaskans reliance on natural resources as a means of sustaining their lifestyle is more clearly acknowledged, emphasized and reflected upon.

Thursday, we were up at the break of dawn (4ish) in preparation for our transport to the airport at 630 and 8am flight to Barrow on the Arctic ocean. The natives in Barrow are Inupiaq and the native spellings for Barrow are Ukpiagvik and Utqiagvik, meaning “place to hunt snowy owls”. We enjoyed a smooth flight in spite of overcast and fog but when we stepped off the plane, a stiff wind combined with 40 degree temperature reminded us that we had reached our destination and natures air conditioning was working. We knew that summer temperatures vary greatly and we were prepared. However, for those who may have misjudged “cool”, parkas were supplied by our tour service and on board the bus. The first question posed to our tour guide, Joe, a native Inupiaq, was, “how cold is it?” His tongue in cheek response, “Oh it is just another warm summer day in the 40's”. (Average summer temperature.)

Our first stop of the day was at a small visitor center and a monument memorial to Wiley Post and Will Rogers who were killed in a plane crash en route to the Arctic in 1935. Brochures on Barrow and a map of the town were provided and a few souvenirs were available for purchase. Many of us had our pictures taken in front of the sign post with the distance to various cities, among them Los Angeles at 2,943 miles.

Our second stop was at an “ice pit”, an eight by eight by eight storage room built into the permafrost for storing meat. In the summer months, the permafrost remains frozen two to three foot below the surface, depending on the temperature and provides an outdoor freezer in the custom of ancient times. Only ducks hung in the ice pit that we visited. Some of our group climbed down into the pit to experience the efficiency of the permafrost. Our guide told us each Captain of a Whaling canoe must have an ice pit in which to store the whale meat that is caught. The Bowhead Whale is the center of the Inupiaq culture and a primary source of food. There are 48 licensed whale boat captains and the size of the crew will depend on the size of the captains family. Each season (and there are two seasons) only 12 bonehead whales may be killed or 22 for the year. Whaling is still done by harpoon and float in the tradition of the Inupiaq ancestors. Not every Captain and crew get a whale in a season or year but each family in the village gets a portion of every whale caught with the bulk of the meat going to the successful whale boat crew and Captain. Joe told us that he has been a whaling crew member since he was seven years old.

As we drove through the village, we saw what appeared to be prefabricated houses along with smaller houses of what, to us, appeared more “traditional” construction. Satellite dishes, tilted almost parallel to the ground in order to receive reception so far North, provide cable TV as well as make two way audio and visual conferencing possible. Bare dirt confirmed the non existence of landscaping . There are no trees and no fruits or vegetables can be grown. We saw only Arctic tundra and a few plants of “arctic cotton”. There were some tiny wild flowers but native floral other than tundra was scant. Visually, the lifestyle seemed to reflect what I would term as a combination of poverty and/or a lifestyle lacking in “pride of ownership”. As the day progressed however, I recognized that my preconceived ideas of lifestyle values were both inappropriate and inapplicable. My conscience reminded me that this culture has survived thousands of years and it behooved me to refrain from interjecting my personal expectations into a rare opportunity to understand and be educated in this very special culture. Thus, mentally enlightened, I went with the flow.

Our next stop was at the High School, built in the early 80's at a cost of 70 million dollars. Joe explained that it was very expensive because every construction item had to be shipped in by barge. The Chukchi Sea which flows into the Arctic Ocean freezes over in October and remains frozen until June. We were surprised to learn that ice was less than 30 miles off shore. I understood the time frame in which a barge can come into Barrow to be three to four weeks between August 15 - September 15. Ken thought there were two periods, one in the fall and one in the spring. I think I am right.

The High School sports team is the Barrow Whalers and they, as well as all of Alaskan youth, excel in basketball. The long dark winters provides time to develop proficiency in indoor sports and thus, basketball is the sport of choice. The Whalers basketball team won second place in the State in 2004 and hope to do better in 2005 because they lost only three of their team to graduation. Students from Barrow compete in sports throughout the State. Chartered Alaska Airlines jets provide transportation in lieu of the traditional bus transport in the lower 48. The town of Barrow has a population of 4,500 and, if my memory serves me correctly, 350 High School students, 600 middle school and 350 elementary. About 45 percent of the graduates go on to college and their education is funded by “the corporation” (Arctic Slope Regional Corporation). Students may go to any college to which their grades will gain them admission but they must maintain a minimum grade average that will justify the cost of tuition i.e., if Harvard, Yale or one of the “elite”, as much as $40,000 per year. We were told that virtually 100% of the students who go away to college return to Barrow.

From the educational realm, we drove the short distance to the ocean and the Imaiqsaun Cemetery where remains of ancestors excavated at the many archeological sites around Barrow have been buried. This is the final resting place of the famous “Frozen Family” excavated from Mound 44 (more than 100 such mounds exist in Barrow) in the early 1980's. It is believed that a severe ice storm may have caused a large piece of ice to slam against the mound, thus closing off the house . Also a prehistoric girl excavated from an eroding bluff above the sea rests here. .

As we proceeded through the town we learned that the utilities are buried in pipe s under ground and heated to keep them from freezing. Homes are heated by gas and the village has enough gas to supply them for 150 years. We drove past the Fresh Water Lake, one of the original sources of water for the village, past the police department and jail, painted a bright blue, hence its nickname, “the blue hotel”. We learned that there is crime and that domestic violence ( often as a result of liquor) is the leading offense. Liquor is heavily regulated, available only by special order and the amount that can be obtained is carefully monitored. Ken takes issue with what he says is a presumption on my part that liquor is a problem. He doesn’t think it is. I thought it could be. So went our morning.


It was lunch time and our restaurant was “Pepe’s North of the Border”. The proprietor of the restaurant is also “Mama Bear” of the Polar Bear Club. For those brave souls among us who wished to be initiated into the Polar Bear Club, Mama Bear would be both overseer of the paperwork and Director of Compliance i.e., complete immersion down to the last hair on the top of your head. Ken was disappointed that I did not bring his swimming trunks and thus, he was prevented from experiencing a “dip in the Arctic”. I reminded him that “au naturel” was okay according to the guide but that didn’t go over very well either. Two brave souls of our group planned to take the plunge. We all promised to “cheer them on”, gleeful that we were about to be provided a rare “photo op”.

After lunch we checked into our Top of the World Hotel and left off our personal belongings. At first glance the hotel was disappointing inasmuch as it seemed more like a large square warehouse devoid of luxury furnishings, though there was a television and computer connected to the web in the lobby. A well worn sofa offered proof that we were not staying at the Ritz Carlton of Barrow. Further, it appeared that housekeeping was not a big budget item at this facility. Ken took our bags to the room inasmuch as it was not yet ready for occupancy and returned, without comment. Inasmuch as I did not want to sleep in a pit house in the permafrost or spend a night in “the blue hotel”, I kept my inner most thoughts to myself.

Our afternoon began with a tour of the Value Mart, Barrow’s version of Wal Mart and the towns only shopping source. Ken walked through and comparison shopped, returning to say that, surprisingly, the prices were not much more than what we had seen in Fairbanks. We were then deposited at the Cultural Center and Museum where we were free to examine and purchase artifacts or other hand made creations of the various villages represented. We were then treated to an afternoon of folk dancing, music, singing and Inupiaq history capped off by a demonstration of games played by the natives during the long winter evenings. Our tour guide, Joe, was a participant in the dances and music. He is a member of a local dance group that travels and performs extensively throughout the lower 48 and the world. His group participated in the two Bill Clinton inaugural parades and are scheduled for a performance in Japan within the next few months.

After our Cultural Center experience, we returned to the bus and started for the “end of the road”. Suddenly, the bus lurched to a stop and to everyone’s amusement, we were out of gas. A quick cell phone call to the office brought gas to restart the engine and get us back to the only gas station a short distance away. Fueled and running, we resumed our trip to the end of the road (approximately 2-3 miles) where we were treated to a view of the forest at the top of the world, two tiny palm trees. The trunk of the trees was made from whale bones and the palm fronds, from baleen (the teeth of a whale). As we approached our destination, small buildings dotted the area. To my question, Ken said they were summer homes. As it turned out, he was correct. They were “hunting cabins” where the natives go to shoot ducks and birds for their food supply. While pictures were being taken, a flock of ducks flew overhead prompting everyone to return to the bus, with a sense of urgency for fear that the waiting hunters might shoot at the wrong ducks. However, no shots were fired and our trust in the natives was enhanced.

As we drove back down the road, someone spotted a whale off the beach. Our driver stopped the bus for a “photo op” moment as the whale loitered along the beach, feeding --oblivious to the clicking cameras and excited “ohs and ahs” of our group. A nice addendum to an interesting day.

As departure time approached for those returning to Fairbanks or Anchorage, as the case may be, our attention turned to the “Polar Bear” initiation exercise. We waited on the beach in the 40 degree temperature, for our candidates, Carol and Dan Turk of Colorado Springs, Colorado, to prepare for their “big dip”. Carol took the “plunge” first followed by Dan who treated us to a few strokes of his swimming technique in spite of the freezing cold water. A brave boy, in deed. To roaring applause and approval, the couple returned to the hotel, dressed and rejoined the bus group for the trip to the airport. Those of us who were staying over night waved goodbye to our fellow adventurers for the day and retired to our rooms, to watch the Kerry the speech on television or take a nap as the case may be.

When we went to our room I was happily surprised to find a spotlessly clean room with a 27inch television, telephone and a bathroom with basic amenities i.e., shampoo, lotion and hair dryer. To complete our comfort, the bed proved to be “sleep friendly”. Later, Ken and I discussed my initial concerns about the housekeeping habits in the front lobby and Ken made a logical observation. The lobby gets a lot of foot traffic from the outside and there are no sidewalks, only dirt. The dirt is tracked in and melds into the decorative scheme which presents an unkempt look. I accepted his premise as good logic and “clean dirt” adds a certain decorating motif don’t you think? However, I still wanted to replace the worn out couches with their sagging cushions and escaping cotton stuffing with something a little more “sightly”. Ken reminded me “when in Rome” and I took that as my cue to not try to remake the world in my image but, instead, enjoy that “what is”. Accordingly, our day in the Arctic was a wonderful experience and the memory never to be forgotten after proper “attitude adjustment”.

OUR RIVER BOAT EXPERIENCE

ken and his catch

 
McKinley in all of its glory


VIEW FROM THE TRAIN

We spent the July 18th weekend on the Kenai River where the salmon were running but his nibbs was unsuccessful in his bid to round out the larder with a fresh salmon catch. Ken has been having sporadic problems with his back. I am convinced that the fishing is not helping but he says I am wrong. Nevertheless, I feel confident that standing for long periods and casting jerks are not in his best interest.

Monday we drove to Whittier, a nondescript coastal village that I was rather "put upon" to find interesting. There is a 2 ½ mile tunnel leading into town and once there not much exists except a few rag tag shops, 3/4 of which are for sale and the remaining look depressed. There is no community as such, just two large buildings of condominium and/or apartment type construction and that about sizes it up as a town. However, they are trying to build it up and are marketing to cruise ships as an alternate port to Seward for the Denali train trip. I will say that there is a gorgeous glacier just across the bay which does add color and character to a village that was, in my opinion, otherwise lonely and forlorn. Ken’s assessment was quiet and peaceful.

Tuesday we returned to Portage for a trip on the glacier lake to Portage Glacier. We were delighted to experience a large "calving" of the glacier (ice breaking away from the main glacier forming what would be icebergs at sea). The wake that followed the "calving" rocked the boast enough to validate the size of the breaking ice. After our visit to Portage Glacier, we stopped off at a wild animal park to get some close up pictures of the wild animals that we have thus far seen at only a distance. We decided not to stop in Anchorage, preferring to overnight in Palmer but the RV Park there had no vacancy. We decided to go on and luckily found a very nice RV Park on a river outside of the small town of Houston, where Ken could also fish. We ended up spending two nights there while Ken fished and rested the recurring twinge in his back.

Thursday we did a short side trip off the "beaten path" to a small town called Talkeetna, approximately 100 miles outside of Denali. Talkeetna is on the Alaskan Railroad and, as you approach the town, Mount McKinley (Denali) is sometimes visible but we were not treated to that view. Several air taxi services provide scenic trips for close up views of the mountain from the air as well as landings on the glacier, weather permitting. We had thought we might do the plane trip but the weather continued to be inclement with intermittent rain showers and clouds hanging over the mountain making any viewing of the mountain unlikely. We decided not to do the plane trip and, instead, took a 124 mile round trip train ride to Hurricane, a trip promoted as the last "whistle stop" railroad in America. It was an extraordinary step back in time. On the way up, we dropped people off to go to their wilderness cabins. One family operate a gold mine in the wilderness, another man and his dog were going to their cabin for a brief "getaway" from business (we were told he owns a chain of motels in Alaska). There were those who looked like "mountain people" and those who seemed to be regular folks who simply choose to make their home on the "wild side". They appeared to be people that my view of "forlorn and lonely" might mean "peace and quiet". The run to Hurricane is provided by the Alaskan Railway as a service to the locals and offered to the tourist as a scenic adventure. There was no "hipe", no "canned speech", just a trip to the hills on a relatively modern train for another view of the Alaskan lifestyle.

We struck up a conversation with a lady from the Northern Indiana/Chicago area who came to Alaska with her husband in 1959, a real pioneer. They homesteaded in Trapper Creek an area renown for its views of Mt. McKinley, which she said are best during the winter months. She said that she adopted Alaska as her home and " has never looked back". We were amused with a story that she related about a new group of homesteaders to Alaska who brought with them the work ethic of the lower 48. They started work on constructing their cabins at 8 in the morning, a break at 10, lunch at 12, a break at 2 and ending their day at 4. She said that the short Alaskan summer with its long days are a call to action and always followed by long Alaskan nights. As the nights begin to cool and the days grew shorter, the group got the message. Many ended up sharing a cabin with others and the following summer, they adjusted their work ethic to comply with the standards of the Alaskan sun. One lesson I have taken from our visit here. The summers are short, the tourist season brief and for those who live here, the labor of four months must provide for 12.

On the way back, the train proved its mettle as a whistle stop as it stopped to pick up people going into town, some for supplies, others for business and others simply returning to their regular pursuits after a brief interlude in the back country. In addition to our stops for passengers, we enjoyed a brief stop along the river where King Salmon were spawning and an unscheduled stop for a young bear crossing the tracks in front of us. Unfortunately, we were not in "camera view" and missed all but its quick descent into the brush. All in all not a bad days journey.

Saturday we drove into Denali. Although there was no rain, it was cloudy and as we entered Denali, clouds obscured any view of Mt McKinley . We registered at the RV Park, picked up our passes for the early morning Tundra tour, attended a sled dog demonstration, watched rafters preparing to cast off for their down river rafting experience and did a drive through the park. We had been told by all who have been to Denali that statistically speaking only 1/3 of the approximately 350,000 annual visitors to Denali are able to view the mountain. Only a few of the people with whom we had spoken in the days leading to our Denali visit reported anything more than a brief glimpse of the mountain and, as a result of the fires in the Fairbanks area, smoke had been a further detraction.

We enjoyed a demonstration of the "working dogs" of Denali. Denali is the only national park patrolled in winter by dog sled. The patrol extends to Wonder Lake and Kantishna and involves a three month round trip of approximately 180 miles. We were surprised to learn that Denali does not receive the heavy snows that we had expected and rainfall much less intense that we expected. However, the reduction in moisture does not translate to a reduction in temperate.
The weather forecast was for clouds on Sunday and rain on Monday. As we departed the coach to meet our 745A bus Sunday morning, the day seemed bright and clouds scarce though the air was cold. As our bus proceeded outside the forest area of the visitors center, we gained a better view of the beautiful blue sky which promised a beautiful day for viewing the animals. Our tour guide raised our hopes by urging us to keep our fingers crossed and just maybe, the Mountain would reveal itself. Our naturalist tour bus driver briefed us on the history of the park, the animals in the park and prepared us for what he hoped we would see on our trip, the big five, bears, caribou, dall sheep, moose and wolves.

As we entered our first area for viewing the mountain from the park road, we were treated to a beautiful view of the mountain in all of its majesty. At the urging of our driver, everyone rushed to get pictures. Our driver cautioned that it is rare to see the mountain at all and advised us that it can disappear into the clouds quickly and often does by the time another viewing site is reached. We rode along the road enjoying an up close and personal viewing of caribou, dall sheep (not so close), a grizzly bear sow and two cubs and scenery that is spectacular as we traveled a tundra of varied distinction. The mountain remained visible during the whole day’s excursion and we were, indeed, treated to a beautiful day in Denali. We did not see any moose or wolves but the bears and caribou were plentiful. Near the end of our day, a family of willow ptarmigam (Alaska’s State bird) crossed the road in front of the bus as if posing for our pictures. We realize that we were permitted to enjoy a rare day in the last great wilderness and it was a "a many splendored thing". 

 

We concluded our Seward stay with a visit to the Alaska Sea Life Center. The State provides a facility and staff for ongoing research and rescue of Alaskan sea life. The Center conducts a hospital facility for sick or wounded sea life and a home to abandoned young sea life as well as provides research, collects data and educates the public. Alaska is highly cognizant of the critical balance of nature between maintaining their ecological responsibilities and the part that this natural resource plays in their economy. They spend time and money maintaining a constant vigilance of the sea life and its habitat in hopes that they can both protect their eco system and sustain their economic growth in commercial and sports fishing as well as tourism In Valdez, we watched as researchers counted the "catch of the day", reviewed them for markings that gave valuable historical data and questioned fishermen (and women) as to where the fish had been caught, how many people were fishing and asked related questions for their data assimilation.
We gained further insight into the States commitment to maintaining a watchful eye of its sea life when we attended a brief presentation on the habits of the Sea Otters and Sea Lions at the Sea Life Center.

The ranger explained that the population of the Sea Otters and Sea Lions are decreasing annually which, of course, is cause for concern. She cited possible contributing factors as a compromise in the food chain as a result of outside influences such as the Valdez oil spill; disturbance of the animal mating periods by noisy tour boats and their loud speaker and one that was particularly surprising, kayaks. Those who are studying the sea life believe it is possible that the kayak and its one man super ecologically aware passenger is strange looking and threatening to the sea lions, sea otters and seals. They believe that the sea animal may view the silent moving funny looking kayak with man aboard as an orca and thus, something to be feared.

After our brief nature study, we reluctantly bade goodbye to Seward and headed for the Kenai Peninsula and our ultimate destination of Homer. We stopped at a RV Resort on the Kenai River where Ken launched his boat and did a two hour float trip down the river. I dutifully snapped a picture and drove the approximate 20 mile distance to where he exited the river, stiff and groaning from his two hour childlike vigil but satisfied with his accomplishment. Traveling with a 73 year old kid can be "tiring" as well as amusing.

Boating adventure concluded, we stopped at Ninilchik in a State camp ground on the beach. Fishing boats from an adjacent fishing village kept me entertained until well into the night. I watched the 11 PM sunset and the last red streaks of the setting sun as darkness fell at midnight.

We awakened Tuesday morning to the gaiety of clammers scurrying along the beach seeking their limit of razor neck clams at low tide. Ken quickly looked for his shovel but alas, he had misplaced it. He found it the next day but in the meantime, he talked to someone about clamming and was told that you spend one hour digging 60 razor neck clams (the limit per person) and 9 hours cleaning them. That information was enough to make me want to "lose" the shovel forever.

After breakfast, we continued on the short distance to Homer and found a spot on the spit, overlooking Kachemak Bay. Across the bay snow peaked mountains with four (three active) volcanos and glaciers from the Harding Icefield seem convincing evidence that just beyond the quiet waters of the bay rugged country awaited. Seward is just over the mountains but one must drive the 100+ miles around the peninsula to get there. No roads connect this side of the mountain with the other side. Homer and the Kenai Peninsula are well known for their commercial and sports fishing, primarily halibut and salmon though there is clamming as well as there is natural gas exploration in Cook Inlet. People from all over the World come here to fish and Ken has looked forward to it. His first priority was to check out the fishing charters.
We looked into a photo trip of bear country by float plane but that was quickly nixed. five hundred dollars each was too "rich" for our blood, in spite of a full eight hour trip with lunch included and bear sightings assured. We had also considered taking the Alaska State Ferry on a one week trip through the Aleutian Islands but we learned that the ferry makes the trip twice each month and it would depart Tuesday night at 7PM. A decision had to be made quickly and $1,600 seemed a lot of money for something that we were really not sure about. We decided against it but in doing so, we also missed out on a planned visit to Kodiak Island. The next ferry would not leave until July 25. We concluded that The Alaskan Maritime Highway is limited in it’s overall convenience.

Wednesday, Ken had his deep sea fishing trip, returning to proudly show off his catch of two halibut, one 60 pounds and a second one approximately 29 pounds. Each fisherman on the boat is allowed a catch of two halibut each day but you can go as many days as you have "green to permit". One days catch was sufficient to fill our freezer. We estimate that the cost of the license, the fishing trip and preparation of the fish for the trip home just about matched what we would pay per pound at Costco in LA. But, Ken had the fun of the experience and who can put a price on that?

Thursday we had a side trip to Seldovia, an outlying village down the Peninsula reachable only by air or boat. Along the way, the guide passed by islands well populated with birds of many varieties as well as sea otters, seals and rocks that have been named for animal resemblance among the rocks. It was a ful day with a view of sea life, a visit to an interesting village and chance to reflect upon a lifestyle not unlike that of summer residents on the small Islands off the coast of Maine.

We stopped and talked briefly with a friendly and hospitable local resident. She gave us an overview of the lifestyle and history of Seldovia. She is a teacher and her husband manufactures guitar parts that he ships all over the world. They have managed to find a good life in an area that they believe provides their children with a good safe place in which to grow up. She said that the Island needs people but that the only jobs are the ones that people are able to develop on their own. Thus, it suffers from the economics of survival like so many other places that are otherwise amiable to raising a family and maximizing simple family values. She expressed the hope that as people are able to develop "work at home" careers, such as that of her husband, it will impact the islands like Seldovia and help them develop into independent self sustainable communities. The island has 70 children in grades 1-12. Next year there will not be a kindergarten class, but the year after there will be two kindergartners. Last year there was no graduating class.

Our news source was born on an island off of the State of Washington and moved to Seldovia with her parents 30 years ago. After college and extended travel, she returned to Seldovia with her husband because they felt it was a good place to raise their children. She spoke of her neighbors, the lifestyle and the village with a combination of love, pride and good loyalty embraced with good citizenship.

According to the Seldovia Chamber of Commerce "Seldovia was first settled by the Russians about 1800 and is one of the oldest settlements in the Cook Inlet region. It is located in the sheltered harbor and sunny slopes of Seldovia Bay. What is thought to be the first coal mine in Alaska was operated here by the Russians for their settlements and the Russian fleet. Most of the Russians left the area following the purchase of Alaska by the United States in 1867, but traces of their heritage still remain. A Russian Orthodox Church built in 1891, was for many years, the towns social hub. It was restored in 1981 and remains an impressive landmark on a hill overlooking the harbor."

The original town was built on a boardwalk. According to our tour guide, in the early days, visitors with business in Seldovia would sail up the channel at high tide and tie up to the house of the business man with whom they were planning to conduct business. When their business was concluded, they would leave on the next high tide. The land mass in Seldovia dropped approximately four feet during the 1964 earthquake which caused houses along the waterfront and the old Seldovia boardwalk to flood at high tide. Federal funds were used to remove these structures and backfill the land in preparation for new homes and business. A section of the old Seldovia boardwalk remains at the south end of the town along the slough, which was formerly called Bolshevik Slough (now called Seldovia Slough). It was a fascinating visit back in time to a colorful lifestyle that seemed mystical, inviting and enchanting. Seldovia has the same latitude as Oslo, Norway. It is home to 300 full time residents, a large tourist population in the summers. It’s hardy lifestyle requires a strong constitution, an independent spirit and strong mental discipline. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to this unique island that depends on the ability of its citizens to sustain its survival in the same mode as that which sustained the establishment of settlements in the lower 48. For me, this visit provided a further reminder of how far we have come and how strong our spirit can be.

We concluded our week in Homer with a day of rest and relaxation and on Saturday moved up the Kenai Peninsula to Soldotna, another Russian named area in the Kenai Borough where Ken entertained himself with salmon fishing, without success. 

We concluded our Seward stay with a visit to the Alaska Sea Life Center. The State provides a facility and staff for ongoing research and rescue of Alaskan sea life. The Center conducts a hospital facility for sick or wounded sea life and a home to abandoned young sea life as well as provides research, collects data and educates the public. Alaska is highly cognizant of the critical balance of nature between maintaining their ecological responsibilities and the part that this natural resource plays in their economy. They spend time and money maintaining a constant vigilance of the sea life and its habitat in hopes that they can both protect their eco system and sustain their economic growth in commercial and sports fishing as well as tourism In Valdez, we watched as researchers counted the "catch of the day", reviewed them for markings that gave valuable historical data and questioned fishermen (and women) as to where the fish had been caught, how many people were fishing and asked related questions for their data assimilation.
We gained further insight into the State’s commitment to maintaining a watchful eye of its sea life when we attended a brief presentation on the habits of the Sea Otters and Sea Lions at the Sea Life Center. The ranger explained that the population of the Sea Otters and Sea Lions are decreasing annually which, of course, is cause for concern. She cited possible contributing factors as a compromise in the food chain as a result of outside influences such as the Valdez oil spill; disturbance of the animal mating periods by noisy tour boats and their loud speaker and one that was particularly surprising, kayaks. Those who are studying the sea life believe it is possible that the kayak and its one man super ecologically aware passenger is strange looking and threatening to the sea lions, sea otters and seals. They believe that the sea animal may view the silent moving funny looking kayak with man aboard as an orca and thus, something to be feared.
After our brief nature study, we reluctantly bade goodbye to Seward and headed for the Kenai Peninsula and our ultimate destination of Homer. We stopped at a RV Resort on the Kenai River where Ken launched his boat and did a two hour float trip down the river. I dutifully snapped a picture and drove the approximate 20 mile distance to where he exited the river, stiff and groaning from his two hour childlike vigil but satisfied with his accomplishment. Traveling with a 73 year old kid can be "tiring" as well as amusing.
Boating adventure concluded, we stopped at Ninilchik in a State camp ground on the beach. Fishing boats from an adjacent fishing village kept me entertained until well into the night. I watched the 11 PM sunset and the last red streaks of the setting sun as darkness fell at midnight.
We awakened Tuesday morning to the gaiety of clammers scurrying along the beach seeking their limit of razor neck clams at low tide. Ken quickly looked for his shovel but alas, he had misplaced it. He found it the next day but in the meantime, he talked to someone about clamming and was told that you spend one hour digging 60 razor neck clams (the limit per person) and 9 hours cleaning them. That information was enough to make me want to "lose" the shovel forever.
After breakfast, we continued on the short distance to Homer and found a spot on the spit, overlooking Kachemak Bay. Across the bay snow peaked mountains with four (three active) volcanos and glaciers from the Harding Icefield seem convincing evidence that just beyond the quiet waters of the bay rugged country awaited. Seward is just over the mountains but one must drive the 100+ miles around the peninsula to get there. No roads connect this side of the mountain with the other side. Homer and the Kenai Peninsula are well known for their commercial and sports fishing, primarily halibut and salmon though there is clamming as well as there is natural gas exploration in Cook Inlet. People from all over the World come here to fish and Ken has looked forward to it. His first priority was to check out the fishing charters.
We looked into a photo trip of bear country by float plane but that was quickly nixed. five hundred dollars each was too "rich" for our blood, in spite of a full eight hour trip with lunch included and bear sightings assured. We had also considered taking the Alaska State Ferry on a one week trip through the Aleutian Islands but we learned that the ferry makes the trip twice each month and it would depart Tuesday night at 7PM. A decision had to be made quickly and $1,600 seemed a lot of money for something that we were really not sure about. We decided against it but in doing so, we also missed out on a planned visit to Kodiak Island. The next ferry would not leave until July 25. We concluded that The Alaskan Maritime Highway is limited in it’s overall convenience. .
Wednesday, Ken had his deep sea fishing trip, returning to proudly show off his catch of two halibut, one 63 pounds and a second one approximately 35 pounds. Each fisherman on the boat is allowed a catch of two halibut each day but you can go as many days as you have "green to permit". One days catch was sufficient to fill our freezer. We estimate that the cost of the license, the fishing trip and preparation of the fish for the trip home just about matched what we would pay per pound at Costco in LA. But, Ken had the fun of the experience and who can put a price on that?
Thursday we had a side trip to Seldovia, an outlying village down the Peninsula reachable only by air or boat. Along the way, the guide passed by islands well populated with birds of many varieties as well as sea otters, seals and rocks that have been named for animal resemblance among the rocks. It was a ful day with a view of sea life, a visit to an interesting village and chance to reflect upon a lifestyle not unlike that of summer residents on the small Islands off the coast of Maine.
We stopped and talked briefly with a friendly and hospitable local resident. She gave us an overview of the lifestyle and history of Seldovia. She is a teacher and her husband manufactures guitar parts that he ships all over the world. They have managed to find a good life in an area that they believe provides their children with a good safe place in which to grow up. She said that the Island needs people but that the only jobs are the ones that people are able to develop on their own. Thus, it suffers from the economics of survival like so many other places that are otherwise amiable to raising a family and maximizing simple family values. She expressed the hope that as people are able to develop "work at home" careers, such as that of her husband, it will impact the islands like Seldovia and help them develop into independent self sustainable communities. The island has 70 children in grades 1-12. Next year there will not be a kindergarten class, but the year after there will be two kindergartners. Last year there was no graduating class.
Our news source was born on an island off of the State of Washington and moved to Seldovia with her parents 30 years ago. After college and extended travel, she returned to Seldovia with her husband because they felt it was a good place to raise their children. She spoke of her neighbors, the lifestyle and the village with a combination of love, pride and good loyalty embraced with good citizenship.
According to the Seldovia Chamber of Commerce "Seldovia was first settled by the Russians about 1800 and is one of the oldest settlements in the Cook Inlet region. It is located in the sheltered harbor and sunny slopes of Seldovia Bay. What is thought to be the first coal mine in Alaska was operated here by the Russians for their settlements and the Russian fleet. Most of the Russians left the area following the purchase of Alaska by the United States in 1867, but traces of their heritage still remain. A Russian Orthodox Church built in 1891, was for many years, the towns social hub. It was restored in 1981 and remains an impressive landmark on a hill overlooking the harbor."
The original town was built on a boardwalk. According to our tour guide, in the early days, visitors with business in Seldovia would sail up the channel at high tide and tie up to the house of the business man with whom they were planning to conduct business. When their business was concluded, they would leave on the next high tide. The land mass in Seldovia dropped approximately four feet during the 1964 earthquake which caused houses along the waterfront and the old Seldovia boardwalk to flood at high tide. Federal funds were used to remove these structures and backfill the land in preparation for new homes and business. A section of the old Seldovia boardwalk remains at the south end of the town along the slough, which was formerly called Bolshevik Slough (now called Seldovia Slough). It was a fascinating visit back in time to a colorful lifestyle that seemed mystical, inviting and enchanting. Seldovia has the same latitude as Oslo, Norway. It is home to 300 full time residents, a large tourist population in the summers. It’s hardy lifestyle requires a strong constitution, an independent spirit and strong mental discipline. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to this unique island that depends on the ability of its citizens to sustain its survival in the same mode as that which sustained the establishment of settlements in the lower 48. For me, this visit provided a further reminder of how far we have come and how strong our spirit can be.
We concluded our week in Homer with a day of rest and relaxation and on Saturday moved up the Kenai Peninsula to Soldotna, another Russian named area in the Kenai Borough where Ken entertained himself with salmon fishing, without success. 
We concluded our Seward stay with a visit to the Alaska Sea Life Center. The State provides a facility and staff for ongoing research and rescue of Alaskan sea life. The Center conducts a hospital facility for sick or wounded sea life and a home to abandoned young sea life as well as provides research, collects data and educates the public. Alaska is highly cognizant of the critical balance of nature between maintaining their ecological responsibilities and the part that this natural resource plays in their economy. They spend time and money maintaining a constant vigilance of the sea life and its habitat in hopes that they can both protect their eco system and sustain their economic growth in commercial and sports fishing as well as tourism In Valdez, we watched as researchers counted the "catch of the day", reviewed them for markings that gave valuable historical data and questioned fishermen (and women) as to where the fish had been caught, how many people were fishing and asked related questions for their data assimilation.
We gained further insight into the State’s commitment to maintaining a watchful eye of its sea life when we attended a brief presentation on the habits of the Sea Otters and Sea Lions at the Sea Life Center. The ranger explained that the population of the Sea Otters and Sea Lions are decreasing annually which, of course, is cause for concern. She cited possible contributing factors as a compromise in the food chain as a result of outside influences such as the Valdez oil spill; disturbance of the animal mating periods by noisy tour boats and their loud speaker and one that was particularly surprising, kayaks. Those who are studying the sea life believe it is possible that the kayak and its one man super ecologically aware passenger is strange looking and threatening to the sea lions, sea otters and seals. They believe that the sea animal may view the silent moving funny looking kayak with man aboard as an orca and thus, something to be feared.
After our brief nature study, we reluctantly bade goodbye to Seward and headed for the Kenai Peninsula and our ultimate destination of Homer. We stopped at a RV Resort on the Kenai River where Ken launched his boat and did a two hour float trip down the river. I dutifully snapped a picture and drove the approximate 20 mile distance to where he exited the river, stiff and groaning from his two hour childlike vigil but satisfied with his accomplishment. Traveling with a 73 year old kid can be "tiring" as well as amusing.
Boating adventure concluded, we stopped at Ninilchik in a State camp ground on the beach. Fishing boats from an adjacent fishing village kept me entertained until well into the night. I watched the 11 PM sunset and the last red streaks of the setting sun as darkness fell at midnight.
We awakened Tuesday morning to the gaiety of clammers scurrying along the beach seeking their limit of razor neck clams at low tide. Ken quickly looked for his shovel but alas, he had misplaced it. He found it the next day but in the meantime, he talked to someone about clamming and was told that you spend one hour digging 60 razor neck clams (the limit per person) and 9 hours cleaning them. That information was enough to make me want to "lose" the shovel forever.
After breakfast, we continued on the short distance to Homer and found a spot on the spit, overlooking Kachemak Bay. Across the bay snow peaked mountains with four (three active) volcanos and glaciers from the Harding Icefield seem convincing evidence that just beyond the quiet waters of the bay rugged country awaited. Seward is just over the mountains but one must drive the 100+ miles around the peninsula to get there. No roads connect this side of the mountain with the other side. Homer and the Kenai Peninsula are well known for their commercial and sports fishing, primarily halibut and salmon though there is clamming as well as there is natural gas exploration in Cook Inlet. People from all over the World come here to fish and Ken has looked forward to it. His first priority was to check out the fishing charters.
We looked into a photo trip of bear country by float plane but that was quickly nixed. five hundred dollars each was too "rich" for our blood, in spite of a full eight hour trip with lunch included and bear sightings assured. We had also considered taking the Alaska State Ferry on a one week trip through the Aleutian Islands but we learned that the ferry makes the trip twice each month and it would depart Tuesday night at 7PM. A decision had to be made quickly and $1,600 seemed a lot of money for something that we were really not sure about. We decided against it but in doing so, we also missed out on a planned visit to Kodiak Island. The next ferry would not leave until July 25. We concluded that The Alaskan Maritime Highway is limited in it’s overall convenience. .
Wednesday, Ken had his deep sea fishing trip, returning to proudly show off his catch of two halibut, one 63 pounds and a second one approximately 35 pounds. Each fisherman on the boat is allowed a catch of two halibut each day but you can go as many days as you have "green to permit". One days catch was sufficient to fill our freezer. We estimate that the cost of the license, the fishing trip and preparation of the fish for the trip home just about matched what we would pay per pound at Costco in LA. But, Ken had the fun of the experience and who can put a price on that?
Thursday we had a side trip to Seldovia, an outlying village down the Peninsula reachable only by air or boat. Along the way, the guide passed by islands well populated with birds of many varieties as well as sea otters, seals and rocks that have been named for animal resemblance among the rocks. It was a ful day with a view of sea life, a visit to an interesting village and chance to reflect upon a lifestyle not unlike that of summer residents on the small Islands off the coast of Maine.
We stopped and talked briefly with a friendly and hospitable local resident. She gave us an overview of the lifestyle and history of Seldovia. She is a teacher and her husband manufactures guitar parts that he ships all over the world. They have managed to find a good life in an area that they believe provides their children with a good safe place in which to grow up. She said that the Island needs people but that the only jobs are the ones that people are able to develop on their own. Thus, it suffers from the economics of survival like so many other places that are otherwise amiable to raising a family and maximizing simple family values. She expressed the hope that as people are able to develop "work at home" careers, such as that of her husband, it will impact the islands like Seldovia and help them develop into independent self sustainable communities. The island has 70 children in grades 1-12. Next year there will not be a kindergarten class, but the year after there will be two kindergartners. Last year there was no graduating class.
Our news source was born on an island off of the State of Washington and moved to Seldovia with her parents 30 years ago. After college and extended travel, she returned to Seldovia with her husband because they felt it was a good place to raise their children. She spoke of her neighbors, the lifestyle and the village with a combination of love, pride and good loyalty embraced with good citizenship.
According to the Seldovia Chamber of Commerce "Seldovia was first settled by the Russians about 1800 and is one of the oldest settlements in the Cook Inlet region. It is located in the sheltered harbor and sunny slopes of Seldovia Bay. What is thought to be the first coal mine in Alaska was operated here by the Russians for their settlements and the Russian fleet. Most of the Russians left the area following the purchase of Alaska by the United States in 1867, but traces of their heritage still remain. A Russian Orthodox Church built in 1891, was for many years, the towns social hub. It was restored in 1981 and remains an impressive landmark on a hill overlooking the harbor."
The original town was built on a boardwalk. According to our tour guide, in the early days, visitors with business in Seldovia would sail up the channel at high tide and tie up to the house of the business man with whom they were planning to conduct business. When their business was concluded, they would leave on the next high tide. The land mass in Seldovia dropped approximately four feet during the 1964 earthquake which caused houses along the waterfront and the old Seldovia boardwalk to flood at high tide. Federal funds were used to remove these structures and backfill the land in preparation for new homes and business. A section of the old Seldovia boardwalk remains at the south end of the town along the slough, which was formerly called Bolshevik Slough (now called Seldovia Slough). It was a fascinating visit back in time to a colorful lifestyle that seemed mystical, inviting and enchanting. Seldovia has the same latitude as Oslo, Norway. It is home to 300 full time residents, a large tourist population in the summers. It’s hardy lifestyle requires a strong constitution, an independent spirit and strong mental discipline. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to this unique island that depends on the ability of its citizens to sustain its survival in the same mode as that which sustained the establishment of settlements in the lower 48. For me, this visit provided a further reminder of how far we have come and how strong our spirit can be.
We concluded our week in Homer with a day of rest and relaxation and on Saturday moved up the Kenai Peninsula to Soldotna, another Russian named area in the Kenai Borough where Ken entertained himself with salmon fishing, without success.