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.
