Home at last

Saturday, August 18, 2018 Twin Falls ID to HOME

The 106 degree heat was fading as I drove into Scottsdale with the jeep Saturday night.  Mike was following at a slow pace in the RV which had engine trouble and finally got in Sunday night.  It was an exhausting end to a fantastic trip.

We went 11,447 miles in 97 days, 1500 more miles and 31 more days than two years ago.  The newly opened US Highway 11 out of Las Vegas had the "Welcome to Arizona" sign posted.

US 11 AZ sign

A big thank you to my niece, Erin, for watching our place and to Pam and Jeremy for collecting our mail.

It is good to be home and we'll have great lifetime memories of this trip.

I can see clearly now...

Sunday, August 12, 2018 Smithers, BC through Friday, August 17, 2018 Twin Falls, ID

Last Sunday we left Smithers, BC, a beautiful little town with a great campground by the river and a glacier-fed waterfall hike...

view from Smithers campsite

folks river rafting in Smithers

waterfall hike near Smithers

Since then we have been in a perpetual haze...of smoke from the multiple forest fires across British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Colorado.  Checkout INCIWEB to see where they all are and you can click on each fire icon for details on the specific fire.

We've did a one night stay at Irvin's RV Park in Valemount, BC then a night in Harrison Hot Springs, BC where we had a so-so dip.  We drove through North Cascades National Park though the vistas are invisible in the smoke and then moved on to Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area near Grand Coulee Dam, Idaho where we saw the late night laser show.  Last night we stayed at Sloway Campground in Lolo National Forest, Montana. 

Irvin's RV Park Valemount BC

North Cascades NP

Grand Coulee Dam

Sloway CG Lolo NF

Even the RV didn't like the smoke...it's barely chugging up hills but it should get us home by the end of the week.  We've stopped for the night in Twin Falls, Idaho after driving through some beautiful scenery on route 93 where the smoke finally dissipated and we had some refreshing rain.

Route 93 south of Salmon ID

Route 93 South of Salmon Idaho

A dip in the pool and dinner delivered to the RV...now that's the way to wrap up the day!

We're baaaacccckkk.....

Thursday, August 2, 2018 Fairbanks,AK through Wednesday, August 8, 2018 Tok, AK

On the road, that is...finally!  We waited in Fairbanks for a new exhaust manifold for the RV and it was installed on Wednesday.  It had rained every day while we waited.  I went to three movies, we read multiple books, visited the library, the local fair and just....waited. I felt like these squirrels outside our RV

The flowers around the library were a cheerful note 

 

 
I was so happy to have the repair done that I talked Mike into hitting the road when we picked it up at 5:00 pm on Wednesday.  We traveled south and saw multiple moose and a fox on the way.  We spent the night Wednesday at a rest stop the far side of Tok, Alaska next to the river.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018 Tok, AK through Saturday, August 11, 2018 Smithers, BC, Canada

We left Tok early Thursday and headed about 100 miles south to cross the Canadian border.  We drove all day until we got to Whitehorse, the capital city in the Yukon Territory, Canada.  It was raining again and we spent the night in the Walmart parking lot.

Friday we headed out to the Cassiar highway and passed Kulane Lake, a beautiful, vast lake and looked for a camping spot at Boya Lake but no luck although I did get some pictures.

Kulane Lake

Boya Lake, Canada

We ended up at the north end of Dease Lake in a pullout that we had all to ourselves.  It was so quiet all you could hear was your own breathing.

We drove from Dease Lake to Smithers, BC, Canada, a pretty little town with a beautiful city campground.  We snagged the last electric hookup spot and decided to stay a couple nights after boon docking the last three.  After picking up groceries, we're catching up from four days without Internet.  It's great to be on the move!

Into every (trip) some rain must fall....

July 30, 2018 Fairbanks to July 31, 2018 Chena Hot Springs...then back to Fairbanks

We left Denali and headed to Fairbanks.  We spent a night in the Wal-Mart parking lot next to a rig running a noisy generator...sort of sounded like a rushing river if I didn't listen too close!  Monday we headed out to Chena Hot Springs for the night and a last dip in the hot waters before turning for home.  But then....

We'd heard a squealing sound since we left Denali highway that we thought was the fan belt so Mike wanted to have it checked out before we went south.  The Ford dealer pronounced it a cracked exhaust manifold on the RV so we're waiting a couple of days for the part and then it'll take at least a day to have it replaced.  

We're staying at Ft Wainwright in the meantime, just waiting to see how the problem will all work out.

Where Did I Leave Off? Oh yes, Denali

Friday, July 27, 2018 through Sunday, July 29, 2018 Denali National Park

We had made our reservations for Denali National Park before we'd left Phoenix, the only reservations we've made on this trip.  After killing time in Anchorage, it was finally time to go.

For a treat, Mike suggested I take the train from Anchorage while he drove the RV.  So at 7:30 am Friday he dropped me at the train depot.  Id booked the Golden-something passage which included breakfast and lunch and a window seat on the upper deck where huge curved windows allowed for unobstructed views.  It was a wonderful way to travel.  There were view of the rivers and lakes all along the route.

Knit River from Anchorage train to Denali

view from the dining car

bridge over the river 

Mike picked me up at the train depot in the park and after pizza in town at the Prospector's restaurant, we went to the camping spot in Savage River Campground that he'd already setup.  It was quiet, pine-scented with just a bit of chill.

campsite at Savage River Campground in Denali

Saturday morning we were up at 5:30 am to catch the 6:15 am 12 hour, round-trip tour bus ride to Wonder Lake.  We were again lucky to get clear views of Denali at Eielson point and beyond.

Denali at Eielson point

Denali

Denali on road to Wonder Lake

Along the way we saw moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and grizzles!  The caribou walked across in front of us and then along the side of the bus. 

Caribou

A mama bear and two cubs were resting in a field when a large male grizzly started to approach.  The mama ushered her cubs away quickly toward the road and crouched down in the tall grass, keeping her eye on the male who is known to attack the cubs.  

Grizzly bear

He ambled along a stream between them and then up the road in front of our bus where he preceded in a leisurely walk on the highway for about 20 minutes.  It made for a worthwhile trip and we were tired an happy to climb into bed that evening.

Sunday we slept in and took a short hike at Riley Creek before going to see the dog kennel demonstration.  

Mike greeting one of the sled dogs

We then hiked the Savage River trail before returning to camp.

Savage River trail

Savage River trail

Denali National Park is six million acres.  You can hike anywhere, get a back country permit and camp overnight in the wilderness or bring a tent or an RV and soak up the majesty of this place.  We are so fortunate to visit such a natural wonder.

Scents and Sounds

July 22, 2018 thru July 26, 2018 Anchorage, AK

It's rained a lot while we've been here in Alaska and we had a steady downpour the past couple of days.  It made me realize how there's more to this trip than just the sights.  I'd though I'd make an inventory of some of the scents and sounds we've experienced. So close your eyes and imagine these.

Sounds

• the steady beat of the rain on the roof of the RV at night
• the dopplered train whistles around Anchorage and Fairbanks
• the ascending roar of jets flown over the military bases
• reveille wake up call and taps at dusk on base
• seagulls cawing and sea lions roaring at Allison Point near Valdez
• ice cracking and rocks tumbling in the crevasses of Kennicott glacier
• glacier water pouring over a hillside into a waterfall and down a river stream
• the foghorn of a cruise ship coming into port
• the slap of a salmon jumping out of the water
• boats rocking in the waves in the harbor in Homer
• the barking of huskies sled dogs practicing runs in the summer
• the wind rustling leaves of birch and aspen trees
• a bear growling from the tree top in JBER Famcamp
• an a capella group performing in the Farmers Market in Fairbanks
• the squeaks and squeals of rusting metal equipment in Chicken
• the honking call of geese in the marshes at Laird Hot Springs
• the creak of wooden planks on bridges spanning the rivers
• the buzz of a mosquito somewhere in the RV
• and most of all, the absence of any sound at all in so many places.

Then there are the smells, the scents of being in a different place.

• the musky loam of decaying leaves after the rain
• the metallic sulphuric smell of lava at Craters of the Moon
• the chilled still air of the Lehman caves
• the misty wet breeze off of Shoshone Falls in Idaho
• fresh asphalt being laid over potholes and frost heaves on the Alaskan highways
• pungent pine trees stretching for miles over mountains
• English tea scones and clotted cream at Lake Louise
• the cold dust in the moraine of a glacier
• the scent of musk ox on the farm in Fairbanks
• wet hot sulfur springs in Laird and Chena hot springs
• reindeer, buffalo and deer sausage in Delta Junction
• the silt glacier dust along Denali Highway
• the close, stuffy stacks of the used bookstores
• the exhaust of the train riding from Whittier to Anchorage
• the giant chocolate fountain at Wild Berry store
• barnacles soaked in seawater on the cruise boats
• a hot coffee while the captain navigates islands in Resurrection bay
• the seabird guano coating the rocks in a rookery
• the whiff of oil along the shore near a derrick
• mushrooms burrowed in tree stumps along a hiking trail
• seas of grass along the Homer Spit
• fresh haddock hung along the porch at the dock in Homer
• warm clean laundry to be folded from the dryers in the campground
• and everywhere along the highway, in gardens, hanging in baskets along the streets are flowers and ferns; indian paintbrush, yellow water-lilies, forget-met-nots, western columbine, monkey flower, lupine, bunchberry and fireweed.

It's more than pictures.

A New Highway

Saturday, July 20, 2018 Denali Highway to Denali North Overlook

We'd not been on the Denali Highway, the original road to Denali Park, during our last trip.   We were going to skip it this trip and then Mike said, let's give it a try and so we drove from Valdez to Paxson and took the Denali Highway about 150 miles west.  It's a different view of Alaska than what we've been seeing.  Surrounded by the Alaskan Range, which included the Denali Peak, are broad expanses of shrub and grasses, intertwined by glacier rivers and lakes. 

Denali highway

lake on Denali highway

To my chagrin, it was also the worst rode we've had the RV on the whole trip.  It was dusty, a fine silt that got everywhere inside the RV

  

Denali highway silt

We're glad to cross that road off, not to be visited again!

When we came out on the western side it was after 5:00 pm so we drove south toward Anchorage and stopped for the night at the Denali North Overlook.  From the parking lot, this was the view of Denali the next morning, about 40 miles away

5:00 AM Mike's pic of Denali from DNO

Denali from DNO about 8am

It's truly breathtaking.  Everywhere we go, the scenery is spectacular.  My eyes are full of the images.  We're hanging out in Anchorage the rest of the week until Friday when I'm taking the train to Denali and Mike is driving up. 

Valdez Redux

Thursday, July 19, 2018 through Friday, July 20, 2018

After McCarthy, we decided to return to Valdez to try fishing and enjoy a couple of sunny days there. This time we camped along the road on Allison Point.  As we were turning onto the road to the point, an 18 wheeler was turning onto the highway.  As we faced each other in opposite lanes, a moose bolted out of the trees on the left and ran across the highway between the two vehicles.  It was heart stopping that neither of us hit the moose.  That was a little bit too close to nature!

pink salmon returning to spawn

The pink salmon were returning and were swarming at the fish hatchery

sea lions

This brings out the sea lions - I saw five of them at once.

Mike declared Valdez the most scenic area we've visited.  It's surrounded by towering snow capped peaks with pine forests to the shore of the bay.  The water is silver blue grey from glacier runoff meeting the incoming ocean.

tide coming in on Valdez bay

It's relaxing to be here and enjoy a long walk along the edge of the bay.  We're headed north again on Saturday.

Here comes the sun!

Wednesday, July 18, 2018 McCarthy and Kennicott

First, a few pictures from our campsite at Blueberry Lake

the view out our front windown

Our RV at the edge of Blueberry Lake

The sun finally came out Tuesday night after a bit of rain, what a lift!  This Arizona girl needs her rays!  This was the view of one of the mountains from our campsite at about 9:30 at night

Mount Blackburn

We got up early and left by 7 am to head out McCarthy Road to the Wrangell-St Elias National Park.  Inside the park is the remains of the Kennicott Copper Mining Company's copper mine that operated from 1890's until the late 1920's about.  They took out over 500 million dollars in copper ore by rail.  the rail lines were taken up and McCarthy Road was build over the path.

It's 67 miles out from our campground at Kenney Lake and took us almost 2 hours to get there, with roller coaster ice heaves, potholes and gravel.  When you get to the Copper River, there's a pedestrian bridge that you park near and then walk across.  A shuttle van takes you the mile or so into McCarthy and an additional 4 miles into Kennicott.  As we crossed the bridge on our return, this iceberg was sitting in the river, the result of the previous day's jokuhlhaup (I'll let you look that up)

iceberg broken off in Copper River

Once in Kennicott, we took a 3 mile round trip hike to the edge of the Root Glacier.  There's a vast moraine or dump of rocks from the glacier receding in front of the glacier as it vanishes over the mountain.  We could hear the rocks and water falling from the crevasses.

 

Root Glacier moraine

Mike on glacier

Bonnie on glacier

We had lunch at a fancy hotel in the park and then took the shuttle back to our car and drove back to the RV, getting there at 7 pm - a full day!

Valdez and Blueberry Lake

Saturday and Sunday, July 13-14, 2018 Valdez through Monday, July 15, 2018 Blueberry Lake

The weather has an impact on how enjoyable a place can be.  The three nights we stayed in Valdez it rained most of the time, the sun only breaking through int he late afternoon for a short while to cast rays across the white-tipped mountains surrounding the bay.

On Sunday I went into town to explore.  My first top, pardon the genealogist here, was the Valdez Memorial Cemetery.

Bear carving as memorial

I enjoy trying to fulfill request for pictures of grave sites or memorials from Find A Grave, an online grave site registry.  I wasn't able to find the one request for this cemetery; however, the community had set a walking path with plaques explaining the evolution of Valdez through the citizens buried here.  It was a nice slice of history.  

The Russian Orthodox church has been established in Alaska for decades; their crosses are distinctive. The top cross bar symbolizes the plaque above Christ's head; the middle where Jesus's hands were nailed; the bottom where his feet rested, pointing up to the right to the penitent thief.

Russian Orthodox crosses

I moved on and took the Airport road to reach Valdez Glacier Park

A small lake is at the end of the glacier and unlike our last visit in 2016, the time it was full of icebergs and floating pieces.  It's wonderful to see the crystal clear ice up close.

Going on in to town, I had some lunch and then visited the Maxine and Jessie Whitney Museum.  Maxine had begun collecting items of Alaska when her husband started working in the state.  She eventually purchased a gift shop from a friend and stocked it with her treasurers.  She was a shrewd business woman.  Born in 1917, she never had children and at 91 is still living, spending summers in Fairbanks and winters in Arizona.

She traveled throughout Alaska getting to know the Native artists and peoples and collecting an promoting their works.  The museum has items from the gift shop she purchased as well as her own finds from kitschy to true art.

ivory figurines

a "giant mosquito" made of wire and plastic

There are over a dozen animals in the collection; two gigantic polar bears, grizzles, wolves, husky dogs, sea lion and numerous birds.  The largest is a moose that towers over 10 feet.

The taxidermy makes them seem to follow you with their eyes; the musk ox and wolf were threatening!

Musk ox

wolf

Numerous plaques explained in Maxine's own words how she acquired the items. 

On Monday we went 25 miles back up the Richardson Highway to Blueberry Lake Recreation Area, one of the most scenic campgrounds according to brochures.  It's surrounded by the high green peaks of the mountains.  A nice, quiet place for one night, our fifth in the row "off the grid".  Pictures later!