Fairbanks and an interesting town called Nenana

We left Riley Creek campground in Denali National Park about 11:30 after a sound sleep.  It was a good time to leave as the weather had taken a real dip.  Dark cloud and a cold wind whipped through the park.  We were headed for a little town that we had read about and it really sounded like a place to spend a couple days.  As it turned out it was not what we had expected. 

 Nenana was at one time the supply depot for the miners and fur traders in the area. There was a large River boat that shuffled man and goods to Fairbanks up the Tanana River. 

With the onset of the Railroad the town has come to its’ demise.  The town comes to life during the Salmon fishing season. And Bear and Moose hunting is big in the winter as the hunters are transported by boat to the back country from this town.

A note of interest is that the Iditarod race originated in Nenana.  There had been a threat of a diphtheria epidemic in Nome and a 20-pound capsule holding the serum was railed to Nenama from Seward. On Jan.27, 1925 , in the coldest part of winter, it was more than-40 degrees  and planes could not fly, so a relay team of 20  mushers, using over a hundred dogs, passed the package from village to village along the trail to Nome. They arrived on Feb. 2, with the serum firmly wrapped in quilting, but frozen solid. It was thawed, and many lives were saved.

The RV Park was nice with clean restrooms and laundry but Chuck decided to move on after one night.

 We pulled onto the Richardson Hwy. Tuesday Aug 21 about noon with a Fairbanks map in hand. Autumn is very evident on the hillsides as the Birch and Cottonwood trees are changing colors and the leaves are starting to fall.  Along the road we would see a tree that the leaves were so yellow it looked like a spot light was on it. 

 As we drove into Fairbanks we saw that the City worked hard to have lots of flowers giving off color to the city. 

The down town area had hanging flower pots and street side pots at most corners.  At 1:30 we got settled into space 29 at the Chena River Recreation site a park in the State Park system. C&J were given a letter stating they were to be allowed to stay without charge in most State Parks and the Host honored the letter.  We were pleased to find the site had water and electricity, two things we had not enjoyed in other State Parks. 

It was early, so after lunch we took off to check out the town and to find the Wells Fargo Bank so we could pick up the Canadian cash we had ordered for our travels through that area.  We found the town easy to get around and since they were doing some road work in down town we decided to head out to see the old gold mining area of Fox.  The countryside was still green, rolling hills with a wide roadway leading from town.  The Gold Dredge #8 is located in Fox and since the parking lot was full of tour busses we passed on the idea of seeing it up close but we could see it from the road and saw that it must of have been a noisy behemoth piece of machinery. It was shut down in 1959 with environment worries. We returned to camp over the Farmers Road where the Musk Ox and Caribou research center is located and found it closed so decided to come back during the morning lecture to learn about this curiously interesting animal.

The park is located on the North end of Fairbanks and nicely located to all the attractions in the area. C&J walked down to the Chena River and checked out the park grounds then walked over to the Mexican restaurant for a drink. It was a nice evening and a great ending to an interesting day.

Wednesday was a lazy day and a day to do chores and shopping. Late in the afternoon Chuck felt like he needed a nap so while he slept Jane walked down to the river. I took my Eagle friend Freedom and my fishing pole in hopes of bringing home dinner. But no luck at the quiet Tanana river. 
 While down there she called to find out where BJ and Dixie were located and found they were at the Fairbanks hospital.

What? When? How? Is he Ok now? Were the only things Jane could think of as the shock of learning that BJ had just gone in for surgery.  He had complained of pressure in his chest and Dixie got him right to the Doctors office.  The Dr. sent him directly to the hospital and within a couple hours he had had surgery and was in recovery.  It seemed that 95 % of the main artery of his heart was plugged so the Dr. put in a couple stints and said he would do well. Dixie said they would send him home on Thursday. Jane said she would check in on Thursday afternoon.

Thursday morning early we headed to the U of AK Musk oxen, Rain Deer and Caribou Research center to learn about these local animals. Upon arrival we saw big bull Muskoxen sparing.  It seems it is mating season and the 3 bulls in the yards nearest the road were not chosen to be breeders so were upset and fighting each other. 
They would back off at a distance and then at 40 miles an hour, run at each other and bang heads.  The noise was unnerving but the impact was felt mostly by their huge horns. We learned that Musk Oxen are more related to the Goat and Sheep and are not, at all, an Oxen.  They have a nasty attitude and are not able to be domesticated. The student that was talking with us said they can turn on a person very quickly so they are handled with great care and safety.  The undercoat of their fur is combed out and is weaved into a fine, light and warm fabric. It is hard to come by and very expensive.  
We learned the difference between Caribou and Rain deer. 

The heavier and stronger Caribou can be domesticated and has been for many years. 

The Rain deer have a more slight body and are not domesticated. They are just deer.

We left the study grounds and went over to the University Museum.  The Museum is very well done with great displays and beautiful art work. C&J were there for 4 hours and know they missed some of the displays but they were getting tired and still wanted to stop to see the Sand hill Cranes. 
 At Creamer’s Field Migratory Water Fowl Refuge they watched as the Sand hill Cranes and Canadian Geese settled onto the fields for the evening.   It was dinner time so they stopped at the Loose Moose restaurant for a sandwich and then it was back to camp.  After a game of cards it was bed time.

Friday morning Dixie called to say BJ was doing fine and that he was up and about and we were welcome to stop by before leaving Fairbanks.  So on our way to North Pole we stopped in for a short visit.  BJ looked great and was eager to share how his alarming day had gone.  He was pleased with the service and care all of the doctors and staff had given him.  We think he was thanking his lucky star for being in Fairbanks when this emergency happened.  The Dr. wanted him to be seen in a week so they were settled into an RV park that wasn’t far from the Hospital.  We promised to stay in touch and with hugs and" see you when you come through Oregon", we headed to North Pole. 

Denali National Park

                                             Denali National Park

August 17, 2012 arrived with clouds hanging onto the mountains tops but this didn’t dampen C&J’s desire to get to Denali Park so with breakfast dishes cleared away and everything secured, Chuck headed the pickup North again.

It is hard to describe the country side in this area because it changes at every turn. Rugged, jagged, cold and threatening Mountain tops push up from treeless hills into the clear blue sky. The rugged land between the road and the foot hills are covered with a blanket of thick brush and tall grass. We searched this wild area for any kind of wild life but if an animal would have been close it could not have been seen. There were many signs that read “beware of Bear, Moose and even Wolverines” but we never saw them.

The Denali Park sign appeared and we all got excited. Everyone had said we wouldn’t want to miss this wonderful mysterious park.  Mt McKinley, Bear, Dall sheep, Moose, Caribou and Wolf were all the things we wanted to check off of our “most likely to see list”, while in the park.

So we went right to the registration and information center and then headed to Riley Creek campground and our camp site on Bear loop. C&J signed up for an 11 hour bus ride into the back country of the park which they would be doing on the morrow.  It was lunch time so Jane started sandwiches while Chuck chatted with the camp Host and the Ranger.  After lunch C&J went exploring and found the store (ice-cream) and the bus stop where they would catch the bus, at 6: A.M., for the day long tour.

The park transportation system is great. One can ride a free bus to all places of interest in the park.  One can get a pass for a ride deeper into the park if one wants to hike the back country.  One of the drivers describes this as “leaving the security of a bus to become part of the food chain”. We saw lots of bears on our bus ride, so we know where her thoughts came from. 

C&J took advantage of the “free bus” or the “Green bus” and rode up to the information center where they watched a movie about how the park was developed and then enjoyed all of the exhibits.  A stop at the restaurant for a beer and waffle fries was truly enjoyed. Then it was a downhill, one mile walk back to camp.  This was needed after the beer and waffle fries. By 7:30 P.M. they were ready for bed and eager for their 6: AM bus ride in the morning.

Saturday the 18^th of Aug. proved to be 35 degrees and a bit foggy but that cool the excitement of the day.  They caught the 5:45 bus from camp and headed to the wilderness learning center where they caught the 6:15 for the 86 mile trip to Wonder Lake.

It was light as the bus started up the bumpy road, which was under construction, and the sun was just starting over the hills and C&J knew it was going to be a great day.  As the bus arrived at Savage River Campground, where the last group of excited site seers were picked up, the sun broke over the jagged mountain top and the cameras started clicking.  This stop is only 13 miles into the park and is where the private vehicles can go no further.  There is a campground there that folks can drive to but then they can’t drive their vehicle until they leave the park, thus the free bus.

The Fall colors shown so vividly on the hill sides and the contrast of the jagged mountains and bright blue sky gave everyone so much joy. 

The driver, a very informative woman, teased us with glimpses of Mt. McKinley as we twisted and turned deeper into the back country.  We would turn a corner and there in the cleft of two high peaks would be just the snow covered tip of Mt. McKinley and the cameras would click like crazy.  Then a hushed cry for “Stop, Dall Sheep on the right”, and the bus creaked as the weight shifted to that side as everyone tried to see the sheep. Their white coats contrasted sharply with the dark gray walls they climbed on. So cameras clicked and hushed excitement filled the bus.  A couple of Caribou were sighted and then real excitement was generated when the first big silver backed Bear was sighted. It felt like the bus was going to tip over but it was great, as everyone could see him scamper across the road. C&J were wishing they had better cameras at that point. 

There were stops along the way where they could leave the bus to stretch and have a health break.  One was by a river another on a high point ,Eielson Visitor Center, where everyone enjoyed the sight of Mt. McKinley and all of its’ glory.  There aren’t enough words to describe the beauty of this 20,320 foot high mountain range around it. And on this day, with a brilliant cloudless blue sky as a back drop, it stood unbelievably high and mighty.  At mile 85 we arrived at Wonder Lake.

It was noon and we were to have a half hour to have the lunch we had brought along to enjoy.  C&J hiked out onto a blueberry covered high vantage point and enjoyed peanut butter, celery and the low growing blue berries for lunch. Now they know why the Bears enjoy this succulent berry.  But they did wonder how many they have to eat to put on their winter fat because this verity of blueberry is very small.

The return trip was just as exciting as the prior trip with sightings of Bear, Caribou and a flock of Ptarmigan which is the Alaska state bird.  We arrived back at the Wilderness Center about 5: P.M. exhausted but still excited about the day. After dinner and reviewing the pictures over and over again, C&J headed to bed to dream about a snow covered mountain and a delightful blue bird day.

Sunday proved to be another bright, warm and sunny day. 

After chores C&J took off to check out the Railroad Depot hiking trail. The wind had picked up which was delightful as it whipped through the Birch and Cottonwood and cooled the warm day.  At one point C&J stopped to feel the leaves dance in the tree tops of the Birch trees and laughed as they met another couple that confirmed that C&J had become true “Tree huggers”.  It was interesting how smooth and cool the Birch bark was, opposed to the warm rough bark of the Spruce tree. 

About half way to the station the path went through an area that had been settled by a fellow that built a hotel to accommodate the gold miners and later the Railroad that came in to supply the miners. They found the Railroad station interesting and realized that the station connects travelers with Anchorage and the Cruise ships at Seward. 

They enjoyed a burger at the restaurant then caught the free bus to the Sled dog kennels.  There they enjoyed a presentation of how the dogs are taught to pull the sled and about the breeding of these very special dogs.

 Because it was still early Chuck suggested taking the free bus on the 15 mile trip to the Savage River with a chance to see more wild life. They caught the bus and enjoyed the ride to the river and got to see a big cow Moose munching on the bushes beside the road on the return trip.  Since Jane had started a spicy soup before leaving she warmed it up and mixed up some corn bread while Chuck got the generator going to charge up the batteries. And since it was past happy hour the cold beer really tasted good. Relaxing, after all the hiking and enjoyment of Denali National Park, was welcome.

Heading back to Oregon

                           

August and Heading back to Oregon

Well, we have turned in all of the keys and supplies; Chuck has everything in its’ place in the bed of the pickup and Jane has everything secured inside the trailer, so it’s onto the road we go!

It has been a great 3 months at Ninilchik River Campground as we have met wonderful people and have seen many beautiful parts of Alaska.  So we leave the camp site as we found it and head north on the road that will allow us to see more of Alaska’s natural beauty.

And talking beauty, I have to digress just for a moment to tell about a “lost foot bridge”.  It seems some years ago Ranger Dave had heard about an old trail that had gone through part of the park but he had never uncovered the bridge.  Well one evening he stopped by to say he had uncovered a corner of the foot bridge and would get to uncovering it “someday”. 

 Well C&J were eager to do something before leaving so they went down to the trail and uncovered the foot bridge.  They found a 20 long 8 foot wide bridge made out of 6 inch by 24 inch old timber planks 8 feet long.  The moss and grass that covered it apparently had protected it for many years as it looked in pretty good shape.  C & J wished they would have found it earlier in the season so folks could have enjoyed the path all summer.  They told Dave about uncovering the bridge and he checked it out and he too was amazed at how well it had weathered over the years.  He said he would put protective coating on it when it got dried out so it will be enjoyed for many years to come.

Now back to our travels.  Our first stop for the night would be Clam Gulch Camp Ground another Alaska State Park that is hosted by Lena and Charles Sutton. They had set up a potluck for the night and we would be able to say “Good-by” to all of our new friends at one time.  It turned out to be an enjoyable evening with great food and even more wonderful fellowship. Even-thought we may never exchange another hug, we all felt like we were leaving family members. As everyone said to “stay in touch” and headed back to their camps, J&C took their last walk on the beach. 

 It was a very pretty night and the sundown was spectacular.

Six A.M. came early, and Chuck wanted to reach Wasilla before evening and stay the night with Joe and Terry Quinn who had been Hosts at Deep Creek campground. After a call for directions and a stop for a burger, we pulled into their large lot. They are full time travelers now and live in their large 5^th wheel. They park at this home lot with a large 3 bay shop and a cover for their trailer. It was good to see them and see their dog Brandy.  We had breakfast at their favorite restaurant in the morning and chatted a bit more about their plans for travel and the possibility that they would stop in Clackamas for a visit in September.  After big hugs we headed north again.

The nice weather was hanging on so Chuck headed onto Hwy 3 George Parks Hwy.  Around noon Jane checked the State Parks listings and found Byers Lake State Park and it was decided that it would be the place to park for the night.  

Upon arrival we found it to be a real natural area with dense brush and trees around spacious camp sites. We had seen the lake as we pulled in so after settling in on our chosen spot C&J went for a walk down to the lake to check it out. After a very short walk they returned to camp as the wind coming across the lake was cold and it looked like it was going to rain.

After dinner was cleared away they got out the map and information regarding Denali National Park this was to be the destination for the next 3 nights. Since the trees were very dense and there was no natural light or electricity at this camp site bedtime came early. Darkness is coming earlier in Alaska at this time of the year. We remember very well how we had to cover our windows earlier in the Spring and Summer because it never got dark enough at bedtime. 

Kachemak Bay State Park

                                                Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park July 6-8 2012

Time is getting short here at Ninilchik River Campground and we are getting excited about the next part of this adventure.  Departure date is Aug 14 about 12:noon.  We will be spending the night at Clam Gulch Campground as Charles and Lena Sutton are holding the last Pot Luck at their campground.

I have to back up a week or two to tell about a great trip that C and J went on with Gary, Polly, BJ and Dixie. The District Ranger Roger MacCampbell had visited earlier in the Month to tell everyone about a visit to the Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park.

 There would be enough room for 3 couples to stay in a small cabin at Halibut Cove campground for 2 nights. Everyone got very excited about the trip as it meant a boat ride from Homer to the remote camp. Everyone had to pack in food, clothing and sleeping bags. There are no services at that camp but it was to be a wonderful get away.  So on Monday July 6 C & J drove down to Deep Creek Campground and rode to Homer with DJ and Dixie.  

At 8:30 am they met Ranger MacCampbell and Gary and Polly at the dock for the 45 minute ride to the Halibut Cove dock.  The weather was clear and everyone enjoyed the ride over and enjoyed seeing sea birds and the very beautiful shore line.

Upon arrival, everyone packed their belongings up the very steep ramp to the walk way to the cabin.  The dense brush and trees soon disclosed the path to the Ranger station and on another raised wooden path the sign directing everyone to the cabin.

The small cabin had a double bed and a double sized bunk bed.  Jane claimed the top bunk and got at getting it comfortable as everyone was ready to explore the area. 

Gary had heard that there was good fishing in one of the lakes close by so he headed out right away to get fish for dinner. 

 The rest followed on his trail but soon found the trail to be quite rough and so after reaching the first lake turned back and enjoyed the sights and sounds on the way back to the cabin.  Upon reaching the cabin, Ranger Bobby Hickman introduced his volunteer staff and told about how the Halibut Cove camp was set up and where the other buildingwere located. The climb up to the lake was quite tiring so Jane climbed up into the bunk for a quick nap while everyone got settled in.  Chuck and BJ found wood and started a fire in the potbelly stove so we could get some dinner.  Gary returned with some nice trout for dinner so the fire place outside needed to get fired up too.  Since there was no light in the cabin and everyone was pretty well done in from the exploration and excitement bedtime came about 9:30 p.m.                     

The next morning broke clear and warm and Ranger Hickman was waiting to take everyone on a boat ride to Glacier Spit where he would leave everyone and from there they would hike to Grewingk Glacier Lake. He stated that he would be on the other side of the Spit to pick everyone up at 3:pm.  He had also assigned a volunteer by the name of Matt to go with us and make sure we were alright.  Matt had done the hike many times so was a great guide and a delightful young man to talk to.  He shared he was from Tennessee and was quite homesick and would be leaving for home around Aug. 15^th.

There were so many wonderful sights on the trail, mushrooms, fungus/ conks, beautiful flowers and fresh Bear scat. No one saw a bear on or around the trail but they had left evidence that they had used the trail just a few minutes before the group got there. Everyone took pictures of the mushroom, but no one took any of the scat. But we did see a bear print.

After about 2 hours in the beautiful rain forest the trail opened onto a rocky flat land where many years ago a glacier had lain. Shortly thereafter the trail dropped onto a sandy beach.  Everyone stopped in awe at the sight before them. There in Grewingk Glacier Lake were many ice-calves floating close to the shore. And the Glacier, even at a distance of about three quarters of a mile, looked so close. 

There was evidence of a fresh calving as the bright blue ice reflected in the still water of the lake. Everyone had packed a lunch so a well earned break was enjoyed by all.  Jane was able to pull in a clump of ice so everyone enjoyed touching the ancient diamond in cold water form.

Knowing the Ranger was going to be at the end of the Saddle trail to take everyone back to camp, Matt took pictures of the group with the Glacier as the back drop and off they went.  

The trail down the Saddle trail was very steep and muddy but everyone made it in time to search for rocks on the beach while Gary and Chuck collected mussels for dinner.  The Ranger arrived at the designated time and the ride back to the dock was slow so everyone could enjoy the beauty of the Halibut Cove Lagoon.

The outside fire was started and the Mussels were cooked and enjoyed right away.  Gary was done in after enjoying his fill of fishing so went to bed about 8:30pm and the girls sat inside the warm cabin and got to know each other, while Chuck and BJ enjoyed the fire pit and chatted with the volunteer crew.

Ranger Roger had stated he would pick everyone up at 1:30 so after breakfast everything was packed up and taken down the steep ramp to the dock. 

The guys got out the fishing poles and enjoyed the time pulling in some little flounder, while the gals chatted.   Jane went up to the overlook and enjoyed just looking at the Lagoon while waiting.  Chuck came up after a while and they watched as a couple bears searching the beach for food. They were scared away when a pair of Kayaks pulled into their view. 

Ranger Roger came about 3:pm at high tide and slowly headed for Homer. He went slowly around the Fox Island so everyone could enjoy seeing all of the sea birds that call that cold wet and windy place their home. 

The ride back to camp was filled with the awe of the three days and how lucky everyone was to get to see such wonderful sights.  After unpacking and enjoying a beer and chips it was bed time and C & J dreamed of the beautiful sights and sounds of the Kachemak Bay.

July has been cool but full of sunny excitement

                                               Bring on some new projects

“Hey, Chuck! I have a project for you” That was the greeting we got from Ranger Dave on a warm Saturday afternoon.  There had been another Host job offered at another camp that C&J had turned down but this project sounded fun.  Dave had brought a Brush cutter for Chuck to run.  There are some areas in the park that need some trimming and Chuck was excited to have a project. The camp has not been full and there hasn’t been much to do so doing some yard work sounded like fun. 

Then a couple days later C&J decided they wanted the drain at the entry to empty.  Chuck got the shovel and awl and they got busy taking the box apart. They found that the drain to the culvert was blocked so they spent the day getting it to drain.  After a couple days Chuck started working on finding the culvert where the water should be draining to. He ended up digging a deep hole before he found the opening to the culvert.  Then there was a dash to the Ranger station to get wood to cover the hole as now there was a danger of someone stepping into it or someone driving their vehicle into the hole. After they finished that project they made a list of all the tables in the park that needed to be replaced.  Later the next week, they went up to the Ranger station and collected replacement boards and got busy replacing seats and table tops.

But before they did those projects they went to the Rodeo. The Ninilchik Rodeo was really enjoyable except for the cold and light rain. They stayed to see the Youth Rodeo which was so enjoyable.  The future buckaroos were fun to watch as some were as young as 6 years old.  After a Caribou hot dog they went home to warm up. 

Fourth of July started off with a coffee and doughnut breakfast at BJ and Dixie’s. DJ is a great cook and everyone enjoyed their morning.  It was a minus tide week and so our camp was full of folks getting their limit of 60 clams a piece. When we returned to our camp we saw that there were a lot of people cleaning and packing clams.  It was a nasty weather day with wind and rain and Jane was happy she didn’t have to clean clams.  Trudy and Phil from Seward stopped by after they had gotten their clams and left off some smoked salmon and rhubarb/raspberry jam.   Boy, are we lucky to have such nice campers that share so many tasty foods.  

Trudy also told us about a B&B in Seward that could accommodate us when we headed that way with BJ and Dixie, so now we are excited to head that way.  Seward is the jumping off place to see the fjords and glaciers from a ship.  BJ and Dixie won the toss to be the drivers and on a cool wet, Tuesday we headed that way.  There were a lot of beautiful sights along the way but since the wind and rain kept us inside the car we will plan another trip into the back country at another time.  It was raining and cold when we got to Seward so we went directly to the Sea life Center.  We enjoyed seeing the displays and the seals that were being fed as they were ready to entertain for their dinner.  It was about 5:p.m. by the time we left there so we went directly to Linda Lou’s B&B.  Linda showed us our rooms which were very comfortable and spacious.  Earlier we had checked with Major Marine Tours to set up our tour of the Fjords and found that they were not doing the 7 hour tour because the weather was too bad in the open ocean. They also stated they wouldn’t be doing that tour until the weather was better.  So, we headed to a Restaurant for some chow and discussed what our next move was.  It was decided that we would visit Lowell Point which is just out of Seward and then head back to camp.  We will check back with Major Marine Tours and will take the cruise at another time. The next morning, even-though it was raining we headed to Exit glacier where BJ, Dixie, Chuck and Jane hiked to where they could almost touch the glacier ice.    

                                                                                            

We are enjoying a bit of nice weather so we have gone down to the water and walked the beach.  We have collected lots of rocks and drift wood.  Chuck even picked up a large Japanese float which he plans to take home.  It is very hard to walk the beach without picking up rocks and shells so we don’t go down too often.  On the day I  got a walking stick and  we walked 5 miles.  We started at Ninilchik River and walked to Crooked Creek where BJ and Dixie are Hosts.  We couldn’t get across the Creek so we had to walk all of the way back to the Ninilchik River.  We were pretty tired because we all kept picking up rocks and sticks.  Since the weather was cool and no rain we really enjoyed the walk.  We even saw a Sea Otter floating off shore. The Inlet was very calm and we could see the Commercial fisherman net fishing at the mouth of the rivers and creeks.  The Salmon have been very few and far between so there are a lot of restrictions on the fishing.  The Ninilchik River is closed to King Salmon fishing as well and most other rivers and streams.  The Pinks are running in the Kenai so everyone is up there enjoying some combat fishing. 

We had an enjoyable visit from a local last night.  She came strutting through camp with her chicks. The Willow Ptarmigan is Alaska’s state bird and this one was so attractive and protective of her brood.  She stayed close to her chicks and chirped and clucked at them until the melted back into the high grassed and scrub bushes. We felt lucky to see them.

As of today the weather is starting to get warm and we are enjoying being outside for longer stretches. That is if there is a wind otherwise we are sent scrambling back inside because of the mosquitoes. They seem to like us but we don’t like them!

 

 We got a call from Ray and Birch at the Ninilchik View Camp asking if anyone was interesting in going fishing.  Boy did C&J jump at that chance. There was a fellow that wanted to fill his fishing boat and was ready to leave.  C&J headed right over to the boat ramp and went out and they brought home 40 lbs. of Halibut. Now we have fish to enjoy.  Also the folks from Oregon that stayed at camp for about 3 weeks came for a visit and dropped off 120 clams for us. It took C&J almost 8hours to clean, package and cleanup but it was worth every minute as the clams are really tender and sweet. Really love those Oregon folks. We will visit them in Umatilla Oregon on our way back home.

The Cruse and the time spent seeing the Fjords was wonderful. It was great to hear how the glaciers moaned and growled as they moved within themselves. The thunderous sounds that came as the glacier pushed off large chunks of its self was tremendous.  We did not want to move on but there was so much to see during the seven and a half cruise.  The wild life showed off for us and we felt like we got our monies worth for this delightful tour. 

We had a great meal of Salmon, prime rib and great desserts. 

  Captain Vicky did a great job of showing us the coast and all of the glaciers along the way.  Even though it was overcast and cool we enjoyed the entire trip    

You can see more pictures on Picasaweb.google.com/chuckandjane/