Friday, 27 June 2015 - Minneapolis to Pittsburgh

We had a 3 hour layover in MSP so we got a bit of breakfast and charged electronics. Not much sleep during the journey from Fairbanks, but at least we weren't interrupted by pilot chatter or meal service as on the way to England.

Departed on time and arrived PIT at 12:45. To Globe Parking, the Mars P.O to pick up mail and then home. We quickly unpacked our clothing bags, made piles of laundry, changed clothes and headed to PNC Park for the Braves/Pirates game. Could you say tired? Earle was falling asleep during the game so inhaled a few huge Diet Cokes.

Of course, the game went into extra innings before Jordy Mercer hit a walk-off double. Buccos win 3-2. Will do it all over again tomorrow at 4:05 if the weather holds.

Finally bedtime after 36 waking hours.

Thursday, 25 June 2015 - Fairbanks to Minneapolis

We had intended for this to be a sleep-in relaxing morning, but the dining room at the Bear Lodge closed at 9 for breakfast. We knew the day would be a bit disjointed, so we opted for a good breakfast.

The hotel group ran a shuttle so we headed up to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks campus to visit the Museum of the North. The campus sits high on a hill, but the fires were creating a lot of smoke, so visibility was horrible. The museum had a very nice collection of Alaskan artifacts, historical documents and memorabilia, and lots of preserved animals. We were also able to see 2 films - one on the Northern Lights and one on the life cycle of the bow head whale.

Dall Sheep

Rack of mastodon!

We didn't see a polar bear, but this was a beautiful example

Yes, I actually did go on this trip! The grizzly was about the size we had seen in Denali.

Also on display was an eclectic outhouse. Of course we know who had to try it out, blue styrofoam and all - keeps the tush from freezing. 

After the museum we boarded the shuttle and headed for Pioneer Park.

On display was the rail car that Warren Harding rode to get to the location of the joining of the Alaska Railroad sections. There was a replica of the Golden Spike that he used. 

We spent a few hours there looking at the cabins that had been moved from other parts of Fairbanks to keep the heritage of the Gold Rush alive.There was a train and carousel, but neither was working due to the air quality. 

Grabbed a quick lunch at The Crepery - very good. Sharon had her stand-by of ham and cheese, Earle - fig and prosciutto, and I had a bruschetta crepe with roasted peppers, artichokes, kalamata olives, and blue cheese. Yum. That would have to hold us for the rest of the night/morning.

Back to the hotel to charge electronics, gather luggage and make our way to the airport at 6:00. 

The Fairbanks Airport (FAI) has 8 gates, but a good bar so we had our last Alaskan stout.

On the plane and off we go at 9:30 pm. - 1:30 am EDT. 

Landed a bit early in Minneapolis and everyone made connections. 

Wednesday, 24 June 2015 - Fairbanks

It was a fairly early morning today as we needed to board the coach by 8:05. At least we didn't have to get the luggage in the hall earlier. It was nice to spend 2 nights in one place. Had some coffee in the room before we left since we knew there would be refreshments aboard the riverboat.

Just a short drive and we arrived at the dock of the Discovery III, a reclaimed riverboat owned by the Brinkley family who came from Minnesota and stayed in Alaska. The weather was forecast to be about 84 today, but it was a brisk morning for us as we had decided to wear shorts for the day. Onboard there were delicious donuts and hot coffee and we pushed away from shore on the Cheena River.

The trip was well orchestrated with ship to river to shore conversations. We listened to a bush pilot as he was attempting a take-off from the river. However, he couldn't get clearance from the control tower due to the smoke.

Then we got to the home of an Iditarod team trained by Laura Allaway. She demonstrated how some young puppies learned the ropes both mentally and physically from some of the older dogs. They were some of the dogs trained and run by Susan Butcher, who won the Iditarod numerous times. She was married to David Munson before her death in 2006. He carries on her legacy and they hope to have another winning team in 2017.

We then had an interpretative tour of an Askaban village that featured explanations of life, traditions, and clothing of the native people.

After our 3 hour tour, that also included a glimpse of a house that Ronald and Nancy Reagan used when visiting Fairbanks, we went to the huge dining room and had a delicious family style lunch of beef stew, roasted vegetables, salad, and a brownie topped with salted caramel and coconut.

Back on the coach, we traveled about 20 minutes to the Gold Dredge8 site. There was a very informative presentation on the history of the Alaska Pipeline. It is a major feat how the pipeline was constructed to withstand the permafrost and earthquakes that are present in Alaska.

We then boarded a train for a short journey during which we learned how the gold was dredged before all the regulations by OSHA, the EPA, and the MOSHA imposed on the operations. The companies also had loss profitablity because of the standardization of gold at $35 per oz.

Sharon helping Earle pan for gold. Sharon was the winner with $15 worth, then Carole with $14, and Earle with $7. It was fun and once you get the hang of it, fun to do. You just have to trust the fact that the gold settles to the bottom under the sand.

Back to the hotel to reorganize suitcases and prepare for our departure tomorrow. Had a delicious Copper River Salmon dinner as our last taste of Alaska. It's been an unbelievable adventure and we have seen so many breathtaking sights as well having learned so much.

Disappoint 5-2 loss to the Reds today. We listened to the game as we repacked. Starting pitchers seem to be in a bit of a slump. We will be home just in time to be at Friday night's game at PNC Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Tuesday, 23 June 2015 - Denali to Fairbanks

Since we had upgraded our Natural Wilderness Tour to the Tundra Wilderness Tour yesterday, we had a free morning til our departure at 2:15. It was nice to have our luggage out at 8 and a leisurely breakfast that followed. The Denali Lodge complex is a bit more compact than the McKinley one was and had a variety of shops to visit. We walked around a bit and then settled in the lodge where I was able to post a couple of updates to the blog. The Internet has been a major stumbling block on this trip even when wireless WiFi is promised. It's just another misleading promise from Princess.

We left Denali and headed toward Fairbanks. The smoke and haze masked any scenery other than what was relatively close in front of us.

 

We had a rest stop about halfway through our 3 hour journey at Nenana, a tiny village on the the river that bears its name. There was a cultural center there as well as rest rooms. Nenana's claim to fame is the lottery that it sponsers each year. A tripod with a clock is suspended in the ice and lottery participants try to guess the exact day, date, and minute that the ice will break up in the spring. Half of the winnings go to the winner and the other half to the foundation that supports educational funds. Last year over $300k was wagered.

 

Retired tripod for the ice break-up wager

Arrived at our hotel, Bear Lodge, in Fairbanks around 5:30. Found all of our luggage in the room and that was a relief. We had sent one bag from the ship that was delivered directly to Fairbanks and we were glad to be finally reunited.

Finished listening to the Bucs' come from behind win in the room before we headed out for dinner. Great win with two stellar innings pitched by Watson and Melancon!

Dinner at an Italian restaurant, Geraldo's, around the corner from the hotel. Food was very good, but incredibly slow service.

Back to the hotel for a nightcap and then bed.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Monday, 22 June 2015 - McKinley to Denali

We opted for a quick breakfast this morning so we could be ready for our "shuttle" to the Princess Denali Lodge. Before we left we were able to upgrade our Tuesday morning tour to an 8 hour tour this afternoon. We left McKinley at 9:15 and were assured that we would arrive in time for our 1:10 departure. The best laid plans.... We ran into so much construction traffic that stopped the coach for a half hour at a time. I was convinced that we would never make it, but we did with about 15 minutes to spare. So we jumped off one coach and hopped on our upgraded school bus for the Tundra Wilderness Tour.

This tour was an exploration 53 miles deep into the tundra of Denali National Park. the second oldest national park. Unfortuately because of the smoke from the forest fires the summit of Denali (Mt. McKinley) was not able to be seen. We will add this to the list of Dublin's Book of Kells and the Sistine Chapel as places we to which we have traveled and not been able to see an important place there. But, the scenery at the lower heights was still so beautiful and breathtaking. We got to over 4000 feet in elevation, well above the treeline. Our guide, Terry Grabow, was a virtual encyclopedia of Denali information. I am now finally aware of the confusion between McKinley and Denali. McKinley is the name recognized by the U.S. government and Denali is the Athabascan name that Alaska recognizes. Every so many years legistlation is introduced to change the name back.

In addition to the magnificent scenery, the wildlife spottings were so exciting. We did not find a fox, but did see the other large animals that inhabit the park. Most of the pictures were taken from inside our bus because the animals get frightened of people and run away. Unfortunately, on one side of the pass we ran into some rain which made the windows very dirty.

A moose and her calf

High up on the side of one of the mountains was a flock of Dall sheep. They really looked like specks of white from the road.

The road, single lane at best, hugged the edges of cliffs. It was a very scary ride on the return trip as I was sitting on the right side of the bus. Sharon made fun of my anxiety! Again, pictures cannot do justice to the majesty of this land. There are infinite oohs and ahs at every turn. Denali is a 600,000 acre part and home to the Alaskan Mountain range. There are glacier paths, river beds, and snow capped mountains. It should be on every American's must see list.

 

As usual, Sharon provides the levity.

We were so excited to see our first grizzly bear. It was frolicking and eating very close to a caribou and neither paid any attention to the other. I didn't get to the other side of the bus to get a picture of them in close proximity. There were a number of busses stopped to see the bear and nonchalantly he crossed the road to the other side right between two of them. Definitely a high point of the day.

The steep cliffs of glacier worn land. Look closely at the right most peak of the formation.

Our guide spotted a gyrfalcon perched high on the cliff. He has very well trained eyes.

We saw many caribou, that it almost became passé when someone spotted them. They are huge and the racks are massive.

The tour was an incredlble experience and we are so glad we upgraded it from the 17 mile that Princess had scheduled for us. This will leave us some time on Tuesday morning to regroup and take advantage of the WiFi in the lodge.

On a down side, I found that I left a camera battery in its charger back in McKinley. I called the lodge and no one had turned it in. They will have to wait for morning to get housekeeping involved. I have a feeling that I maybe cameraless for the remainder of the trip. But Earle and Sharon have cameras and I will rely on their pictures for Fairbanks.

Bucs didn't play today. Hopefully, they will find their bats when they return to PNC Park on Tuesday.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Sunday, 21 June 2015 - Anchorage to McKinley

We all had a good night's sleep in Anchorage even though our luggage had to be ready by six. We cheated a bit, but did get it ready by 6:45 and the staff was very accommodating. A short coach ride took us to the railroad station where we boarded the train bound for the Princess McKinley Lodge. We had breakfast on the train and also a Moose Mary and Sharon had a Minty Moose Mocha. Tis the land of moose.

The train took us through areas of pure country and new housing developments that will serve as bedroom communities to Anchorage. We went through Wassila, but got no glimpse of Sarah Palin or her mansion in the woods. We then passed through Willow where the forests have been ravaged by fires. They and some other fires to the north have obscured the usually clear Alaskan skies. There were even some firefighters still present, but the train was moving too quickly to catch them in the photo.

 

We arrived at our destination of Talkeetna, the inspiration for the TV show Northern Exposure. It really was an Alaskan village that still retained it's sleepiness of the 60s.

Being parched after the train ride, we headed for the Denali Brewery where we had a pint of Chulitna stout. It was very similar to Guiness and was a refresing beverage for a very warm day.

Of course there's always some fooling around afrer a pint. No shortage of that here.

 

We booked a jet boat excursion on the Three Rivers - reminiscent of our Pittsburgh. The boats are powered by jet engines and can navigate in as little as 12" of water. They reach speeds on the rivers of 45 mph.

It was an such a beautiful day with clear skies and warm temperatures, perfect for seeing all the wildlife and shore topography. We were able to spot eagles in so many places. This is a new parent guarding the 250 # nest. They are such magestic creatures that is no wonder that they are our natural bird. Bald actually comes from the old English balde which means white.

 

The eagles are spotted in the trees and on the rivers.

On the shore were some holes that had been dug out of the sand/silt. As we watched we saw swallows flying in and out of them. The natural beauty of this state and its flora and fauna are so beautiful.

We walked for about a half mile on the trail as our naturalist, Jen explained some of the history of the trapping in the area. This is a bear-proof cache house in the woods. The ladder can be lowered and there are tin wrappings on the stilts so that the bear can't climb the polls.

After the tour, we disembarked the boat at our lodge for the night. We went to the room and then headed to the main lodge for dinner. The accommodation was comfortable and we looked forward to the 'morrow's adventure.

It would be best that the Bucs leave Washington, D.C. as soon as possible. Morton had a bad outing as our Pirates lost 9-2. No game tomorrow. Hope to listen to them on Tuesday on the coach.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Saturday, 20 June 2015 - Whittier to Anchorage

After a night of no sleep, I got out of bed around 6:00. We were leaving the ship and heading to Whittier and Anchorage this morning. Our cruise was over and we started on the land part of the trip. Pro tip: find out when you book a cruise where the luggage is off loaded before passenger disembarkation. We were quite fortunate? to have a room right below the gangway to shore. All night long the luggage was taken down and the metal clanging and ship shaking kept this light sleeper awake. It will be an early night tonight.

We docked in Whittier around midnight and at 8:05 left the ship for our trip to Anchorage. It was about an hour by coach, but we made a couple of stops on the way. In transit we traveled through a 2.5 mile tunnel that was one-way only. There were 8 safe places in the tunnel in case of emergency. Only about 55 people can transit the tunnel at one time because that is what the safe houses can accommodate.

Our first stop was Portage Lake, another glacier fed lake. Again, such a breathtaking vista.

 

Our second stop was the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. It is a place for helping animals recover and then be reintroduced into the wild. Today's weather was mild, but cloudy. Keeping watch was this majestic eagle.

There were moose, caribou, muskoxen, a couple of lynx and some bears - We finally found us a bear, even though they weren't in the wild.

We arrived in Anchorage a bit after noon. After checking our hand luggage at the Princess desk in the Visitor's Center. Our timing was right to be able to get on an Anchorage City Trolley tour. It was an hour long ride through the city that gave some history and insight into what keeps Anchorage going as the largest city in Alaska. A large part of the population here have airplanes and slips are as common as leasing parking places in other cities. The number of small aircraft was pretty impressive and they even have the right of way. The oil industry created quite a boom in the state's economy and it continues today. There is no state income tax or sales tax.

 

After the Good Friday, 1964 earthquake most of the downtown was destroyed. When buildings were rebuilt, a number of them were painted. This one shows the whales that are native to the area.

We checked into our hotel for the night - the Captain Cook. It was a very comfortable room, spacious, clean, and with cable and Internet. Dinner at Fletchers, a pub, in the hotel completed a very even paced and enjoyable day, despite the massive Princess confusion at hotel check-in.

 

Bucs lose again in a near perfect game for the Nationals. Need to get back on the winning track!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted with Blogsy