Alaska 2017
Written by Janie Minten
Photos by Janie Minten
By the time you finish reading this and looking at the pictures, you will have come to the conclusion that I love mountains, and you will be right! Beaches, deserts, plains, whatever, I will take mountains anytime!
I'm going to warn you, this is a long blog. You may not get through it all at one time. However, I pray that you will enjoy it. We had such a good time and I wanted to share every day's activities with you. I truly feel really close to God there. The majesty of His creation is so apparent with the grandeur of the mountains, the lakes, the rivers, and the last frontier! Don't get me wrong! I love Texas and would not live anywhere else in the world, but Alaska is a truly awesome place to visit.
I'm going to warn you, this is a long blog. You may not get through it all at one time. However, I pray that you will enjoy it. We had such a good time and I wanted to share every day's activities with you. I truly feel really close to God there. The majesty of His creation is so apparent with the grandeur of the mountains, the lakes, the rivers, and the last frontier! Don't get me wrong! I love Texas and would not live anywhere else in the world, but Alaska is a truly awesome place to visit.
This was not our first trip to Alaska; it was our third. Both other trips were Inside Passage Cruises; one in May, 20017 and the other in June, 2013. The vacation in 2007 was a Holland America cruise, and then our cousin, Mickey Landrum, flew up to meet us and the four of us spent the next week seeing everything from Seward to Girdwood to Anchorage-to Denali to Fairbanks! We packed a lot into our time. Our second cruise in 2013 was a round-trip Disney Inside Passage from Vancouver and back to Vancouver with our Landrum cousins.
We have always wanted to go back to this beautiful state, so this was our opportunity. Our best friends, Kay and Peggy Zimmer of Kingsville, and their sister, Judy Richter, of Tyler, had the opportunity to go on a seven-day Holland America Cruise. Instead of joining them for the cruise, we decided to fly to Anchorage the same day that they started their cruise in Vancouver, B.C. So, we were in Alaska for a week before they disembarked in Seward where we met them. I (Janie) had the two-week trip all planned out and reservations made so that we wouldn’t waste any precious time during our days in Alaska! It kept us busy and moving for those two weeks!
I made most of the reservations myself using websites. However, for our Wilderness Express Train reservations, Denali Backcountry Adventure, and the hotel at Denali, I used The Alaska Collection. The reservationist who helped me was Arizona Idsinga, who is a true Alaskan! She and I became "friends" as we planned these things. She was really good, and I recommend this group highly.
I made most of the reservations myself using websites. However, for our Wilderness Express Train reservations, Denali Backcountry Adventure, and the hotel at Denali, I used The Alaska Collection. The reservationist who helped me was Arizona Idsinga, who is a true Alaskan! She and I became "friends" as we planned these things. She was really good, and I recommend this group highly.
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The three of us spent the night in San Antonio on July 1, and then flew to Anchorage the next day.
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When we arrived in Anchorage on July 2, the weather was the total opposite of Texas--cool and damp. We rented a car at the airport and drove to The Downtown Anchorage Marriott Hotel where we stayed until Wednesday afternoon.
As Platinum Rewards members, we stay in Marriott Brand Hotels wherever we can. On vacations we pay for these stays with rewards points!
This was the view of Cook Inlet from our 19th floor room. As Platinum Reward members, we are upgraded to Concierge Level Rooms at Marriott Hotels. This also includes access to the Concierge Lounge for breakfast each morning, hors d'oeuvres and desserts in the evenings, and access to bottled water, soft drinks, etc., all day long. It is all complimentary.
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On July 3, it was still very cool and misty. We drove north out of Anchorage to Palmer and Wasilla. The countryside is beautiful, and the rain was never heavy. The misty clouds rolling on the top of the mountains and down into the valleys were gorgeous. We spent most of the day just driving and enjoying the scenery.
When we returned to Anchorage that evening, we went to a restaurant that we had read about. It is called The Bridge Seafood Restaurant.
The restaurant spans this creek. In the background people fishing for salmon can be seen.
The three of us at The Bridge Seafood Restaurant in Anchorage. This is the first self photo taken with my new selfie tripod and remote phone shutter control. (L to R: Janie, Esther, Dorothy.)
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On July 4, it dawned a little sunnier, drier, and warmer. We were blessed to find out that the holiday festivities were all taking place within walking distance of our hotel. We could see the groups that were going to participate in the parade gathering on a street below our window. Dorothy stayed in the room and watched the parade from there. Esther and I walked to a street two blocks over and watched it there.
The Fourth of July parade started promptly at 11:00 a.m., and lasted for an hour. They really honored our country, military, law enforcement, and firefighters. Every group and civic organization in town had something or someone in the parade.
The last picture of the car was a group of British car owners who live in Anchorage. The sign propped on the back of this car with the American flag says, "We didn't lose, we just didn't win!" We got a laugh out of that one!
After the parade, we went back to the hotel, got Dorothy and our car, and drove downtown to the Anchorage Performing Arts Center. Every summer for 101 days, visitors to Anchorage get to enjoy a show called, “AurorA: Alaska’s Great Northern Lights.” The slide presentation on a full-sized movie screen is the phenomenal photography of Dave Parkhurst. If you are in Anchorage during the summer months, this show is highly recommended. Now, I would like to go back someday in the winter and see the Northern Lights—the Aurora Borealis! That's on my bucket list, but perhaps not on Dorothy's and Esther's! LOL I love cold weather, but Dorothy and Esther--not so much!
After driving around and seeing more sights and scenery, we turned to the task of finding a place to eat. We went to a very famous restaurant that is located in every city and tourist place in America--Hard Rock Cafe! We have never eaten at one before, so this was a first time experience for us. What better place than Anchorage? And, btw, the food was delicious! We really enjoyed it.
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July 5 was another beautiful weather day. It was the day we were checking out of the Anchorage Hotel and going to Seward. We turned in the rental car and were driven down to Seward by a van taxi service I had reserved way ahead of time. I got to enjoy the scenery this way, and the driver was more than willing to stop along the way for photographs and sightseeing.
Between Anchorage and Seward - photos of Turnagain Arm
Do you see the cars on the highway? It is a narrow two lane highway all the way from Anchorage to Seward. It is also the only highway!! The scenery is breathtaking!
Just a little of the scenery between Anchorage and Seward. The birds are a Trumpeter Swan family.
Upon arrival in Seward, we checked into our hotel (not a Marriott!!). It is called the Harbor 360 Hotel and is locally owned. (The 360 degree view of the surrounding area is beautiful.) In front of it is mountains, and the back view is the Seward Small Boat Harbor with Resurrection Bay stretching away from it. Just across this harbor and marina, the large cruise ship docks are located, and beyond that are mountains. We enjoyed sitting in our room just watching all the activity at times and at other times just the peace and calm.
It was about 6:45 when we finally got into our room, and we were lamenting the fact that we didn't have any transportation for the days we were going to be there. I had tried several times during the months before our trip to rent a car online from Hertz (basically the only car rental in town!) Every time it told me there were no cars available during the days we needed one.
So, at 6:55, I told my sisters that I as going to try calling the local Hertz office. I was surprised when a man answered! He said that they did have a car available, but he was closing the office at 7:00. I was so disappointed, because we really wanted to be able to go out that evening to eat dinner, as the hotel did not have a restaurant! I guess he could tell how disappointed I was, because he said he would stay if I could get right over there. Our hotel was really nearby, but a little too far to walk (for Esther and me). Then, he realized that I had no way to get there, so he said that he would come get us! Esther and I went down to the lobby, and he was already there. His name was Mike, and he took us back to the office where we did all the paperwork for the rental. Talk about going above and beyond the call of duty--that's what he did! He didn't close the office on time that evening; he stayed late, and the three of us really appreciated it. It was wonderful having a car while we were there.
This was our Hertz rental car in Seward.
These pictures of the small boat harbor were taken from the window of our room on the 3rd floor. The back of the hotel, pictured, is where our room was located. We did not have a balcony, and that was okay. It was actually much too cold to sit outside and enjoy it!! The murals of the two puffins was handpainted on the end of the three story hotel. The one on the left is a Tufted Puffin and the one on the right is a Horned Puffin.
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July 6, was our day just to enjoy Seward. We had no plans or reservations for that day. The weather was beautiful even though it was cold! We drove all over the little town which is on the banks of Resurrection Bay and got our bearings. Then we drove out into the countryside and into the Kenai Fjords National Park where Exit Glacier is located. We drove up to the trailhead where people start their hikes up to the glacier. No cars are allowed beyond this point--only hiking. Well, we don't hike, but we had great views of the glacier. We did lots of driving around!
Seeing Exit Glacier without having to hike! Sometimes "up close and personal" just isn't worth it!!
Resurrection Bay - Views taken at the south end of Seward. I got a picture of a perfect little Christmas tree! It was a little windy, cold, and sprinkling rain!
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On July 7th, we had reservations to take a Major Marine Tour 7.5 hour day cruise out of Seward to see wildlife and glaciers. It was cold and rainy, but that made it really nice for these Texans. It had been so hot in the weeks leading up to our departure on this trip that anything cold felt good to me!
The Glacier Express was docked in the small boat harbor behind our hotel, but it was quite a walk to get there--too far for Dorothy-even with her walker. I mentioned this to one of the girls at the Major Marine Tour desk in our hotel lobby when we got there on Wednesday evening, and she said, "Not a problem! We have wheelchairs, and when you come down here to check in for your trip, we'll have someone here to push her to the boat."
And that is exactly what happened the morning of our cruise. It was a much further walk than we had anticipated, and when we arrived at the boat, Esther commented to the young man pushing Dorothy that she wished she'd known how far we had to walk, she would have had a "pusher," too!
Before boarding the boat, each group was given the opportunity to have their picture made. They handed one member of the group a "lifesaver" to hold, and for us, they handed it to Dorothy. She jokingly framed her face with it, and the photographer took the picture. Then we had them take a "serious" picture. We ended up buying both of them! This one is our favorite!
Upon boarding the boat, each group was assigned a table with comfy chairs that was to be theirs for the entire day. There were about 80 people on the cruise, and everyone was free to move about the boat, going from inside to outside and from deck to deck (there were three decks). But, one could come back to the table anytime they wished to, and of course, that is where we ate lunch and then later, dessert.
Dorothy and Esther stayed inside the boat in warmth and comfort where they could see everything through the big windows. Janie was outside on the decks taking pictures and videos, and then would come back inside to get warm! (Just as a reference, it was much colder than our coldest winter day in South Texas!!)
We started at 10:00 a.m. and returned to port at 5:30 p.m. This cruise explored the glacier-carved fjords and abundant wildlife of Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park. We did see whales and lots of other sea wildlife, but the tidewater glaciers were the most fascinating to us! It was the first time we had ever seen a glacier "calve." What an experience that was!
This cruise included an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch that was prepared in the onboard galley by the boat's chef. It was delicious! Grilled salmon, prime rib, rice pilaf, salad, sourdough bread, and homemade salad dressings. One was a house dressing, or perhaps I should say a "ship dressing", and the other one was raspberry and horseradish. Oh my, that one was delicious. I had the ship's special dressing on my salad and the raspberry/horseradish dressing on my prime rib! I have to admit here that salmon is not my favorite food, but I ate the portion I had on my plate. I also put the raspberry/horseradish dressing on it. Well, what could I do? There was no ketchup!!!
There were three desserts (again all you could eat of each one). They were served later in the afternoon as the boat made its way back to port! The desserts were cheesecake, brownies, and fresh fruit. The cheesecake and brownies were from a local bakery/cafe in Seward. Esther and I ate only the cheesecake and a little fruit which was very good. Dorothy liked the brownie very much--her own and mine, too! I ate her cheesecake.
We arrived back in port and they asked us to wait until everyone had disembarked, which we gladly did. Then they came aboard with two wheelchairs--one for Dorothy and one for Esther. The young crew member who had been Dorothy's pusher that morning had remembered Esther! He pushed Dorothy again, and the boat's chef was Esther's pusher. I had to really walk fast to keep up, which was good, because it was sort of raining and it was very cold!
This tour was definitely the highlight of our four days in Seward and is highly recommended. The crew members were friendly and very efficient. The timing of everything we did was perfect. The three of us notice things like that because our business is doing tours of our Christmas House for groups, and we have to keep things moving according to a schedule without that being too obvious to our guests! The boat was extremely clean. There were four restrooms and they were kept spotless throughout the trip! Again, this Major Marine Tour (7 1/2 hour trip) is highly recommended.
The long black object in the top right photo is a whale!! I almost missed that picture.
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Saturday, July 8th was another cold, rainy day! But who cared? It was lovely! We spent most of the day at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward.
It is an amazing place, and the cutest thing there was a 4-week-old rescued walrus. He weighed about 142 pounds around the time we were there!
We saw lots of fish, seals, otters, birds, etc.
The creature under purple light is an octopus. It would be frightening to meet him in a dark ocean!!
The Tufted Puffin, a seabird, in art and in real life.
These are large paintings at the SeaLife Center. I created a collage using seven pictures that I took.
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July 9th was the day we had been waiting for! Kay, Peggy, and Judy sailed into Seward on HAL’s Noordam. The six of us had reservations at 10:00 a.m. on The Park Connection motorcoach to take us to Anchorage. We three got up early, and were down in the lobby with our luggage by 7:45. Dorothy and Esther sat there while I took the car and went to the port to pick up our friends. They were scheduled to disembark at 8:05, but it was closer to 8:45 when they appeared. We went back to the hotel, and then I took the three of them to the bus stop. I returned to the hotel to get Dorothy and Esther and took them to the bus stop.
After getting everyone to the place where we would board the bus, Esther went with me, and we returned the car to Hertz and said goodbye to our friends there.
Carole Tallman is the manager of this Hertz office. Notice that we are on the screen of the office computer! That's was our blog homepage picture at the time.
Dan is the driver of the Hertz shuttle (and probably does a lot of other jobs). He was waiting for passengers at the cruise terminal when Kay, Peggy, and Judy disembarked. He came over and packed their luggage in the car before we could even think which piece should go where!! We would have never gotten all their "stuff" in that Camry, but he did!
Mike is the agent who stayed late and rented us our car. On our last day, he wore that shirt just for us!!
Mike is the agent who stayed late and rented us our car. On our last day, he wore that shirt just for us!!
Even though they were extremely busy that morning, Carole, the manager, took the time to drive Esther and me back down to the bus stop. We had only a short wait before we were able to get on the bus and depart for Anchorage. We got to enjoy all that beautiful scenery between Seward and Anchorage again. We spent the night at the same Marriott Hotel the three of us had stayed in.
I did not take a picture of our bus, The Park Connection Motorcoach, but here are some pictures of the scenery between Seward and Anchorage. It was a beautiful sunshiny day!
These were taken through the bus window. It was a beautiful day!
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The next morning, July 10th, we had to be at the Alaska Railway Depot at 7:00 a.m. Our train was not scheduled to depart until 8:15, but they require you to be there an hour early, so we were even a little earlier! I had made our reservations to travel aboard the Wilderness Express, and that was a winner! We had breakfast in the dining car, and it was really good! The scenery between Anchorage and Denali is spectacular, and we had beautiful weather for this trip!
The rail cars are two levels with seating in the domed area upstairs and dining on the lower level. They are totally prepared for people who have disabilities and limited mobility! There is a lift that they can move into place to get people who can't climb aboard using the stairs and an elevator/lift to go up to the seating area in the dome. There is a spiral staircase for those who can "do" stairs.
Having breakfast on the train: Dorothy, Esther, and Peggy; Judy, Kay, and Janie. There are two Wilderness Express cars that are attached to the end of the Alaska Railroad train. They have two levels: Observation seating is upper and the dining area is on the lower level.
As you can see, the six of us had the back of the car to ourselves. When we first checked in at the depot in Anchorage, we were assigned seats at the front of the car right in with a tour group that was traveling together. Before we boarded the train, the agent came and found me in the waiting area and handed me a new boarding card with different seat reservations for the six of us. She said that her supervisor told her to give us the seats at the back right by the elevator and the staircase, as that would make it easier for our two (Dorothy and Peggy) who had walkers. The dining room, the restrooms, and the outside observation deck (between the cars) were all downstairs. I got to easily go outside and take a lot of pictures and videos. The middle picture on the right side above is the stairway and the lift.
Once we were on the train, we realized that the first seating assignment would have been awful. We sort of had our own private section of the car. We didn't have to stay in the assigned seats, because the other seats around us were empty! They treated us like royalty, and we were the first group to go to breakfast. In fact, after boarding the train in Anchorage, they allowed Dorothy, Esther, and Peggy to be seated at a table in the dining car. That way they didn't have to go up and then come right back down. The food was very good and delicious!
After breakfast, we all six went up to our seats in the dome and really enjoyed the scenery, which was spectacular. The weather was perfect for our train trip. In fact, just before arriving at the town of Talkeetna, we had a great and rare sighting of the great mountain, Denali! They say that only 30% of the thousands of visitors to Alaska ever get to actually see Denali. Clouds obscure the view most of the time. We were blessed to see it from this same spot in 2007! My iPhone 7+ has a great telephoto lens (the bottom picture).
After breakfast, we all six went up to our seats in the dome and really enjoyed the scenery, which was spectacular. The weather was perfect for our train trip. In fact, just before arriving at the town of Talkeetna, we had a great and rare sighting of the great mountain, Denali! They say that only 30% of the thousands of visitors to Alaska ever get to actually see Denali. Clouds obscure the view most of the time. We were blessed to see it from this same spot in 2007! My iPhone 7+ has a great telephoto lens (the bottom picture).
This is the Great One, Denali, from the train just before arriving in Talkeetna, Alaska. They stopped the train at this vantage point and let everyone take all the pictures they wanted.
More beautiful scenery! I took a picture of the train as we rounded a curve. If you ever do this trip, book your reservation on the Wilderness Express. Those cars are so nice and so comfortable. Each set of seats has a USB charging port, so we kept our devices charged up the whole trip.
We arrived at the Denali Depot at 3:30 p.m. and were met by the hotel shuttle. As it ended up, Dorothy, Esther, and Peggy were taken in a van that was easier to access than the bus. Kay, Judy, and I went in the bus. When we all got together again at the hotel, we found out that those in the van didn't get to see the moose and her baby eating by the side of the road like those of us on the bus did!!
We were spending two nights at The Denali Bluffs Hotel, but we had dinner that evening at The Grande Denali Hotel’s restaurant, The Alpenrose. In 2007, we stayed at The Grande Denali and ate at their restaurant. The mountain views were spectacular, because this hotel is even higher up on the mountain than the Denali Bluffs! The hotels all have shuttle buses that run you where you want to go, so there is no need for a car! Thank goodness for that! The gravel roads that go up the mountain to these hotels are just one hairpin curve after another! I really wouldn't want to drive it myself.
This is the view from the Grand Denali Hotel Restaurant, The Alpenrose. In the lower right hand corner, is one of the hairpin curves leading up to the hotel. The river beyond it is the Nenana River.
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Tuesday, July 11th, was scheduled to be an early morning. We had to be in the hotel parking lot at 6:10 a.m.!! That meant getting up really early and grabbing a bite to eat at The Perky Moose, the hotel’s coffee shop where they specialize in meals and snacks to go. Peggy and I went there and bought breakfast and snacks for later and took it all back to our rooms where our sisters were still getting ready! Our plans for this day was the Denali Backcountry Adventure, a 13½ hour bus trip nearly 100 miles deep into Denali National Park. It was cool and rainy, so that was disappointing to start with. However, as it turned out the weather improved some as we traveled deeper into the park and did not keep us from seeing wildlife and beautiful scenery along the way.
We arrived in Kantishna at the Backcountry Lodge in time for a buffet lunch that was included in our adventure. We stayed there for a while, and then we boarded the bus for the trip back to our hotel. The weather had cleared, and 28 people on our bus had made plans to return by airplanes from Kantishna, so there were only 17 of us left on the bus for the return trip! Everyone really enjoyed that. Because the weather had cleared, we even had some good views of part of Denali.
Back in 1970, the first year that I taught school, I bought a bunch of "Giant Photos" for 25 cents each. They were probably 18 by 24 inches. Many of them were famous landmarks, places, buildings, etc. here in the United States. I used them in my classrooms for the entire 26 years that I taught. My favorite was a picture of Mt. McKinley (as it was known "back then") reflected in Wonder Lake. I had always had a desire to see the actual thing, but found in 2007 when we were there that you have to go many, many miles into the National Park to see it. We were there for only one night and part of a day that time--not long enough to go that far. So, for this trip, I planned a two night stay, which meant a whole day to do the Denali Backcountry Adventure! On the way to Kantishna, we drove by Wonder Lake, and I was so disappointed. The cloudy weather totally obstructed the mountains beyond it, so no reflections! However, on the way back, the sky had cleared a little, and the view was better! I asked our driver/guide, Markie, if he could stop so we could take pictures. Well, not only did he stop, but he opened the door and let those of us who wanted to get out of the bus to take photos.
These are a couple of mine!
Still cloudy, but a portion of Denali's middle section can be seen!
Not a perfect view or reflection of Denali in Wonder Lake, but so much more than I thought I was going to get! I actually got very emotional and had tears running down my cheeks when I got back in the bus! I never dreamed when I started teaching in 1970, that at age 73 I would actually get to stand on that spot and take a photograph (with a telephone!!)
Here are a few more of the many photos I took that day!
An amazing view of a part of Denali National Park!
There are two grizzly bears in this picture--a mother and her cub. I never got a really good telephoto shot of them. They are a little light colored spot just left of center on the first line of hills. Our driver/guide was so good at spotting wildlife!
These are Dahl sheep grazing on a hillside.
This is a herd of wild caribou at rest in Denali National Park. Reindeer are domesticated caribou, and they are raised in Alaska just like we raise cattle. However, only Native Alaskans (Indians) are allowed to raise them and sell them. All restaurants offer meat dishes made with reindeer meat, especially sausage. Yes, we tasted it in 2007, but couldn't get over the fact that it might accidentally be one of the famous nine!! Just joking--actually, it's very good meat! 
This is a pair of caribou that is resting after grazing. Both have antlers, so it could be a doe and a buck. Did you know that both male and female caribou (reindeer) have antlers?
| This is a good view of a braided river. They have these all over Alaska. https://www.nps.gov/articles/rivers-and-streams-of-denali.htm  |
| A panoramic view of a braided river in Denali National Park, Alaska. |
Polychrome Outcropping
(Read the sign below.)
I could just keep adding pictures, but I'll stop now!
It was after 7:30 p.m. when we returned to our hotel. Needless to say we were tired, so the three of us said good night and got ready to retire!
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The Denali Bluffs Hotel where we stayed was very nice, even though the rooms were rather small. The big grizzly bear is in a glass case in the lobby. The building with the satellite dish on top is the main building that houses the lobby, offices, Perky Moose, etc. I was standing in front of our room to take that picture. Then I was standing outside the back door of the Perky Moose (by the Coke machine) to take the picture of the building that housed our rooms. The three of us were in the room that is the third door from the right on the bottom floor. Peggy, Kay, and Judy were to the right of us, but their door is hidden by a tree!
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July 12th, turned out to be a beautiful day for our continued train trip to Fairbanks. We had to have our checked luggage outside our hotel doors by 9:00 a.m. so the hotel luggage handlers could pick it up and get it to the depot. We then had to check out of our rooms by 10:00 a.m. I think they did this so they could have the rooms ready for the next groups coming in on the afternoon train.
The train wasn’t departing until 4:00 p.m., and the hotel shuttle was picking us up to take us to the train depot at 2:30. So, after eating breakfast at the Perky Moose again, Dorothy and Esther stayed with our carry-on luggage in a comfy corner of the Perky Moose, and Kay, Peggy, Judy, and I took the shuttle bus down to the shopping area of the little town of Denali. We got back to the hotel before time to board the shuttle that took us to the depot, and we had a few more carry-on items with us!
This is where we went shopping. Denali is actually a very small town that is comprised of quaint little shops, places to eat, and places to book adventures! I took a picture of the fabric shop, thinking about my cousins who are quilters. They had some beautiful fabric and giftware in this shop. Looking across the highway, there is another lodge that is owned by one of the cruise lines. The highway is the only highway connecting Anchorage with Fairbanks.
Here we are back from shopping! The six of us are waiting in the Perky Moose until time to go to the parking lot to wait for the shuttle to the depot.
There was a couple on the shuttle that we had met on the Denali Backcountry Adventure the day before. He had been so nice and helped Dorothy a lot getting off and on the bus, etc. Between him and our driver/guide, Mikey, Dorothy had no problems on this long trip! A joke was made about him and Dorothy dancing, so we started calling him Fred and Dorothy, Ginger! (For those of you too young to remember, that refers to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the greatest dance team ever!! They starred in a lot of movies-not television and no Dancing With the Stars!! He again helped Dorothy get on the shuttle bus, etc. going to the depot.
Our driver was very nice and told us that we were a little early. So he asked if we would like to stop and take some pictures by the new park sign. It had been installed this year to replace the old one in honor of Denali National Park's 100th Anniversary. We all agreed that we'd like to do that! So, he parked the bus, and we all got up to get off--except Dorothy. She said that she would stay on the bus, because it was so much trouble to get her walker and it was kind of uphill--hard for her to do. However, "Fred" and his wife said, "No, you're going, too! C'mon." Then our driver said, "Give me your phone and I'll take pictures!"
"Fred" and his wife helping Dorothy on the uphill trek to the Denali National Park sign for picture taking.
The fourth picture is the two of them helping Dorothy go down the steps at the depot, instead of going by the ramp which was longer. I folded her walker and took it down for her.
Here's another picture of them, but I included a great picture that our driver took of Esther.
The fourth picture is the two of them helping Dorothy go down the steps at the depot, instead of going by the ramp which was longer. I folded her walker and took it down for her.
Here's another picture of them, but I included a great picture that our driver took of Esther.
I could just kick myself for not getting their real names and their address!!! They were not in our car on the train, and we never saw them again. I am so sorry about that. We did thank them profusely for all that they had done to help make the Backcountry Adventure and the trip to the depot so easy for Dorothy.
When I went and checked the six of us in at the depot, the woman who was doing it said that a supervisor in the Anchorage office who had been on the train with us coming from Anchorage had called her and told her which seats we were to have. Yea!! They were the same ones we had had on Monday. She also had told her to have a wheelchair available for Dorothy to make getting to the train and on board easier. Wow, what great treatment!! We had a most enjoyable trip to Fairbanks. Again, the scenery was beautiful! We had dinner on the train this time.
When I went and checked the six of us in at the depot, the woman who was doing it said that a supervisor in the Anchorage office who had been on the train with us coming from Anchorage had called her and told her which seats we were to have. Yea!! They were the same ones we had had on Monday. She also had told her to have a wheelchair available for Dorothy to make getting to the train and on board easier. Wow, what great treatment!! We had a most enjoyable trip to Fairbanks. Again, the scenery was beautiful! We had dinner on the train this time.
Saying good-bye to Denali. We boarded the Wilderness Express and as the train left the station, we could see Denali (the little town), the hotels on the mountainside, and the Nenana River. The bottom left photo shows rafters in the water. This river is famous for its white river rafting. We followed the Nenana River for a long time, before finally leaving it to go off in another direction.
The train arrived in Fairbanks at 8:00 p.m. Of course, it was broad daylight! We had another early morning scheduled the next day, so the three of us were off to bed after the hotel shuttle got us to the Marriott SpringHill Suites. The Zimmers took a taxi to Walmart where they bought an extra suitcase to pack all their purchases in!!! Thank goodness all the hotels in Alaska have room darkening curtains so you can get a good night's sleep even though it is bright sunlight outside!
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When we were in Fairbanks in 2007 with our cousin, Mickey, we learned that you could book flights that would take a small group up to the latitude that is known as the Arctic Circle. We really didn't have time to book a trip like that, as we had all of our plans made and some things were already paid for. So, we didn't do it! Dorothy, who was 79 at the time, always regretted not being able to say she had been to the Arctic Circle!
While I was researching and planning this trip, several months in advance, I ran across something that said they now have all day (12 hour) van trips to the Arctic Circle. I read more about it, and then asked Esther what she thought about our doing it. She thought it was a great idea. I called the Zimmers and asked what they thought. They in turn called their sister in Tyler to see what she thought! It cost $200.00 per person, so I knew we all had to agree. When all was said and done, we all decided we wanted to do it for ourselves, but mainly for Dorothy! We also decided to surprise Dorothy. But, that didn't happen. Dorothy walked in while I was making the reservations!! Esther was sitting there with me, and I guess we had kind of guilty looks on our faces, because Dorothy asked, "What are you doing?" And there it was big as life on the computer screen!!! So, we 'fessed up, and I wish you could have seen the look on her face and the smile that lit up her face! She was thrilled. We were really glad she found out so she had the fun of anticipating the adventure! So, at the age of 89 1/2 Dorothy got to fulfill a wish that had been on her bucket list for 10 years. Of course, we never dreamed that we would go back to Alaska and have the opportunity to do something like this!
I booked the tour through Viator which is part of Trip Advisor. They contract with Alaska Wildlife Guide to actually do the tours. This is not a large bus full of people. They only take 8 people in a van. They had several vans out that day!
I booked the tour through Viator which is part of Trip Advisor. They contract with Alaska Wildlife Guide to actually do the tours. This is not a large bus full of people. They only take 8 people in a van. They had several vans out that day!
Thursday, July 13th, we all six arrived in the hotel's breakfast room to eat at 6:30 a.m. Our big adventure was about to begin! At 7:00, a van driven by an Alaskan Wildlife Guide arrived to pick us up. From our hotel, he drove to another hotel and picked up a couple from Charlotte, NC. The eight of us were off with Dave to The Arctic Circle!
At the time we were in Fairbanks and on this trip, there was a forest fire raging in the Klondike in Canada to the east. The haziness you will see in the pictures is smoke from that fire. Unfortunately, it marred our long distance views, but the whole trip was a truly amazing experience and the highlight of our Alaskan vacation!
This is the van we rode in on our 400+ mile round trip from Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle. I took these pictures during one of our stops to view the sights. The Dalton Highway was rough and bumpy in some places (even though they maintain it constantly), but we all survived!! The plug hanging out of the front of the van is a common sight in Alaska. Parking spaces in the towns and cities all have a place to plug a vehicle in during the cold winter months to keep it from freezing! (Why don't they consider something in South Texas that you could plug a vehicle into to keep it cool inside?)
We left Fairbanks on a good highway, but then we had to leave that and travel on The Dalton Highway which has a few areas of pavement, but is mostly dirt and gravel. That road was an adventure! The Alaska Pipeline runs parallel to it nearly all the time. Sometimes it is visible, but sometimes it is buried underground! The highway was built when the pipeline was being constructed to provide access and bring in the manpower, equipment, materials and supplies that were needed. The Dalton Highway is the only road going north in Alaska and is the supply route for everything needed at Prudhoe Bay and other "towns" up north. The only other way to access the far north is to fly. If you've ever watched the reality show, "Ice Road Truckers," this is the road!!
At the time we were in Fairbanks and on this trip, there was a forest fire raging in the Klondike in Canada to the east. The haziness you will see in the pictures is smoke from that fire. Unfortunately, it marred our long distance views, but the whole trip was a truly amazing experience and the highlight of our Alaskan vacation!
We left Fairbanks on a good highway, but then we had to leave that and travel on The Dalton Highway which has a few areas of pavement, but is mostly dirt and gravel. That road was an adventure! The Alaska Pipeline runs parallel to it nearly all the time. Sometimes it is visible, but sometimes it is buried underground! The highway was built when the pipeline was being constructed to provide access and bring in the manpower, equipment, materials and supplies that were needed. The Dalton Highway is the only road going north in Alaska and is the supply route for everything needed at Prudhoe Bay and other "towns" up north. The only other way to access the far north is to fly. If you've ever watched the reality show, "Ice Road Truckers," this is the road!!
Click here to read and learn more about the Dalton Highway in Alaska. It is quite interesting!
Our driver/guide stopped at each place along the way that had restroom facilities. That was great, because I have to drink coffee (a lot of coffee) in the mornings. The others had had their fair share of coffee, too. The first place we stopped was a nice restaurant and gift shop with great restroom facilities. We had not reached the Dalton Highway just yet, so we were still in civilization! However, from there on, it was downhill all the way where the facilities were concerned!! There were "restrooms" at several spots along the highway where we stopped. I'm not going to say too much about these "restrooms," because they were not much more than outhouses! We were in an area where the permafrost doesn't allow for water pipes, etc. At least we didn't have "to go" out behind a tree or a bush, but it was really a primitive experience! (We can laugh now about the restroom facilities along the way, but it wasn't a laughing matter then!! I really had to talk myself into opening the door and entering them!!!)
We turned off the highway after we crossed the 1/2 mile long E.L. Patton Yukon River Bridge at (Dalton Highway) Mile 56. We crossed under the pipeline and entered the Yukon Crossing Visitor Contact Station which is staffed by Bureau of Land Management volunteers daily from late May to September. You guessed it! They have some of those "restrooms." They also have a small visitor center with info about the river, the pipeline, etc.
The bridge is made of very strong lumber because of the very harsh winter weather. It stands up better than other materials and is easier to replace if it is damaged. The pipeline crosses the river side by side with the bridge.
When we left that area, Dave drove across the highway where there was a little group of buildings.
He pulled up next to a ramshackle "building" and stopped. He told us to get out if we'd like to meet Dorothy. Well, we all piled out of the van and walked to the building. It was a gift shop called "Mainly Birch!!" I want you to know that I am not putting this in my account of our trip to ridicule or feel sorry for this woman. She is quite creative and is providing for herself with this business that is only open from May through September which is the tourist season. She told us that she lives several miles up the river and can only access her home (where she and her grown son live) by boat on the Yukon River. Her husband died several years ago. They do not live right by the river, but have to go a ways up from the river to get to their home. She does not have a car, because there are no roads to her place. After the river freezes, she uses a snow machine. Unfortunately, I did not take a picture of Dorothy, but we enjoyed our visit with her. She makes artwork and souvenirs out of birch bark and sells them there. She is quite innovative and very self-sufficient!! We asked her where she lives in the winter, and she said, "Exactly where I live right now!" Brrrrrrrrr!! is all I can say! So glad she has that snow machine!
This is Dorothy's gift shop, "Mainly Birch," located just up from the banks of the Yukon River at Mile 56 on the Dalton Highway. The river is just beyond that stand of trees. I think that every tour guide and driver who take people up this highway stop here to give them the opportunity to visit with Dorothy and perhaps buy some of her art!
Her snow machine and her boat. I believe I heard her tell Dave that the boat was a "new" one she had just purchased.
While we were visiting with Dorothy in her shop, Dave took the van and pulled up to a huge bulk tank of fuel by a big metal building and filled up. It was not a convenience store with the amenities that we are used to. Other parts of Alaska are just like "home" with all the same facilities, etc., but this trip took us out into the wilderness. There would be no other place to get fuel before arriving at The Arctic Circle, and there was none there either. The next fuel stop for us would be this same one on the return trip. Otherwise, people continuing on north have to refuel at Coldfoot which is the half-way point to Deadhorse.
When we left that area, Dave drove across the highway where there was a little group of buildings.
He pulled up next to a ramshackle "building" and stopped. He told us to get out if we'd like to meet Dorothy. Well, we all piled out of the van and walked to the building. It was a gift shop called "Mainly Birch!!" I want you to know that I am not putting this in my account of our trip to ridicule or feel sorry for this woman. She is quite creative and is providing for herself with this business that is only open from May through September which is the tourist season. She told us that she lives several miles up the river and can only access her home (where she and her grown son live) by boat on the Yukon River. Her husband died several years ago. They do not live right by the river, but have to go a ways up from the river to get to their home. She does not have a car, because there are no roads to her place. After the river freezes, she uses a snow machine. Unfortunately, I did not take a picture of Dorothy, but we enjoyed our visit with her. She makes artwork and souvenirs out of birch bark and sells them there. She is quite innovative and very self-sufficient!! We asked her where she lives in the winter, and she said, "Exactly where I live right now!" Brrrrrrrrr!! is all I can say! So glad she has that snow machine!
The next point of interest was Finger Mountain at Mile 96. We stopped at the observation area there and stayed awhile.
This wayside stop at Finger Mountain was a wonderful scenic viewpoint that had two outhouses and many interpretive signs. There is a 1/2 mile interpretive trail to the summit of Finger Mountain. It is a gently sloping path, so I set out and walked nearly the whole way to the top. The signs were mostly about the wildlife that lives in that area and explained how they survive on the land that is alpine tundra. The huge granite rocks, including Finger Rock, are granite tors. They are jutting rock formations caused by eons of freezing and thawing of the ground.
At long last we arrived at The Arctic Circle--Latitude 66° 33' !
This is in the very Far North where temps are cool to cold in the summer and freezing with snow and ice in the winter. As you can see by my pictures, it was sunny on the day we were there. In fact, it was record warm temperature around 80 degrees--oh, so pleasant! That's why you dress in layers in Alaska. We were certainly shedding the outer layers that day!
Here at the Arctic Circle, the sun remains above the horizon for 24 hours on June 21st, and below the horizon on December 21st. Those are the summer and winter solstices. We were there less than a month after the summer solstice, so everywhere we went in Alaska, the daylight lasted way into the wee hours of the night (or should I say the wee hours of the morning!)
Here are the six of us--
Minten Sisters on the left and Zimmer Sisters on the right.
We were each presented with an official Arctic Circle Crossing Certificate. Here is a picture of mine, but each person who goes on one of these tours gets one. It gives you proof you were really there when you get home!
It was a 12-hour trip, so lunch was included, provided by the tour operator and served by Dave. There are picnic tables under the trees where he served really good homemade beef vegetable soup and ham and cheese sandwiches. There were bags of chips, too. They contact the "lead traveler" about a week ahead of time to say what the meal is and that vegan/vegetarian options are available. I asked about gluten/grain free, but she said they did not provide for that. She did say that we were welcome to bring our own snacks and sack lunch. I replied that all of our group would take the regular lunch. (Esther and I would take our chances!!) Bottled water was also provided for the whole trip, so we had that with lunch, too. Esther and I were a little worried that perhaps the soup would be thickened with flour or cornstarch, but it was made from an unthickened broth and was delicious and gluten free! The two of us took the meat and cheese off the bread and ate it. A very aggressive bird got our bread. That bird must live for the picnic groups to arrive! He swooped down on us immediately. Dave, who knew this bird quite well, tried to keep him occupied with tidbits of bread, etc., but then he would come back to the table to beg! He was shameless!!!!
The BIRD!!
Dave, our driver/guide, trying to keep the bird occupied! It worked for a while!
Picnic lunch time at the Arctic Circle!
There was nothing else to do at the Dalton Highway Mile Post 115, which is where the Arctic Circle stop is located! No gift shops, etc. So, after lunch, we took one last look while Dave loaded up all of his lunch supplies, and then we headed south on the Dalton highway once again! We all would swear that there were places in that road that weren't there that morning! It was quite bumpy, but once again, we all survived.
He made several stops on the way south. Here's one place:
The woman who owns and lives at this place has beautiful flowers. She serves ice cream and hamburgers. I think she rents out rooms. She has one of those restrooms!! Nasty restroom, but we all used it! It was toward the back of the property and had signs telling everyone to watch out for bears!!! I could not have eaten a hamburger or ice cream there for any amount of money offered to me!! But there were people there visiting and eating! I did look in her gift shop, but there was absolutely nothing I wanted. What I wanted was an Arctic Circle t-shirt, but while she had lots of t-shirts, she didn't have any like that!
We went on down the road further, and he pulled into another place. This was much nicer. I have no idea what the restroom facilities were, because I was the only one who went in, and we had all gone earlier. It was clean--very clean inside. A man was running this place and he served food there, too. He had a nice shop that had great t-shirts, caps, and other souvenir items. I bought a t-shirt for me, a cap for Peggy, and a tote bag for Dorothy! I was in a hurry, so I didn't stop to take pictures. I wish I had!
This is the front of my t-shirt!
The rest of our trip was unremarkable. In fact, I think everyone of us fell asleep for awhile! Dave told us that he's used to that! We did know when we left the Dalton Highway, because suddenly it was like traveling on satin or silk!
Dave delivered us to the doors of our hotels. We were last, and we stood around talking to him for awhile. He was born in Alaska and has lived there all his life. He was really knowledgeable about everything and made our trip very interesting.
Dave delivered us to the doors of our hotels. We were last, and we stood around talking to him for awhile. He was born in Alaska and has lived there all his life. He was really knowledgeable about everything and made our trip very interesting.
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Friday, July 14th, we did NOT get up at the crack of dawn! We met downstairs in the breakfast room, and then Janie and Peggy took the hotel shuttle to the Fairbanks Airport where they rented a Dodge Grand Caravan—just exactly like ours at home!.
At 2:00 we had reservations to take the 3 hour Discovery Riverboat Ride that includes, among other things, a visit to the Chena Indian Village to experience the ancient Athabaskan Indian Culture.
Dorothy, Esther, and I did this with Mickey in 2007, but we wanted Kay, Peggy, and Judy to experience it. It is called the Riverboat Discovery. We arrived a little early, because they have an absolutely fantastic, big gift shop! So we shopped before our three hour boat ride. They kept our purchases for us and we picked them up after the ride.
The gift shop is very large and from the outside looks like a row of old buildings. However, those are just facades to create the atmosphere of early Fairbanks. I only took pictures of two places inside, and of course, one of them is where they sell Christmas decorations!!
The boat is large, has seating on two inside decks and two higher outside decks. It is air-conditioned! Thank goodness for that, because Fairbanks was hot that day. Not South Texas hot, but hot! I was seeking out shade as we toured the Chena Indian Village. The woman out in her yard waving is Mary Binkley (in her 90's) and is the widow of Captain Binkley. They told us that she comes out to wave to the passengers each time it goes by her house. The rides are twice a day at 9:00 and 2:00 from mid-May to mid-September each year.
Click here for more info about the Binkley family. Their history in Alaska and how they came to have this business is quite interesting. I believe Mary's husband was third generation and now 4th and 5th generations are in charge.
The two young people were the guides for our group as we toured the Chena Indian Village. They are both of Athabaskan Native American descent. Both are students and do this in the summer. They divided the boat's passengers into several groups when we disembarked at the village. Each group had two guides who took us from one place to another in the village. She modeled a handmade parka and I think she must have been burning up, because it was so hot!!! We got to see a small herd of reindeer. (These are domesticated caribou, so they are reindeer!)
We disembarked from the boat at 5:00, and then, at 6:00 we had reservations to go to The Salmon Bake at Pioneer Park which included all you can eat grilled salmon, fried cod, prime rib, a variety of salads, and the list goes on!
Check out the menu and other info here.
It was delicious. It was also so warm that we ate outside under the trees! I went inside the big dining room to get us a table and turned around and came right back out! It was NOT air-conditioned! Ten years ago we ate inside!
Check out the menu and other info here.
It was delicious. It was also so warm that we ate outside under the trees! I went inside the big dining room to get us a table and turned around and came right back out! It was NOT air-conditioned! Ten years ago we ate inside!
The meat and fish is cooked outside. The other food is all set up under roofs and the dessert is in a cabin. They give you a plate when you pay, and then you're on your own! It is like a giant outdoor all-you-can-eat buffet!
The theater is just a short distance from the Salmon Bake. It's not a real long walk, but they did provide a golf cart for those with mobility limitations. Esther and I rode with Dorothy--didn't want her to go alone!!! LOL!! Actually, I was lazy and had eaten too much to want to walk that far!
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Saturday, July 15th The Kay, Peggy, and Judy were scheduled to fly home, so we had breakfast together that morning at the hotel. We were staying until the next day!The three of them took the hotel shuttle to the airport. We had discussed taking them in the van, but they said that with six of us in it, there wouldn't be room for all their luggage! (Remember that extra suitcase they bought the first night we were in Fairbanks?) That plus what they had taken on the cruise was quite a bit! Besides, we would not have been able to stay with them to see them off because of today's airport security rules. So, we said our goodbyes at the hotel after breakfast, and then the three of us took off for the town of North Pole to see Santa and do some shopping at Santa Claus House.
We really had fun visiting with Santa Claus!
Santa Claus House. We visited here in 2007, and never dreamed we'd be fortunate enough to be here again 10 years later.
Click here for the history of the store and the big Santa Claus statue.
They do not sell on their website except for letters from Santa Claus.
You can spend a long time just walking around the store and looking at all the pictures. These are all tile mosaics.
The Reindeer Barn is new since 10 years ago. It is on the land that was an R.V. park then. They have the Antler Academy, A Reindeer Experience, there now and I believe it is quite popular closer to Christmas. There are more reindeer, but they were in another area, so I zeroed in on this one!
We really had fun visiting with Santa Claus!
Click here for the history of the store and the big Santa Claus statue.
They do not sell on their website except for letters from Santa Claus.
The store was extremely busy while we were there. Tour buses make a stop and many people who are travelers like us have to come see Santa Claus! One lady, a customer, took my phone and my camera and took pictures for us! I think she was enjoying our visit with Santa as much as we were!
We drove back to Fairbanks and went to a store where we bought an extra suitcase! We decided to follow Peggy and Kay's example. No, not for Christmas stuff. We had them ship everything we bought there. (We didn't want to buy two extra suitcases!!!) We had just accumulated so much stuff during all the rest of our trip that we had to have a way to get it home! Even though you think you're not buying much, it all takes space that we didn't have. It's a nice piece of luggage and was on sale half-price! It was easier than finding a UPS shipper or packing it for mailing. It may not have been cheaper (new piece of luggage plus airline baggage charge), but it was certainly more convenient.
Then, on our last evening in Alaska, we had dinner at The Pumphouse Restaurant on the Chena River. We had eaten there in 2007 with our cousin, Mickey Landrum, and three friends we had met on our Inside Passage Cruise the week before. We had run into Melinda, Donna, and Michelle in Denali and then again in Fairbanks quite by accident in the week following our Holland America Cruise, so we had dinner together on their last night there. Mickey had eaten there when she and her husband, Wade, were in Fairbanks a couple of years earlier, and she wanted us to experience it. It was such a memorable time that there was no way that the three of us were going to miss dinner at this restaurant on this trip. The atmosphere is historical and the food is delicious! It was just as good as we remembered!
Click here to learn more about it. Check out the tab about the history. We recommend eating here if you are ever in Fairbanks.
This restaurant is huge. These pictures are just of the main dining room. There are several more plus the saloon, and the outside deck. It is furnished with period antiques and artifacts. I snuck in a picture of our rental van. It looks just like ours at home.
Click here to learn more about it. Check out the tab about the history. We recommend eating here if you are ever in Fairbanks.
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Sunday, July 16th, arrived and with it the realization that our much anticipated Alaska vacation was coming to an end! We packed on Saturday night, and then finished up on Sunday morning after having our last breakfast at the Marriott SpringHill Suites. We checked out of the hotel, loaded our things in the van and drove to the airport. Janie turned the rental van in after letting Dorothy and Esther out by the Departure area.
Fairbanks is a not a large airport, so it was not really too far to walk from the rental car parking area back to the departure area. We checked our baggage, got our boarding passes, and went through security. Then we waited and boarded our flight when it was called for departure at 4:00. It only took about 45 minutes to fly to Anchorage, and we had a wonderful last view of Denali’s peak as it poked its head above the clouds as we flew past!
Denali, the Great One, lifted it's head above the clouds to say good-bye to us as we flew between Fairbanks and Anchorage on the first leg of our journey home.
We had a couple of hours to wait in Anchorage before boarding our overnight flight to Dallas at 8:40 p.m., so we ate dinner at Humpy's. It was a great last dinner in Alaska!
We arrived in Dallas at 3:00 a.m. Alaska time, but 6:00 a.m. Texas time! We had another wait, and then we flew to San Antonio, arriving there at 9:50 a.m. We were picked up by the Courtyard Hotel shuttle, and were back at the hotel by 10:50. At that point, we were really HOT and very sleepy! So, we went to our room, turned the A/C down, and took a nap! “Dorothy and Esther, I don’t think we’re in Alaska anymore!”
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There is one more group of pictures that I want to share, and that is flowers! The other time we visited these same areas of Alaska ten years earlier, the wildflowers were not blooming yet, and people's hanging baskets, planters, and gardens were not filled with blooms as they were this time. That is the difference between May and July. In 2007, there was still ice on some of the lakes and patches of snow on the ground in places. The mountain tops were covered with snow.
These pictures speak for themselves.
Fairbanks is a not a large airport, so it was not really too far to walk from the rental car parking area back to the departure area. We checked our baggage, got our boarding passes, and went through security. Then we waited and boarded our flight when it was called for departure at 4:00. It only took about 45 minutes to fly to Anchorage, and we had a wonderful last view of Denali’s peak as it poked its head above the clouds as we flew past!
We had a couple of hours to wait in Anchorage before boarding our overnight flight to Dallas at 8:40 p.m., so we ate dinner at Humpy's. It was a great last dinner in Alaska!
We arrived in Dallas at 3:00 a.m. Alaska time, but 6:00 a.m. Texas time! We had another wait, and then we flew to San Antonio, arriving there at 9:50 a.m. We were picked up by the Courtyard Hotel shuttle, and were back at the hotel by 10:50. At that point, we were really HOT and very sleepy! So, we went to our room, turned the A/C down, and took a nap! “Dorothy and Esther, I don’t think we’re in Alaska anymore!”
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There is one more group of pictures that I want to share, and that is flowers! The other time we visited these same areas of Alaska ten years earlier, the wildflowers were not blooming yet, and people's hanging baskets, planters, and gardens were not filled with blooms as they were this time. That is the difference between May and July. In 2007, there was still ice on some of the lakes and patches of snow on the ground in places. The mountain tops were covered with snow.
These pictures speak for themselves.
We will have so many memories of Alaska and the gorgeous flowers will certainly have their place in those. The people we met, the places we visited, the adventures we had--all are wonderful memories now, but never to be forgotten.
We all think we did pretty well for six
I know this account of our trip was rather long, but I sincerely hope that you enjoyed it. And if you've never been to Alaska I encourage you to think about going someday. If you've been but were on a tour bus, I encourage you to experience Alaska independently. I would love to go back someday to visit the many other places that we did not go to. However, for now I can only dream. Oh, yes, I really want to return in the darker winter months when the Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis, are visible. Like I said, "I can dream!"
Thank you for reading this. Now, let it inspire you to go north to Alaska!
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