5-30-2010

My o my the cruise trip was something else, we saw sea otters, puffins, orcha whales, mt. goats and kids, sea lions, a harbor seal, 2 black bears,2 humpback whales,seals an eagle and Steller sea cows. All this took place while we were o this little cruise boat going on the Kenai Fjord National Park trip. It was seven and a half hours long, but we did go for the roast beef and salmon dinner that was delicious! Then it was back to camp for the night. Today we went to the Alaska Sea Life Center to look at various birds and other sea life on the Resurrection bay. We saw puffins swim under water and had a lesson by a person that knew all about salmon. Well then we left for Homer and no sooner got here and they said that they had to go help unload a 200 pound halibut, they brought it back here along with about eight other halibut. There is a limit of 2 per fisherman. But once they are cleaned and in a cooler they no longer are counted. We grilled hamburgers for supper. We are all beat tonight, we were not able to take a shower this AM. But tonight we are in a better campground. Also we saw a glacier and what they call caving, where the ice breaks off from the glacier.

Today we left Anchorage toward Seward, about 150 miles. Stopped at a marsh walk that was south of Anchorage by about 10 miles, it didn’t deliver as promised by the travel guide. But it was a nice walk. The scenery has been great, many more photos of the mountains. We now are in a city park that is right on Resurrection Bay in the city of Seward, along with a long line of RVs and several tent campers. The harbor is loaded with fishing boats and small cruise boats that take people out on day trips. We are to do one tomorrow, it goes out for seven and half hours. We signed up for the prime rib and salmon dinner on board. The distance of the boat trip tomorrow is about 120 miles long. Resurrection Bay is a deep harbor a coal loading port a freighter just now is being brought in by a tug boat. Cruise ships also come in here and let people take day trips. We have been watching an otter and three sea lions play close to shore

5/28/2010

After a big breakfast of reindeer sausage and sourdough pancakes we headed south away from the smoke caused by the forest fire in Tok. The residents there were concerned because everything is so dry. We took several photos on the way to Anchorage, the photos do not do justice to the landscape, the snow on the mountains and the picture of the glacier do not do justice to the real thing. The airplane in the picture is a common sight, you can't see the runway, but it was gravel and had rolling hills. It must be an exciting ride to take off or land there. The traffic upon entering Anchorage was very busy, Anchorage is a lot bigger that what I thought it was. [250,000] We have almost 20 hours of daylight every day,This has raised havoc with our sleeping. It's light when we go to bed and light when we get up. We have driven 3800 miles so far. Tomorrow we will go to Seward, and hope to spend two days there.

Tok

We drove from Whitehorse YT. to Tok Alaska today. This completes the Alaskan highway part 1314 miles. Tomorrow we will head toward Anchorage and visit that area. We have had to make some choices on what we will have time to see and things we want to do. CAN'T DO THEM ALL. The road from Whitehorse to the Alaskan boarder was very rough and parts were gravel and not very well graded at that, also some delays for construction.
We stopped at a cafe just after Destruction Bay and had quite a visit with the owner, chef, and leader of the band. He was very informative guy. We reached the Alaskan boarder at 3PM. Alaskan time. then on to Tok and our campground. Some people at the visitor center were told that they couldn't head on up to Fairbanks because of a forest fire--we can see the smoke from where we are staying.
If you would like you can see an article that was written about us while we were at the GREEN GIANT at this web site;
http://www.faribaultcountyregister.com/page/content.detail/id/502124/Seeing-double--or-triple---or-more---motorhomes-from-Alaska.html?nav=5001
We are to have sourdough pancakes in the morning

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Whitehorse, YT.

Today was a driving day, we saw NO wild animals on this section of road. The landscape is still spectacular. We Ate at a place called Klondike Rib & Salmon BBQ. They serve Caribou, Muskox, bison along with other fresh fish. Good meal. Then we went to the 'Frantic Follies' a vaudeville revue. They picked out a lady from the audience to tease, she happened to be from Brighton, Mi. I talked to her and her husband, as it turns out He was raised in Quincy and she in Allen. The now are full time RV'ers. Alaska in summer and Az. in Winter. His father was a mailman i Quincy and her father was postmaster in Allen. The picture of the Moose was from yesterday and you won't believe where we camped last night. You have been by Wallmart parking lots with campers in them, well that was us last night.

More from 5/25

More pictures, I can only post 4 at a time.

Alaska 5/25

Greetings from the Yukon.Today we started out towards The Yukon. On the way we saw a moose, some stone sheep, a black bear, caribou and then a buffalo, all within the first two hours on the road. The picture of the lake is Muncho Lake, it was a beautiful green blue color.further on down the road we went to Laird Hotsprings. It is a Provincial Park, there is a boardwalk about 1/4 to 1/2 mile long, at the end was a river that was fed by very hot springs 45 to 49 degrees C. that is close to 120 degrees F. There were quite a number of people in the spring, and we joined them. It was HOT and as you went up stream the water got hotter. We stayed the better part of one half to three quarters of an hour. Then we had a picnic there at the park. Then on to Watson Lake in the Yukon, Here we found the 'Sign Post Forest' It was started when they built the Alaskan Highway and has grown every year. They count the signs every Sept. and last Sept. there were 69,700 different signs Wish we would have known so we could have brought one from Coldwater.

Toad River Camp

A couple more pictures of our camp at toad River

From Toad River Camp

We left Mile-O-Camp early and headed out to Toad River. It was the better part of a 400 mile trip with lunch and fuel {$98} and Propane for the furnace {$26} at a stop in Fort Nelson, then on our way. The area now is Great North Rockies in B.C. We saw Two Black bears, stone sheep, elk, and to top it off a Moose ran right by our door as we were cleaning up after eating.[We grilled steaks] He was huge and in no hurry, we followed him out to the road and watched him go into the woods. The Camp ground that we are at is at mile 422 of the Alaskan Highway, The weather is still great. We have taken a whole lot of pictures. As I try to post the photos I can only do 4 at a time. We filled the RV when we got her [$168] fuel is the most expensive part of this trip. But worth every cent so far. The main enterprise seems to be oil well and related businesses, some of the trucks they use are huge, they had eight tires on the front end, I have not figured out how they turn the things. We have encountered grades as high as 10% for 2 or 3 miles. Makes for interesting driving. Judy and Nancy still are enjoying driving the RV.

Hinton to Dawson Creek

Today’s travels took us from Hinton, Alberta to Dawson Creek BC. The beginning of the Alaskan Highway. It was about a 300 mile drive, Nancy and Judy drove most of the way. We saw Caribou , and deer on our way. We had sunny weather as well as some snow and a little rain. It was mostly a driving day. We woke up to freezing temps, our water line to the RV was frozen solid. We all had good hot showers in the camp showers and then were on our way. This is a prosperous area, lots of new building and new oil related business. Lots of road construction on the roads leading up to Dawson Creek.

YESTERDAY

Picturesfron 5/22

Through Jasper National Park

The Camp we left this morning had no electric, water or internet service. On our way out [this camp was one hour away from the highway] we saw 3 moose. Then we saw a mother brown bear with two cubs. Further down the road we saw a black bear. then we saw a group of mountain goats. The mountains were something to see. The road called the "icefield parkway" was open. They watch it to see that there is not too much snow or ice. We had good weather with only a small amount of snow. We saw a glacier with a sort of giant ATV that took people out on the glacier. We had lunch at a newly opened place, very nice people -they have to generate their own power. [lunch was expensive]
Lake Louise, Banff, Hector lake as well as several icefields were part of out trip. The sun shown brightly most of the day. The Canadian Rockies are in a class by themselves. Many bike cycle riders going up and down these mountain roads. My legs got tired just watching them. Tonight we are at Hinton, there are around 150 other RV's here.

Camping at elboe river camground, Alberta CA.

RIVER BY CAMPSITE

NOTICE THE SNOW ON MT.

We left the Lewis and Clark campground after breakfast and then to Sunburst, Mt. Jim’s birthplace. Drove thru the big town of Sunburst, 500 people, and Jim and Nan mailed some post cards at the little US Post Office. Then on to Sweetgrass where we crossed into Canada and on up Highway 4 to Lethbridge then #3 to 22 just about to Calgary, We had called ahead to get a campsite [it being the busiest weekend for camping in Canada] Canada Day. When we arrived at our campsite we were told that someone else had already booked our stop, but not to worry they would find something for us, and they did. This camp Little Elbow River is really nice in a Spartan sort. No facilities and still $33 per night. Hope to put up so photos of the river and surrounding Mountains when we get internet access. Got darn cold last night. Glad we have the motor home with a good furnace. Saw 4 Bighorn sheep on the way in to the park

A long drive through wheat country

This is the camp ground we are at. 'Lewis & Clark RV Park' The wind is something.
The wheat store was a big operation with a gas station a huge bakery and all kinds of wheat in 40 pound bags as well as five pound bags and various gift items. Everyone was loving the place.
Today was a drive day, we did not stop for any sight seeing. One of our first stops for gas was at a place operated by the Montana Wheat group. What a neat place. We had great sweet rolls and had them make us a sandwich for lunch. The place has a sigh that says " we sow it, we grow it and we sell it" They had many kinds of breakfast rolls, and also sandwiches. Also they sell wheat by the 40 pound bag or 5 or 10 pound bag. Also the different kinds of wheat, Nancy and wanted to stock up but Judy and Jim didn't want us to overload the RV. I will send a photo of the place. After that we did nothing but drive all the way to Shelby Mt. Our next stop will be at Sunburst Mt. the birth place of Jim Larin. And then on to Canada. The RV park that we are staying at is a little on the spartan side, and it is very windy. We had Spaghetti with clam sauce for dinner. It was great.

From Spearfish SD. to Bozeman, Mt.

Sunset
Snow on mountain at camp ground Bozeman
at campground looking other way at mountains
Couple that has made 13 trips to Alaska
Good early start this morning. We drove through SD, and then dipped into Wyoming and then into Montana. SD. and Wyoming were mostly plains. We did come across a field of prairie dogs, there was a sign telling people to not shoot them as they were under some study.
The first rest area in Montana had the words and a little history about the song 'Don't fence me in'
the quartet sang it with gusto. It was written by Bob Fletcher Cole Porter bought it from him in 1934 and it was not until 1954 that Fletcher was given credit for writing it. We crossed the Powder River, "Too wet to plow and too thick to drink" we also crossed the Yellowstone River. Saw a lot of cows and prong horn antelope, some buffalo , and a cowboy on a horse with his dog. Very western. As we approached Bozeman we had snow covered mountains on either side of us. A spectacular view. We are in a camp ground just outside of Bozeman. The people next to us are also taking a RV to Alaska for the same firm that we are. They have made the trip for the last 13 years. They are from L. A. Very nice couple. We went by Custers last stand, there are a lot of Indians living in the area, Indians and casinos. Very few gas stations. Nancy and Judy did the bulk of the driving, they are getting good at it.

Entrance Mt. Rushmore

Crazy Horse Pictures

More photos