Terry & Tony's Great Adventure

Watson Lake to Liard Hotsprings!

2011-08-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

On the road to Liard Hot Springs, we saw herds of buffalo!

Tony also spotted a bear peeking out of the woods!

We saw another herd of Buffalo. This one was up close and personal!

A beautiful scene as we approach our destination!

Whitehorse to Watson Lake

2011-08-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

Views along the road to Watson Lake

Our campsite was completely surrounded by a wonderful, green forest!

The lake beside our campground

The world famous "Sign Post Forest" where people come from all over the world and put up signs pointing to their home.

We attended an interesting film showing the Northern Lights

Whitehorse, Yukon Territory

2011-08-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

Interesting road sign! We realized we had really seen Alaska....

Beautiful Whitehorse!

We had a good Chinese dinner at this restaurant!

Cute couple!!

Tok, Alaska to Dawson City, Yukon Territory

2011-08-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

We left Tok, Alaska ready to tackle the trip to Chicken and the "Top of the World" route that has a reputation for being really rough, with long stretches of gravel roads. There was very little traffic and the area looked desolate. Much of the first half of the route had been devastated by fire a few years ago. We were happy to see the sign for the town of Chicken!

Chicken is an old mining town. There's not a lot there. We did find this huge chicken!

There are a few buildings with a campground and miners still work in the area. We was a few of them working the rivers as we drove through.

We happened upon a moose, who posed nicely for a photo!

A view of the long road winding through the mountains

Here are John and Alyce in their rig, coming round the mountain!

We found a herd of Caribou along the way

View from the "Top of the World"...Amazing!!

Old log cabin beside the road

It was really windy at this rest area!

We had a border checkpoint at the entrance to the Yukon!

Here we are...stopped for lunch!

Tony found these cairns when he climbed to the top of the hill that someone had stacked.

We spotted another herd of caribou where we'd stopped

We finally reached Dawson City.

All we had to do was cross this rushing river in a very small ferry!

Izzie enjoyed looking out of the window during the ferry ride across the river!

John, Alyce and Maggie had to take the next ferry so we were able to get a picture!

Dawson City is filled with history...and lots of old buildings. Many appear to be falling apart.

This is half of Jack London's cabin

This cabin once belonged to Robert W Service

A cemetary in town

The Canadian Bank of Commerce, described above.

Anchorage to Tok, Alaska

2011-08-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

On the drive from Anchorage to Tok, we saw this enormous glacier!!

Last Night Barbecue at Tom's House!

2011-07-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

Tom had allowed us all to invade his "bachelor pad" for over a week. He was a very gracious host, allowing us to use his laundry and turn his front yard into an RV Park! On our last night there, he prepared a wonderful barbecue for everyone!

In addition to hot dogs and hamburgers, Tom cooked this amazing fish!

Bob and Tony were busy in the kitchen!

Thank you, Tom, for your hospitality!

Morning in Homer

2011-07-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

We were getting ready to break camp in Homer, when Tony spotted these two bald eagles on the beach. They allowed him to get close enough for some really good shots!

We saw this bald eagle on top of a pole as were were leaving Homer

Here's another bald eagle in a nest, seen as were were driving out of town.

On the road, heading back to Tom's house, just outside Anchorage

Here's a trailer, painted like a bee!

We noticed the interesting roof lines of this house as we drove along the Kenai Peninsula

On to Homer, Alaska!

2011-07-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Tammy and Blayde have a beautiful home right on the river!

After saying goodbye, we were off to Homer, Alaska!

Everywhere we went in Alaska, we found unique buildings. This boat was part of the building!

On our drive to Homer, we saw lots of volcanic mountains across the peninsula! Some of them are still active!

The intrepid travelers!

The view as we approach Homer

This is a view of the famous Homer Spit, the small strip of land that juts out. In the 1964 earthquake that devastated parts of Alaska, the spit dropped 4-5 feet but it still survives. People love to camp and fish there.

After setting up camp, we had lunch at a restaurant out on the spit

Yummy curried fish pot!

Most of these boats out on the spit appear to be derelicts but at least one of them is "lived in"!

Float planes are a regular part of life in Alaska and we saw many places where the planes are just moored up to personal docks, just like boats in some other places!

On a drive through the town of Homer, we got this view of a glacier across the water!

Here's another view of "The Homer Spit" as seen from town.

I loved this little tea shop in Homer, with all the cups and exciting trim with lots of flowers!

Our camp on the beach!

We enjoyed the sunset by the fire. Bob made us his famous fish chowder, which was perfect for the occasion!

Kenai Peninsula... Continued

2011-07-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

We woke up in Seward to a beautiful morning!

One main reason we wanted to visit Seward is to see the beautiful Alaska Sea Life Center. My brother, Rollie was in charge of the construction of this facility so we had heard a lot about it!

In addition to lots of exhibits about sea life and it's preservation, there were aquariums where we saw live sea creatures, like this giant sea lion!

...and this delicate star fish!

On the viewing platform at the Sea Life Center, overlooking the bay

Brother, Bob and me

We got a close-up shot of the giant sea lion from the tank inside the center!

The town of Seward is really beautiful. Here's another Mural!

After Seward, we drove north to meet Tammy, another friend of Bob's who offered to take us on a hike up the Russian River. There were reports that a bear with cubs had been spotted at the falls and we wanted to see if we could get some photos from a platform across the river.

Bob, at the trailhead

We found loads of edible berries on our trip through Alaska and Tony loved gathering and tasting them!

At the falls, we didn't get to see the bears. We suspect there were just too many people who also heard of the "bear" sightings, so the mama bear was probably frightened off. Tony did manage to get several shots of the salmon as they made their way up-river to spawn.

Our Guide, Tammy, is a really nature lover and avid photographer!

On our return hike back to the car, we were caught in a sudden rainfall. Some of us weren't prepared and had a hard time staying dry. John and Roger got back to the parking lot first and had to wait for car keys to get inside. John stayed dry inside the restroom!

Izzie loved the hike but hated the rain!!

Tammy and her husband, Blayde, invited us to spend the night in their front yard. On our way there, we saw beautiful clouds with the sun shining through!

After we set up camp in the yard, Blayde and Tammy treated us to a wonder full meal of fresh snapper, rice and salad preceded by smoked salmon appetizers! We had a great time visiting with their family!

Look at the beautiful rainbow after the rain!

Hand Tram! Then, on to the Kenai Peninsula

2011-07-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

The next morning, we were ready to leave Crow Creek Mining Camp to go and check out the hand tram on the nearby Winner Creek trail. This was another adventure we never would have known about without Bob!

Bob and Roger's Rig

John and Alyce were ready to roll

Bob is checking out the route for the Winner Creek Trail, where we'll find the hand tram. This trail also is a part of the original Iditarod Sled races.

The forest was so beautiful! It reminded me of a scene from the movie "Avatar". The leaves were enormous and brilliant green with the sun shining through the fresh morning forest!

When we got the the tram, the basket was on the other side of the river so Bob and John pulled the ropes to get it to our side.

Here it comes!

Tony and I took the first ride with Bob and John pulling the ropes. Tony started taking still photos and then I remembered my IPhone and decided to make a movie of the experience!

The basket is really high over the river!

We made it!!!

Looking back at Bob and John as they take their turn!

Bob and I celebrate our arrival!

Hand Tram-Winner Creek Trail
Girdwood, Alaska

:-)

The beautiful woods on our return hike!

Before starting the Kenai Peninsula portion of our trip, we had to make a quick trip to Whittier to pick up supplies and food that we had left on Bob's boat, the Pat-De-G. Bob, Roger and I made the trip through the Whittier Tunnel. Tony got this picture of our exit from the tunnel as we returned with the supplies.

Another beautiful day, as we drove to Seward, Alaska!

It seems, every town in Alaska has lots of murals painted on buildings! I saw this one in Seward!

We found a camping spot right on the water were we saw this cruise ship and the beautiful surrounding mountains!

Another wonderful day in Alaska!!

Panning for Gold at Crow Creek Mine!!

2011-07-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

Another of Bob's suggestions was panning for gold at the Crow Creek Mine, located in the Chugach National Forest. The entrance to the forest was amazing!

The Crow Creek Mine dates back to 1897 and was purchased by the family who currently owns it in the mid 1960's. They have left many old relics inside and outside of the old buildings and the grounds are covered with beautiful flowers and plants throughout!.

After arriving and setting up camp, we headed for the office to get gold panning supplies...

Here's an example of the decor: Old truck - beautiful flowers!!!

Bob looks like he's seriously going to get a gold nugget!

Tony is equally confident!!

Alyce is doing her part!!

Everyone finds a spot on the river and begins the process of panning.

Tony's hard at work!!

John is working hard as Alyce looks on

Bob is working too!

Roger, who has the most experience, sets to work immediately.

I know you'll be shocked to learn that no one succeeded in obtaining a gold nugget. Fortunately it was a nice, sunny day the we got some wonderful rays by the river.

As we returned to camp, we found nice cold sodas waiting to quench our thirst after a hard day's work!

I found a squirrel with a salmon berry (I think), who was willing to pose for me!

Just a couple of samples of the beautiful flowers!

The old Cookhouse is still standing with lots of old relics to see! It's like stepping back in time.

John and Alyce on the front porch

We also stopped for a short rest on the front porch

Izzie found a new friend!

Tony in front of "Grandpa's Cabin". Seems fitting, doesn't it?

Ah, look at all the lost soles!

Tony was trying to teach Izzie to plow! I told him it wouldn't work!!

Our group, relaxing around the campfire!

A Day in Anchorage!

2011-07-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

We were so fortunate to have my brother, Bob, as our guide! He has lived in Alaska for a long time and was able show us so much more than we ever would have experienced without him!!
After our trip on his boat, which was an experience of a lifetime in itself, we went to Anchorage to visit the Anchorage Museum. Unfortunately, we didn't take our camera with us so no pictures but it was an amazing facility with wonderful exhibits showing examples of first nation culture and Alaskan history!

After our visit to the museum and lunch at an amazing Chinese restaurant...we all agreed it was one of the best we've had...he took us to see the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum. Although I must confess that I didn't visit myself, Tony, John and Alyce all agreed that it was VERY interesting!

Continuing with our tour, Bob showed us the way the "The Fancy Moose"... where we stopped in for a drink. It's located in a hotel where the lobby has beautiful Alaskan decorations!

Our little home in Tom's beautiful green front yard! It was our home for the time that we spent with Bob. On this night, Tony took a picture of a beautiful rainbow!!

Humpback Whales - Prince William Sound

2011-07-23T22:15:00.000-07:00

We woke up the next morning to the most beautiful day in Hidden Bay!!!

Captain Bob checked the tide charts and weather and learned that a storm was on the way. He decided that we should cut the trip short and head home, much to our disappointment.

We had just gotten underway and while John steered the boat, we were all in the cabin discussing the change of plans when Tony spotted whales...."Thar she blows!!!"

Tony took lots of still pictures and I shot video with my I-Phone

Relaxing after an exciting day!!!

Thanks Bob, for an unforgettable experience!! We're sorry the trip was cut short but won't forget the beautiful time spent on the Pat-De-J!!

More Humpback Whales!

2011-07-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

Humpback Whales!

2011-07-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

Trip to Whittier, Alaska

2011-07-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

As luck would have it, we were able to spend our 45th wedding anniversary in Prince William Sound, aboard my brother, Bob's, boat. Bob bought the boat in the 1970's when was fishing for a living. He's retired from fishing and now lives on the boat during the summer and in Arizona in the winter. We were hoping to spend several days with him on the boat and get loads of fish.

A view on the way to Whittier

We stopped to take photos of a glacier. Izzie loves glaciers!

The Whittier Tunnel has a long history. For many years, the only access to the small town of Whittier was by boat or train. The train tunnel was built through a mountain leading from the base of the Kenai Peninsula to Whittier. When Bob first used the train, cars were loaded onto flatbed cars and taken through the 2 1/2 mile tunnel totally in the dark. Now, vehicle ownders can drive through only one way at a time because the tunnel is only the width of a train. It has lights all the way through and a "safe house" every 1600 feet in case of fire. Cars are supposed to remain 100 feet apart as they go through the tunnel. In case of emergency, they are to contact emergency responders using phones that are spaced along the inside of the tunnel. Emergency personnel are always at both ends of the tunnel. After that, they are instructed to go to the nearest safe house, which is ventilated, until the fire is extinguished. The drive through the tunnel is a unique experience.

Cars go one direction for a half hour, then the reverse direction. Here, Bob is waiting for the 10:30 opening on the way to Whittier.

Inside the tunnel as we drive through.

The Pat-De-J

Getting lunch ready!

Captain Bob on the bridge as we get underway.

Alyce and Izzie enjoy the sun as we drive toward our destination, Hidden Bay.

The guys on the bridge

Tony, kicking back!

On our way, we saw a really cute sea otter trying to open a sea shell. Unfortunately, we didn't get any photos!

John caught a beautiful salmon, that became our anniversary dinner!

Bob!

Carefully guiding us into "Hidden Bay"

Once we were anchored, the dogs needed to go ashore. There are lots of bears, so Tony and John were told to make lots of noise and stay close to shore.

Off they went!

They returned safely. The next morning we did see a bear on shore but he disappeared behind the trees before we could take a picture.

Denali National Park to Eagle River

2011-07-20T21:34:00.000-07:00

We'll be leaving Denali National Park today and we're hoping that it's clear enough that we'll be able to catch a glimpse of Mt. McKinley!

This is the RV Loop where we spent last night

Here's our cozy little RV spot. We squeezed into one spot because it was the last one available. From our experience, national parks are the best ever!!

We're on the road and guess what we saw... Mt. Mckinley - it is 22,000 feet and dwarfs all the other mountains. We were so happy that we got to see this amazing mountain!

Fireweed, found along the highways, are always beautiful!!!

We caught another glimpse of Mt. McKinley

We found a lookout spot where we could get a picture in front of...you guessed it... Mt. McKinley

We just couldn't get enough of this mountain.

We stopped in Taukeetna for lunch. It's a beautiful little place with lots of restaurants and shops.

We had lunch at the West Rib where we heard that the mayor hangs out!

The restaurant is filled with old photos of the events and places near Taukeetna

When we inquired about the mayor, we learned that this is "the mayor". Apparently there have been many over the years and this is the latest. He loves to hang out for handouts!

John and Alyce visited a minor's cabin

We happened to drive through Wasilla and snapped a photo since it's been in the news so much the past couple of years!

We made it to Eagle River, where we met up with my brother Bob. He and his friend Tom, an old Navy buddy, prepared us a wonderful barbecue. We had such a good time, we forgot to take out the camera for photos.

Denali National Park

2011-07-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

We woke up at the Denali Grizzly Bear RV Park, ready to make our move to the Denali National Park Camping spot.

We took a drive as far as we could go into Denali National Park, hoping to see Mt. McKinley. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy and we never saw it. We did see some beautiful country though.

As we were driving through town, we spotted a hotel way up high on a mountain and decided to try to drive up and take a look at the view. When we arrived at the "Grande Denali Lodge", John and Tony took some shots of the magnificent view! Tony got a picture of John!

We decided to have a glass of wine in the bar by a window with the same view. Alyce was enjoying the view.

In the dining room, we spotted an enormous bear. Tony had to get a picture!

The "Grande Denali Lodge" is new and said most of their patrons are from tours that arrive daily. While we were there, early in the day, not many people were around yet.

A view of the lodge as we drove back down the mountain

We got a picture of the river and surrounding area from the walking bridge. The walking bridge is part of a bike path that goes all the way into Denali National Park.

Tony and Izzie watch as Alyce and John give Maggie a chance to run on the bridge!

Looking up at the lodge from the bridge!

Tony was taking a walk through the RV park just before bedtime, when he spotted a mama and baby moose. He ran back for the camera and to get me! What an amazing site. The moose and baby stopped traffic as they ate leaves and even crossed the street. They are protected in the park and unafraid of people.

Tok, Alaska to Denali National Park

2011-07-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

Our original plan was to go directly to see my brother, Bob, near Anchorage right after leaving Tok. We realized that we were making good time so decided to take a side trip to see Denali National Park. It's a place we all wanted to see but had crossed off the list in the interest of time.
According to the map and G.P.S., the best way to go is through Fairbanks up north and then down Parks Highway. We hadn't done any research on Fairbanks and we didn't have much time so we weren't able to see much of the city.

We passed by Eielson Airbase...

I didn't realize there was a town called North Pole, Alaska. There were signs everywhere. The local businesses and roadside stands used the North Pole theme!

We were in the mood for Chinese food again, so we searched the G.P.S. and found a pretty good place to have lunch. Not much time to spend in Fairbanks...maybe next time.

Our view as we left Fairbanks!

On the side of the road, we saw a moose eating leaves in a tree. Actually, we had seen another one earlier in the day but weren't quick enough to get a photo.

We reached Denali National Park about 4:00pm and tried to get a spot inside the park. They were completely booked but we made arrangements for a spot the next night. We stayed at the Grizzly Bear RV Park instead, just south of the national park .

Burwash Landing, Yukon Territory to Tok, Alaska

2011-07-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

Early in the day we crossed the border again into the Alaska! In spite of the look of terror on his face, Tony was really happy to be back in Alaska!!!

We stopped at the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge to enjoy the amazing view and have lunch in the parking area. Inside there were exhibits of the local wildlife and a First Nation Lady doing beautiful beadwork. I took an interest and she gave me a pamphlet with instructions. I want to give it a try when I get home...in my spare time.

A scene on the road to Tok

The Sourdough Campground in Tok, Alaska, has to be the most fun campground so far!! In the evening they have a sourdough pancake toss and if you toss the pancake into a bucket, you'll get a free breakfast!! We had to go try. Sad to say, none of us won the toss but....they also had Dannylee Whittle to perform for us!! He does Johnny Cash and Willy Nelson songs, among others and has a wonderful voice!

I volunteered with a couple of others in the audience to sing back up for Dannylee. We had a great time!!

In exchange for an extra try at the pancake toss, Tony agreed to do a Karaoke
song. He did his famous rendition of "My Way" originally sung by Frank Sinatra.
Dannylee even joined in with some harmony!

The next morning before we left, we had to try the Sourdough Pancake breakfast which included Sourdough Pancakes, reindeer sausage (or regular pork sausage), biscuits & gravy, fruit, juice and coffee. It was really good.

Another side note: In the laundry room, I met Sharon Nault, who is a field editor for The Milepost. You can see a picture of the most recent copy of The Milepost with Izzie in a previous post! Sharon has worked for The Milepost since the mid 1970's. Since we've been enjoying the book throughout this trip, I felt like I was meeting celebrity!

Haines, Alaska to Burwash Landing, Yukon

2011-07-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

Border Crossing to the Yukon. We had to travel the rest of the day in Canada. We love Canada but experience cell phone trouble while we're there.

A rest stop area

Welcome to the Yukon Territory

The Henze's rig

We spotted this black bear, eating along the side of the road

Shortly after, we stopped to see this brown bear, who crossed the road right in front of our car!!

Compared to the black bear, we thought he looked a little scrawny

There was so much beautiful scenery, I just couldn't decide what to post so there are lots of photos!

Haines Junction, where we stopped to fill up with gas and then stopped shortly after to make sandwiches for lunch

Beautiful Kluane Lake. We saw it for many miles.

We stopped along the lake at Burwash Landing to spend the night. Met some really nice folks there.

It was warm and sunny so we put up our umbrella and enjoyed wine in the shade.

John and Tony

By evening, Burwash Landing was packed. Many of the road workers stay in the hotel there. We recognized many of them the next day as we passed through lots of road construction zones.

Haines, Alaska

2011-07-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

Early morning in Haines Alaska!

Parked at the Oceanside RV Park

We spotted this mural on our walk through town. It shows many symbols of Alaskan life. The snow-capped mountains against a blue sky, Eagles, Ravens, Fireweed (wild flowers found along roadsides throughout Alaska), Salmon, Mosquitos...

We shared a lunch of crab salad sandwiches on the picnic table at our campground!

Alyce, carrying her clean laundry

On a drive around the town, we found lots of beautiful sights.
We learned that Fireweed is one of the first plants to grow after a fire. This picture is shot with Fireweed in the foreground.

The boat in the harbor with the tree growing out of it caught our eye!

Juneau to Haines

2011-07-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

On the morning of our last ferry ride, from Juneau to Haines, we had time to visit the State Museum. We had heard that it was not to be missed! After a couple of hours, we all had to agree that it was time well spent. We learned so much about Alaska's history!

John, Alyce and I outside the museum.

Alyce and I are enjoying an eagle exhibit

Tony and I were interested in this exhibit what showed the part of Alaskan history played by President Dwight Eisenhower. He signed the bill making Alaska a state.

Here we are waiting for the ferry to Haines.

Tony was able to get several shots of a pod of whales from the ferry as we made our way toward Haines.

Again, the Alaskan scenery is breathtaking!!

We saw a couple of lighthouses on this trip.

Here I am on the ferry in front of another of Alaska's snow capped mountains!

The Malaspina, docked at Haines

Upon arrival at 9:30 pm, we checked into the Oceanside RV Park in Haines. We had called ahead for a reservation since we were getting in so late. It's a good thing because they had no room to spare. The spot was right on the waterfront within easy walking distance of town.

A Day in Juneau

2011-07-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

The Spruce Meadow RV Park - We'd recommend it. The people are really friendly and it's very well maintained!

Here we are in our campsite!

John and Alyce in their campground!

In our drive through a state campground, we came across a family of ducks crossing the road.

A look at the Mendenhall Glacier from a distance

A beautiful lake, seen from the the state campground.

This little creature was just outside the Spruce Meadow RV Park Office!

Driving through Juneau

Our visit to see the Mendenhall Glacier up close

Our traveling group!

John and Alyce in front of the fast-moving waterfall

Here we are!

Tony found some glacier ice floating near the shore so he plucked it out!

He had to taste it - and share with the rest of us!

More of the Mendenhall Glacier

On our way out to the parking lot we happened to see a bear in the trees, feeding on the leaves.

Tracy's Crab Shack - a popular place for lunch and of course we couldn't pass it up!

The busy waterfront of Juneau! We watched the sea planes landing!

A drive down the coast was full of beautiful scenery!

We visited the Shrine of St. Theresa

Trip to Juneau

2011-07-12T22:35:00.000-07:00

Yay, it's ferry day and we're about to depart from Petersburg to Juneau!! This time we're taking the Fairweather - a fast boat. It usually takes about 9 hours to make the trip and it will only take us 4 1/2 hours, which is great since Izzie has to stay in the trailer on the auto deck the whole time. This boat seems much newer than the one's we've taken so far.

Alyce and I are in our seats, ready for departure!

Another BEAUTIFUL day!!! One beautiful sight just melds into the next. It truly is sensory overload!!

Upon our arrival in Juneau, we found a spot at the "Spruce Meadow RV Park". The owner, Corrine, was really helpful and directed us to a place to eat dinner and since it stays light so late, we still had time to drive around and take a look at the city.

A picture from across the channel of Juneau with it massive mountains and multiple cruise ships!

The cruise ships are really enormous when you see them up close.

Since Juneau is the capitol of Alaska, we had to see the state building!

The streets of Juneau go straight up and they're really narrow. There's just no way two cars can pass one another on some of the narrow streets

Petersburg, Alaska

2011-07-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

To trip from Wrangell to Petersburg took us through the "Wrangell Narrows" which requires the ferry to maneuver its way through very narrow stretches of water. We learned that in some areas, the water displacement from the ferry's weight causes the shoreline water level to rise. Also, that the ferry needs to make it's passage during high tides, so delays would sometimes occur as a result. The trip was exceptionally beautiful. Again, we experienced an unusually sunny day for our journey.

Views of snow capped mountains were spectacular!

Our expert ship's crew guided us through the channel frighteningly close to land!

We caught our first glimpse of the town of Petersburg

The delightful town was dotted with colorful murals, with bright spring flowers everywhere!

Someone in town has placed small cups with plants throughout town in small nooks and crannies along the main street! They each have a small tag attached with different messages. Tony and John enjoyed searching for them and reading the attached messages.

The sparkling marina on a sunny day!

We found this bear outside of an office building. If you look closely, you can see that he has a small cup with a plant setting on his back...one of the treasures left by the mystery plant person.

As unlikely as it may seem, this building now houses La Fonda Mexican Restaurant. We had seen a menu posted on a bulletin board in town. We love Mexican food but were skeptical about finding good Mexican food this far north until we met the owner, who is from Chula Vista, just north of the Mexican border. The entrance for the restaurant is on the side of this building, further disguised as a bar.

Once inside, we enjoyed a really good meal!

The town is full of unique surprises - like this boat, sitting among the plants on shore.

We stayed at the Twin Peak RV Park, just outside town.

The Sons of Norway Hall

Wrangell, Alaska

2011-07-10T05:44:00.000-07:00

Our camp spot in Wrangell was one of the most beautiful. It sat on a bluff just over the bay, nestled among beautiful evergreen greens!

We experienced warm, sunny days during our stay, as reflected by this photo taken from the marina!

Downtown, Wangell

The historical Chief Shake's Island and Tribal House in the center of town. Since it was Sunday, we weren't able to visit inside but did get these photos outside.

Totem Poles outside Chief Shake's House

One of the "must see" sights in Wrangell the beach containing stones with ancient petroglyphs. Their origin is unknown and they remain there for visitors to admire.

View from the beach

John and Alyce at the overlook

We drove up to take a look at one of Wrangell's beautiful camping areas, high over the water with magnificent views.

View from Nemo Point US Forest Service Recreation Area.

We took a hike to see Rainbow Falls. We were anticipating a short .6 mile walk to the falls. What most of us didn't know was that the hike was on constructed wooden path through the forest that went up 500 feet in the .6 miles, so much of the trip was climbing up an estimated 700 stairs. The view of the falls and the bay were worth the trip!!

The sun sets on our little camp the night before our departure.

Tony took this beautiful shot of the sunset!!

Ketchikan to Wrangell

2011-07-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

Tony and Izzie taking one last look at the view from our "Settler's Cove" campground!

We took one last walk through the woods! The walking path in the forest is great...with wooden pathways, stairs, platforms and benches along the way!

Our ferry, the Matanuska, approaches!

Driving down to the Auto deck!

The ever-changing scenery as we make our way on the ferry toward Wrangell

Our first glimpse of the little town of Wrangell

A Day In Ketchikan

2011-07-08T15:52:00.000-07:00

On our first full day in Ketchikan, we had some things we wanted to see and a couple of errands to run. First on the agenda was of course, food! We checked out the local restaurants and found a Chinese restaurant on Creek Street that got a good write-up in one of our travel books so we set off to find it. We followed our G.P.S. into the heart of downtown Ketchikan until it directed us to make a right turn on Creek Street. There was no street??? We did see a walkway, so we parked and got out to investigate. What we found was a fast-running creek and on the side of the hill next to it there were wooden walkways with stairs and turns and straight sections. We followed the walkway until we came to a very busy section with shops and restaurants, one of which was the "Good Fortune Chinese Restaurant". It was perched right on the side of the hill, on Creek Street, above the creek. Most of the buildings are very old so this section of town has been there quite awhile.

Tony and John found the street where they felt right at home!!

After lunch, we came across a salmon hatchery where we had a tour and learned a lot about salmon. The people at the hatchery work very hard to make sure that the salmon remain healthy and productive here in Ketchikan.

Look at the size of this one!!

After that, we visited a museum with several very old totem poles on display with explanations for the symbolism incorporated into each design. There were photos showing the process of carving the totem poles and samples of the tools used.

We needed to find internet access to check email and work on this blog. Of course, the first thing that came to mind was Starbucks and we found one on the G.P.S. so off we went. The Starbucks was inside a Safeway grocery store and they did have internet access so John, Alyce and I headed off with our computers. Tony stayed with Izzie and Maggie outside where he watched all the sea planes take off and land.

Here's just one of the many planes he saw!

After picking up water to refill our tanks in the trailer, we headed back to the camp, where we enjoyed a meal of clam chowder and sour dough bread that we had picked up at the Safeway.
Another wonderful day!!!

We finally reach Alaska!!!

2011-07-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

One week after our journey began we waited with anticipation for the ferry, Taku, that would take us to our first Alaskan stop, Ketchikan. It all began with a very early morning wait in Prince Rupert. We took our place in line at about 8:30pm to wait for the ferry's departure at 5:30am the next day.

Here, John and Tony wait outside the vehicles for entry to the ferry Taku

We were able to sleep inside our trailers until 1:30am, when we were awakened to continue the process for ferry entry.

Here, we await instructions to drive onto the ferry

I'm really happy to be aboard our first of many ferry boats!

From the ferry's Observation lounge, we had a spectacular view of the harbor at night!

We were able to have breakfast in the cafeteria, which was made to order and very good! Then we got a little added sleep in the darkened Sleeping Lounge, which had reclined chairs.

On deck, shortly after sunrise. It was really windy but beautiful!!

Our first glimpse of Ketchikan was really exciting!! What a beautiful city!!

We set up camp at Settler's Cove about 18 miles outside of town and then found a really nice little cafe with fantastic food, down by a little fishing marina where we had fantastic food! The guys enjoyed hamburgers, Alyce had a fish taco and I had Halibut and sweet potato fries. Wonderful!

Alyce, John and Maggie down by the Marina

We took a walk by the beach at our campground, Settler's Cove. Here we are...our little trio.

This is a state campground and it is really well maintained. There is a path to a beautiful waterfall.

This was just the perfect little spot for us all! Don't we look cozy all nestled among the trees?

We still had crab from Prince Rupert, cooked but still in the shell. Tony removed the meat from the shells so that John could make crab cakes, I made a green salad with the addition of veggies from Alyce. The meal was amazing!! John didn't even use a recipe!!! He's a wonderful cook!!

Tony removing the crab meat under Izzie's watchful eye...

We were treated to an amazing sunset from a spot on the beach!

Here's John watching the sun go down.

It just kept changing and getting more beautiful by each minute!

We were amazed that there was still light in the sky when we finally went to bed at 11:00pm. Alaska is truly a beautiful and amazing place!! We are so happy to be here!

Entering British Columbia!

2011-07-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

After leaving Rollie and Mary's house, we headed north, with the assistance of Jill (our GPS buddy). The GPS was really handy as we wound our way through the back roads in Washington.

There was anticipation as we approached the border, wondering what questions we would be asked, whether we had all the necessary documentation for Izzie and whether we would be able to keep our fruits and vegetables, etc. No problem...after one or two questions, none involving food or Izzie, we were waved through!

None in our party expected the spectacular scenes that unfolded as we headed out of Abbotsville! Once we head Canadian Hwy 97, a road the follows Frasier River, the scenery was spellbinding! With majestic, cloud-shrouded mountains and a rushing river that was near flood stages at some points, we found ourselves completely involved in our surroundings!

Occasionally we stopped on a pull-out or rest area to grab a bite and walk the dogs. Canada does a wonderful job on their roads! We passed through many small towns, each with its own personality!

In our effort to arrive in Prince Rupert in plenty of time to catch our first ferry, we decided to make a real push the first two days, which was challenging but rewarding as we made our way.
The "Milepost" was invaluable! We could follow along as we drove, with each mile (oops, I mean kilometer) described in detail. We were able to anticipate distance to gas stations and rest areas.

Izzie really enjoyed the "Milepost" as well!

On July 3rd, after dining at a local Chinese food restaurant, (John was in the mood for Chinese and we all felt we deserved a reward after the long day's drive.) we spent the night in Prince George, in the casino parking lot, where they allow campers.

The next day we arrived in Prince Rupert at about 6:00 pm and found a spot at the Prince Rupert RV Park to spend a couple of days until Ferry time.

The campground has it's own special charm. The residents seem to consist of avid fishermen/women, intent on fishing every day, rain or shine and coming back with an abundance of seafood and others who are awaiting a ferry departure. Tony met a lovely lady in the camp next door and showed an interest in her catch, which she was cooking outdoors. She gave him a taste, which he LOVED, and was rewarded with two halibut fillets, caught that day! The next day, another neighbor gave him fresh crab, with cooking instructions! Canadian's are really friendly and helpful people, from our experience so far!

Here is a shot of a view from the campground:

As Alyce, John, Maggie, Tony, Izzie and I were walking to town on a busy highway, another local resident crossed the highway to point out a lovely forest path where we could get to town more quickly and enjoy the surroundings. What an amazing forest we found, with a pond and streams. The only disconcerting part was a sign warning the wolves frequent the area!

The town also has it's own personality. The architecture is full of native influence in both modern and older buildings. The residents are obviously proud of their town!
We found numerous totem poles, each with a description of the segments and their meaning.

Here's Alyce by one of the totem poles that is outside Prince Rupert City Hall.

We discovered a small neighborhood park where we had a spectacular, panoramic view of the town and harbor!

When we returned back to camp and had a short rest, Tony grilled the halibut, I cooked the crab and Alyce made a wonderful green salad filled with lots of veggies and topped with the crab.

It was a good day!

We're on our way!!!

2011-06-30T05:09:00.000-07:00

Early morning day one was beautiful and sunny and exciting! Our adrenaline had kicked in and we really found it hard to believe that we had actually started our trip to ALASKA!! A wake up call came with the drive through the city. Not bad by LA standards, really.

Before long though, California's central valley opened up and we tuned the Sirius radio to 60's music for the drive to Carmichael. What a beautiful day!

Our stay with Tony's brother, Jeff was wonderful, as usual. We met up with our traveling companions, Alyce and John, and were joined by Sherry and Lee for a really fun dinner at Carmelita's Mexican Restaurant! The next morning Jeff served us his world famous breakfast of omelets and toast. All in all, the best first day we could ever have imagined!! Thank you, Jeff!!

Here we are, ready to continue the journey! John with Maggie, Alyce, Me and Tony with Izzie!

We were really happy to be entering Oregon, where we planned to spend the second night!

Thanks to the folks at Walmart in Roseburg, Oregon for allowing us to stay there for the night. Here we are in the morning before leaving for Washington!

We visited Rollie and Mary in Snohomish, Washington! They welcomed us to their beautiful home with a wonderful barbecue prepared by Rollie and amazing apple pie, prepared by Mary as we shared wine and conversation.

We all went to bed satisfied and ready to wake up and cross the border in the morning!
Thank you, Rollie and Mary for an unforgettable evening!!

Alaska, Here we come!!!!

2011-06-28T17:48:00.001-07:00

We're about to embark on a new Alaskan adventure!!! After months of planning, we're set to leave in two days! Planning the trip was a joy!!! No problems at all. Just look at the pleasure on Tony's face as we work out the Alaska Ferry itinerary...

Tony, Izzie, our little chihuahua, and I will be leaving Thursday for the first leg of our trip, driving our 4-Runner and towing our little 17' Casita. Here's the rig on our recent Idaho trip:

We'll be meeting our friends, John and Alyce, and their dog, Maggie. The plan is to travel to Prince Rupert, BC for the first Ferry Trip to Ketchikan, Alaska. We'll be going from there to Wrangell, then on to Petersburg, Juneau and finally Haines. After that we'll proceed with our road trip to Whittier, Alaska and the Kenai Peninsula.

That's the plan and we'll try to keep the BLOG updated, subject to internet availability. If you're interested, check back to see our progress.

February, 2011 - The Adventure continues

2011-02-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

It's been two years since my last post. This trip was a short one to Yuma, Arizona...a beautiful desert community with lots of southwestern flavor, which includes the architecture, the wonderful Mexican food and the natural beauty.

We met Dad and Georgia at the Elks Lodge in Yuma, where they had spent a couple of nights. The lodge sits next to sand dunes, where owls come to nest. Tony was able to get some great shots of a pair as they nestled in the sand:

Tony and Izzie, at our stop at the Elks lodge to fill our water tanks and empty our black water tanks:
On our way to picturesque Mittry Lake, north of town we passed a very productive farming community! We've seen countless varieties of lettuce, broccoli and citrus fields with workers in the fields, harvesting the crops.

We set up camp on the banks of the lake:
Tony finally got to use his fire ring that he received last year for his birthday and we really enjoyed sitting around the fire. Here are Rollie and Tony, enjoying their leisure time (That's Dad & Georgia's coach in the back):
We were nestled up close to Rollie's horses in their temporary corral, with Rollie and Mary's 'home' behind it.

Mary is such a dedicated knitter! When it got dark around the campfire, she just kept on knitting with the aid of Tony's trust head lamp!

Izzie Loves Camping!

DeDe and Pop and their new RV!

2009-01-08T22:49:00.000-08:00

First camping trip - Champagne Lakes RV Resort, Escondido

Jerry on his "Hog"

2008-10-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

Amazing Zion National Park

2008-07-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

Sitting out under the stars in our Zion Camp Spot...

...and our beautiful camp spot in the morning!

Tony just had to test the water...

Trip to see the kids

2008-07-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

Camping at Massacre Rocks State Park

Good Morning Guys...(and Izzie)!

Good Morning Sunshine!!

Nathan - King of the Mountain!

Tony, Nathan and Caitlin waving to Grandma and Izzie!

I got to be part of the Bud's Corn Sauce assembly line!! :)

Camping in beautiful Owen's Valley

2008-05-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

Dad and Georgia lead the way in their beautiful "Tortuga Mia"

Camp Tinnemaha...Home Sweet Home

Our happy home for awhile

Izzie made herself right at home...in Tony's jacket :)

This trip was all about fishing and eating!

Tony caught his limit!

Dad and Georgia fishing for trout - and they caught their limit too!

Parumph, Nevada

2008-05-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

We arrived at Terrible's Resort and Casino in Parumph, Nevada to meet up with the

Traveleer's, who enjoy eating, drinking, visiting, Hand and Foot and Bingo!

Terrible's is a beautiful place!

Our little "home sweet home" next to Dad and Georgia's mansion!

We took a drive to a date farm out in the middle of nowhere!

We all felt obliged to try their specialty...date shakes. Delish!

Grand Canyon Trip

2008-03-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

Julie and Dick

DeDe and Pop enjoying the day!

Julie, DeDe and Pop before we enjoyed a meal at the El Tovar Hotel

On our way home, we drove through the "quaint ?" little town of Oatman,

where the donkeys roam free!

"Izzie" comes to our house!!

2008-02-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

Guess who got new cameras??

2007-11-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

The cats also love the cameras!!!

Riding Bikes at Doheny State Beach

2007-11-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

Spending a day along the Rogue River in Oregon

2007-10-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

We walked along the river for several miles, into the forest and along the river's edge, crossing bridges back and forth. These photos are not retouched, which proves that nothing can surpass nature for artistic beauty.

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"Tree Hugger"

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Rollie was caught watching the river.

Art in Nature

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AMAZING CRATER LAKE!!

2007-10-13T23:58:00.000-07:00

Phantom Ship Rock

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Crater Lake Lodge

2007-10-13T23:56:00.000-07:00

Inside Crater Lake Lodge, a beautiful old lodge, where we enjoyed lunch so much that we returned for dinner too!

Rollie and Mary, inside the lodge!

Tony being Tony

2007-10-13T23:55:00.000-07:00

You can barely see Tony in the photo and again, you can't make out the actual height of the tree roots.

Tony decided to climb out on some tree roots hanging high over the valley. The photo doesn't capture the extent of the risk! There was nothing except roots for several thousand feet under him!

The road to Crater Lake

2007-10-13T23:50:00.000-07:00

Beautiful country on the way to Crater Lake,

from

Happy Trails Cowboy Camp!

Oregon Trip - Day 5 continued

2007-10-13T23:02:00.001-07:00

Happy Trails Cowboy Camp!

Here's "Cowboy Tony" with Dorado

Rollie and Tony in the corral with the horses and Gypsy!

Rootin Tootin Cowboys!!

2007-10-13T23:00:00.001-07:00

Terry, Tony and Rollie -
Mary's photo

Oregon Trip - Mary's Pictures

2007-10-13T23:00:00.000-07:00

Tony, riding Tuffy! (Mary's photo)

2007-10-13T22:55:00.000-07:00

Rollie and me...Mary's photo

Oregon Trip - Day 5

2007-10-13T22:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Trails Cowboy Camp

We moved to our new location, Happy Trails Cowboy Camp, near Klamath Falls, Oregon. Rollie and Mary are traveling with four companions including their horses, Star, Cochise and Dorado as well as their border collie, Gypsy.

We took a trail ride. Tony rode "Tuffy" who lives here at Happy Trails. We are both riding novices but with Rollie and Mary's patient coaching, we managed our horses "ok" and had a wonderful time. (We did go to bed at 8:30, slept 9 hours and woke up with sore "seats" but wouldn't have missed it!!

Mary packed us a lunch that we ate on the trail!

(That means I had to get down from the horse and back up again - another challenge!)

This is me with "Star". She is really well trained!

Tony had the camera, so there are no photos of him here, but he was a "natural" and looked great on "Toughy"!

Oregon Trip - Day 4

2007-10-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

Visit to the Obsidian Flow

Rollie and Mary came down from Washington to meet us and we took a short hike to see a really amazing and rare Obsidian flow. You have to see it to believe how beautiful it is!

Oregon Trip - Day 3

2007-10-13T22:26:00.001-07:00

Beautiful Lake Paulina
We spent the first night at Chief Paulina Horse Camp and woke up to a blanket of snow! Although it was amazingly beautiful, we decided to head south for a warmer place to stay!

A beautiful view of Mount Shasta - "We were there!"

Oregon Trip - Day 2...more

2007-10-13T22:15:00.001-07:00

The "boys" had a great time!

We loved our stay at Jeff's house!

Oregon Trip-Day 2 Continued

2007-10-13T22:10:00.001-07:00

Samples of Erin's amazing art!

Oregon Trip - Day 2

2007-10-13T21:59:00.001-07:00

Jeff's house:
a work of art!

Oregon Trip - Day 1

2007-10-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

San Diego to Sacramento - As we travel, our shadow now reflects our latest "equipment" - bikes!

DOHENY STATE BEACH - ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

2007-09-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

Beautiful, invigorating, blissful!!
Early morning on the beach.

A cup of coffee and a beach chair :)

September 4 - 7, 2007

2007-09-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Freedom...

2007-09-09T17:39:00.000-07:00

Our wonderful home for a few days!

2007-09-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

Solitude

OCEAN MESA CAMPGROUND-SANTA BARBARA

2007-07-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a campfire every night, with s'mores. Yum! Tony couldn't resist performing for my camera's "no flash" photo!

2007-07-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

We had lunch at the cafe in Canyon Creek Resort, where there are cabins for rent. The lunch was wonderful!

Santa Barbara Camping Trip

2007-07-29T20:57:00.000-07:00

We went to Santa Barbara to celebrate our 41st wedding anniversary. We stayed at Ocean Mesa Campground, near El Capitan State Park. It was a really lovely place. We had a wonderful spot and really enjoyed our stay.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY 2007!!!

2007-06-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

Joan and Amy prepared this year's Father's Day Feast...and what a feast it was!!! The menu consisted of Bahama "papas" with crackers and cheese, followed by a wonderful meal of Grilled Shrimp and salmon, accompanied by wonderful new potatoes and green beans almondine. Dessert was wonderful marinated, grilled pineapple with ice cream. What a treat!
It was a beautiful day and a good time was had by all. Thank you Joan!

We love the dads!!!

2007-06-18T20:07:00.000-07:00

All the Dads in attendance!

2007-06-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

Introducing.....

The "newest" dad and son!

Jeremy & Waylond

CASITA TRIP TO IDAHO!

2007-06-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting our Idaho photos up. The trip was actually from May 21-27, 2007.

Idaho is a beautiful place! We saw so many amazing and wonderful sights that we have far too many photos to use here. My recommendation is to visit yourself! It's even more amazing in person!

A stop for lunch in the Nevada Desert

2007-06-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

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We visited a farm owned by Mr. Peterson. He collects animals and was nice enough to allow us to get a REALLY close look at them!!

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Visit to the falls

2007-06-09T19:15:00.000-07:00

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Caitlin ("Easy Rider") &

Nathan "hamming it up!"

LIFE "ON THE ROAD"

2007-05-23T08:52:00.001-07:00

This, our second "Casita" trip, is different because we are sharing it with several of our "favorite" buddies! There's no one we would rather spend time with than Pop and DeDe. We spent weeks sailing with them on San Francisco Bay. This time it's a "road trip". While on the road in separate cars, we communicate with walkie talkies so we can talk about the sights we are seeing and our plans. Most of our meals have been in the Casita, sharing space with Picot and Murphy. It may seem a little "cramped" but it works fine. Everyone has their spot except Murphy, who enjoys roaming around.

2007-05-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

Everyone has a place to sit
"Being together" in the Casita

2007-05-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Murphy in the car!
Picot on the road

2007-05-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

"Home" for Picot & Murphy in the Casita!

2007-05-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

Picot in the trailer!

OUR IDAHO TRIP

2007-05-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

DeDe and Pop are joining us for our trip to Idaho and we're having a great time! The first part of the trip, from San Diego to Las Vegas was uneventful and we didn't take photos. In Las Vegas, DeDE and Pop stayed at the Silverton Casino Resort and we stayed at the Oasis RV Resort. That night we had barbecued chicken at our camp spot.

The next day, we took the long ride from Las Vegas to Ely and saw some wonderful, ever-changing scenery. We topped off the day with a Mexican dinner at LaFiesta restaurant, recommended by Jim, and weren't disappointed. We are staying at the KOA campground, which has lots of trees. Of course, we're surrounded by huge RV's and we are the smallest RV in the lot, but we are simply in love with our little trailer and totally comfortable. We have cable TV, kitchen, bath and Internet (broadband) and this trip we have the birds with us. They are doing great! I'll post some photos.

I-93 FROM LAS VEGAS TO ELY, NEVADA

2007-05-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

FIRST NIGHT ON THE ROAD

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2007-05-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

DeDe & Pop "on the road"

MOTHER'S DAY 2007

2007-05-13T21:18:00.000-07:00

Today was a wonderful Mother's Day day! We met for lunch in Old Towne and had a really enjoyable time. The weather was perfect, the food was really good and we enjoyed special Almond flavored champagne that Amy brought and tasted different desserts! The best part was the company, of course. We missed Julie, Dick, Missy, Jim, Nathan and Caitlin but they were there in spirit!

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE!!! :-)