Liz and Mike loose in an RV: Alaska: Kenai Fjords, Inside Passage Cruise and down the Coast back to Gold Canyon

Los Angeles - 2303 v. North Pole - 2072 miles away from Seward, Ak.
Lansing is 3900 miles away from Seward.

Free shuttle took us from the train and around Seward to hostel and sightseeing. Too easy.

Rose hips are bigger in Alaska.

Seward is on the Kenai Peninsula. Loads of salmon spawn and die in Seward. We saw huge salmon dying in streams alongside waterfront RV parks. Bald eagles, otters, seals, whales and more gathered right in the harbor for a feast. We took an all day Kenai Fjord boat tour and saw wildlife, Exit Glacier and the Harding Icefield. Ice in the icefield is as thick as 4000 feet.

Seward's Harbor

Exit Glacier

Bald Eagle in Seward's Harbor

Cheerful crewmate shows off the glacial ice.

Seals on the rocks

We hiked to Exit Glacier in Kenai National Park

Exit Glacier has receded dramatically.

The Harding Ice Field is half the size of Rhode Island with ice as thick as 4000 feet.

White speck is a Mountain Goat

National Park Ranger with Brooklyn accent from Florida summers in Alaska and is a fine educator.

We boarded cruise ship after our guided hike in the Kenai National Park. NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) has "Freestyle Dining" meaning walk into dining room and staff seats you. I would order a vegan meal the day before by combining vegetables from entrees. Dinner time was not set. We did not dine with other cruisers like we did on Celebrity. In the buffet dining room where we ate breakfast and lunch a posted sign stated "Consult with physician before eating oysters, shellfish or animal products". At buffet entry points servers spray each guest's hands with a hand sanitizer. I hate hand sanitizer. The Norwegian legal staff knows how to prevent passenger lawsuits.

Tipping on the NCL Sun was fair. Morale was good. Hotel staff was mostly Filipino. The entire food and hotel staff were tipped unlike on Celebrity Century where only wait staff and room stewards got tips and they were 99% male. Kudos to Norwegian!

Inside Out was featured on our ship. It is a fantastic movie that anthropomorphizes emotions in order to define them.

Room stewards were invisible except for gifts like this towel elephant.

Day 2 Hubbard Glacier from the Norwegian Sun.

Icy Straits

Day 3 Hiking in port with a cannery.

Defunct Salmon Cannery Plant

Turn of 19th Century Gold Rush family preparing a Bald Eagle for dinner.

Native Celebration in Juneau

Rightly in our opinion Sarah Palin earns no notice. Only cartoons reference her in women's toilet in Juneau's Museum

Welcome to Skagway. Ports turn into a blur.

Klondike Gold Rush Historical Parks are in Skagway and also in Seattle.

Historic Moore Family home. Moore supplied the gold miners.

Gigantic Fish Hooks

Prostitutes followed the gold miners.

Married men snuck along Married Men's Way to visit prostitutes

Great artifacts

Tiny golden frog on a leaf

If a ship's crew approves of their captain they graffiti the name of their ship on these rocks in Skagway.
We watched a video of this train ride. It was unremarkable so we skipped it.

Skagway

Skagway has 1000 fulltime residents. Population doubles in season in order to host 900,000 visitors.

Men caught salmon and visited brothels. A famous madam said that when they were fishing all they talked about were women. When in the brothel all they talked about was fishing. Intimacy is not automatic. It is learned, that's for sure.

Wikitravel says, "Ketchikan is situated at the meeting place of three Alaska Native cultures, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. Evidence of the rich artistic and dance traditions of the native cultures is apparent throughout the town, most visibly in the totem poles scattered through the historic district and found in larger groupings in totem parks near town."

Ketchikan 7 figures of Alaskan
Chief Johnson, The Logger, The Miner, The Fisherman, The Pilot, The Pioneer Woman, and The Native Drummer.

Passionate docent

Ketchikan museum features totem poles gathered from various villages.

Historic poles

Sun shines on deck for a cruise cookout.

Alaska stuck a lot of cold into our summer. We disembarked in Vancouver and took the $25 Bolt bus to Bellingham. A group of antique car owners spent the night in our RV park. We drove out of the chill quickly to spend next night on the west side of Mt. St. Helens heading south for warmer weathers ASAP.

Bye Bye, Washington state

We headed to Portland and stocked up at Bob's Red Mill outlet store. Bob's is located in Milwaukie, Or. seven miles south of Portland. Whenever I mentioned Milwaukie poor Mike would wince because he thought I wanted to go to Milwaukee, Wi., 2067 miles away and then return to Arizona for another 1800 miles.

Mike follows the fable about the old crone who turns into a beautiful woman because she is given what every woman wants. What does every woman want? She wants her on way.

"Please, dear let me know if you think I am out of line," I asked. Going from Seattle to Milwaukee, Wi. and back to Arizona is not reasonable. Do you think I am insane?"

The owner of Bob's Red Mill, Bob Moore, age 86 turned his firm into an employee-owned firm. Mostly organic and non-GMO, Bob's sells great products. Uncommon grains like kamut, spelt, amaranth are sold at Bob's.

http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2010/02/bobs_red_mill_natural_foods_ro.html

Dave's Killer Bread's outlet store is across from Bob's Red Mill. Dave was a killer and after release he employed ex-cons who make "killer bread". Our friend Paul told us that Dave is currently in prison due to an addiction problem. Dave's is a Western whole grain bread brand and we hope new owner will maintain high quality of ingredients.

"Dave's Killer Bread

American Company

Dave's Killer Bread is an American company based in Milwaukie, Oregon, which makes organic whole-grain breads. In July 2015, Flowers Foods purchased the company for $275 million. As of 2012, its bread is being sold at stores in 11 western states. It was started by Dave Dahl, who learned the baking trade growing up in his family bakery. Founded in 2005, the company has steadily grown, expanding from 30 employees to more than 190 by 2010 and to 280 by the end of 2012, and has been covered by The New York Times and MSNBC."

I had a sinus cold brewing possibly due to cleaning mold in refrigerator. I forgot to leave the door ajar when we stored it. After 19 days in humid Bellingham fridge as moldy. We stayed in Oregon's Champoge State Historical Park. We met Jan and Paul Burnett for dinner. They just had a new grandbaby. I was in denial that I had a cold meanwhile I felt bad. I did not want to infect them and felt guilty. They took us to a very plain local Mexican restaurant, Luis's Taqueria where then Senator and presidential candidate Obama and Secret Service had eaten.

On September 18 we checked into Escapees park in Sutherlin, Or. for a week of laying low. We visited proud town of Roseburg because Escapees Welcome lady told us to see Roseburg. Lovely painted house and nice walking paths are in Roseburg. On Oct. 1st a mass shooting occurred in Roseburg's community college leaving 10 dead and 7 injured. The town was very hostel towards President Obama. Extremely anti-gun control residents remain so even after the horrendous shooting. I have known that gun deaths are an unnecessary American phenomenon since my sister committed suicide in 1979. German relatives simply asked, "How did she get a gun?". Keeping a firearm on top of a refrigerator is unheard of in Germany.

We headed to Marin RV Park by San Francisco for a week. Mike really likes the Embarcadero.

We booked popular tour of Alcatraz a week in advance. We enjoyed our RV Park neighbor, Blanche, age 73 and look forward to returning to her park. Blanche lives in a classic airstream. She is a world sailor and today she kayaks like a champion. She works for a department store to make ends meet. She was a Hillary supporter until I told her that Bernie will lift the $117k cap on paying into Social Security. She said that she is changing her vote.

We commute on the Larkspur Ferry from Marin RV Park to San Francisco

San Francisco Maritime National Park

Great Outdoor Shopping Mall near RV Park. We saw 3D Matt Daman movie, The Martian.

Selfie at the Golden Gate Bridge.

Golden Gate Bridge

Alcatraz, aka. The Rock

Ferry leaving Alcataz

Audio Tour of Alcatraz.

Alcatraz Cell

Alcatraz Library

Pride of Alcatraz Personnel. Families lived on the island.

Book early. Alcatraz boat ride and tour are popular. Dramatic talk on an escape from Alcatraz is just one feature.

View of San Francisco Bay

View looking up the coast

Marine Mammal Museum features a life size male sea lion monument.

Necropsy in Marine Mammal Hospital at Point Reyes. What is killing the sea lions?

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/whats-killing-the-baby-sea-lions/Content?oid=4222720

Marine mammals are struggling.

Muir Woods National Park

Redwoods in Muir Woods.

Mike took this picture.

Cold water north of San Francisco in Sept. Brave girl.

Beach Volleyball in Monterrey

We had lunch here in Monterrey. Mike deserved a sports bar fix of football.

We got last space in Carmel by the Sea RV Park. I biked to Earthbound and loaded up on greens and veggies.

View along Hwy 1

Driving down Hwy 1

We drove down dramatic Highway 1 and enjoyed the seals. Females and pups only in fall. Males are still out hunting. A niece said she felt disgust when she saw the lazy seals. I do not know this niece so I refrained from saying that disgust is a defining emotion in movie Inside Out.

Adolescent males jockey for position. Daddy is still out hunting.

In response to the awful 4 year California drought Hearst Castle in San Luis Obispo has porta potties. Tremendous water savings especially for women's toilettes. Urinals use much less water. In US toilets flush the same amount no matter how minor the pee. Other countries have a small flush and a big flush. Useful instruction posted at a house party on Michigan's west side read "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown flush it down."

Where are we? How did we get back to Europe?

William Randolph Hearst was a great collector and had a fabulous home. His life story is interesting.

What an art collector!

Closer look at detail in above photo

Hearst liked kitsch too. He was a Hollywood mogul.

Mojave is bleak. And it was muddy from recent rainfall.

We drive across California, dry camp in the Mojave Preserve and arrive in Pahrump, Nv. to enjoy an Escapees RV Club, Pair-a-dice.

2 inches of rain fell a few days before we arrived in Pahrump, Nv.
Note snow on mountain in October in dessert.

Next stop 5 days in a timeshare in Las Vegas. We arrived in time to rally for Bernie Sanders. We attended the Mob Museum and a show, "In the Rock Vault".

We stay at Blue-Green Hotel in a one bedroom and can see our RV out the window.

Democratic party debated at e Wynn.

Go Bernie!

Mob Museum in Las Vegas tells an American history of organized crime.
Visitors tell their personal experiences with mob encounters.

Mike in a line up in the Mob Museum.

Mob Museum is in older part of Las Vegas.

Rock Vault at the Tropicana.

Rock and Roll is fun.

From Las Vegas we punched Dead Horse State Park into our GPS and it took us on a narrow road with torturous switchbacks through Jerome.

On Monday, October 19 Mike got his blood drawn in Sedona and we headed to Gold Canyon and returned to Sedona on Friday, October 23 to meet oncologist, Dr. David Beyer. (We enjoyed an evening and spent a night with Judy Dejaegher from Perrinton, Mi. in a house she just bought.) Mike's PSA was still .1 or less and his testosterone was fine. He is so healthy that I thought fireworks should blast off. A celebration with rejoicing, cheering, singing and dancing did not ensue. The busy oncologist seemed annoyed. He forecast that without additional injections of Lupron (2 year protocol) that Mike's PSA would rise. Essentially he would have castrated Mike for 2 years and not 6 months. He did not bother to ask, "How? How did you keep PSA at .1 or less?" None of his standard instructions apply. Mike has no reason to visit. Now that medical laboratories are allowed to run tests without a doctor's order Mike can get his PSA whenever he likes and not bother with seeing a doctor. I attribute the .1 PSA to Mike quitting dairy. Of course Mike had a bit of dairy on the cruise ship but he cut out drinking milk with meals. Per China Study casein (the protein in dairy) causes cancer. The Chinese in rural counties do not consume dairy and do not have prostate cancer nor breast cancer. The dietician in July 2014 prostate cancer support seminar at the Cancer Care Center in Phoenix said unequivocally "Food first, not supplements." and that calcium causes cancer. She refused to say that calcium in dairy was bad and that the calcium in leafy greens is safe and even better. It was a free seminar on a Saturday and she was there to attract clients so she said, "Hire a dietician".
Mike's father. grandfather and 7 uncles had prostate cancer. If they had all had lung cancer and smoked we know enough today to infer that inhaling a burning carcinogen causes lung cancer. The surgeon general put a warning label on cigarette packs in 1965 after all. We do not say that lung cancer is genetic even though sometimes nonsmokers contract it. The same is true of prostate cancer. It is not genetic if not consuming dairy prevents it. Dairy industry will spend whatever it takes to obscure danger in dairy.
When will the public revolt? We watched Cowspiracy this week. I can attest that I personally know a wealthy donor who donates to the Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy and Planned Parenthood. She would not accept the idea that dairy is harmful. Avoiding animal products is not in the Overton Window She is from North Carolina and her last name, Kilgore is on my mother's milk carton, Kilgore Dairies. Methane from agri-business is the biggest environmental danger ever. Dairy caused prostate cancer for Mike in my opinion and now it seems confirmed by Mike's prostate cancer outcome.

I feel spared and even thankful that dairy caused me gas, bloating and boyfriend embarrassment so I quit dairy 30 years ago. I continue to be vigilant and avoid animal products because I do not want to follow with heart disease, diabetes and then a stroke. My weight is natural and normal. No need to practice portion control since all I eat is plants.

I wept when we got to Gold Canyon. I felt relief like I was home. I was so glad to see Chuck and Leigh from Winnipeg. She lead the "Journey to Healthy Eating" group where I heard her repeatedly say how their cardiologist told them that "dairy is the worst. Quit dairy first and no oil." I followed her direction and am forever in her debt. Now she leads yoga and in the absence of another leader, I lead "Journey to Healthy Eating". People, places and things really matter when we try to acquire new habits and having support makes a world of difference.

Mike made a mental evaluation of what might go wrong with our 2008 Cougar with 50k miles and green lighted me to shop for a new RV. We found a 2013 Thor Crossroads Cruiser for sale by owner in Sun City. His wife broke her hip. After only 2 years of retirement she cannot get in and out of it. We bought it on Nov. 6 and sold our 2008 on Nov. 9. I admit that I fell in love and did not exercise Dave Ramsay's "walk away power" so Mike could not negotiate skillfully. I fell in love with the finished interior. Half of our clothes are no longer under our bed. We have drawers. We paid $26k when the range was $24k-40K. We sold our 2008 for $7200 cash. We sold to the proud father of a newly hired Arizona state park ranger. I hurried to purchase in order to have this winter to become familiar with new space. As usual I acted faster than Mike expected. We registered title in Michigan and paid their sales tax.
Since Mike fell in love with our truck and could not take his eyes off of it when we bought it in May 2012 he forgave me for impulse. But he did rightly feel angry that he didn't get to look a while longer.
If I can't be a good example, then let me be a terrible warning!

2008 Keystone Cougar

2013 Thor Crossroads Cruiser is same length as 2008. New one is taller and has 1 added slide out for bedroom.

Gold Canyon RV and Golf with Superstition Mountains in the distance

Mike in leather recliner

I feel like Barbie in new dollhouse modeling this beautiful new wool stole made by dear friend Judith.
Donna Love winters in Gold Canyon and delivered surprise to me from Judth in Des Moines.