Liz on Alaska: Fly Up, Float Down

In summer 2013 while standing in line for a national park shuttle bus I overheard other tourists say "Fly up, float down". They were discussing Alaska. When I asked Mike about going to Alaska he was not at all keen. He detests black flies. I was not particularly interested in Alaska either but my parents, my sister Lorie, Mike's sister Ann and brother Fred and their spouses have visited Alaska and loved it. We were going. 

As a budget traveler I noticed that after Labor Day cruises are half price. Canadian & Gold Canyon friend, Lyall Smith who grew up in the Yukon approved of risking an after Labor Day cruise. I put a $250 deposit on a $600 per person seven day inside passage cruise on the Norwegian Sun for fall 2014 and then pushed the date to September 2015.

Flying up meant pricing flights and figuring out a departure point. Seattle to Fairbanks - $125 so that settled the departure point. Even though our ship docked in Vancouver, Canada, the flight from Seattle was half price of Vancouver. The Bolt Bus from Vancouver to Bellingham cost $25. I booked our August and September accommodations in February and March 2015 even before our trip to Europe since Alaska's season is so short that selling out is a real threat.

How much time do we tour on land? Mike and I negotiated. I wanted 25 days and Mike wanted 7 days. Gold Canyon friends, Dorothy and Richard Cobb live in Alaska and I asked them if we might visit. They agreed so that added 4 days to our trip for 12 days on land and 7 via cruise ship.

Where to store our  RV?  We needed storage in between Seattle and Vancouver. Unlike Seattle Bellingham had easy, reasonable storage without an international border crossing with an RV. Since  June 4, 2012 when we started RV living we've carried down coats and long underwear under our bed in anticipation of Alaska or some bizarre cold snap. We paid $100 to store or RV for a month in Bellingham in an airport parking lot along side of other RVs and far from any overhanging trees.  

On August 27, 2015 we flew from Seattle to Fairbanks. Delta Airline's bargain flight landed after midnight. The lady cabbie heard one word, Billie's and she knew exactly where we were staying. Billie's Backpacker Hostel is on Airbnb.

Billie's Hostel in Fairbanks

Hostel's Living room

         Billie's Hostel had eclectic style along with healthy houseplants and coffee. Unfortunately weather turned cold. During any other late summer Billie's yard would have been filled with tent campers. Not August 28 or 29, 2015. We did not take a walk through the nearby Creamery with its loads of wildlife because I was too cold. We left Fairbanks on August 29 and it snowed August 30. Usually termination dust arrives in October but not in 2015.

The city bus is $3 for all day. A bus stops near Billie`s Backpacker Hostel. We enjoyed a long morning in the amazing Fairbanks' Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. http://www.fountainheadmuseum.com/photos-en.html
I liked the evolution of fashion and Mike adored everything else. He had never seen many of the over 400 brass era nameplates displayed in this multimillion dollar collection. Antique autos in Alaska took us totally by surprise. Without the unseasonable cold we'd have missed it. The Audubon Society was born out of women changing fashion from feathered hats in the cause of preserving tropical birds.After the museum we rode the bus around Fairbanks, bought groceries and returned to the hostel where I made lentil soup. Mike ate lentil soup for dinner for the next four nights.

 

Cabbages are bigger in Alaska. I wanted to put coats on the plants.  We arrived on the last day for beautiful flowers.  

Wearing dusters in the car museum.

Period Clothing Matches Vehicles

Auto paired the Gown of Era 

Featured were antique movies on awful roads and autos in Alaska.  




Best Brass Era Autos in Alaska? Yes!



 

The morning we arrived Mt McKinley's name was formally changed to Denali. Denali National Park was the central reason for the "fly up" part of the itinerary. Yes, we missed Wrangell - St Elias and the Yukon and most of Alaska's 660,000+ miles but we saw Denali National Park. Billie booked our taxi and we scooted to the train early August 29. We arrived in Denali too late for our natural history tour so it was rescheduled. We visited Denali's sled dogs instead. Denali is the only park where sled dog manager and trainer is a park specialty. Volunteers walk the dogs everyday in summer season. They love to work and the dogs not in the lead a distinct roles. The lead dog is not the only thinking dog. If you love dogs you might like to learn more especially how the Iditarod came about commemorating sled dogs delivering serum for diphtheria from Nome. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sled_dog

 Husky is a group of breeds and mongrels bred to pull a sled. .

Sled Dog Demo

       Termination Dust signals the start of winter in Alaska. Typically termination dust falls in October. Not in 2015.

 

 

Day 3 August of our big Alaska trip we woke up in our hostel at 5:30 am. Day 3 of this costly trip started off as an ordeal. I did not dream that it would snow in August. It might flurry but this much snow? We were in a wonderful hostel as hostels go for $60 per person but nonetheless we slept in the loft of a bunkhouse and the trip to the toilet was down a ladder, out the door and across the complex to a large bathhouse. Honesty neither Mike nor I went the distance to the toilet. He had the male privilege. I squatted by our cabin. I found that traumatic. In the commons area, aka. the Octagon I made breakfast and lunch sandwiches and served lentil soup for dinner. The first night we discussed the TPP (Transpacific Partnership) with a dairyman from New Zealand. In the morning

The 12 hour 92 mile trip to Kantishna is the last top in Denali. I passed on that. Instead we toured 66 miles to the Eielson Visitors Center. In March I paid $35 per person for this potential sellout. An all day tour supposed to depart at 7:30 am left at 9:30.  3 inches of snow at the bus depot and a 2 hour delay greeted us while the park service cleared roads. Personal vehicles are not permitted. Three feet of snow fell in the passes! When we finally boarded the bus I'd lost our place in line due to the cold standing outside waiting. Mike looked upset and I was anxious.


 

Denali  hostel commons area.  

Would Denali be more than misery? 

Nine tour buses played "leapfrog" behind mama bear and cubs.  



Bob Bear is an excellent driver and pleasant narrator.

Camping in the Snow? Hostel was luxury in contrast.

 

Our highly trained and experienced driver was named Bear. He warned us not to make loud noises or put our hands out of the windows. The wildlife are accustomed to buses and are unaware of the human content. He played "leapfrog", taking turns passing other buses to allow passengers to photograph wildlife. Bear counted that we were in a caravan of 9 buses, the largest bus leapfrog he had been party to.  Good thing a strong heater was in the back of the bus to warm me up. After our first few animal sightings Mike was smiling with approval. I felt so relieved.



 

Day 4 we took a $60 per person prepaid Natural History Tour run by Aramark. We joined a large group from Princess Cruises that began with a movie and a talk in a visitor's center. The leaders Gary and Sherry began by questioning some youngsters about their age. Gary asked, "How many of you here visited Alaska when you were 11?" No hands went up. "And do you know why?" Because a trip to Alaska is expensive! Somebody loves you a whole lot." (They are rich too.)   lol
We learned some more but Gary, our guide seemed to run out of content. He was simply delighted to be driving us on tour. This day no significant animals were sighted. It was pathetically chilly as we stood outside the bus around an Inuit tribal leader. We were forbidden to photograph her. She had to talk over the noise of a road machine while the wind whipped her and our bus full of mostly seniors. She described her tribe's evolution and summarized by contrasting her modern house, comforts and relative affluence today.

 

After our trip I read this article that explains issues with the native Alaskan diet.
https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2015nl/apr/eskimos.htm

 



One of many Dinosaur Tracks.  

Train track crossing

We took a hike to this moraine on our last day before train trip.

Down by the lake

Beavers are in evidence, a real presence in Denali.

World View from Alaska. Good bye, Denali.

We finally took a hike on our last morning in between our shuttle drop off and our train to the village of Talkeetna. Not a lot of time for a great hike but since we schlepped hiking poles along I was determined to use them. Beautiful train trip from Talkeetna was remarkable because of a delay. Rather than wait for a train ahead to move forward our train managed the wait differently. It actually backed up a few miles to allow recovery of a cell phone accidentally dropped by a passenger in our low cost coach.  Her phone was smashed but the memory chip was salvagable.



Whistle Stops like Talkeetna abound in Alaska.  

Gold Canyon friend, Alaskan resident and architect Richard Cobb met our afternoon train in Talkeetna. We had taken pitiful photos of Denali (Mt. McKinley) while in Denali and on the train. Once we got off the train in Talkeetna Richard drove us to spectacular vantage points far better 90 miles away than inside Denali.  Foreign tourists told us that the view of Denali is better than the views of Mt. Everest.

View of Denali from Talkeetna



Mike, Richard and Tank, Service Poodle in Talkeetna.

Talkeetna pizza parlor with Grandson of WWII hero Manila John Basilone 

Manila John Basilone, medal of honor winner at Guadalcanal was assigned to sell war bonds after the battle. Rather than go on a sales tour Manila John went AWOL (absent without leave) and rejoined his unit in Iwo Jima where he was killed in action. Today military bases are a large presence in Alaska. Richard settled there after his service is Vietnam. We enjoyed a Thai restaurant run by a Thai married to an American vet.

Retail Kitsch in Talkeetna

Amazing Huge Burl/Tree Trunk Wart that excites Mike's Wood Model Maker Soul 

Sheep Creek Lodge features Taxidermy

Richard showed us fun places in Talkeetna including the Sheep Creek Lodge Restaurant. The bartender tried to ban Tank, Richard's service dog since no pets are allowed per health department. Richard politely explained that the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) trumps any local ordinances and told the bartender to look it up. The bartender returned contrite and complimented Tank's perfect behavior. Under a state grant Alaskans with disabilities receive service animals without cost.

Richard drove us on an interstate highway to Anchorage. All Federal highways are called interstate even in Alaska and Hawaii. What we saw of Wasilla was the same retail and chain restaurants as in the lower 48. Richard took us a lovely lunch venue in Palmer. Then we met his wife Dorothy in Anchorage where she is a teacher and counselor in a boarding school for troubled girls. We enjoyed their lovely apartment in the heart of Anchorage. Dorothy and I walked to the nearby museum store where she showed me clothing knitted from exquisite muskox wool. I am sorry that I forgot take Dorothy's photo. She and Richard will arrive in Gold Canyon soon

"Qiviuq or qiviut is an Inuktitut word commonly used to indicate the wool of the muskox. The word was originally used to refer to the down feathers of birds as well as the inner wool of the muskox. It is valued for its use as a fiber as, unlike sheep's wool, it does not shrink in water at any temperature. It is most commonly used for hats and scarves, a…

Qiviuq or qiviut is an Inuktitut word commonly used to indicate the wool of the muskox. The word was originally used to refer to the down feathers of birds as well as the inner wool of the muskox. It is valued for its use as a fiber as, unlike sheep's wool, it does not shrink in water at any temperature. It is most commonly used for hats and scarves, and is among the softest wools. It is very expensive; a high quality knitted scarf can cost more than 300 U.S. dollars, but will last over 20 years with good care."

en.wikipedia.org

Alaskan residency means spending six months per year in Alaska to earn a share of revenues from the state's investments. This year's payout is the biggest ever. What a lovely socialist investment program unique to Alaska's 737,000 residents. 

We met a young man who had rented a bicycle to ride the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail where he encountered a bear. He had to take a different path and got lost but he had an adventure.
The coastal trail is gorgeous especially as the weather improved. We thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality of over day with Dorothy and Richard.

Next we departed on 6:30 am train ride from Anchorage to Seward.  Very scenic and interesting. We saw impact from 1964 earthquake, the most powerful ever in North America. .


 "The 1964 Alaskan earthquake, also known as the Great Alaskan earthquake and Good Friday earthquake, occurred at 5:36 P.M. AST on Good Friday, March 27.^[2] Across south-central Alaska, ground fissures, collapsing structures, and tsunamis resulting from the earthquake caused about 139 deaths.^[3]
Lasting four minutes and thirty-eight seconds, the magnitude 9.2 megathrust earthquake was the most powerful recorded in North American history, and the second most powerful recorded in world history. Soil liquefaction, fissures, landslides, and other ground failures caused major structural damage in several communities and much damage to property. Anchorage sustained great destruction or damage to many inadequately earthquake engineered houses, buildings, and infrastructure (paved streets, sidewalks, water and sewer mains, electrical systems, and other man-made equipment), particularly in the several landslide zones along Knik Arm."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_Alaska_earthquake

Dome of Observation Rail Car.  Very Scenic. Better views by rail than auto.

Area hit by 1964 Earthquake. Note the Knocked Down House

We arrived in Seaward where a free public shuttle bus drove us around the town and to our hostel, Moby Dick.
The next day was trip Day 10. We took the Kenai Fjords Tour a week after President Obama  toured. Next blog will discuss glaciers and cruise concluding our trip.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=obama+to+seward&FORM=VIRE7#view=detail&mid=6AC11325E3E9C533345B6AC11325E3E9C533345B