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Traveled from Glacier passing Flathead Lake and took some pics.  What a drive !  Arrived in West Yellowstone and checked into an RV Park which was in the city close to the West entrance to Yellowstone NP.  The next day we entered the Park and traveled the lower loop, which is about 118 miles.  Yellowstone NP covers more than 2.2 million acres so it definitely takes more than a day to enjoy.  We started with Old Faithful and arrived just 20 minutes before it’s expected eruption.  Wow !  We drove through the geyser area and passed many boiling springs and thermal areas, in fact in some places it’s hard to decide whether you are witnessing a fire since there is so much smoke rising from these areas.  We saw lots of bison along this drive as well as elk and stopped at Canyon Falls.  The park is so immense it is hard to take it all in, but we took lots of pictures along the way.  We stopped and ate a picnic lunch beside the Yellowstone Lake and found quite a few footprints that were fresh along the lake.

Next day we took a break from driving and visited the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone.  We saw lots of grizzlies, many that were orphaned as cubs. There were also many wolves and beautiful Golden and Bald Eagles.  It was well worth the time to see all the animals, demonstrations and exhibits.

The following day we drove the upper loop of Yellowstone NP.  This drive was about 121 miles and much more beautiful than the lower loop.  We stopped many more times at the view points and we drove much more narrow and steeper roads.  We also played Bison Bingo (count the Buffalo) because many more were near the roads that day.  They decide to walk down the middle of the road and take their sweet time.  Traffic was stopped for miles because of one Mac Daddy Buffalo that decided to take a Sunday stroll.  At one point we saw an EMS vehicle with lights going, weaving in between the traffic and he decided to start the siren.  You would not believe how fast 600 lbs. or more of solid meat can travel along with about 4 of his cousins and grandkids.  Funny ! and traffic then started moving.  What a great place to visit and hope we are fortunate to go back some day.  Enjoy the pics and we have many, many more.

After Anacortes WA. we traveled back to Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho just long enough to have the truck serviced (after all we had put 7,000 miles on it) and went on our way to Columbia Falls, MT for our visit to Glacier National Park.  We were so disappointed with the weather both days we were there.  We managed to take the shuttle up the “Going to the Sun” highway and take a few pictures, but when we arrived at Logan Pass it started pouring rain and the temperature dropped.  The visitor center was shoulder to shoulder people trying to get out of the rain so we never managed to take the walk to Hidden Lake.  We finally decided to wait for a shuttle back down.  The next day we took a ride to Hungry Horse, MT, and went up to the Hungry Horse Dam which is beautiful but still the weather was not good for us.  Well it’s time to go on to Yellowstone.

Next few days were without communication as we went through Teslin, YT, Nugget City YT, and Dease Lake, BC, where we stopped enroute at Jade City and watched how they cut and polished jade.  These stops were one nighters which gets tough after a while, setting up and then hooking up to get started again.  We then traveled to Stewart, BC which was a very interesting little town before and after the Gold Rush,  with the most interesting  museum where we spent most of the day but were asked not to post pictures of the collections on the internet and we can appreciate that.  The city was almost empty after the Gold Rush but we were told that a new vein of gold had been found and probably was a billion dollar find which was creating more jobs in the area.  We noticed many helicopters and trucks coming in with equipment to supply power to the mines.  In Stewart, we also drove across the border (which was only about 6 miles) to Hyder AK. to the Fish Creek Bear Viewing Station where the salmon were spawning.  We got a spot at the viewing station and waited and waited (over an hour) in silence along with about 100 people.  Sure enough we finally spotted a grizzly under the bridge coming our way and she caught about 3 of the salmon right in front of us and then walked on down the creek.  What a thrill ! The next day we drove 34 miles on dirt and gravel straight up to Salmon Glacier and back down.  What a trip up and Cary drove us and friends but it was well worth it.

Next couple of stops were also one nighters heading south with a stop at Hat Creek RV Park which is an actual ranch.  The horses were directly behind the camper and very friendly especially because our crowd gave them goodies.  Then on to Rosedale, BC, where  some of us girls endured an uphill climb to Bridal Veil Falls.

We arrived at our final destination at Fidalgo Bay RV Resort in Anacortes, Washington after going through the U.S. Border at Sumas, WA.  All we could say was “God Bless the USA.”  It was a wild ride with many bumps along the way.  Some had vehicle or RV problems, a few cracked windshields, some without power at times, but OH WHAT A TRIP !  We had a great farewell meal and breakfast the next morning when we all said our goodbyes.  Yes, there were tears especially because for 60 days we were all a family.  We all went through a lot together and shared the problems of traveling rough country but we also shared the good times and the beauty of what we all saw on our “Trip of a Lifetime.”

Stay tuned for a few more of our travels as we finally head “HOME.”

The next morning we left for Tok to spend one night.  All roads lead to Tok. Then another early morning departure to Destruction Bay in the Yukon Territory.  Yes, we had to cross the border again and yes, we had another time change.  We experienced more frost heaves, construction and rain all day.  We did not get many pictures in this weather except for the road, but we did have a delicious dinner and entertainment at Destruction Bay Lodge.  Then an early morning call for traveling to Skagway AK and we had to cross the border and another time change.  At this point we haven’t known what time it was since we started especially because of very little darkness.  We had a full 1st day which took us by boat, a 50 seat catamaran, The Fjord Express, to Juneau.  This was a 3 hour trip one-way and once again the weather was bad but we did manage to see some orca whales and waterfalls on the way.  It poured on and off all day and the water was really rough.  In Juneau we boarded a bus for a city tour that included time for shopping and lunch at the Red Dog Saloon.  The weather was awful and the streets of Juneau were so crowded with people from 2 cruise ships docked in the harbor.  The bus then took us to Mendenhall Glacier which was so beautiful but like all the glaciers is slowly receding.  We then took the 3 hour return trip but had to skip the whale watching because of weather.  We enjoyed the captains stories and had some wonderful salmon chowder on the way.

Next day we had a great time on the White Pass/ Yukon train excursion and took pictures but the clouds prevented good ones.  The Railroad was born during the Gold Rush and we went up the mountain and over bridges and through the tunnels that were driven through the mountains so many years ago.  It was kind of scary looking down the mountain as we went over the trestles which were on OUR side of the train, but interestingly enough when we got to the top, we had to reverse the back of our seats and change sides with our neighbors across from us so that they were on the scary side going back.  So much fun with our group.

We have been off the grid for a week or so but we will try and quickly catch up.  Our Fairbanks, AK visit was busy.  We were there for 4 days starting with a visit to the Alaska Salmon Bake at the Pioneer Park, the evening of arrival.  There were huge grills filled with Alaskan salmon, halibut, and prime rib, as well as beer battered cod and all the fixings you can imagine.  Also had a dessert of wild blueberry or strawberry rhubarb shortcake.  Unbelievably good !  Afterward we went to the Palace Theatre Show which we thoroughly enjoyed.  The next day started very early on the bus to a Riverboat Cruise.  The cruise began with a plane taking off right next to the boat and he circled around and landed on the water for us.  Next, we stopped on the river in front of the kennel where acclaimed athlete Susan Butcher, 4 time winner of the 1,100 mile Iditarod race trained her sled dogs.  Susan unfortunately died at the age of 51 from leukemia, but left a legacy with this kennel.  The trainer did a demonstration with the dogs as a team pulled her on an ATV.  She answered all questions via a microphone and explained the care and training of these dogs.  We also stopped and had a personalized tour of a Chena Athabaskan village with Alaskan native guides.  We visited all the buildings in the village and they explained processes used for skinning hides and showed us all of the hand-made fur pieces.  One of the hand-made fur coats was beautiful and today is worth about $10,000 – $15,000.

We then had lunch and boarded the bus for Dredge #8.  We learned all about the history of this dredge and the how much gold was mined there.  We also panned for gold which takes quite a bit of work but we managed to find some.  Cary panned $24 worth and I got $11.  We didn’t strike it rich but it was fun doing it.  We also got lots of information and saw a large part of the Pipeline.

Another day brought us to the University of Alaska Museum and the Ice Museum in town.  Every March there are people from all over the world who come to enter into the ice sculpture competitions.  This particular museum won many awards for their entries and several of our group rode down the ice slide.  Fun !

The next day was on our own so we decided to drive to North Pole,  Alaska and visit Santa Claus’ house where we met Santa and Mrs. Claus, and we definitely put in a good word for all our grandchildren.  Lots of fun on this part of the trip.

Denali left us with a life long memory.  We first stopped at a lookout station for the South View before arriving in town.  We had a short walk to reach the lookout and all of a sudden it appears in front of you and fills your view – it just takes your breath away.  We were so lucky that day was clear because only 30% of people that visit see the top of the mountain because of clouds – Well, we were one of those 30% and we even bought a shirt that says so.  One gentleman we talked with said he comes every year (15 years so far) to this view and each year is different.  The next day we all took a bus tour of Denali National Park.  It was a long ride but so much to see along the way to the closest point to view Denali from the park.  We were 35 miles from it at that point and to get any closer you would have to view by air or be a climber of the mountain.  We saw quite a bit of wildlife on the trip there and back but the park is so vast some look like ants traveling around the streams and mountains.  We had an excellent tour guide that was full of information since he drives the tour bus every summer for 3 1/2 months.  Most do not stay here in the winter.  He told us that the name Denali was just changed from Mount McKinley just last year in 2015.  It is the highest in North America at 20,310 feet.  Our guide also had a camera that magnified the animals so that we could watch them up close on the pop-down screens on the bus.  We saw lots of grizzlies, caribou, moose and birds and we think there was some Dall sheep also but someone spotted them too late and the driver could not stop at that point.  The roads are very narrow at some points and the buses just about touch mirrors when passing in the opposite direction.  It was a long day but so well worth it.  There is something about Denali – you can ride and see so much beauty along the way but when you get a glimpse of that mountain towering above the others it’s complete silence and you feel like you are being drawn to it.  Everyone in our group applauded when we reached the top viewing station.  We took a group picture, stayed for about 20 minutes and returned to the bus while looking back until you no longer can see it.   “There is something about Denali.”

We had a great visit to Anchorage which began with a historical city bus tour starting with Earthquake Park.  We all strolled through the park to view the displays and read all about the Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964 which also effected the coastal towns which were damaged by a tsunami that followed the quake.  As we were walking someone spotted a moose with her baby and we tried to catch a picture but they are so quick and very protective of their calves that we certainly didn’t want her to charge on this crowd.  We went on to tour the airport and saw many float planes that are housed there until winter and even saw one that lands on the snow and ice.  Couldn’t get really good pictures because the bus didn’t actually stop for us there.  Onward to watch a film about sled dogs and mushers at a small local theater which was really enjoyable since it had special effects such as real snow that blew out over the crowd and a campfire that smoked with a computerized old man that told us some tales.

After lunch at a local restaurant we went to the Ulu Factory  where the famous Alaskan Ulu knives are made and then on to the Alaska Wild Berry Products which has the World’s largest Chocolate Fountain, gourmet candies, jams, jellies and need I say more.

The next day took us to the Alaska Native Heritage Center where we learned so much about the native cultures.  Many of the young people did several native dances which interestingly are done with their hands and only moving their feet back and forth in place. The reason being that there were so many people living in one house (sometimes 1,000 or more) that in order to help pass time in the long winters they danced in place, and they exhibited different dances for each culture.  These natives are from all over Alaska including the Aleutian Islands and other islands which are very close to Russia (as close as 35 miles) which have quite a bit of Russian influence in language as well as customs.  We were told that there is so much adversity here that over 100 languages are spoken in Alaskan schools.  We viewed lots of artifacts, furs, crafts and even homes that were on display.  We learned so much in Anchorage.

Our next destination was Homer, Alaska, “The Halibut Fishing Capital of the World.”  Our RV Park was located on the Homer Spit which is a long narrow piece of land 4.5 miles long, and in fact is the longest road into ocean waters in the world.  “OH” what a beautiful place!    The mountains seem to enclose it and the Spit is full of shops, hotels, restaurants and well over 1,000 water docks for commercial and private boats.  We walked the docks at a time when the boats were coming in and it was unbelievable, the amount of fresh salmon and halibut we witnessed being cleaned.  Several in our group went halibut fishing and returned with their limits of 2 fish each.  Most are 7 – 10 bs, but the further out in the ocean can bring more than 100 lb. fish.  The fish were cleaned and bagged for them (of course for a price).  The fishermen and women were kind enough to share some of their catch on the last evening at Homer.  If you have never tried grilled halibut you are missing something huge.  It was a first for Cary and some others and they were saying Mmmmmmm for days afterward.  Many went and purchased some to take home.

While in Homer we also visited the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center which had so many exhibits, films and hands on information.  We went on to the Pratt Museum which had a large amount of exhibits about the history, native culture, fishing, quilts, birds and more information about the Valdez oil spill and how it effected Homer.

Saturday morning we went to the Homer Farmers market which featured fresh vegetables, with greens galore from local greenhouses and gardens, gorgeous bouquets of flowers, wild berries and of course cinnamon buns.  The flowers in Alaska are everywhere and the reason they flourish is because of so much sunshine.  We presently have daylight for 18 hours a day and it is not easy to make yourself go to bed early when there is still so much daylight.  Back to the Farmers Market, we made the best purchase of the day which was Halibut Tacos which contained fresh grilled halibut cooked to order and the freshest homemade ingredients you could ever hope for.  We ate while we enjoyed the live entertainment which was also unique.  We also visited the famous Salty Dog Saloon with our group that day and posted another dollar along with the thousands of others signed and pinned up on the walls, ceilings, doors and more.  Everything was covered with dollars and the bar and tables were covered with carved names and dates.  It was so nice to find out that the dollars are thinned out yearly and donated to local charities.  Enjoy the pictures and look for our dollar when you go!  It says “Elvis was here,” and the date.

Finally arrived in Seward and we had to be detoured to stay in the local High School parking lot for July 4th because of the Mountain Marathon which brings in thousands of people to the area each year.  It was an inconvenience but we survived  – only to face rain for the next two days.  We still managed to have a good stay that included a tour of the Alaska Sea Life Center and the Puffin Experience which was great.  These birds are not only beautiful but also kind of comical looking similar to parrots.  Our “experience” included seeing them one on one with a person that works with them daily and knows everything about them.  These birds are not especially good at flying but can dive and propel themselves really deep underwater.  We saw them in the tanks later, diving and chasing fish.   This Center was amazing with tanks containing all kinds of Alaskan fish, sea lions, otters and stellar seals.  We also saw all the types of salmon, jellyfish, crabs and octopus.  There was also a great exhibit about the Valdez oil spill and how so many animals perished as well as many others that were saved and the hard work and time it took to save them.  This was a great place to visit in Seward, Alaska.

On the road into Seward we stopped at an Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Center which was near the city of Portage.  Note that in our travels we had already seen some bears, elk, eagles, fox, caribou, bison and all kinds of sea life, but we still had not seen a moose.  All of the group (38) had spotted moose along the roads except for 4 of us.  We were determined to see a moose and here at the wildlife center we finally did.  In fact, we saw plenty of all of these animals and all with a different story of how they were rescued and are now being cared for.  We even met “Snickers,” the porcupine who was found when very young, alone and starving in the wilderness.  Enjoy the pictures because we did, along with all the wonderful stories of survival.  There are many of these Wildlife Conservation Centers in Alaska.