tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37646521924594909842024-03-15T21:09:37.584-04:00Wish Upon an RV Star!Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.comBlogger354125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-29737517096259851622022-11-05T23:34:00.004-04:002022-11-12T21:56:39.190-05:00Grand European trip: Budapest, Hungary<div>10/8/22-10/9/22: Budapest, Hungary</div><div>Weather: sunny, cool to warm</div><div>Tours: Welcome aboard tour of neighborhood around docks on the Peste side</div><div> Castle Hill District Hike</div><div>Exploration on our own of the Peste side including Parliament Building and area, St. Stephan's Basilica, pedestrian shopping/dining area</div><div><br /></div><div>Note: You can click on any picture to make it larger.</div><div><br /></div>10/8/22: Today was travel day from Prague to Budapest - pronounced Budapeszt. We learned there are 44 letters in the Hungarian alphabet due to combinations. The “s” is a combination of s and z. <div>After boarding the longboat after the 7-hour bus ride through The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, we went out on a short informational walk of the area near the boat dock. The guide was very funny and gave us a ton of information. We then did a quick look through some of the public areas of the boat, met up in the lounge for a drink and the welcome talk, and then had our first dinner in the Restaurant. There are 180 guests on board and everyone that we’ve met has been delightful. </div><div>Tomorrow Al, Erin, and I have a morning hike of the Castle Hill district. So it’s off to bed!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPP0Eg-QCtT8lHbr2iBwhM9SiASw9ImZBg1KAVIGRSO_koBre5MI-b0gvRWdYMaQ-P9oqE-TbdUHnhvmPBJ_x2iSoGX89PMU5L6GdiyJxj9UDBtcrpPXY4eUlXdngFicBz6ZPvwRps25QObZICi6vJtks3ZoPmA28DMucjnFhSU_7NxZme6vLiB-kh/s4032/IMG_0268.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPP0Eg-QCtT8lHbr2iBwhM9SiASw9ImZBg1KAVIGRSO_koBre5MI-b0gvRWdYMaQ-P9oqE-TbdUHnhvmPBJ_x2iSoGX89PMU5L6GdiyJxj9UDBtcrpPXY4eUlXdngFicBz6ZPvwRps25QObZICi6vJtks3ZoPmA28DMucjnFhSU_7NxZme6vLiB-kh/s320/IMG_0268.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In Hungary the public restrooms require payment. You put a one Euro coin in the slot and the turnstile lets you through. I thought it was hilarious. I will say, the restrooms were spotless, well appointed, and did not smell at all 😁</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOUVisH5v52fnqtpcj4Mm6jevz8-GnqVZ8L3R-SwBMc3Z3nVlftvc8exnG-2mfmRYjHwzlsK1N7mq3kwSbde8coTDh2T-zrxc9g8VRwmmDeYcVSB7o73jbTVEPKmwgocV6SDGGSVqURjCI43_1g2HB6qpJcUpqVEK8lDuHcTf_eKxkNmx2ofbTBnQ/s3780/IMG_0270.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="2835" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOUVisH5v52fnqtpcj4Mm6jevz8-GnqVZ8L3R-SwBMc3Z3nVlftvc8exnG-2mfmRYjHwzlsK1N7mq3kwSbde8coTDh2T-zrxc9g8VRwmmDeYcVSB7o73jbTVEPKmwgocV6SDGGSVqURjCI43_1g2HB6qpJcUpqVEK8lDuHcTf_eKxkNmx2ofbTBnQ/s320/IMG_0270.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Outside of the Central Market, a huge farmer’s market open every day except Sunday. Of course, we’ll be touring Budapest on Sunday so we don’t get to see it open 😕.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejaOy_R9vUYjSLpAgmjIRLDn1DwRio6QIikUS5xkIXDtJ1bMPbBHA5im0y8ahhQ8cW3f4C63J945tDMjV9SaHmtLrPNdxbJu5VEPuEP1B4JgJt_nGxXZA4pBWQnoNMOPE0KDNld2Wf_Xe2RtYtE1y8SKkvONZFq9W6Ek1q98o9kti-eouUL2gN5iS/s4032/IMG_0276.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejaOy_R9vUYjSLpAgmjIRLDn1DwRio6QIikUS5xkIXDtJ1bMPbBHA5im0y8ahhQ8cW3f4C63J945tDMjV9SaHmtLrPNdxbJu5VEPuEP1B4JgJt_nGxXZA4pBWQnoNMOPE0KDNld2Wf_Xe2RtYtE1y8SKkvONZFq9W6Ek1q98o9kti-eouUL2gN5iS/s320/IMG_0276.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A popular product of Hungary is paprika. It’s for sale everywhere.</div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQxZTkvQjUQWTtd-txFuAXbD2obV-VHBggR57ZCUy2knLWAT1JXCGCHYytwO1NWpF-NXi6lEel07pB60PoBk-bS9rKWgqCTuistlqtlS4okmQSpQeNR_GoC8Eajm8uVr4DoHC8cj-rRJWtORKfBvDX-J8yez5cZM3jqAsoDIwANg0IuN8KwQARIBp/s3342/IMG_0439.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3342" data-original-width="2507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQxZTkvQjUQWTtd-txFuAXbD2obV-VHBggR57ZCUy2knLWAT1JXCGCHYytwO1NWpF-NXi6lEel07pB60PoBk-bS9rKWgqCTuistlqtlS4okmQSpQeNR_GoC8Eajm8uVr4DoHC8cj-rRJWtORKfBvDX-J8yez5cZM3jqAsoDIwANg0IuN8KwQARIBp/s320/IMG_0439.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pedestrian walkway in a retail/dining area. No cars allowed!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqOkfPq5aHTkF1EgDJv8kJDgiZdhRmxoWONV6x-yrA2jGHn_CgLbZrtAkTqtCv14_zWOwRfaniSZmZGomHJfcve0qt6mLR3aVBdOonqzZnHGqL0w9MSdli4Q2FIyyaf8RTVwqJ-1N4HMYu2Di6ZTz4yc2oYqSx-Hxu87UEti8k4RKtWbgexUmY5fT/s4032/IMG_0284.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqOkfPq5aHTkF1EgDJv8kJDgiZdhRmxoWONV6x-yrA2jGHn_CgLbZrtAkTqtCv14_zWOwRfaniSZmZGomHJfcve0qt6mLR3aVBdOonqzZnHGqL0w9MSdli4Q2FIyyaf8RTVwqJ-1N4HMYu2Di6ZTz4yc2oYqSx-Hxu87UEti8k4RKtWbgexUmY5fT/s320/IMG_0284.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">First dinner. Food was excellent. Off to a great start!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">10/9/22: This was a big picture day! We did a hike of the Castle District, returned to the boat for lunch, then went out again to explore on our own. We returned in time for the boat’s departure at 6:15 for Vienna, Austria. We logged over 9 miles, 22,000+ steps!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxAImkq6XU0RFCsM3XPkcVj4N7xujrRaTV0wU0nadCxV8LuFkqAD7IqPmqMemjDh8fpGG3bFI_8V8yjfJ4kdKwqYjWIx_1DQtJOagffc2xENKziIDU8fidM3zn4AGB1xs6Rs71G3ME_Yh_BwY9SH_gf5X6eQ7NnIZxLEWXyrtw1BnnYY7qjIFdVE0/s4032/IMG_0288.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxAImkq6XU0RFCsM3XPkcVj4N7xujrRaTV0wU0nadCxV8LuFkqAD7IqPmqMemjDh8fpGG3bFI_8V8yjfJ4kdKwqYjWIx_1DQtJOagffc2xENKziIDU8fidM3zn4AGB1xs6Rs71G3ME_Yh_BwY9SH_gf5X6eQ7NnIZxLEWXyrtw1BnnYY7qjIFdVE0/s320/IMG_0288.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Liberty Bridge is the shortest bridge in Budapest's center. Initially built as part of the Millennium World Exhibition at the end of the 19th century, the bridge features art nouveau design, mythological sculptures and the country's coat of arms adorned on its side.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The northeastern house contains a museum on the bridges of Budapest. The bridge was the first in the city to be rebuilt after suffering heavy damage during World War II.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIOV3qsuAvpBsfsIsK8awepKOYAJ9aW70dTwKDOt7Msvx56qWfNRxwUQ7I0o-u7L9qRmQY0W8ubqjSKhefvWh44yR1hlEQ3flfG2UvGYBkK-hJ8qjNJNLf3tp_691e3i-_XSwGmLuLPihnCUxmg9RHI6jLk0XizKQvBo8VjQMGeJGwJ5-C_ko5NoW/s4032/IMG_0291.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIOV3qsuAvpBsfsIsK8awepKOYAJ9aW70dTwKDOt7Msvx56qWfNRxwUQ7I0o-u7L9qRmQY0W8ubqjSKhefvWh44yR1hlEQ3flfG2UvGYBkK-hJ8qjNJNLf3tp_691e3i-_XSwGmLuLPihnCUxmg9RHI6jLk0XizKQvBo8VjQMGeJGwJ5-C_ko5NoW/s320/IMG_0291.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The statuette on the bridge represents Emperor Franz Joseph with his legendary mustache, arms crossed and military shako hat on his knees, sitting on a hammock that hangs from two padlocks. He's looking very thoughtful; maybe he's reflecting on the last rivet of this beautiful bridge, which he hammered down himself. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gVkocLjeKaimrMKKwJKeiZZbZ6aeymmKi_SU0kOynUtN4eVmgBx4fedfCZilDhcqT8qtzL-BTAycYRyY2hB_cAYcZJltqdYdfbNzuH_6LYdxiPGVHqmicoikMEavWbaCmT2-bTjRjcZflFNrD8ZvNcwHh08xjSuS5jQvw3SfgXDgssE75UPTN99L/s2814/IMG_0290.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2814" data-original-width="2111" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gVkocLjeKaimrMKKwJKeiZZbZ6aeymmKi_SU0kOynUtN4eVmgBx4fedfCZilDhcqT8qtzL-BTAycYRyY2hB_cAYcZJltqdYdfbNzuH_6LYdxiPGVHqmicoikMEavWbaCmT2-bTjRjcZflFNrD8ZvNcwHh08xjSuS5jQvw3SfgXDgssE75UPTN99L/s320/IMG_0290.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Liberty Statue</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It was first erected in 1947 in remembrance of the Soviet liberation of Hungary during World War II, which ended the occupation by Nazi Germany. Its location upon Gellért Hill makes it a prominent feature of Budapest's cityscape. The 14 m tall bronze statue stands atop a 26 m pedestal and holds a palm leaf. Two smaller statues are also present around the base, but the original monument consisted of two more originally that have since been removed from the site and relocated to Statue Park. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">At the time of the monument's construction, the defeat of Axis forces by the Red Army was officially proclaimed “liberation”—leading to the original inscription upon the memorial To the memory of the liberating Soviet heroes [erected by] the grateful Hungarian people [in] 1945". Over the following years, public sentiment toward the Soviets decreased to the point of revolution, which was attempted and temporarily succeeded in 1956 and subsequently damaged some portions of the monument. After the 1989 transition from communist rule to democracy, the inscription was modified to read: "To the memory of those all who sacrificed their lives for the independence, freedom, and prosperity of Hungary". The Russian-language version of the tribute was removed in its entirety</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvriM4Nz0I-X4-MdxGR6hCoDtZMqTKJwfQPrPOdexIYvxBkHvnWetYfQfSQM-fWtqFpL6fomAwUcHldpSU5huZUh1AOgtQwPNv5OTJRt4sJFp5Mytl1OeQxUESj6B4FDb9oSq1GhNvi1TCZ3CazS12q-F_NoTmBDTwesO1RzZJm3THByso0tzFMuPy/s2917/IMG_0293.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2188" data-original-width="2917" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvriM4Nz0I-X4-MdxGR6hCoDtZMqTKJwfQPrPOdexIYvxBkHvnWetYfQfSQM-fWtqFpL6fomAwUcHldpSU5huZUh1AOgtQwPNv5OTJRt4sJFp5Mytl1OeQxUESj6B4FDb9oSq1GhNvi1TCZ3CazS12q-F_NoTmBDTwesO1RzZJm3THByso0tzFMuPy/s320/IMG_0293.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Cave Church in Budapest is inspired by Our Lady of Lourdes in France, built into the rocks and caves of the Gellért Hill. The church was established by Pauline monks. One hundred and fifty years after Joseph II banned the religious order from Hungary, fifteen monks that were exiled in Poland returned to Budapest and to the Cave Church. Finally, the monks were arrested during the Communist regime and the church was closed. After the departure of the Communist regime, it was reopened and still in use today.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_24SzJrrWLpiSQR-mjkFk9owKnGczwWKqtSqrGiVNLU11cuurvPLpnv5cRAia47XfX6M0sRJIT7MgXSnSwI15EXczUsCDNV-LzvHD3LF1uQu23hC6snSiR6f0sp0QnRP_ltlT86NjZofVLu0Ngb3mk8JVQYJ4kWi8sQ5N3Gn06e5u71-83PYdVmYR/s3658/IMG_0306.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2743" data-original-width="3658" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_24SzJrrWLpiSQR-mjkFk9owKnGczwWKqtSqrGiVNLU11cuurvPLpnv5cRAia47XfX6M0sRJIT7MgXSnSwI15EXczUsCDNV-LzvHD3LF1uQu23hC6snSiR6f0sp0QnRP_ltlT86NjZofVLu0Ngb3mk8JVQYJ4kWi8sQ5N3Gn06e5u71-83PYdVmYR/s320/IMG_0306.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Buda Castle Grand Bazaar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd790B8cxs5eXYHssSWcXkV_fz8W3Y0u23p6iaqXeYow6xQgY1A9wDe5U2fevQfSflwCvPxX6TpZ2ymC800W1ODTMdVzH7iNtcULl0cd1H_iXrVETK4k8CAn7RD1YeqqseFN1F38j0bNCEOQScviyty6DuR1079vrsQePoN_UV0YaRlIkopuOArr3/s4032/IMG_0311.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd790B8cxs5eXYHssSWcXkV_fz8W3Y0u23p6iaqXeYow6xQgY1A9wDe5U2fevQfSflwCvPxX6TpZ2ymC800W1ODTMdVzH7iNtcULl0cd1H_iXrVETK4k8CAn7RD1YeqqseFN1F38j0bNCEOQScviyty6DuR1079vrsQePoN_UV0YaRlIkopuOArr3/s320/IMG_0311.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Buda Castle Royal gardens leading up to the escalator/elevator to the top! Buda Castle is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian Kings in Budapest. It was first completed in 1265, although the massive Baroque palace today occupying most of the site was built between 1749 and 1769. The complex in the past was referred to as either the Royal Palace or the Royal Castle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJZVOK_YBHt15yJh5vJu9ByvUgqgV2zr8aSHj07Aar5i4o_9KKkvTkU41Q9IlBn8mnvRVOux0YELi0FWut0k8Y4NFOcn1qXJq8wpDF1xJkBHTe0LI6imZt3vVhdZ_ETBMCBndaFtKzQ01lVrK50KRCcSaAw17UPm4SehbtNgkVwf0DtwDIRCKrSqG/s4032/IMG_0319.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJZVOK_YBHt15yJh5vJu9ByvUgqgV2zr8aSHj07Aar5i4o_9KKkvTkU41Q9IlBn8mnvRVOux0YELi0FWut0k8Y4NFOcn1qXJq8wpDF1xJkBHTe0LI6imZt3vVhdZ_ETBMCBndaFtKzQ01lVrK50KRCcSaAw17UPm4SehbtNgkVwf0DtwDIRCKrSqG/s320/IMG_0319.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a chain bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Designed by English engineer William Tierney Clark and built by Scottish engineer Adam Clark, it was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary. It was opened in 1849. It is anchored on the Pest side of the river to Széchenyi (formerly Roosevelt) Square, adjacent to the Gresham Palace and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and on the Buda side to Adam Clark Square, near the Zero Kilometre Stone and the lower end of the Castle Hill Funicular, leading to Buda Castle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">TheChain Bridge is also featured often in the television show FBI International.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuEhAeCFYWkZPj_24i1yahNYm15onr3ojk1w_Ve6q3KifKkhOG4XSmJnPhWPQ7dNHJpR7nL-ejUp5vkuSTXMYiCqNBWbUY-UXyLHXd97qqds8V5A-aUNwfIq0hfEKRya6wfgUN3HKFB5HqgcssUIpf-0CPAX7nJVfjynEGRijLqX4g9hiorHY2zHG/s4032/IMG_0326.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuEhAeCFYWkZPj_24i1yahNYm15onr3ojk1w_Ve6q3KifKkhOG4XSmJnPhWPQ7dNHJpR7nL-ejUp5vkuSTXMYiCqNBWbUY-UXyLHXd97qqds8V5A-aUNwfIq0hfEKRya6wfgUN3HKFB5HqgcssUIpf-0CPAX7nJVfjynEGRijLqX4g9hiorHY2zHG/s320/IMG_0326.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthias Fountain is a monumental fountain group on the western forecourt of Buda Castle. Alajos Stróbl's Neo-Baroque masterpiece is 0ne of the most frequently photographed landmarks in the Hungarian capital. It is also referred to as the Trevi Fountain of Budapest.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienkQPZpxHwFPz13qq6stRjrn0G0jW-RvZ7d9luFHaRVs6yLdShudApZ4YXjl_QZYPpJOl3X2b_TNKhJicLDOTjXdbh225QEDMMeM9QLwAf0axzbA1ksUauAb9Jj7uAiD-JbhMYydhlVBCqCPDHpMrSWIfGWYaCsPIHfO7gAVIrYlKwPhH6HJ_CiSD/s4032/IMG_0350.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienkQPZpxHwFPz13qq6stRjrn0G0jW-RvZ7d9luFHaRVs6yLdShudApZ4YXjl_QZYPpJOl3X2b_TNKhJicLDOTjXdbh225QEDMMeM9QLwAf0axzbA1ksUauAb9Jj7uAiD-JbhMYydhlVBCqCPDHpMrSWIfGWYaCsPIHfO7gAVIrYlKwPhH6HJ_CiSD/s320/IMG_0350.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Built in 1893, by Zala György, this bronze statue celebrates the freedom fighters, who fought, and in many cases also died, in one of the most important battles of The Independence War - the battle at the Buda Castle in 1848. The statue stands close to the Fisherman's Bastion. Although it is relatively small and inconspicuous, it is quite popular with the tourists. Dedicated to anonymous heroes, the statue's banner reads "Freedom or Death."</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAS7RXQ64tpdik80Hf5bwjWdf9a8w0l-5_RniXUNtvQwCC-hoydl2EcWMafqITooKo-svl-5yRHtf4q2IbQk0O3GToUG9xTufyEFEhBKQ8VraeIeo_jYvEFrXnvefzzwZvZztdrS7EmCgErR-lpfDglMzyZmiG4b59kOmai2e8evwQPY8nellP9l6s/s4032/IMG_0354.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAS7RXQ64tpdik80Hf5bwjWdf9a8w0l-5_RniXUNtvQwCC-hoydl2EcWMafqITooKo-svl-5yRHtf4q2IbQk0O3GToUG9xTufyEFEhBKQ8VraeIeo_jYvEFrXnvefzzwZvZztdrS7EmCgErR-lpfDglMzyZmiG4b59kOmai2e8evwQPY8nellP9l6s/s320/IMG_0354.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Local handicrafts</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1exqF4O9miRTY7_2BQIhwTtUXgPs8VVbEyMDJGZoJ4Vo7aSk0D92oCSEf3-ziaP5jJ7AN13RoIkLGmZE1XEa7v95ItcTA932D0TicxehbK67gHWS7g4QIqp4_XSV4igKh7CA79CGEVuRh0t59C2w5b1xi9nH_FhaOCeavII9gEbzeEf986gIaqb_F/s2443/IMG_0385.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1832" data-original-width="2443" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1exqF4O9miRTY7_2BQIhwTtUXgPs8VVbEyMDJGZoJ4Vo7aSk0D92oCSEf3-ziaP5jJ7AN13RoIkLGmZE1XEa7v95ItcTA932D0TicxehbK67gHWS7g4QIqp4_XSV4igKh7CA79CGEVuRh0t59C2w5b1xi9nH_FhaOCeavII9gEbzeEf986gIaqb_F/s320/IMG_0385.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Church of the Assumption of the Buda Castle (Hungarian: Nagyboldogasszony-templom), more commonly known as the Matthias Church (Hungarian: Mátyás-templom), more rarely the Coronation Church of Buda, is a Roman Catholic church located in the Holy Trinity Square, Budapest, Hungary, in front of the Fisherman's Bastion at the heart of Buda's Castle District. According to church tradition, it was originally built in Romanesque style in 1015, although few references exist.[2] The current building was constructed in the florid late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was extensively restored in the late 19th century. It was the second largest church of medieval Buda and the seventh largest church of the medieval Hungarian Kingdom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It is a historic building with an important history. Two Kings of Hungary were crowned within its walls: Franz Joseph I of Hungary and Elisabeth, and Charles IV of Hungary and Zita of Bourbon-Parma.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The church was also the location of the "Marian Miracle" of Buda. In 1686, during the siege of Buda city by the Holy League, a wall of the church - used as a mosque by the Ottoman occupiers of the city - collapsed due to cannon fire. It turned out that an old votive Madonna statue was hidden behind the wall. As the sculpture of the Virgin Mary appeared before the praying Muslims, the morale of the Muslim garrison collapsed and the city fell on the same day.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYQSDlDe6xnDfnlG2QuShwqepvBGIoxD49iPieZSP_GNfYE6ySiFddHXOyZT3amMogyBDBOfm4amGVOFCjpdaMz_YjTYdpJhoa_Uxklx-lc4wwhw2YPvq4J5vezGH3iv8z-O_9AsktRkqHuaj1KkTj6SdqmR-VLrtx7xACe8QMWfh6qiu-NFnOpcR/s4032/IMG_0384.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYQSDlDe6xnDfnlG2QuShwqepvBGIoxD49iPieZSP_GNfYE6ySiFddHXOyZT3amMogyBDBOfm4amGVOFCjpdaMz_YjTYdpJhoa_Uxklx-lc4wwhw2YPvq4J5vezGH3iv8z-O_9AsktRkqHuaj1KkTj6SdqmR-VLrtx7xACe8QMWfh6qiu-NFnOpcR/s320/IMG_0384.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The statue of Saint Stephen has been standing in Buda Castle next to the Fisherman's Bastion for 115 years. Although the founding king of Hungary has always been highly respected in the country, the great work of Alajos Strobl was completed slowly. The first statue of King Stephen in Budapest was inaugurated in 1906 next to Matthias Church almost 40 years after it was first planned.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdaQ8LC4qW6tZs3u8YMxo7Tg8Ydc6nfTmrOqmUKXXakgV0UpWtdE3f4u5sCcp1Y4iH3Ws8xUQCtTCcR4er7NTzed_sWvmyJc1GFcXffBg9S7ff7npJwnYy45wa1MKXsA4x5DhJHy4HvzWx1KJZTdSC3DKlkUCMS9XkshSVVgEFyRwfvqgQAftT0eI/s3149/IMG_0790.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3149" data-original-width="1788" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdaQ8LC4qW6tZs3u8YMxo7Tg8Ydc6nfTmrOqmUKXXakgV0UpWtdE3f4u5sCcp1Y4iH3Ws8xUQCtTCcR4er7NTzed_sWvmyJc1GFcXffBg9S7ff7npJwnYy45wa1MKXsA4x5DhJHy4HvzWx1KJZTdSC3DKlkUCMS9XkshSVVgEFyRwfvqgQAftT0eI/s320/IMG_0790.HEIC" width="182" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UdZDETITo94mGOqekjupoR7d0DVW0eIPQNd9jpoUWRwSIvk-i0_nc5i3s5pd3Vc3zgOfgTmDtpEM1ZCa6AF8U8Ed1jt5b36BnU7KMzpRfMxbxi4sHheRf3GY3TNvegVcuUoz6zognT4TL-oDuK0ZC4lRX-42NS3xeqdkhqrnRGOs4B55qwHHksIU/s4032/IMG_0411.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UdZDETITo94mGOqekjupoR7d0DVW0eIPQNd9jpoUWRwSIvk-i0_nc5i3s5pd3Vc3zgOfgTmDtpEM1ZCa6AF8U8Ed1jt5b36BnU7KMzpRfMxbxi4sHheRf3GY3TNvegVcuUoz6zognT4TL-oDuK0ZC4lRX-42NS3xeqdkhqrnRGOs4B55qwHHksIU/s320/IMG_0411.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Fisherman’s Bastion was built between 1895 and 1902 as part of the series of developments that were to celebrate the 1000th birthday of the Hungarian state. Consequently, the Bastion was inspired by the architectural style of the early medieval times (Neo-Romanesque) approx. the year 1000, when the first Hungarian king started his rule. What is more, the 7 towers of the Halaszbastya features the 7 Hungarian chieftains who had led their tribes to the present day Hungary to settle down in 895, and the Statue of St Stephen (1906), the first Hungarian king (1000-1038). In short, it is a historical monument for the millennial Hungary.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1zW3fpKdqBzQg0tUck31lJt2fe2sLHlnRbh8_HErY7bqbYBzjUEj8ZWfOBFAQyc2RIwehZqIs8en2MZsLNGz76Wr4Vw3fcvZdqtZYSHhDnzqsWhR5PRvCYJQuISsdT5MTT-uoki9_vxn9hffhDBHtx-JQdFri-eKFeVREB3Iuq6cMqDEpoowEk2T/s4032/IMG_0392.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1zW3fpKdqBzQg0tUck31lJt2fe2sLHlnRbh8_HErY7bqbYBzjUEj8ZWfOBFAQyc2RIwehZqIs8en2MZsLNGz76Wr4Vw3fcvZdqtZYSHhDnzqsWhR5PRvCYJQuISsdT5MTT-uoki9_vxn9hffhDBHtx-JQdFri-eKFeVREB3Iuq6cMqDEpoowEk2T/s320/IMG_0392.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, a notable landmark of Hungary, and a popular tourist destination in Budapest. It is situated on Kossuth Square in the Pest side of the city, on the eastern bank of the Danube. It was designed by Hungarian architect Imre Steindl in neo-Gothic style and opened in 1902.[6] It has been the largest building in Hungary since its completion. Construction was started in 1885, and the building was inaugurated on the presumed 1,000th anniversary of the country in 1896. The keys to the building being handed over in 1902,[9] however, It was not fully completed until 1904.[10] The architect of the building first went blind and then later, died before its completion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-S3192tH0AzYbQXF3O1dqpS6XhDbXkF7NsaWu7uM-CxlALrinkWjDYUO--AJC_WnXde9iLCfbBJOM3OO97jX6v4fqC7IlSBLZ9XgDIv3Bo3wiH2lW3u9aGxDK2ddlLOMN5PWTpFhij_q1AHFeOBNczHW3VqAUPxXU89loLGN8E68LJ_9wpjl59E2X/s4032/IMG_0403.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-S3192tH0AzYbQXF3O1dqpS6XhDbXkF7NsaWu7uM-CxlALrinkWjDYUO--AJC_WnXde9iLCfbBJOM3OO97jX6v4fqC7IlSBLZ9XgDIv3Bo3wiH2lW3u9aGxDK2ddlLOMN5PWTpFhij_q1AHFeOBNczHW3VqAUPxXU89loLGN8E68LJ_9wpjl59E2X/s320/IMG_0403.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXybRLAtlErJNmleYlLHJ-2sscqSr5pv6r_i1vT6yEsBFztmYJ3JZBlCkksHScc8w1-Rv7RzHuz-g7eYc5045C9e-PZeTGNZhzJksnBZzZaJA2ub0SbX2JG8V6DhE3TF3BXWFnQsPA94ECEgd-qzghiubYOOomaeSPX2i8RPOIIV0SgDpcGv9LWDz/s4032/IMG_0401.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXybRLAtlErJNmleYlLHJ-2sscqSr5pv6r_i1vT6yEsBFztmYJ3JZBlCkksHScc8w1-Rv7RzHuz-g7eYc5045C9e-PZeTGNZhzJksnBZzZaJA2ub0SbX2JG8V6DhE3TF3BXWFnQsPA94ECEgd-qzghiubYOOomaeSPX2i8RPOIIV0SgDpcGv9LWDz/s320/IMG_0401.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Fisherman's Bastion is one of the best known monuments in Budapest, located near the Buda Castle, in the 1st district of Budapest. It is one of the most important tourist attractions due to the unique panorama of Budapest from the Neo-Romanesque lookout terraces. The Fishermen's Bastion's main façade, parallel to the Danube, is approximately 140 meters long, of which the southern aisle is about 40 meters long, the north is 65 meters long, and the ornate central parapet is 35 meters long. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7n2SPi_5IhqgRgqYMK0r20OfXVtZklVrbYVEkw9na32mwSivv92IbxZJmWQm-twZ7P8Adb2K43LgHWurheenG0zv5BR75BCancudX1K32s8xwrEze27fHZ2Iq3IGQCrB20ODZaRHr-q3lLBy0xhgYENwV2Uw2fMi8xA0lMtFZLdfsg-RhMtaHERHD/s4032/IMG_0432.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7n2SPi_5IhqgRgqYMK0r20OfXVtZklVrbYVEkw9na32mwSivv92IbxZJmWQm-twZ7P8Adb2K43LgHWurheenG0zv5BR75BCancudX1K32s8xwrEze27fHZ2Iq3IGQCrB20ODZaRHr-q3lLBy0xhgYENwV2Uw2fMi8xA0lMtFZLdfsg-RhMtaHERHD/s320/IMG_0432.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Detailed sculptures atop the building that housed Budapest's Museum of Ethnology until its new home was completed in 2021.The Museum of Ethnology houses a splendid permanent collection on Hungarian traditional culture as well as various temporary exhibitions. Through its varied collection, the museum depicts the country's traditional culture and its citizens' way of life, including the different ethnic groups that existed in Hungary. The museum recreates everyday Hungarian life from the end of the 18th century until World War I.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNGcbjpwC3jZISKt4kM1RXjHbPuKYN1tGepzg7GIZ6jhR7HJ81NVctbylOe8NWhUByirL739dR-22ZCkI_ZUejWqzYoLi4qgngzzDw4DApW-X2iF7g9O7bX1I9NUI6RdQJ-GBAr34cDWun1BRy2AwC021PIPD0BWacvO3kNHvOI95dxZeDrP30gjZ/s4032/IMG_0819.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNGcbjpwC3jZISKt4kM1RXjHbPuKYN1tGepzg7GIZ6jhR7HJ81NVctbylOe8NWhUByirL739dR-22ZCkI_ZUejWqzYoLi4qgngzzDw4DApW-X2iF7g9O7bX1I9NUI6RdQJ-GBAr34cDWun1BRy2AwC021PIPD0BWacvO3kNHvOI95dxZeDrP30gjZ/s320/IMG_0819.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Erin and I sitting on the front steps of the Parliament building for a sense of scale.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixU2eBNdXctIX7Hjy9WMKVioSTJmuPMR0x7LeUFDRUb-X-XW6I1vrGgtOPqaeJxRsCvuYu6_w7aT_sQDRKkcFh8Y2T_ykD8FXYYHNqHC_5JQFTMbzf-9czVAlyechxGuKUIf9UJ-Scow47dYL7ILpu-2xJtmH3o-XnVuMYa5yxNW-yRaITcAX6G38v/s2485/IMG_0427.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2485" data-original-width="1732" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixU2eBNdXctIX7Hjy9WMKVioSTJmuPMR0x7LeUFDRUb-X-XW6I1vrGgtOPqaeJxRsCvuYu6_w7aT_sQDRKkcFh8Y2T_ykD8FXYYHNqHC_5JQFTMbzf-9czVAlyechxGuKUIf9UJ-Scow47dYL7ILpu-2xJtmH3o-XnVuMYa5yxNW-yRaITcAX6G38v/s320/IMG_0427.HEIC" width="223" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Closeup of one of the towers of the Parliament building. Unfortunately we were there on a weekend so we were unable to get tickets for a tour of the building. It's said to be amazing!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQkMcmih3C9TP4y_5th4wZQuuzXgvKlHm5Ilr4Cb7ORF67A19tOrqnzW7ZFZOCwRbbG4_kWHZ8TzBkiOnGAQOE1Tl1MuBLhYZmX6Cl-B31vJJb2qZ4ybN-5jkWVMXTPlJI9w8v-dZBuen_uzI0aLbcDzjDlOOBaBaH0eDzyPSb-9xrShxhkRYkiqn/s2799/IMG_5108.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2099" data-original-width="2799" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQkMcmih3C9TP4y_5th4wZQuuzXgvKlHm5Ilr4Cb7ORF67A19tOrqnzW7ZFZOCwRbbG4_kWHZ8TzBkiOnGAQOE1Tl1MuBLhYZmX6Cl-B31vJJb2qZ4ybN-5jkWVMXTPlJI9w8v-dZBuen_uzI0aLbcDzjDlOOBaBaH0eDzyPSb-9xrShxhkRYkiqn/s320/IMG_5108.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZCVeVPVLuPYTAPskz-7O9_sGmu3607GweB25Z98QnY-RFAWy6SUsFfcC7XSQHER1cBvj-TPG22eBlp0BAFDLlbqQPfFNqubnNbBt3QtMnMDbg7W2T11CpcxYj0JCTbgmDq0NCvkhoM10_Qxio7szLje9mg5ZjgAC6WM2HLvmAj-sFQ8MAu-mWLHj/s4032/IMG_0421.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZCVeVPVLuPYTAPskz-7O9_sGmu3607GweB25Z98QnY-RFAWy6SUsFfcC7XSQHER1cBvj-TPG22eBlp0BAFDLlbqQPfFNqubnNbBt3QtMnMDbg7W2T11CpcxYj0JCTbgmDq0NCvkhoM10_Qxio7szLje9mg5ZjgAC6WM2HLvmAj-sFQ8MAu-mWLHj/s320/IMG_0421.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On the banks of the Danube River, just in front of the Hungarian Parliament Building, stand 60 pairs of iron shoes pointed towards the river. Poignant in their simplicity, a tragic story lies behind this memorial to the hundreds who lost their lives as a result of the atrocities committed by Budapest's Arrow Cross militiamen during the Second World War. The story is extremely moving and can be read here:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.yadvashem.org/articles/general/shoes-on-the-danube-promenade.html" style="text-align: left;">https://www.yadvashem.org/articles/general/shoes-on-the-danube-promenade.html</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I really urge everyone to take the time to read it. It is just one of many tiny chunks of history that most people never know.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLw4cBBENGfhKstrNuQlUzMZ9GRzsJ0H6xlxHdn3NwxCWtjkWI7hIhq7ehsRmJeyv9uH55TvoqqKUgMPX2yAfhvZR5O3aY63KrpYBN-mUfnghn0-rbsi7Y376Kg5dF09mYMATAsONlv9W7PomUK3UKEoguwq_zLMYwI-K40JZyrjavkzReE48BahuM/s3834/IMG_0437.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3834" data-original-width="2876" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLw4cBBENGfhKstrNuQlUzMZ9GRzsJ0H6xlxHdn3NwxCWtjkWI7hIhq7ehsRmJeyv9uH55TvoqqKUgMPX2yAfhvZR5O3aY63KrpYBN-mUfnghn0-rbsi7Y376Kg5dF09mYMATAsONlv9W7PomUK3UKEoguwq_zLMYwI-K40JZyrjavkzReE48BahuM/s320/IMG_0437.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Erin is posing in front of St. Stephen's Basilica, a Roman Catholic basilica in Budapest. It is named in honor of Stephen, the first king of Hungary, c.975-1038, whose right hand is housed in the reliquary. It was the sixth largest church building in Hungary before 1920. Today it is the third largest church building in present-day Hungary.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back on the boat, it was time to set sail up the Danube River to Vienna, Austria. So far, we're having an excellent adventure!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-38873531333225845722022-10-27T22:17:00.000-04:002022-10-27T22:17:07.129-04:002 Days in Prague, Czech Republic<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Yes, I need to finish the Alaska/Canada posts, but I am interrupting those to journal our trip to Europe. Because as if the summer traveling Alaska and Canada wasn't enough, we also had a 3-week trip to Europe as well! Covid interrupted all plans, so we ended up with both trips in the same year. We have had a total blast on these trips, but I will admit that it's nice to be home and get back into a settled routine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So two weeks after arriving back in Florida, we departed Tampa to fly to our starting destination, Prague. We had 3 segments: Tampa to Atlanta to Paris to Prague. We started the journey October 4.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After being in airports for 24 hours, we finally made it to Prague. Full disclosure: air travel is no fun whatsoever. I haven't flown anywhere since 2016 and I thought it was bad then 😂. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Anyhow, it went mostly smooth except for the itty bitty seats and crying baby behind us for, of course, the 8-hour leg. A short delay in departure at Charles de Gaulle airport but no worries. We had actually arranged our flights to give us plenty of time there as we had to take the airtrain from terminal to terminal, go through passport control - as we were coming from a nonShengen country to a Shengen country - and then go through security - and our USA TSA precheck status does not help outside of the USA. And with his new knee and implanted heart monitor, Al sets off all the alarms 😂.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We arrived October 5 in Prague, Czech Republic, for three nights, staying at the Augustine Hotel. It's beautiful, actually inspired by and a part of the 13th century Augustine monastery which is interconnected with the hotel and has 4 monks still active there. They offer a tour of the monastery and the 13th century library together with the baroque St. Thomas Church, and I'm sure we'll find time for that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Tomorrow we have a morning walking tour called Panoramic Prague, then the afternoon is free, and then we have a dinner cruise on the Vltava River that flows through the middle of the city. But first, sleep was needed!</div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5abTqpkk17yiXi91lTiOhFwFAZ3i86VAatwmMFZXAVNqri-eTFQ3e4y1ktB1yVX6Ky6eQe3Nq1xf_KZLXjdabDPbuYV8lySyuIiAUeUhRvouHJLRqdefZXPx2pZo8Yh1TnnqAvI5BzgmXc5E2VIsJg-yKqsMxXsQxcO_pKubjMbBhm0exA8T_Ujxq/s4032/IMG_0029.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5abTqpkk17yiXi91lTiOhFwFAZ3i86VAatwmMFZXAVNqri-eTFQ3e4y1ktB1yVX6Ky6eQe3Nq1xf_KZLXjdabDPbuYV8lySyuIiAUeUhRvouHJLRqdefZXPx2pZo8Yh1TnnqAvI5BzgmXc5E2VIsJg-yKqsMxXsQxcO_pKubjMbBhm0exA8T_Ujxq/s320/IMG_0029.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl0JErRrx7WadrsOojrJ1eNz0hdULbqeBtuk0f6-pKF41v3MXtoExqTscyvznpT3J_Fs8diCBwa84YuzMtc74qF64cg9UiD8jUHnyhjTeGQ419eJodll5wLuNWBpg9hPzbwf761zIbFPqRZwTt0iH8zhh0FTTeIYvxEsLB9EVUoI_mKeFlPnETBGA/s4032/IMG_0039.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl0JErRrx7WadrsOojrJ1eNz0hdULbqeBtuk0f6-pKF41v3MXtoExqTscyvznpT3J_Fs8diCBwa84YuzMtc74qF64cg9UiD8jUHnyhjTeGQ419eJodll5wLuNWBpg9hPzbwf761zIbFPqRZwTt0iH8zhh0FTTeIYvxEsLB9EVUoI_mKeFlPnETBGA/s320/IMG_0039.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9hVei-Ft34qZ69Hjo-HX8BaMceCVymfoeuEzMWO2knf8J5GRXegz_Dz18GRVsSXzINQOp9g3VmW_AzgGcrMje5soqVPYgm4qUKE_Th7dmAJH16fcVQCoBqKgkGFI7WEkVo31wxfehOQSnydrcWvhK0y_MNcOYclxJ8xL_J_lHOplrn93jZu8WwW3/s4032/IMG_0042.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9hVei-Ft34qZ69Hjo-HX8BaMceCVymfoeuEzMWO2knf8J5GRXegz_Dz18GRVsSXzINQOp9g3VmW_AzgGcrMje5soqVPYgm4qUKE_Th7dmAJH16fcVQCoBqKgkGFI7WEkVo31wxfehOQSnydrcWvhK0y_MNcOYclxJ8xL_J_lHOplrn93jZu8WwW3/s320/IMG_0042.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT9QZiSpbDn1ndOZKYdRz42v16i2br4NGXdEbQbXso30klxENEHlHkiKgGIyDug7IlTaMkzVjV6fRVKVHLWn6r0Poe_ANYlLKGj05HHB8ytIEbUxTEcZMIrAbE0UWc_3HdqYrSRpqiRWkfRjwGV_xwsRu6c74l2zaMHVEJ71R64sBAdn34-yowXWJ/s4032/IMG_0047.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT9QZiSpbDn1ndOZKYdRz42v16i2br4NGXdEbQbXso30klxENEHlHkiKgGIyDug7IlTaMkzVjV6fRVKVHLWn6r0Poe_ANYlLKGj05HHB8ytIEbUxTEcZMIrAbE0UWc_3HdqYrSRpqiRWkfRjwGV_xwsRu6c74l2zaMHVEJ71R64sBAdn34-yowXWJ/s320/IMG_0047.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Building from 1560</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTu09qq8nBh2pxwJNYQIFO0lKXKkpDMMQjfflH0nWOxVjmd0ztAYHY2snz-mRaeSAwots7tEERcN-QfMUuaKF8c4mD_3EcBE0mvPRe0LcBm4bJ8IeIAsJrWZrzHzt_JJhMdgmfELs5E2hJT4get93b4sgFGlkk38TkXgfEtNjiF4roJHaJUkXsHjgE/s4032/IMG_0071.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTu09qq8nBh2pxwJNYQIFO0lKXKkpDMMQjfflH0nWOxVjmd0ztAYHY2snz-mRaeSAwots7tEERcN-QfMUuaKF8c4mD_3EcBE0mvPRe0LcBm4bJ8IeIAsJrWZrzHzt_JJhMdgmfELs5E2hJT4get93b4sgFGlkk38TkXgfEtNjiF4roJHaJUkXsHjgE/s320/IMG_0071.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>A highlight of our tour this morning was the Prague Astronomical Clock. From Wikipedia:</p><p>The Orloj is mounted on the southern wall of Old Town Hall in the Old Town Square. The clock mechanism has three main components — the astronomical dial, representing the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky and displaying various astronomical details; statues of various Catholic saints stand on either side of the clock; "The Walk of the Apostles", an hourly show of moving Apostle figures and other sculptures, notably a figure of a skeleton that represents Death, striking the time; and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months. According to local legend, the city will suffer if the clock is neglected and its good operation is placed in jeopardy; a ghost, mounted on the clock, was supposed to nod its head in confirmation. According to the legend, the only hope was represented by a boy born on New Year's night.</p><p>The oldest part of the Orloj, the mechanical clock and astronomical dial, dates back to 1410, when it was created by clockmaker Mikuláš of Kadaň and Charles University professor of mathematics and astronomy Jan Šindel. The first recorded mention of the clock was on 9 October 1410.[4] Later, presumably around 1490, the calendar dial was added and the clock facade was decorated with gothic sculptures.</p><p>In 1629 or 1659 wooden statues were added, and figures of the Apostles were added after a major repair in 1787–1791. During the next major repair in the years 1865–1866 the golden figure of a crowing rooster was added.</p><p>The netting surrounding the structure is in place to protect it from pigeons!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6t7HB4H0Hg4bDGJKLV8Rnnsu6SQx10vnLAEYIYDx0GcQvEaufB14X2tO92VWRLLedjjTAZ_6sECMBRDZPgBHJegYWBZxj-S6jL79D2c_2592LYBLrGE9vgP8U2MiIjFzFcf34bEwNMcqoeeJ7rQ9I-havWlRQc4m6qXZPB-nqMh7o2swLi8AEe0gN/s4032/IMG_0072.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6t7HB4H0Hg4bDGJKLV8Rnnsu6SQx10vnLAEYIYDx0GcQvEaufB14X2tO92VWRLLedjjTAZ_6sECMBRDZPgBHJegYWBZxj-S6jL79D2c_2592LYBLrGE9vgP8U2MiIjFzFcf34bEwNMcqoeeJ7rQ9I-havWlRQc4m6qXZPB-nqMh7o2swLi8AEe0gN/s320/IMG_0072.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHFK3FofeAWxAOOUfZz5SYNSs6oMbAxXafbnHMLh1YJZMcZhXXXYT0afST8ECAlKpwHLErqESFT57GnY2T_q-eQYgTNcuIJW4PVtuwp2Z47JT9YjrdDaxVF5UMRg6XkbQlStoJnIBHaPd8-_EgI4JV3XjspsB9ofD93hCABYjfongsBlsYy8qgjlB/s4032/IMG_0074.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHFK3FofeAWxAOOUfZz5SYNSs6oMbAxXafbnHMLh1YJZMcZhXXXYT0afST8ECAlKpwHLErqESFT57GnY2T_q-eQYgTNcuIJW4PVtuwp2Z47JT9YjrdDaxVF5UMRg6XkbQlStoJnIBHaPd8-_EgI4JV3XjspsB9ofD93hCABYjfongsBlsYy8qgjlB/s320/IMG_0074.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wooden figures on the right side. Every hour the Walk of the Apostles occurs. The skeleton actually tolls the bell.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8cM0XTfbTCHQgeg-YdaaURNgY-wPe39cMny8whlUGL1xmoqXbE-5vHxsUH_-XwQsLiMC1jlyFfFlBtuuQ2No_TutXkdnA14hPrtxBZjyk8aJqgMKVK67x6mPz_ORXDdABR4DtvIS9DRgY-Eq8PvZVjrKGU92R-Meid2z1Rm1syGQHYBrSN2TK8Lf/s4032/IMG_0075.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8cM0XTfbTCHQgeg-YdaaURNgY-wPe39cMny8whlUGL1xmoqXbE-5vHxsUH_-XwQsLiMC1jlyFfFlBtuuQ2No_TutXkdnA14hPrtxBZjyk8aJqgMKVK67x6mPz_ORXDdABR4DtvIS9DRgY-Eq8PvZVjrKGU92R-Meid2z1Rm1syGQHYBrSN2TK8Lf/s320/IMG_0075.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnayzvAaAu62ULh2CelyOQhMRR3LzAxFOoc-yx6L06HTeiAZroMQt9dVvEjbwH1SdJgq783Ct6geT2b_K179aaDdSKevcqibGmF-TWv67etzaHxZ2tRsZ9uXCFl2B_LMXG7aSCfLNVCAS1kSGa9i7j2hLfkzQV3rhqE9HDE3i-tS_1FtHhgQ87O9sO/s4032/IMG_0076.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnayzvAaAu62ULh2CelyOQhMRR3LzAxFOoc-yx6L06HTeiAZroMQt9dVvEjbwH1SdJgq783Ct6geT2b_K179aaDdSKevcqibGmF-TWv67etzaHxZ2tRsZ9uXCFl2B_LMXG7aSCfLNVCAS1kSGa9i7j2hLfkzQV3rhqE9HDE3i-tS_1FtHhgQ87O9sO/s320/IMG_0076.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyjiDlyn2rCExGgERvbog6wdc1OdiH8gmTIhqnDLDByFedvORH3En0L58TJypl8fugatg9ZfpOi6GRZLlWbAQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCHQVPRtDmuNZz2WvDvUf2lrdn0hThIuTKGCK6Mx7uWTRbHpROsR5aDVJbdfZKvtxi7OmS9W_h6JLMDFTckHTAlnCi_R5UMmqRhdOPIUepJK2s5PUuUbFcU6kH1ZADO1SWP6SIN8FLIpoaviVXEooD5DnIIidd6UTsqx8IrNhR2NrF5qYiQ5Huz7u/s4032/IMG_0081.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCHQVPRtDmuNZz2WvDvUf2lrdn0hThIuTKGCK6Mx7uWTRbHpROsR5aDVJbdfZKvtxi7OmS9W_h6JLMDFTckHTAlnCi_R5UMmqRhdOPIUepJK2s5PUuUbFcU6kH1ZADO1SWP6SIN8FLIpoaviVXEooD5DnIIidd6UTsqx8IrNhR2NrF5qYiQ5Huz7u/s320/IMG_0081.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkkOBFrZk94cDvs-z2YDuoZg_YZc8zBA7gncfTQbN0uX0pXXepLEvChJ3E-3tMS_LSoyqEGPfU4YnYjXvLxa4m7Hovv6d1x_3cr4O1dSVVMRmFtdOiVkXm__MLcTupRXIiawo7wuuw0huVhpGTwJR5yzmGe7hSTSmXlxOA6lKXPf520_9tb0HrgFA/s3603/IMG_0091.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2397" data-original-width="3603" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkkOBFrZk94cDvs-z2YDuoZg_YZc8zBA7gncfTQbN0uX0pXXepLEvChJ3E-3tMS_LSoyqEGPfU4YnYjXvLxa4m7Hovv6d1x_3cr4O1dSVVMRmFtdOiVkXm__MLcTupRXIiawo7wuuw0huVhpGTwJR5yzmGe7hSTSmXlxOA6lKXPf520_9tb0HrgFA/s320/IMG_0091.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Year-round outdoor market that’s been in existence since 1232…can you imagine!?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another highlight of yesterday’s tour of Prague is the Charles Bridge. Charles Bridge is the oldest bridge still standing over the Vltava river in Prague and the second oldest bridge in the Czech Republic. Charles IV had it built in 1357, after the previous bridge (had been destroyed by floods in 1342. The construction of the bridge was led by Peter Parler (“Petr Parléř” in Czech), the famous German-Czech architect, and it took almost half a century to finish it (It was completed in 1402). The bridge, formerly known as “Stone” or “Prague”, has only been called “Charles Bridge” since 1870. And until 1841 it was the only bridge over the Vltava river in Prague. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Charles Bridge, spanning the Vltava river with 16 pillars, is rich in statues and decorative lamps, and it catches the eye immediately with its beautiful Gothic bridge towers on both ends.</div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DP9hHA9N0VvbK10mu3Xv9SZjOrouEkX0RH-WatEArUYbeRdmNspgB5-B-BYjEXt_BOaqt5NNAxZ0nWKCcFuExla3xp7ZR29BK6ZpXV-y-LUcs76IVnRllHbfOdfoydvHxGuib_rjEbu7HTXBqFPaUO6fG8hv_xfdlMe8QHWWnsVs7sQezraNR3Rz/s4032/IMG_0104.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DP9hHA9N0VvbK10mu3Xv9SZjOrouEkX0RH-WatEArUYbeRdmNspgB5-B-BYjEXt_BOaqt5NNAxZ0nWKCcFuExla3xp7ZR29BK6ZpXV-y-LUcs76IVnRllHbfOdfoydvHxGuib_rjEbu7HTXBqFPaUO6fG8hv_xfdlMe8QHWWnsVs7sQezraNR3Rz/s320/IMG_0104.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The tower end leading to Old Town Prague and the Jewish Quarter.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B0LDaBHzYpE_dbHXpEq1biPLDKos9dAj0Of_aku7sBpD-tIjPZJcPZpPE75zxAQROa3F-rwLwlfq7FcO0zhk__MD961bhz4clIeAGaliKHLIDuSgoI7A2WaOwFg7bZqSsAm9qI0qs1IPYxRMxnoL_o7Ke0BBDMvkdyym9xRpIqtL1kbCnbzKPHXG/s3076/IMG_0117.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3076" data-original-width="2307" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B0LDaBHzYpE_dbHXpEq1biPLDKos9dAj0Of_aku7sBpD-tIjPZJcPZpPE75zxAQROa3F-rwLwlfq7FcO0zhk__MD961bhz4clIeAGaliKHLIDuSgoI7A2WaOwFg7bZqSsAm9qI0qs1IPYxRMxnoL_o7Ke0BBDMvkdyym9xRpIqtL1kbCnbzKPHXG/s320/IMG_0117.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The statue of Charles IV is an outdoor sculpture of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, located at Křižovnické Square in Prague, Czech Republic.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7yywXPFMhTO4nmeiJFQ39x49_P5uBqW7xmDnBbWJFW0_X5kO4FYrGvH8amG04A5heT_lJIM-GZ3tjgIq_VIowOqignhtnmWIZ_hTvE6gqAylfxiKQDHr5Ql2NSzx0KTGN1MWPR7CGtBoKVIaQfIJDsysyi0BG4ZJlWNSy9MsfD8wN27IjASs45bx/s4032/IMG_0122.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7yywXPFMhTO4nmeiJFQ39x49_P5uBqW7xmDnBbWJFW0_X5kO4FYrGvH8amG04A5heT_lJIM-GZ3tjgIq_VIowOqignhtnmWIZ_hTvE6gqAylfxiKQDHr5Ql2NSzx0KTGN1MWPR7CGtBoKVIaQfIJDsysyi0BG4ZJlWNSy9MsfD8wN27IjASs45bx/s320/IMG_0122.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are 30 statues attached to the balustrade of the King Charles Bridge. The oldest unrestored statues are almost black, while the cleaned restored statues are tannish in color.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwxbjcruforFeTSEiCy3km_5eQVsI8tlHW7LBLDkjknWbXzicgdQD8iLlZve4rtBYOQnGPj5Z6zuuZ0b2Wiv0r_L1lcRO3RA9Inz55SOLwTPGI7eqcGMGHqwjghVqQkhsTmjHMIM7xcZNdPMsZBSEvAlLoRZ5D9yiXQVByUNBZKIgKfL72xfWniWt/s3751/IMG_0132.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3751" data-original-width="2813" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwxbjcruforFeTSEiCy3km_5eQVsI8tlHW7LBLDkjknWbXzicgdQD8iLlZve4rtBYOQnGPj5Z6zuuZ0b2Wiv0r_L1lcRO3RA9Inz55SOLwTPGI7eqcGMGHqwjghVqQkhsTmjHMIM7xcZNdPMsZBSEvAlLoRZ5D9yiXQVByUNBZKIgKfL72xfWniWt/s320/IMG_0132.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The end of the bridge leading to the newer section of Prague and the majority of the government buildings.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkz_yMVGpwgpYWWZCnB0VshO42XST0XC5LoKXSo84U9DnmrQNDf2ZO5_R_N2tFwsQHotWjETLZuvfiEqyJRl7QnwFEZBDKuBrZqFBlChlYE85rYn6PNYmuMptVKW1xRGfx7lZJxjCmI9JA8QuFcHR61_ATjbeBjQZZ0nuH0WxkFdPPrVmpZKcUwQdM/s3360/IMG_0138.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2520" data-original-width="3360" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkz_yMVGpwgpYWWZCnB0VshO42XST0XC5LoKXSo84U9DnmrQNDf2ZO5_R_N2tFwsQHotWjETLZuvfiEqyJRl7QnwFEZBDKuBrZqFBlChlYE85rYn6PNYmuMptVKW1xRGfx7lZJxjCmI9JA8QuFcHR61_ATjbeBjQZZ0nuH0WxkFdPPrVmpZKcUwQdM/s320/IMG_0138.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">under the bridge is lovely as well.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsAjpru4e4hhR_HH-8-ReOrE9c8JVHnqckMAPIvRWZWlZXUjPOYVuMQzKlOGlKmjvZlzEj7PSIiWMK52qfZoPqwQJ09NdqAqbs7vptt9IW0EMRkG3obMa4H8NL7StBGMSpdMD8nBH1neYPy7ZoMzP3HVbjNASIDZutzBaitDeitH6ZBkHc1NFZ6uj/s4032/IMG_0141.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsAjpru4e4hhR_HH-8-ReOrE9c8JVHnqckMAPIvRWZWlZXUjPOYVuMQzKlOGlKmjvZlzEj7PSIiWMK52qfZoPqwQJ09NdqAqbs7vptt9IW0EMRkG3obMa4H8NL7StBGMSpdMD8nBH1neYPy7ZoMzP3HVbjNASIDZutzBaitDeitH6ZBkHc1NFZ6uj/s320/IMG_0141.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4W85I5C6VwjI-CKi6fCs8vY-_0TPUXc1SLdY-xAGVrhsedBtSEQLMJY8J5T_mgSk3_EUqY_DlohejYGHw6W5xOwP1SAvRa-WNYsYHKnUwlYg5OUSkNx7nrbzAL4LmSxwgicfnL4ZYPrieIYMPFQPq4til5A6MJiRC2r9xtjtkKxd06fN4LWLVhyE/s2353/IMG_0142.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1765" data-original-width="2353" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4W85I5C6VwjI-CKi6fCs8vY-_0TPUXc1SLdY-xAGVrhsedBtSEQLMJY8J5T_mgSk3_EUqY_DlohejYGHw6W5xOwP1SAvRa-WNYsYHKnUwlYg5OUSkNx7nrbzAL4LmSxwgicfnL4ZYPrieIYMPFQPq4til5A6MJiRC2r9xtjtkKxd06fN4LWLVhyE/s320/IMG_0142.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvq20CijybhuvyQaUkMYSK5bBOigQFYqc5hOcEIjR1A5jxKiofdSGCa8qcuAQAfz58AGxHfmpu7Y3nOaQ3PKlIiB68GRfB_8axGcZoLY-CfGShgW1zYPfhGbz5QmvAwoeO4Hbc7A0kvpMmlnCDtdN5NMI40d0OK8z9DbwASfXlvcxHgl0sgjalLoFc/s4032/IMG_0154.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvq20CijybhuvyQaUkMYSK5bBOigQFYqc5hOcEIjR1A5jxKiofdSGCa8qcuAQAfz58AGxHfmpu7Y3nOaQ3PKlIiB68GRfB_8axGcZoLY-CfGShgW1zYPfhGbz5QmvAwoeO4Hbc7A0kvpMmlnCDtdN5NMI40d0OK8z9DbwASfXlvcxHgl0sgjalLoFc/s320/IMG_0154.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">John Lennon Wall. Located in a small and secluded square across from the French Embassy, the wall had been decorated by love poems and short messages against the regime since 1960s. It received its first decoration connected to John Lennon—a symbol of freedom, western culture, and political struggle—following the 1980 assassination of John Lennon when an unknown artist painted a single image of the singer-songwriter and some lyrics.[1]</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In 1988, the wall was a source of irritation for Gustáv Husák's communist regime. Following a short-lived era of democratization and political liberalization known as the Prague Spring, the newly-installed communist government dismantled the reforms, inspiring anger and resistance. Young Czechs wrote their grievances on the wall and, according to a report of the time, this led to a clash between hundreds of students and security police on the nearby Charles Bridge. The liberalization movement these students followed was described as Lennonism (not to be confused with Leninism), and Czech authorities described participants variously as alcoholic, mentally deranged, sociopathic, and agents of Western free market capitalism.</div></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGBjkChzIuPf2wPihYmpC63Oj9ouMLKYvMqBvJzY_te3kMHAF9dZuakWqnHIy8MlKkyzelZfCpmXB7Q8YoEAYK1JowtGkEGZ7hZz1FT4G8h3JA5sH1opC73gdj4APL9ws4H12jeFT2ANs3oi7A78YTd_OeJm3XArxrtIVqT2OBJxYXydktm83Nb7-/s4032/IMG_0162.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGBjkChzIuPf2wPihYmpC63Oj9ouMLKYvMqBvJzY_te3kMHAF9dZuakWqnHIy8MlKkyzelZfCpmXB7Q8YoEAYK1JowtGkEGZ7hZz1FT4G8h3JA5sH1opC73gdj4APL9ws4H12jeFT2ANs3oi7A78YTd_OeJm3XArxrtIVqT2OBJxYXydktm83Nb7-/s320/IMG_0162.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TmOUtEg69wku4k_M_Aoj9S2hYpJhOj1VKRtVe_oBUnHmiJVQpdLScmzeeP36XsBgRXvo0s87nc6_CJkO06gFZMhFycWuHYRSD70adaavBMZqT3L20BUpRzcFxwz7HT-XEAudVV7N35x2tCcmVar_m-HmGzHDof0qizuwX9hL3RtwnE_NXb6BspFB/s3073/IMG_0170.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3073" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TmOUtEg69wku4k_M_Aoj9S2hYpJhOj1VKRtVe_oBUnHmiJVQpdLScmzeeP36XsBgRXvo0s87nc6_CJkO06gFZMhFycWuHYRSD70adaavBMZqT3L20BUpRzcFxwz7HT-XEAudVV7N35x2tCcmVar_m-HmGzHDof0qizuwX9hL3RtwnE_NXb6BspFB/s320/IMG_0170.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Prague new town landscape from Charles Bridge. The castle on the hill is a separate district that we had hoped to tour, but the EU annual summit meeting is taking place this week and the district is closed to everyone not associated with the meeting.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicX1CkKTfiIJvREpWKvfHZCShtTtVXWc9pS2vjfqjOMqPwcvDiksJzqr9e5PnDfVpxJR9Rm5KGM0GzJ25pU6-vEyFin0DKBF6NLDJD-_Mf0u9h8jLWWcGX-YA6QrNIN1aH9qKc79H2TbTHRIG2-BarSZHtOCf8rtnad6AZR9uGliGOfqEJ2vmLtzff/s4032/IMG_0168.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicX1CkKTfiIJvREpWKvfHZCShtTtVXWc9pS2vjfqjOMqPwcvDiksJzqr9e5PnDfVpxJR9Rm5KGM0GzJ25pU6-vEyFin0DKBF6NLDJD-_Mf0u9h8jLWWcGX-YA6QrNIN1aH9qKc79H2TbTHRIG2-BarSZHtOCf8rtnad6AZR9uGliGOfqEJ2vmLtzff/s320/IMG_0168.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">Trdelník</b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">is a kind of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spit_cake" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Spit cake">cake</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">. It is made from rolled dough that is wrapped around a stick, then grilled and topped with sugar and walnut mix. Of course having ice cream served in the hollow center only makes it more irresistible 😊</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0hv7pEqh19TeMcG74_EGPM3YoeH0B_XSQEYlXNPfV7vqCwluNWyTkJgdCNND7vr0QbIi772a5xxqEKsul1x6yrDi4gnuZJa6CW7BtauoCocEB9gtvjewluSr4iPPgLzQfo4TXBvl-gE_8w2WVIDQxlp_PdFQ3NENdeQJKBWWsgGU5utAH8ETh8Cg/s4032/IMG_0181.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0hv7pEqh19TeMcG74_EGPM3YoeH0B_XSQEYlXNPfV7vqCwluNWyTkJgdCNND7vr0QbIi772a5xxqEKsul1x6yrDi4gnuZJa6CW7BtauoCocEB9gtvjewluSr4iPPgLzQfo4TXBvl-gE_8w2WVIDQxlp_PdFQ3NENdeQJKBWWsgGU5utAH8ETh8Cg/s320/IMG_0181.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The King Charles Bridge at night as seen from our dinner cruise.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg05ys81nJ_It_zZoVv-i5gj7JxdQe1zuFs5Z-WLZ_m5FVUyPR1uRuKdpCk23rderkDJ1PTMj8Wi91t07UImI3A-sXcjI6buPwGQYWeBf0ABHMdaSaXM2yZ6Mv5XcGOK_Reo6JQcDHEFE5lOijUEnFyy1j4ntFmL8vIJ8-cq1WkNviYQwG8q79e_FR/s2800/IMG_0182.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="2800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg05ys81nJ_It_zZoVv-i5gj7JxdQe1zuFs5Z-WLZ_m5FVUyPR1uRuKdpCk23rderkDJ1PTMj8Wi91t07UImI3A-sXcjI6buPwGQYWeBf0ABHMdaSaXM2yZ6Mv5XcGOK_Reo6JQcDHEFE5lOijUEnFyy1j4ntFmL8vIJ8-cq1WkNviYQwG8q79e_FR/s320/IMG_0182.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Castle District at night.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Today we became more serious and took educational tours. The morning tour was called “Jewish Prague” and focused on the history of the extensive Jewish population. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Jewish Quarter, also known as Josefov, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Prague, located between the Old Town Square and the Vltava River. A Jewish ghetto was established here in the 12th century. At the turn of the 19th century, a large part of the ghetto was demolished. Fortunately, most of the significant buildings were saved from destruction and today, they represent the best preserved complex of historical Jewish monuments in Europe. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The afternoon tour focused on the effects of WWII on the Czech Republic and Prague. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I’ll try to put some of what we learned in the captions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Both tours were very interesting and led by very well-informed guides. So far, I’m very impressed with the quality and wealth of knowledge that is imparted to our groups through these excursions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSEiRy7zPrHfxzizrocB-6jzo2HPMdLCGlzR7clTg2pkw0Lnv2BSUu5yQHW6WrKKweEbbRfJEt3PcyEHzIwnbxJpGy-Gc4P_IC8LKMXGuQ8JWlnLB-k1-dj-GwPFNQUnV89ltyrUcLVFDgP02BJ78xPqKvOk4IeGme_LJxvsSnKxOKCHLkDkwAICT/s3150/IMG_0024.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3150" data-original-width="2363" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSEiRy7zPrHfxzizrocB-6jzo2HPMdLCGlzR7clTg2pkw0Lnv2BSUu5yQHW6WrKKweEbbRfJEt3PcyEHzIwnbxJpGy-Gc4P_IC8LKMXGuQ8JWlnLB-k1-dj-GwPFNQUnV89ltyrUcLVFDgP02BJ78xPqKvOk4IeGme_LJxvsSnKxOKCHLkDkwAICT/s320/IMG_0024.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Jewish Town Hall was basically built for the purposes of the Jewish community to provide offices for its employees. The synagogue next to the Jewish Town Hall is called the High Synagogue.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">There are actually two clocks. Up on the tower there is a regular clock, and we heard the bells ringing, and down here is a Hebrew clock, which is very specific, as you have mentioned, because it goes from the right to the left.</div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtC5zrzL28NV0UEPjrvqSetkpJQQL10W4x14naztYau6RQANgfScU84DDkj73-s5yJp2DmW1PZ9yDy7BveEjSkZwbHHYlng7lWBmsgwwY6UBvJ2ROCxO3WW-Bb74p3Np9slyJwl7i8gcG3Ki7glyh7qHrpNJd0G8ovPBR7-gJ3XLtknz6BRiBEuqy1/s3287/IMG_0186.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3287" data-original-width="2465" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtC5zrzL28NV0UEPjrvqSetkpJQQL10W4x14naztYau6RQANgfScU84DDkj73-s5yJp2DmW1PZ9yDy7BveEjSkZwbHHYlng7lWBmsgwwY6UBvJ2ROCxO3WW-Bb74p3Np9slyJwl7i8gcG3Ki7glyh7qHrpNJd0G8ovPBR7-gJ3XLtknz6BRiBEuqy1/s320/IMG_0186.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The synagogue next to the Jewish Town Hall his called the High Synagogue.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnh8mQD9bcQKBrAcN5C1-cnuEsAvR29pxDTDjLPu2XnFX_xnR1wUgr1j63fL0NYsKDbqjGEP-Ur3GTOm4gF2pbfqxKYbNX1flUqZQOUoMUQKg15nWREbd-4XWl4dnDl0OIuLexMN3VNJfxMd_FVe-pcqme6dYUdi04m-b4os-0PGqkuj1nCZkWnN-/s4032/IMG_0199.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnh8mQD9bcQKBrAcN5C1-cnuEsAvR29pxDTDjLPu2XnFX_xnR1wUgr1j63fL0NYsKDbqjGEP-Ur3GTOm4gF2pbfqxKYbNX1flUqZQOUoMUQKg15nWREbd-4XWl4dnDl0OIuLexMN3VNJfxMd_FVe-pcqme6dYUdi04m-b4os-0PGqkuj1nCZkWnN-/s320/IMG_0199.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As you can see, the three large Renaissance windows are on the first floor. That’s why it’s called the High Synagogue, because the first services were always held on the first floor, not on the street level.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqzyyXS--O5BGo3nL6eRTP80Acx9ER9to2Gl8KhQ2mDRp_45Vj5C2Tu1oOf4h4pFNM5xqv-d6_jTVbkk5BIjzq09v2WdGvN0bihas39lX4dmoxNLu6vf7KPvRbv95H6F6ZQrnThFngFZ1gvj1r-hHlyqAHFUhQxlynSMbZap_bmfxt5JqfPpFic_9/s3834/IMG_0212.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3834" data-original-width="2876" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqzyyXS--O5BGo3nL6eRTP80Acx9ER9to2Gl8KhQ2mDRp_45Vj5C2Tu1oOf4h4pFNM5xqv-d6_jTVbkk5BIjzq09v2WdGvN0bihas39lX4dmoxNLu6vf7KPvRbv95H6F6ZQrnThFngFZ1gvj1r-hHlyqAHFUhQxlynSMbZap_bmfxt5JqfPpFic_9/s320/IMG_0212.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Spanish Synagogue is not the first synagogue at the site. Before it there stood probably the oldest synagogue in Prague Jewish Town, Altschule. In the second half of 19th century, the capacity of the Altschule did not suffice. The modernist faction in the community, which renovated it in 1837 for the purpose of moderately reformed services, therefore decided to demolish the synagogue in 1867 and one year later it was replaced by the new, Spanish Synagogue. Its name presumably refers to the style in which it was built, Moorish Revival style</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6A7gnI6D8J7DGzUN6lDQ2ltNgbjCC7DzjXxpdBFcwE48RyQBr2oSOS0oxwsmb-7wrfmXB3e_CMkDizdK9JI_FSa55n5W6tUs_UtBtqIMgFATPE3Ka60U4cN51dA3x5Vutw142y7Z7mEf8Hqr2BwJ2n7rYkjChpQLXMRhxACWOK5DdloEa-Agl-mBP/s4032/IMG_0218.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6A7gnI6D8J7DGzUN6lDQ2ltNgbjCC7DzjXxpdBFcwE48RyQBr2oSOS0oxwsmb-7wrfmXB3e_CMkDizdK9JI_FSa55n5W6tUs_UtBtqIMgFATPE3Ka60U4cN51dA3x5Vutw142y7Z7mEf8Hqr2BwJ2n7rYkjChpQLXMRhxACWOK5DdloEa-Agl-mBP/s320/IMG_0218.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Prague Holocaust Memorial. Carved into the walls are the names, date of birth, date of deportation, and date of death and which concentration camp of each victim of the Nazi genocide. statistics: For the Czechs of the Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia, German occupation was a period of brutal oppression. The Jewish population of Bohemia and Moravia (117,551 according to the 1930 census) was virtually annihilated. Many Jews emigrated after 1939; approximately 78,000 were killed. By 1945, some 14,000 Jews remained alive in the Czech lands.[5] Approximately 144,000 Jews were sent to Theresienstadt concentration camp. Most inmates were Czech Jews. About a quarter of the inmates (33,000) died in Theresienstadt, mostly because of the deadly conditions (hunger, stress, and disease, especially the typhus epidemic at the very end of war). About 88,000 were deported to Auschwitz and other extermination camps. When the war finished, there were a mere 17,247 survivors. There were 15,000 children living in the children's home inside the camp; only 93 of those children survived.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKL4CnFJpye20TOH6KvNA_EPro_dvGcv90llSDN6gNAURVlZ-EQDwwO24-1MGsc8qhbmkpb7c4y58RRxm4TjBj1D-uu0mT6knw7j_CpnpVndn2oAxH45QZimpI8Wdi2o3F6eIrWxhSvwzpbcIyZA5k42QCWOcGNiLoBLDHFdsJhQ0EDYg8wvahS0UC/s4032/IMG_0222.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKL4CnFJpye20TOH6KvNA_EPro_dvGcv90llSDN6gNAURVlZ-EQDwwO24-1MGsc8qhbmkpb7c4y58RRxm4TjBj1D-uu0mT6knw7j_CpnpVndn2oAxH45QZimpI8Wdi2o3F6eIrWxhSvwzpbcIyZA5k42QCWOcGNiLoBLDHFdsJhQ0EDYg8wvahS0UC/s320/IMG_0222.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Old Jewish Cemetery, one of the oldest surviving Jewish burial grounds in the world. No one knows when it was exactly established but the earliest known gravestone dates back to 1439 and belongs to Rabi Avigdor Kara, who as a young man, was one of the witnesses of the cruellest pogroms against the Jews in the history of Prague, which took place in 1389.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmL1HFx-4_iVEi2V2-E8-UoT4tDMn1adk6yZtvRJxmnEXJisoXMOavmMWWiph1Ydsg8gyK9kaj_vuDJHXx70RBEjc2vaQ9biHtfgy4TeqaDj4ZJODv1pcfkE3wVukaVnNtqpQtSIIunxDXOLWP4lKfBWAcnVhsUCPQ4J0jCF5flQSDCLewGt_aXhc3/s4032/IMG_0424.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmL1HFx-4_iVEi2V2-E8-UoT4tDMn1adk6yZtvRJxmnEXJisoXMOavmMWWiph1Ydsg8gyK9kaj_vuDJHXx70RBEjc2vaQ9biHtfgy4TeqaDj4ZJODv1pcfkE3wVukaVnNtqpQtSIIunxDXOLWP4lKfBWAcnVhsUCPQ4J0jCF5flQSDCLewGt_aXhc3/s320/IMG_0424.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We traveled with our cousins, Bill and Denise, and their daughter Erin. We had a wonderful time!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJvi9TuystbfFXtRbx-yS4Lgp1RIWA1kFr8qMsRJXRGoVOLQKG28QLeH_-O9534v0uaYAHU9ld-Q0sn0I7Fzgb5xQfM4bPMsMX8PMK9RNA2Ql4ymmA0w6Xtcx4io2frUiRPXnhPxp2J9itXqtYGeADs0XPuwDqunWkjiRRSBJYUPSJUPPI0_98qa6/s4032/IMG_0237.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJvi9TuystbfFXtRbx-yS4Lgp1RIWA1kFr8qMsRJXRGoVOLQKG28QLeH_-O9534v0uaYAHU9ld-Q0sn0I7Fzgb5xQfM4bPMsMX8PMK9RNA2Ql4ymmA0w6Xtcx4io2frUiRPXnhPxp2J9itXqtYGeADs0XPuwDqunWkjiRRSBJYUPSJUPPI0_98qa6/s320/IMG_0237.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sampling lunch items at a cafe in Old Towne.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2_HJj0wKsFpB6Tb40aPw8fi8fpBdjNS8vLATc-mjW5gGNC3aZurZyjAO0VsgLw_BZiAk6SmMzHqqdjnef-hiYWM81D7iqL2Nr_cbeodPxQE-C40ZcUbQvtlNwZzaAgTh-nkgL1H4tlblNtUqfZ9du9UUZE1YHnLn7bln5MhrngZgBjG48WCQU_L3/s4032/IMG_0241.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2_HJj0wKsFpB6Tb40aPw8fi8fpBdjNS8vLATc-mjW5gGNC3aZurZyjAO0VsgLw_BZiAk6SmMzHqqdjnef-hiYWM81D7iqL2Nr_cbeodPxQE-C40ZcUbQvtlNwZzaAgTh-nkgL1H4tlblNtUqfZ9du9UUZE1YHnLn7bln5MhrngZgBjG48WCQU_L3/s320/IMG_0241.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">The Powder Tower is one of the original 13 </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_gate" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="City gate">city gates</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> in </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Town_(Prague)" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Old Town (Prague)">Old Town</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Prague">Prague</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">. Its construction began in 1475. The tower was intended to be an attractive entrance into the city, instead of a defensive tower. </span></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> The gate was used to store </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none;" title="Gunpowder">gunpowder</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> in the 17th century, hence the name Powder Tower.</span><div><span style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4q_aJzmb1SAf63Sr_waLEECePcD8bNfWZNXLomoaInpo4Xjl1GbXNdKrhQCekmK30yCcu-hzH3zQML-ELODfdP2PyWpNKOcXdrgNgOK03li1BUCJy4sM0qvGSf87RMp5dyhzkgzDlcasAY0xQe6CzV1qP5hdpIV5i8B-XiZzdZjzTrdVxGNShx1ep/s4032/IMG_0245.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4q_aJzmb1SAf63Sr_waLEECePcD8bNfWZNXLomoaInpo4Xjl1GbXNdKrhQCekmK30yCcu-hzH3zQML-ELODfdP2PyWpNKOcXdrgNgOK03li1BUCJy4sM0qvGSf87RMp5dyhzkgzDlcasAY0xQe6CzV1qP5hdpIV5i8B-XiZzdZjzTrdVxGNShx1ep/s320/IMG_0245.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are stumble stones, markers place in the sidewalk in front of a deported Jew’s residence. It commemorates their name, date of birth, deportation, and death at which concentration camp.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9amfal7Wi54w1I1CeigR4M4mbmSEyzTF4MfaxppHJEKRh3iEIBcINijCJC87kILCFQghIJV3oBM4laais4zXyPoZTxUAiPaFFeFIh1swXIaFUtrn0WfGbwqBAT7NX_AnVNW2tVu6lZzcuBqAAbcNGfujwG3xFTIlUVbWvSbbOGAtvQu85oNmZA_ou/s3106/IMG_0246.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3106" data-original-width="2330" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9amfal7Wi54w1I1CeigR4M4mbmSEyzTF4MfaxppHJEKRh3iEIBcINijCJC87kILCFQghIJV3oBM4laais4zXyPoZTxUAiPaFFeFIh1swXIaFUtrn0WfGbwqBAT7NX_AnVNW2tVu6lZzcuBqAAbcNGfujwG3xFTIlUVbWvSbbOGAtvQu85oNmZA_ou/s320/IMG_0246.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The residence of the family members memorialized in the above stumble stones. You can see them in the bottom right corner.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wJ3XOpu68921rkvxJy64B5k8cdPy_SffEl9Uh1_dIMiUxMN3KqgXmoBDr8KPBb9FpHFy7D98OJQ3WDEjfTh7T7xpQqf_zKhL8GyNK5msKPPbSaEzivYOIYU2eZUOXcRX2B4lY-SsT-KbWzLH4vFjgtj7qmkITtt9AfaurUlStXleIjmSckkqgsQI/s4032/IMG_0247.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wJ3XOpu68921rkvxJy64B5k8cdPy_SffEl9Uh1_dIMiUxMN3KqgXmoBDr8KPBb9FpHFy7D98OJQ3WDEjfTh7T7xpQqf_zKhL8GyNK5msKPPbSaEzivYOIYU2eZUOXcRX2B4lY-SsT-KbWzLH4vFjgtj7qmkITtt9AfaurUlStXleIjmSckkqgsQI/s320/IMG_0247.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkb6W0RRBwlxlIEJBBpAW4UlB0KIm8XhXBUYMGh9208NtelociviJ_ZAm8T-mLlwp77nxP9u-SAvn1Tj10TMzO2bAe2lhdpdMFWoqh1jBNlRUImrUqychH_SDT7oAfYjgMYdTwQQH-2eznDpsLXyUv8dZin0bIAPYoGuavNLJIxwfavx-DdOkWSXs/s2926/IMG_0248.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2184" data-original-width="2926" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkb6W0RRBwlxlIEJBBpAW4UlB0KIm8XhXBUYMGh9208NtelociviJ_ZAm8T-mLlwp77nxP9u-SAvn1Tj10TMzO2bAe2lhdpdMFWoqh1jBNlRUImrUqychH_SDT7oAfYjgMYdTwQQH-2eznDpsLXyUv8dZin0bIAPYoGuavNLJIxwfavx-DdOkWSXs/s320/IMG_0248.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The afternoon tour was about the Czech Resistance to the Nazi occupation during WWII. The major story was about Operation Anthropoid, which is a long story that can be read about here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Reinhard_Heydrich</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It was a deep-dive into the politics of the time which was extremely interesting. At the end of the historical lead-up to why the resistance rose, we visited the church where the brave young men were hiding after the assassination attempts and where they were ultimately found and executed.</div></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzum2_bH937Sm3CNhEFjchP6Qj1cITmgO2GYvztdmi5ADWReBjtTo7DQ3iSaGnfEcxk7rGOi1WMioMprppNtO6Ekca70eTlDnRrBfITb3YU1dqg3turruTnE5KfV4BHXwWtXkSCAOMT66vngl2ERhQzNNojN1mnqWtx7R2z27G3QBjsypusOebBkCl/s2725/IMG_0253.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2044" data-original-width="2725" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzum2_bH937Sm3CNhEFjchP6Qj1cITmgO2GYvztdmi5ADWReBjtTo7DQ3iSaGnfEcxk7rGOi1WMioMprppNtO6Ekca70eTlDnRrBfITb3YU1dqg3turruTnE5KfV4BHXwWtXkSCAOMT66vngl2ERhQzNNojN1mnqWtx7R2z27G3QBjsypusOebBkCl/s320/IMG_0253.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Parting photos from our last evening. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghwKtQhR02t7yhpu-K_asomdDjsA3ILlgF7NYPsXiNxo_YAnMwX_WLC9qd0NMG5ie-5l-mFKRpIHLFA7hgWhG2jpl_g8hzhy_2Sd6mkEYC6EtxYkQU_eRn_NJt_1M83HxMt6cnomOfU4k1ctUIlh1W1TfQyQ91C-7Ybvc2f9ikPDZu-ZveWclvNuU/s3319/IMG_0257.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3319" data-original-width="2489" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghwKtQhR02t7yhpu-K_asomdDjsA3ILlgF7NYPsXiNxo_YAnMwX_WLC9qd0NMG5ie-5l-mFKRpIHLFA7hgWhG2jpl_g8hzhy_2Sd6mkEYC6EtxYkQU_eRn_NJt_1M83HxMt6cnomOfU4k1ctUIlh1W1TfQyQ91C-7Ybvc2f9ikPDZu-ZveWclvNuU/s320/IMG_0257.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sampling Czechen beer</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Q3594apSTJvc2qGHy63xXUNO31UKbpiumcgvNmSPaK2JhtYtnxHQK3KBoH6_M864jfed3_dNEGvoNBtjOWrl2433cH7g-RxYRcb4qoEbS2ZLAtuezQm3_OdkSNL2fhMFnGx5WIpPZxes40Kjs0uLqsT-PGJkrwtyuDxqIA4yVltNJGVXhuU2CtlQ/s2903/IMG_0258.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2177" data-original-width="2903" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Q3594apSTJvc2qGHy63xXUNO31UKbpiumcgvNmSPaK2JhtYtnxHQK3KBoH6_M864jfed3_dNEGvoNBtjOWrl2433cH7g-RxYRcb4qoEbS2ZLAtuezQm3_OdkSNL2fhMFnGx5WIpPZxes40Kjs0uLqsT-PGJkrwtyuDxqIA4yVltNJGVXhuU2CtlQ/s320/IMG_0258.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uI_8I-lpCC_8jsVxr91MyUUoR17r3hgwRtM55wEEcL1scGydBmTmXPV2Cg8sWZVMMUEA38LEPPs2pHmi8PhFG5FmV-z2nNvCm3dhM-jV8twYze6DOJXSDavcLuC3PqYUB1DCWfWL_elnvu8F9LdPje4Le18U5G85Cc5nE41JXFC4V-jm33mUibji/s3166/IMG_0259.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3166" data-original-width="2375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uI_8I-lpCC_8jsVxr91MyUUoR17r3hgwRtM55wEEcL1scGydBmTmXPV2Cg8sWZVMMUEA38LEPPs2pHmi8PhFG5FmV-z2nNvCm3dhM-jV8twYze6DOJXSDavcLuC3PqYUB1DCWfWL_elnvu8F9LdPje4Le18U5G85Cc5nE41JXFC4V-jm33mUibji/s320/IMG_0259.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Next up: Travel to Budapest, Hungary, where we board our Viking longboat, the Skadi, for our 15-day river cruise. </span></div><p></p></div>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-14598779443752688152022-08-24T23:35:00.000-04:002022-08-24T23:35:17.193-04:00Homer: Fishing and Bears!<p> On Friday, 7/15, we departed Seward and drove 163 miles to our next destination, Homer, at the very tip of the Kenai.</p><p>As per what has become the normal circumstances, it was drizzly and on the cool side. It was still a beautiful drive up through the mountains surrounding Seward, then through the Kenai River area, which was lush and beautiful with the color of the Kenai River unbelievable - no place to really stop with our rigs to take pictures - and then along the northern coast of the peninsula. </p><p>Once we were settled into our campground, it was mandatory to jump in the vehicles and head down to the marina to find the dock for Big Dan's Fishing Charters, the company they booked their overnight trip with. We found it and the boat, The Double Down, that they will be fishing from. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdUlyWTqqVe0h9URG5dhSWFBFMrSoCrCKhXSOklCKXX2CVs91APtfDoOg7riC3HztWXUF-t6j2j3ckskzQeeD4ayk7P7w9VB6c8nYd0ZHCx9gsO7k0IzeMTre2yiEAcqDBp9M2cd_SEQpgTtUwxa8intlc2vHaaEpa3u-Obl92azehgLL1bLUI3-e/s3024/CA404735-B7CB-4AAA-950A-F93C28DBF881.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdUlyWTqqVe0h9URG5dhSWFBFMrSoCrCKhXSOklCKXX2CVs91APtfDoOg7riC3HztWXUF-t6j2j3ckskzQeeD4ayk7P7w9VB6c8nYd0ZHCx9gsO7k0IzeMTre2yiEAcqDBp9M2cd_SEQpgTtUwxa8intlc2vHaaEpa3u-Obl92azehgLL1bLUI3-e/s320/CA404735-B7CB-4AAA-950A-F93C28DBF881.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They had to pose in front of the boat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzvQtrC6uvUG5PfxhLUsXoL8Q8M00n_yRHAjSACaXXUi_Js8GP02fz4lV1Af6ZHjrypq9oe9bLVQfb9ymzAyA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As we were walking around the floating docks, we saw this adorable sea otter. He would dive down and come back up with a crab. Listen closely and you'll hear the shell cracking as he's eating it.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5frTddUX0EMpQxeVLRoph1O7YvvYhvJyeoI4-eUSDLu1OGv6vWySd_uq_Ce_Pw5mEaz6QX79NoHz9aGUAMuackEVKIs0CMsZ1mpyvL__EXWOZ-7cbfmpWsYMMADHv0Sba6UaRysjBhIJK1dxH-VrSME1gLAhV1P1pdrYqpe62fmusM0WsCHFvrqT/s4032/320254C9-0343-44C3-BFED-75BA6B63E35C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5frTddUX0EMpQxeVLRoph1O7YvvYhvJyeoI4-eUSDLu1OGv6vWySd_uq_Ce_Pw5mEaz6QX79NoHz9aGUAMuackEVKIs0CMsZ1mpyvL__EXWOZ-7cbfmpWsYMMADHv0Sba6UaRysjBhIJK1dxH-VrSME1gLAhV1P1pdrYqpe62fmusM0WsCHFvrqT/s320/320254C9-0343-44C3-BFED-75BA6B63E35C.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The famous Salty Dawg Saloon on the Homer Spit. The history from its website:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 15px; margin: 0px 0px 19.44444px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Salty Dawg started out as one of the first cabins built in 1897, soon after Homer became a town site. It served as the first post office, a railroad station, a grocery store, and a coal mining office for twenty years. In 1909 a second building was constructed, and it served as a school house, post office, grocery store. And at one time, it housed three adults and eleven children.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 15px; margin: 0px 0px 19.44444px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: times;">It was acquired in the late 1940’s by Chuck Abbott to be used as an office for Standard Oil Company. In April of 1957, he opened it as the Salty Dawg Saloon. The late 1950’s produced a change for the Salty Dawg Saloon by joining this building to it.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 15px; margin: 0px 0px 19.44444px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Alaska Territory became the 49th state of the union in January 1959.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 15px; margin: 0px 0px 19.44444px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: times;">Earl Hillstrand, the late State Representative, purchased it in 1960. After the March 1964 “Good Friday” earthquake, he moved the structure to its present location. The distinctive lighthouse tower was added to cover a water storage tank, thus completing one of Homer’s more historical and recognizable landmarks.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Salty Dawg Saloon that we know today is owned and operated by John Warren.</span></p></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7psmQmFa5TzehLsqOg2bCvpXUzTfFNiseyWSGF7TScYdD7iBXzBmu-uZoYrjese0cq2etbrPUeaccKKFqx7rycn0Gxj-eMqqNSdNHm3yKhbWBGCUlhYOkBbl1U5_WmzAB1yAPaoxcgcZjqaOnAvrBX3uf7fTYcuflwpNxQY57n-B7L2irRpCcNPGt/s4032/41ABF2A2-ECA7-436E-9873-A9B2410E5F60.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7psmQmFa5TzehLsqOg2bCvpXUzTfFNiseyWSGF7TScYdD7iBXzBmu-uZoYrjese0cq2etbrPUeaccKKFqx7rycn0Gxj-eMqqNSdNHm3yKhbWBGCUlhYOkBbl1U5_WmzAB1yAPaoxcgcZjqaOnAvrBX3uf7fTYcuflwpNxQY57n-B7L2irRpCcNPGt/s320/41ABF2A2-ECA7-436E-9873-A9B2410E5F60.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lots of boats of all types along the Homer Spit. This is just one section. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So....what is the "Spit"?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="thumb tright" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); clear: right; color: #202122; float: right; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px 1.3em 1.4em; text-align: start; width: auto;"><div class="thumbinner" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; border: 1px solid rgb(200, 204, 209); font-size: 13.15999984741211px; min-width: 100px; overflow: hidden; padding: 3px; text-align: center; width: 222px;"><a class="image" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USACE_Homer_Spit_Alaska.jpg" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" data-file-height="1124" data-file-width="1500" decoding="async" height="165" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/USACE_Homer_Spit_Alaska.jpg/220px-USACE_Homer_Spit_Alaska.jpg" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/USACE_Homer_Spit_Alaska.jpg/330px-USACE_Homer_Spit_Alaska.jpg 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/USACE_Homer_Spit_Alaska.jpg/440px-USACE_Homer_Spit_Alaska.jpg 2x" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(200, 204, 209); vertical-align: middle;" width="220" /></a><div class="thumbcaption" style="border: 0px; font-size: 12.370400428771973px; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 3px; text-align: left;"><div class="magnify" style="float: right; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 0px;"><a class="internal" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USACE_Homer_Spit_Alaska.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; background-image: url("/w/resources/src/mediawiki.skinning/images/magnify-clip-ltr.svg?8330e"); color: #0b0080; display: block; height: 11px; overflow: hidden; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 15px; white-space: nowrap; width: 15px;" title="Enlarge"></a></div>Homer Spit, Homer, Alaska</div></div></div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: start;">The <b>Homer Spit</b> (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dena%CA%BCina_language" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Denaʼina language">Dena'ina</a>: <i>Uzintun</i>) is a geographical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landmark" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Landmark">landmark</a> located in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer,_Alaska" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Homer, Alaska">Homer, Alaska</a> on the southern tip of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenai_Peninsula" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Kenai Peninsula">Kenai Peninsula</a>. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spit_(landform)" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Spit (landform)">spit</a> is a 4.5-mile (7.2 km) long piece of land jutting out into <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kachemak_Bay" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Kachemak Bay">Kachemak Bay</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-chamber_1-0" style="font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Spit#cite_note-chamber-1" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;">[1]</a></sup> The spit is also home to the Homer Boat Harbor. The harbor contains both deep and shallow water docks and serves up to 1500 commercial and pleasure boats at its summer peak.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-chamber_1-1" style="font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Spit#cite_note-chamber-1" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;">[1]</a></sup> Additional features and attractions include <i>The Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon</i>, which is an artificial "fishing hole", campgrounds, hotels, and restaurants and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salty_Dawg_Saloon" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Salty Dawg Saloon">Salty Dawg Saloon</a>, which is constructed out of several historic buildings from Homer. Hundreds of eagles formerly gathered there in winter to be fed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Keene" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Jean Keene">Jean Keene</a>, the "Eagle Lady".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Spit#cite_note-2" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;">[2]</a></sup> The Spit features the longest road into ocean waters in the entire world, taking up 10–15 minutes to cover by car.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-tribune_3-0" style="font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Spit#cite_note-tribune-3" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;">[3]</a> (Wikipedia)</sup></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: start;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;">The next day was my personal highlight of the trip, the activity I've been looking forward to since we started planning this trip back in 2016. We were flying from Homer via seaplane to Katmai National Park, home of Brooks Falls and grizzly bear extravaganza every July when the salmon start swimming upstream. The bears come down to feed as they are able to bulk up pretty quickly for the long winter to come. It was absolutely fascinating, amazing, and any other superlative you can think of. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGi_V9uIVaud3KVdUvsksaWgtJizlsB-dGozWdmnT_Ttf_oTOZUadHFF79XrmFmGXTsVJITa8L_zXijORpw3BCvY2o0nuz1mSsYyEiFBvsPBzFqUgARp4F5k3BPsD_1tUTD_iCK47saM022BhtZPadfufWSMybcbXPg5BpEO9M-AtxRrCQpfzmIog/s4032/0857D5B8-ED36-4438-BA55-845B392D3E21.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGi_V9uIVaud3KVdUvsksaWgtJizlsB-dGozWdmnT_Ttf_oTOZUadHFF79XrmFmGXTsVJITa8L_zXijORpw3BCvY2o0nuz1mSsYyEiFBvsPBzFqUgARp4F5k3BPsD_1tUTD_iCK47saM022BhtZPadfufWSMybcbXPg5BpEO9M-AtxRrCQpfzmIog/s320/0857D5B8-ED36-4438-BA55-845B392D3E21.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We flew with Bald Mountain Air Services in a 10-passenger DeHavilland single-engine Otter seaplane. I researched many different companies and their aircraft and chose this one based on their safety record and the safety record of this type of seaplane. I ended up being even more grateful that I chose this particular company as they were the only ones able to fly out that particular day due to weather. The smaller aircraft were not able to fly. It was rainy and foggy, and, yes, I was a tad apprehensive about the whole thing. It was an hour and a half flying time, and for the most part, all we saw was clouds surrounding us. It broke a little as we got close to Brooks Lake, where we landed, as you can see in the next picture. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmswclBuHgB6atuU-7g50sGBRFUNsYRQb1iyJQAU_2nmeQ1nGl5Eor3mAW9UqFUVa3m9_hdVbh55-4N0C74XpkRRn0EcWqRrXlK0fhLnRJbTMWTCA5xNAeb2yqHVdv2T5fkYuDSuwHiExBtwk1qLsq6Eo-BW84dKi4acPpADU0XCKlxphg4J_JjdHI/s4032/6A7E1B72-DCE8-4EF5-A66F-B49312E68937.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmswclBuHgB6atuU-7g50sGBRFUNsYRQb1iyJQAU_2nmeQ1nGl5Eor3mAW9UqFUVa3m9_hdVbh55-4N0C74XpkRRn0EcWqRrXlK0fhLnRJbTMWTCA5xNAeb2yqHVdv2T5fkYuDSuwHiExBtwk1qLsq6Eo-BW84dKi4acPpADU0XCKlxphg4J_JjdHI/s320/6A7E1B72-DCE8-4EF5-A66F-B49312E68937.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Land sighting!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We were very lucky in that it did not rain at all over there, just a light misting from time to time. The rain and fog kept smaller flights from going over and nothing from Anchorage either, so there were very few people there that day. Normally there can be up to a 2-hour-or-longer wait time to enter the viewing platform, and then your time was limited to a half hour. Only 40 people at a time are permitted on the platform. There was no wait, never more than 29 people there, and we were able to stay for a good two hours watching the bears. It was so interesting to stay that long in that we were able to actually figure out the dynamics of the group of bears and the relationships between them. It was an amazing day, ranking as one of the most memorable experiences in my lifetime.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: center;"><sup class="reference" style="font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMvHpG6KoHyvd6vjFBJdUbm9oxopaVBGFMCFq1gLIC7LTt-JX8HV9223mN2GurpqgdMCVpct0dXkNUVZ8zxOiWDkuz_G7mWFV01h_y7weeaKXaM9ydmHFjhZkGnY0UQ-P_fgXkdhA9QplRPouppu_HruMwybj3CQaxaUKVanboM-nXSEYM2ScAGeS/s2048/57A3AC9E-BAD3-4758-8464-8A6E244C0AF9.jpeg" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMvHpG6KoHyvd6vjFBJdUbm9oxopaVBGFMCFq1gLIC7LTt-JX8HV9223mN2GurpqgdMCVpct0dXkNUVZ8zxOiWDkuz_G7mWFV01h_y7weeaKXaM9ydmHFjhZkGnY0UQ-P_fgXkdhA9QplRPouppu_HruMwybj3CQaxaUKVanboM-nXSEYM2ScAGeS/s320/57A3AC9E-BAD3-4758-8464-8A6E244C0AF9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></sup></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHDI9f0sDK9vQpWOeej2qIBj9Vx-u6hOtkaKmPevVa51Rq9GCpz2Gh5y7iiisVjCBhMKezJwm3Ey4gf6rykleLekyWPvy1AYxKelkYTp1eA4MQGkM1LODqDk1PqXzJEcwxDfsvk1UA_oLkQuMLmtHJgm98Z_fGaeDyTmOvaxn2s21zW3iEdsNeFwY/s2048/BD8EC93E-044F-4618-80B1-E4F3DB25DB0C.jpeg" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHDI9f0sDK9vQpWOeej2qIBj9Vx-u6hOtkaKmPevVa51Rq9GCpz2Gh5y7iiisVjCBhMKezJwm3Ey4gf6rykleLekyWPvy1AYxKelkYTp1eA4MQGkM1LODqDk1PqXzJEcwxDfsvk1UA_oLkQuMLmtHJgm98Z_fGaeDyTmOvaxn2s21zW3iEdsNeFwY/s320/BD8EC93E-044F-4618-80B1-E4F3DB25DB0C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; 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caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu8KxkwonJw-oSNDxwL1Ee-AiLw17hZMvZka0xlVtQ1Ein07nCXBP0FtZkLvlEwg7Qe09sEsoO1w1tUZELoONJGVojd5beVtyMvRDZjJFnWHeTrVlsD3yr8iw17f80oDlDsuFMCcOiyBvqtOcWtEKqCTqFGBa37P-Nk4zZfjLe3dQbI1pAwSj4sbE/s2048/AA55D59C-DE06-4950-8043-A3EB525493AD.jpeg" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu8KxkwonJw-oSNDxwL1Ee-AiLw17hZMvZka0xlVtQ1Ein07nCXBP0FtZkLvlEwg7Qe09sEsoO1w1tUZELoONJGVojd5beVtyMvRDZjJFnWHeTrVlsD3yr8iw17f80oDlDsuFMCcOiyBvqtOcWtEKqCTqFGBa37P-Nk4zZfjLe3dQbI1pAwSj4sbE/s320/AA55D59C-DE06-4950-8043-A3EB525493AD.jpeg" width="213" /></a></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: center;">There is a live webcam where anyone can watch the action occurring at</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://explore.org/livecams/brown-bears/brown-bear-salmon-cam-brooks-falls">https://explore.org/livecams/brown-bears/brown-bear-salmon-cam-brooks-falls</a></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p></div><div>The next day was unplanned, basically just doing a little sightseeing and the guys getting prepared for their overnight trip. We had heard an area called Anchor Point was usually pretty good for seeing eagles, so we headed that way. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSNs6D3-BUJjbFR5e38hBfIGuYhcevRCBGqkF1fFfQYUeq1lYwJ-YUvuvmA3LOmGP5DzICzqMT8EBrt7SG4YSCGjOycWkLcs3__9UDsVhDHyqfIVTTC_47WDtnEK2UCaNzL_mO7ZZKvDAn10UFlPZvrZYbt_CsYPRVjlFW-jgFykggC8-GI_1vO-n/s2214/84F5F502-E964-4EC5-A9DF-30395293A0BF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1951" data-original-width="2214" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSNs6D3-BUJjbFR5e38hBfIGuYhcevRCBGqkF1fFfQYUeq1lYwJ-YUvuvmA3LOmGP5DzICzqMT8EBrt7SG4YSCGjOycWkLcs3__9UDsVhDHyqfIVTTC_47WDtnEK2UCaNzL_mO7ZZKvDAn10UFlPZvrZYbt_CsYPRVjlFW-jgFykggC8-GI_1vO-n/s320/84F5F502-E964-4EC5-A9DF-30395293A0BF.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Again, a wet day, but eagles still manage to look regal though rumpled.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was very interesting at Anchor Point. The tides are so extreme that they use tractors to launch and reload fishing boats. I couldn't believe how far out in the water the tractor goes. The boat also approaches pretty quickly as well!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf9_2S5xaImOeadLeC_SQmSeZCSo31rax5vRlDVymXEJikgZYX-_q3YTKcl0nVdvgiU4dVbm6Nw9__o55UFU7ng3pscfFAku6wUl0ANgQ8-xoApAO9V5MMgAglPW_EIjOypoLz7pt95WpDSsUnpjVb1vE3VGlrxfCpAJJ4rJHNVEtu0O6MlOGrL_j/s4496/2C25270F-06C6-452A-BC9E-22DAE2F093A2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf9_2S5xaImOeadLeC_SQmSeZCSo31rax5vRlDVymXEJikgZYX-_q3YTKcl0nVdvgiU4dVbm6Nw9__o55UFU7ng3pscfFAku6wUl0ANgQ8-xoApAO9V5MMgAglPW_EIjOypoLz7pt95WpDSsUnpjVb1vE3VGlrxfCpAJJ4rJHNVEtu0O6MlOGrL_j/s320/2C25270F-06C6-452A-BC9E-22DAE2F093A2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tractor on the way out.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4iX_5B5l2DNreY4TAofmNCysTdWhWqQl2eXAt4acitX9cPRQw0E_k1ZcFUf5uaDYgddt-pa3du2FHN80kna_Jko5b4hM1his3HRyB2Zk7VMYcqR69vns23DfOv1OI-R1YW39HO0cEeZhN2mUmmyV_e2LzWtxLVTubtr5DY9Cagnkd8F8NnY0pb-p/s4496/87C47A76-0312-4B63-8CA6-D53E3D59FA30.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4iX_5B5l2DNreY4TAofmNCysTdWhWqQl2eXAt4acitX9cPRQw0E_k1ZcFUf5uaDYgddt-pa3du2FHN80kna_Jko5b4hM1his3HRyB2Zk7VMYcqR69vns23DfOv1OI-R1YW39HO0cEeZhN2mUmmyV_e2LzWtxLVTubtr5DY9Cagnkd8F8NnY0pb-p/s320/87C47A76-0312-4B63-8CA6-D53E3D59FA30.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Boat approaching. I can't believe how far in the water the tractor is.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5l6X7cQfjCHB8M3voTmLl7zvbv9QzKVHWRLe-DRMvD2NzSA75zW7NSerEtJ6OwW58TAbPsjs3cZmNVCwdbR7L9JZIvmZJsjSliOdpbAnpej8Ub_AFZvR9h7eAOII1by98WrE1993CKEn4AwHotOw3ghL9DMuzvi25_A9dBo3OWY8XCEuS10gmH9l/s4496/8A9009A0-2CE6-4AF4-B271-47D6A1826073.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5l6X7cQfjCHB8M3voTmLl7zvbv9QzKVHWRLe-DRMvD2NzSA75zW7NSerEtJ6OwW58TAbPsjs3cZmNVCwdbR7L9JZIvmZJsjSliOdpbAnpej8Ub_AFZvR9h7eAOII1by98WrE1993CKEn4AwHotOw3ghL9DMuzvi25_A9dBo3OWY8XCEuS10gmH9l/s320/8A9009A0-2CE6-4AF4-B271-47D6A1826073.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Boat gets hooked up to tractor.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86FveYwpd7AQo5qJFun0zJUeHt4sCGyj4g3UlEVQejFaERgYFd6xx6mYvnOuE_R-CFBEn1p6tuZtdDnxWY39hzo6lDJsxXPh6nwppmWCKxiEFztAa53oSVTIJDm3BJVtof2Ac_JmYoNiT3Ih7Y_x3G7MxPvYS-8ht5DnVw19gv5KoQqxPkFWkViPE/s4496/E5A45B61-E2F9-4BFF-8E0D-F0701707E26E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86FveYwpd7AQo5qJFun0zJUeHt4sCGyj4g3UlEVQejFaERgYFd6xx6mYvnOuE_R-CFBEn1p6tuZtdDnxWY39hzo6lDJsxXPh6nwppmWCKxiEFztAa53oSVTIJDm3BJVtof2Ac_JmYoNiT3Ih7Y_x3G7MxPvYS-8ht5DnVw19gv5KoQqxPkFWkViPE/s320/E5A45B61-E2F9-4BFF-8E0D-F0701707E26E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tractor hauls boat up the beach to the parking lot.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlkXSZpTi2B-oEE2pjRG4F6FOzSM_zzab8kOcLsXGFbsHGX6MvcA2RfM0rpsGBZj1_Htw5zXs9c3SMX1RrUNnLr-tlNpxiI7nPo7gvv4lbzHMr9lKl3KTzW9gfmmBjt-xFhW0Z6tzyUtiK4Ld86V9cgVcbnP2tuN8tR91xg7L-9ws-sq6Fx8XvnY7/s3251/259631F0-1521-46CB-B013-9F8242BB8C3A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2228" data-original-width="3251" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlkXSZpTi2B-oEE2pjRG4F6FOzSM_zzab8kOcLsXGFbsHGX6MvcA2RfM0rpsGBZj1_Htw5zXs9c3SMX1RrUNnLr-tlNpxiI7nPo7gvv4lbzHMr9lKl3KTzW9gfmmBjt-xFhW0Z6tzyUtiK4Ld86V9cgVcbnP2tuN8tR91xg7L-9ws-sq6Fx8XvnY7/s320/259631F0-1521-46CB-B013-9F8242BB8C3A.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eagles, mature and juvenile</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1BKNmE6tI54bgVS2oYd7U-7VykXmSIxFEIeQRMCVYOTFNOpCdsyjZ23glziDn_1bFNajBQnoGKV-XC4z4uhucJi4Fj-W2ksiulT20BChXTZh43Rqco3SjiUZyX2ODdK4h4DXMSj1EXn0Pjo_x7C3gfCQf3PwWJSJrwmaL0R7O3B0OlUdpj66grm6/s2748/F3CC849B-A221-4F78-91F3-51EE33899B0C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1797" data-original-width="2748" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1BKNmE6tI54bgVS2oYd7U-7VykXmSIxFEIeQRMCVYOTFNOpCdsyjZ23glziDn_1bFNajBQnoGKV-XC4z4uhucJi4Fj-W2ksiulT20BChXTZh43Rqco3SjiUZyX2ODdK4h4DXMSj1EXn0Pjo_x7C3gfCQf3PwWJSJrwmaL0R7O3B0OlUdpj66grm6/s320/F3CC849B-A221-4F78-91F3-51EE33899B0C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In flight with mountain backdrop.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So finally fishing day arrives. Unfortunately, it's pretty windy and drizzly. The guys head down to the dock, and we awaited word on what was going to happen. I was really hoping it didn't get canceled as Al was looking forward to this as much as I was looking forward to the bears. The captain decided they would give it a go, trying to stay out of the weather as much as possible. So they didn't get to go out quite as far as they had hoped, but the trip was on. They figured the first day might not be so good, but they'd give it hell the next day when the wind laid down. Imagine my surprise when I got a call around 10:30 the next morning that they'd be in by lunchtime. Not because of weather, but they had their limits of fish already. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznJ2zsUwd-kT9QDHAgW4k57EU8GMG6QAApWngvAqgSQLMe_L5kZ-1RE-U2PM5OHYsSe77nKKpeZexXaUnlFznkhVGQLGWlgt3rarLZ6xM1diAL5IAVA0ie5cAf56cfb4R1MdV4jJYHSnNXfaq-TBGt35WmspMp8Q75eVRtlgUJiK5W_KavCi_a1VY/s4032/A22F78F3-6E9F-425C-B61D-5398B62BC1C8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznJ2zsUwd-kT9QDHAgW4k57EU8GMG6QAApWngvAqgSQLMe_L5kZ-1RE-U2PM5OHYsSe77nKKpeZexXaUnlFznkhVGQLGWlgt3rarLZ6xM1diAL5IAVA0ie5cAf56cfb4R1MdV4jJYHSnNXfaq-TBGt35WmspMp8Q75eVRtlgUJiK5W_KavCi_a1VY/s320/A22F78F3-6E9F-425C-B61D-5398B62BC1C8.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dan with a prized yelloweye rockfish.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6eyJqiWaWtWrpcgVa-tUH8x54HySuhJHeRKYHc6j5akvb0yaIs_vcZZHigXVEThn1UOG4wo2GWYAS-CD5DYv3EEzSLgv0R95LKPPE47D1A3DDin1WMlfFvPtBXCjk2ypGtsHeJ7h4v7i88yIy0UTjUVOf-PVC_JMEgbfVdhEJc-WP3mP2dKrbnOQB/s4032/CDA76FA5-6348-4C45-89ED-3C1D4A2F1D9C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6eyJqiWaWtWrpcgVa-tUH8x54HySuhJHeRKYHc6j5akvb0yaIs_vcZZHigXVEThn1UOG4wo2GWYAS-CD5DYv3EEzSLgv0R95LKPPE47D1A3DDin1WMlfFvPtBXCjk2ypGtsHeJ7h4v7i88yIy0UTjUVOf-PVC_JMEgbfVdhEJc-WP3mP2dKrbnOQB/s320/CDA76FA5-6348-4C45-89ED-3C1D4A2F1D9C.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My brother Bill with his 110-pound halibut.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZMqvtWzsUQ3D4bWAbEoEo2T3wJSBMCHWl4Yoy8NPQ5PjZo6eIxCQYuBrFTp8t_V3DeXRjrzAVzXHrd3WKJsnQlPbprSs3pEGP53YvA44yvUObimYSuE67uUvYEVWQroXIBvSPRwms-vb-8auRT759w-kAyAmtY7YpIaOuaAxq0f8Tq7UPNEA1qe3/s4459/D35FA05B-741B-47FE-8A61-BA3F44E86755.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2973" data-original-width="4459" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZMqvtWzsUQ3D4bWAbEoEo2T3wJSBMCHWl4Yoy8NPQ5PjZo6eIxCQYuBrFTp8t_V3DeXRjrzAVzXHrd3WKJsnQlPbprSs3pEGP53YvA44yvUObimYSuE67uUvYEVWQroXIBvSPRwms-vb-8auRT759w-kAyAmtY7YpIaOuaAxq0f8Tq7UPNEA1qe3/s320/D35FA05B-741B-47FE-8A61-BA3F44E86755.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our 3 fishermen with the boat's catch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_sLGMrkiKGlp0MBwnGfdKvgeYL7U7q-_lIVtWSPwj0Uo-PINwaI-oJp6XQryJxEQL4k1C66mx5ZkMgC8brF0zUxqL_mRNeItSDCqwmtnkjYVqk0_GYOdTyDQn8lB5lya_9aiSU7oiV4ZYAl28YC1tLo86t2kbopa7ckzbruWqiThfi8mEYxH6sk4/s4480/P1032698%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2987" data-original-width="4480" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_sLGMrkiKGlp0MBwnGfdKvgeYL7U7q-_lIVtWSPwj0Uo-PINwaI-oJp6XQryJxEQL4k1C66mx5ZkMgC8brF0zUxqL_mRNeItSDCqwmtnkjYVqk0_GYOdTyDQn8lB5lya_9aiSU7oiV4ZYAl28YC1tLo86t2kbopa7ckzbruWqiThfi8mEYxH6sk4/s320/P1032698%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Their actual catch for the 3 of them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreMI-o3t6cIByN2zX9S_GwWTAT91w43UcrqogUBys_jT4buYYtePtdF30hNHZQSFE7WWsVb7NrbOQffwEq5vF968moXR8PN6eDsPFoBesLezQbyTTVh-dVAk4fMz00nr3RxGtjRopegllCvpXkPdTbBOTFNUUsfAV1DiV6sdqGJtJD7UWe0xE1U6k/s5472/P1032697.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreMI-o3t6cIByN2zX9S_GwWTAT91w43UcrqogUBys_jT4buYYtePtdF30hNHZQSFE7WWsVb7NrbOQffwEq5vF968moXR8PN6eDsPFoBesLezQbyTTVh-dVAk4fMz00nr3RxGtjRopegllCvpXkPdTbBOTFNUUsfAV1DiV6sdqGJtJD7UWe0xE1U6k/s320/P1032697.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The fish is handed over to the fish cleaners, and then the haul is sent over to the processors where it's cut into approximately 1-pound pieces, flash frozen, and vacuum sealed. I think it came out to about 240 pounds of fish altogether.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our last day in Homer, we visited the Alaskan Maritimes (Islands and Oceans) National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center. It was a very interesting exhibit and had a nice nature walk out back that goes through the marshlands to Bishop's Beach. The tides are so extreme that at low tide you can walk pretty far out. Cody enjoyed running around on the sand when the tide was out!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9errdb0xLT0W5ZfnAsHhJmi9GmpxE3pE2nO03pdmwvFVkRSsLoqddQzDjguyegLsSbhym2dwII-pxph_haD1gIAt0MB4D8xjqnjU_IEW_ugi3fEPt1NONbaZcYqjxSLjKs8XzKhzkdaDLjTczC_Q0RWa1yHBoK2sMhm2n2HCHi7Te2JsGde1FHjil/s5472/P1032664.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9errdb0xLT0W5ZfnAsHhJmi9GmpxE3pE2nO03pdmwvFVkRSsLoqddQzDjguyegLsSbhym2dwII-pxph_haD1gIAt0MB4D8xjqnjU_IEW_ugi3fEPt1NONbaZcYqjxSLjKs8XzKhzkdaDLjTczC_Q0RWa1yHBoK2sMhm2n2HCHi7Te2JsGde1FHjil/s320/P1032664.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3ob1hREOTTd0V_HzVllHGt4HEHUA5QoD39BT2-uXapU_ieDYQpnQwLd688L-T7qQUXzGAGEFKzfhYY3TLSLqNVAHYC4v9DPjXUWDCcziHbR1O4-9rj-95GL3JcS5CLiERTEnki50sjuBo10TlrpvIHRD6WOK2ilhlevSDF7pdzJP6VTW8n_AOiUi/s5472/P1032665.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3ob1hREOTTd0V_HzVllHGt4HEHUA5QoD39BT2-uXapU_ieDYQpnQwLd688L-T7qQUXzGAGEFKzfhYY3TLSLqNVAHYC4v9DPjXUWDCcziHbR1O4-9rj-95GL3JcS5CLiERTEnki50sjuBo10TlrpvIHRD6WOK2ilhlevSDF7pdzJP6VTW8n_AOiUi/s320/P1032665.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;">We also took a ride on the East End Road, running along the south coast east until the road ends. There were some nice views of Kachemak Bay and the coves on the far side....what we could see around clouds!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhDt-uAdlB7kd2NZ16zLu6g_BfO53N-W1h4RkxUiNEvfQ0HDmqFrT4rfgInQ_vXYBrLWxaHQ4HV17yJ5df0CpWw9Hc1R0Wdz14_T-HVPBzhqFQ-pMUlosZD7ZbMr7AFTURsrQ_hqv_S5t9CJpHTGw-VNEC6dcw3IXwh9BmxBHysXCYjysKo7pTKYr/s5472/P1032700.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhDt-uAdlB7kd2NZ16zLu6g_BfO53N-W1h4RkxUiNEvfQ0HDmqFrT4rfgInQ_vXYBrLWxaHQ4HV17yJ5df0CpWw9Hc1R0Wdz14_T-HVPBzhqFQ-pMUlosZD7ZbMr7AFTURsrQ_hqv_S5t9CJpHTGw-VNEC6dcw3IXwh9BmxBHysXCYjysKo7pTKYr/s320/P1032700.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnBuIpd_V2buwI4nqNjCm-lU-UWCAHjElILqPRqPNSLpuXqoXWP3BKU2qM6GZgziCwYJo9JZq5SNw_Ly0vJso6V30N2ejFo4FFCn0O0N74Lzj4GHhuDXJq8pyiF0sJho7x5Z7BthZx2NK8gB-gdpb80s8eg3Nd80KStMYGe3DUYr29qSSmXhxBBhu/s5472/P1032701.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnBuIpd_V2buwI4nqNjCm-lU-UWCAHjElILqPRqPNSLpuXqoXWP3BKU2qM6GZgziCwYJo9JZq5SNw_Ly0vJso6V30N2ejFo4FFCn0O0N74Lzj4GHhuDXJq8pyiF0sJho7x5Z7BthZx2NK8gB-gdpb80s8eg3Nd80KStMYGe3DUYr29qSSmXhxBBhu/s320/P1032701.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One last thing we did but I don't have any pictures of is visit the Norman Lowell Art Gallery in Anchor Point. It was beautiful. I was fascinated with the art created by Norman Lowell. Sadly, his work is definitely out of my price range! But I loved walking slowly through the gallery, marveling at the talent. What was even more amazing to me, in 2013, after battling glaucoma, he was declared legally blind. He continued working through 2017, utilizing increasingly stronger arrays of lighting, until the point where his final works were done purely from memory. More information about the gallery and pictures of a few 0f his works can be found here: <a href="https://www.normanlowellgallery.org/" style="text-align: left;">https://www.normanlowellgallery.org/</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Overall, I really liked Homer. I would like to see it someday in nice weather, and there are a few things I wanted to do and see that just weren't going to be enjoyable with the weather we had. At least we had about a 4-hour window of sun so that I was able to get the beautiful photo that is now my blog header.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We then headed to our next destination, Soldotna, and the final fishing of the trip: river fishing on the Kenai River.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-86789411111320039372022-08-19T00:35:00.001-04:002022-08-19T00:35:20.627-04:00Seward: Fishing, Glaciers, and Wildlife<p> We arrived in Seward on July 8 for a week. We had 2 fishing trips planned, a wildlife/glaciers tour of the Kenai Fjords booked, and planned on a few other activities including hiking to one of the glaciers you can approach safely on foot. And of course, the rainy weather had settled in quite well at this point, with no let-up in sight. So, what do we do? Put on raincoats and boots and head on out. The only thing we had to juggle a bit was the fishing charter, as the first day was canceled due to windy conditions. When checking in, the guys were told it was canceled on Saturday as they don't wish to fish in 9-foot seas. Al said no problem, either does he! Fortunately, they had room on their Tuesday charter that they could jump on. So the fishing charters were on, and here are the results:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW837Jl_Y5ANXhm_VK6cDNAL9NJIY9Vzjrp49YniPeolgCBMXH9ytIokTUMGuAfIzPNcNp8nb9TjTOzOHz3yID1jOsYpjl4Zu1ytwL76bma--X2Db5A76bqASo4uEWRR-z0Bj4Tzm7mKN7Pv-N0sUKUzBoucddjn6gfAOplP5tYTG-pafNPZngJ_LK/s960/F107F13B-ECAD-4797-848A-470CD520C788.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW837Jl_Y5ANXhm_VK6cDNAL9NJIY9Vzjrp49YniPeolgCBMXH9ytIokTUMGuAfIzPNcNp8nb9TjTOzOHz3yID1jOsYpjl4Zu1ytwL76bma--X2Db5A76bqASo4uEWRR-z0Bj4Tzm7mKN7Pv-N0sUKUzBoucddjn6gfAOplP5tYTG-pafNPZngJ_LK/s320/F107F13B-ECAD-4797-848A-470CD520C788.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfdy0-2HR6WoNpbCDpihufvK0AwtwVR8kBNM_t7IMVXNwpoQEXUv_hS7Tr03QBOFk_ovfFwT5EGFeuqRfH9XK07Vm_Mk2wyxn6P-5vzZsmztZHAShxqNIF4k5p219hYbVVKlQkcpE9GlJqgMBq3GH1rQmA9xIwEWRNbsqPT7ObaAI2Sj52Y6JOfr7/s960/320B520C-F3EA-419A-B161-85A0B8BBB5DC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfdy0-2HR6WoNpbCDpihufvK0AwtwVR8kBNM_t7IMVXNwpoQEXUv_hS7Tr03QBOFk_ovfFwT5EGFeuqRfH9XK07Vm_Mk2wyxn6P-5vzZsmztZHAShxqNIF4k5p219hYbVVKlQkcpE9GlJqgMBq3GH1rQmA9xIwEWRNbsqPT7ObaAI2Sj52Y6JOfr7/s320/320B520C-F3EA-419A-B161-85A0B8BBB5DC.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The first trip was the 3 guys. No picture at the dock as the fish were cleaned on the boat prior to arriving back to the dock, but they caught their limit of halibut, rockfish, and salmon.</div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNY7oJTsbF8GsUUuQjfM11KmnOgr6kdFxrVDRA67DHOYyV4Nb-IANR2M_-D3XXA-WJi9Gwcr-MIdNqPmBfWNahKHoApekp3VH_T7_GaK0rKIoX5C_p7KvKthBSDMAfZJBkxw_AhrI5ox1z6tu2ERKRXSWpvxuoXjATqwUzhWFrQ7Q326Q3nttlBNq/s2016/IMG_4672.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNY7oJTsbF8GsUUuQjfM11KmnOgr6kdFxrVDRA67DHOYyV4Nb-IANR2M_-D3XXA-WJi9Gwcr-MIdNqPmBfWNahKHoApekp3VH_T7_GaK0rKIoX5C_p7KvKthBSDMAfZJBkxw_AhrI5ox1z6tu2ERKRXSWpvxuoXjATqwUzhWFrQ7Q326Q3nttlBNq/s320/IMG_4672.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Second day when Jonell joined the fishing team: halibut, rockfish, and salmon.</p><p>While the guys were fishing one day, we girls headed up to the Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center where we accessed the trail to walk to the Exit Glacier. This is the only part of the park that is accessible by road. It was named Exit Glacier by grateful backcountry travelers, descending 3000 feet in just a few miles from the Harding Icefield, forming a stunning natural ramp. It is also a poignant sign of the impact of climate change occurring causing the glacial retreat. There are markers all along the road leading to the visitor center and then on the trail to the glacier itself showing where the glacier terminus, or "toe," would have been at various time periods.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0hg2LOnYCKNW2tRdRVem8aGiMjZGEO2LK7Ny1f4K1fp8AUG-YYNwcdSixhZ-0kPnlCMUhJ1wgCOnhYnK_xuhgHm-fFBzCVDAAG6rNlXwEl11DO34VvLTToDPXCRxQdXgJvxLyPP6-vuQioaxjeM38gIP194d3v24D8yzuoUaoi-nyZPNY1I1kbFj/s4496/DSC_0535.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0hg2LOnYCKNW2tRdRVem8aGiMjZGEO2LK7Ny1f4K1fp8AUG-YYNwcdSixhZ-0kPnlCMUhJ1wgCOnhYnK_xuhgHm-fFBzCVDAAG6rNlXwEl11DO34VvLTToDPXCRxQdXgJvxLyPP6-vuQioaxjeM38gIP194d3v24D8yzuoUaoi-nyZPNY1I1kbFj/s320/DSC_0535.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Graphic representation of the glacier's retreat from 1815 to 2007. In 2019, the latest year I can find data, the glacier lost 252 feet, the most lost in any single summer on record.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-aNn2sXDNsP-wRDV-rekVhVSPJCWBPMg2620XXNSsjali2Ckdof0wo1_OqhDCuEz23MAe9L7o64skx5-2x7rSFmRRxST3umqTuo_wRKP-9289MNVjjfC0TDXeyh0MiRqyr-98V94LHYj7SwayivUmQbYL65UtH3bazN0QZBPNB3pHrYxhUHWKjOc/s4496/DSC_0508.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-aNn2sXDNsP-wRDV-rekVhVSPJCWBPMg2620XXNSsjali2Ckdof0wo1_OqhDCuEz23MAe9L7o64skx5-2x7rSFmRRxST3umqTuo_wRKP-9289MNVjjfC0TDXeyh0MiRqyr-98V94LHYj7SwayivUmQbYL65UtH3bazN0QZBPNB3pHrYxhUHWKjOc/s320/DSC_0508.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a topographical map in the visitor center of the Harding Icefield atop the Kenai Peninsula in the Kenai Fjords National Park. Seward is all the way on the right-hand side at the head of Resurrection Bay. On our cruise that we take, we are going out to the Northwestern Glacier, at the head of Northwestern Lagoon and Harris Bay in the middle of the map.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Harding Icefield and its outflowing glaciers cover 700 square miles of Alaska's Kenai Mountains in glacier ice. Up to 40 different glaciers of different sizes and types flow off the Harding Icefield.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciec-eOG4E6kVhE4saZ1YgRvqSw0ICY8F1q4hnUG3HRMFyzCNeJUenFdw2wvc5d7srVcj0zsO10EDinfTcXH8wLHfoICjD0w5OzgVAmqp9q3uCywkZpfFUmw3odOM-6sdwpcJBxuOSkJ1iWQ4sBtDqCBYyNkRwnTRvfDsBqxkObU4YijwfjBdTpwD/s4496/DSC_0530.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4496" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciec-eOG4E6kVhE4saZ1YgRvqSw0ICY8F1q4hnUG3HRMFyzCNeJUenFdw2wvc5d7srVcj0zsO10EDinfTcXH8wLHfoICjD0w5OzgVAmqp9q3uCywkZpfFUmw3odOM-6sdwpcJBxuOSkJ1iWQ4sBtDqCBYyNkRwnTRvfDsBqxkObU4YijwfjBdTpwD/s320/DSC_0530.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Exit Glacier, as close as we could get to it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3lCvA42wK3Bu7sRXQJTJh6nni_Gd3MNqw8uiozlDYj5-5YSZbQuH1YWngU_5GaqWA2YfhVKr-N5uXDOaPv5WIivylotKwE518H3Svnsp0YJKMzvUl1dBVIp0Oaqf38pi4tCvFLVFi2i7-Bw_nEJsidCuz6f9TCbX-igmZxCP3W-I1gY6cxHqKkVk/s4496/DSC_0527.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3lCvA42wK3Bu7sRXQJTJh6nni_Gd3MNqw8uiozlDYj5-5YSZbQuH1YWngU_5GaqWA2YfhVKr-N5uXDOaPv5WIivylotKwE518H3Svnsp0YJKMzvUl1dBVIp0Oaqf38pi4tCvFLVFi2i7-Bw_nEJsidCuz6f9TCbX-igmZxCP3W-I1gY6cxHqKkVk/s320/DSC_0527.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Zoomed in picture of the terminal edge. You could actually hear the ice cracking and see a chunk floating down the glacial river from time to time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR686NGQ7ocXHumSWxzoxtNk9TuExEpCCkPdh3koT2qYEJiNQ6r6dFocm3ele6H8ddhJF7M_voHolc84SpusYw4oMiYOazTIOUFEGlcLftXlKI3GK4ZFEcLLDaVY9S5qjYa66WIGuX4JS_tYacbjiz9caA7-Ba6CIsnHt2MhBDqiGEtVkJrLi3JkNq/s4496/DSC_0557.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR686NGQ7ocXHumSWxzoxtNk9TuExEpCCkPdh3koT2qYEJiNQ6r6dFocm3ele6H8ddhJF7M_voHolc84SpusYw4oMiYOazTIOUFEGlcLftXlKI3GK4ZFEcLLDaVY9S5qjYa66WIGuX4JS_tYacbjiz9caA7-Ba6CIsnHt2MhBDqiGEtVkJrLi3JkNq/s320/DSC_0557.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seward harbor on Resurrection Bay</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2YMthRQMVYCckHYNi5_tpOnCn6NTguVRSMR5gKOI86XN1j2ThgEkiBH3A6ei97BU4X_zBZyVXmOksfIHD4yjFSCxKJ4MqBu4GMTYJIExpDY63NKSW8k513Ms8FY4naEtahAb7D_tPlIurXlbWheH8CAAgxZrAEZ7dSpHuWsnzeMUF_zd84Bp0JE7/s5472/P1032406.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2YMthRQMVYCckHYNi5_tpOnCn6NTguVRSMR5gKOI86XN1j2ThgEkiBH3A6ei97BU4X_zBZyVXmOksfIHD4yjFSCxKJ4MqBu4GMTYJIExpDY63NKSW8k513Ms8FY4naEtahAb7D_tPlIurXlbWheH8CAAgxZrAEZ7dSpHuWsnzeMUF_zd84Bp0JE7/s320/P1032406.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are several murals painted on buildings throughout the town. I would have liked to have spent more time exploring the town on foot. We did walk the waterfront trail in between rain storms one day. There is a campground right at the end of town on the bay, and where it isn't anything more than a parking lot, really, in retrospect, I think I would stay there next time. We stayed at a campground outside of town, which was very nice and quiet, but it would be nice to be able to walk to town at will like we did in Valdez. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfh40R_hmUn6fl4CO-8ThQTQVfb_RcIrNna3l-Yz4bbJUQWiRP53c2Oltd-Q85i2CFmAc1hJYTK_NCan2NhNMsqk5ol3xUOiICrEsVfV0C3e7iUrFkVg3WLkWZLMHF01dAu7wT0LKpKrVmX1AF42Sz92OJxCAk5pfPUyLa6BUF9VJziUApnVE_gUN/s5472/P1032416.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfh40R_hmUn6fl4CO-8ThQTQVfb_RcIrNna3l-Yz4bbJUQWiRP53c2Oltd-Q85i2CFmAc1hJYTK_NCan2NhNMsqk5ol3xUOiICrEsVfV0C3e7iUrFkVg3WLkWZLMHF01dAu7wT0LKpKrVmX1AF42Sz92OJxCAk5pfPUyLa6BUF9VJziUApnVE_gUN/s320/P1032416.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can see the back of a couple RVs right along the bayfront. The view, especially on a nice day, makes up for the less than stellar sites.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAAMq2tQ6hdD_Ew-71MNvebTcp3UA7rmmaDaqffFkjYxxWwsUQxy6G76Pclq1EEVcaqj9U2V5vPfT9vwMRw1LKNRbT1StKOY0ZzTi_IdF9lKvrixiKEesiSDWQbt6U74ospxosHYuTNzbqU4zgv6hisU314-RwFFhVJBrweGihPnwy6QVB5iZ-CoU/s5472/P1032391.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAAMq2tQ6hdD_Ew-71MNvebTcp3UA7rmmaDaqffFkjYxxWwsUQxy6G76Pclq1EEVcaqj9U2V5vPfT9vwMRw1LKNRbT1StKOY0ZzTi_IdF9lKvrixiKEesiSDWQbt6U74ospxosHYuTNzbqU4zgv6hisU314-RwFFhVJBrweGihPnwy6QVB5iZ-CoU/s320/P1032391.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGClL_yMj6F8DK4irT-mPzy_0fdgj4m1I-XgGXV1rtiWfETfa0kaTdd-Jr4a7Mb_GEB6XqT568kWlYIhEJL0f5ZqoApUwSLSC29ejfnZn9oJt4CVmxTAvLZ_Aed-v87A2Xle-ScpATG6fv9eIJgUfcCfzAqLZcAfzZo0zAlY27H829IGzP-Q_0UVTh/s5472/P1032402.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGClL_yMj6F8DK4irT-mPzy_0fdgj4m1I-XgGXV1rtiWfETfa0kaTdd-Jr4a7Mb_GEB6XqT568kWlYIhEJL0f5ZqoApUwSLSC29ejfnZn9oJt4CVmxTAvLZ_Aed-v87A2Xle-ScpATG6fv9eIJgUfcCfzAqLZcAfzZo0zAlY27H829IGzP-Q_0UVTh/s320/P1032402.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One morning we visited the Alaskan SeaLife Center, which was a pretty nice small exhibit of fish and marine animals in the waters off Alaska. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, what was the highlight of the stay in Seward for me, we went on an all-day boat trip with Major Marines to view wildlife and glaciers. Again, we had a puppy sitter for Cody to take him out a couple times during the day so I could go on the trip without any guilt :-). The day was cloudy, but at least it wasn't raining and the wind wasn't bad. So we bundled up, having learned our lesson on the glacier trip in Valdez, and headed out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPgYq9baXNIWUl_IXRVfpJIhKz8_NYVVy4K_hxdwp-rzKqMCZDYTOAubnmWqBbG9wUksbpRitA2U3zj-5GqrvSoBvfiNRcgbLZsNI75RWVztsMiP1oK-VsvCzErQEhkFO-aWqoQ-z_F6QtIK-O01NwhXfgaq8XxLgBITNKzZvP7YW-383kTDJOgkL/s3641/ADSC_0100%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3641" data-original-width="2429" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPgYq9baXNIWUl_IXRVfpJIhKz8_NYVVy4K_hxdwp-rzKqMCZDYTOAubnmWqBbG9wUksbpRitA2U3zj-5GqrvSoBvfiNRcgbLZsNI75RWVztsMiP1oK-VsvCzErQEhkFO-aWqoQ-z_F6QtIK-O01NwhXfgaq8XxLgBITNKzZvP7YW-383kTDJOgkL/s320/ADSC_0100%20(2).JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bundled up and ready to go.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9H7E5oH-RMC5YUIv3T2arkRm0KyzouB2norXb7yq9uxZ0Yl9z6P_Ylbqg1RVFqNyl2iEwkGrhukoL8q-mqiSNN_cl9YULAQXMgxvZuACB8OTmMR_hGN-8ohISWteG4_Lg3a3YSAz3Lby9P_yOjy8v1tT4-qwKgiZIPznsqNwp3q7IrLo5pgm7HDow/s3394/ADSC_0053%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2265" data-original-width="3394" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9H7E5oH-RMC5YUIv3T2arkRm0KyzouB2norXb7yq9uxZ0Yl9z6P_Ylbqg1RVFqNyl2iEwkGrhukoL8q-mqiSNN_cl9YULAQXMgxvZuACB8OTmMR_hGN-8ohISWteG4_Lg3a3YSAz3Lby9P_yOjy8v1tT4-qwKgiZIPznsqNwp3q7IrLo5pgm7HDow/s320/ADSC_0053%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Kd0ZDt5gUVXC5R6tQK4lQoTVgNuo0RG-URD3DfdS7-Vtf9rCPKJYn3FaHEeJv_DZ6-hpUxamdLeckMwHsdY2klMU4onzEKk1Kw9LGP5RojWEjU6FULVql1ltCICAjDjV7aPmwYQzaY3ihlbP1uOt26yHXosguYD83JzTU8tv98ygh3LrBRQTpHpz/s3812/ADSC_0716%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2544" data-original-width="3812" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Kd0ZDt5gUVXC5R6tQK4lQoTVgNuo0RG-URD3DfdS7-Vtf9rCPKJYn3FaHEeJv_DZ6-hpUxamdLeckMwHsdY2klMU4onzEKk1Kw9LGP5RojWEjU6FULVql1ltCICAjDjV7aPmwYQzaY3ihlbP1uOt26yHXosguYD83JzTU8tv98ygh3LrBRQTpHpz/s320/ADSC_0716%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhQ8ubWzjH0p2ngncmimqT88IRscF6p2u_TUxumZSZdQUGfizbwMT-_uIv0rDYub-7oCWYzC6kYvH8jg4Vx8cz1JoF-coth60QEaXfQPnTgSaJEHlsehu0SS6WSOtz1HlgDeR8QHh2c5jdZQkuilaWUabGsl_zsuFWsQCrhno0Xe2rDeT2boIqeRE/s1998/ADSC_0659%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1998" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhQ8ubWzjH0p2ngncmimqT88IRscF6p2u_TUxumZSZdQUGfizbwMT-_uIv0rDYub-7oCWYzC6kYvH8jg4Vx8cz1JoF-coth60QEaXfQPnTgSaJEHlsehu0SS6WSOtz1HlgDeR8QHh2c5jdZQkuilaWUabGsl_zsuFWsQCrhno0Xe2rDeT2boIqeRE/s320/ADSC_0659%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We saw several humpback whales during the day in different areas. This one was lunge feeding very close to the island's rocky shore. It shows how steeply it drops off that the whale can get so close to the rocks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJod8y1XzK5P9TNV7h9ejBloYln2otT8tgr9WCRodeMh2WWlEh_atpNmPNFiyPxVEQd52CanNC5LykVi-EP5qZNWNIrBT6k93M5oc1epqoO6X480RtWFUKIUIO8TI1RY-Vxqom7bwUPHP7eUhIiODCBAI-hD3yuLNU4tMVxjsFSxQnuxMqBbd1DsK/s4496/ADSC_0929%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4496" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJod8y1XzK5P9TNV7h9ejBloYln2otT8tgr9WCRodeMh2WWlEh_atpNmPNFiyPxVEQd52CanNC5LykVi-EP5qZNWNIrBT6k93M5oc1epqoO6X480RtWFUKIUIO8TI1RY-Vxqom7bwUPHP7eUhIiODCBAI-hD3yuLNU4tMVxjsFSxQnuxMqBbd1DsK/s320/ADSC_0929%20(2).JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We then motored through the Chiswell group of islands, home to massive bird rookeries.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkH4f7-ihCdKlt5x8-PVHRUcYJajc15kkTN_py0mARQsQ6jhzbMSYWhx0lXyLnzYF_ePanBoQQBDuM8z-QSZOWe9yarwvbbnmGoLu_d3Hm66YBY8kBmtTdBOaeJBztocFjwht3c91bcyOnBUykUofFKKLKAOM7E3uBQq_ooAYwR2IjbdVPcotVmd4/s3378/ADSC_0841%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2253" data-original-width="3378" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkH4f7-ihCdKlt5x8-PVHRUcYJajc15kkTN_py0mARQsQ6jhzbMSYWhx0lXyLnzYF_ePanBoQQBDuM8z-QSZOWe9yarwvbbnmGoLu_d3Hm66YBY8kBmtTdBOaeJBztocFjwht3c91bcyOnBUykUofFKKLKAOM7E3uBQq_ooAYwR2IjbdVPcotVmd4/s320/ADSC_0841%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All different species of birds were literally all over the rockface on ledges.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0K_DiMv7-PewmE-y76-yMChEzEzlloqP2aVoBEQrsm45hrlsmU-dYgGAoEx-QY4eHV0vyBH6GhTsjnbrF8UpPVzI1DsG5xwS2qGhFK0Aszft62psd8o6r9L_KERS20oLODzqKRxk5bAW8hBlKIrimEYbSw2m-2v-5Ys_n_SCnsIz50Xp5kAWTx34s/s2663/ADSC_0864%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1777" data-original-width="2663" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0K_DiMv7-PewmE-y76-yMChEzEzlloqP2aVoBEQrsm45hrlsmU-dYgGAoEx-QY4eHV0vyBH6GhTsjnbrF8UpPVzI1DsG5xwS2qGhFK0Aszft62psd8o6r9L_KERS20oLODzqKRxk5bAW8hBlKIrimEYbSw2m-2v-5Ys_n_SCnsIz50Xp5kAWTx34s/s320/ADSC_0864%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I finally spotted some puffins nesting on the ledges.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOVt32Y4or2_0JBDGv-N1TwxeOTANoKB83odbV9AC8P1L9HewtLnwoMt80WG-Vs2Y4Rtc1_S-zEiS7cqlWcXRBhNQkUShT59yCK4hl_pDqcetduS_pjo8Gx06uGF0pq0aY7XerWwJVF495b9BLv0xyMkOZVTxi13KDPXWOBWRZKhiQ-VUHlj07oAl/s1601/ADSC_0998%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1601" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOVt32Y4or2_0JBDGv-N1TwxeOTANoKB83odbV9AC8P1L9HewtLnwoMt80WG-Vs2Y4Rtc1_S-zEiS7cqlWcXRBhNQkUShT59yCK4hl_pDqcetduS_pjo8Gx06uGF0pq0aY7XerWwJVF495b9BLv0xyMkOZVTxi13KDPXWOBWRZKhiQ-VUHlj07oAl/s320/ADSC_0998%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Puffins are surprisingly difficult to catch on the water. They seem to fly off as a boat approaches. It isn't the greatest picture, but I got one.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MzihZwGf6WHh_dhLkG4JO74X7HAJH6qp222gmTeiC-2L8gauv7fVQBpjR0OaXrpUh7MQ06LfCHlu8h5HocVi7H-HCTRmKGQdNDbprvwwW5jtyroImIFK4ywzcHQVEOn5-P7xehR4p1aTYSzGMxhZ2iDFMjPTlW7y723FPetMtMNHXSstLqTDHCcW/s4496/ADSC_0139%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MzihZwGf6WHh_dhLkG4JO74X7HAJH6qp222gmTeiC-2L8gauv7fVQBpjR0OaXrpUh7MQ06LfCHlu8h5HocVi7H-HCTRmKGQdNDbprvwwW5jtyroImIFK4ywzcHQVEOn5-P7xehR4p1aTYSzGMxhZ2iDFMjPTlW7y723FPetMtMNHXSstLqTDHCcW/s320/ADSC_0139%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We then headed up to Northwestern Glacier. It did not have the impressive icefield to navigate through like Columbia, but was still a pretty impressive block of ice. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVx6MH_fItxL_NJCIf9LdU5Pema3K8uJ666R_mLTT1l_ttb-s_a3oyIAjZi60l2ZRuitJH4fe8m_18yxdi8-pJQtMbAktFCFAmaEgv_wqYz_uFmBMKpj8__UqNUd-fIVK0xO73BPQ8oO5f-k1lA9oglKKVgb7A_nFfh-XXzySi8Yhvjc08bP4ZaRU/s2955/ADSC_0145%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1972" data-original-width="2955" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVx6MH_fItxL_NJCIf9LdU5Pema3K8uJ666R_mLTT1l_ttb-s_a3oyIAjZi60l2ZRuitJH4fe8m_18yxdi8-pJQtMbAktFCFAmaEgv_wqYz_uFmBMKpj8__UqNUd-fIVK0xO73BPQ8oO5f-k1lA9oglKKVgb7A_nFfh-XXzySi8Yhvjc08bP4ZaRU/s320/ADSC_0145%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Harbor seals hanging out on the iceflows.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu6eXeZrFu9UoA-LwLujy1pr_i66-Nzv9UW_Wm96lgbDmD8dcvj7hNQ-d2O2XkPE-GIvVPNB8eyqFhem1qcbPO-UDmRn1Yuf_aAn9lXRM9g9EWT5dxzp0E9p9jAteKCQoLmgq3XshrNdC8inku9p-uEK-RM_nUXokQrirGtRVwrB8Uy_RVKoTuLZp/s4496/ADSC_0187%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu6eXeZrFu9UoA-LwLujy1pr_i66-Nzv9UW_Wm96lgbDmD8dcvj7hNQ-d2O2XkPE-GIvVPNB8eyqFhem1qcbPO-UDmRn1Yuf_aAn9lXRM9g9EWT5dxzp0E9p9jAteKCQoLmgq3XshrNdC8inku9p-uEK-RM_nUXokQrirGtRVwrB8Uy_RVKoTuLZp/s320/ADSC_0187%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We saw several nice calvings while we floated around.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7Sk74VbSuHsuzCAz_QmmkrOUxbneMJEEUffTBLjX_bN-S9yHV7_yqHjvs6T0CfKVakGA9lC_aPgNdr-Y3Su42sB_2u8G0BzdaHxhk1F7gZC71NhcCIpp4BRhCmyWOtWjWRRQCc-iTjxZORM3hGuqWXLdjzWeM0x5RBWbAjfeywpCG4vJ3fbvdPCL/s4496/DSC_0159%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7Sk74VbSuHsuzCAz_QmmkrOUxbneMJEEUffTBLjX_bN-S9yHV7_yqHjvs6T0CfKVakGA9lC_aPgNdr-Y3Su42sB_2u8G0BzdaHxhk1F7gZC71NhcCIpp4BRhCmyWOtWjWRRQCc-iTjxZORM3hGuqWXLdjzWeM0x5RBWbAjfeywpCG4vJ3fbvdPCL/s320/DSC_0159%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There was an ice cave opening on the terminal edge of Northwestern Glacier, and as we floated around watching, you could see chunks falling off the roof into the water below.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimaGweK93Zb0ixY6QXZz8DLz5rUppfOOWh5cbM1YMmGcCjxYQ1GsFvs7U22rXpGGlXI7slrGX4ESYeTdVoeYErbm8O5fAfLXdlmE2exPcWV0xDqV2qN7-3GxfVAlLiWDF3MuCY9R8HLJeLUyxbxDfc3yFsuUKDgnyC4XMgjnj4cWm2mvo_T-NQOg6H/s4496/DSC_0193.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimaGweK93Zb0ixY6QXZz8DLz5rUppfOOWh5cbM1YMmGcCjxYQ1GsFvs7U22rXpGGlXI7slrGX4ESYeTdVoeYErbm8O5fAfLXdlmE2exPcWV0xDqV2qN7-3GxfVAlLiWDF3MuCY9R8HLJeLUyxbxDfc3yFsuUKDgnyC4XMgjnj4cWm2mvo_T-NQOg6H/s320/DSC_0193.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was a cove off Harris Bay that had a multitude of waterfall threads running down from the Harding Icefield cap above. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00g-6iehDosQV9x-xm4mYqarwpe2y6VLX3b8jGs5OyPHoPgPvnzmDV7ZUOM3jNPXL2pRUNe60SXuZhmBD0xVmA43MZZAWdMWtIRLuad2RFAKTRCcqOoldgOeFMfYfEU5ti6NqLqykxyq9FON7TXl_HH1OsCU_i2HFk1zKHMYa_xmD-F-eVw7M89rr/s3756/ADSC_0338%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2506" data-original-width="3756" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00g-6iehDosQV9x-xm4mYqarwpe2y6VLX3b8jGs5OyPHoPgPvnzmDV7ZUOM3jNPXL2pRUNe60SXuZhmBD0xVmA43MZZAWdMWtIRLuad2RFAKTRCcqOoldgOeFMfYfEU5ti6NqLqykxyq9FON7TXl_HH1OsCU_i2HFk1zKHMYa_xmD-F-eVw7M89rr/s320/ADSC_0338%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuL8A8I0YlAIkA1XzTo-4zour6GIfQyxfzpyuL2QgG0vLezn8dTkRfkN9WHc19s0jgrzhoNQ1QG-245SPLHAEplRESHyFmUQRvWF_t_MC5f0cLJkrIV6uN0gJWpUpS2Mrh1wrvr4zJB1-7ph8OFSZvP63C6HkKN5ve_zL7iNQYUbpRwn1xkoVqCjf/s4496/ADSC_0379%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuL8A8I0YlAIkA1XzTo-4zour6GIfQyxfzpyuL2QgG0vLezn8dTkRfkN9WHc19s0jgrzhoNQ1QG-245SPLHAEplRESHyFmUQRvWF_t_MC5f0cLJkrIV6uN0gJWpUpS2Mrh1wrvr4zJB1-7ph8OFSZvP63C6HkKN5ve_zL7iNQYUbpRwn1xkoVqCjf/s320/ADSC_0379%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And finally, a highlight for me was the finding of a pod of orcas as we were heading back to the harbor. They never really came far out of the water, but it was thrilling to see them for sure. I was very happy that on my last day of any sea life viewing on the trip we saw the orcas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So we had a pretty full week in Seward. Even with the lousy weather, we were able to do all of our activities. So we prepared to head further down the peninsula to the farthest point, the town of Homer. There's another fishing trip, an overnight charter that the guys are going on, and my personal highlight of the summer: bears!</div>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-4832439404748664182022-08-14T22:55:00.002-04:002022-08-14T22:55:40.084-04:00Anchorage and then on to Seward<p> On July 3 we left Palmer and headed 45 minutes down the highway to Anchorage for a few days. This was pretty much a stop to see a few sights in the city, restock the pantry and fridge before we go down to the Kenai Peninsula, and pick up my brother at the airport who was coming to spend the next two weeks with us for the prime fishing season. The day after arriving, we went downtown to see the 4th of July parade. It wasn't as long as I thought it would be, but it was quite interesting to see the various groups, especially the different Alaska Native Peoples, that came out to march in the parade. </p><p>We also visited the Anchorage Museum at Rasmusen Center one day. It's quite a large museum and we spent just about 3 hours there. It is a large art, history, ethnography, ecology, and science museum dedicated to studying and exploring the land, peoples, art, and history of Alaska. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdh0uB9M2nFFPIlSF39wbSzm1HSrxv4EGT0dPOWQlxd3Li9855rfyoc0GoTji4qddy40vNjhMOLqx3RJIMI7iKIA-ml-MDTruwOii_4pYI19mDa9Nc7b21-v-ywulmOt-LBNPtX_j8l56caT0Be7sYBa_5jBq5dlLAiumMcXAYimyJqqC2QTJ01H9/s5472/P1032378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdh0uB9M2nFFPIlSF39wbSzm1HSrxv4EGT0dPOWQlxd3Li9855rfyoc0GoTji4qddy40vNjhMOLqx3RJIMI7iKIA-ml-MDTruwOii_4pYI19mDa9Nc7b21-v-ywulmOt-LBNPtX_j8l56caT0Be7sYBa_5jBq5dlLAiumMcXAYimyJqqC2QTJ01H9/s320/P1032378.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One floor had climate-controlled display cases of important items related to many of the different Alaskan Native People tribes. It was fascinating.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRCW0Ks1fVE3BvN7RktnNcG_CzmwZ1vt5pSDE2Nik7tTr73dgvU1UsrmqWvMeOrjHciuWXwXJXpu1EtK20WcS11vxs8SbLnojLFKh-UDk8oOcVERjJ0qiWJSE4IJwcnmOlvLzo_beAF13RAcnR-UU7rwab8Xm7e6Jq-LQF7RIdaw4dY6dpmiv554z/s5472/P1032383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRCW0Ks1fVE3BvN7RktnNcG_CzmwZ1vt5pSDE2Nik7tTr73dgvU1UsrmqWvMeOrjHciuWXwXJXpu1EtK20WcS11vxs8SbLnojLFKh-UDk8oOcVERjJ0qiWJSE4IJwcnmOlvLzo_beAF13RAcnR-UU7rwab8Xm7e6Jq-LQF7RIdaw4dY6dpmiv554z/s320/P1032383.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A piece of art I loved.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also visited the National Park Service Alaska Regional Headquarters building where they had a movie about Alaska and several nature exhibits. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2rblY0NFHpG_HYBKfXSKBAz6l4Dg7IKxI2jU8Hx4h_8jnfxaONKrwfX7fawwTCf6jtiGs5L-fW5Ahtf_-MkDFErSlqZllJ8fKB-0kbem_IsXbzN8UiTtBdvPtAwODUEUez7YKdWlgdbMtKBxceuilvZaNAsI1JmO80Bsp1T7qgQ9ZdSKD8I0xXTY/s5472/P1032364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2rblY0NFHpG_HYBKfXSKBAz6l4Dg7IKxI2jU8Hx4h_8jnfxaONKrwfX7fawwTCf6jtiGs5L-fW5Ahtf_-MkDFErSlqZllJ8fKB-0kbem_IsXbzN8UiTtBdvPtAwODUEUez7YKdWlgdbMtKBxceuilvZaNAsI1JmO80Bsp1T7qgQ9ZdSKD8I0xXTY/s320/P1032364.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qQOJ2gzsGgONf3SYfhs5I20yu3iC83avFb-Z184umRe9bS_r3eXJXl8rJsFe7rafzU27OgJHym2vXV8-oHpLCPgiSTqI8KZPA5QE51HjS7ussHSjAKz4astYw9lYzXMe2rKWD8Zuqr4M82RGLpuYpc2D1Tp5hGuaX2B6r-prVtSLsNp4IwIJjF4Q/s5472/P1032367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qQOJ2gzsGgONf3SYfhs5I20yu3iC83avFb-Z184umRe9bS_r3eXJXl8rJsFe7rafzU27OgJHym2vXV8-oHpLCPgiSTqI8KZPA5QE51HjS7ussHSjAKz4astYw9lYzXMe2rKWD8Zuqr4M82RGLpuYpc2D1Tp5hGuaX2B6r-prVtSLsNp4IwIJjF4Q/s320/P1032367.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We have found throughout our summer that all of the national park service visitor centers as well as the US Fish and Wildlife visitor centers have had excellent exhibits, very well done.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAcrYh8qZi9lz58agrQ_PolpxE-cbt04M6HT80F_1oJqQM19FfA4o-KQSIXhln_pPv7LQl6FRxOU6xr_4pmvxpgrTCORl8F7XBsoolbeErEJ0dvSBOPMY5HtJIAmYAZRMbICVIzZdwA-c1wXfV0dLU5S2VRkHJaFjdsNsHaX-dCzBAf68AMSFJ1ob/s5472/P1032366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAcrYh8qZi9lz58agrQ_PolpxE-cbt04M6HT80F_1oJqQM19FfA4o-KQSIXhln_pPv7LQl6FRxOU6xr_4pmvxpgrTCORl8F7XBsoolbeErEJ0dvSBOPMY5HtJIAmYAZRMbICVIzZdwA-c1wXfV0dLU5S2VRkHJaFjdsNsHaX-dCzBAf68AMSFJ1ob/w400-h266/P1032366.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A map showing the different national park regions in Alaska. If you click on the picture, it will enlarge so maybe you can see it better. The amount of land set aside for national park preservation is actually astounding. Kudos to the politicians that made it so!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHw1qTlKBsLSw5BAXZ8vuu_p0AW_DAmZVuKXXWInLvK3Zam4mL0CNg4JKRKp5ECQQHSSFf1hVMvg0H8whDazHKz93DO8g1I1TN7wreExiCRrqFrvBaVEAs7npI-83Af4NV68WpNZ22Gpfmk5PO_MK9xU10yPTTAaAYWZ3VQyAOvqpxyyHEm-eT3S2/s4496/DSC_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHw1qTlKBsLSw5BAXZ8vuu_p0AW_DAmZVuKXXWInLvK3Zam4mL0CNg4JKRKp5ECQQHSSFf1hVMvg0H8whDazHKz93DO8g1I1TN7wreExiCRrqFrvBaVEAs7npI-83Af4NV68WpNZ22Gpfmk5PO_MK9xU10yPTTAaAYWZ3VQyAOvqpxyyHEm-eT3S2/s320/DSC_0505.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We did a couple short walks in the area as well. One night after dinner we went to Earthquake Park which is right on the shoreline. A long walking/biking trail called the Tony Knowles Trail runs all along the coastline of Anchorage, so we jumped on it here at Earthquake Park. No pictures of this trail, but another one we did is called Potter's Marsh at the south end of town. It's supposed to be great for wildlife viewing, but as per the norm with us, we saw ducks and seagulls. It's very pretty, though, and we enjoyed the views. We even saw the Alaska Railroad go by.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmf54vZpRpp0gUr2at9eML1ouSJaQPcsgcvQoRxsLgSO1e-AQxKd5OswywHh_FHIetxAWxZY4rnjlTf3mSXfjXZZ3W-n8-3Oz6EvpPozeGepVm0XegKgy9LHNroHx83-vy6JjcHySjknC-0W2zTUsvKYNPHtWeoX51g8Y0RniZL3w_OW1IeNIAJpi/s4496/DSC_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmf54vZpRpp0gUr2at9eML1ouSJaQPcsgcvQoRxsLgSO1e-AQxKd5OswywHh_FHIetxAWxZY4rnjlTf3mSXfjXZZ3W-n8-3Oz6EvpPozeGepVm0XegKgy9LHNroHx83-vy6JjcHySjknC-0W2zTUsvKYNPHtWeoX51g8Y0RniZL3w_OW1IeNIAJpi/s320/DSC_0491.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The rest of our time was spent doing those mundane everyday chores such as shopping and laundry before picking up my brother Bill at the airport. After a very long travel day from New York, he was ready for something to eat, which we accomplished at The Moose's Tooth brewery and pizzeria. It was very good, and, according to Wikipedia, is the 3rd highest-rated pizzeria in the United States after Juliana's Pizza in New York City and Pizza Time in St. Augustine, Florida, as of 2015 anyway!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On July 9, we left Anchorage to head down to the Kenai Peninsula with the town of Seward as our first stop, staying for a week. On the agenda for this week is two fishing charters, a wildlife/glacier viewing trip of Kenai Fjords National Park with Major Marine Tours, doing a hike to a walk-to glacier, Exit Glacier, and puttering around the seaside town. This will be the subject of the next entry and will be a bit more picture intensive. Just to forewarn you, though, there will be little to no sun in most of the pictures for the next month....seriously!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div> </div><br /><p><br /></p>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-88248085237289379492022-08-06T01:37:00.000-04:002022-08-06T01:37:25.451-04:00Palmer/Wasilla area, Alaska<p> We had left Valdez on Tuesday, 7/28, and arrived in Palmer, Alaska, on Wednesday, 7/1. Palmer is about an hour's drive to Anchorage, and we could definitely tell we were back in civilization. We had some chores scheduled for our stay in Palmer, such as Cody needed a vet appointment to update his annual shots, very important for allowing him to cross the border into and out of Canada to come home. Also, he desperately needed a good bath and grooming as he was starting to look a lot like Sasquatch and, I dare say, smell a little like him also, LOL. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh612671LYd2jFn_e33RYw7ssIAsjGjmnhyKAPEwOtYkLWltj-xRAW_Gj5WRq4BwDnVvvh6UjTIr6-PUF8wQiB-sd5AWHxab9iPc8oeEGufNur7ehpgYqdSaRWDJj5C0PrrXCVeSK-5bR3zjPVHU6pSjQ582Lt89jxPX668rf3lyaW8CTtSgYckE4u6/s2048/84141E3A-0B62-43C7-BDFC-1B9303A7F715.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1446" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh612671LYd2jFn_e33RYw7ssIAsjGjmnhyKAPEwOtYkLWltj-xRAW_Gj5WRq4BwDnVvvh6UjTIr6-PUF8wQiB-sd5AWHxab9iPc8oeEGufNur7ehpgYqdSaRWDJj5C0PrrXCVeSK-5bR3zjPVHU6pSjQ582Lt89jxPX668rf3lyaW8CTtSgYckE4u6/s320/84141E3A-0B62-43C7-BDFC-1B9303A7F715.jpeg" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking very handsome after his grooming. Too bad it doesn't last 😂</div><p>We found large supermarkets here as well as pretty much any kind of chain-store shopping and fast food restaurants you could want in nearby Wasilla. I was particularly happy to find Fred Meyer's, an affiliate of Kroger, where we could use fuel points for a gas discount. But the biggest score for us was finding Boarshead deli meats and cheeses. Life is good again, LOL. For activities we visited the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters- no dogs, though, we'll see them in Denali - there was the first "Friday Fling" market and food truck gathering in Palmer that was fun, and we drove up the beautiful Hatcher Pass and took a tour of the nearby ghost gold mine at Independence Mine State Historical Park. July3 we move on to Anchorage for the next five days, where we will be meeting my brother who is coming to spend a couple of weeks with us as we visit the Kenai Peninsula and the fishing begins in earnest!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVG2CUbdXjsKsdaun7ns05J4A2NvoVQmIEX5TJ67nMEXGvRg0qX0NkvDRt81HjrYCfJtdCniXus-1QrA9UL2zDfy8yD_I7kg8rWWzrBO52-mp6ZHMG-Dvp02QwohXTncreSon17jmPbaz8HyOS2WXLU7LlDPXUuXJlqObEAknw-gtebSwhx9huFbMS/s2048/FF94E4DD-B330-4C11-A3BB-D7F919E3E7EA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVG2CUbdXjsKsdaun7ns05J4A2NvoVQmIEX5TJ67nMEXGvRg0qX0NkvDRt81HjrYCfJtdCniXus-1QrA9UL2zDfy8yD_I7kg8rWWzrBO52-mp6ZHMG-Dvp02QwohXTncreSon17jmPbaz8HyOS2WXLU7LlDPXUuXJlqObEAknw-gtebSwhx9huFbMS/s320/FF94E4DD-B330-4C11-A3BB-D7F919E3E7EA.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT_N5HWipJkVsrrGMShrE8HhvVqv3Xx8cBXwMfXbgCNJRwqQDlaqrrseok8PzWhNs55IpmGCgh7rNC8igrviVYGBsTg3iTDNUONfuRZNxGMjaEaFbI_uZZunCmSaqlJUOZm57LEDmO5LGUTz2TozBdayCuMRm-KY9f7RXCmvuP95XbdMIaFIj8_V_/s2048/2F37B2BF-1822-4EF6-BE19-93491135D401.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT_N5HWipJkVsrrGMShrE8HhvVqv3Xx8cBXwMfXbgCNJRwqQDlaqrrseok8PzWhNs55IpmGCgh7rNC8igrviVYGBsTg3iTDNUONfuRZNxGMjaEaFbI_uZZunCmSaqlJUOZm57LEDmO5LGUTz2TozBdayCuMRm-KY9f7RXCmvuP95XbdMIaFIj8_V_/s320/2F37B2BF-1822-4EF6-BE19-93491135D401.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjFJyQMCEFqaY-4qrYmr3KBPWk-OrXsYn8BCRIyBgKgyseFkpJ-HmMJubNoWQbhbEhk6VsJ1rhKrD8nUyyqV44rLBVrV-sfzWa_-j8vkS6jC3jezIL3W42Ls-HBCcA3_rrNYHMoKZ-j8nQ1Be031LrbhElVITXmwqRqpCGBmkf9ygBraY1lbGiOD4/s2048/88484E3B-A8B6-47F9-AFBC-51808FEC3781.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjFJyQMCEFqaY-4qrYmr3KBPWk-OrXsYn8BCRIyBgKgyseFkpJ-HmMJubNoWQbhbEhk6VsJ1rhKrD8nUyyqV44rLBVrV-sfzWa_-j8vkS6jC3jezIL3W42Ls-HBCcA3_rrNYHMoKZ-j8nQ1Be031LrbhElVITXmwqRqpCGBmkf9ygBraY1lbGiOD4/s320/88484E3B-A8B6-47F9-AFBC-51808FEC3781.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The first claim was discovered and staked in 1906 in this area of the Willow Creek Valley. The mine was closed in 1943 by order of the government because it was deemed nonessential to the war effort. The ban was lifted after the war in 1946, but gold could only be sold to the U.S. government at a fixed rate of $35/ounce, making mining unprofitable. In January 1951, after extracting nearly 6 million dollars' worth of gold, the mine was permanently closed. The only items of any value were the generators, and they were basically just pulled out of the buildings. After years of abandonment, vandalism, and two earthquakes, this is what is left of the mine and the adjunct buildings. In 1974, Independence Mine was entered into the National Register of Historic Places, and title to the acreage was transferred to the State of Alaska in January 16, 1980.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhnw5FY2h5gPl-xZr0FHo0X1LnStvoN0OJODeSf-qg110jaS44EH8oJMn6O9SKlVIp2xAnGxR-8BhS8jzaChnx6bSAmsQ0ZOQjy1WTLB-pauMH0sAlZmGfRSR8mJuhZnpvb7tCD61g7R8RBHjll2O5M8wc77WJLK5Hvbt8qC55L-YG8K6PWmjzRdo/s2048/A2C521C7-130E-4ED9-8ED4-6C98E7F9CB6E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhnw5FY2h5gPl-xZr0FHo0X1LnStvoN0OJODeSf-qg110jaS44EH8oJMn6O9SKlVIp2xAnGxR-8BhS8jzaChnx6bSAmsQ0ZOQjy1WTLB-pauMH0sAlZmGfRSR8mJuhZnpvb7tCD61g7R8RBHjll2O5M8wc77WJLK5Hvbt8qC55L-YG8K6PWmjzRdo/s320/A2C521C7-130E-4ED9-8ED4-6C98E7F9CB6E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS00hzi1qtkS-q--81W0uGkUeSsYOjBmc_F8_xxUIYtHguso_RMxs7ZymkOutffxwCAIxZmvtTIIbXVjg-I2liaFIC2l1cPNPWUSlGAyI-36DAsSbqQs9QIyrNeLklg4jtunWLQgg5FJEL_ISSyOsXWF1dRwh6F_VBRQBGfPibe0TglK2sBuM4LstJ/s2048/96628EA9-F941-4E37-9652-7575E4FCD507.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS00hzi1qtkS-q--81W0uGkUeSsYOjBmc_F8_xxUIYtHguso_RMxs7ZymkOutffxwCAIxZmvtTIIbXVjg-I2liaFIC2l1cPNPWUSlGAyI-36DAsSbqQs9QIyrNeLklg4jtunWLQgg5FJEL_ISSyOsXWF1dRwh6F_VBRQBGfPibe0TglK2sBuM4LstJ/s320/96628EA9-F941-4E37-9652-7575E4FCD507.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHeFMfF4w7aAAfvveiFcdBywZyo6Axexr_WyxsBfFop1bP4Ydox8PUL9-ya-nYnD_N0Ghdn3fJkQSv9_LxfwfyYo_jjN6UWZ2xpC_KAU_4fPWJe8PLwCeOI3mAtLIHmDCKjdv-o2fC_j8GfuH8BCDHoAa05bM8sbihxN0BnpLnTF3-ISYqRFk2-NL/s2048/B71037C6-58B6-4255-A860-D25B1F0F65A7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHeFMfF4w7aAAfvveiFcdBywZyo6Axexr_WyxsBfFop1bP4Ydox8PUL9-ya-nYnD_N0Ghdn3fJkQSv9_LxfwfyYo_jjN6UWZ2xpC_KAU_4fPWJe8PLwCeOI3mAtLIHmDCKjdv-o2fC_j8GfuH8BCDHoAa05bM8sbihxN0BnpLnTF3-ISYqRFk2-NL/s320/B71037C6-58B6-4255-A860-D25B1F0F65A7.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbvfqXu-Y9HsiiTBs5xE0p4UeeMsPuiT_xIPDXEWLjChan0L1M6YlbglAB4F6e9ZUKyl1DJ_xyLldEbGv_gcyj6F39lM2E56NgSLPR-lB1XlSYCjCim66pzsQMMmN8gRVs8hNlOrbdXqrOpX36GtcSbh9X7qwGZTyIcA2mE2Y2rawgH49MECsY9rJ/s2048/C349B50D-4218-4969-9487-6623C677408D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbvfqXu-Y9HsiiTBs5xE0p4UeeMsPuiT_xIPDXEWLjChan0L1M6YlbglAB4F6e9ZUKyl1DJ_xyLldEbGv_gcyj6F39lM2E56NgSLPR-lB1XlSYCjCim66pzsQMMmN8gRVs8hNlOrbdXqrOpX36GtcSbh9X7qwGZTyIcA2mE2Y2rawgH49MECsY9rJ/s320/C349B50D-4218-4969-9487-6623C677408D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUhqwEHJsEGOSiIsjW8tadLwIU-hvKfuycTSJUbpmFgUwxgcdT6H0oT-WKHE6rJp91O_dByhFjs41UjPgfRwkv8wX5rCjGBMoio8sC91MzeCrIuA0nvjg1EVZX_VGEL_l80h4hcthFod4suCaEfLNsXkjugOTftSU4mLNzko2sNb3nZedb2FsBAhC/s2048/0306F29F-7B99-48D8-86E8-14E6AB49AF81.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUhqwEHJsEGOSiIsjW8tadLwIU-hvKfuycTSJUbpmFgUwxgcdT6H0oT-WKHE6rJp91O_dByhFjs41UjPgfRwkv8wX5rCjGBMoio8sC91MzeCrIuA0nvjg1EVZX_VGEL_l80h4hcthFod4suCaEfLNsXkjugOTftSU4mLNzko2sNb3nZedb2FsBAhC/s320/0306F29F-7B99-48D8-86E8-14E6AB49AF81.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Beautiful Hatcher Pass and our lunch spot for the day. I'm finding it fascinating here in Alaska that no matter where you go, you're completely surrounded by mountains, everywhere you look! We've driven hundreds and hundreds of miles, and never leave the mountains behind, not even at the water's edge.<div><br /></div><div>There were many other activities to do in the Palmer area that we just did not have a chance to do. I ended up feeling that even with as much time as we have planned, there simply isn't enough time to thoroughly explore each different area if you are trying to cover the entire state in one summer. Food for thought.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-49524332568953615292022-07-30T20:45:00.004-04:002022-07-30T20:47:02.687-04:00Valdez: Fishing and Lu-Lu Belle Wildlife/Glacier Tour<p>Note: I'm getting very far behind and closing in on the tail end of the trip, so I'll do abbreviated entries heavier on pictures!</p><p>June 26 was the first day fishing on the ocean for Dan and Al. They were fishing for halibut and rockfish out in Prince William Sound. This was on a smaller boat, and it was a little bumpy, especially on the ride home, but they had an awesome day fishing.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUpdi4XcdKBx2Out6o755PI2mhQMqzeoYRWZ0OeB1J0j4RNosNuIhc6f8CwZJtqHj0uTiln7rXrXso4AiGbzMYa_loX2Z4XdKK1FfESmbZ5Eir2FGdtWfGIV_nYDjWXOEChKOYlgp_D-sAaQCkqXHdK5w87sLhLQydJYLrQjg8synYANgoJVv9kI2/s5472/P1032289.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUpdi4XcdKBx2Out6o755PI2mhQMqzeoYRWZ0OeB1J0j4RNosNuIhc6f8CwZJtqHj0uTiln7rXrXso4AiGbzMYa_loX2Z4XdKK1FfESmbZ5Eir2FGdtWfGIV_nYDjWXOEChKOYlgp_D-sAaQCkqXHdK5w87sLhLQydJYLrQjg8synYANgoJVv9kI2/s320/P1032289.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We had an amazing trip on the Lu-Lu Belle Scenic Wildlife/Glacier cruise June 27. It was 10 hours long but so worth it! We saw lots of sea otters and Stellar sea lions, humpback whales, horned puffins in their roosting caves, harbor seals on the icebergs, a</span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">nd a huge glacier, the Columbia Glacier. Its leading edge is over 200 feet tall. Captain Fred is an experienced skipper, having been doing this for 40-plus years. He slowly maneuvered through the ice field to get within a mile and a half of the edge. It was pretty cold up there too! We had a great time.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi523XKzSIufed20K1QuVl63y6NydBqRRkkhtJvHZ1tLaKylkX566GDTV-zqHxpPJiq0IyE-4d_6CIgBsGiH95SnyPMeXpWgMIl7ImN0kFVYIAwb2dacZn4FbPHw-Bqqk3A2E6h3c14pO86AkCqwXM-7kSO5hQtC76wPhMSvFGFMv83Mvpap2SeYWUd/s4496/DSC_0015%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi523XKzSIufed20K1QuVl63y6NydBqRRkkhtJvHZ1tLaKylkX566GDTV-zqHxpPJiq0IyE-4d_6CIgBsGiH95SnyPMeXpWgMIl7ImN0kFVYIAwb2dacZn4FbPHw-Bqqk3A2E6h3c14pO86AkCqwXM-7kSO5hQtC76wPhMSvFGFMv83Mvpap2SeYWUd/s320/DSC_0015%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Lu-Lu Belle</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFULSv5fl_3ri4UU4bPRcDzh8CZp01Cb4WgXuHjxYNK4bep3RZ20j-bLCMBGqfFyErbFjbZyxD5f9AycghEVXyuYvWETRokub4SXfPUcRRl1unuCLxUujhy_VW7tSGvD-FY7Xtusu4CHtDXWwXx0y7YEBUwTyhissAeQT43vuAuKIJ1b5vJG2DeLbf/s4496/DSC_0016.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFULSv5fl_3ri4UU4bPRcDzh8CZp01Cb4WgXuHjxYNK4bep3RZ20j-bLCMBGqfFyErbFjbZyxD5f9AycghEVXyuYvWETRokub4SXfPUcRRl1unuCLxUujhy_VW7tSGvD-FY7Xtusu4CHtDXWwXx0y7YEBUwTyhissAeQT43vuAuKIJ1b5vJG2DeLbf/s320/DSC_0016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">View of our rig in the campground as we sailed out of Valdez Harbor</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_wZZV3klpgAbqaLApLJxvhevJxrciTKF_bh9ieqBAw2BaS_WmeQAiRt2MK-ohrc-SsoC3TnkYhRA0lr62Drc8pwbCg2DeJcW91Ps5Ubg_vOPOlmwuU2hz3X83VdwLAuB97ZUgQL-qWyE0BTmqk3APx7kpOp83wPZ8qmjrgQsIV3gh5Bw1Dq_T71o/s2013/DSC_0048%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="2013" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_wZZV3klpgAbqaLApLJxvhevJxrciTKF_bh9ieqBAw2BaS_WmeQAiRt2MK-ohrc-SsoC3TnkYhRA0lr62Drc8pwbCg2DeJcW91Ps5Ubg_vOPOlmwuU2hz3X83VdwLAuB97ZUgQL-qWyE0BTmqk3APx7kpOp83wPZ8qmjrgQsIV3gh5Bw1Dq_T71o/s320/DSC_0048%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlKqTDAygE4LJHp4DRJb-xBWFWRPgbJdKnUM4_mdph3Em3zaRGWYCS3gI22AJD4e_mAybwarN6K8XZzgMnQE1E1yU3ipeNNgA_4bmllTEtvcx6ZbETd4swt_HU9ucHhzCeVbamo3Qcq4IUHYHJMe_6docQv6plRntP0eKZwUQQ7_aoc3III38i0jz/s1166/DSC_0041%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1166" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlKqTDAygE4LJHp4DRJb-xBWFWRPgbJdKnUM4_mdph3Em3zaRGWYCS3gI22AJD4e_mAybwarN6K8XZzgMnQE1E1yU3ipeNNgA_4bmllTEtvcx6ZbETd4swt_HU9ucHhzCeVbamo3Qcq4IUHYHJMe_6docQv6plRntP0eKZwUQQ7_aoc3III38i0jz/s320/DSC_0041%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sea otters</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlQhjbCbyupDCuAKeY5P7tz2JJtEmPuDP6q4j2sL1Oa_nrwoefUDc69XZ016KhUGgH7P33xKdr-rDfRP40vFH1bQNYk5Pcmjjx1BmIQHMOP4flf0bfp5FsD4FUjaov4qjvx2O9N1HJ0bt7qDfDEcaAvg2CqgpRdFSriD4GwCKVZBtJMCkYlbCPfCs/s4496/DSC_0083.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4496" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlQhjbCbyupDCuAKeY5P7tz2JJtEmPuDP6q4j2sL1Oa_nrwoefUDc69XZ016KhUGgH7P33xKdr-rDfRP40vFH1bQNYk5Pcmjjx1BmIQHMOP4flf0bfp5FsD4FUjaov4qjvx2O9N1HJ0bt7qDfDEcaAvg2CqgpRdFSriD4GwCKVZBtJMCkYlbCPfCs/s320/DSC_0083.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Waterfalls everywhere along the coastline</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvFfxVkwGKKntDTD2DCdtb9ddZMplTGIvL3CJRkKqYMzeNl-hxQCFQJO83RMZnZfU5cCacOR6OcV1p4JRpUaSmHw0rdENNK5cTZ2uE_ujM6y7VBN8iyzAF5nFzoJFhkgRMauTQz2RLk94ZQw9H7ppMHcpay13U72jRFCXguSK5V_VIV1aM78Gy5c0/s4409/DSC_0087.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2942" data-original-width="4409" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvFfxVkwGKKntDTD2DCdtb9ddZMplTGIvL3CJRkKqYMzeNl-hxQCFQJO83RMZnZfU5cCacOR6OcV1p4JRpUaSmHw0rdENNK5cTZ2uE_ujM6y7VBN8iyzAF5nFzoJFhkgRMauTQz2RLk94ZQw9H7ppMHcpay13U72jRFCXguSK5V_VIV1aM78Gy5c0/s320/DSC_0087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Leaving the harbor in search of wildlife</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BtAtNGtZnPQu7lLINF93e4XAeYVmwKP6ZDK-SqhlqbeIIuXCN4V5JPTzCwkqYHlPb2PFwR18299uNSSv0ga6EkD_nLLqNQdMgJjzm5TsF3cFwbEKGBldnF4LyP7sJF26_e2LLBiSOLVHmrK8js9YdFZ3HznwBnkrVhbEgEHnedIuIwSkyL-ysbEg/s3238/DSC_0120%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3238" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BtAtNGtZnPQu7lLINF93e4XAeYVmwKP6ZDK-SqhlqbeIIuXCN4V5JPTzCwkqYHlPb2PFwR18299uNSSv0ga6EkD_nLLqNQdMgJjzm5TsF3cFwbEKGBldnF4LyP7sJF26_e2LLBiSOLVHmrK8js9YdFZ3HznwBnkrVhbEgEHnedIuIwSkyL-ysbEg/s320/DSC_0120%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Humpback whale going down for a dive</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74j4NzYvxqtp3O0U_FVA6QyNWOe5lAyP1CXuP0joPIVo8YbnZqBb2dQxmfi4oeKiOXylypg0Y6lLjsZNisqdQE87rNFWp5cVtbm4ThUFGhoKIsFPUDWF1YhhasndETb97C4oPvsI2dtnACi-G27jBTxeE66W2l9Xrwb1a81iJKWvs4p3CsqW0Jbcv/s4496/DSC_0162.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74j4NzYvxqtp3O0U_FVA6QyNWOe5lAyP1CXuP0joPIVo8YbnZqBb2dQxmfi4oeKiOXylypg0Y6lLjsZNisqdQE87rNFWp5cVtbm4ThUFGhoKIsFPUDWF1YhhasndETb97C4oPvsI2dtnACi-G27jBTxeE66W2l9Xrwb1a81iJKWvs4p3CsqW0Jbcv/s320/DSC_0162.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghe03KraXtbNrUllRlqxEUe-MUk9dW6B2jDaD7eDcO9bK9eSAFIjIF8vwIL31JeAmXHbpLazHtzXXhl4XlQuoG25lPdcWl93x07sxtmkdocLBCGH4FDvWfXhN4BuCrxcfiaYfgnJi1Td6KJ1HG3Rz9OakabCfCEEDur3WV7s6hmMDZLGOhjSA7oAc/s4496/DSC_0188.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghe03KraXtbNrUllRlqxEUe-MUk9dW6B2jDaD7eDcO9bK9eSAFIjIF8vwIL31JeAmXHbpLazHtzXXhl4XlQuoG25lPdcWl93x07sxtmkdocLBCGH4FDvWfXhN4BuCrxcfiaYfgnJi1Td6KJ1HG3Rz9OakabCfCEEDur3WV7s6hmMDZLGOhjSA7oAc/s320/DSC_0188.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sea lion colony</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilrLIYmXix8kx0Tu9XyTFfLdFWA7DjlKsOdsU2gpz25k-jk3LLvzhdqUP0XgC0h2kj4BRkk6Zr5qm_mnNlhqbZD2er_ivP-dBQLJjL5pHngst3ZghlS2QUqGxalOok5qZ7WwyUPYhRQyQz3mgaUNyXNQ4-8iJApBZr4vnDGDz74Y71r2Y7WRaB7ELu/s3421/DSC_0252%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2283" data-original-width="3421" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilrLIYmXix8kx0Tu9XyTFfLdFWA7DjlKsOdsU2gpz25k-jk3LLvzhdqUP0XgC0h2kj4BRkk6Zr5qm_mnNlhqbZD2er_ivP-dBQLJjL5pHngst3ZghlS2QUqGxalOok5qZ7WwyUPYhRQyQz3mgaUNyXNQ4-8iJApBZr4vnDGDz74Y71r2Y7WRaB7ELu/s320/DSC_0252%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Puffin</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37h49IUskSNgypXvpW3gDNRYZgNTV7fz1E0Hd2KcNMSeDJe7FhKrOL6ncmWGBEbAIEV1cFLmnq7uSHIL7cyqvFL32uvfZ2GJYfcdv5RbeDY_jOuRVvoIsRDxdUGgKQyUBO7UofLPkRdpcPsXUvBn9PUujfxb0R28TRYrPE0S8qLXFjeUhXFknL6tF/s4496/DSC_0262.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37h49IUskSNgypXvpW3gDNRYZgNTV7fz1E0Hd2KcNMSeDJe7FhKrOL6ncmWGBEbAIEV1cFLmnq7uSHIL7cyqvFL32uvfZ2GJYfcdv5RbeDY_jOuRVvoIsRDxdUGgKQyUBO7UofLPkRdpcPsXUvBn9PUujfxb0R28TRYrPE0S8qLXFjeUhXFknL6tF/s320/DSC_0262.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Puffins roosted in caves along the coast</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVR_1WKGoCQOOj-1IS4ZGHnNPfHfeqaPuLq6ZKXZnTMoC5lygsbUlsrE92dskiTo9MGjBN22Yc9maI-hgqlsq19IH6fnnLP0UciHMrqLucUKaWKAOLqjm0fDqnwab9KynzHOcfnH8r-XVzNG7D3UHTXjnTqL10NnsewiBboxzScYI-HVK8O_zg0yk/s4496/DSC_0287.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVR_1WKGoCQOOj-1IS4ZGHnNPfHfeqaPuLq6ZKXZnTMoC5lygsbUlsrE92dskiTo9MGjBN22Yc9maI-hgqlsq19IH6fnnLP0UciHMrqLucUKaWKAOLqjm0fDqnwab9KynzHOcfnH8r-XVzNG7D3UHTXjnTqL10NnsewiBboxzScYI-HVK8O_zg0yk/s320/DSC_0287.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The first big iceberg we saw on the way to Columbia Glacier</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MGDimUyLwsSCSvOqDpasoAen0tix63TBytFPuv8RG8rpBn-4byB2Xk37hgHlQ4zFdLBdrqO5WDHcjQnds5CQmiE05TzNSZwnygBFvsgJCVjzLq-gdSvU2UUe7UZDrTBkPzATbnqdBm-o2qxtNwteVCJvVw6KVp85IXeBecGf32l10CZwiURBNT7M/s4496/DSC_0314%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MGDimUyLwsSCSvOqDpasoAen0tix63TBytFPuv8RG8rpBn-4byB2Xk37hgHlQ4zFdLBdrqO5WDHcjQnds5CQmiE05TzNSZwnygBFvsgJCVjzLq-gdSvU2UUe7UZDrTBkPzATbnqdBm-o2qxtNwteVCJvVw6KVp85IXeBecGf32l10CZwiURBNT7M/s320/DSC_0314%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDHMBwf9PawPIAhzTICJyKFXY65EnouNtBLadzfJ0E5G8mzurr856pBufnpg04i0tPZG4MK-yERXQ2ziMFXvG5R8cCUQwdXh9GXF57_XESUtXYfnWNqroYfKXacuVVg99e46tggK2xVrc7f7Dw7ckblv1KADkn3dZxgng8MSM_muUDl5myLLegzo8/s2832/DSC_0319%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1889" data-original-width="2832" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDHMBwf9PawPIAhzTICJyKFXY65EnouNtBLadzfJ0E5G8mzurr856pBufnpg04i0tPZG4MK-yERXQ2ziMFXvG5R8cCUQwdXh9GXF57_XESUtXYfnWNqroYfKXacuVVg99e46tggK2xVrc7f7Dw7ckblv1KADkn3dZxgng8MSM_muUDl5myLLegzo8/s320/DSC_0319%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eagle perched atop a huge iceberg.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhmLoC2r-kLpPxZA1vA2EvCc956Oe6WcXxXEbhVRRJgV6GY8yTmp4zH3jpQxamWF1qvFjV8aJtQc1ov9l0CZzESUE7b9Fi_33DXgBt7-M3aJuQRUAHMVK3ug8v6EMfoUB0Bh6yajlp8oCIvnlgIB3Sy-nL1pdAJ7Gw1VbOS75rkFo62xR1MjomF_Q/s3784/DSC_0361.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2520" data-original-width="3784" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhmLoC2r-kLpPxZA1vA2EvCc956Oe6WcXxXEbhVRRJgV6GY8yTmp4zH3jpQxamWF1qvFjV8aJtQc1ov9l0CZzESUE7b9Fi_33DXgBt7-M3aJuQRUAHMVK3ug8v6EMfoUB0Bh6yajlp8oCIvnlgIB3Sy-nL1pdAJ7Gw1VbOS75rkFo62xR1MjomF_Q/s320/DSC_0361.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNxfPP-LX3wH063w-Orq-rxaLfQMsSS7DkCDdpqiXPrlhqFPfwJV3mA6cI6DvMQejoqqkXnQ_UhPj_hul6h7NIO_zWwlooBH2adxFkwEUXEMcPbB8lZ7Mf3cY2SkQp7Rs4fojGEXhMJ2rUgkkH0bxOExzy6Fvk82IUmkY2LDeIYdXzsYcVFdBQb1z/s3512/DSC_0377.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2270" data-original-width="3512" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNxfPP-LX3wH063w-Orq-rxaLfQMsSS7DkCDdpqiXPrlhqFPfwJV3mA6cI6DvMQejoqqkXnQ_UhPj_hul6h7NIO_zWwlooBH2adxFkwEUXEMcPbB8lZ7Mf3cY2SkQp7Rs4fojGEXhMJ2rUgkkH0bxOExzy6Fvk82IUmkY2LDeIYdXzsYcVFdBQb1z/s320/DSC_0377.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More sea otters floating on icebergs</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHL-jwxOD-fobIoDB15pQHqQ5sODho9bI1oUrdyzfwJSHWDC6jKw66gF9xoFTKu9PXDoonjRu4GhVgxbBvb7wiG8Kby2VbFf6z754_blZ_bHYiqmNYMEQ5P1QIZPJkJj7SS6s4htQU0p5rAOZB_z93TIFmO4u8aRt3wBz8xpF1vNOvCTXdFrxq7wvL/s4496/DSC_0396.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHL-jwxOD-fobIoDB15pQHqQ5sODho9bI1oUrdyzfwJSHWDC6jKw66gF9xoFTKu9PXDoonjRu4GhVgxbBvb7wiG8Kby2VbFf6z754_blZ_bHYiqmNYMEQ5P1QIZPJkJj7SS6s4htQU0p5rAOZB_z93TIFmO4u8aRt3wBz8xpF1vNOvCTXdFrxq7wvL/s320/DSC_0396.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Getting closer to the glacier</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhu1mUzO2LNxz5doo0XXq2LmrKZ59RACTWKDk-k7q0vjXzraWY7m3b2I_ItKM7f_sWNgOYKB4Snk476HCID3LqHh3Cmqf3Vnfm0X6w6EOe1z5AvkiYCmqOMndbun-TD2D9it5euxUbJCP5rH3Suom5arcjaoeChDw_DreofqFgE-7BSIg2AjQ8ikN/s4496/DSC_0420.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhu1mUzO2LNxz5doo0XXq2LmrKZ59RACTWKDk-k7q0vjXzraWY7m3b2I_ItKM7f_sWNgOYKB4Snk476HCID3LqHh3Cmqf3Vnfm0X6w6EOe1z5AvkiYCmqOMndbun-TD2D9it5euxUbJCP5rH3Suom5arcjaoeChDw_DreofqFgE-7BSIg2AjQ8ikN/s320/DSC_0420.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2PCsU2JP8MS9bmi9sY5jDuAS4rps0RgzLJwHRBTv19SFPZCkLEZqGk_oGTrdcPgQ9ORDso-MzjC32fOO1BAn36LeVpWHyIR7g97ghYEtcPSB1Z1GMxx0GgpQ9aG7sZQ1JCEMIWmq15YnEsEWt4C5FzVYfBe4OzjaaIzyDcGxTpJCZ4qCsY2wAhqO/s4496/DSC_0424.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2PCsU2JP8MS9bmi9sY5jDuAS4rps0RgzLJwHRBTv19SFPZCkLEZqGk_oGTrdcPgQ9ORDso-MzjC32fOO1BAn36LeVpWHyIR7g97ghYEtcPSB1Z1GMxx0GgpQ9aG7sZQ1JCEMIWmq15YnEsEWt4C5FzVYfBe4OzjaaIzyDcGxTpJCZ4qCsY2wAhqO/s320/DSC_0424.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Harbor seals relaxing on icebergs</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7drBHsiXzAq-Yhk8HxhsRveIcXzpRp54zX2aatTBC3kATkukmEHmlMTaNKLuXk8L8NOimeiP9Bsw9BdyyRYtmeVmf0f2PL3WNVmugu1YJnUzWeSKZm_8IvVkt9R7FEaF5GLVK1BsBKiy0HRaUCnXQtAF4zN-tnoljDrodYh8qTVW1QOIkoXddGGJT/s4496/DSC_0442.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7drBHsiXzAq-Yhk8HxhsRveIcXzpRp54zX2aatTBC3kATkukmEHmlMTaNKLuXk8L8NOimeiP9Bsw9BdyyRYtmeVmf0f2PL3WNVmugu1YJnUzWeSKZm_8IvVkt9R7FEaF5GLVK1BsBKiy0HRaUCnXQtAF4zN-tnoljDrodYh8qTVW1QOIkoXddGGJT/s320/DSC_0442.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiSrgNf35aU_t30DRAg3xvsUR5_crqNGVGp3PKo8j-phFhQQlVqsfm-1EJ2fmO7GEEZFRZzYSUEFne63ORXg-8iN9kAfLpWpmHCBoa4W8jtlFlO08zKZafDr4faFgTT1_BptHlTmH-uBuAgFsm7x3mvMao1f5Tj5GAJr8BamSAOS_-BffR5AMg845/s4496/DSC_0458%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiSrgNf35aU_t30DRAg3xvsUR5_crqNGVGp3PKo8j-phFhQQlVqsfm-1EJ2fmO7GEEZFRZzYSUEFne63ORXg-8iN9kAfLpWpmHCBoa4W8jtlFlO08zKZafDr4faFgTT1_BptHlTmH-uBuAgFsm7x3mvMao1f5Tj5GAJr8BamSAOS_-BffR5AMg845/s320/DSC_0458%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The ice is starting to get thick and the boat is very carefully making it's way through the ice.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8a_TBpwPZNivwRk9okZ6jiYxODEVinnoyg5dF9QWd6RMu1LUmf5zCf--kihn1fgwT6WhylD13zP0dT1tFrWchdxPrNQsGVw2n4k5u9wN6y4S1-bqEOWf3yVbPPnofN2OtLo5vqjyOkF5ZxlyC2-9kOJlLa10RG3uwQM7Z4P4ioaODtlwnkfcVqELl/s3099/DSC_0460.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2039" data-original-width="3099" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8a_TBpwPZNivwRk9okZ6jiYxODEVinnoyg5dF9QWd6RMu1LUmf5zCf--kihn1fgwT6WhylD13zP0dT1tFrWchdxPrNQsGVw2n4k5u9wN6y4S1-bqEOWf3yVbPPnofN2OtLo5vqjyOkF5ZxlyC2-9kOJlLa10RG3uwQM7Z4P4ioaODtlwnkfcVqELl/s320/DSC_0460.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Harbor seals</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndkjVA65zRiQ-G6GF55UifT31I5Iau_ZVA8n75p4h6mfkVKOn4_nLDWY1UrbgGEGY27Grfuf4KDN89EjVFL58YUyXU0tXIHpb0PaH9RBdE-uKfXW50iABWZoNMR-WonQzw2FU5M87iamnpQ41o0XDOsd98HHqb1SdxoNv9ZVtFpALYcAlY_NuQrdn/s4496/DSC_0472%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndkjVA65zRiQ-G6GF55UifT31I5Iau_ZVA8n75p4h6mfkVKOn4_nLDWY1UrbgGEGY27Grfuf4KDN89EjVFL58YUyXU0tXIHpb0PaH9RBdE-uKfXW50iABWZoNMR-WonQzw2FU5M87iamnpQ41o0XDOsd98HHqb1SdxoNv9ZVtFpALYcAlY_NuQrdn/s320/DSC_0472%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The face of Columbia Glacier with part of it calving. The chunk creates a huge splash and waves causing the icebergs to bob up and down.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLOue2lU86bpwFS5jmQzgDpi6o_k2fJ_TFc6KGwKztI3Uw2GUyuNW9NAhlrzjpqlPBeV-w9SgV1IzM3-vtwFhpEu2_-lkxILBorvl99BwK0yo0XDyOz07BFPwJEIvgyH5820vYf7ahBVr0F25I4jWJOFT_uoQCrfqNF6BtiD-Cn1qQ85ypOBhLTie/s4496/DSC_0480.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLOue2lU86bpwFS5jmQzgDpi6o_k2fJ_TFc6KGwKztI3Uw2GUyuNW9NAhlrzjpqlPBeV-w9SgV1IzM3-vtwFhpEu2_-lkxILBorvl99BwK0yo0XDyOz07BFPwJEIvgyH5820vYf7ahBVr0F25I4jWJOFT_uoQCrfqNF6BtiD-Cn1qQ85ypOBhLTie/s320/DSC_0480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Harbor seals hanging out on the buoy on the way in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-68057780728542784042022-07-09T22:22:00.003-04:002022-07-10T11:46:21.846-04:00First Week in Alaska: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Valdez<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">June 19 - June 27</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Leaving Tok behind for now - we will be back through there on our way south - we headed for our first stop at Klutina Salmon Charters and Fish Camp in Copper Center. The objective here was fishing the Copper River for "reds," otherwise known as sockeye salmon. We stayed for 3 nights in one of the most rustic campgrounds we've ever stayed in. Only 30 amp electric hookup here, with a freshwater fill station and a dump station up the road for our waste tanks. But we are right along the river, a few steps away from fishing, and that's what it's mostly about!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAUwOZc7C1c2I0dtdPw5Dasu_yPZWE446VmkDaEX_LzfV4slIhM7TXOo0FaXufIkZhBrZ0ERA3VDkev4w75JsBF8E_BkXR3bALlOd9SWU93OBwAZ8m430fQGsjZxdLiZ-7s9QUIXg8a9xCfoEiSXWvztXYV_SsJYJyjbCp2Fy1_IXxD0Ax76Xg6y2/s5472/P1032034.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAUwOZc7C1c2I0dtdPw5Dasu_yPZWE446VmkDaEX_LzfV4slIhM7TXOo0FaXufIkZhBrZ0ERA3VDkev4w75JsBF8E_BkXR3bALlOd9SWU93OBwAZ8m430fQGsjZxdLiZ-7s9QUIXg8a9xCfoEiSXWvztXYV_SsJYJyjbCp2Fy1_IXxD0Ax76Xg6y2/s320/P1032034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Office to check in and gather information on fishing. The run was just barely getting started. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUiOKU3cBRP49DEsH-eeUwCRt0GR9uQGzT0I4KQ-AfATRDcwhH6C-XdsJ-6Zr-ti-HF--NlyJxTw8hqMV9MbZ36kJlspYmactENuvteQgz5JE2OdtWXo-XRW9sSSJ8mpUPpkee07j_fWrIyiJzGrTQrUoBkoYWW1VLuh-C0Ccdd1RsQJIhfhOsWrap/s5472/P1032033.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUiOKU3cBRP49DEsH-eeUwCRt0GR9uQGzT0I4KQ-AfATRDcwhH6C-XdsJ-6Zr-ti-HF--NlyJxTw8hqMV9MbZ36kJlspYmactENuvteQgz5JE2OdtWXo-XRW9sSSJ8mpUPpkee07j_fWrIyiJzGrTQrUoBkoYWW1VLuh-C0Ccdd1RsQJIhfhOsWrap/s320/P1032033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of the access points to the river past the raft. It was flowing very fast.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWWc-pspkZh9TsqzI4pN46g1BwYjcKrKixEM4mkj11C6YT1CiR4eJzJBQAPBuSeOIGYxRV6viQbBChDc0NYQN5bSHMHGnXwD5f0pldnbPLAjmjytKVC7J0dKpn1krYiCT9Sa99UZ2wakrA_4oPrHTAgLTgcUWGnKUwJL6-DcjA3tFKtgqR5pINtKC/s5472/P1032031.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWWc-pspkZh9TsqzI4pN46g1BwYjcKrKixEM4mkj11C6YT1CiR4eJzJBQAPBuSeOIGYxRV6viQbBChDc0NYQN5bSHMHGnXwD5f0pldnbPLAjmjytKVC7J0dKpn1krYiCT9Sa99UZ2wakrA_4oPrHTAgLTgcUWGnKUwJL6-DcjA3tFKtgqR5pINtKC/s320/P1032031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Al and Dan out there giving it their all.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Pl2z5toT4SDfT9hCOGuKfNTG_W5xXXbH4btVuAQxGOZWhhLHbTsVWFoNBcERqeHYUsfldq_HMON0N3YlRbnbxbs74BfZkySOvalvYR2FIYHuO3g2liwTHqFXCTrsRD_2kS33UBvmGox2nSzacZJAhAkC4uMQvcfuIbn8M2JLuohe1tMku-g71c1F/s4497/P1032021%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2999" data-original-width="4497" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Pl2z5toT4SDfT9hCOGuKfNTG_W5xXXbH4btVuAQxGOZWhhLHbTsVWFoNBcERqeHYUsfldq_HMON0N3YlRbnbxbs74BfZkySOvalvYR2FIYHuO3g2liwTHqFXCTrsRD_2kS33UBvmGox2nSzacZJAhAkC4uMQvcfuIbn8M2JLuohe1tMku-g71c1F/s320/P1032021%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jonell trying her luck. It takes getting used to the casting motion...so I'm told! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYi130BlRpWfqS-ORG-z61i0Kmtz8sSdCVwmaVGNP2rzoNdEHEtrs6oMHRJPs8rNHEpIp1ahE0_jev31OH6BNxm_-5GmTA2vD3pihpz05RX5SYydouSMPw_4ZNBQFBanXSNzeOZ14LCoHeMsBdq3afaVc_bM_pJ187fdG8EQ92QFV7Qx2uqv6Gcnnp/s5472/P1032028.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYi130BlRpWfqS-ORG-z61i0Kmtz8sSdCVwmaVGNP2rzoNdEHEtrs6oMHRJPs8rNHEpIp1ahE0_jev31OH6BNxm_-5GmTA2vD3pihpz05RX5SYydouSMPw_4ZNBQFBanXSNzeOZ14LCoHeMsBdq3afaVc_bM_pJ187fdG8EQ92QFV7Qx2uqv6Gcnnp/s320/P1032028.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More casting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK7wQrl0I4jzu1IZwQi0D8z2qNmD408cKnLuHc8YctWho-8Xrpavh-9USgjabVoUg4B4H7nhv7MgaO2VdgvOjetVnG64Q_I4fmz8qBCslTgzA9NEsUr10myNuZahF-XN8ugfpcFckX4V47hBVtbRRKe3xRRFfOwHnKv5zMO3NS7qCoYJWtsD0C2vP4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK7wQrl0I4jzu1IZwQi0D8z2qNmD408cKnLuHc8YctWho-8Xrpavh-9USgjabVoUg4B4H7nhv7MgaO2VdgvOjetVnG64Q_I4fmz8qBCslTgzA9NEsUr10myNuZahF-XN8ugfpcFckX4V47hBVtbRRKe3xRRFfOwHnKv5zMO3NS7qCoYJWtsD0C2vP4=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dan caught one pretty quickly!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDJ1FZvFq2kKy6-IzhyySJMvR1AMi8lDIUWOLQqC_EOrmnioDoB1akLDUxwwayx_y3deY_V2GhuZNXmLSGMSsoUzkcOL8N2XKIw7fjkz7-Gs305dCrQnKrpZ5l5o2VViDDqYw-Z9A7IMi1ytAJGsIpnZcxJA0qZnZ0MT_yLsNQwhBJXqsEdqUoMZ9u" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDJ1FZvFq2kKy6-IzhyySJMvR1AMi8lDIUWOLQqC_EOrmnioDoB1akLDUxwwayx_y3deY_V2GhuZNXmLSGMSsoUzkcOL8N2XKIw7fjkz7-Gs305dCrQnKrpZ5l5o2VViDDqYw-Z9A7IMi1ytAJGsIpnZcxJA0qZnZ0MT_yLsNQwhBJXqsEdqUoMZ9u=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Al got in on the action as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They only caught one apiece, but it was a start to what we hope will be many fish caught and packed up for the summer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZJ8hdDCpuslzm0jbZ26uUjfez28psFuYi1tUb8VikegqJMmc2-uPMuzAMI94EviI_uWeLoeJcLGlvY7aYkNidvmg4BF0uQro0uApYpOciz2IXKGAIXH1hOGHZ3wN3D5fKHCMtRcDvOZJR4JY2cFClgc-qu9ajuy_gXQpzAleJtU3EGDjuhd3rZg8/s4551/P1032000%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3034" data-original-width="4551" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZJ8hdDCpuslzm0jbZ26uUjfez28psFuYi1tUb8VikegqJMmc2-uPMuzAMI94EviI_uWeLoeJcLGlvY7aYkNidvmg4BF0uQro0uApYpOciz2IXKGAIXH1hOGHZ3wN3D5fKHCMtRcDvOZJR4JY2cFClgc-qu9ajuy_gXQpzAleJtU3EGDjuhd3rZg8/s320/P1032000%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">While in Copper Center, we spent one morning visiting the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Visitor Center. It is America's largest national park at 13.2 million acres, an area that would encompass Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and the country of Switzerland combined! The Wrangells are volcanic in origin, but only Mount Wrangell remains active, last erupting in 1900.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">From the national park website:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; text-align: start;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Park Superlatives:</strong></p><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-align: start;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Largest national park in the United States.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Largest wilderness area in the National Wilderness Preservation System.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Designated as a World Heritage Site with Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, the Canadian neighbors Kluane National Park & Reserve and Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park. (Making this the world's largest international protected wilderness.)</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Four major mountain ranges:Wrangell, St. Elias, Chugach, and the eastern part of the Alaskan Range.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Mt. St. Elias, at 18,008 feet (5.5km), is the second highest peak in the United States.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Nine of the 16 highest peaks in the United States.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Mt. Wrangell, at 14,163 feet (4.3km), is one of the largest active volcanoes in North America.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Nabesna Glacier, at approximately 53 miles (85km), is the longest valley glacier in North America and the world's longest interior valley glacier.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Malaspina Glacier, larger than the state of Rhode Island, is the largest non-polar piedmont glacier in North America.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Hubbard Glacier is one of the largest and most active tidewater glaciers in North America.</li></ul></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Tz4ziqjigbBsnKCealiFayebH1ClYbcrk-D9xFeRbEMedJxNDh-m6rCGqaw28bUD5Xo9GfcQ6M8WZ2vEDw3OmaTWCWRVgPFAR9LeyimSJumFzHkA9t57KcwAhu-sQXhYa-qgYpbi9UyFZrEuN4hz48vvXg3iHG9GjZuh-2IiMSV7I_J5ZjvuqEn5/s5472/P1032001.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Tz4ziqjigbBsnKCealiFayebH1ClYbcrk-D9xFeRbEMedJxNDh-m6rCGqaw28bUD5Xo9GfcQ6M8WZ2vEDw3OmaTWCWRVgPFAR9LeyimSJumFzHkA9t57KcwAhu-sQXhYa-qgYpbi9UyFZrEuN4hz48vvXg3iHG9GjZuh-2IiMSV7I_J5ZjvuqEn5/s320/P1032001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Visitor Center was very interesting, with an informative movie and two exhibit buildings. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNK2k83LSJ32CN1UOaor59jJKRRCgnhnMfZ1KzVwd6DspJV3YXLQJSA7QkTu1wfd7C3qSqFMDfcA6_PTC1gWhgmaWi-2sZ-YTLMiy6OTc6sUKzrcMO_5rKWn5DqA9CI4ezc1hWyKTOuaIGbJYKcgmXRY9zn3on86E-pbtSOa9fv4zoqQ0iv9f7udO_/s5472/P1032004%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNK2k83LSJ32CN1UOaor59jJKRRCgnhnMfZ1KzVwd6DspJV3YXLQJSA7QkTu1wfd7C3qSqFMDfcA6_PTC1gWhgmaWi-2sZ-YTLMiy6OTc6sUKzrcMO_5rKWn5DqA9CI4ezc1hWyKTOuaIGbJYKcgmXRY9zn3on86E-pbtSOa9fv4zoqQ0iv9f7udO_/s320/P1032004%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A view of the mountain range featuring Mount Drum and Mount Wrangell</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rjuS3wAHFVqkspCBKY56ztWIyzFWzU3nApyyEJ9aEM_5T4e7Gu-w2yY8n1sdcuGmkSaDq5mdZpT5mmi-ClCmyMXKS23b4DFW-biDqr2PLz7l_5OfsI7gFR_LxqKo0vTJvujKNdAgRoh97oMwreffjHvPuEgsc413v02zmMHRtlJN01X-9wSOhGDO/s4443/P1032011%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4443" data-original-width="2961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rjuS3wAHFVqkspCBKY56ztWIyzFWzU3nApyyEJ9aEM_5T4e7Gu-w2yY8n1sdcuGmkSaDq5mdZpT5mmi-ClCmyMXKS23b4DFW-biDqr2PLz7l_5OfsI7gFR_LxqKo0vTJvujKNdAgRoh97oMwreffjHvPuEgsc413v02zmMHRtlJN01X-9wSOhGDO/s320/P1032011%20(2).JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We took a short hike along a trail through the boreal forest area, and I will say I have never seen such a multitude of mosquitoes before. It was a short walk and I can say I was quite happy it was!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">From Klutina Salmon Charters and Fish Camp, we moved after three days 48 miles down the road to Wrangell View RV Park. The sole mission for going here was to visit another area of the </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;">Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the McCarthy-Kennicott Mine area. The interesting thing about this is that first there is a 33-mile drive down the Edgarton Highway, which was a pretty rustic road in itself towards the end, with many twisty, up-and-down spots landing us in another small, very rustic campground which surprisingly had full hook-ups - living the life with 50-amp electric! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8RiAUDviCWJH57spcsZCCam0vpt8sj4Wl0ScnT8zwPqZDJoH3hzv4n0p0H0DJPqEOdWhf_d9xzaRSVZDttDs9RCmQO1-WjxMPFcHf11-ZirKYv3tic9MAyGBlvDbq1S7hU6pXnDb1V6gQMBbUmK0UeD0Bwlb1PGOqUvpwvpxD3ZZZ_unompKaTCb/s5472/P1032039.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8RiAUDviCWJH57spcsZCCam0vpt8sj4Wl0ScnT8zwPqZDJoH3hzv4n0p0H0DJPqEOdWhf_d9xzaRSVZDttDs9RCmQO1-WjxMPFcHf11-ZirKYv3tic9MAyGBlvDbq1S7hU6pXnDb1V6gQMBbUmK0UeD0Bwlb1PGOqUvpwvpxD3ZZZ_unompKaTCb/s320/P1032039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">After arriving at the campground, we took a drive to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park ranger station for visitor information. It's an old log cabin, originally the Ed S. Orr Stage Company, where passengers, freight, and mail were transported to and from Fairbanks 2 to 3 times a week. The journey took 4 days and advertised "an abundance of fur robes and carbon-heated foot warmers."</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixe_JeqdaLH3fWUaZeEe1CUrWd0FzPmHXSFguS3RWL-699c93tu3oPddK9qk1b73YZySGqd9UOLZz9-Vl0ZhYKYGwnnPwdk7PdAI-MoOpZuj4AByGVPyaNQ6iV8iN_qRqCi2mmqK4LgoZYOdTDZTL4KBGi-pdN80niKa-uxgNznGlnAiJgc6uy0pBD/s2708/P1032041%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="2708" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixe_JeqdaLH3fWUaZeEe1CUrWd0FzPmHXSFguS3RWL-699c93tu3oPddK9qk1b73YZySGqd9UOLZz9-Vl0ZhYKYGwnnPwdk7PdAI-MoOpZuj4AByGVPyaNQ6iV8iN_qRqCi2mmqK4LgoZYOdTDZTL4KBGi-pdN80niKa-uxgNznGlnAiJgc6uy0pBD/s320/P1032041%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We drove a little further down to the bridge over the Copper River. Fish wheels, </span><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 py34i1dx" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_wheel?fbclid=IwAR2-vIQLDVUYpBe1s9EQiq9-7ejUqjOr7tqQ3b7yNTPM9qtsjQ21IqvNU7k" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_wheel</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, were seen to the north, but we were unable to drive down to them for a close inspection. And then we also saw a big moose along the roadside on the way back to the campground.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUY3zT7etZ4bkptaXCChVFLLAGjIEOoKo1YU66UO4JTvQ4Jh_96kIvaGHSLz9qnr_hPpQcHJDJ6u4nCVw8NUnnieveK134Jhp28Iyf5GwWmmgrhiEIDAX9oJQtM5oinq1RFjKjIdXez5hTjKXSo8bgOqICD-wLgvADAo0WtH0pCsUxYZ_7RgNqQ0t8/s5472/P1032049%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUY3zT7etZ4bkptaXCChVFLLAGjIEOoKo1YU66UO4JTvQ4Jh_96kIvaGHSLz9qnr_hPpQcHJDJ6u4nCVw8NUnnieveK134Jhp28Iyf5GwWmmgrhiEIDAX9oJQtM5oinq1RFjKjIdXez5hTjKXSo8bgOqICD-wLgvADAo0WtH0pCsUxYZ_7RgNqQ0t8/s320/P1032049%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From Chitina, it's a 60-mile trip down a road that roughly follows the historic 196-mile long Copper River and Northwestern Railway railroad grade leading to the town of McCarthy. It takes a little over two hours to drive the 60 miles. After the railway was abandoned in 1938, most of the rails and ties were eventually removed. The corridor was turned over to the State of Alaska which placed culverts and created a road in the 1960s. In 1971, a new bridge was constructed over the Copper River and the railbed was covered with gravel, creating the McCarthy Road. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVHYLL7UlT1De5WAcfYRRk4losDoZwVw-n-2oEOPh85D1pKTGTQQYZX38jVEAm_aCzXyH6vWSQXPmK3wNrQUU8_F4kpi2YvrTP8rGsA0uzMrpvs-4oV3jhIKdUJh5LIvcdST9eUI0R3LEMhcXKVIHN8g-0QgsPDhS3Y0PcTGHIGGVn1YOzoc4DYoH/s5472/P1032071.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVHYLL7UlT1De5WAcfYRRk4losDoZwVw-n-2oEOPh85D1pKTGTQQYZX38jVEAm_aCzXyH6vWSQXPmK3wNrQUU8_F4kpi2YvrTP8rGsA0uzMrpvs-4oV3jhIKdUJh5LIvcdST9eUI0R3LEMhcXKVIHN8g-0QgsPDhS3Y0PcTGHIGGVn1YOzoc4DYoH/s320/P1032071.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some of the views along the drive. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbS7ujdMcs0zJrxJY2-eaYPDfa1dRcQqLxTCeXE63b8uy8B25OR-o8tSO1tNE-yp-LpipIv2xxCXPpXXfKNd6CNn6W_y8X9uWkcDtDJhRLIYLDcu_bYIsyDSgGX53SwWTWqibXE84fYmRHNCcpMvhxiaJq2dJBQbwfYHi2H1-hN7FRY4EAODa-xLH/s5472/P1032079.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbS7ujdMcs0zJrxJY2-eaYPDfa1dRcQqLxTCeXE63b8uy8B25OR-o8tSO1tNE-yp-LpipIv2xxCXPpXXfKNd6CNn6W_y8X9uWkcDtDJhRLIYLDcu_bYIsyDSgGX53SwWTWqibXE84fYmRHNCcpMvhxiaJq2dJBQbwfYHi2H1-hN7FRY4EAODa-xLH/s320/P1032079.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Kuskulana Bridge spans a 238-foot gorge and is a one-lane bridge. The 600-foot steel bridge was redecked in 1988 and guard rails installed. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeb_hf_KHqNi5A1bzHuigQvR_TtVJwZEB_nuGTk7NJ91eN9KrcR929YrhXo3JA5q3vhLr-7fwUvvM23YjcLpqObzGjlJ5TSNB4ZG8lOIFzD2jnOp0sd5YnsZ49nCab5-L4IEnTobxgUHKTrGieqOp4M6LlxvDrMYD736o0sJwRnsZn-0PgAkdJ0Qb/s5472/P1032097.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeb_hf_KHqNi5A1bzHuigQvR_TtVJwZEB_nuGTk7NJ91eN9KrcR929YrhXo3JA5q3vhLr-7fwUvvM23YjcLpqObzGjlJ5TSNB4ZG8lOIFzD2jnOp0sd5YnsZ49nCab5-L4IEnTobxgUHKTrGieqOp4M6LlxvDrMYD736o0sJwRnsZn-0PgAkdJ0Qb/s320/P1032097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the end of the road, you have to park your vehicle and then walk across the river on a footbridge. Once across, there are shuttle vans to take you into McCarthy, and then another 4 miles to the Kennecott Mine area, part of the national park system.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJqcYSducMSqgvIFNBPuWseQT0A6x1cyinvvMvwEEiHnrxZG01REoLvbSH8V_56umCvDLiT7MU-yy1DvV4cYwgZ72EnbEhhuG6uWcxeDBSdfpPN1W3vDKkhk9SwNI_s3iyqbGySnNMbYqJdJVGoh3caguWSvJ5wdDwDYiE2xJjK7SaQKN_mbW1_IX/s5472/P1032112.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJqcYSducMSqgvIFNBPuWseQT0A6x1cyinvvMvwEEiHnrxZG01REoLvbSH8V_56umCvDLiT7MU-yy1DvV4cYwgZ72EnbEhhuG6uWcxeDBSdfpPN1W3vDKkhk9SwNI_s3iyqbGySnNMbYqJdJVGoh3caguWSvJ5wdDwDYiE2xJjK7SaQKN_mbW1_IX/s320/P1032112.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Two prospectors, Clarence Warner and Jack Smith, returned from the Wrangell Mountains in the summer of 1900 with samples of what turned out to be 70 percent chalcocite they found above the east edge of Kennicott Glacier. The find would prove to be one of the richest copper deposits ever found anywhere. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRPpTSekyEPPh03EqsMlOS13wmmnmKI2pc1EOnDVwPUjWKKunLwcrXgSKu5Gac4lRk_SEtvjkmyZXQIBHOujC2YXLwKIK879x7Ib8YIrBVE2uy4h7kwiisvYY2g0Np9WiVTJ59cbwKU4VQf4Fmhh_lzDlCOlEF6FN_9X-rVPfqsr-566PeXtkz1SM/s5472/P1032120.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRPpTSekyEPPh03EqsMlOS13wmmnmKI2pc1EOnDVwPUjWKKunLwcrXgSKu5Gac4lRk_SEtvjkmyZXQIBHOujC2YXLwKIK879x7Ib8YIrBVE2uy4h7kwiisvYY2g0Np9WiVTJ59cbwKU4VQf4Fmhh_lzDlCOlEF6FN_9X-rVPfqsr-566PeXtkz1SM/s320/P1032120.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was a herculean effort to get the mine camp and buildings going, from amassing the necessary funds to figuring out what was needed and actually getting the materials to this remote location. By the end of the mine's run, they were operating a total of 5 mines with approximately 600 workers, and at least $200 million worth of ore was mined and shipped out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMn1xpIKTiBXHhtSsTsbVU0v4ZK6rVImfpwy2wn2oCjfdku7RidEbjMcKJoQkXrKjx4NHe7uUqVxVT-DAn_ARu7NCuBVSZlXnVmuGcmHv3xVEPaLjTJJ0v_PfvOz4L3XX2lWRs8JtqxNkUOQxfmPurjwt574VwG3CUA9dFR7x5GezuU6-x4NYj4oce/s5472/P1032137.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMn1xpIKTiBXHhtSsTsbVU0v4ZK6rVImfpwy2wn2oCjfdku7RidEbjMcKJoQkXrKjx4NHe7uUqVxVT-DAn_ARu7NCuBVSZlXnVmuGcmHv3xVEPaLjTJJ0v_PfvOz4L3XX2lWRs8JtqxNkUOQxfmPurjwt574VwG3CUA9dFR7x5GezuU6-x4NYj4oce/s320/P1032137.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Kennecott Copper Corporation grew into one of the largest minerals companies in the world, reaping huge profits spurred by the country's high demand for copper. Late in 1938, the mines closed and the train left, never to return.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQx52q7Vr1T6kLSz0imNdLUO0lBoun4Re9usyG68_XVBXGU6th13qtrAZ6GJei7q8FrDdx_NNP_SyGw0ytgNuDCyJOAsREqjo_Q6SCd-K5oPPLq8gzmiocQVZCnCFspCVCfy-w8lRY7u-QNBsyNZ4lhTSBEeotqUM8XgaOu-8EOb7JsZIRtxZ7MiG/s5472/P1032140.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQx52q7Vr1T6kLSz0imNdLUO0lBoun4Re9usyG68_XVBXGU6th13qtrAZ6GJei7q8FrDdx_NNP_SyGw0ytgNuDCyJOAsREqjo_Q6SCd-K5oPPLq8gzmiocQVZCnCFspCVCfy-w8lRY7u-QNBsyNZ4lhTSBEeotqUM8XgaOu-8EOb7JsZIRtxZ7MiG/s320/P1032140.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park was established in 1980, but the park service did not acquire the buildings and lands of the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark until June of 1998. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You may notice I have used two different spellings, "Kennecott" and "Kennicott." No one really knows why the Kennecott Copper Corporation ended up with a different spelling than its namesake, the Kennicott Glacier. Most say it was a clerical error! After the mines closed in 1938, many references to the area included the "i" spelling of Kennicott to distinguish what remained from the departed Kennecott Copper Corporation. In general today, Kennecott tends to indicate historic features and the settlement, while Kennecott indicates natural features, such as the glacier, river, and valley.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWW8PW-h54kuW4A1q-VXkM_-TUlGO8gsdPgXD4OmiRd-CTvwe83m2f0GtmWsAlAv_TS_rs4PotrH0TGT-pV-Y2BsZU_4Rw92IOMPz3vNHE-GTJMtg1pWXs3qCs-DhaIyjRMMETf098SgK2nwS2wcgEgAPVw4-BjLtv2wG7dd_f4XQd4Op-RD0b-on/s5472/P1032145.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWW8PW-h54kuW4A1q-VXkM_-TUlGO8gsdPgXD4OmiRd-CTvwe83m2f0GtmWsAlAv_TS_rs4PotrH0TGT-pV-Y2BsZU_4Rw92IOMPz3vNHE-GTJMtg1pWXs3qCs-DhaIyjRMMETf098SgK2nwS2wcgEgAPVw4-BjLtv2wG7dd_f4XQd4Op-RD0b-on/s320/P1032145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the moraine of the Kennicott Glacier. It looks like dirt but it is dirt on top of ice that's 500 feet thick.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACp4YWs5wPGTIy71m8CrkEdmVAs4-ujdrdNAEPCf8eoG5J7YfREWzM1-4N1VmuB_CNF9ZHMuMAC2ukZcScF6sPI4qIelxstRX72bWc1lEoVcSGSFCjHn3USJzv1vQDCbYKsxccO3KpNVtYUS5VjpAX0rTW2kNGQYI_-oPXwX1fP0UjLxN2oDh9T8q/s5472/P1032153.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACp4YWs5wPGTIy71m8CrkEdmVAs4-ujdrdNAEPCf8eoG5J7YfREWzM1-4N1VmuB_CNF9ZHMuMAC2ukZcScF6sPI4qIelxstRX72bWc1lEoVcSGSFCjHn3USJzv1vQDCbYKsxccO3KpNVtYUS5VjpAX0rTW2kNGQYI_-oPXwX1fP0UjLxN2oDh9T8q/s320/P1032153.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Inside the mill building of the copper mine.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQNg7XGMGmDthOyFKsweB-sTjDfH-9BIOS8V6LIwTOK4f3lErhlUW-4MpaTAB-z8GkjK_mbdMCqGV3nkREFZF_AfzkZUnQldXEW6OFM_1ewxeZUc8VqC3p6vpvRaPVuo-nXOd9b3hcI2sHJXzxPBbWSuzasUGuWWGj-fdQa1kkhpX3KvXkKF4_bam/s5472/P1032154.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQNg7XGMGmDthOyFKsweB-sTjDfH-9BIOS8V6LIwTOK4f3lErhlUW-4MpaTAB-z8GkjK_mbdMCqGV3nkREFZF_AfzkZUnQldXEW6OFM_1ewxeZUc8VqC3p6vpvRaPVuo-nXOd9b3hcI2sHJXzxPBbWSuzasUGuWWGj-fdQa1kkhpX3KvXkKF4_bam/s320/P1032154.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jonell descending a ladder - one of many- in the mill building. Hardhats were necessary attire due to the low overhangs in many areas. Al did get to test the hardhat out!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcZF0qiTfpX4iaS4lX6hAP9kN2SFkXnK8UeeMwLv73xIxAhnvRI6sjnfUm3wENlaLuSRGt8TiMBst196Qj3ghvj75eywNzTG7nrsfwo9tTIilO3MJN1E14-uPUhO0OhUNDcuRIzaCN7CsCKI11Q-P54yiHJ4wF6ayeuv8bcPYiykJxWpU2Fv7BrOX/s5472/P1032167.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcZF0qiTfpX4iaS4lX6hAP9kN2SFkXnK8UeeMwLv73xIxAhnvRI6sjnfUm3wENlaLuSRGt8TiMBst196Qj3ghvj75eywNzTG7nrsfwo9tTIilO3MJN1E14-uPUhO0OhUNDcuRIzaCN7CsCKI11Q-P54yiHJ4wF6ayeuv8bcPYiykJxWpU2Fv7BrOX/s320/P1032167.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Vats that stored ammonia in a separate processing building. The ammonia helped separate the copper from the worthless rock. That process helped them achieve an 85 percent recovery rate of the copper.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmB7nb9BlaRbRZGRXF_E1PW--WX-X7trr2G6R_mtebf7cycLQH3-oxztPqJ75aJHP2WK4t72_EAPEHV-6uHMPwqOQlRKavApB4-p_NOMbDQhlUwM4f82X0OqsOnm02P-Tcd7qQErUcj6vZnsHZgNf7N9psEeVPDttY_wB3LwlESiCywIzolPp1cGyM/s5472/P1032169.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmB7nb9BlaRbRZGRXF_E1PW--WX-X7trr2G6R_mtebf7cycLQH3-oxztPqJ75aJHP2WK4t72_EAPEHV-6uHMPwqOQlRKavApB4-p_NOMbDQhlUwM4f82X0OqsOnm02P-Tcd7qQErUcj6vZnsHZgNf7N9psEeVPDttY_wB3LwlESiCywIzolPp1cGyM/s320/P1032169.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another view of the mill buildings from the bottom. An interesting fact about the tour is that in case of fire in the building during the tour, they were instructed to exit the building to the left in this picture and scramble down the rubble slope alongside the building. However, at the bottom of this rubble slope is this sign:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Jty_s7KGX-S5RU3ktyS9QYKJA7yb8IsbXzhJB4QvRhxPIQKwGo50sWMBSI7p5BikbpZdfBf-yXnmyCj_0IsYQ1w4B6wyuLpTb45u0UegRv5OuS5OWm-3gVbvIRdwXVZerr5WGDUtC643WWNy3MsQL8ZagcFSPAPMufhw2QWvzc-2W1vu5ltlcyoP/s5472/P1032170.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Jty_s7KGX-S5RU3ktyS9QYKJA7yb8IsbXzhJB4QvRhxPIQKwGo50sWMBSI7p5BikbpZdfBf-yXnmyCj_0IsYQ1w4B6wyuLpTb45u0UegRv5OuS5OWm-3gVbvIRdwXVZerr5WGDUtC643WWNy3MsQL8ZagcFSPAPMufhw2QWvzc-2W1vu5ltlcyoP/s320/P1032170.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Once the tour was over, then they were told about the sign!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the tour was completed, it was time to backtrack: shuttle from Kennicott to McCarthy, walk about a mile back to the footbridge, cross the footbridge to retrieve the car, then 2 hours back down McCarthy Road. All told, it was about a 12-hour excursion. But all participants enjoyed it very much and said it was well worth the time invested. It's definitely one of the more remote national park service sites ever visited.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After our two nights in Chitina, we headed another 115 miles down the road to the port town of Valdez. We had a wonderful spot right along the waterfront in the Bear Paw II Adult Campground. The marina is to the left, some commercial docks along the right, and those beautiful mountains are straight ahead. Although, in reality, the mountains completely surround you. It seems as if, since we started along the Alaskan Highway in British Columbia, we have been surrounded by mountains for literally over a thousand miles. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb45zTD95Z5OQ5uqPwLvd-u27M9RjrMFa869ddEav8HCrTgWC2cqOMVMUTqO4WJTCxo9QeKLwxwf87sVoMygwCsyifRRJChMIc55_Hd0LtfGwLMqPWoGRWoFUiQD9iIc1ZQ_kxdlM-OD3_HgfdzzJc1bzCgm_a1tnfiHlq4cNqKIL5OFluTjytg7cv/s5472/P1032242.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb45zTD95Z5OQ5uqPwLvd-u27M9RjrMFa869ddEav8HCrTgWC2cqOMVMUTqO4WJTCxo9QeKLwxwf87sVoMygwCsyifRRJChMIc55_Hd0LtfGwLMqPWoGRWoFUiQD9iIc1ZQ_kxdlM-OD3_HgfdzzJc1bzCgm_a1tnfiHlq4cNqKIL5OFluTjytg7cv/s320/P1032242.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">The first thing we did upon arrival in Valdez was head down to the boat docks. Al and Dan have a fishing charter on Sunday to check in for, and the four of us have a wildlife/glacier cruise Monday to check in for. It was overcast from the clouds that were settled in around the mountains, but it is beautiful. The town and harbor remind me of what Montauk was like 50-60 years ago when it was just a "quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem." Except for the towering mountains surrounding it, of course!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildhLffTGVvvfVt2awxqdEtRjhwuUunvfAgLBYL7FDAFU5mwrEyODEvj_GITDucNIe25r6u6LHeJ44teqoIxU_1fHYIcYL0J911jumi1IF_FKLdtdbonZmRofntx1lYI4Ovoi5ZelfE7MT8FJ1A3pOmvQtnLZAT1-v2RSvj5wM6ydH0oWvf55nuoTF/s4454/P1032183%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2968" data-original-width="4454" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildhLffTGVvvfVt2awxqdEtRjhwuUunvfAgLBYL7FDAFU5mwrEyODEvj_GITDucNIe25r6u6LHeJ44teqoIxU_1fHYIcYL0J911jumi1IF_FKLdtdbonZmRofntx1lYI4Ovoi5ZelfE7MT8FJ1A3pOmvQtnLZAT1-v2RSvj5wM6ydH0oWvf55nuoTF/s320/P1032183%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVd5Bi7tCm89h1B9pK4Z4ew3wbXvpjwjZlax8z85ouMBkkSaxvMBW9-IPmaAR7tPQst1reoTya7KlfTfMHeqWuaUKgdXa2EFIVMzpWBLB9hk9h7vcOPS7PRo0aueZTruvH8VNidxp1-pY3Uorq8Enq6W20_oLaQb81t444oW1YZjjH-Bvugi5CUCA/s5472/P1032177%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVd5Bi7tCm89h1B9pK4Z4ew3wbXvpjwjZlax8z85ouMBkkSaxvMBW9-IPmaAR7tPQst1reoTya7KlfTfMHeqWuaUKgdXa2EFIVMzpWBLB9hk9h7vcOPS7PRo0aueZTruvH8VNidxp1-pY3Uorq8Enq6W20_oLaQb81t444oW1YZjjH-Bvugi5CUCA/s320/P1032177%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW8fQ5hWZXd7M0r2TbIGer41zx-ZAO2wiBcMkJ54l22m3roNsKpJnhQw8s4Qou3XlxHJV-MliEeEbU8k9atU8A0FAbO58eUhTyJeIlwnWX2E1XQ_lOi_Ca2EGG418ZhfyvA3x8dELd5bI0i46p6mkWWgf57A6dH5pn2PdSDiHhahpUhtndteVq4IG/s5472/P1032180%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW8fQ5hWZXd7M0r2TbIGer41zx-ZAO2wiBcMkJ54l22m3roNsKpJnhQw8s4Qou3XlxHJV-MliEeEbU8k9atU8A0FAbO58eUhTyJeIlwnWX2E1XQ_lOi_Ca2EGG418ZhfyvA3x8dELd5bI0i46p6mkWWgf57A6dH5pn2PdSDiHhahpUhtndteVq4IG/s320/P1032180%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCzSYgNbSpEZ2ry8ZfCMdutCUEAZMOhdgNKBX0rr4iXnis2kT4H7Z5edBRkC3UhicahBF_9AHP71ynKxdfQYbErAy0gsm5cTdN_u5V-b6LQdjofT5hLDQrQMWecHxEdokk6s1deBqGHeQaVKPRRf4CvQGIDXEK661lUtSvcnZ6sFddlVUS2MWIQNf/s5472/P1032186%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCzSYgNbSpEZ2ry8ZfCMdutCUEAZMOhdgNKBX0rr4iXnis2kT4H7Z5edBRkC3UhicahBF_9AHP71ynKxdfQYbErAy0gsm5cTdN_u5V-b6LQdjofT5hLDQrQMWecHxEdokk6s1deBqGHeQaVKPRRf4CvQGIDXEK661lUtSvcnZ6sFddlVUS2MWIQNf/s320/P1032186%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I've never seen this before, but they have fish cleaning stations all along the docks. As the charters come in, the catches are given to fish cleaners who filet the catch in an astoundingly quick fashion. This chute is where all the waste is discarded and washed down to a catch basin. It is all then discharged into the water for nature to take its course.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6kJV2xNY5EB3mYFj5YIBCifSb8lFTiWmuHpSYkhC1dWns8-H5CpNfEFs7JaIqV-M-38qvkeoX3ZPnlEDMfJm-Rrd82h8kyZmPHJ36YtR0vtsH3eR-rTIvP5o7ZmT4jbWiQjpmDtLsFmnx_ajhDWgc3N4s4zfcEoforOA0BIhsuCBDTeRgAHLsPjZ/s5472/P1032195%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6kJV2xNY5EB3mYFj5YIBCifSb8lFTiWmuHpSYkhC1dWns8-H5CpNfEFs7JaIqV-M-38qvkeoX3ZPnlEDMfJm-Rrd82h8kyZmPHJ36YtR0vtsH3eR-rTIvP5o7ZmT4jbWiQjpmDtLsFmnx_ajhDWgc3N4s4zfcEoforOA0BIhsuCBDTeRgAHLsPjZ/s320/P1032195%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This eagle is sitting on the catch basin, being part of "nature taking its course"!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgJxLNan_sjmRJ0-Pe7IYPN4_CgxQR2riUt-xtq4AvTwMJ_-uAc1DGEmIVN9sv0hH1pWkHH28ePc4DZB-RgMLqpymVdAGrEFMxscdGYiFo5jhRHJvVx6Z_HexDXWv0lQGkjM50iBrjkW9vUkGZtR_6lSbRYJBndTzlW-rZVr1jfDDD24hbzZCN3AB/s5472/P1032181%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgJxLNan_sjmRJ0-Pe7IYPN4_CgxQR2riUt-xtq4AvTwMJ_-uAc1DGEmIVN9sv0hH1pWkHH28ePc4DZB-RgMLqpymVdAGrEFMxscdGYiFo5jhRHJvVx6Z_HexDXWv0lQGkjM50iBrjkW9vUkGZtR_6lSbRYJBndTzlW-rZVr1jfDDD24hbzZCN3AB/s320/P1032181%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The office of the Lu-Lu Belle, a glacier/wildlife cruise that we are going on Monday. This will be in the next blog, along with the fishing trip Dan and Al went on.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LIoe94bycFpYdDeRorQs4OhUieRFsdiMWeg4ZHg6ao7cElWceE7cjfEQ-8eV10hfWwWJF2O2heQBq-iZoPp9WmavQXNCz3eIJFBslIOaVVnZsJsWBdOL64va79mJo1tVG_OCe7VeDBUz6rW5stEyfN1V5Jovsodr3Q7jRZ9YzJo15Ry2wo-Toeyj/s5472/P1032202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LIoe94bycFpYdDeRorQs4OhUieRFsdiMWeg4ZHg6ao7cElWceE7cjfEQ-8eV10hfWwWJF2O2heQBq-iZoPp9WmavQXNCz3eIJFBslIOaVVnZsJsWBdOL64va79mJo1tVG_OCe7VeDBUz6rW5stEyfN1V5Jovsodr3Q7jRZ9YzJo15Ry2wo-Toeyj/s320/P1032202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Worthington Glacier, along the Richardson Highway going into Valdez, is a good example of a small valley glacier. It is one of the most road accessible, being seen from the highway and just a short walk down a trail for a prime viewing spot. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1PLuehqMycfTykQzm2sIeftbnqWwASumLvHHmvOEhCmEvn9koWH38-ybAwCL6bz_kRZ_4B3e7oA2OupcHCHMjn2nyYigCoM1_OhKBOcVn-I-1iasm2dif754Tr2QEFlxI86x8WZb3PCOdFXd9HkwZPGLMPPmlHcMA75Q6qea_COQKkxWzZbOl4Yf/s5472/P1032209.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1PLuehqMycfTykQzm2sIeftbnqWwASumLvHHmvOEhCmEvn9koWH38-ybAwCL6bz_kRZ_4B3e7oA2OupcHCHMjn2nyYigCoM1_OhKBOcVn-I-1iasm2dif754Tr2QEFlxI86x8WZb3PCOdFXd9HkwZPGLMPPmlHcMA75Q6qea_COQKkxWzZbOl4Yf/s320/P1032209.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The pond created by the terminal moraine of the melting glacier.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziyrtFcKNMlPMtdzf56r4LMNyiL1jARs1i5BL5CqDHcMvcIAZeZ-KDWZ_FyYvYZB53xPo9YKywK_-n3THT4ggVYMXAr3h8RF92-nfuy9CfVHKOMyCmZ1ufimsuyJSbiJ_vgXrAFUiJJd4MLuOOXrXV9k0OUeuSv-3IyBbIUu52YWAa8YS4KgmDBJQ/s5472/P1032216.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziyrtFcKNMlPMtdzf56r4LMNyiL1jARs1i5BL5CqDHcMvcIAZeZ-KDWZ_FyYvYZB53xPo9YKywK_-n3THT4ggVYMXAr3h8RF92-nfuy9CfVHKOMyCmZ1ufimsuyJSbiJ_vgXrAFUiJJd4MLuOOXrXV9k0OUeuSv-3IyBbIUu52YWAa8YS4KgmDBJQ/s320/P1032216.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWGkP2OYjBnTYb1VLnA8hrWIomLQuiZmJ9jFN-Avqiv9EaP1q4fPDa5Gp1eJmFOJR_idKAnNz14BM9F5KbPxgtzw1iLDsSfWxc63z7XSpVlzO6627jTUfN46k_TFMC04Wo16YrVuf1xM80raUwpItyvV9yCavXgTJpdrrDvU7KlHfuBd4lLyOpOW1/s5472/P1032220.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWGkP2OYjBnTYb1VLnA8hrWIomLQuiZmJ9jFN-Avqiv9EaP1q4fPDa5Gp1eJmFOJR_idKAnNz14BM9F5KbPxgtzw1iLDsSfWxc63z7XSpVlzO6627jTUfN46k_TFMC04Wo16YrVuf1xM80raUwpItyvV9yCavXgTJpdrrDvU7KlHfuBd4lLyOpOW1/s320/P1032220.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Two of the beautiful views through Keystone Canyon along the Richardson Highway.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrovDyC1Bdx7s0y_p9u08YW9V4lfgcQ7zSq3paOGb554-ZzO8Rss7qQ_FX3RhYalht59dMQClXJuB6VNXcwWumSskAeTEP9Bfw8cZGWQ_YUpZMZOpvgMzV0lEE5aoIin4x1PJUk922eAfj813S5MHhD7KZf0ZBeBP1q8Qjmc1RNuJh_2hgh7WFkHN4/s5472/P1032225.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrovDyC1Bdx7s0y_p9u08YW9V4lfgcQ7zSq3paOGb554-ZzO8Rss7qQ_FX3RhYalht59dMQClXJuB6VNXcwWumSskAeTEP9Bfw8cZGWQ_YUpZMZOpvgMzV0lEE5aoIin4x1PJUk922eAfj813S5MHhD7KZf0ZBeBP1q8Qjmc1RNuJh_2hgh7WFkHN4/s320/P1032225.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So this is interesting. This is a tunnel that was hand-cut into the solid rock of Keystone Canyon in anticipation of the railroad coming through. Nine companies were arguing over the rights to the shortest route from the coast to the copper mines at Kennicott. A feud erupted and a gunfight ensued among the workers, interrupting the project. It was ultimately never completed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmB_gUtmMAwmGrM5YkBaZ8Gh0jDZS8SwxnUgePbqnRpXbpELN9s3aDvMdHvT0I5TaT8lSVhoTxlGl6bf3TZwALIxVdAlP7TrVrzmqouJHPYYyC3Ju-bOpr3TASu2dSBmdm-ntRpSPaEBCdJF4qKiacoM3DnWledXft38nT7RFeAy4ba1NG28VpOO_3/s5472/P1032233.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmB_gUtmMAwmGrM5YkBaZ8Gh0jDZS8SwxnUgePbqnRpXbpELN9s3aDvMdHvT0I5TaT8lSVhoTxlGl6bf3TZwALIxVdAlP7TrVrzmqouJHPYYyC3Ju-bOpr3TASu2dSBmdm-ntRpSPaEBCdJF4qKiacoM3DnWledXft38nT7RFeAy4ba1NG28VpOO_3/s320/P1032233.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bridal Veil Falls</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8xtvsIg7BXM3XWDhenzv8g2r0EzgZ3C0jZFmP_NfcOj4Akn2rsjs6jNJpRiM4BZc8mxfeD_G3V7IKu9Tn1CSP1DWPBDSlCmqf9qpivCEukZMPh0niS_Ow92pKrrRy0bkwSSeRnihy2iXuz-Nr1N20qZwUQkluW7hhJzYfbSDhp4gpRxhcJZOJf-r/s5472/P1032241.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8xtvsIg7BXM3XWDhenzv8g2r0EzgZ3C0jZFmP_NfcOj4Akn2rsjs6jNJpRiM4BZc8mxfeD_G3V7IKu9Tn1CSP1DWPBDSlCmqf9qpivCEukZMPh0niS_Ow92pKrrRy0bkwSSeRnihy2iXuz-Nr1N20qZwUQkluW7hhJzYfbSDhp4gpRxhcJZOJf-r/s320/P1032241.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Horsetail Falls</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">The next blog will continue with the last two days in Valdez and the trip continuing on to Palmer, Alaska. </div></div><p></p>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-29475061051346975492022-06-19T12:01:00.001-04:002022-06-19T12:56:11.630-04:00Headed North Once Again<p> June 11- June 18</p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort St. John, BC, to Tok, Alaska<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Upon repairs being completed, we left Fort St. John and headed north to rendezvous with our traveling companions who had continued on
slowly. We moved a bit more quickly through the Alaska Highway than we had
planned, but we will get back on schedule for the prime attractions and
reservations in Alaska. Once again, we are so grateful for the hard work of the
repair shop workers to get us back on our trip. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Day One: Fort St. John to Fort Nelson: Straightforward
simple driving day. 240 miles, which is on the longer side for this particular
trip and highway. But the roads were fine except for one short section at the
bottom of Pink Mountain where there were some bumps that you need caution with.
We were hypervigilant to any noises coming from the back, but all was fine.
Everything was still where it was supposed to be. Yay!</p><p class="MsoNormal">Day Two: Fort Nelson to Muncho Lake: The highway is getting
dicier as we are now progressing through the Canadian Rockies for the next 200
miles. We had a shorter drive planned as there is construction going on in this
section. A few grades up 6-9 percent and winding roads made concentrating on
the highway a must. We stopped for the night at Muncho Lake, a stunningly
beautiful lake known for its deep green and blue waters. We were definitely in
a remote area with no cell service. The lodge/campground advertised a Wi-Fi
hotspot, but it wasn’t worth diddly-squat. I was also not happy with the site
we were initially given – it involved backing down the road and trying to back
in the site between several trees. If the lake had not been much higher than
normal due to flooding up here, like in the States, we could have done it. As
it involved making a swing that would have submerged the truck into the lake,
we declined to take this site and asked for somewhere else. Thankfully, we were
accommodated with a different site and given a discount as compensation. Diesel
fuel here was $2.56/liter, but we did get a 20-cent/liter discount for staying
there. But it has been the highest we’ve paid so far. If anyone reading this is
contemplating doing this trip, continue on a little bit longer and stay at Coal
River Lodge & RV Park.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPn6QCM3gNwwN7vCO1LG09KvJYNoM6Dk_5SGzIsD1dz3qJ6xHkRaonY511rNdxKdGPbqZIvNNbnZxljucsh9hbkj43vLPIqMjWlHkKljNrHlBliBOW2iG2oLr_ZnPkXhNc0A98RWDTU_c0mk4t4CGC8oH4gLzdRvq-f80tQMMss-Q5WVBSQzxa02C/s4496/DSC_0027.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPn6QCM3gNwwN7vCO1LG09KvJYNoM6Dk_5SGzIsD1dz3qJ6xHkRaonY511rNdxKdGPbqZIvNNbnZxljucsh9hbkj43vLPIqMjWlHkKljNrHlBliBOW2iG2oLr_ZnPkXhNc0A98RWDTU_c0mk4t4CGC8oH4gLzdRvq-f80tQMMss-Q5WVBSQzxa02C/s320/DSC_0027.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-4qPl6NwYX3gB22PmnLF_dTeRMNndmDYCBgbffGKbXgVAlfmfEXN4-mU47ECzZc9Kt_4yQQVHmSIcQ8bwJGg9N9o9rI9aNxMRMg1rXSdlXrIfRJqNYOUO1B4z-aadYxn9OnXQAp58CCATHvHcsOP4pIjuxjCe-qvjHghCnUvsBGzmfLS6yR6J7yS/s4496/DSC_0031.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnx8XJTf_4M8RyiMbHueQF5DU1ObCNPk4SuJ6ieM1IS0Iv5mMlrP8Pgar7yXpsm2H8YcdUK2hWn9DXxAf1tbGWA_ra4X2m0b6Y8VD0hg-MVU4I6U1eyCRR7KO_AvgeNH4_-FvyX_j3B7qvu-fTv2NWZ6shbsL4eIvwEoqc-8yzqmlmoBBbFK1QIPWK/s320/DSC_0085.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal">Day Three: Muncho Lake to Watson Lake: Another shorter day,
but quite a bit of construction and gravel areas. Also drizzly rain all day.
The only attraction we saw was the Sign Post Forest. I had wanted to visit the
Northern Lights Center, the only planetarium in North America featuring the
myth and science of aurora borealis. Unfortunately, I had been told their
projector broke a couple years ago and they have not been able to get it
fixed/replaced yet. So we skipped that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNSEGrF5oVUVE7IiX4uHFU5DzQ4TqqYnlyJlfYgn81Q9cd0HlDVYF0chVOvEs4aR-Dcz5aeKj3ljBODHX_kPJHXNHHdlcxnWWfSEo1-CCc1N5IQ2-l_kR4Bu802RcJ2nBVV_9K9-X2KUZaHZJRMDMjG8uuiAI4zuXTkgJi-KhuFH6ya3U2--u0BNx/s4496/DSC_0091.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNSEGrF5oVUVE7IiX4uHFU5DzQ4TqqYnlyJlfYgn81Q9cd0HlDVYF0chVOvEs4aR-Dcz5aeKj3ljBODHX_kPJHXNHHdlcxnWWfSEo1-CCc1N5IQ2-l_kR4Bu802RcJ2nBVV_9K9-X2KUZaHZJRMDMjG8uuiAI4zuXTkgJi-KhuFH6ya3U2--u0BNx/s320/DSC_0091.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhZWcwa0b6_bWpLDZNzJ3QbFeSAA0qTnMecj9xfmUASD5lgWI1sOmITtB1XO889uCxHuUdqMvB4CjtjlLjn16_Lphsq5dmlAnrsHDJY90XwShTQcDZoNmlJa1nx-c5G3O2uEN3FLi3jmpiXG2xzhyx3LJ_4OOKNfxsZi2I8h78vPMn6bwKX_Q10I7/s4496/DSC_0092.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhZWcwa0b6_bWpLDZNzJ3QbFeSAA0qTnMecj9xfmUASD5lgWI1sOmITtB1XO889uCxHuUdqMvB4CjtjlLjn16_Lphsq5dmlAnrsHDJY90XwShTQcDZoNmlJa1nx-c5G3O2uEN3FLi3jmpiXG2xzhyx3LJ_4OOKNfxsZi2I8h78vPMn6bwKX_Q10I7/s320/DSC_0092.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Muncho Lake is beautiful; I just didn't care for the campground.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIr1DqUFG7U8YFKPeaoJ39GANrApZji6CwCOeu_ojDf4MRe7Wt7hCogMLXAR9urA9OXYO86adKK5TkuI4Dpx06c_qwhroWgs41WiqzqTJ-RDN4sGoQ0KJqX4wPvab0mKKa7LzuU3oItDVVv0ZBFI6Qw9bU-z8uAuaRTUSh5bHna8ZxsH-EfT4L24R/s4496/DSC_0097.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIr1DqUFG7U8YFKPeaoJ39GANrApZji6CwCOeu_ojDf4MRe7Wt7hCogMLXAR9urA9OXYO86adKK5TkuI4Dpx06c_qwhroWgs41WiqzqTJ-RDN4sGoQ0KJqX4wPvab0mKKa7LzuU3oItDVVv0ZBFI6Qw9bU-z8uAuaRTUSh5bHna8ZxsH-EfT4L24R/s320/DSC_0097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYqmIVPlZcK06GzZoTodIWZ_SOnmKhGEry5HMtTQCLYwUVlYwta1jVx1MfIpq2Vc2VXCg0gDPeOg1AY9cFZ6fI6aT-olVdXQvvMCDZ7wa6ILJ44gI9ZHSotB-TD4LRju-iSvf2ekBqEi-vm4HFe4hM1rzapgFYK2nIvmpL4q2OK6s1faTt-vJ3Egt/s4496/DSC_0108.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYqmIVPlZcK06GzZoTodIWZ_SOnmKhGEry5HMtTQCLYwUVlYwta1jVx1MfIpq2Vc2VXCg0gDPeOg1AY9cFZ6fI6aT-olVdXQvvMCDZ7wa6ILJ44gI9ZHSotB-TD4LRju-iSvf2ekBqEi-vm4HFe4hM1rzapgFYK2nIvmpL4q2OK6s1faTt-vJ3Egt/s320/DSC_0108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-DYbO8WVRzPuAXJ2SfUtLuB9J1O8x-C392yoiqjr0jj9sUP0VQ2IHsorX_7vKEJfp5I-UmeYbOb-9Zb_KxqPK8sBojUySLAo6X_dgBSKTJyjiN0HdZSnnENhFMw-LG61szuKwAJtOvp2wYP5dOpkAJdCWr_Yj-U_hGzq-DzWKVzj6ARgro5sTtnr/s4496/DSC_0111.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-DYbO8WVRzPuAXJ2SfUtLuB9J1O8x-C392yoiqjr0jj9sUP0VQ2IHsorX_7vKEJfp5I-UmeYbOb-9Zb_KxqPK8sBojUySLAo6X_dgBSKTJyjiN0HdZSnnENhFMw-LG61szuKwAJtOvp2wYP5dOpkAJdCWr_Yj-U_hGzq-DzWKVzj6ARgro5sTtnr/s320/DSC_0111.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GTf6Gl8DLAweW9P6sRF-5dJG2Aft9uAM-QFGEqcgPi9wVgJNFFt3a-CvYYb0CsXPfixJ7Sr7elQeot2q9adWEpmTrGg_ngPK-QuxyRzQzwCUtNzJD0RgNJjdO2_prZWGLh4R7etOYOT6qo-gXJvPJNGrq_8f2W2lbWl3MyhLyCpoTvNp58le5FLl/s5472/P1031993.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GTf6Gl8DLAweW9P6sRF-5dJG2Aft9uAM-QFGEqcgPi9wVgJNFFt3a-CvYYb0CsXPfixJ7Sr7elQeot2q9adWEpmTrGg_ngPK-QuxyRzQzwCUtNzJD0RgNJjdO2_prZWGLh4R7etOYOT6qo-gXJvPJNGrq_8f2W2lbWl3MyhLyCpoTvNp58le5FLl/s320/P1031993.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">The Watson Lake Sign Post Forest was a short walk from our
campground. Being that it is light until well after 11 p.m., we waited out the
rain and took an after-dinner walk over to the attraction. The Sign Post Forest
was started in 1942 by a homesick soldier working on the Alaska Highway. Carl
Lindley was a U.S. Army soldier in Company D, 341<sup>st</sup> Engineers. He
left a small sign tacked to a tree with his hometown of Danville, Illinois.
Since then travelers have continuously added their signs in all forms to the
forest. In 2013 the Sign Post Forest was designated a Yukon Historic Site.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXa4m6CMwJtP5PPqMz3igywU-7MqkU5syMC5cMYYA3ezw5ksJLL4u333ly3-24BXm-_c_d58NCmEYa2HGt8CktXy70TJw28lRyKfCR5z-gXoZ1nm7ctx1kQ900ilN5xSbl9P6PdE5bqDWav56VDd5K9X9hhGhd365XO-skFpsQ1DPgxJsatJe2rCN/s4032/0DF15983-026E-4AF4-9451-C2D34F42E2F3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXa4m6CMwJtP5PPqMz3igywU-7MqkU5syMC5cMYYA3ezw5ksJLL4u333ly3-24BXm-_c_d58NCmEYa2HGt8CktXy70TJw28lRyKfCR5z-gXoZ1nm7ctx1kQ900ilN5xSbl9P6PdE5bqDWav56VDd5K9X9hhGhd365XO-skFpsQ1DPgxJsatJe2rCN/s320/0DF15983-026E-4AF4-9451-C2D34F42E2F3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NC9Lnoy5bwvyGTjqoJ-d2nNNNzCqGof4W3RV3t1U4MO8k9JouoGZmg4e95KX_LWFO3ceHMlYLMctVVEHZrGP2ZkwyhiIOTjIT6QZT5Oz0TL9L3DCZ8H-r2oThNcx9JC_wUepL2cL7RivOP1BHkFcBU5VRVRT1miqBJmSW2eMP-ZMWdnENmNmh0yL/s4032/9F31C275-9488-48D9-9A9C-72E52D75516E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NC9Lnoy5bwvyGTjqoJ-d2nNNNzCqGof4W3RV3t1U4MO8k9JouoGZmg4e95KX_LWFO3ceHMlYLMctVVEHZrGP2ZkwyhiIOTjIT6QZT5Oz0TL9L3DCZ8H-r2oThNcx9JC_wUepL2cL7RivOP1BHkFcBU5VRVRT1miqBJmSW2eMP-ZMWdnENmNmh0yL/s320/9F31C275-9488-48D9-9A9C-72E52D75516E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9s-a3D49HuPoyJzDKcKdy4brXEWC2sPpMl7KJp_FKlDDGOAvWAfn-voS2AhfC4tEb-kKURU2e890cs2BjajffiRhggezWF0PR1LUFVgfZhAJ5U8zEX3YgfjfMBePLCtGZTA_Cm7XKtTHUs38xisdDLPEmMIuoaBNlcxxu_HrcV_UU5_uJPwEJWErJ/s4032/86B1C6F2-1625-4DB1-8B24-F4C0725FC4A5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9s-a3D49HuPoyJzDKcKdy4brXEWC2sPpMl7KJp_FKlDDGOAvWAfn-voS2AhfC4tEb-kKURU2e890cs2BjajffiRhggezWF0PR1LUFVgfZhAJ5U8zEX3YgfjfMBePLCtGZTA_Cm7XKtTHUs38xisdDLPEmMIuoaBNlcxxu_HrcV_UU5_uJPwEJWErJ/s320/86B1C6F2-1625-4DB1-8B24-F4C0725FC4A5.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Day Four: Watson Lake to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. We
made it! We are once again reunited with our traveling companions Dan and
Jonell. Back on schedule! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOYsVPeWI9RuS4vWrSj6phc1cz6gPErXvEjBEx_TIT6sd0wnhVbGTWw7ZrkPW3sAej9wL69KAe0mnhNZG9vhxZIkalg6ub8kRmbSv427cTT5FWazk3PAG8zGtNQUWEVTuaVcpN2NrdoJe2WtPe5juuZPqhwfH_3xjRsLqHhb_tsiGnlfafCDUoEOI/s4496/DSC_0140.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOYsVPeWI9RuS4vWrSj6phc1cz6gPErXvEjBEx_TIT6sd0wnhVbGTWw7ZrkPW3sAej9wL69KAe0mnhNZG9vhxZIkalg6ub8kRmbSv427cTT5FWazk3PAG8zGtNQUWEVTuaVcpN2NrdoJe2WtPe5juuZPqhwfH_3xjRsLqHhb_tsiGnlfafCDUoEOI/s320/DSC_0140.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhJF1ufyMaydADcCq-NHFJY-YwzPJNkzUTuFAYNew3YPEfMKec_vB2KAhusEwWzFmTfYM471vmgAr27zPW6pu548taBj8dq78QN64-daU6jRuJ-mN6x292u0-ygVBJdpMCTZJ4-m5uz_1pgApWY9hXIN87AW-aWFs8UQYyOcTZ5PllpYyt5FQFU5m/s4496/DSC_0139.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhJF1ufyMaydADcCq-NHFJY-YwzPJNkzUTuFAYNew3YPEfMKec_vB2KAhusEwWzFmTfYM471vmgAr27zPW6pu548taBj8dq78QN64-daU6jRuJ-mN6x292u0-ygVBJdpMCTZJ4-m5uz_1pgApWY9hXIN87AW-aWFs8UQYyOcTZ5PllpYyt5FQFU5m/s320/DSC_0139.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwdIzqz6fdXIftt6m-5LnyLh_LYRBgD9mEq2Jw6C_wQ3xVuFQEu1MMRHcPPkLLjvkyN_dQ2dldy_C01KeVJnZeb1klJ1FxxzJzk_0WcsixekhJ1EhGg5X_2M70vLVor1snpkVFgp8MT4La7XppqpCJSMBtwY4p8hlDxLLKXPs9RaOyoFbHJC6OH0e/s2973/DSC_0137%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1983" data-original-width="2973" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwdIzqz6fdXIftt6m-5LnyLh_LYRBgD9mEq2Jw6C_wQ3xVuFQEu1MMRHcPPkLLjvkyN_dQ2dldy_C01KeVJnZeb1klJ1FxxzJzk_0WcsixekhJ1EhGg5X_2M70vLVor1snpkVFgp8MT4La7XppqpCJSMBtwY4p8hlDxLLKXPs9RaOyoFbHJC6OH0e/s320/DSC_0137%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnh3HogzLk-7-HWT8Olevo58UA1M-KzVRCnYRrKWHVU9x_8v0shg4uxCR_lRbX-BUG1aBMWj7FLeNLzCIfcHqpDL3xnf00V15xkYTENDd-Bsj7a1HIK9iCjQL2dcO9E9lT68vDXE_mhXN8O6a6cdmoLGIeVTWe6E-DAgbUdbjRaDKnQLvhqELekCYa/s3518/DSC_0121%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2347" data-original-width="3518" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnh3HogzLk-7-HWT8Olevo58UA1M-KzVRCnYRrKWHVU9x_8v0shg4uxCR_lRbX-BUG1aBMWj7FLeNLzCIfcHqpDL3xnf00V15xkYTENDd-Bsj7a1HIK9iCjQL2dcO9E9lT68vDXE_mhXN8O6a6cdmoLGIeVTWe6E-DAgbUdbjRaDKnQLvhqELekCYa/s320/DSC_0121%20(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDP_73W-lUTPi4BT-HTnxgKxo0TfbqegrrbVAdem9qReGA4IDno1YSB1IXqwAInu9c-UL75EcFjrZSI_IhCzWVDhibzP3cG1JATHosB1v1A906hkv_pZJFy1lIlkr_mTgfHlio85dqZuuQW8hNAXRU8iS97-xDSYDpuTeXgv8r9U6ZFF3cAXj121h/s4496/DSC_0120.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDP_73W-lUTPi4BT-HTnxgKxo0TfbqegrrbVAdem9qReGA4IDno1YSB1IXqwAInu9c-UL75EcFjrZSI_IhCzWVDhibzP3cG1JATHosB1v1A906hkv_pZJFy1lIlkr_mTgfHlio85dqZuuQW8hNAXRU8iS97-xDSYDpuTeXgv8r9U6ZFF3cAXj121h/s320/DSC_0120.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwrFtcuqOlzQ63LfTl3zgwRnEosVSPBfhTjKoilij7jPI_mj98Ez0VCcnoajNod6Bxt4YITcL31weyk9xcHUeJO5sj5zkeAgDOlbyrViYSdr9MDMz7pxDMQLoEcq63lEw4UIPr-pWLmsbBOw0GzdIFc9BFNzg9DcRpJ7rxpcjParHrwze-Ygo6xQB/s4496/DSC_0119.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwrFtcuqOlzQ63LfTl3zgwRnEosVSPBfhTjKoilij7jPI_mj98Ez0VCcnoajNod6Bxt4YITcL31weyk9xcHUeJO5sj5zkeAgDOlbyrViYSdr9MDMz7pxDMQLoEcq63lEw4UIPr-pWLmsbBOw0GzdIFc9BFNzg9DcRpJ7rxpcjParHrwze-Ygo6xQB/s320/DSC_0119.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Day Five: Sightseeing in Whitehorse.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Yukon Transportation Museum was very interesting. In front of the museum is the world’s largest weathervane, and actual Douglas DC-3 airplane. The vintage plane started life as a C-47 built in 1942 and flew transport missions in Asia during WWII. It was converted to civilian use after the war as a DC-3 for several different Canadian passenger airlines until 1970. After blowing an engine upon takeoff, it was decommissioned, stripped for parts, and parked at the Whitehorse airport. It was donated to the Yukon Flying Club where it was restored, mounted on a rotating pedestal in 1981, and is now a weathervane, its nose always pointing into the wind.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJWsF1krwfqW_1C4fHJW6bL1iqfCCNlr3KLGEPe3GDSjA2KSPYH59OQpNa95BVU6Ly1Ch-6im72pJTBg43X2JIujIK3HEGjyqXfUJVQ91siDSZ_tNhQmY7OQUCqbrvfe3KLDrOvnU_f4fVwAXvkt-EamXbtl-JW1u_zOvMRnfqxZ_VSFA1n5RJIMw/s5472/P1031948.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJWsF1krwfqW_1C4fHJW6bL1iqfCCNlr3KLGEPe3GDSjA2KSPYH59OQpNa95BVU6Ly1Ch-6im72pJTBg43X2JIujIK3HEGjyqXfUJVQ91siDSZ_tNhQmY7OQUCqbrvfe3KLDrOvnU_f4fVwAXvkt-EamXbtl-JW1u_zOvMRnfqxZ_VSFA1n5RJIMw/s320/P1031948.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The museum itself features exhibits of all forms of transportation through the history of the Yukon Territory. Displays include the full-size replica of the Queen of the Yukon Ryan monoplane, sister to Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis; railway rolling stock; Alaska Highway vintage vehicles; dogsleds, and stagecoaches. A very interesting story of survivors of a small plane crash is a feature that was amazing to read. You can read that story <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/helen-klaben-u-s-woman-who-survived-plane-crash-and-spent-49-days-stranded-in-yukon-dies-aged-76#:~:text=When%20Ralph%20Flores%20crashed%20his%20single-engine%20plane%20in,the%20map%20she%E2%80%99d%20been%20holding%20in%20her%20lap.">here.</a></p><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLALucAAtFlECnQmPpU_iXpp6OcOe7enOGkTFuaeaTzetXT2Qzmm-adwTwvECzMNUlT1VVIV2uT6YopBev_9WMy7RemN7IWJ0Dd_kC4_Cr_RPkjAVKjEDmHhRfq3DNORtwGFRhXvSfwZ6jN5edHClgXblpTt-ezX2lhEGBurZvaeCkxq4tRnrr9o_/s5472/P1031949.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLALucAAtFlECnQmPpU_iXpp6OcOe7enOGkTFuaeaTzetXT2Qzmm-adwTwvECzMNUlT1VVIV2uT6YopBev_9WMy7RemN7IWJ0Dd_kC4_Cr_RPkjAVKjEDmHhRfq3DNORtwGFRhXvSfwZ6jN5edHClgXblpTt-ezX2lhEGBurZvaeCkxq4tRnrr9o_/s320/P1031949.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoT7IbdGnL2HpwfTjTg5RI6VCFD1n4sGWP5lGjsDhqIe1z5WO-E3x7TdNeWAtTqfnwDsljeFcGwfoUOkVKbOrpOr8K02_afGksoArEJ-nl_OBgDYzjh-LzGomlLX22dWFuHCNt7cZDXqd3I5uqHkSbrxkcQQwpKUpWuZ2hPpnN_Ccu2cBKgDzXyCe/s5472/P1031964.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoT7IbdGnL2HpwfTjTg5RI6VCFD1n4sGWP5lGjsDhqIe1z5WO-E3x7TdNeWAtTqfnwDsljeFcGwfoUOkVKbOrpOr8K02_afGksoArEJ-nl_OBgDYzjh-LzGomlLX22dWFuHCNt7cZDXqd3I5uqHkSbrxkcQQwpKUpWuZ2hPpnN_Ccu2cBKgDzXyCe/s320/P1031964.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcnXz6y3dVHoZ7JS_tk4S2Zu6E_4piA-E7T4VG0bPL1ypRvvEmoXGu_GIwJfoO5fgmcVK5U81Y3-22vNbgkerFQrCWzAgSrkKangZp1vWctFV5xCQZMmMtuQmOY_Dg2zgQu89bJPDT3FFKrXA12ZvOixHw3EVKVa-Kr9uLRgM2orTZCh1gBi84nED/s5472/P1031966.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcnXz6y3dVHoZ7JS_tk4S2Zu6E_4piA-E7T4VG0bPL1ypRvvEmoXGu_GIwJfoO5fgmcVK5U81Y3-22vNbgkerFQrCWzAgSrkKangZp1vWctFV5xCQZMmMtuQmOY_Dg2zgQu89bJPDT3FFKrXA12ZvOixHw3EVKVa-Kr9uLRgM2orTZCh1gBi84nED/s320/P1031966.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Yukon Beringia Interpretive Center traces the Ice Age in northern and central Yukon, which, unlike the rest of Canada, was ice-free. The Blue Fish Caves near Old Crow reputedly hold the earliest evidence of humans in North America. Displays at the Center present the science and myth of the Ice Age subcontinent of Beringia, inhabited by extinct species such as woolly mammoths and giant short-faced bears, not to mention giant beavers – for real! – that stood over 6 feet tall. There is an 18-minute video presentation that is very interesting, a short, guided tour explaining some of the exhibits in the museum, and then a hands-on demonstration of throwing the atlatl, a spear used for hunting.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0tly1CJZ4nNhkzUvIcWbRxSySHFnGKb736FYWpFM73kM2xxOHUtR-fwW8biH2ecYjrjbbk67VYPdHKfwKqyCqA6g3rpJDHyDfbS4ca2uVGUXiHZIikVY3aAEkltmq8cTbDrccvrLZAMBZ2yysCN2scwaMI9niPhOmiXY3QZpfyfkOgISl4uYiclv/s5472/P1031969.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0tly1CJZ4nNhkzUvIcWbRxSySHFnGKb736FYWpFM73kM2xxOHUtR-fwW8biH2ecYjrjbbk67VYPdHKfwKqyCqA6g3rpJDHyDfbS4ca2uVGUXiHZIikVY3aAEkltmq8cTbDrccvrLZAMBZ2yysCN2scwaMI9niPhOmiXY3QZpfyfkOgISl4uYiclv/s320/P1031969.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIfJYk63cA1JpMuOd6m7TeGU0shCtRg8Ci2j7DOSyffSW_kH26OGaKZZUwJL5vdNCrPdAYAbmOcbtaXjqBmpadj9xc2wX6yBADwLg2Bz-VEVC-7A__udVOxljuEmZ92Md8JYXfSESO-O79tD43ShwrE2EVIiHQRuxAajeBNnslN9ETE1tJSq1PQDH/s5472/P1031970.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIfJYk63cA1JpMuOd6m7TeGU0shCtRg8Ci2j7DOSyffSW_kH26OGaKZZUwJL5vdNCrPdAYAbmOcbtaXjqBmpadj9xc2wX6yBADwLg2Bz-VEVC-7A__udVOxljuEmZ92Md8JYXfSESO-O79tD43ShwrE2EVIiHQRuxAajeBNnslN9ETE1tJSq1PQDH/s320/P1031970.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pxxmHTWwSzZGv6SsiDUftK-GVv2s2gwlAbQgQgDIkf7g2wKfZlm9AmItCNT59hBEtpsTr4ycFavPdQnnQCs4cNwDQd-S8vsJgXOm_Yb0JBavwius_s-odx7eullxo-3n8LYeYtrZa4Owp8IhFA_E3YMWPo34jbZYRKF4EKMTdr-tYOxdiie1ZBG5/s5472/P1031971.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqdX83NaGiX0J6lEQhReBp5zaBkb-cHlqzUuYb4WeeES66rpCxg26aUtj7iWxALxhDrQm1MPGdPppdzW3-ac0H_JyEiRwfRG9pzVjLpyEIfDV332powV3lvBKInbGoAuVPgO3zpr7zEj6aZxPklNtbl8V0DB1pyzFOpfKwfXrFsAkSy1YeqAUJS25/s5472/P1031973.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqdX83NaGiX0J6lEQhReBp5zaBkb-cHlqzUuYb4WeeES66rpCxg26aUtj7iWxALxhDrQm1MPGdPppdzW3-ac0H_JyEiRwfRG9pzVjLpyEIfDV332powV3lvBKInbGoAuVPgO3zpr7zEj6aZxPklNtbl8V0DB1pyzFOpfKwfXrFsAkSy1YeqAUJS25/s320/P1031973.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">SS <i>Klondike</i></b><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;"> was the name of two </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddle_steamer" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0645ad; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Paddle steamer">sternwheelers</a><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">, the second now a national historic site located in </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitehorse,_Yukon" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0645ad; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Whitehorse, Yukon">Whitehorse</a><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukon" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0645ad; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Yukon">Yukon</a><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">, Canada. They ran freight between Whitehorse and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawson_City" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0645ad; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Dawson City">Dawson City</a><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;"> along the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukon_River" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0645ad; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Yukon River">Yukon River</a><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">, the first from 1929 to 1936 and the second, an almost exact replica of the first, from 1937 to 1950.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLezTlWaUFHJ8D_VxDjb1GdDmOv_azEKnjSTJXv-arulOz7ii2_lvaJ9UbL_bu-DuqOag7VlRV196hhoLvOCpeYfYET0StnJ639kZGtCCI6a9s2NNUdXmHFabGbD9kPamX5yCusTwGs1nsOCpZKukefpggwmVidHvKUF3dr4Qz_iS9Y575AuFddZAk/s5472/P1031976.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLezTlWaUFHJ8D_VxDjb1GdDmOv_azEKnjSTJXv-arulOz7ii2_lvaJ9UbL_bu-DuqOag7VlRV196hhoLvOCpeYfYET0StnJ639kZGtCCI6a9s2NNUdXmHFabGbD9kPamX5yCusTwGs1nsOCpZKukefpggwmVidHvKUF3dr4Qz_iS9Y575AuFddZAk/s320/P1031976.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCWX6XoNSdFriJBH1OCh0hR8gRTvMi92DSTB-OXeouCPpMGA-d0FtPJiVkkYnRiJ1tvycE_CKbZBUaaFgccEk8lSHSJwwvVL2C5m2kJhHmTeSmSJNlluLP0vGRh_P8UweYVaZyKLCgcgVkiTz1vWvSIA4Ma0aZYb9JNqgOgY9VpZV5jGvoJ0y5YtX/s5472/P1031978.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCWX6XoNSdFriJBH1OCh0hR8gRTvMi92DSTB-OXeouCPpMGA-d0FtPJiVkkYnRiJ1tvycE_CKbZBUaaFgccEk8lSHSJwwvVL2C5m2kJhHmTeSmSJNlluLP0vGRh_P8UweYVaZyKLCgcgVkiTz1vWvSIA4Ma0aZYb9JNqgOgY9VpZV5jGvoJ0y5YtX/s320/P1031978.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lBOb5rFC3umvBe3qNYUZdxak4f5HLUanvrn53_0Ursh00F8Xws_5Fnt0T4nrlaHQr9gKLktCnZ2bclHKm5URDWkioiytjLkX1Cs41XR6l4HbS68CmI9sCH-ZY__XBQtCLjd-Hr_-5DPZR8p9CwPaTNCHT1GCXVBOEuDAyi5YjmXUa2OfdLu1tVSD/s5472/P1031980.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lBOb5rFC3umvBe3qNYUZdxak4f5HLUanvrn53_0Ursh00F8Xws_5Fnt0T4nrlaHQr9gKLktCnZ2bclHKm5URDWkioiytjLkX1Cs41XR6l4HbS68CmI9sCH-ZY__XBQtCLjd-Hr_-5DPZR8p9CwPaTNCHT1GCXVBOEuDAyi5YjmXUa2OfdLu1tVSD/s320/P1031980.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The giant mountie, another roadside photo op of unusual things!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Miles Canyon, located on the Yukon River 2 miles south of Whitehorse, was a challenge for miners and stampeders on their way up the Yukon to the gold fields. The narrow channel through the canyon was followed by even more daunting rapids The rapids were eliminated in 1959 by the construction of the hydroelectric power plant and dam on the Yukon River.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6hn-0Yvf2wcDQ9XkNJiedzIdmOLGo7L-Vp6Z8B3us98muL1p3ZxQV_ed7k-Evk-VbsPTkUYr6_aXc1gHkFUba3-GJGFI2dI1FcvjY1FVeKdoAo4U3OJUunp1kVTXjFtlBpBTyp4GWHLMOHzY00nUjhykHvfo9Uj7zMXJZ_akfCmDHCL5uqqOw0E_/s5472/P1031981.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6hn-0Yvf2wcDQ9XkNJiedzIdmOLGo7L-Vp6Z8B3us98muL1p3ZxQV_ed7k-Evk-VbsPTkUYr6_aXc1gHkFUba3-GJGFI2dI1FcvjY1FVeKdoAo4U3OJUunp1kVTXjFtlBpBTyp4GWHLMOHzY00nUjhykHvfo9Uj7zMXJZ_akfCmDHCL5uqqOw0E_/s320/P1031981.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo92J4DSt-RZ7gl4cngWXKbZL98EzQDYex6oB4LOTEF5ybR1hMvpL3kIuXSvVBdIwmxfXMcrh4lVxYcMtCK8uuBlYTsdxhiIH8vq4YATgLBgFW_voNrHV1r1UBLBWm8G2bm3V1QTmi0NGBCqsTp2O5EzPHhiX7NeCRkMSXWZflEgA4JpzwHo4C0yrf/s5472/P1031982.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo92J4DSt-RZ7gl4cngWXKbZL98EzQDYex6oB4LOTEF5ybR1hMvpL3kIuXSvVBdIwmxfXMcrh4lVxYcMtCK8uuBlYTsdxhiIH8vq4YATgLBgFW_voNrHV1r1UBLBWm8G2bm3V1QTmi0NGBCqsTp2O5EzPHhiX7NeCRkMSXWZflEgA4JpzwHo4C0yrf/s320/P1031982.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtxzSTTgL3g0XWXBqwQofZMJtmfLkTgJlehKmWtOl_JJ68TIhqCtOf8OXIfnEIdwbofiKq1Yv_cQmIJ3xh-kygAnoq5I_qfhyudzSt66WBx21divcmJK68pPWv1UsIGWIEw3DNRyPhkO74pf4cWN_mnAZXNxpJXS7wwaJo9vAec3f0oJqeXKdLiY3/s5472/P1031983.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtxzSTTgL3g0XWXBqwQofZMJtmfLkTgJlehKmWtOl_JJ68TIhqCtOf8OXIfnEIdwbofiKq1Yv_cQmIJ3xh-kygAnoq5I_qfhyudzSt66WBx21divcmJK68pPWv1UsIGWIEw3DNRyPhkO74pf4cWN_mnAZXNxpJXS7wwaJo9vAec3f0oJqeXKdLiY3/s320/P1031983.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrWxgx6ds1UCVpdqifqJEtN4KLWaBBlInz2bIermUfabtaP75YLXJeSaRi7HEzeHoCLVlLpsqYUJu77zjswSu67Zbvo4SvKKJIpz4Hlp8kZwR54XAMhadImvdOUvyGwdgPuabbQ28k9g5BO_iv6GoXIU_xq3yGM48T_zg7MzKA-s9kmnjOeBsRzIy/s5472/P1031984.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrWxgx6ds1UCVpdqifqJEtN4KLWaBBlInz2bIermUfabtaP75YLXJeSaRi7HEzeHoCLVlLpsqYUJu77zjswSu67Zbvo4SvKKJIpz4Hlp8kZwR54XAMhadImvdOUvyGwdgPuabbQ28k9g5BO_iv6GoXIU_xq3yGM48T_zg7MzKA-s9kmnjOeBsRzIy/s320/P1031984.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zH_tKL8UzpQCdAFJTCGCrcF_XIIYIqZQ_dMf1dFpPBEkpCzN-5AVRjUG5jQHeJno_ysPvhQKTmf0H8kGpNqlZ-IKyucYrbIBNH7HhsJwoJABSKrSzraS9M6BX0vrNmzXavwd0X1cADy6d7zBnMYcMXXmIft7JMooNq8tBaNnl2Rno1tc5F0I0R2N/s5472/P1031985.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zH_tKL8UzpQCdAFJTCGCrcF_XIIYIqZQ_dMf1dFpPBEkpCzN-5AVRjUG5jQHeJno_ysPvhQKTmf0H8kGpNqlZ-IKyucYrbIBNH7HhsJwoJABSKrSzraS9M6BX0vrNmzXavwd0X1cADy6d7zBnMYcMXXmIft7JMooNq8tBaNnl2Rno1tc5F0I0R2N/s320/P1031985.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_ntAwqxObWOTBjvP5Gzh2PjC1XMpZNnrFxncwgQXl5xA5XyfTlU3rkRPJKP8tl490ViPLPijh-KmfcI4XSTrU53jxHehABiFyH3kjTVs5GKg35bav6u2GdOBZ7xovR_sz3cLjho7MWrys3EcRR20TObz23Jh550QPOOJDFwWW4DZC57kPiBUFuPw/s5472/P1031986.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_ntAwqxObWOTBjvP5Gzh2PjC1XMpZNnrFxncwgQXl5xA5XyfTlU3rkRPJKP8tl490ViPLPijh-KmfcI4XSTrU53jxHehABiFyH3kjTVs5GKg35bav6u2GdOBZ7xovR_sz3cLjho7MWrys3EcRR20TObz23Jh550QPOOJDFwWW4DZC57kPiBUFuPw/s320/P1031986.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Since arriving in Canada, I’ve been seeing local eateries that advertise something called a “donaire.” I finally decided Whitehorse was my opportunity to try this local fare. We went for lunch at Great Bear Donaire as it had good reviews. It was very good. It’s something akin to a gyro, but with seasoned beef rather than lamb. I did enjoy the signs in the seating area.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6JE2Qqk1Q9tqvR4DW2sp_zim2SqqWZRMb3bv5U5WoVWURMBiHFcPA9RS5Tl65ha_dpKZRczq-RD6ZOvlTYX-1D3mXCSQTTF6lssOKhFaCXJLenVrba0SBJr-6tAO__wziGQw_dHZaGn5EIYG96JLMzIZOlZaChnp2-FaBFOuhPPrf6mIb3MUTq7U/s5472/P1031974.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6JE2Qqk1Q9tqvR4DW2sp_zim2SqqWZRMb3bv5U5WoVWURMBiHFcPA9RS5Tl65ha_dpKZRczq-RD6ZOvlTYX-1D3mXCSQTTF6lssOKhFaCXJLenVrba0SBJr-6tAO__wziGQw_dHZaGn5EIYG96JLMzIZOlZaChnp2-FaBFOuhPPrf6mIb3MUTq7U/s320/P1031974.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Day Six: Whitehorse to Haines Junction: From Whitehorse to
Tok, Alaska, is approximately 400 miles. Unfortunately, we’ve been hearing
through the travelers’ grapevine that it’s a pretty tough section of highway.
We decided to split the drive into 3 chunks. I can only take so much teeth
rattling in one day. The first section is only 98 miles and was relatively
fine. A couple of gravel sections, and one construction area that we had a
pilot car lead us through. Haines Junction is a small, small town, but
encircled by mountains and is quite pretty.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjss5Uvx0BIJ20UI9fU8DY5Gs50Js--TCvaBRFECAKTk5DKxPDikOgFPSs1OKt9T30h4iDjugPJfqCuj3PMZvHqkvtfM8xJnQqm_VR6qzAVpmNqCeL6Y0tC1SKiwHD12rrETix7143OPlLCUb7PEgNl1UHSO3XV_yZDrOZaHDN0A6crDeflO4agB0wU/s4496/DSC_0124.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjss5Uvx0BIJ20UI9fU8DY5Gs50Js--TCvaBRFECAKTk5DKxPDikOgFPSs1OKt9T30h4iDjugPJfqCuj3PMZvHqkvtfM8xJnQqm_VR6qzAVpmNqCeL6Y0tC1SKiwHD12rrETix7143OPlLCUb7PEgNl1UHSO3XV_yZDrOZaHDN0A6crDeflO4agB0wU/s320/DSC_0124.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Day Seven: Haines Junction to Beaver Creek: Road was still not
hideous, but there were a few sections of gravel, more frost heaves, and pothole
areas. You really have to be looking ahead to anticipate the best part of the
road to use. Sometimes it was the other lane, which is fortunately pretty easy
to use and the traffic is very spread out. We very rarely have any line of
vehicles around us. We also do an average speed of 40-50 mph tops, much slower
in the bumpy spots It’s very pretty scenery. Much of the drive of 150 miles was
along Kluane Lake (Klu-wan-ee), designated a national park of Canada. As we
continued driving northwest, we moved into the Kluane Range of mountains to the
southwest, and the St. Elias mountains were visible in the distance. The highest
peaks in Canada, ranging from 19,545 feet to many in the over-15,000-foot range
are found in the St. Elias mountain range.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMXCpEVcHKYVnGaPBJfZMw9U9zkMwK5288E0cbQusfEg9icSQxus-XBV62kTgRbrsEd88jf7G9FmTAjhvUKSKzdi9PDv8VzimbWc32-VyRuWYd4PC6ssZqzhFrG6aQC8wlh6RYTy4y_aWdq4O9nC3AuNzgvE2hspc3rcPes_TDxB03I6L2xvgO6il/s2944/DSC_0126%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1964" data-original-width="2944" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMXCpEVcHKYVnGaPBJfZMw9U9zkMwK5288E0cbQusfEg9icSQxus-XBV62kTgRbrsEd88jf7G9FmTAjhvUKSKzdi9PDv8VzimbWc32-VyRuWYd4PC6ssZqzhFrG6aQC8wlh6RYTy4y_aWdq4O9nC3AuNzgvE2hspc3rcPes_TDxB03I6L2xvgO6il/s320/DSC_0126%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxF-5PlHVAfIrkMTHaFVQNsyUZ32SCzcQAGRGKgkf0Za7sfRAknRHjmYFze-3xh-LgAsd1Noih2kjMij9TzDvjjFnWEhydgHbZYV_fYNULLj4VSw9fYK5MhdNEQnoj0v1_XHyQRAXevBQ4oHdGhFQl41qG595tYy69nW4UPKQE4zo3pJk_QD1_xSf/s3411/DSC_0127%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2276" data-original-width="3411" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxF-5PlHVAfIrkMTHaFVQNsyUZ32SCzcQAGRGKgkf0Za7sfRAknRHjmYFze-3xh-LgAsd1Noih2kjMij9TzDvjjFnWEhydgHbZYV_fYNULLj4VSw9fYK5MhdNEQnoj0v1_XHyQRAXevBQ4oHdGhFQl41qG595tYy69nW4UPKQE4zo3pJk_QD1_xSf/s320/DSC_0127%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMa64uY2t5iVuzQBo017CkASx07h0HovbpF13tpaMbteqKkgB09NAAj7xreWihvndlhJWatm8ylJzOndNTPThU2-SaeRzSOKMg0Hhx3At3LCqqMnHjfU6tK7TdQIm1x3g7jcbJQL2D_aP36dG0JlpZZ95IVWf4UY6p6Rqc6ele-CK7nZmupUqpinur/s4496/DSC_0128.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMa64uY2t5iVuzQBo017CkASx07h0HovbpF13tpaMbteqKkgB09NAAj7xreWihvndlhJWatm8ylJzOndNTPThU2-SaeRzSOKMg0Hhx3At3LCqqMnHjfU6tK7TdQIm1x3g7jcbJQL2D_aP36dG0JlpZZ95IVWf4UY6p6Rqc6ele-CK7nZmupUqpinur/s320/DSC_0128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tIwuajwhOZ2arV15NZeRyrrWgDb5yk3FAn62MFLwSLOzbWIFRuwZOKRU3hrYJIgS90QgLMW78Ci8kc444efj9c2Ji2mF5NCAcJ8yPTdbxsQMopJeVR8LiJ3qJQDO0gtSzihGwz10IPM9-HRWLV7JEN0b6oOmSWLeq0C4aypmpjPYgQ7Bhik8g-aA/s4200/DSC_0130%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2802" data-original-width="4200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tIwuajwhOZ2arV15NZeRyrrWgDb5yk3FAn62MFLwSLOzbWIFRuwZOKRU3hrYJIgS90QgLMW78Ci8kc444efj9c2Ji2mF5NCAcJ8yPTdbxsQMopJeVR8LiJ3qJQDO0gtSzihGwz10IPM9-HRWLV7JEN0b6oOmSWLeq0C4aypmpjPYgQ7Bhik8g-aA/s320/DSC_0130%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQORvxZWm8aGxeU2z46R4bLjZ_qIUqeWjy7oG5OBfg01c_zQ685JrR8SRmzEHFx9P-K3HXrdBhV_93PJzcI8OviPP5DhbAIgveQ2DYjgDCAL4sUJg8XW8sOMLKCN7cg0Dc7upJzZqRI_SHeq0fIyPBvElN8i73e8aGXiM1YkP6Xea4rlxjLQfAGHm/s4496/DSC_0134.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQORvxZWm8aGxeU2z46R4bLjZ_qIUqeWjy7oG5OBfg01c_zQ685JrR8SRmzEHFx9P-K3HXrdBhV_93PJzcI8OviPP5DhbAIgveQ2DYjgDCAL4sUJg8XW8sOMLKCN7cg0Dc7upJzZqRI_SHeq0fIyPBvElN8i73e8aGXiM1YkP6Xea4rlxjLQfAGHm/s320/DSC_0134.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXcbTmWfGPcrlKARRRWy9bvK22ziT6bcr20_Ui1sAbQPDwKRnG87gp7LDrgEn-jDOUmej3PYbjgxuqGXJIAX4LjKhAkQ_fEQ2-wlrbG_3sM_eczOliK4JlCBm_55u5EfZ-oPA4nNNjZPeBkNKtYSQtft9IioOosvVawYjs0kwnJI476fLYAyGBNmb/s4496/DSC_0136.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4496" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXcbTmWfGPcrlKARRRWy9bvK22ziT6bcr20_Ui1sAbQPDwKRnG87gp7LDrgEn-jDOUmej3PYbjgxuqGXJIAX4LjKhAkQ_fEQ2-wlrbG_3sM_eczOliK4JlCBm_55u5EfZ-oPA4nNNjZPeBkNKtYSQtft9IioOosvVawYjs0kwnJI476fLYAyGBNmb/s320/DSC_0136.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The world's largest gold pan - yes, another roadside photo op.</div><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Our campground for the night, Discovery Yukon Lodgings, is
very nice but definitely off-grid. No cell service, no Wi-Fi. They generate
their own electricity. It’s very quiet! We got rested up for what has been promised as the most bone-jarring drive yet, and it did not disappoint in this respect. It is 143 miles from our campsite to Tok, Alaska, and it took us approximately 5 hours to do, with two bathroom stops and the photo op at the Welcome to Alaska sign. So I would say 4 1/2 hours. Truth be told, we're glad we had heard from prior travelers about the road conditions: forewarned is forearmed. Plus, it had been built up to be so absolutely horrendous that it actually turned out to be better than we had thought! Mind you, it's still awful, but it wasn't the nonstop weaving around potholes that we were expecting. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZc4vXC-cdGYZeWFT07NVQuX-weTmE7ENDCKaNgyo09LrCKhCAlzTgiIoK95d3O-Mpo0zvWQX_zdiBIpQg2dLO7pSS5qt8-E_l-aIN6WABmeP5nXBaiC6jhsNRbD8hiUJ5DPVCms3CTzo4Sp5Vv0iunkwQlhquqfmTaZRTzjtaxjFmqH3rjfXVDXsH/s5472/P1031990.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZc4vXC-cdGYZeWFT07NVQuX-weTmE7ENDCKaNgyo09LrCKhCAlzTgiIoK95d3O-Mpo0zvWQX_zdiBIpQg2dLO7pSS5qt8-E_l-aIN6WABmeP5nXBaiC6jhsNRbD8hiUJ5DPVCms3CTzo4Sp5Vv0iunkwQlhquqfmTaZRTzjtaxjFmqH3rjfXVDXsH/s320/P1031990.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeC8XBMIg95q_YUwoe-4XPb4_yDl1wh2e8UiQN3l_Lvx_toEfeMP671hadamVZisYehUCEyQxwiuLmvq0kc92ZtlQF8qS2BDTrYKPVeusugC59a3nFcttrY_X-aLcLJwPwPOlOBSTX5L7MT1JHyt28O2S2PBW3ckZjst9h7ld8Ehday6yk6QK3H4-/s5472/P1031996.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeC8XBMIg95q_YUwoe-4XPb4_yDl1wh2e8UiQN3l_Lvx_toEfeMP671hadamVZisYehUCEyQxwiuLmvq0kc92ZtlQF8qS2BDTrYKPVeusugC59a3nFcttrY_X-aLcLJwPwPOlOBSTX5L7MT1JHyt28O2S2PBW3ckZjst9h7ld8Ehday6yk6QK3H4-/s320/P1031996.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">So we've arrived in Alaska after 5 years plus of planning, 2 years of COVID-caused postponements, and two months since leaving Florida. I actually feel like we've really made it and now the adventures can begin. After restocking some groceries here in Tok - we could not bring any poultry products, including eggs, or citrus fruits across the border, so we ate it all! - doing laundry, and refueling - diesel is $6.05/gallon here - it's time to move on down the road - leaving the Alaska Highway now and heading south on the Glenn Highway - towards Copper Center and Valdez where we have fishing and other activities planned. Stay tuned!</p>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-13960293034201880422022-06-11T10:55:00.000-04:002022-06-11T10:55:04.480-04:00Why Fort St. John??<p> June 2-11, 2022</p><p>So why did we backtrack 90 miles from Pink Mountain to Fort St. John instead of continuing our slow, merry way north on the Alaska Highway? Herein lies a sad tale; but then, you all would expect nothing less from us, would you?</p><p>Departing from Dawson Creek midmorning on June 1, we only had about 140 miles to go. It was an uneventful journey north, up and down several short grades, down one not-so-gentle grade of 10 percent -- reminiscent of our harrowing drive towing the rig up and over Teton Pass back in 2015. Pink Mountain is the halfway point between Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson, the next major - and I use that word very loosely - town along the Alaska Highway. I think for the sake of brevity I'll refer to the Alaska Highway as "AH" from here on out. As it's a pretty remote area, I fully expected to be out of any cell signal range, but was quite pleasantly surprised that due to a recently installed cell tower in the campground, my AT&T was working wonderfully! This turned into an exceeding good thing as we were very soon to discover.</p><p>Being so early in the season, the campsites had no water or sewer operating, just electricity. So we headed over to the water/dump station to dump the waste tanks and fill up with fresh water. We don't like to travel with fully loaded water tanks, especially on up and down roads and the price of fuel. We just carry a few gallons to use the toilet if needed. As Al went to the side of the trailer to open up the control panel, he noticed a crack in the outer skin of the front of the trailer. He also noticed the molding along the edge was pulling downwards. In his succinct words to me after pulling into our campsite, " You need to come and look at this. We have a serious problem." These are not words you want to hear!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ycyikgRfeJ10fGbpZr_A6PCkIOYZ4xxl1WVXfJg8zWfrkFHMHP9xWfmFaIM3TjAqGANhKONP2wRgEYopRcKS0bmaJMFQnOhZQ1Z45A4SPtLbbieWhoIAwMyJO1_aTYAl_Ngqlj1nnlYA_vknvj8jDq6ppsBnZtOYtYjYBoiZb4DW95CSUHTf0V87/s4032/32A2ECC1-A975-41F4-B6EF-3141BD33E0F2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ycyikgRfeJ10fGbpZr_A6PCkIOYZ4xxl1WVXfJg8zWfrkFHMHP9xWfmFaIM3TjAqGANhKONP2wRgEYopRcKS0bmaJMFQnOhZQ1Z45A4SPtLbbieWhoIAwMyJO1_aTYAl_Ngqlj1nnlYA_vknvj8jDq6ppsBnZtOYtYjYBoiZb4DW95CSUHTf0V87/s320/32A2ECC1-A975-41F4-B6EF-3141BD33E0F2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheP7sEBvC_JcZ1lMQYYsJfX3LP6gdaJQAjGglTz1tnmpxlqkqogoIqeLd6aapD_SN_9YwXfLS-Jw4sxDnqhiE14Xn1jWMxphb4l1O8wREgGBa_xMOeZSkhWRqhCX9UZ3550AWqWFVOUtIppLUJCgIsEaMlqU7Gmykhq8Sthq0uNlgisgqXPHHysZNt/s4032/EA907ED8-9FC1-4907-AD84-75A442BD2A78.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheP7sEBvC_JcZ1lMQYYsJfX3LP6gdaJQAjGglTz1tnmpxlqkqogoIqeLd6aapD_SN_9YwXfLS-Jw4sxDnqhiE14Xn1jWMxphb4l1O8wREgGBa_xMOeZSkhWRqhCX9UZ3550AWqWFVOUtIppLUJCgIsEaMlqU7Gmykhq8Sthq0uNlgisgqXPHHysZNt/s320/EA907ED8-9FC1-4907-AD84-75A442BD2A78.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>As you all can imagine, we were really at a loss for several moments. The only thing we could think of was that something had broken inside, welds or whatever. My mind immediately flashed to the issues our friends Linda and Howard Payne of RV-Dreams had with their fiver a few years ago. There's definitely an element of shock that takes place, and it takes a while for your brain to unscramble, come out of panic mode, and try to figure out what to do. </p><p>First, deciding it was not safe to tow was probably the easiest step. But then we had to find a place that we could get it to that might have a reasonable chance of being able to deal with the issue. And realize that we are really not close to any large, urban area at all! Here is where the helpfulness of having cell service came in extremely helpful as we were able to jump on the internet and start researching. Do we look north, in the direction we are ultimately headed, to Fort Nelson? Do we backtrack to Dawson Creek, Fort St. John? So we started in Fort Nelson. Found a place that does RV work and called them. Nope, can't handle it. They do not have any certified welders. Gave us names of welding companies. There are quite a few as the area is all oil and pipeline workers. The places we called did not answer their phone, so we left messages, which, I might add, we never had a single call returned to us.</p><p>Then we turned to Dawson Creek. Didn't see anything there, but did find a place in Fort St. John. Called them, and stated the problem as we thought it may be, and they said sure, we can deal with it. We just have to get it to them. So that's the next problem. These folks recommended someone, but when we called them they were very hesitant about the prospect. You see, it can't be towed normally; otherwise, we'd be able to do it ourselves. It needed to go on a flatbed. So after thinking and reading a bit more, we decided first thing in the morning we would call our roadside assistance through Good Sam.</p><p>Now, I know a lot of people don't like them and diss them something terrible; but the three times in the last 12 years that we've needed assistance, they've come through. And this time is no different. We called, told the gentleman our situation and what was needed, and he was back on the line in about 15 minutes with a semi and a flatbed lined up for us. It wouldn't be coming for about 6 hours, but, hey, I was just happy that someone was coming!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLXOIQq4v8gDz5fLJp1DNOfwuFcGcniPeoSUCoWI6fHEke5YVSaO94VvOWB0J1tEcpLjPlrPeGQyPnxrMzUvsU7_DfoDeig3CAM5d_fpo46Lic0FQPkBiyfqwj6te2m6sJq2mgGioSJ2Ja6U9AVYdsG_x6RiLCdFH5D1g0HOMF3VVbrH0Apcqc9No/s4032/086B991C-6EE1-4048-A97F-1DB3D9B19727.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLXOIQq4v8gDz5fLJp1DNOfwuFcGcniPeoSUCoWI6fHEke5YVSaO94VvOWB0J1tEcpLjPlrPeGQyPnxrMzUvsU7_DfoDeig3CAM5d_fpo46Lic0FQPkBiyfqwj6te2m6sJq2mgGioSJ2Ja6U9AVYdsG_x6RiLCdFH5D1g0HOMF3VVbrH0Apcqc9No/s320/086B991C-6EE1-4048-A97F-1DB3D9B19727.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>So by about 6 p.m. we were down at Fort St. John, had the rig dropped off at the repair shop, and we moved into what would be our home for the next week or so at Pomeroy Inn and Suites. I booked this as the rooms have full kitchens because we would need to move our food into the refrigerator and we wouldn't have to eat out. And we've been very happy with it. It's clean and tidy, quiet, with free breakfast every morning, free dinner on Wednesdays, and free laundry!</p><p>So first thing in the morning, Al headed over to the repair shop to see what was going on. They had told us it would be midweek before they could deal with it but would take a look at it to see what would need to be done. He was gone quite a while. Long story short, they couldn't do it. They thought it was just a welding problem and weren't going to be able to deal with taking it apart and putting it together. They called another place that did RV repair, but they couldn't do it, or didn't want to anyway. At this point, he was feeling back to square one and we were possibly going to have to get it back to Grande Prairie or possibly even Edmonton. Then he remembered as we came into town, our tow-truck driver, Sam - who was excellent! took great care with getting the rig on the flatbed, making sure it didn't scrape anywhere - pointed out an RV repair shop and said it was fairly new but he's heard they do excellent work. So Al drove down there and talked with them. They were pretty confident they could repair it, and, based on what Al saw going on in the shop, he said it definitely looked like they were capable. So Saturday the two owners came up to the lot of the first shop and took a look at it and said to bring it on by Monday morning. They were going to finish up the work on a rig they had in one of the bays and pull us right in, take off the outer skin of the front and see exactly what we're dealing with and how long it's going to take. Awesome. Now we just have to tow it about 3 miles, slowly, on flat roads. We can do this.</p><p>Monday morning came and the ride over was uneventful, thank goodness! We backed it into the bay, and the one gentleman that we would be dealing with from that point on and who did the bulk of the work said to come on back after lunch. He would have it taken apart and would be able to see what happened and decide the best course of action. The pictures that follow will show what all happened.</p><p>So once the skin that is on the front of the trailer was removed, we started to look for the damage. When you are looking at the front of the trailer right where it makes the bend from the part that hangs over the truck when it's hooked to the hitch, there is a beam that goes from side to side. On that beam, the main frame forms the front of the trailer and also connects to the kingpin. I call it the neck of the trailer. Right where these all come together it looks like the welds have broken. But upon closer inspection, the beam that goes side to side is actually tearing. The same is happening on the other side also. So, instead of having a welding repair, we now have to replace the beam.</p><p>This is a picture of the passenger-side damage.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXx41ZRG_3ngp3O4GkBn2bCmP30VBQzVXjVhtv2VwuB8CT4zjrTubJIs1n_nahyxdFyoeCOEgJ0GBtd40pb4nO-JcDsHCFe_5oMR3o0zNptqv84QKpuxJK2s4SwZooZfwmM63Vmhrl1lsidTrrgqXtpk6XcEem-ThUr1wGNmsqRjp8JpCTr1FznxgO/s4032/0A7897F8-DDF2-4A3B-A114-D9FE96C40DCE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXx41ZRG_3ngp3O4GkBn2bCmP30VBQzVXjVhtv2VwuB8CT4zjrTubJIs1n_nahyxdFyoeCOEgJ0GBtd40pb4nO-JcDsHCFe_5oMR3o0zNptqv84QKpuxJK2s4SwZooZfwmM63Vmhrl1lsidTrrgqXtpk6XcEem-ThUr1wGNmsqRjp8JpCTr1FznxgO/s320/0A7897F8-DDF2-4A3B-A114-D9FE96C40DCE.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A picture of the front of the trailer with the "skin" removed. At the very top of the opening, you can see the beam that was damaged. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4hAYhdKY4v0BN0dFqQA_gR5FQVH6BNRP90pRpM9JxSuG7Hfs2R2XpfYFvEFrru4E8nZm3DIRXs12uISkgCu1Zknw_7mTioqF2PLFhUPYgFvTYDPTj164cAyiJKp0noBOy-QOw1XrgqUBHx-26Wm-2cM_TL9skW6yTc1eXMqJoxXp5V2UKqsg2U48/s4032/070A6110-BE64-4015-AA9E-242113108EB1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4hAYhdKY4v0BN0dFqQA_gR5FQVH6BNRP90pRpM9JxSuG7Hfs2R2XpfYFvEFrru4E8nZm3DIRXs12uISkgCu1Zknw_7mTioqF2PLFhUPYgFvTYDPTj164cAyiJKp0noBOy-QOw1XrgqUBHx-26Wm-2cM_TL9skW6yTc1eXMqJoxXp5V2UKqsg2U48/s320/070A6110-BE64-4015-AA9E-242113108EB1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>The driver's side damage.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-YAs6tA6hLO2y8fcnaMK8Ot6ZYFTln8RdHagy3heuBKwZi8mqUmG5HPBW1IbjAFBD_uDf_oSBFRu3z3TT70rMEjAbUt6I-pmKcs1MdauunYzHJ2YjBDO_rwIUXPWKBkh675yJ7H3FfTIJF2NAtXCs4x-lS-qVPifXlOIpFYMaZCrrdGdRF1OlBHi/s4032/B2142DFB-544B-4257-B061-1D7355DC082A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-YAs6tA6hLO2y8fcnaMK8Ot6ZYFTln8RdHagy3heuBKwZi8mqUmG5HPBW1IbjAFBD_uDf_oSBFRu3z3TT70rMEjAbUt6I-pmKcs1MdauunYzHJ2YjBDO_rwIUXPWKBkh675yJ7H3FfTIJF2NAtXCs4x-lS-qVPifXlOIpFYMaZCrrdGdRF1OlBHi/s320/B2142DFB-544B-4257-B061-1D7355DC082A.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So after assessing the damage a plan was made. The bad news first. We have to get access to all of the welds and steel. That means everything in the front compartment must be removed. The floor in the bedroom has to come up. Then the old beam must be cut out and replaced and then the whole thing has to be put back together again. No small job. The good news is that the front cap does not have to be removed as all of the frame and kingpin have no damage. As he was telling me this, I was trying to figure out my next move. Do we sit here for the weeks that it's going to take? Should we rent a trailer and continue on with our trip and we will pick our rig up on the way back? So I asked how long he thought it would take. And the answer surprised me. He said he should have it ready by the end of the week. 5 days, not what I was expecting. He said that he wanted to help out his neighbors to the south and I thanked him for helping me out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The work begins.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6A2tynhi6xVSLtMM2OULXL7nQl49F8oOKyP7NeZXhAmVYgF-Y3cEZiykyksQHZAPWax2lkbQjbjU-IK8CZDTjCh2mVTVG9Pns9VOCApSlBKuK5x_sWw6j5-oX9RJ4yggRn7uon6TpPeeGdKOg6fefZoOxz2U5PZvpEVhhZREVZ3Hws6Ist8ioYrJ/s4032/07DF81FE-0E37-49DD-9B9A-ACF3F8D8AE35.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6A2tynhi6xVSLtMM2OULXL7nQl49F8oOKyP7NeZXhAmVYgF-Y3cEZiykyksQHZAPWax2lkbQjbjU-IK8CZDTjCh2mVTVG9Pns9VOCApSlBKuK5x_sWw6j5-oX9RJ4yggRn7uon6TpPeeGdKOg6fefZoOxz2U5PZvpEVhhZREVZ3Hws6Ist8ioYrJ/s320/07DF81FE-0E37-49DD-9B9A-ACF3F8D8AE35.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>By day 2, he had the old beam cut out and the new one in place ready for welding. When I went to check on their progress, he handed me a piece of the damaged beam. He told me to look at the thickness of the steel. As you can see it's very thin, about 1/8 of an inch. He feels that it's not nearly strong enough for what it needs to do. He also suspects that the beam was put in by mistake as all of the other beams in the camper are 1/4 inch thick. Why would all the others be 1/4 inch and a beam that is under considerable stress is only 1/8 inch. A question that I will ask Grand Design. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiah6r92O1gFcI-y2uzJ3FDR6LlCZhN1Yb1U-g_Lu5eLj8nw94V_KWX1b2Ps_3xmXCE1EOBBpAX5GgXI0ZNebznApwoQHzcK4MSzDXU1NhzinQXwGTZrsCEpa1FQ1NjkcLhh50njYLGXBg5Ep-13-BVKSDZ_NJvhlTf7VEsr-RTfrhXwC61qJLmkhhv/s4032/40348C23-EBA8-4ACF-B04F-D1ED28E88D5F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiah6r92O1gFcI-y2uzJ3FDR6LlCZhN1Yb1U-g_Lu5eLj8nw94V_KWX1b2Ps_3xmXCE1EOBBpAX5GgXI0ZNebznApwoQHzcK4MSzDXU1NhzinQXwGTZrsCEpa1FQ1NjkcLhh50njYLGXBg5Ep-13-BVKSDZ_NJvhlTf7VEsr-RTfrhXwC61qJLmkhhv/s320/40348C23-EBA8-4ACF-B04F-D1ED28E88D5F.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxggxp3c47Zo-SbypcJUjOSaOpt-aa49mBuEC8T1BAgtotmomIzBTiyarFI-Nhm7GMd8291JTwOieLUxTQMOXZVcg67VjO_fLnav4ldKKtsMhgFlcL6hSgZjLUlB37L9Kne6ye0q24z_ttZ3zTdD_lo4nrbF9h-5gKzgOWNCbxq4SwWCoUibYvkny9/s4032/AEF4E079-4B32-4E1C-81E7-73A96F40E2FA.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxggxp3c47Zo-SbypcJUjOSaOpt-aa49mBuEC8T1BAgtotmomIzBTiyarFI-Nhm7GMd8291JTwOieLUxTQMOXZVcg67VjO_fLnav4ldKKtsMhgFlcL6hSgZjLUlB37L9Kne6ye0q24z_ttZ3zTdD_lo4nrbF9h-5gKzgOWNCbxq4SwWCoUibYvkny9/s320/AEF4E079-4B32-4E1C-81E7-73A96F40E2FA.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">So the beam has been replaced with a 1/4 inch thick steel. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeqVwep0y-MpcGZm3pt9vJwiG0H7yIdI2qliCWStVpXfDqPTXrWYGS1cr9o2VFUJWIrEBTO6uQuR1lkJcaBdC_O_zrXIOUqgDw2FUtVUjXVw01kCZfcRgiUrzdhgaOqIJdk_qneNO-wAPit7pSHMzsrbpqpmqjCgHBxjKaA6PZ357dq_rQS1IHpDX/s4032/A5FA6A3F-908A-4310-BF38-5AE2B3E7A151.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeqVwep0y-MpcGZm3pt9vJwiG0H7yIdI2qliCWStVpXfDqPTXrWYGS1cr9o2VFUJWIrEBTO6uQuR1lkJcaBdC_O_zrXIOUqgDw2FUtVUjXVw01kCZfcRgiUrzdhgaOqIJdk_qneNO-wAPit7pSHMzsrbpqpmqjCgHBxjKaA6PZ357dq_rQS1IHpDX/s320/A5FA6A3F-908A-4310-BF38-5AE2B3E7A151.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not only did they replace the beam with a thicker, stronger one, they placed several additional reinforcing pieces, gussets, I think they're called, to help strengthen things overall. They replaced the plywood flooring in the bedroom, screwing it down rather than nailing it down as it had been, and also placed additional supports underneath in between the framing. Now the floor even feels better when we walk on it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjaFkifJnpzbinzRIWo2hYTUFALn-X2IZsTjDYyAM4cGyTpXPuFUD8FnVCJhz1VqifShsFXXsmuGr6_UA0-xk4hfVmRpUsfD1sOls6WTNTxLShVBQR6oz3Yqh-z6bhDxpMXpS1ZekyVEHkhv7aiZ3X4vP8567VyMNK38RgdjmBmiSpnpfzr0sb2LW/s4032/B4E16E0E-CB9D-43F3-8B3A-7569BB635548.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjaFkifJnpzbinzRIWo2hYTUFALn-X2IZsTjDYyAM4cGyTpXPuFUD8FnVCJhz1VqifShsFXXsmuGr6_UA0-xk4hfVmRpUsfD1sOls6WTNTxLShVBQR6oz3Yqh-z6bhDxpMXpS1ZekyVEHkhv7aiZ3X4vP8567VyMNK38RgdjmBmiSpnpfzr0sb2LW/s320/B4E16E0E-CB9D-43F3-8B3A-7569BB635548.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After 50 hours, 5 10-hour days, our home is back together and better than new. We're even sporting a shiny diamond-plate base in the front now. It was the easiest and nicest-looking option of fixing the crack in the skin. It also offers protection from rock and gravel spray as well. Best of all, upon lowering the pin into the hitch, everything stayed where it's supposed to! It's filthy dirty, but no washing allowed until all the silicone has time to set up and cure on all the seams. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgV-nnT8iwJ0nRSWBp6stTCqd3m79G60F2zt7e-RquzUUhpU6yo2Ztb17B_py4w5LifgWCBh0dojEpdd9Je4RZ8z1imX2SwqtJ_9Bqbh42reyA7yyccUvJh-xLTwar9lBYYEKJIUfXFv83Q5n392FR23gMa5TcYFPgEZrflHMVrT1eJFHzsll4TSZn/s4032/E179F5C3-2EDB-4792-9CDE-AF9749102B62.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgV-nnT8iwJ0nRSWBp6stTCqd3m79G60F2zt7e-RquzUUhpU6yo2Ztb17B_py4w5LifgWCBh0dojEpdd9Je4RZ8z1imX2SwqtJ_9Bqbh42reyA7yyccUvJh-xLTwar9lBYYEKJIUfXFv83Q5n392FR23gMa5TcYFPgEZrflHMVrT1eJFHzsll4TSZn/s320/E179F5C3-2EDB-4792-9CDE-AF9749102B62.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As final thoughts, this was a totally unexpected bump in our plans. We knew things would not go perfectly seamless; they never do! But this was actually a huge issue, both the damage to the rig and the fact of where we were when it happened. I have nothing but words of praise for how well Good Sam took care of getting us the suitable equipment for the tow. The tow company, Eisenkrein Services, and their driver, Sam, were exceptional in keeping in touch with us on the ETA, and took great care to secure our rig safely and with no damage to anything. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lastly, huge thanks to the whole crew at Golden Value RV in Fort St. John, British Columbia. They were slammed with work, but were still so very kind and accommodating to slip us in and basically work nonstop for the week to get us back on the road and continue our plans. I don't feel lucky in that the broken beam occurred, but I really do feel incredibly lucky to have it happen here and found such an amazing place willing to get it done for us.</div><div><br /></div>And with that, tomorrow we should be back to our regular scheduled programming! We hope to catch up with our friends Dan and Jonell on Tuesday and continue on to Alaska. </div>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-2203880817500209302022-06-09T11:41:00.000-04:002022-06-09T11:41:12.112-04:00British Columbia and the Beginning of the Alaskan Highway<p> May 30 to June 8</p><p>After our four-day stay in Grande Prairie, the weather cleared up and we headed down the road to Dawson Creek, the start of the Alaskan Highway. It was a short, 68-mile trip, so we were in no rush to leave early, and we had a roadside attraction to stop and visit: the Giant Beaver in the town of Beaverlodge. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHk2iIxSL52ivr9r9sTY5VaXhBHbYFPUKCk6UYyj6G61h3B4hkxFQ7riTc8WxWw__tSxTrkgi6FR6ySHZXSCtzbBvfSUgXtu5LK3MOAiZ9EuQNTUmi4GhOnAZc2Mhf7dJ0X-I49W8p65tQEEb5lhbguzQlOYh7bmXsvpNNEUu_vQpwE8t_mVkrBH_V/s1080/285157149_5443360335696019_2627080695155647875_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHk2iIxSL52ivr9r9sTY5VaXhBHbYFPUKCk6UYyj6G61h3B4hkxFQ7riTc8WxWw__tSxTrkgi6FR6ySHZXSCtzbBvfSUgXtu5LK3MOAiZ9EuQNTUmi4GhOnAZc2Mhf7dJ0X-I49W8p65tQEEb5lhbguzQlOYh7bmXsvpNNEUu_vQpwE8t_mVkrBH_V/s320/285157149_5443360335696019_2627080695155647875_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">After a nice, relaxing drive, we settled into the Mile 0 RV Park for 2 nights. Of course, the first thing we did once we got settled was head into the center of town and take the obligatory picture at the most popular photo spot, the historic Milepost 2.</span></p></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfT5Fmziu85llimeKAFByTwHG3BbPwzKG5LZq9ZcBz7c0hNxkc0GlA5d8kjSkeSNDdCbsZUCru49d_LWmBRaFpX5r69aSYZX7NWOk1MCvy1Psr7UjgLCrnBMFqisYBV_Br1iYLVBXCI-CW_TskD85CO2fz4qO4PRyQO0bu-JS1fDr1ZHVWfbQPfnr/s5472/P1031914.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfT5Fmziu85llimeKAFByTwHG3BbPwzKG5LZq9ZcBz7c0hNxkc0GlA5d8kjSkeSNDdCbsZUCru49d_LWmBRaFpX5r69aSYZX7NWOk1MCvy1Psr7UjgLCrnBMFqisYBV_Br1iYLVBXCI-CW_TskD85CO2fz4qO4PRyQO0bu-JS1fDr1ZHVWfbQPfnr/s320/P1031914.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These signs here at the Northern Alberta Railways (NAR) Park give a succinct history. Remember, you can click on any photo to enlarge it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfT5Fmziu85llimeKAFByTwHG3BbPwzKG5LZq9ZcBz7c0hNxkc0GlA5d8kjSkeSNDdCbsZUCru49d_LWmBRaFpX5r69aSYZX7NWOk1MCvy1Psr7UjgLCrnBMFqisYBV_Br1iYLVBXCI-CW_TskD85CO2fz4qO4PRyQO0bu-JS1fDr1ZHVWfbQPfnr/s5472/P1031914.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKGwSRI3tW5VCv1lznd_KhYFm9rpkx0zjkrcT0x6AsbbaLGXZuqxKNPsIW6BBqWf0YdPf9oXf-Cuh2BTrIXKhJ-2lBMKTAWiBPc9Z13KdRGWLSLtW5pgmsTC2ppCun9sC2bACwD5jQdbexyuNclJLFNE_3vbSmHiCh4Rpxau6-MAM00_gK1yAlkTe/s320/P1031906.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">We then walked about 3 minutes west to the Historic Milepost 0 marked by a cairn and post in the middle of the main intersection in the historic town area.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8uwcVzi-ua_bZGl4xMgvwF0CsqYkRn7_FRw-hPfuUBLGMEBjE4c1mHkxZIJdJcnyiHp1OaeUufw7EuNmK71H2RNwNodJXci2JiU9AlratqP-oaUhQSWKPnPQv6bZqLYAwU-4tL1w4KDQIWChmrQ-ziiOcFBrmItC_HdjBw2xRHWgxfsw4EWK4tJB/s5472/P1031918.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8uwcVzi-ua_bZGl4xMgvwF0CsqYkRn7_FRw-hPfuUBLGMEBjE4c1mHkxZIJdJcnyiHp1OaeUufw7EuNmK71H2RNwNodJXci2JiU9AlratqP-oaUhQSWKPnPQv6bZqLYAwU-4tL1w4KDQIWChmrQ-ziiOcFBrmItC_HdjBw2xRHWgxfsw4EWK4tJB/s320/P1031918.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">While there, we visited the Dawson Creek Station Museum. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpGt8wgCRJVlG7T5UYLDcFXkU41VOtM3P8mq2KINI42YrTj5BFYEzLKkvPMG-z3UBBwJ81QOQXRZg8El5_zxWOl53q_7HQathB-T1TgS_AXEtp2iBrT-I7-ijsjf--7A2Kt53MspJnZS8j44Czx7h_87qoBwiIPekbRZwbANJ98xl_d6Xfv59NdVD/s5472/P1031907.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpGt8wgCRJVlG7T5UYLDcFXkU41VOtM3P8mq2KINI42YrTj5BFYEzLKkvPMG-z3UBBwJ81QOQXRZg8El5_zxWOl53q_7HQathB-T1TgS_AXEtp2iBrT-I7-ijsjf--7A2Kt53MspJnZS8j44Czx7h_87qoBwiIPekbRZwbANJ98xl_d6Xfv59NdVD/s320/P1031907.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5ixTgzOztfUn9yaw6irQo6ORI5IwoCfJeSnUsjgnKCWADWpN9bDF-hh2aRmwDzzaZ1UlbyXz9gS0guwrgAM95CgdVAxieD3NzppOZGjeevOKVkFBNTeJvTM_UXQS2JU6sPJh5tEjwgNvCJyKeB2SPDqtnLUs0QqosRZjQcorfREAV_pTKc4P5ZaN/s5472/P1031909.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5ixTgzOztfUn9yaw6irQo6ORI5IwoCfJeSnUsjgnKCWADWpN9bDF-hh2aRmwDzzaZ1UlbyXz9gS0guwrgAM95CgdVAxieD3NzppOZGjeevOKVkFBNTeJvTM_UXQS2JU6sPJh5tEjwgNvCJyKeB2SPDqtnLUs0QqosRZjQcorfREAV_pTKc4P5ZaN/s320/P1031909.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpODhvuPqVYtNgU4zt2yE71DhSsEMhdbag9uwRW8-mRHGYXKDb0P36vlMp5aCPYvwsXr7QOKUoAiqEEsiBnwtVYr-5ntESpxinlIUfYCKfy5k3cC5kjsq2r-rRu2J5P2aHn263lA4vpRARwU7_1toe-fe-ftdtS_U57Ar2-3Z82SWFx3uTiXjm3Hml/s5472/P1031910.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpODhvuPqVYtNgU4zt2yE71DhSsEMhdbag9uwRW8-mRHGYXKDb0P36vlMp5aCPYvwsXr7QOKUoAiqEEsiBnwtVYr-5ntESpxinlIUfYCKfy5k3cC5kjsq2r-rRu2J5P2aHn263lA4vpRARwU7_1toe-fe-ftdtS_U57Ar2-3Z82SWFx3uTiXjm3Hml/s320/P1031910.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUMNkQz2FnCm9h3MRNgoAl-sssrPlOvlG1RWJRNKXLdMD-rC2Q2KaXpZ4-HdXT9eK9CAJktZftBBrmuLrM_bOxNG417ZlpQHUY4-Ck4Gju9Aj1uRiJrU3OJ2QFfBD6hTne9mO83xBnNBI1tLRxMpwaQP6GqjCcB2nqY_5O0MpqWFDAGgrRm8yn_lD/s5472/P1031911.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUMNkQz2FnCm9h3MRNgoAl-sssrPlOvlG1RWJRNKXLdMD-rC2Q2KaXpZ4-HdXT9eK9CAJktZftBBrmuLrM_bOxNG417ZlpQHUY4-Ck4Gju9Aj1uRiJrU3OJ2QFfBD6hTne9mO83xBnNBI1tLRxMpwaQP6GqjCcB2nqY_5O0MpqWFDAGgrRm8yn_lD/s320/P1031911.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">George Dawson was a geologist/explorer and two areas are named after him: Dawson Creek here in British Columbia, and Dawson City farther north in The Yukon. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pib2bkGV5nNe2fMS4CT42q09ejedT5IpKKuo50n5Z7HmyFqj-XndJ0qiHEczeY2-6BAurhzJ3Op4tUnAqMVX4kHdmmeUwlmBm9t-KGwlcjtEQ79tMyRMWLYyPldDHvlmI13wAQuhr-rdD2saj9PsDvNpiYAqEcxIKGpUU0r0ud1IT16GuMP3pbCC/s5472/P1031912.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pib2bkGV5nNe2fMS4CT42q09ejedT5IpKKuo50n5Z7HmyFqj-XndJ0qiHEczeY2-6BAurhzJ3Op4tUnAqMVX4kHdmmeUwlmBm9t-KGwlcjtEQ79tMyRMWLYyPldDHvlmI13wAQuhr-rdD2saj9PsDvNpiYAqEcxIKGpUU0r0ud1IT16GuMP3pbCC/s320/P1031912.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I found this amusing. Laundry was hard work. Guess I shouldn't complain about doing it now in modern times.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The following pictures are taken as we did a self-guided walking tour around the historic district. There are many murals on the buildings. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohyG-GN_IKS1uBUZvdzsUUxhXSWILYQjvHigT4XokbwvPCuAnWwUhRt4fq44p0vcj7gerWXx8kbVF8NQwGYEZ-BDatES5zK4aeGWhBMdZodWeGdiJxJm93XmYVEgRAprbjScc7ZcOyg2kOgfi0SpcTa1dQ4olz1qzOx73KkRdCDJ0lbrBYEZHhr-s/s5472/P1031922.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohyG-GN_IKS1uBUZvdzsUUxhXSWILYQjvHigT4XokbwvPCuAnWwUhRt4fq44p0vcj7gerWXx8kbVF8NQwGYEZ-BDatES5zK4aeGWhBMdZodWeGdiJxJm93XmYVEgRAprbjScc7ZcOyg2kOgfi0SpcTa1dQ4olz1qzOx73KkRdCDJ0lbrBYEZHhr-s/s320/P1031922.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7BY-EMSzlX9OoJZfVKdnnsl1rrXp2Y3t1L0FOIsrgIVbUZ-RNLexK3APNRgMKerVEeRoTB5MuaAyqXQIpEXQ2BtoyJGfV8iCjMImmQWZosvtxjd0uVSkgL7fcem0FNKcry6nkPM6-XrJIwUdgXlb70VsaIFBsEqhsKMH9irR9mIhjTkW-90_Najd/s5472/P1031923.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7BY-EMSzlX9OoJZfVKdnnsl1rrXp2Y3t1L0FOIsrgIVbUZ-RNLexK3APNRgMKerVEeRoTB5MuaAyqXQIpEXQ2BtoyJGfV8iCjMImmQWZosvtxjd0uVSkgL7fcem0FNKcry6nkPM6-XrJIwUdgXlb70VsaIFBsEqhsKMH9irR9mIhjTkW-90_Najd/s320/P1031923.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYX_u7w74ySHYf63o4MvrsMJZQOw2lObV1vJtg-0M8jz36koFD8bsusVmTllnlKMeQto4v0-62uC9n5UysLXKqS88jWYD7XhdGc0-brZnkSt-Ar3aoPgkjzePR8XSd391ATkvuxK4FHpsh3sH99XG3Ud5wmw8AxqC8l7r0x4iEYUsw_NTpJ292kWyS/s3398/P1031924%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3398" data-original-width="2265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYX_u7w74ySHYf63o4MvrsMJZQOw2lObV1vJtg-0M8jz36koFD8bsusVmTllnlKMeQto4v0-62uC9n5UysLXKqS88jWYD7XhdGc0-brZnkSt-Ar3aoPgkjzePR8XSd391ATkvuxK4FHpsh3sH99XG3Ud5wmw8AxqC8l7r0x4iEYUsw_NTpJ292kWyS/s320/P1031924%20(2).JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluDx6yPmJr3_R8QjGBvsU1mer5smuZw8bEqoJj5ySxCiWEa7K-SpieQBAO7K_v6s5SavH-Nls6s0cEzWYzUkgrGhimNcKX0fEJ3epCkzA0i9aAbdcZP2g2XNzfqYL8XTweN1sLD5nU3XmxUZMqxeMIss-7gNcXfNf0hW3FFgDv2r_GIrpV_dLMHrn/s5472/P1031926.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluDx6yPmJr3_R8QjGBvsU1mer5smuZw8bEqoJj5ySxCiWEa7K-SpieQBAO7K_v6s5SavH-Nls6s0cEzWYzUkgrGhimNcKX0fEJ3epCkzA0i9aAbdcZP2g2XNzfqYL8XTweN1sLD5nU3XmxUZMqxeMIss-7gNcXfNf0hW3FFgDv2r_GIrpV_dLMHrn/s320/P1031926.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6M7A64zQXB70uL4Gs2KD9XAIi5BGuNbe2n8kOCrSMifZ7ZQPPu6rt-7PHJ8oaAAykhmiqip1namuuvXXIgnj7mY4JzUrWYAE7zc8yQ9j2Icv2yz70z_bosPBJfE4NAngZV_J2LvxILcAwgAqvx4EZGYDyEPHT2lHKpNls1Jfnit3xdQP4Nm2-f1CQ/s5472/P1031932.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6M7A64zQXB70uL4Gs2KD9XAIi5BGuNbe2n8kOCrSMifZ7ZQPPu6rt-7PHJ8oaAAykhmiqip1namuuvXXIgnj7mY4JzUrWYAE7zc8yQ9j2Icv2yz70z_bosPBJfE4NAngZV_J2LvxILcAwgAqvx4EZGYDyEPHT2lHKpNls1Jfnit3xdQP4Nm2-f1CQ/s320/P1031932.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">***************************************************************</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Okay. We are going to flash-forward a few days now. We did depart Dawson Creek on Wednesday, June 1, and headed 140 miles up the Alaska Highway to Pink Mountain. For reasons that I will detail in the next post, we're going to skip a few days and backtrack 90 miles to Fort St. John, where we've been since Thursday, June 3. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">From Fort St. John, we did a drive one day to the towns of Hudson's Hope and Chetwynd. It was a drizzly day, but we really needed to get out and just chill out for a bit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hudson's Hope is a very small town that you take a very windy, up-and-down road to visit. Not a road I would be happy to take my rig on. It's very early in the season, and not much was open, especially since it was Sunday. But the major attraction in the area is the W.A.C. Bennett Dam. This is a large hydroelectric dam on the Peace River, creating the massive Williston Reservoir. The dam is one of the world's largest earth-filled dams at 610 feet, and the reservoir is the third-largest in North America.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBv4nmqmPKqV3z0UC1nY_Icfd4B0unkcfqdGKHGLrPTgfo6NQIyRbL_uzVHJIDmgWSN0kWMQmShMzSKpneFHbvPZxaCKbpNMz3qVOLugkLfb7RCW3DZn9DOVFAzWnyKfWHJPZGX_-VfB3mBc5ZYNLt4TBlBO6Amnn_LZ4KPepepiPWBe9IKCau-_Q/s5472/P1031933.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBv4nmqmPKqV3z0UC1nY_Icfd4B0unkcfqdGKHGLrPTgfo6NQIyRbL_uzVHJIDmgWSN0kWMQmShMzSKpneFHbvPZxaCKbpNMz3qVOLugkLfb7RCW3DZn9DOVFAzWnyKfWHJPZGX_-VfB3mBc5ZYNLt4TBlBO6Amnn_LZ4KPepepiPWBe9IKCau-_Q/s320/P1031933.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFeRUxCrucK5-pFmwVpv6JJ3_2clFmH2buK2NP7iSZcL9kNVj4emMQYhnkDz-DRZ4t65kX0wRom6h_8G2zzYtAaaP4oTBmPSmOFcqxfUQ3bTJKK2i0hEJnEuECT2c-EHrvmk6Csnlls0Ck_thQnRmW3grNoz8zBwP_9pAPgNMW0wc8Pbi8tKNA0To/s5472/P1031935.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFeRUxCrucK5-pFmwVpv6JJ3_2clFmH2buK2NP7iSZcL9kNVj4emMQYhnkDz-DRZ4t65kX0wRom6h_8G2zzYtAaaP4oTBmPSmOFcqxfUQ3bTJKK2i0hEJnEuECT2c-EHrvmk6Csnlls0Ck_thQnRmW3grNoz8zBwP_9pAPgNMW0wc8Pbi8tKNA0To/s320/P1031935.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jjTmhDukcnyRpF0Joay2fPLD-YnvJCcgDCuxGuKM5O5LZa4-8dUgbcxJwoxAklO8Wl9n0o9TK5vXQZ8cOZqedbxgcVKxXsqwfqZz6GYvkKbMdGk4zZNERepsWi9P0Fj1v24s-LqoDSYUCfjiGOzj2HrBZbmvDVbdW9bFDzg0vg3GT-N3c86JhT2P/s5472/P1031938.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jjTmhDukcnyRpF0Joay2fPLD-YnvJCcgDCuxGuKM5O5LZa4-8dUgbcxJwoxAklO8Wl9n0o9TK5vXQZ8cOZqedbxgcVKxXsqwfqZz6GYvkKbMdGk4zZNERepsWi9P0Fj1v24s-LqoDSYUCfjiGOzj2HrBZbmvDVbdW9bFDzg0vg3GT-N3c86JhT2P/s320/P1031938.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We then drove south along Highway 29, along the shoreline of Moberly Lake. We saw our first black bear along here. No pictures, though; we went by too fast and there were vehicles behind us. We reached the town of Chetwynd, known for its collection of over 150 chainsaw carvings throughout the public areas. The chainsaw carvings project started in 1992 as an event to draw visitors to the town for its 50th-anniversary celebration of the start of the Alaska Highway (the Alcan back then). The Welcome sign was commissioned and made for the celebration. Local fundraising started to bring more carvings to town. Then in 2005, Chetwynd hosted the first annual International Chainsaw Carving Championship, with 7 carvers attending from British Columbia and the United States. It is now grown into an annual event on the second weekend of every June with carvers coming from all over the world to participate. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSkBeNoTzhtr1mDOUH2cnkZ-i7PtrU7cwnVBDGl-yctpcDefaZ0nDXqpm5tSOhaPd0lcbG3M6D386rLmi0AVoOufF5VZGjM6gmjGnmtO0iSyzXooZKVXrAlWK6QHNWltAcjg97MhDeXONt6iGZy9b9IWW6NWwyYgBnBV3y3IgAHRL0FKg-KOHyyPb/s5472/P1031939%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSkBeNoTzhtr1mDOUH2cnkZ-i7PtrU7cwnVBDGl-yctpcDefaZ0nDXqpm5tSOhaPd0lcbG3M6D386rLmi0AVoOufF5VZGjM6gmjGnmtO0iSyzXooZKVXrAlWK6QHNWltAcjg97MhDeXONt6iGZy9b9IWW6NWwyYgBnBV3y3IgAHRL0FKg-KOHyyPb/s320/P1031939%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPQycq3bMDCOSJNheSNhztqiFHBadR_wRAmGKOSnC62ytew8u1j9BaCaj6sIX0VbI4xaWF6wEBImyKNLbD8gfRYacNwOwP6PEdX1DsVPjmFe_592GhpGWpj6kbX3J8GDElzUMfJHnA26XoYwo86U-UlnUEoMX_NifdvQe9J7du_nTa2-Jmlb1LTJI/s5472/P1031940.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPQycq3bMDCOSJNheSNhztqiFHBadR_wRAmGKOSnC62ytew8u1j9BaCaj6sIX0VbI4xaWF6wEBImyKNLbD8gfRYacNwOwP6PEdX1DsVPjmFe_592GhpGWpj6kbX3J8GDElzUMfJHnA26XoYwo86U-UlnUEoMX_NifdvQe9J7du_nTa2-Jmlb1LTJI/s320/P1031940.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb6XvjclrQJv0Phr0ID-Zy1iRvjTi-AbgezxC-z0FkSHPKdF9mTE0gvLKe5VhcMq39mNp9vOY0Dy7TIMRBl9lFkyJG-SaaUGrjX6wb7GKjKi8vWFlT-zAMQOfls7tF0XHM-YGBcUpCTmT2hMfgj94KVfNkH-fp2uN6szJlgB7rKwrVtgpMIZ5dwss/s5472/P1031942.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb6XvjclrQJv0Phr0ID-Zy1iRvjTi-AbgezxC-z0FkSHPKdF9mTE0gvLKe5VhcMq39mNp9vOY0Dy7TIMRBl9lFkyJG-SaaUGrjX6wb7GKjKi8vWFlT-zAMQOfls7tF0XHM-YGBcUpCTmT2hMfgj94KVfNkH-fp2uN6szJlgB7rKwrVtgpMIZ5dwss/s320/P1031942.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46mOQ2ngQLGPaBWQUYmTQr8nQVrftSlMfre__eLQXDGIgRqN-_WoEYMryWwTMNrn-zBMk3xXauINy7IG-VWyrWdTmL7ihSWx1B4D7tNh4RDuyi8-vi0xPbP2AagssUdoi5hLwxRAvTJNqf8VPb84xUVh6nwyR1jTwlUbAlnO61uSNX965Jd1BRKor/s5472/P1031943.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46mOQ2ngQLGPaBWQUYmTQr8nQVrftSlMfre__eLQXDGIgRqN-_WoEYMryWwTMNrn-zBMk3xXauINy7IG-VWyrWdTmL7ihSWx1B4D7tNh4RDuyi8-vi0xPbP2AagssUdoi5hLwxRAvTJNqf8VPb84xUVh6nwyR1jTwlUbAlnO61uSNX965Jd1BRKor/s320/P1031943.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnU3zs8w_RoTsS4sipVZg6PQN6lxfaOsD0HxKG3OlcXQtckrzh1Qn1C5Ti6wLA_0yHDI_2-EnDyRZ3Iadm53rwhtBn5lRW00etXt551U4Pdsb4KEwzHPQkcNyaOUTy0u6orn0EpiRkCym_mpKeeoIL2KTuN1c5oh8AfsARTYam_yL5zjO-w9s1wDIa/s5472/P1031944.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnU3zs8w_RoTsS4sipVZg6PQN6lxfaOsD0HxKG3OlcXQtckrzh1Qn1C5Ti6wLA_0yHDI_2-EnDyRZ3Iadm53rwhtBn5lRW00etXt551U4Pdsb4KEwzHPQkcNyaOUTy0u6orn0EpiRkCym_mpKeeoIL2KTuN1c5oh8AfsARTYam_yL5zjO-w9s1wDIa/s320/P1031944.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The detail in the carvings makes it hard to believe it's been done with a chainsaw. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCk1jdv_LIJYWQR1YX9xwcJcvAidQSfJq4mm7dvtJI3eSTGewFqh1LI89Gz7vbe7MWFy5KVS_Ir-rE6eDp8IOQdbGtZSu17AcNenzY_MdlAuOyAuhcM-Ypr7kSXR95VfIMXxW4pdqt5GKcbrMj7348lmK31KfQfm2B2vLjweRU0dyqDzV3efZXESoh/s5472/P1031945.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCk1jdv_LIJYWQR1YX9xwcJcvAidQSfJq4mm7dvtJI3eSTGewFqh1LI89Gz7vbe7MWFy5KVS_Ir-rE6eDp8IOQdbGtZSu17AcNenzY_MdlAuOyAuhcM-Ypr7kSXR95VfIMXxW4pdqt5GKcbrMj7348lmK31KfQfm2B2vLjweRU0dyqDzV3efZXESoh/s320/P1031945.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTGTDEGk3LQefB-jDr3kHnE219UHjx5SLC7ywrzvT43DFM1HVh5klAiNxIpWekWnMQTqOzIvbvTA8FqxjDtbO4H8dL3zx5-6JKSDKTvh8B9oNnSXJL_-Vn8al1KDfFv1mwg8QfUhti5hNOX-dpmIiDWRmLcbGVwA-NiTEZEwj9Nps4qOCH7OOz-IO/s5472/P1031946.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTGTDEGk3LQefB-jDr3kHnE219UHjx5SLC7ywrzvT43DFM1HVh5klAiNxIpWekWnMQTqOzIvbvTA8FqxjDtbO4H8dL3zx5-6JKSDKTvh8B9oNnSXJL_-Vn8al1KDfFv1mwg8QfUhti5hNOX-dpmIiDWRmLcbGVwA-NiTEZEwj9Nps4qOCH7OOz-IO/s320/P1031946.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These two carvings are on either end of a picnic table in a rest area along the road. It's beautiful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It would be really neat to see the event, and whereas it is occurring this coming weekend, we are really hoping to have our issues resolved and be back on the road north to meet back up with our fellow travelers. But that story will be told in the next blog. Stay tuned!</div></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-177018366736642562022-05-30T10:50:00.000-04:002022-05-30T10:50:00.488-04:00Province of Alberta, Canada<p> May 17, 2022 - May 30, 2022</p><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our first full day in Canada. We spent five nights in High River, Alberta, on the outskirts of Calgary. It’s a small town that’s known for many different shows and movies filmed in the area, including two shows we watch currently, Yellowstone and Joe Pickett. The Heartland series on Netflix is also filmed here which is on our to-watch list. </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next two days we are supposed to have pretty crummy weather, so we’ll see what we can find to do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwMSuFa9S-Qv03PwvN5UElE6ti6reNcs82BugCfRKrQvRS8qY--eUznCfBISuKvYTEnuIUadWGXFI-NwspAOeVutf_3uk3BsyJDPfqgfDTRys1HeezfqdLUvc9ZrQrcZ7x0IDpW_6nvI60V_ZLqfZL1HW1S_njkssPxfeojr_MWoYMX4fsYVsdEtb/s2048/281666957_5406604329371620_4456404899812597798_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwMSuFa9S-Qv03PwvN5UElE6ti6reNcs82BugCfRKrQvRS8qY--eUznCfBISuKvYTEnuIUadWGXFI-NwspAOeVutf_3uk3BsyJDPfqgfDTRys1HeezfqdLUvc9ZrQrcZ7x0IDpW_6nvI60V_ZLqfZL1HW1S_njkssPxfeojr_MWoYMX4fsYVsdEtb/s320/281666957_5406604329371620_4456404899812597798_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jonell and I are perusing the menu of the local diner. It looked good, but we never did make it back there.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivA3YA_PfoUJtXq887iz9dxvMGyj5CtrjDh1SWjsVri63oYI7eH0JYfRpBVrHlYRs5sX77OVmE1Npy2-2pa6jHoP954hUgXIzxR7yVyR1ynwJdl9BVPdVqA5DecOZQZNu57h_4PfK2X0152n1uTfTS8a0MlZzPZOflOQev2qylH83GV-nTgeeTKVPV/s960/282337416_5406604322704954_1832580690628271155_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivA3YA_PfoUJtXq887iz9dxvMGyj5CtrjDh1SWjsVri63oYI7eH0JYfRpBVrHlYRs5sX77OVmE1Npy2-2pa6jHoP954hUgXIzxR7yVyR1ynwJdl9BVPdVqA5DecOZQZNu57h_4PfK2X0152n1uTfTS8a0MlZzPZOflOQev2qylH83GV-nTgeeTKVPV/s320/282337416_5406604322704954_1832580690628271155_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There were several murals throughout the town depicting different historical scenes or influential citizens.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">The weather has not been very good, rather cold and rainy. So rather than outdoor activities, we spent our time in various museums. The first one is the Bomber Command Museum of Canada which told all about the history of what's called the "bomber command" units during World War II. The museum is a labor of love of many volunteers, finding, refurbishing the aircraft, and donating them to the museum. The second day was the Military Museum in Calgary. I myself did not visit that museum, but Al said it was very interesting.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_C61f765vnkVkRx7juK-I-h0_lVsfHfX3M55cBznFy0P_FKShvOfwTtJ8mmXMs1LDVUWYgl1AK_biMJhUh4spy9MzxVkW8Rg54KiDhF7qYjX-fwl4vt0vNo90N5K7hrXBcizAWDsBz1uwsqsX-lA-Lg9JICGb8iXVHrgfX7s2p_vJC-29jumT4DX/s5472/P1031723.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_C61f765vnkVkRx7juK-I-h0_lVsfHfX3M55cBznFy0P_FKShvOfwTtJ8mmXMs1LDVUWYgl1AK_biMJhUh4spy9MzxVkW8Rg54KiDhF7qYjX-fwl4vt0vNo90N5K7hrXBcizAWDsBz1uwsqsX-lA-Lg9JICGb8iXVHrgfX7s2p_vJC-29jumT4DX/s320/P1031723.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9yq-ZQBYn_lLnIxxTnK7KdVd5MJ8_FRY_tNAbp5lvysKDRoYi6KnoepuNx4u4YDpiOcVWuVeMWWizytIaH86vTC5xNp4Us_elYVEpvQpYo4YValWFUsgYBaKzoQMlQyLy4zm7-XDXbWaNeyjsYNGswXAikZtI_MzVFxlVhm5Y_j3tlEPG3xusl5q/s5472/P1031728.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9yq-ZQBYn_lLnIxxTnK7KdVd5MJ8_FRY_tNAbp5lvysKDRoYi6KnoepuNx4u4YDpiOcVWuVeMWWizytIaH86vTC5xNp4Us_elYVEpvQpYo4YValWFUsgYBaKzoQMlQyLy4zm7-XDXbWaNeyjsYNGswXAikZtI_MzVFxlVhm5Y_j3tlEPG3xusl5q/s320/P1031728.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZPZoTsiSFRmIwxyuJIF3RXMVtzLklUNYgMQd_yxBkfG3eobO4l41ZFv1ZcSZh2KQeBIvaKf28V9onJsyNH2eKWpsm0_7gwQtVUCuxt0mERqODPKL9MtdgSBc05z63_IRM56kisgjPGDQCb4EbHFy5NkNworuMxU1G05A204cyzqW9bnHd_L4jQMn/s5472/P1031732.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZPZoTsiSFRmIwxyuJIF3RXMVtzLklUNYgMQd_yxBkfG3eobO4l41ZFv1ZcSZh2KQeBIvaKf28V9onJsyNH2eKWpsm0_7gwQtVUCuxt0mERqODPKL9MtdgSBc05z63_IRM56kisgjPGDQCb4EbHFy5NkNworuMxU1G05A204cyzqW9bnHd_L4jQMn/s320/P1031732.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypixOikuIpXqgFCdyJPhY1qEP3rDxZtLhw6jKHlK3f8jCIoZZ20QrOCe07jBEgqYiz3OJMmMYALFa8DOIwhdYSsCUiB7m8k6bWh-ZV9zwFb256OFlsCA_05pKotzL08cS_MYgtyGCo6VXEYCQJBqc17xzB8QNILP6dILSWqtvzdp175yz7nWBq24j/s5472/P1031724.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypixOikuIpXqgFCdyJPhY1qEP3rDxZtLhw6jKHlK3f8jCIoZZ20QrOCe07jBEgqYiz3OJMmMYALFa8DOIwhdYSsCUiB7m8k6bWh-ZV9zwFb256OFlsCA_05pKotzL08cS_MYgtyGCo6VXEYCQJBqc17xzB8QNILP6dILSWqtvzdp175yz7nWBq24j/s320/P1031724.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Our last day we visited the Heritage Village Park, another museum dedicated to the history of the province of Alberta, denoted in several different villages showing different time periods. We learned about coal mining and oil drilling, the pioneer era, the Dust Bowl and Depression eras, even some interesting facts about trapping and trading. Gasoline Alley Museum, a new section, had beautifully restored automobiles, trucks, gas pumps and paraphernalia related to service stations.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUMMvaH7RwPQzYOvzrQoZgLRAM5QGrmqWFTQ0DQ1mPxNzTPuc02xEB7NZJabNU274yU-A-zMfkbZyPLoLaGsSCKomktkM-xmsNTDpWQWrJ5Jpbw0G_4S32Hh7932CwvJSuS0j0m7icAQavpuibCHiDc1J1obF1ie6UJIdqcbSA3YpOtefcinTYhTX/s5472/P1031733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUMMvaH7RwPQzYOvzrQoZgLRAM5QGrmqWFTQ0DQ1mPxNzTPuc02xEB7NZJabNU274yU-A-zMfkbZyPLoLaGsSCKomktkM-xmsNTDpWQWrJ5Jpbw0G_4S32Hh7932CwvJSuS0j0m7icAQavpuibCHiDc1J1obF1ie6UJIdqcbSA3YpOtefcinTYhTX/s320/P1031733.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2J3482JIhzWMFX_vNd16hXT_ct8z5AGPHlHgKL0lUyjg1rzNyrodhDR2o0iuvBqHC4rsDjr1VEijlU1198zudQ4TMHmlZuxOq0OT7aQxxl1qUWHf59lnliKYKuWpUBeIYgwYuQbVl1wxLqiRiarxDn9Cyar7sR6631x5zS2V-_4H5AuNtghb5tPYS/s5472/P1031734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2J3482JIhzWMFX_vNd16hXT_ct8z5AGPHlHgKL0lUyjg1rzNyrodhDR2o0iuvBqHC4rsDjr1VEijlU1198zudQ4TMHmlZuxOq0OT7aQxxl1qUWHf59lnliKYKuWpUBeIYgwYuQbVl1wxLqiRiarxDn9Cyar7sR6631x5zS2V-_4H5AuNtghb5tPYS/s320/P1031734.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMRtCaL3HzghZIBKx113eMHkHlLAryrsTqFhgNldrEOD0vEWFvhGFEJrgV0GYhbA7kB6STmywx7yptkHAage8NB28xO8dUEyqtlsyV_PCSFh2vtRscuqF7WbWVwNkMFhvT8Nc7hHywVbnTaViwAw0_Mqba--iesvTwhJwbrSmJzIa4f4Vq6-lkrP2/s5472/P1031735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMRtCaL3HzghZIBKx113eMHkHlLAryrsTqFhgNldrEOD0vEWFvhGFEJrgV0GYhbA7kB6STmywx7yptkHAage8NB28xO8dUEyqtlsyV_PCSFh2vtRscuqF7WbWVwNkMFhvT8Nc7hHywVbnTaViwAw0_Mqba--iesvTwhJwbrSmJzIa4f4Vq6-lkrP2/s320/P1031735.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-vEccjhvhZ3vtXU4AxPIIi4jZLYq4yNjBxunPNRJpwOYabctN87JodZpeZsLy03geaTzDid7V1Sqbnm4VVp_-LvcggvqKZ9BQP7_vg5zMWyx8ImwoI-LaBWxc-FhVelR8gNrGHepg1anct6d5LMzJw7I5yYKK5ja9ifra12fGqGLwbpt7YGPUmrs/s5472/P1031736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-vEccjhvhZ3vtXU4AxPIIi4jZLYq4yNjBxunPNRJpwOYabctN87JodZpeZsLy03geaTzDid7V1Sqbnm4VVp_-LvcggvqKZ9BQP7_vg5zMWyx8ImwoI-LaBWxc-FhVelR8gNrGHepg1anct6d5LMzJw7I5yYKK5ja9ifra12fGqGLwbpt7YGPUmrs/s320/P1031736.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAesubchlXQo5qEb-rRdHuwqVqP4y-1jQLugeymM6uAP5S9QQ23Zusai_wSjnj56_NU8UWJGk3soBctQMBuZPes0G-heAF4oQibjcYkT8i0n0WLrPkH9A_8rBKsQ1dToHZLCIkUwvvD8NVwfK4xS4UlzRCVhgBrfbhc661scFZpBScoDW1P2Jg5ZfE/s5472/P1031737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAesubchlXQo5qEb-rRdHuwqVqP4y-1jQLugeymM6uAP5S9QQ23Zusai_wSjnj56_NU8UWJGk3soBctQMBuZPes0G-heAF4oQibjcYkT8i0n0WLrPkH9A_8rBKsQ1dToHZLCIkUwvvD8NVwfK4xS4UlzRCVhgBrfbhc661scFZpBScoDW1P2Jg5ZfE/s320/P1031737.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGH-nL4VPWnq-hGisMrwT3wUOX1ZdRjfEFTjVy22ynXuMILAzAh997K1v1fHhXy5zP0CCXoq-I8FRxVQsd4V18lXOXnrDtLX0teapKeVKfl1D-SVEDrVmuGG-8qilUPCfXj0uqaEGeSw_WmuwxPPFvF3GI9QkuJ1vL26sYCIeIPoWA1nmVd-YlBYz/s5472/P1031738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGH-nL4VPWnq-hGisMrwT3wUOX1ZdRjfEFTjVy22ynXuMILAzAh997K1v1fHhXy5zP0CCXoq-I8FRxVQsd4V18lXOXnrDtLX0teapKeVKfl1D-SVEDrVmuGG-8qilUPCfXj0uqaEGeSw_WmuwxPPFvF3GI9QkuJ1vL26sYCIeIPoWA1nmVd-YlBYz/s320/P1031738.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Al and Jonell bellying up to the bar in the Saloon. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Edmonton, Alberta, the weather had improved a bit, and on our first day of sightseeing we decided to visit the Alberta Legislature Building. Monday was a national holiday, Victoria Day, here in Canada. Because of this, tours were available to the public. We landed spots on the 11 a.m. tour, which was about 45 minutes long. We were given a short history of the building and shown several areas: the Rotundra, the marble stairs rising to the chambers, the upstairs galleries for the public to watch the proceedings, and a special visit to the Premier's office and the cabinet meeting room. Afterward, there was a memorial service on the grounds with a military band and symbolic firing of the cannons. It struck me, listening to the music that was played, how closely aligned the countries of Great Britain, Canada, and the U.S. are. Much of the music is similar, if not identical. We then walked over to the Visitor Center where we watched a short film presentation on the history of the Alberta Province, and an exhibit hall that laid out the history of the legislature. It was very interesting.</span></div></div></blockquote><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFeuZuvun0_XmD4kIuGWEfYK9T24dZ4DcmiigP3XJh7rlbafbw5rwqniDN7QPSpzZcSm_DprmIpZ1EkRIMgWPpHxQ0--pCPnRDrXXKxDkchom6PZuGN9DygCJkj56iFfDPv6yqnv6NOXR6X3Pg08CQtBgrilO7bj3cMHsLo8tRzsSo3b4dky98P1j/s5472/P1031740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFeuZuvun0_XmD4kIuGWEfYK9T24dZ4DcmiigP3XJh7rlbafbw5rwqniDN7QPSpzZcSm_DprmIpZ1EkRIMgWPpHxQ0--pCPnRDrXXKxDkchom6PZuGN9DygCJkj56iFfDPv6yqnv6NOXR6X3Pg08CQtBgrilO7bj3cMHsLo8tRzsSo3b4dky98P1j/s320/P1031740.JPG" width="320" /></a></p><p>There is reno work going on to the outside of the Legislature building. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxMOrgpYUwpyoIw_rkkiVqxUMFTtWMJ5zjUqLIuJ0OV0gJOWkYQ4KiWj8WSu14jvcrG6AadicXAs0VFiBgipOXGclRJx2dfE7uziKBDoeUWVbnFEKvkD99b9_aVEAbD7PbgWd2ZmH-rwQ9QCOTt_QY0SuYzFok8DgDehFw7A_9DyS5_ncUEutAK5C/s5472/P1031743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxMOrgpYUwpyoIw_rkkiVqxUMFTtWMJ5zjUqLIuJ0OV0gJOWkYQ4KiWj8WSu14jvcrG6AadicXAs0VFiBgipOXGclRJx2dfE7uziKBDoeUWVbnFEKvkD99b9_aVEAbD7PbgWd2ZmH-rwQ9QCOTt_QY0SuYzFok8DgDehFw7A_9DyS5_ncUEutAK5C/s320/P1031743.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Marble stairs leading up to the Legislature chamber.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoilolh3Twyms19m-FImqcwpS_h7i1iVIQmHGH_XjGtHFVoGf_S78CSrBsBrl6Hy9xeuo3ebXSsjhkHYizfwlLAu-15ZE6qdq38sApNcMGtXSZRu_a7X0OuF0NlUEXO4AR7fLebxgp6FRhxPGAbVU34c_uYSuE15wyTfLhg10jb2-8X5Btve-0hpKd/s5472/P1031744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoilolh3Twyms19m-FImqcwpS_h7i1iVIQmHGH_XjGtHFVoGf_S78CSrBsBrl6Hy9xeuo3ebXSsjhkHYizfwlLAu-15ZE6qdq38sApNcMGtXSZRu_a7X0OuF0NlUEXO4AR7fLebxgp6FRhxPGAbVU34c_uYSuE15wyTfLhg10jb2-8X5Btve-0hpKd/s320/P1031744.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Premier's Cabinet meeting room</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLtil0AAx2ejQCIboxKqnQ-VYICExodo2VUxYu3LH8iTKZ6A1cG0QiczIfONiYZ3j7R8qcqTXPbvYNyYuItR7s4CIroBaIFIZbXtH3oamrezZfnL-75JrIAcpP1970g6wzyZ4dgfOla2nqkxewivfbZub7PlFKWhp50dt_9daQ8MwxH8YydNKkI0F/s5472/P1031745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLtil0AAx2ejQCIboxKqnQ-VYICExodo2VUxYu3LH8iTKZ6A1cG0QiczIfONiYZ3j7R8qcqTXPbvYNyYuItR7s4CIroBaIFIZbXtH3oamrezZfnL-75JrIAcpP1970g6wzyZ4dgfOla2nqkxewivfbZub7PlFKWhp50dt_9daQ8MwxH8YydNKkI0F/s320/P1031745.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">View from the patio balcony of the Premier's office.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNE1g8TIs8qEs4x5rht-FPMqFF0Fro5Ut2OyES54u5Rc5wwmIzSygo7E7Vm8wf6mT93Iq0S9AokTTB1gBjA2Ms7e4JR-NdkZSHm_OVGyII2ZvYSGWT2TejvVnfhIER6QHWl8DWzXpUkoK3WL2y056rkKF7_ZtRrSz8BGbnasRkjsUFzOaDvumGVGeZ/s5472/P1031747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNE1g8TIs8qEs4x5rht-FPMqFF0Fro5Ut2OyES54u5Rc5wwmIzSygo7E7Vm8wf6mT93Iq0S9AokTTB1gBjA2Ms7e4JR-NdkZSHm_OVGyII2ZvYSGWT2TejvVnfhIER6QHWl8DWzXpUkoK3WL2y056rkKF7_ZtRrSz8BGbnasRkjsUFzOaDvumGVGeZ/s320/P1031747.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Rotundra</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9uDXGhRMPIKhilqGYmU44kBWAPzXJEocSBCQdFADkYS0p3EyUV1LwIZDc59icJErDzOt8UopOenaZ5cqzgmrJlF504lJsJRo-bAm3QexBLy1rYKgB9AUjsjOHWDLrf1sunQtZeTC_7BxFG7juzcyUC4PQ7OAO2h343l9o-rzffR--klbLAlvENJY/s5472/P1031748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9uDXGhRMPIKhilqGYmU44kBWAPzXJEocSBCQdFADkYS0p3EyUV1LwIZDc59icJErDzOt8UopOenaZ5cqzgmrJlF504lJsJRo-bAm3QexBLy1rYKgB9AUjsjOHWDLrf1sunQtZeTC_7BxFG7juzcyUC4PQ7OAO2h343l9o-rzffR--klbLAlvENJY/s320/P1031748.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A quote from one of the "Famous 5," a group of women who led the cause for women's rights in Canada and secured the right for women to vote once they were declared "persons."</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnxfdiOhWvXcq_b8yPjV5vOeyr1bP5yAzhfHpSf_-Bu5uFYYI4AYeKNJ8yrgzxPMx5zZ0ky_WbNGjplMdVT0w70uNm-4VOBJYTXoZ1JoJpt5MewXDNi74zFgvXWSGG1bNuKYpO-5GtCl36nP2jhbuNLzQHq6o6emi2wNcOnAas3fPxWnoOLMHeYmH/s5472/P1031750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnxfdiOhWvXcq_b8yPjV5vOeyr1bP5yAzhfHpSf_-Bu5uFYYI4AYeKNJ8yrgzxPMx5zZ0ky_WbNGjplMdVT0w70uNm-4VOBJYTXoZ1JoJpt5MewXDNi74zFgvXWSGG1bNuKYpO-5GtCl36nP2jhbuNLzQHq6o6emi2wNcOnAas3fPxWnoOLMHeYmH/s320/P1031750.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The hall where the Legislature meets. We are in the viewing gallery above.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcH4GxFLcH-rfznC8kHgfoxCtOwUE4-FGHwFHg1QXFKgoSG-s7GHP8K5vKZNvKt0sM4eOPB65eUjzN5va0caZ0hIsO8CXMM5x2SOuvt-_b_ZxCCDdvKN_JT5wJeDLxuazxQV87t2tJf4c6aoTtNVs3ga4C1Dd0PuvFldCaXDBQnsaYXMpC7RC9rCYP/s5472/P1031752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcH4GxFLcH-rfznC8kHgfoxCtOwUE4-FGHwFHg1QXFKgoSG-s7GHP8K5vKZNvKt0sM4eOPB65eUjzN5va0caZ0hIsO8CXMM5x2SOuvt-_b_ZxCCDdvKN_JT5wJeDLxuazxQV87t2tJf4c6aoTtNVs3ga4C1Dd0PuvFldCaXDBQnsaYXMpC7RC9rCYP/s320/P1031752.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Being Victoria Day, there was a memorial service on the grounds at noon, with the military band playing patriotic music and a cannon salute. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9B1R2cvtx59PNHorcw5VuuWh1bUebcxbXBTBS9z7g9t7wHob0Dwq1810XNeuvQ-PpyO_s1Gy3OCJzBv9m4tOZLhFBGHu-jgqLDADXU5MDnjyGBaNkjGlDnL0GJbG4BKgVaNOLCEzJQzsiaSMfe43PSvgj7uUZ2nBh53Q-ir97mPtKvu_pPU1NpTM/s5472/P1031753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9B1R2cvtx59PNHorcw5VuuWh1bUebcxbXBTBS9z7g9t7wHob0Dwq1810XNeuvQ-PpyO_s1Gy3OCJzBv9m4tOZLhFBGHu-jgqLDADXU5MDnjyGBaNkjGlDnL0GJbG4BKgVaNOLCEzJQzsiaSMfe43PSvgj7uUZ2nBh53Q-ir97mPtKvu_pPU1NpTM/s320/P1031753.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A plaque I found inspiring in the Parliamentary exhibit hall.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our last day in Edmonton, we visited the Muttart Conservatory. Composed of 4 distinct biosphere pyramids, they had exhibits on tropical, temperate, and arid climates, and the fourth one is a changing feature which is hydrangeas this month. We really enjoyed wandering through the conservatory. </span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UtqmTOz8y2nWVEnDDiix3PHtmlN-n613E6e2cp8vHTP9yBhy2dk-2XHHR4GAJaJpxsVvBNLm82aYqfrrC3EFMM4pol2xCcxiXeSHLlhuSOYyJRWPdMSyWu8gt5dkXj0-Gxo9iwPziPJAhjFq31-x6qIZgJ5CIy6x1b-BPHM5MgziVOnJ7rFpozBJ/s5472/P1031754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UtqmTOz8y2nWVEnDDiix3PHtmlN-n613E6e2cp8vHTP9yBhy2dk-2XHHR4GAJaJpxsVvBNLm82aYqfrrC3EFMM4pol2xCcxiXeSHLlhuSOYyJRWPdMSyWu8gt5dkXj0-Gxo9iwPziPJAhjFq31-x6qIZgJ5CIy6x1b-BPHM5MgziVOnJ7rFpozBJ/s320/P1031754.JPG" width="320" /></a></p><p>Walking up to the conservatory</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaf9lTA8fJkRad90m7syhK-M9y84hCo_mXt6UojfcVq80i8HVoLJUe6WVBMdDG9cl-weXH4ssBFKjyNTyOuC1MUaltn9HsLKk5ymGEl81xS6nKYgtwrYIi7B-GAJL-Nqt88SOrhbpv67eIcjp2xEkjLs28U0zXJwAYR3KrrIcO7Oxc6Dlxfyl_SyHN/s5472/P1031759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaf9lTA8fJkRad90m7syhK-M9y84hCo_mXt6UojfcVq80i8HVoLJUe6WVBMdDG9cl-weXH4ssBFKjyNTyOuC1MUaltn9HsLKk5ymGEl81xS6nKYgtwrYIi7B-GAJL-Nqt88SOrhbpv67eIcjp2xEkjLs28U0zXJwAYR3KrrIcO7Oxc6Dlxfyl_SyHN/s320/P1031759.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Orchids in the tropic zone</div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3Zy7kE3uH80oAzq2y8NcH9axd8PaB5-l7KfnfXzqsE6dYFxbmPu3RlySqECzwZbNFFa6oqcOcaijAhlKzVl-PAeErHKnOR8kZkssyIaJByP7nXt4W8iBl6hjmNQqz5eDkVMO8zLBNyBTgebhX26Z0Qk8UDebEM7PT4BEEhFNLDJSvRW8vfLIs7C6/s5472/P1031766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3Zy7kE3uH80oAzq2y8NcH9axd8PaB5-l7KfnfXzqsE6dYFxbmPu3RlySqECzwZbNFFa6oqcOcaijAhlKzVl-PAeErHKnOR8kZkssyIaJByP7nXt4W8iBl6hjmNQqz5eDkVMO8zLBNyBTgebhX26Z0Qk8UDebEM7PT4BEEhFNLDJSvRW8vfLIs7C6/s320/P1031766.JPG" width="320" /></a></p><p>Sculpture named "The Proposal" in the temperate zone.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGK4PPzJHvAY5B-4FhFzITV1iHKZddnpLV0XM_2raGNQhPc4OT1VK0npHsWOBtpoKsRxvxgArQeS8MUeeXRhOLvFqGJuXjyW9eNSkdJLG3o9DpxErGHX7s1_Q8MesczzBIXgnRpXMr8ucDR-t0EmgL8KCU97PUrvhWKAzMK4KxJxfUxAZwJ4IUJhZc/s5472/P1031767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGK4PPzJHvAY5B-4FhFzITV1iHKZddnpLV0XM_2raGNQhPc4OT1VK0npHsWOBtpoKsRxvxgArQeS8MUeeXRhOLvFqGJuXjyW9eNSkdJLG3o9DpxErGHX7s1_Q8MesczzBIXgnRpXMr8ucDR-t0EmgL8KCU97PUrvhWKAzMK4KxJxfUxAZwJ4IUJhZc/s320/P1031767.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEdtSBJmaIzM4j2JKvZoO4BBK_4NK49ogvwLJNU9OfnYfSj5SdrDXYKHPvgVbNN3zD_qgn5mfk6PlDMp0w1cMbtY8qSXuHvAgFi0weuPi9weXYi9u54KLUQ22SGbi8GjhSIII8LVespTmv-qobAbmIRqtELwtMzlg2scrbSNiquBpHzhdwWaCK03W/s5472/P1031772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEdtSBJmaIzM4j2JKvZoO4BBK_4NK49ogvwLJNU9OfnYfSj5SdrDXYKHPvgVbNN3zD_qgn5mfk6PlDMp0w1cMbtY8qSXuHvAgFi0weuPi9weXYi9u54KLUQ22SGbi8GjhSIII8LVespTmv-qobAbmIRqtELwtMzlg2scrbSNiquBpHzhdwWaCK03W/s320/P1031772.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Two scenes in the temperate zone</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XOU5xed5Io5gJowqsjBtFdpWt0mEDE97eOB1rrP08KDzNv9mKjO9VuPdy_9S_qE-HQmDjvFOzQTSIB_ov6VYoW66RBefDX4CDWalT3d9q5ojXZkTsW2Pmn2cbYkd40uhfPDQZgBzcaoo4_X7dUOnYwiQOTFsuuwiYFWD-QSDuY4oLonQlrj6stSO/s5472/P1031774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XOU5xed5Io5gJowqsjBtFdpWt0mEDE97eOB1rrP08KDzNv9mKjO9VuPdy_9S_qE-HQmDjvFOzQTSIB_ov6VYoW66RBefDX4CDWalT3d9q5ojXZkTsW2Pmn2cbYkd40uhfPDQZgBzcaoo4_X7dUOnYwiQOTFsuuwiYFWD-QSDuY4oLonQlrj6stSO/s320/P1031774.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hydrangeas in the rotating exhibit</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQnL9duoqRq7xd1QGiTHD5LCPlbd3QGDaeJFcjEvghaq4v1UT-0M7QhvXAVI-xuZW6NaWJkOWjeL_XxKbLq4ArtTWzxxRtmZbmwVppYmP2K67sz-VpbKJB6ExDtQQ7k9YBWkQp_yn0gNn7PpemVKyy9yz9r6l9IoDX5k232OdNUpEn7SzC-PX464J/s5472/P1031784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQnL9duoqRq7xd1QGiTHD5LCPlbd3QGDaeJFcjEvghaq4v1UT-0M7QhvXAVI-xuZW6NaWJkOWjeL_XxKbLq4ArtTWzxxRtmZbmwVppYmP2K67sz-VpbKJB6ExDtQQ7k9YBWkQp_yn0gNn7PpemVKyy9yz9r6l9IoDX5k232OdNUpEn7SzC-PX464J/s320/P1031784.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8Vk5jYD_xFxi9p0m12SKf0cQt1XOP8gSGxkV0Thwl036lzxb11XasQZk9f9fM2hIy2Bnzd3eJhW-G3bSCn1uI8tF5A2MmyR9BTrdO8tBbgDJTrxEd2Mm90ChODddbic-3LIGdn3cLPznmOvwKF8UVP-oxDvy80ViUV1EdA8Qx0NdvJphg8a4IEuC/s5472/P1031790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8Vk5jYD_xFxi9p0m12SKf0cQt1XOP8gSGxkV0Thwl036lzxb11XasQZk9f9fM2hIy2Bnzd3eJhW-G3bSCn1uI8tF5A2MmyR9BTrdO8tBbgDJTrxEd2Mm90ChODddbic-3LIGdn3cLPznmOvwKF8UVP-oxDvy80ViUV1EdA8Qx0NdvJphg8a4IEuC/s320/P1031790.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Two scenes from the arid zone.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thursday we had departed Edmonton and headed about 240 miles further northwest, settling in Grande Prairie, Alberta. This is our last stop in Alberta. We stayed here 4 nights mainly because the weather was supposed to be cold and rainy all weekend. They were not wrong! But we did manage to do a few things. We first visited the Visitor's Center where we saw the giant sundial- although it was cloudy out so we couldn't tell the time - and there was a very interesting museum on the history of "Peace Country" as they call it - due to the Peace River running through the prairie. We went to a year-round Farmer's Market that had lots of yummy baked goods. It's a tad too early for much locally grown produce.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEify7ofYSPbQWjVaa6LJy8v3RdkIRbF0fHHtcHHQGRqh9H90Tki6Jos0tVY1q4wpNow370gu8f2SyO13cUgxQarDOMqUKKKcyvS26hCMiRQBK6bD7_hddgHYHXoxiAeUgiMS1oiTxyWMaqhEzZ4_y52orF2osPg9e2iGBt6d8Efhb7kLqIH61DZ18r4/s5472/P1031794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEify7ofYSPbQWjVaa6LJy8v3RdkIRbF0fHHtcHHQGRqh9H90Tki6Jos0tVY1q4wpNow370gu8f2SyO13cUgxQarDOMqUKKKcyvS26hCMiRQBK6bD7_hddgHYHXoxiAeUgiMS1oiTxyWMaqhEzZ4_y52orF2osPg9e2iGBt6d8Efhb7kLqIH61DZ18r4/s320/P1031794.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The big sundial on a sunless day</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOI1MNmfF-VJAdvkkDQsawarTTTshBUKhHyUjIo6q37IAcpIWJsWBSVmJhrSArpEadwl9VHWVmI7fvARbz2VsPFVvkZQTUQx6g6MRFK4BcM_RLRu-EQimuRy3Sv3OACFNMj3qujMY5P2_lKFF4x2wAMPYRydSuV7dbYIYLlne4G1iPYayfAumh8sn/s5472/P1031796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOI1MNmfF-VJAdvkkDQsawarTTTshBUKhHyUjIo6q37IAcpIWJsWBSVmJhrSArpEadwl9VHWVmI7fvARbz2VsPFVvkZQTUQx6g6MRFK4BcM_RLRu-EQimuRy3Sv3OACFNMj3qujMY5P2_lKFF4x2wAMPYRydSuV7dbYIYLlne4G1iPYayfAumh8sn/s320/P1031796.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grande Prairie Visitor Center</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The area is also known for an abundance of dinosaur fossils, some unique to the area, and a world-class palaeontological institution, the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum. It was a good way to spend a very rainy day. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7W1Zi7DQmH81PFmise4tpI-eHoyp2a42H5g5qyuCiNcDxz-6u65CIQpe9kwE_iMnFUvkajLwWojTKe7QL27qsjHt52M8oD-iSPZJtjW2Eu7C2IFyMcIxxGUr0KyA-BPl9hQyRIK37yjoKbvc-uemAXMrHVkz02rty3CkwNojjU_igSPlv9ppIWBu/s5472/P1031815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7W1Zi7DQmH81PFmise4tpI-eHoyp2a42H5g5qyuCiNcDxz-6u65CIQpe9kwE_iMnFUvkajLwWojTKe7QL27qsjHt52M8oD-iSPZJtjW2Eu7C2IFyMcIxxGUr0KyA-BPl9hQyRIK37yjoKbvc-uemAXMrHVkz02rty3CkwNojjU_igSPlv9ppIWBu/s320/P1031815.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpkvkGwkRCmEqCmfXxiTfJZLMKGi-4SlcaYrh8st25c1heT3ntVy_b9Pvo6FgurPTFCnhRHAaMBiPrswSGl2epCY3lADRAIP4gO3bJWG_nU8vJ-Z51sXcHRZSxuRo2S5iFomtNvmQVJfq_47W321seloE7RZFkrK9P46zx3Ua-dt36HcmAEL-YjKp/s5472/P1031798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpkvkGwkRCmEqCmfXxiTfJZLMKGi-4SlcaYrh8st25c1heT3ntVy_b9Pvo6FgurPTFCnhRHAaMBiPrswSGl2epCY3lADRAIP4gO3bJWG_nU8vJ-Z51sXcHRZSxuRo2S5iFomtNvmQVJfq_47W321seloE7RZFkrK9P46zx3Ua-dt36HcmAEL-YjKp/s320/P1031798.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VNJ1SI_wK5RgZVpuh4mybVs8gCFtnHVLwwzDdRJJuKjyFVEJFV-8sh87U4LPgQ397lyPkvkY3rHg4K0wZH4gEalFf9LuwJXse95NCKVktmGoVjZoVAPwPzUPcB5OBFuZTsSCwig8kVqEjkDOrh12Fm1Zkpj_DN7wAddiqfAE4nnlDLpPaJLrXqAu/s5472/P1031800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VNJ1SI_wK5RgZVpuh4mybVs8gCFtnHVLwwzDdRJJuKjyFVEJFV-8sh87U4LPgQ397lyPkvkY3rHg4K0wZH4gEalFf9LuwJXse95NCKVktmGoVjZoVAPwPzUPcB5OBFuZTsSCwig8kVqEjkDOrh12Fm1Zkpj_DN7wAddiqfAE4nnlDLpPaJLrXqAu/s320/P1031800.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqX9yNKX41CKFgilmbYSh07wVwvefYA6_PePx4gmHTgT0w2OHLgYwkRm8-zIhsq0sHEpZqEUoEzG6DnGV3MbFLOqP0-jKgSID1g_QatirYEO8SuvlCd3D-jyN77YVSwQ-v2d_jG1APSyiwYdcVoTNETa_q5jsSADI-Wt_O_5RGRZiMarYukO3RaPnJ/s5472/P1031804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqX9yNKX41CKFgilmbYSh07wVwvefYA6_PePx4gmHTgT0w2OHLgYwkRm8-zIhsq0sHEpZqEUoEzG6DnGV3MbFLOqP0-jKgSID1g_QatirYEO8SuvlCd3D-jyN77YVSwQ-v2d_jG1APSyiwYdcVoTNETa_q5jsSADI-Wt_O_5RGRZiMarYukO3RaPnJ/s320/P1031804.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh380ch_PHMfzGweIo8dEhbRp9GmcsUYwOBCiQR27ktwn0fB1gOjQtl15ol2CcsvDBK9bn7bgTN6_jCmMzpuWOB1M8yQ6jL38kx0gpBV8-Z8HqYBEvrnqwhow3YTrgT29YhQ8i3qb43dUY8AoyyEefrcBmcr9w5q7_RAW4f8CrroQtrcJFibkD0PnuJ/s5472/P1031805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh380ch_PHMfzGweIo8dEhbRp9GmcsUYwOBCiQR27ktwn0fB1gOjQtl15ol2CcsvDBK9bn7bgTN6_jCmMzpuWOB1M8yQ6jL38kx0gpBV8-Z8HqYBEvrnqwhow3YTrgT29YhQ8i3qb43dUY8AoyyEefrcBmcr9w5q7_RAW4f8CrroQtrcJFibkD0PnuJ/s320/P1031805.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDqBLevx51n-qm2WXv86boex_DoBJ0j3OiDhJgQ1dT4UXq1xry-pAW_nT5Kxwpixulfe_NaCGqNpCPwypFpTB71GtNljqXdKgph2mB1hnRlVAJyMrdpWowdZv_JOXTE2IQMyt4JL3c1HXo8MISLk6lU1OVLJqfWyWfTfuwLzNv8TSJ-YDr6G7WQY7/s5472/P1031806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDqBLevx51n-qm2WXv86boex_DoBJ0j3OiDhJgQ1dT4UXq1xry-pAW_nT5Kxwpixulfe_NaCGqNpCPwypFpTB71GtNljqXdKgph2mB1hnRlVAJyMrdpWowdZv_JOXTE2IQMyt4JL3c1HXo8MISLk6lU1OVLJqfWyWfTfuwLzNv8TSJ-YDr6G7WQY7/s320/P1031806.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Pachyrhinosaurus is exclusive to the Peace Country area. A huge pocket of fossilized bones was found in the Pipestone Creek area. It is believed an environmental cataclysmic event such as flooding occurred, killing the herd. An abundance of various other scavenger dinosaur bones were found in the area, believed to have been drawn by the corpses of the pachyrhinosauruses.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieAONmhQfXNiSCQgT7Y9ph8bGeqq6290NCzsOMl85Ous09s5H6ibWa1akOvLi1Z7cAGP4NM13DoSi7QAElYditiEZOmglm-6pePKvFMoFwrgv6vzpZQNjwINC8QQ5PsFxJvnck4Gk60zt0k3aeiP0wtOCIzygEnquPy0dJUIiv6CJy-aRtv1mIf-KH/s5472/P1031810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieAONmhQfXNiSCQgT7Y9ph8bGeqq6290NCzsOMl85Ous09s5H6ibWa1akOvLi1Z7cAGP4NM13DoSi7QAElYditiEZOmglm-6pePKvFMoFwrgv6vzpZQNjwINC8QQ5PsFxJvnck4Gk60zt0k3aeiP0wtOCIzygEnquPy0dJUIiv6CJy-aRtv1mIf-KH/s320/P1031810.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The lab where teams work on the fossils that are recovered in the area.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_dlAqKInGogXyAmIO7ND5AhrlYLIc0toX29d-JQWj9Lt5Dot-mPSHzQgeH-TUd5vgvW7-bCcskr3cikcb2Z1Km0Uje-ADpdBELXtXCkuBFJk2xnCNK7Yy5WfiB5z1z-AaLzNttRkIjiYa1ygYXpe9GKqWpEx33xKTjUexKEmxyAp3fYv0mJMISPH/s5472/P1031812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_dlAqKInGogXyAmIO7ND5AhrlYLIc0toX29d-JQWj9Lt5Dot-mPSHzQgeH-TUd5vgvW7-bCcskr3cikcb2Z1Km0Uje-ADpdBELXtXCkuBFJk2xnCNK7Yy5WfiB5z1z-AaLzNttRkIjiYa1ygYXpe9GKqWpEx33xKTjUexKEmxyAp3fYv0mJMISPH/s320/P1031812.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A trackway of prints recovered at the Pipestone Creek site.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">On our last day here, today, Al and I went to the Grande Prairie "Stompede," billed as the Peace Country's Greatest Show of the Year. It was going on all weekend, but this afternoon the rain finally stopped and was the best afternoon for us to go. And it was a lot of fun. Tomorrow we drive another 90 miles northwest where we will finally reach Dawson Creek and Mile 0 of the Alaskan Highway.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSGVjEc8wXOhkw6KIuLIcQvk-xxEaMMvicROK08OMNnjyyY-GIBBP8hHeRN81isEpydRLOUoRcUiFHO4Q4boYItgU-WYTM926Q9dM-ohFWEXDIJnXYW14GQcpLliMLP52SmaTxPl3EUhKQlsAgTrSo0h-B0LliNMutZYk88LDM3VUU05FWH63I7S-/s3178/P1031860%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2119" data-original-width="3178" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSGVjEc8wXOhkw6KIuLIcQvk-xxEaMMvicROK08OMNnjyyY-GIBBP8hHeRN81isEpydRLOUoRcUiFHO4Q4boYItgU-WYTM926Q9dM-ohFWEXDIJnXYW14GQcpLliMLP52SmaTxPl3EUhKQlsAgTrSo0h-B0LliNMutZYk88LDM3VUU05FWH63I7S-/s320/P1031860%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bronc riding</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjv3N5_wcRipLoC4C7X2BN0AUHIMAFAl2AiUVZKIKbQI56wPdCG5rzkU_9CZlZNrvVyH5UugrrMnGLT6dl4POGyWl1Mh-dUh5RP58y3AAx-jl-LdGDKf_-L30VmFflen0XZmLKcoqb8rbtKIgvUg003HGD1HU0e0KBPg4pIuKzCjMgvuWs2GxTqQq/s4170/P1031840%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2780" data-original-width="4170" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjv3N5_wcRipLoC4C7X2BN0AUHIMAFAl2AiUVZKIKbQI56wPdCG5rzkU_9CZlZNrvVyH5UugrrMnGLT6dl4POGyWl1Mh-dUh5RP58y3AAx-jl-LdGDKf_-L30VmFflen0XZmLKcoqb8rbtKIgvUg003HGD1HU0e0KBPg4pIuKzCjMgvuWs2GxTqQq/s320/P1031840%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamPiSvXtL76Wu6CTj8O7suF0hqIktUgBoZVJYFogSUsW4MHEuIj5MV4TXif7nWk-1nQ5xkpcXtNkUc-kRtAc4nYYVYSfyHd13ZhI2zHEUqV2NRfqDa6gyGyWyIFlX2UO4SFfl0OsDEdmWDPu351O2KQs8V7O5Dz5HtSoDPYSQZmKP7E6yVonYq6GZ/s3819/P1031841%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2546" data-original-width="3819" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamPiSvXtL76Wu6CTj8O7suF0hqIktUgBoZVJYFogSUsW4MHEuIj5MV4TXif7nWk-1nQ5xkpcXtNkUc-kRtAc4nYYVYSfyHd13ZhI2zHEUqV2NRfqDa6gyGyWyIFlX2UO4SFfl0OsDEdmWDPu351O2KQs8V7O5Dz5HtSoDPYSQZmKP7E6yVonYq6GZ/s320/P1031841%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZrBvIegutXO6_wfS4Vzg6ls1ZtoaWlfxUQxEmS_RdFJu2IUOlWf0CpcnACVs7petp5OKZuuXWZU9HFJrf6ZzetrOOd4uCvDovxtARiKbBE278qrs2hbsLFDy0D4Sr7eQr4w31MAmBiZXN9IeaMZOWW_JnBqYn21fNoAlQSntk9kZA_NrK3oaxL3-/s5472/P1031846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZrBvIegutXO6_wfS4Vzg6ls1ZtoaWlfxUQxEmS_RdFJu2IUOlWf0CpcnACVs7petp5OKZuuXWZU9HFJrf6ZzetrOOd4uCvDovxtARiKbBE278qrs2hbsLFDy0D4Sr7eQr4w31MAmBiZXN9IeaMZOWW_JnBqYn21fNoAlQSntk9kZA_NrK3oaxL3-/s320/P1031846.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Singles calf roping. They have to lasso the calf and secure its feet by hogtying it. The winner did it in just over 8 seconds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5PEfKmcgDVdJFfL48NFYWhPPLZV_cxATOAPZ65Li6kHV-LK8skNQzNiyM1rNlGckbaDWheVu5HHUsRpdhLxe69FKEj0YQaxR1KMm9G1zx8bniqEaDbE3DurutJt1oEuRQTHvYcH2DlNgR0xcZIVMv1vgO5K7ptmtmm9GKmdNYEnmA-fOGyW5gJ2q/s5472/P1031881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5PEfKmcgDVdJFfL48NFYWhPPLZV_cxATOAPZ65Li6kHV-LK8skNQzNiyM1rNlGckbaDWheVu5HHUsRpdhLxe69FKEj0YQaxR1KMm9G1zx8bniqEaDbE3DurutJt1oEuRQTHvYcH2DlNgR0xcZIVMv1vgO5K7ptmtmm9GKmdNYEnmA-fOGyW5gJ2q/s320/P1031881.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DNMrx3NixOvMeoEsQiJGnjelcYOy4yFATEBIHM8RXSVHznoHjUYL9LEiMjcuuGNyiFgiEgQ25UANoPq5KOh3E7PxxlgNUtM3WK7xg1MYHSSMVHylBs6KZ-t-JiGDZvbAEsXYtdaHnxBskkJbCT7liaHA-HYHGS2IWm7VWU9miFydXIEmFWcGaLfQ/s2823/P1031884%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1882" data-original-width="2823" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DNMrx3NixOvMeoEsQiJGnjelcYOy4yFATEBIHM8RXSVHznoHjUYL9LEiMjcuuGNyiFgiEgQ25UANoPq5KOh3E7PxxlgNUtM3WK7xg1MYHSSMVHylBs6KZ-t-JiGDZvbAEsXYtdaHnxBskkJbCT7liaHA-HYHGS2IWm7VWU9miFydXIEmFWcGaLfQ/s320/P1031884%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Team calf roping. One lassos the head, the other lassos a back foot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFZDPuMcyDRmhs2Xs-SuNkyYYn8nbyaTb_dTobFAkIaSKWFq-Tz7V1MWzjCoCx7F0ADGoYL8AUQaARwmq4vBypoyTkHYPLwWG00yGhl0lSO2oPVWW3hhdT9Z0CBIBF1mc9R7iBZZkc2BXamWBa2Pegk_8COcKjYIOMYhEiLdddsdBs4HXApq82h2g/s5472/P1031871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFZDPuMcyDRmhs2Xs-SuNkyYYn8nbyaTb_dTobFAkIaSKWFq-Tz7V1MWzjCoCx7F0ADGoYL8AUQaARwmq4vBypoyTkHYPLwWG00yGhl0lSO2oPVWW3hhdT9Z0CBIBF1mc9R7iBZZkc2BXamWBa2Pegk_8COcKjYIOMYhEiLdddsdBs4HXApq82h2g/s320/P1031871.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was a loop of balloon targets that they had to ride in a circle around and shoot out the balloons. It was timed with 5 seconds added for each balloon that remained intact.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-IyO0C5VkEoUKmIKQ-r5rjcR2eSZgzSOYOO4K0RaQBq4Sr2IJSSWgOEWzEALttX9NHL26XqH1Dz9afQXwf5LEt2WqlKrmQAdH4ObazMWjF2nMptEt-MF_XIByS79TSbbbawf6EpV6_KZ2oRo4ADVp1psRtY8trNdVJOFZwZ7O9H-IKVMsAzrguC9/s2778/P1031894%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1852" data-original-width="2778" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-IyO0C5VkEoUKmIKQ-r5rjcR2eSZgzSOYOO4K0RaQBq4Sr2IJSSWgOEWzEALttX9NHL26XqH1Dz9afQXwf5LEt2WqlKrmQAdH4ObazMWjF2nMptEt-MF_XIByS79TSbbbawf6EpV6_KZ2oRo4ADVp1psRtY8trNdVJOFZwZ7O9H-IKVMsAzrguC9/s320/P1031894%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsoYE9F9_3S3q2HWKxo_lWNq0zN5M1RBb8U59tDt190KjUMAXEnML8x-QAVryidcKnpQnpLjPuLUf7GS-QRQhlzq6ExTpXkt1fczlEpToZS28bPMRO_AzatZyqnocX1t-tGqPiyvgJXQbPwOohFDXpcTRLlbu7iSybSNasijY3hVf_VMKj03l2_2F/s3012/P1031896%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2008" data-original-width="3012" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsoYE9F9_3S3q2HWKxo_lWNq0zN5M1RBb8U59tDt190KjUMAXEnML8x-QAVryidcKnpQnpLjPuLUf7GS-QRQhlzq6ExTpXkt1fczlEpToZS28bPMRO_AzatZyqnocX1t-tGqPiyvgJXQbPwOohFDXpcTRLlbu7iSybSNasijY3hVf_VMKj03l2_2F/s320/P1031896%20(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The last and seemingly most popular event was steer riding. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lip_Btr21EWKu8CzY-Tj7nRKMb485nnpvI-QhDABhOJLXTZx-vJQVq9pH8vX7O40gh3IMBJnFFoLT-GZWuhS30SGM8WqFFtPmNoTG1-dpnwxGFdhpAAykFR5Ns27FlXvtccC-wU8FeFkFkf7QixmUfxLEwYuMhWdMia7zs53XEWNIVtLHT4lhVJT/s5472/P1031851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lip_Btr21EWKu8CzY-Tj7nRKMb485nnpvI-QhDABhOJLXTZx-vJQVq9pH8vX7O40gh3IMBJnFFoLT-GZWuhS30SGM8WqFFtPmNoTG1-dpnwxGFdhpAAykFR5Ns27FlXvtccC-wU8FeFkFkf7QixmUfxLEwYuMhWdMia7zs53XEWNIVtLHT4lhVJT/s320/P1031851.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And for the Yellowstone fans out there....it wasn't Jimmy!</div>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-33855436476945032422022-05-26T13:05:00.000-04:002022-05-26T13:05:35.048-04:00We're back!<div style="text-align: left;"> So it's been quite a long time since I last wrote anything here...about two and a half years. Not too much happened in those intervening years. Let's do a quick summary.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Al had heart surgery the end of 2019, a cryoablation for his afib. All went well with that.</div><div style="text-align: left;">January 2020 we went on an 8-night Caribbean cruise for his 60th birthday; yep, getting old, LOL.</div><div style="text-align: left;">February 2020 we did our normal cousins reunion at Disney, and worked at the State Fair for Scootaround. In the meantime, we were finalizing all the plans for our bucket-list trip to Alaska. Departure was set for the end of April 2020, returning back to the lower 48 late September.</div><div style="text-align: left;">And then we all know what happened March 2020: COVID. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Of course, back then no one had the faintest idea how long the pandemic would last. We held on to hopes right until late May that we'd be able to at least do an abbreviated trip up. Long story short, summer 2020 we postponed our trip to 2021, and ended up back in Wyoming, working another year at the ranch. No elaborations, but it was a long, strenuous summer. Who would have thought it would be a record-breaking year out there for tourism, with not enough help. We got through it, but it was not fun. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh43KxlPW3ViDVpVlksFU5Byjlp3skz-VDKQPirtGiIDaB6qlNF2x7069Xbun4K2jk1NzvIdbmpt7g7xNZ_eidIfYXqw1yzunv7GObJDBvxKfUGWhd7JWwWXIocuXLc-Aux4h28bdQ7h7xrjqou68iZkjapBVNseGheetNTqp5hsm24dBqy9Vk5a4cw/s553/6EC32A75-38E9-4759-81F1-139041732905.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh43KxlPW3ViDVpVlksFU5Byjlp3skz-VDKQPirtGiIDaB6qlNF2x7069Xbun4K2jk1NzvIdbmpt7g7xNZ_eidIfYXqw1yzunv7GObJDBvxKfUGWhd7JWwWXIocuXLc-Aux4h28bdQ7h7xrjqou68iZkjapBVNseGheetNTqp5hsm24dBqy9Vk5a4cw/s320/6EC32A75-38E9-4759-81F1-139041732905.jpeg" width="278" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This about sums up the summer!</div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">To cap it off, Al blew out his left knee mid-July. As it kept getting worse, we headed back to Florida immediately at the end of the season in October, and he had a full knee replacement December 2021. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">January 2021 was filled with physical therapy and slowly seeing our plans to travel to Alaska that summer fizzling away due to the resurgence of the COVID variants. The end of January we heard from our employers at the ranch that the impending sale of the business had fallen through. They had decided to continue running it for the summer '21 season and offered us our roles back if we weren't going north. After discussing it, trying to guess what was going to happen with the border, we postponed everything again to 2022. Off to Wyoming again. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh, and Al's knee was doing great. He really worked hard and did all the therapy and exercises they told him to do. He is walking great again. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The biggest news of the year was the addition of a new member to our family. Introducing Cody, our Irish Setter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhmtNhIU2kCyBtxpU2JKwQ4YLXkHpiwaq_NYYhUpTx4kXab248_Pqtwf3e1Gw0xrrwFBMJUp15ahPnMwWDuJgeS6as2p8CTQY-rGT6Ty4PNYmmSUfdiO0cAAd3XhAHSa1Dt4YGAVVRRwMirX0zJsAuVF-f8hjmEk5FpGpB1o9cZ4sSMaGctD6tRNr/s960/EEF69285-1D79-4A3D-A3A9-D12F3478FB7C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhmtNhIU2kCyBtxpU2JKwQ4YLXkHpiwaq_NYYhUpTx4kXab248_Pqtwf3e1Gw0xrrwFBMJUp15ahPnMwWDuJgeS6as2p8CTQY-rGT6Ty4PNYmmSUfdiO0cAAd3XhAHSa1Dt4YGAVVRRwMirX0zJsAuVF-f8hjmEk5FpGpB1o9cZ4sSMaGctD6tRNr/s320/EEF69285-1D79-4A3D-A3A9-D12F3478FB7C.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">11 weeks old when we picked him up in Oregon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7YKW5JNI25kNwbQEcWdIbKC5qtaF0eucJFeZuc9dE0_ffWAXn5y0OtbHgaeiFz4IiMKNm6URoVs9o5BDv2z7FDMGXzkcX1lfY8AnKGj2AX-U_6_Q6z5Ar0Vnd-Vbl9rtuL36XBHAME8_JuIEcOFb0WP04DE2RA6pRUDYbQt4kIlmwNdfG7vsxFjq/s1726/C9E63B58-2250-4E4D-BB99-418A0F13D6A8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1726" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7YKW5JNI25kNwbQEcWdIbKC5qtaF0eucJFeZuc9dE0_ffWAXn5y0OtbHgaeiFz4IiMKNm6URoVs9o5BDv2z7FDMGXzkcX1lfY8AnKGj2AX-U_6_Q6z5Ar0Vnd-Vbl9rtuL36XBHAME8_JuIEcOFb0WP04DE2RA6pRUDYbQt4kIlmwNdfG7vsxFjq/s320/C9E63B58-2250-4E4D-BB99-418A0F13D6A8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mid-September on a field trip in the Gros Ventre, Wyoming</div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We finished out our eighth season at Luton's, and it was our last. The business has been sold now and new people are running it this year. We have so many wonderful memories from working there, but it is time to move on.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">December 2021 we did a 10-day trip to the Everglades and Key West. One of our favorite couples, John and Carol Herr, were staying at the Naval Base in Key West for the month of December and I really wanted to visit with them. We had a fantastic time with them for the week. We stayed at Bluewater Key RV Park, and whereas it is expensive, it was very nice and actually had privacy between sites. And there was nothing that would be considered inexpensive anyway. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGYSs7KPUnDJzNrSstHKpxjkyZ8jSlbQZcQrqj4b3xHd_6E7II4gA8ShEy59sn-4FG7U7tXLWQIIHSmSb1MhqipNHD0n3fCL7NY6IAbOeNDJzJsnja-NRjrvEReVywgyHXA-mB8EIvCs5xcKUjNbNXBYBv0Xu66see9KqmjlHeeACuxXiefgc1Gr4/s2048/D9133E63-15D8-41E7-8917-81AA61F40AB2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGYSs7KPUnDJzNrSstHKpxjkyZ8jSlbQZcQrqj4b3xHd_6E7II4gA8ShEy59sn-4FG7U7tXLWQIIHSmSb1MhqipNHD0n3fCL7NY6IAbOeNDJzJsnja-NRjrvEReVywgyHXA-mB8EIvCs5xcKUjNbNXBYBv0Xu66see9KqmjlHeeACuxXiefgc1Gr4/s320/D9133E63-15D8-41E7-8917-81AA61F40AB2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">our site at Bluewater Key</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2n5DAzgI1F09hHiGQfv6D-MlOlwvTtoSXBvorR3Ucsdbk2Rpcbf8nagBh0FMhYxCiFplTXcS45v-rxgHF9jzSZ_49W8L0ylGEnxP2jzIFmSAJxhs-MKn8oyo_Z0rm-dzNKS4wqNIij3ZQTIGDJCx26aQ5_XJO9NlPCtNOAai1kGnbfW6bsc_wZM1/s960/23BAD0DE-9798-4543-A09E-94FDF55FC563.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2n5DAzgI1F09hHiGQfv6D-MlOlwvTtoSXBvorR3Ucsdbk2Rpcbf8nagBh0FMhYxCiFplTXcS45v-rxgHF9jzSZ_49W8L0ylGEnxP2jzIFmSAJxhs-MKn8oyo_Z0rm-dzNKS4wqNIij3ZQTIGDJCx26aQ5_XJO9NlPCtNOAai1kGnbfW6bsc_wZM1/s320/23BAD0DE-9798-4543-A09E-94FDF55FC563.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Hemingway House in Key West</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIwwsjyDlqhUEBChXvpjS9ZFdHD6kXAZ-pRsaZmlWx_Xd5sk1KUJxvJQJYzi2muCRmagohfd0PRtXajeczxzF2c2K5kbAhaeaDMfV-u3ea_c0OZeG35E318AkEsmHz0EIpjM826N3S9mBf539q1vkTYdNhnuGA6tZkJNY2kfssgW90dk7ak33TtwR/s2048/82B1EFA5-26B2-47EA-B6A4-4C5EE21B4566.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIwwsjyDlqhUEBChXvpjS9ZFdHD6kXAZ-pRsaZmlWx_Xd5sk1KUJxvJQJYzi2muCRmagohfd0PRtXajeczxzF2c2K5kbAhaeaDMfV-u3ea_c0OZeG35E318AkEsmHz0EIpjM826N3S9mBf539q1vkTYdNhnuGA6tZkJNY2kfssgW90dk7ak33TtwR/s320/82B1EFA5-26B2-47EA-B6A4-4C5EE21B4566.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Hemingway House is known for its cats, mainly the 6-toed variety. There's currently 50-plus cats living the life of luxury on property, all descended from the original cat gifted to Ernest Hemingway.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hn6Gc3hzSQdhm4pPm1lazqXoaJSz9RqJbLZHZ4wYV6SMmW18cv00HHl4SYSc_kDJY44LkYG-YGZaPgYA0ODFzRmQ0xqkfNPIjujO28kzSjmQMEE80bPVDdYZPTHjQuudhhGGGLDahm6AhT_CUZ-MzQy1zPPtnHtBeVwlVpv8jt8yvc5HZr74jNbM/s960/4815923B-E06F-4E11-957F-7A6F4646EE0C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hn6Gc3hzSQdhm4pPm1lazqXoaJSz9RqJbLZHZ4wYV6SMmW18cv00HHl4SYSc_kDJY44LkYG-YGZaPgYA0ODFzRmQ0xqkfNPIjujO28kzSjmQMEE80bPVDdYZPTHjQuudhhGGGLDahm6AhT_CUZ-MzQy1zPPtnHtBeVwlVpv8jt8yvc5HZr74jNbM/s320/4815923B-E06F-4E11-957F-7A6F4646EE0C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We did a day trip via high-speed ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park. It was beautiful.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioba7JbkQ3k36nBxI2vFcxFEdcBsJ8qfTqQHNoJpGxpGqLraex-9LK1CL1Ic0dtSLiP2m9qxI3aGDJrBusLAs2Xtt4u5BsAtOloXanSCul68p5lWM-grtElTvo8I14ilhpXESlHU6pF81ILsZ1IAMBKUGiqjLdVnAOR2SEo_nEoSzlA5okfS7RM2Sw/s2048/A86A3304-6646-4852-8767-38EB46B598B9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioba7JbkQ3k36nBxI2vFcxFEdcBsJ8qfTqQHNoJpGxpGqLraex-9LK1CL1Ic0dtSLiP2m9qxI3aGDJrBusLAs2Xtt4u5BsAtOloXanSCul68p5lWM-grtElTvo8I14ilhpXESlHU6pF81ILsZ1IAMBKUGiqjLdVnAOR2SEo_nEoSzlA5okfS7RM2Sw/s320/A86A3304-6646-4852-8767-38EB46B598B9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of course, a fishing trip for Al was a must-do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The rest of the winter was pretty quiet. We did go to Disney a few days. We visited with friends from New York and my sister and niece and nephew in February when they came down during school vacation in February. My brother came down in April and he and Al went on a 3-day fishing trip in the Gulf and caught a freezer-load of fish.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHpgPmsI9Fc700eD2pRZs2wbkBxN06OJNZOWei3ahD_Nu96gHuFP1UcbOoyTIfOcWtkzWaRnvgNR69n8yG37k8PpMJqvwMbb8DCS2G5CePJMF6g_AEw99r_QZNfGP0mcCJK83T3vOaLuKln6bmwEKoIYaHA7oKdTh0l8oI8H9dQpkQJeFW1cMCPSE/s960/F4D63DA5-4EBE-4FD4-9E84-07349F5F83D5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHpgPmsI9Fc700eD2pRZs2wbkBxN06OJNZOWei3ahD_Nu96gHuFP1UcbOoyTIfOcWtkzWaRnvgNR69n8yG37k8PpMJqvwMbb8DCS2G5CePJMF6g_AEw99r_QZNfGP0mcCJK83T3vOaLuKln6bmwEKoIYaHA7oKdTh0l8oI8H9dQpkQJeFW1cMCPSE/s320/F4D63DA5-4EBE-4FD4-9E84-07349F5F83D5.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Al with a queen snapper, one of the many types of fish he caught. Happy guy!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The end of April we finally left Florida headed for the Canadian border. And as I write this, we just spent 5 days in Calgary and 4 days in Edmonton. That will be a separate post. We left Edmonton this morning, bound for Mile 0 of the Alcan in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. We'll be stopping a couple days before getting there, so we'll see what we find along the way. In the meantime, the blog is basically caught up! For everyone that's still following along, thank you so much. I hope to have a lot of interesting things to share with you.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLROgYvRBiVZeT4g6wGxr2c86Ftec57TPIFdcM-JpBnHZ0RVmQZJcKICC_-3s1GGvwh3JDH5X2xBo4NPV36AoaAeBTOk4b4g4JhQvi6L5p5CcxDveNVdZouWXULxpQxeyABGAhIgLl25CLNZvDd4udghKj1_XiS4Ry_Z7jau9gdPiF6u1LgvAviEt/s599/D9C831D1-6548-4B2E-9160-DE3114ACE814.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="526" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLROgYvRBiVZeT4g6wGxr2c86Ftec57TPIFdcM-JpBnHZ0RVmQZJcKICC_-3s1GGvwh3JDH5X2xBo4NPV36AoaAeBTOk4b4g4JhQvi6L5p5CcxDveNVdZouWXULxpQxeyABGAhIgLl25CLNZvDd4udghKj1_XiS4Ry_Z7jau9gdPiF6u1LgvAviEt/w281-h328/D9C831D1-6548-4B2E-9160-DE3114ACE814.jpeg" width="281" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thought to ponder.....</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-38567263283304958992019-10-14T21:53:00.000-04:002019-10-14T21:53:23.475-04:00Rolling Across the Country<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After visiting Niobrara National Scenic River, we continued eastward on Highway 20, which runs across the top of the state of Nebraska and into Iowa. It was really nice to avoid the monotonous driving on Interstate 80 and drive on a leisurely pace, watching the small farming communities as we steadily moved eastward. We dropped back down to I-80 in Iowa and continued on that to Indiana Dunes State Park, next door to our newest national park, Indiana Dunes National Park on the south shore of Lake Michigan, east of Chicago. Indiana Dunes was a national seashore, designated in 1966, but was formally designated as a national park just this year. As it is our mission to collect as many national park cancellation stamps as possible in our lifetime and we were heading towards Shipshewana, IN, to pick up some RV furniture we had ordered in the spring, it was a no-brainer to plan a stop here for a couple of days to explore our newest park.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8RhYr6EV6lVk_qlRy7mN2xWtZuaCTHBDC2NAd9gSCzryJ1U81BqEUjgKU12-zshqeyq5TV0plhNBzqBWUCZEEqhj6pmPQQ47LzUBmMA8bdlb16Y3WYrRyG0ynXRUfmlGunV2p8dp25A/s1600/P1021321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ8RhYr6EV6lVk_qlRy7mN2xWtZuaCTHBDC2NAd9gSCzryJ1U81BqEUjgKU12-zshqeyq5TV0plhNBzqBWUCZEEqhj6pmPQQ47LzUBmMA8bdlb16Y3WYrRyG0ynXRUfmlGunV2p8dp25A/s400/P1021321.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our first night in the state park, we took a short hike from the campground over the dunes to the shore. It was a little hazy, but if you enlarge the picture, you can see the Chicago skyline on the horizon. Just outside the park entrance, you can get a train that will take you into the city, but we really didn't schedule enough time to add that to our itinerary. </div>
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One of the interesting exhibits is five model homes from the 1933 Chicago World Fair, known as the Century of Progress Fair. The exhibit homes were bought by real estate developer Robert Bartlett after the fair and barged to their current location within the boundaries of what is now the national park. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are leased to private individuals who are in the process of renovating them. The picture below shows two of the homes, the Florida Tropical home and Weibolt-Rostone home, the two directly on the shore. The other three are across the street. You can read more about it <a href="https://www.nps.gov/indu/learn/historyculture/centuryofprogress.htm">here</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCe0cusXMO6bOB41Nibxq3DTDR74Y0K9XKmI8grsoiebslFtqcaBLV-7E-K3Ws7fR-gjLh1BNT7MwGmfFoBX0yOjipX8bYRSZX3MLvJ-GIdBfiYtC91I5RnN2qJ77HQAZt6wUZ-x_QFJA/s1600/P1021331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCe0cusXMO6bOB41Nibxq3DTDR74Y0K9XKmI8grsoiebslFtqcaBLV-7E-K3Ws7fR-gjLh1BNT7MwGmfFoBX0yOjipX8bYRSZX3MLvJ-GIdBfiYtC91I5RnN2qJ77HQAZt6wUZ-x_QFJA/s400/P1021331.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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At the east end of the park is Mount Baldy, a 126-foot sand dune that is moving inland at the rate of 4 feet per year. There used to be a trail up and over Mount Baldy, but it has been closed as it's very unstable and has deep pits hiding under the surface that people have fallen into. </div>
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These pictures are from the West End Beach area, with boardwalk trail up and over the dunes called the Dune Succession Trail. It highlights the four successive stages of dune growth as you go along the trail. It's 250 steps up to the top, and then a long meander down the trail to the shoreline. It's very pretty and must be very busy in the summer season, but it was very quiet this time of year.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_SLF6C1UaxOZaDP7PH9ID3ZW0HfNVva8a8-r4WleWOHCGVapnMdcWgb6whSiMbb-D_nrGoItSgXCqpc3YwJtcYMDSH8gwceekHo2WcRWGzlJDD6Zw61Wl3tx4UB7riiN5vlDAXsIoKk/s1600/P1021349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_SLF6C1UaxOZaDP7PH9ID3ZW0HfNVva8a8-r4WleWOHCGVapnMdcWgb6whSiMbb-D_nrGoItSgXCqpc3YwJtcYMDSH8gwceekHo2WcRWGzlJDD6Zw61Wl3tx4UB7riiN5vlDAXsIoKk/s400/P1021349.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This was at Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk. A canal led from the shore underneath the highway to a marina community. It looked like another busy summer area!</div>
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Our tour of Indiana Dunes completed and all five national park stamps collected :-), we then headed over to Shipshewana to have our furniture installed. We had ordered new theater seats and a glider chair to replace our lousy Thomas Payne theater seats and rear couch. We got them from Lambright's, having been recommended by our friends at RV-Dreams, Howard and Linda Payne. So far, we are very happy with the comfort and quality of the chairs. I think they'll last a lot longer than the stock furniture did.</div>
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While setting up in Shipshewana, though, for the night, Al noticed our passenger side front tire of the rig was severely worn on the outside, so much so that it needed to be replaced immediately. He figured it was an alignment issue that caused it, so we decided to stay an extra night and he was able to get a morning appointment at MorRyde to look at the suspension alignment. We also got a replacement tire ordered from Triple-M Tires in Shipshewana, and they would have it the next day also. </div>
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So he changed it out to the spare tire, and we took the rig up to Elkhart in the morning. As soon as a bay opened, they took it in and did find the alignment was way off on that one tire. They fixed that and also redid the alignment on all three other tires. We headed back to the tire shop, had the new tire installed, and by 3:00 we were finally on the road towards Dayton, OH. Unfortunately, we lost a day so we did not have time to tour the Dayton Aviation Heritage Historical Site, so no park cancellation stamp this time. </div>
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Our next stop was in Hendersonville, N.C., for four days, with plans to visit with our friends Ken and Jodi Himes. While here, we had plans to visit the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (yes, another national park stamp!), Chimney Rock State Park, Lake Lure, and visit other friends, Jim Walker and Judy Edwards over in Charlotte, N.C. We also drove over to Waynesville, N.C., for dinner at a new favorite restaurant since visiting last year, The Sweet Onion. If you're in the area, check it out! The food's delicious :-).<br />
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Our first full day was typical weather for us here in the Smoky Mountains: teeming rainstorms! We spent the morning at the rig, chatting and catching up with Ken and Jodi all morning. Then, as the rain lightened up, we drove over to the Carl Sandburg Home, and we took the tour of the home. No pictures, but it was very interesting. I knew he was a poet, but he was also a prolific writer and political activist for civil rights at the time. His wife, Paula, was also a world-class goat breeder once they moved to Hendersonville. It was quite an educational afternoon :-). You never know what you're going to learn.<br />
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The next day was beautiful after the storm cleared things out. We headed over to do some hiking at Chimney Rock State Park. It's quite a twisty, steep road up to the visitor area. From there, there's an elevator up to the staging point to start walking up to the "Rock" and continue up to Exclamation Point. The Rock itself is a granite monolith, and its elevation is 2,280 feet; it's just a little hill compared to the mountains out west :-). </div>
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Continuing on up to Exclamation Point, you reach the highest point in the park at 2,480 feet, climbing up many, many steps in the process. It's only another half a mile from the Rock, but it's just about all uphill!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR6xTCjyPSSlJYAV5CIzA69ECuHBv0YVOS49fe-EzgyTwEyK65PjyHHUgV74f0UjhmTOgkRBcO7qSWt5_oB_YgzXT76D0WGXQ1BksYxCKI4DUhyphenhyphenJRa967o2PX87ZH2SrlJSsHxXT8x20/s1600/P1021363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR6xTCjyPSSlJYAV5CIzA69ECuHBv0YVOS49fe-EzgyTwEyK65PjyHHUgV74f0UjhmTOgkRBcO7qSWt5_oB_YgzXT76D0WGXQ1BksYxCKI4DUhyphenhyphenJRa967o2PX87ZH2SrlJSsHxXT8x20/s400/P1021363.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The view of the main channel of Lake Lure as seen from Exclamation Point. This area is known as the Hickory Nut Gorge, and the movie <i>Last of the Mohicans</i> with Daniel Day-Lewis was filmed here. Down below, in the Lake Lure area, the film <i>Dirty Dancing</i> was filmed. </div>
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We descended from Exclamation Point and continued down further to pick up the Hickory Nut Trail to get to the bottom of Hickory Nut Falls. We had been told that the falls were quite full because of the recent rain. I will say, I was expecting much grander falls than actually was there, but this section was kind of interesting to see how the falls are eroding away a section of the cliff face. I imagine at some point down the years that this section will be sheared right off. </div>
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By now, it was time to head back down the mountain and get some lunch! We had a good meal at an Italian place, La Strada, right on the shore of Lake Lure. We had hoped to take a boat tour of the lake after lunch, but they were sold out for the rest of the day. I kept forgetting it's actually a holiday weekend! So we walked along the boardwalk running along the lake through town and visited what's called the Flowering Bridge. The bridge was closed to traffic in 2011 when the new roadway was completed, and The Friends of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge was formed and designed a garden along the 155 feet of the bridge and pathways at either end of it with an emphasis on native plants. I can only imagine how beautiful it is in the summer when most everything is blooming. </div>
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There were all different kinds of garden art everywhere along the bridge, but I particularly enjoyed these metal dogs playing mahjong!</div>
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There were so many different kinds of bees and butterflies feeding on all the different plants. It was wonderful to see as many monarch butterflies as we did.</div>
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Sadly, it was the end of the day and we had to bid a fond farewell to Ken and Jodi. As much fun and enjoyment we've gotten out of traveling the past 9 years, the best part has been finding such great friends and maintaining the ties. It's a bonus that I hadn't imagined would have happened, and I'm so grateful that it has!</div>
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Tomorrow, we head to Charlotte to visit with Jim and Judy, then Wednesday, we head further down the road to Bluffton, S.C., to visit family before finding turning completely south to Florida. Hopefully, we have more good weather and enjoyable adventures to relate before settling in for the winter!</div>
<br />Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-5889039884582125272019-10-03T17:38:00.000-04:002019-10-03T17:38:54.469-04:00Farewell, Grand Teton National ParkWell, so four months have gone by, pretty much in a flash. Just a few things....<br />
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We have finished our sixth season working at Luton's Teton Cabins. It's been a great run, a job we truly enjoyed, working for some of the nicest folks we've ever had the pleasure of meeting, and living in one of the country's greatest natural playgrounds. Does that sound like it's done? At least for next year, it is. We are taking next summer off, and most of you know that we have plans to travel from mid-May to mid-September, exploring British Columbia, Yukon Territories, Alaska, and Alberta. It's been the top of the bucket list since we went on the road, and time and circumstances conspired to bring it about next year. We are very excited, and it's even better that we'll be traveling with such wonderful friends: Dan and Jonell Anderson, and Richard and Bonnie Waltman. Another couple is joining us that we haven't met yet, but I'm sure it's going to be great! Bonnie and I had been working on the plans and itinerary since last winter, and after consulting with everyone during the summer, we're pretty sure we have a very comprehensive list compiled. I do plan on keeping this blog much better next year during our travels, so long as connectivity isn't too big of an issue. That's Al's project this winter, along with the terribly important plans for all the fishing that will be happening! He's been researching the best ways for us to stay connected to the internet while traveling, not only for research and blogging reasons, but I do plan to continue doing my proofreading as we go along. Tech changes so fast these days, though, so the final iteration of our cell service will be determined early this spring.<br />
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So what have we been up to this summer? This summer has seen some pretty radical changes to our RVing family unit. I had already written about the loss of Casey. Our loss doubled on July 1 when we also lost Honey, our Golden Retriever that we had adopted in 2014 when she was 10 years old. We never expected to have her with us for almost 6 more years, but she was a trooper and kept up with the three of us no matter what we did! The veterinarian here feels she had something neurological happen, most likely a stroke. She was such a good girl and always happy. We were very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to be her forever family.<br />
So we are now down to just the two of us, Al and I, something that hasn't happened since we've been married. We will adopt another dog at some point, maybe even a cat too, but we've decided that we will wait until we return to Florida next fall.<br />
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Such a sweetie!</div>
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Another big change for us is that we are not returning to Amazon this fall. The most prominent reason for that is that Al is having heart surgery in Tampa in November. Most of you know that he's been battling atrial fibrillation for over 15 years, and he did have surgery back in 2009. That initial surgery took care of it for 4 years, but then it sporadically would rear its ugly head, usually during the winter when we were in Florida, and it never lasted more than 10 days or so. Well, he flipped into afib while we were on the way west this spring, and he never converted on his own. He ended up in the hospital in Jackson and had what's called a cardioversion to return him to normal sinus rhythm. He's been fine ever since, but the cardiologist both in Jackson and Florida felt it was time to see an electrophysiologist for assessment of another surgery. He flew to Tampa early in September for the appointment and is now scheduled for surgery on Nov. 22. So no Amazon for him this year, which is fine as it's really becoming a giant pain in the neck to deal with. Al is kind of getting tired of dealing with it, and we're thinking it's time to explore other opportunities.</div>
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Our last major change is that we no longer have the second car. Our 2007 Trailblazer finally needed so much work to keep her going that I'm not willing to put thousands of dollars into a 13-year-old car. So she went to a company in Wyoming that takes old cars and either fixes them up or scraps them, and I am driving home in the truck with Al. He was going to be lonely without the dogs anyway!</div>
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We had quite a busy summer at the cabins. We had all the same people working this year that we had last year, so we settled into a good work rhythm pretty quickly. It's so nice when everyone knows what they're doing and when to do it. On our off days, we did a lot of hiking, revisiting many old favorites and exploring some new ones. We had visits from a few folks this year: Bill and Nancy Mills, that we had met at the 2011 RV-Dreams rally; my sister, Amy, and her husband, Mike; an Amazon friend Tom Ross and his friend; Bar Harbor coworkers Mark and Debi Warner. It's always nice to visit with friends and family. </div>
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Upper and Lower Jade Lakes was a new hike for us this year. The color of the water was beautiful when the sun was out, briefly!</div>
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After six years, we finally made it up to Mammoth Hot Springs area of Yellowstone. The terraces were very beautiful, and, again, brilliant colors when the sun was out. The elk were hanging out on the village green of the town of Mammoth, and this bull elk was doing a great job of rounding up his harem. </div>
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On one hike around Heron Pond this year, we ran into this mama moose and her twins. It was amazing to be so close, but we did have our bear spray handy. Luckily she led them on a wide berth around us!</div>
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We are currently heading back east, having left the ranch on October 1. We stopped for two nights in Valentine, Nebraska, to visit the Niobrara National Scenic River and Wildlife Refuge. It's very beautiful and we would love to come back someday and kayak the river. </div>
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Niobrara River</div>
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Berry Falls. There are over 200 waterfalls flowing into the Niobrara River.</div>
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Fort Falls </div>
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Prairie dog town at the Wildlife Refuge</div>
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Tomorrow we start heading east again, arriving at Indiana Dunes State Park for a three-night stay. We have plans of visiting the newest national park, Indiana Dunes National Park. After that, we head to Shipshewana, Indiana, for a quick stop to pick up some RV furniture that we had ordered in the spring, and then we head south, with stops planned at Dayton, Ohio, for the Dayton Aviation Heritage Historical Park; Henderson, N.C., at Chimney Rock State Park and visits with our friends, Ken and Jodi Himes and Jim and Judy in Concord; Bluffton, S.C., to visit our cousins, Bill and Denise; and finally, a three-night stay at Disney World for the Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT. Then we'll head to the house and start dealing with medical stuff. </div>
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That's what's been happening with us. I'll try to show some pictures of our various stops along the way, and I'll definitely be posting with the positive results of the surgery. Thanks for reading!!</div>
Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-54584243497966502672019-06-05T15:26:00.000-04:002019-06-05T15:26:05.815-04:00LossI've been putting off this post for quite a while now.<br />
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A week after we left Rodanthe, we lost a huge member of our traveling household. Most people we have met along this RV road since 2011 have remembered us because of one thing, I think: our two dogs, Chelsea and Casey. We lost Chelsea back in Maine in 2013, devastatingly quick. It was a terrible blow to Casey, who had grown up with Chelsea since we had adopted him at 4 months old. He was 8 years old at that time and already getting a little gray in the muzzle.<br />
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We've never had a dog live longer than 10 years old before, so as he surpassed that age and kept on going strong, we were counting our lucky stars. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with kidney disease after he began to lose some weight. He was always thin to begin with, so it was quite noticeable when it happened. Fortunately, we had good veterinary care for him in our three main locations: Jackson, WY; Homosassa, FL; and Campbellsville, KY.<br />
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We could see him losing ground this past winter, but he still wasn't giving up. However, as we left Rodanthe, NC, and headed to Gettysburg, PA, he became very ill, and we found a veterinary practice close by the campground who would see us the day we arrived. They tried their best, but it was finally time to let him go. We said goodbye on April 27.<br />
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Hiking at Calf Creek Falls, UT</div>
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Hiking in Colorado with his friends, Kyoto and Osaka</div>
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Colorado hiking with Chelsea</div>
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Exploring the Beartooth Highway, MT, with Al and Honey</div>
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Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-65812071351310031722019-04-20T19:58:00.000-04:002019-04-20T19:58:22.925-04:00On the Road Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Our three months in Florida sure did go fast! It seemed as if we had no sooner arrived there than it was time to start heading out again. We had a wonderful time visiting with so many different family members during our stay at Walt Disney World. Due to the high cost, I don't foresee another such long stay there for us, but it sure was fun while it lasted :-). We also worked our customary 2 weeks at the Florida State Fair for Scootaround. Back in Homosassa, we finished up seeing our doctors for our annual exams, accomplished a good bit of yard work at the house, did some maintenance work (and repair work) on the rig, did our best to keep our two senior citizens, Honey and Casey :-), on their feet, and did a lot of preliminary planning for our big trip to Canada and Alaska in 2020. Our friends Bonnie and Richard have been an invaluable help to us this winter with Bonnie's help in the trip planning and Richard's tireless assistance on work on the rig. We've never had a name for our rig before now, but we think the appropriate name at this time is "Bionic." </div>
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We actually left Florida on March 31. Our first destination was Charlotte, N.C., to work at the Auto fair again for Scootaround. I will say this will be our last year working the Auto Fair. We only do a couple of shows a year for Scootaround, and we have only worked for one managing team, Sandi and Dave. We mainly came to this show this year because they were working it. This year, though, the work at the show really beat us up. I think we were tired already when we arrived as we had done a ton of work in the yard at the house and a pretty grueling day of work on the rig two days before leaving -- we had to replace the underbelly covering of the rig. If you haven't had to do that yourself, it isn't fun. A huge "thank you" to Richard for his assistance! </div>
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Once we were finished in Charlotte, we headed over to Charleston for some downtime, visiting our friends from New York, Bob and Chrissie Savage. They have retired to the Charleston area and spent the week showing us some of their favorite spots. We had been to Charleston a couple years ago and had already done the historic walking tour of the historic district, visited the Straw Market, and seen Fort Sumter Visitor Center and the USS Yorktown. So it was nice to see new areas.</div>
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On John's Island, we stopped to see the Charleston Angel Oak Tree. It's a massive live oak tree estimated to be 400-500 years old, possibly older. It's 66.5 feet tall, 28 feet in circumference, and the longest branch is 187 feet. </div>
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The next day we went with Bob to go on a bird walk at Caw Caw Interpretive Center. It was about 3 hours long and introduced us to the history of rice farming plantations in the South Carolina coastal area. I had no idea that there was rice farming there! But this tract of land was once home to several rice plantations and home to enslaved Africans who worked on them. It was labor-intensive work, wet and dangerous with the alligators and snakes. It is humbling to think of the work involved to carve out a rice-growing plantation out of the cypress swamps. </div>
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These canals of water were carved out of the land for growing the rice.</div>
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Hanging out with the bird nerds :-). Most folks are regulars at the park and very nice. It's a wonderful spot to take a walk at. </div>
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Fields of wild iris growing in the cypress swamp. </div>
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Another excursion was to <a href="https://www.middletonplace.org/">Middleton Plantation.</a> Of course, Charleston is home to many plantations, and Middleton is one that has been saved and restored for its historical significance to our country. The Foundation has done a wonderful job of keeping the plantation historically accurate and researching the Middleton family and African-American slaves' stories. The plantation is said to host America's oldest landscaped gardens which Henry Middleton envisioned and began creating in 1741. </div>
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The view from the ruins of the main plantation house, home to the Middletons. The main house was destroyed in the Civil War. </div>
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The South Flanker of the home, shown above, was the surviving portion of the home and houses the plantation museum today, filled with original furniture, portraits, silver, china, documents, and more belonging to the family. I asked how much of this was saved from the ravages of the war and was told the family had warning that the Union Army was on the way and had time to spirit away most of their valuables. </div>
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The gardens and view of the Ashley River were beautiful.</div>
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Our last day in Charleston was spent with a visit to Fort Moultrie National Historic Park on Sullivan's Island north of Charleston. Fort Moultrie has a long history starting with the Revolutionary War, being attacked by the British on June 28, 1776. After the Revolution, it was neglected and abandoned until 1794, when war broke out between Great Britain and France and the U.S. wanted to fortify its coastal defenses. The second Fort Moultrie was also neglected and eventually destroyed by a hurricane. In 1809, a third Fort Moultrie was built and manned. The Federal garrison abandoned the fort in 1860 when South Carolina seceded the Union in favor of the more easily defended Fort Sumter, which also fell to the Confederate forces in 1865. After the world wars and the advent of nuclear weapons and guided missiles, the fort was rendered obsolete, and today, the fort has been restored to portray the major periods of its history. It was a very interesting visit.</div>
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Our next stop was a place that's been on our radar for a long time but never made it onto the travel itinerary. This year it did! We have been camped for the last week at Camp Hatteras in Rodanthe, N.C., in the Outer Banks. It is beautiful here and really reminds us of a lot of home. For our folks back on the Island, picture Napeague Stretch, but going on for about 100 miles! </div>
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Cape Hatteras National Seashore stretches north to south across three islands: Bodie, Hatteras, and Ocracoke. We stayed on Hatteras Island, in the middle of the three, which is also the longest island. Highway 12 runs the length of the 3 islands, with bridges connecting Bodie to the mainland and Hatteras, and a ferry connecting Hatteras to Ocracoke. We didn't make it to Ocracoke on this trip. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse above is one of the world's most recognizable lighthouses and is also the tallest brick lighthouse, standing at 208 feet tall. Its light beam reaches out 20 miles into the ocean, protecting vessels from one of the most treacherous stretches of waterways on the East Coast. Coastal erosion threatened to topple the lighthouse in the early 1990s, and in 1999, the lighthouse was carefully moved 2900 feet inland to a safer location. If you don't mind heights, heat, and walking up 248 steps, you can even climb up to the top of the lighthouse!</div>
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These were the home buildings for the lighthouse keepers and now house the museum. </div>
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Inside the museum is a map of the shipwrecks, over 600 of them, in this area, known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic."</div>
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In fact, in the town of Hatteras is the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. There are no entrance fees, and it's a very well-done museum of exhibits detailing the history of the coast from The American Revolution through the Civil War and the world wars, with an emphasis on the German U-boats that were wreaking havoc on our shipping. There were also exhibits on the history of diving, pirates, and fishing along the coast.</div>
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Al had a shocking moment in the fishing exhibit when he realized some of the equipment depicted is equipment he used to use on his boat out at Montauk. He said seeing that stuff in a museum made him feel really old. </div>
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The mansions along the ocean at the tip of Hatteras Island. </div>
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North of Cape Hatteras National Seashore is the town of Nag's Head, where you can find your major shopping area, and Kill Devil Hills, where the Wright Brothers National Monument is. This is where the Wright brothers had their famous first flight. There are a small museum and a short drive loop to different sites within the park.</div>
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Replica of the original aircraft. There's a piece of the original cloth of the wing material in a dark box. </div>
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60-foot monument on top of Kill Devil Hill honors the Wright Brothers and marks the site of the hundreds of glider flights that preceded the first powered flight.</div>
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This bronze-and-steel sculpture recreates the historic 1903 flight. The powered glider is in front, with life-sized figures representing the local townfolks that had come out to assist with the tests. The photographer who is taking the historic photo is John T. Daniels, a local member of the U.S. Life- Saving Service.</div>
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This marker commemorates the exact spot where the glider took off from the ground the first time. </div>
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Smaller stone markers chart the first four flights' paths, distances, and landings. </div>
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While in Rodanthe, we were fortunate to discover that there was going to be a demonstration by a team of volunteers showing how an actual rescue of shipwrecked people happens. The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station in Rodanthe held a lecture about the history and then walked us out to the dunes behind the boathouse to show us the Beach Apparatus Drill. </div>
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The boathouse and life-saving crew wheeling out the cart holding all of the rescue equipment.</div>
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The cart and equipment weigh about 1,000 pounds. It looked difficult enough for them to wheel it out the short distance they did here. In reality, they would be wheeling it out in the most horrid storm conditions, possibly up to 3 miles down the beach in either direction. There are 16 stations total spaced out along the coastline, but depending upon where a ship comes to be in distress, the distance can be quite formidable to get to it. </div>
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Each seaman would step forward and recite the particular steps that were their requirement to get the job done. There are 8 seamen working in concert with each other. Each step has to be done at the exact right time to keep lines from becoming tangled. </div>
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Drill in progress. They are shooting the rescue line to the mock ship's mast on the beach.</div>
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Simulated rescue of a ship's passenger on the rescue line in the breeches buoy.</div>
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The demonstration was totally fascinating and humbling to think of how hard men used to work to rescue people in danger, putting themselves in danger as well. I am very happy that we were here at the right time to be able to join the group. Afterward, there was a BBQ chicken dinner put on by<span style="text-align: center;"> the volunteers to raise money for the foundation that has kept the property in such good shape. I feel it is very important to keep pieces of our country's history intact like this and applaud those who donate their time and money to doing so. And the chicken was really good!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">While we've been here, we've also gone through two pretty respectable storms. I'm happy to report that the rig easily withstood sustained winds of 40+ knots with a couple of gusts up to 60 knots! Not something that I really care to repeat often, but we did fine :-). </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Tomorrow we will be back on the road, headed further north. We'll be stopping for a couple of days in Richmond, VA., and then Gettysburg, PA., for a few days. From there, we're headed to Elkhart, IN., to the MoRyde factory, where we're having the IS suspension and disc brakes put on. Remember, we're Bionic now ;-). Hopefully, the weather will be a little more cooperative and the storms are behind us for a while. </span></div>
Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-3392982438880655442019-01-07T14:57:00.001-05:002019-01-07T15:11:50.692-05:002018 in ReviewWell, I did a really lousy job of keeping this blog updated. I'm sorry. I have to work on this work-life balance some more. I haven't had much time for pleasure writing since I embarked upon my remote business of proofreading court documents. That, on the other hand, is going very well! I have a dozen court reporter clients that keep me quite busy now, and I'm reading a wide gamut of transcripts, everything from bread-and-butter insurance depositions to week-long murder trials. It's always interesting.<br />
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So I thought I would just do a year in review with some of my favorite photos showing what we've done and where we've gone this year. It hasn't changed much from the year before in reality, but we did visit several new areas of the country that we enjoyed very much.<br />
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The year started with us arriving in Homosassa for the winter right at Christmas. We spent Christmas with family, and, of course, we had the annual New Year's Day dinner of Al's yummy prime rib. Several of our friends have been lucky recipients of this dinner in the past, and our best buddies, Ken and Jodi Himes, joined us this year. They were staying over in the Kissimmee area for the winter and drove over to join us for the day.<br />
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The end of January we headed over to Fort Wilderness Campground at Walt Disney World for our annual cousins' reunion. We spend about 9-10 days there, visiting with Al's extended family. We are adults, at least in physical years, but we always enjoy our time there. There really is something for everyone of all ages. We have a wonderful time together, between riding some favorite rides, watching shows, lots and lots of dining, and several rounds of cards. A new favorite card game, Samba, has found its way into our game-playing. It's an evolved version of the perennial favorite, Hand-and-Foot. </div>
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In February we worked for two weeks at the Florida State Fair with Scootaround, as we did last year. We do enjoy the couple of events that we do with them. The people-watching at the State Fair is especially interesting. We also worked with them in March at the Daytona Car Show, and then up at the Charlotte Speedway car show in North Carolina in early April. Our cousin Billy even bought a new car there this year. </div>
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In between the Scootaround shows, we spent a lot of time at home with the family in Homosassa. Not too many visitors this year except for our good friend Mark Poitras and his family. We did get a lot of things done around the house and spend time in the beautiful weather. </div>
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After the car show in April, we started heading west for the summer. Our stops along the way this spring included:</div>
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Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas</div>
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Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico</div>
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Monument Valley, Arizona</div>
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Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada</div>
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Death Valley National Park, which is massive. We spent a week here and, unfortunately, were not able to do any hiking. Even at the end of April, it was still very hot. The campground forbids leaving the dogs in the trailer unattended, which we came to find is a common thing here. And I understand; if the power goes out, which they said is a very real possibility, the trailer would heat up very quickly to a life-threatening temperature. So we took them with us each day, leaving at daybreak and heading back home around noon when it got beastly hot. The park was definitely large enough that we were able to do a different scenic drive each day, but it is a lot of miles. I was beat at the end of the week!</div>
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From Death Valley, we backtracked a bit and headed north to Wyoming by driving the highway along the east border of Nevada out of Las Vegas. It was a beautiful, peaceful drive once you left the Vegas area. We stopped at several state parks, Cathedral Gorge among them. Both the dogs and we had a great time exploring the miniature slots in the formations.</div>
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We stopped for a few days in Ely, Nevada, and took a train ride on the Nevada Northern Railway restoration. It isn't nearly as nice as the train we took last year from Chama, N.M., but they are working on it.</div>
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Ely was also our base for a day at Great Basin National Park as well, where we had an enjoyable day driving the park and visiting the cave. Al took the cave tour there and really enjoyed it. The dogs and I hung out and had a short hike in a spot where they were allowed. Sadly, it was just a little too early to be able to drive to the top of Wheeler Mountain where you can see the bristlecone pines, trees that are thousands of years old. Next time!</div>
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This was the last stop on our way to the cabins. We headed back to Luton's Cabins for our fifth workamping season. It was a two-day drive from Ely, and we arrived the day before Mother's Day. Dan and Jonell were right behind us that day, and the other two couples were just a day or so behind. From there, the spring cleaning swung into full gear. Work-wise, nothing much had changed from prior years. Al continued his role as laundry guy and housekeeper dispatcher, and I worked in the office and did housekeeping. We had more hours in the office this year as there was only two of us to cover the week rather than three as the previous year. Jonell and I alternated weeks, working 3 days one week and 4 days the next. It was all good. </div>
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Our days off, however, were unable to mesh this year due to the office hours, so we didn't get to do many extracurricular activities together. Dan and Al did get to do a lot of fishing, though, as the season for fishing swung into high gear the end of July on.</div>
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They did most of their fishing on the Buffalo Fork River, floating downriver on our Sea Eagle zodiac, and the results this summer were quite impressive. I don't think they were ever skunked ;-).</div>
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Speaking of the Buffalo Fork River, we have always wanted to kayak down it, and we decided this year was the year. Our friends and coworkers, Erin and Shawn, were off on Mondays with us, so we decided one day to do it! It was a little too early in the season, though, and the river was still running a bit hard, as we found out. We did do it, but with a few mishaps, a couple of dunkings, but all participants and equipment arrived at the end, except for one coffee mug that was lost forever. I will say, after this kayak run, Erin is now a superwoman in my eyes forever!</div>
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Our lunch spot on the kayak trip. It was a piece of cake from this point on :-).</div>
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We also went for a float trip down the Snake River late one afternoon, and a morning trip across String and Leigh Lakes, which we've done before. These kayak trips never disappoint!</div>
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We did several hikes this summer, some old favorites and some new adventures. The Heron Pond hike is one we do every spring shortly after arriving. The snow on the mountains is always beautiful.</div>
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A new one is a one-way hike from Lupine Meadows trailhead to the Taggart Lake trailhead, about 6 miles, and goes past two lakes, Bradley Lake and Taggart Lake. Late June is excellent for this hike as the spring flowers are bursting out. We did see a black bear on this hike, but he was a bit too far away for a good picture. </div>
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Taggart Lake from the trail above.</div>
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A new hike we did this summer was to Lake Louise in the Wind River Mountain Range, east of us near Dubois. The hike is a little over five miles with an elevation gain of 1400 feet and follows a nice cascading river most of the way. It was a nice warm day when we started out, and by the time we got to the top, it was cold and starting to drizzle an icy, sleety rain! So we didn't spend too much time admiring the lake, which Erin assured me was very beautifully colored on a sunny day. But we did have our first sighting in five years in Wyoming of a bighorn sheep! </div>
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We were joined later in the summer for a hike around Taggart Lake with some 2011 RV-Dreams rally fellow alumni Laura and Bruce Raber. They've been traveling out west for several months and landed in the Tetons this summer. Can you tell Taggart Lake is a favorite hike of ours?</div>
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In September, we took our last hike of the season into Cascade Canyon, another beautiful hike in the park. We did about 8 miles round trip, falling just short of the junction that takes you on to Lake Solitude. It was getting late, so we cut it short. We aren't very fast hikers. The scenery on this hike never disappoints, and we saw five moose along the way, culminating with this mom and baby. </div>
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In August, we had friends from New York, Bob and Chrissie Savage, join us for a week on the ranch. It was fantastic to spend this time with them. Several activities were on the agenda, with our one and only trip into Yellowstone among them. There's a new trail that just opened in the park that gives you a birds-eye view of the Grand Prismatic Spring. This is a very rewarding addition to the park.</div>
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The end of September, I sent Al back to New York for several days to spend some time saltwater fishing with his buds back home. He had a great time and brought back plenty of fish to have a fish feast for the last of the workampers at the ranch. Arriving back October 2, we had planned to depart the following weekend, around the 7th, but an early season storm pushed up our departure plans and we rolled out ahead of it on the 4th. It pretty much chased us all across the country! We did stop for a few days in Springfield, Illinois, for a visit to the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the Lincoln Presidential Library, and Lincoln's Tomb.</div>
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We had set our arrival date at Amazon for the end of October so we would have a little vacation time, and we spent two weeks in North Carolina. The first week we stayed in Morganton, N.C., visiting Kenny and Jodi. They had gone off the road, deciding to settle down here for a while. It's a cute small town with a lot of activities and close to the middle portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway and all the outdoor activities nearby. Unfortunately, we arrived during an extremely rainy time, but we did manage a few outdoor excursions, namely, this one pictured above at Linville Falls. We had a great week exploring the town, trying some restaurants, playing games and cards at night. They have since bought a house here, and luckily for us, there's an RV site right on the property!</div>
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From Morganton, we headed a couple hours south to the Cherokee, N.C., area for another 5 days, this time joined by our South Carolina cousins Bill and Denise. We took a steam train ride from Bryson City and had hoped for some beautiful fall foliage colors, but due to the unusually wet summer and fall, the colors were very late this year. We did enjoy the town of Bryson City. We also did a triple waterfall hike on the Deep Creek Waterfall Loop on the one (one!) nice day for hiking. The trails were very wet. We also drove over to Gatlinburg one day -- now that was a trip! especially the moonshine tasting in the Ole Smokey Distillery shops -- and went to a great apple orchard farmers' market and explored the town of Waynesville. More local restaurant sampling and nightly card games with Bill and Denise kept us busy right through the end of our stay. All too soon, it was time to head to Campbellsville and another season at Amazon -- for Al!</div>
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Yes, I did not return to Amazon this year. I have become very busy with my proofreading business and simply would not be able to handle the hours required by Amazon. Plus, our furkids, Casey and Honey, are really getting up there in years, and we don't feel comfortable leaving them alone for such a long stretch of time any longer. So for the first time in my entire life, I was a stay-at-home mom, working my job remotely. It was quite a change for me, and I did enjoy it, but I did miss the daily contact of people. Most of the Amazon workampers in the park with us worked during the day, so there wasn't much activity going on. Al ended up on the midshift this year, working 12:15pm to 10:45pm. I kept pretty much the same hours that he did, doing my work while he was at work. The dogs appreciated having me at their beck and call, available for walking whenever they wanted :-). </div>
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The weather was not very nice there this year either, very rainy, cold, and windy. Al did not get much overtime at all this year, and we are seriously considering if we are going to go back next year. It may be time for a change, and we are exploring some different opportunities at this time.</div>
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Speaking of change....we are returning to the ranch this year for the 2019 season, and it will be our 6th season there. But changes are coming, and we have made the decision that 2020 is going to be our year to head to Alaska! We are quite excited about this, as a summer adventure in Alaska and Canada has always been at the top of our bucket list. We are finally in a position where we financially can take off the summer, so we're doing it. At this time, some of our best friends are joining us: Dan and Jonell, and Bonnie and Richard. We are super-stoked about it, and the planning is really kicking into gear this winter. I will definitely have to make a better effort at keeping up my blog for that, as there is so much to see and do. </div>
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So we are now back in Florida for the winter. The usual activities are taking place: taking care of doctor visits, maintenance on the rig. We have plans at Disney again, and we will be there from January 13 until February 1. It's a long time, but we are joining my sister and her family the first week, and then we have Al's family for our annual family reunion. We then expect to work the State Fair again with Scootaround, and then we'll have approximately 6-7 weeks off to goof around. Al is going fishing a couple of times, and I'm sure there is going to be some kayaking and "touristing" going on. The end of March we'll be headed north, probably working the Charlotte Car Show again with Scootaround, and then doing some visiting with friends in Charleston and "vacationing" at the Outer Banks, Richmond, Gettysburg, and Ohio on our way to Indiana, where we're having a beefier suspension and disc brakes put on the trailer. Then back to Wyoming!</div>
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So that's what we did in 2018, and the plans so far for 2019. I wish for all my friends, family, and readers to have a happy, healthy, and safe 2019, and maybe we'll see some of you down the road!</div>
Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-90506229260020973022018-07-28T15:56:00.000-04:002018-07-28T15:57:40.576-04:00Lake Mead Recreation Area and Valley of Fire, Nevada<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>Note: still in catch-up mode from the spring travels. This was the end of April 2018.</i></div>
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Leaving Flagstaff, it was an easy day of driving to Lake Mead Recreation Area. Straight west on I-40, then hang a right at Kingman, AZ., onto 93, straight into Lake Mead. I like the easy days of driving :-). We decided to splurge here since we were staying at the Boulder Beach RV Park and booked a lakefront site. The sites were beautiful: level, concrete, quite large, with a beautiful view out our window of Lake Mead. </div>
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Lake Mead is a man-made lake formed by damming the Colorado River with the famous Hoover Dam. The recreation area encompasses a total of 1.5 million acres of land, following the Colorado River from the westernmost boundary of the Grand Canyon National Park to just north of the cities of Laughlin, NV., and Bullhead City, AZ. In 1964, the area became the first National Recreation Area to be designated by Congress as such. </div>
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Our primary mission and a reason for stopping here on the way to Death Valley National Park was to visit with some old RV friends, Steve and Joan Crowe. They've spent a few winters here as volunteers. Once we were set up and settled, they headed over in their awesome red jeep (fully outfitted for the supreme off-roading experience!) to pick us up and head off for dinner, because, you know, that's what RVers do when they get together; we go out to eat! :-). Boulder City, NV., is south of Las Vegas and is a really nice town. It came into existence in 1931 as an area to house the workers building Hoover Dam. Because of the scope and duration of the work, a more permanent town was planned and built rather than temporary housing. Boulder City was actually conceived and planned through federal supervision, and as the Hoover Dam itself was a project of optimism for the country, suffering through the effects of the Great Depression, the city was planned with an emphasis on making a clean, pleasant living environment for the workers. There was plenty of open public space and landscaping in the design which eventually earned Boulder City the title of "Nevada's Garden City." And as Joan and Steve were giving us the tour of the city, we could see how nice the public areas are, and the pride in the town was quite evident in the neat and tidy residential areas. Many of the old block houses are being renovated into really cute homes. We did like Boulder City and think it is a great place to hang out for a while. </div>
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After dinner, we went on an off-road excursion to view the sunset behind Lake Mead. After Steve asked if anyone had a fear of heights (!), we headed into the backcountry behind the dam. The trail ran along a crest of a ridge, and yes, it was quite narrow and dropped off quite steeply on both sides of the trail. I was super glad Steve is an experienced jeeper, although I'm sure this trail was easy-peasy for him. </div>
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The next day was a work day for Steve and Joan, so we planned an excursion to the north end of the recreation area to a Nevada State Park called Valley of Fire. Unfortunately, we didn't do any hiking there. There are some beautiful trails that wind into the formations, but it was a tad hot here...</div>
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So, number one, we didn't want to leave the dogs alone in the trailer just in case something happened and the air conditioning went out, and, number two, look how hot it was! Not safe to do any kind of hiking in that heat. So we just had a nice driving tour through the park.</div>
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Valley of Fire consists of bright red Aztec sandstone outcrops nestled in beds of gray and tan limestone mountains. In 1912, a rough road was carved out through the landscape, allowing people to travel between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The name "Valley of Fire" was coined by an AAA official traveling through the area at sunset in the 1920s. 8500 acres of this land was given to the state of Nevada in the 1920s, and in 1933 the Civilian Conservation Corps built the first facilities and campgrounds. In 1934 the park was officially opened as the first state park of Nevada. Valley of Fire now has 40,000 acres of multicolored rock, displaying a varied array of shapes and textures. </div>
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The next day, we decided to take a tour of the Hoover Dam. We had been over it once many years earlier, but never took an actual tour of the facility. We headed over there early in the morning and got tickets for one of the first tours of the day. We took the hour-long dam tour, which includes a movie about the building of the dam and a tour of the power plant. </div>
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After our tour of the Hoover Dam, we headed back to the rig for some lunch, and then Joan and I took an excursion to Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden. We told ourselves that the primary reason was to view the gardens, hoping that the cacti would be in full bloom, but we both ended up walking out of there with a good sampling of handmade chocolates to last a few days! Some of the cacti were blooming, but it was just a tad early for most of them. The chocolates, however, were delicious!</div>
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Steve and Joan were at the end of their volunteer stint at Lake Mead, with their last day occurring while we were visiting. We spent our last night there visiting with them in their gorgeous new Entegra motorhome and said our fond farewells as we were heading over to a new national park for us, Death Valley National Park, and they were headed up to North Dakota for their summer volunteer jobs at Sully's Hill National Game Preserve. We had been looking forward to exploring the state of Nevada on this expedition west this spring, our first time here in the state since we started RVing, and so far it's off to a great start!</div>
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<br />Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-33810078855836988652018-07-26T17:44:00.000-04:002018-07-26T17:44:25.134-04:00Monument Valley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm back!!! It's only been a month or so.....:-)</div>
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Still writing about the spring trip here. But rest assured, we're hard at work and play here in Wyoming. We've had some great hiking and kayaking so far this summer, and I will do a photo essay on our adventures, but I do want to keep a record of the spring trip.</div>
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So we left off at Bernalillo, N.M., and our hike at Tent Rocks. We had left Bernalillo and headed towards <i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14px;"><span lang="nv"><b style="font-family: sans-serif;">Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii,</b></span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Navajo for Monument Valley, on the Arizona/Utah border</span>. The area is a Navajo Nation Tribal Park, considered the private land of the Navajo Nation. You can choose to pay an entrance fee to enter on your own, but you are limited to driving the one road through the monuments. Upon the advice of friends of ours, Lee and Tracy Perkins of <a href="https://camperchronicles.com/">Camper Chronicles</a>, we elected to sign up for a Navajo-guided photo tour of the valley that takes you off the beaten path. </div>
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Just a side note here: the road from Bernalillo to Monument Valley is pretty remote, and much of it traverses Navajo land. Farmington is the last spot to really have any services, so make sure you are not low on fuel at this point! We also ran into a major wind/sandstorm that had not been forecasted, and I definitely advise not driving in one if it's not necessary. Unfortunately, by that time we were on the reservation and there were no opportunities to stop. We made it, but it was not my favorite day of driving!</div>
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Our first day there was spent recuperating from the drive, doing some laundry, and just generally scouting the area. It wasn't a nice day, still very cloudy, so I didn't get many pictures. We did drive up to Goosenecks State Park and wander around the rim of the goosenecks. The San Juan River twists its way through this canyon on its way to Lake Powell. It's very hard to get a picture that adequately conveys the nature of its path, but you can kind of see it in this picture. Just follow the ribbon of water!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GDBmyJyA5gPp6RVxhV_ALb6x-jRVRUqZnicLV30FSwov5fShE1oyO0bvkvQFRkhzDJw8oLCIt7YjDibdJ-7lkHVKUMbk1jcTpJVpgiIXzMNxjCT-afOSY-6jId6Uj-hm1Xp_jm4fcdg/s1600/DSC_0148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GDBmyJyA5gPp6RVxhV_ALb6x-jRVRUqZnicLV30FSwov5fShE1oyO0bvkvQFRkhzDJw8oLCIt7YjDibdJ-7lkHVKUMbk1jcTpJVpgiIXzMNxjCT-afOSY-6jId6Uj-hm1Xp_jm4fcdg/s400/DSC_0148.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The tiny town of Mexican Hat, Utah, is between Monument Valley and Goosenecks State Park. Population is 31. The rock formation above is what the town is named after!</div>
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The next day we were up early and glad to see clear skies for our photo tour. The day we arrived the sand was blowing so badly that we couldn't even see any of the monument formations!</div>
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We met our guide and headed into the valley. An early morning tour actually is not optimal for photographing most of the formations, but I did my best.</div>
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Monument Valley consists of towering sandstone formations that have been sculpted by the elements over time and rise between 400 to 1,000 feet above the valley floor. The park covers close to 92,000 acres and lies within the Navajo Nation reservation. It is most recognizable as being the backdrop for innumerable western movies and shows, beginning with many John Wayne films starting in 1939.</div>
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The following pictures are all from our jeep tour into the back country. </div>
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And, of course, the now famous "Forrest Gump" scene, where he decides that he's tired of running and goes home!</div>
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From here, we were headed to Lake Mead Recreational Area, south of Las Vegas, Nevada. We were headed there to meet up with Steve and Joan Crowe, <a href="http://fosj-steve.blogspot.com/">FOSJ</a>, who were volunteering there for the winter. Looking at our possible routes there, we decided to drop down to I40 and stop in Flagstaff for the night. Contacting our good friends Steve and Teresa Heede, who we worked with in 2012 in Colorado and 2015 here at Luton's, they drove up from Mesa to visit with us for the evening. The best part about traveling across the country! You get to see all your RVing friends :-). </div>
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From Flagstaff we arrived in Lake Mead the next day, and that, along with our visit to Death Valley National Park, will be the subject of the next journal entry. </div>
<br />Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-22545615058871504402018-06-07T16:56:00.000-04:002018-06-11T21:35:36.693-04:00Tent Rocks National Monument and Monument Valley<i>Please note: I<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> don't know a cookie from a brownie. All I know is that they both are usually very tasty! If this site violates some EU law, decide whether to visit on your own. I can't figure it out... Yet.</span></i><br />
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Leaving Hot Springs, Arkansas, we had planned to just keep driving straight across the country on I-40 to Albuquerque, where we planned on stopping just north of there in Bernalillo, New Mexico, for a couple of days. However, as I was casually flipping through some of the Facebook RV groups, I saw there were several wildfires in Oklahoma, some of which were actually close enough to I-40 to have it shut down in the western part of the state. Figuring that any detour out there would take us way out of the way, we changed up our plans and headed further south, dipping into eastern Texas on the way to Amarillo rather than Oklahoma. The halfway point in the drive ended up being only about 30 miles from Al's sister Susie, so it seemed like a great idea to stop and visit for the night. We had an impromptu, fun evening together at The Rib Crib, catching up and seeing our two nephews.<br />
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From there, we had another two days of driving and finally reached Bernalillo without incident. We stopped overnight in Amarillo, staying at the Oasis RV Park. We've stopped in several different campgrounds in Amarillo over the years, and we like this one for its easy access off the highway and easy parking for big rigs.<br />
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Once we got to Bernalillo, we stopped for three nights, just to have some down time off of driving, restock the pantry for the upcoming couple of weeks away from any large shopping areas, and to visit Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. It's been on my radar for a while, but we've never actually made it there when we've been in the area. We stayed at the KOA North Albuquerque, which was very nice and convenient for the shopping we needed to do. Right next door, literally a few steps away, was the Kaktus Brewing Company. I was told by the girl checking me in that the pizza was quite good. Not being one who ever turns down a good pizza, we decided to take a break from cooking and give it a try. It was quite the funky little place, but the pizza was quite good, and folks around us having the local beer said it was very good as well. So give it a try if you're in the area.<br />
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Our first full day here, it was extraordinarily windy, which we came to discover would be a recurring theme throughout this spring trip. We used it as a "day off" from our touristy activities. We have found that during the periods where we are in travel mode, usually as we move from the east to the west and vice versa, that we really need to schedule in down days. It's tempting to not bother, as we are usually in an area we haven't been before and want to take in as much as we can, but it does become exhausting. So we just "hang out," catch up on chores like laundry and shopping, and relax.<br />
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The next morning, we set off for our visit to Tent Rocks. It was about a 40-minute drive each way. I had checked the website for information and was glad I did so, for I saw that dogs are not permitted at this site. Most National Monument sites they are, so this surprised me a bit, but no problem. They are always happy and comfortable in the rig, so they went for their walk in the campground and settled in for a nap while we went out.<br />
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The drive there, once you leave I-25, actually goes through tribal lands, Cochiti Pueblo. After winding through the town area, past the reservoir, you make it to the BLM land that the monument sits on. The end of the road is where the trail starts. This was the description from the website of the hiking:<br />
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The national monument includes a national recreational trail. It is for foot travel only and contains two segments that provide opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, geologic observation and plant identification. Both segments of the trail begin at the designated monument parking area.</div>
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The Cave Loop Trail is 1.2 miles long, rated as easy. The more difficult Canyon Trail is a 1.5-mile, one-way trek into a narrow canyon with a steep (630-ft) climb to the mesa top for excellent views of the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia mountains and the Rio Grande Valley. Both trails are maintained; however, during inclement weather, the canyon may flash flood and lightning may strike the ridges.</div>
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I was definitely planning on at least the Cave Loop Trail, ut wasn't sure about the other one. But we started out with a "let's see how it goes" attitude.</div>
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This is the beginning of the trail, with the massive formation ahead of us. You can see the cone-shaped formations that give this monument its name.</div>
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This starts the slot canyon section. The trail is very sandy.</div>
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The trail was pretty narrow as we were weaving throughout the conical rocks.</div>
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It's so interesting how the trees seem to hang on by a thread.</div>
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As we emerged from the narrow slot feature, the trail started winding it's way upward.</div>
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Different views as we kept going up. It was a perfect day for the hike.</div>
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This was about halfway up.</div>
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We kept on going and finally made it to the top of the overlook. I was very pleased with myself...I didn't even feel as if I were ready to drop! Losing some weight and getting more exercise is definitely making a difference in our stamina.</div>
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Different views of the rocks as we made our way down. Even on trails where it's not a loop, just an in-and-out trail, you get a different perspective of the view y coming from the opposite direction.</div>
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And back down at the base again. <span style="text-align: left;">It was an absolutely gorgeous hike and a beautiful day. I highly recommend doing this if you are in the Albuquerque area. </span></div>
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The next day, we continued our journey westward, heading to Monument Valley, on the Arizona/Utah border. And that will be the subject of the next entry! Thanks for reading :-).</div>
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<br />Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-87737628167755801992018-05-11T21:02:00.001-04:002018-05-11T21:02:08.197-04:002018 Spring Journey WestLong time, no see!<br />
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Before I get to our travels west this spring, we had a great winter in Florida, with several highlights this year. We arrived right on Christmas after finishing our sting at Amazon, our seventh season doing PEAK at Campbellsville, Kentucky. What follows is a succinct description of our winter.<br />
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-Christmas and New Year's Eve was spent with our family and friends, Ken and Jodi Himes<br />
-RVer's picnic was at Tarpon Springs this year, at Fred Howard Park. It was really nice, although quite cool that day. It's great fun to see everyone that's hanging out in the area.<br />
-We went on a four-night Royal Caribbean cruise with my sister and her family<br />
-We had our annual 10-day family reunion at Walt Disney World.<br />
-We worked at the Florida State Fair for Scootaround for two weeks in February, as well as the classic car show at Daytona Speedway in March.<br />
-We had a great kayak down the Rainbow River with John and Carol Herr and Pat and Diana Brown. We always enjoy kayaking with them! John and Carol are doing a summer-long trip to Alaska and Canada and I can't wait to hear about it.<br />
-We did a big cleaning on the rig, doing a purge of anything we haven't used in quite a while. Al also installed two solar panels on the roof and did some "tiling" work in the kitchen. Love my new "stone" backsplashes :-)<br />
-We spent the day in Clermont, visiting with Tom and Ellen Whitesell and Dan and Jonell Anderson. Tom and Ellen are working in Skagway, Alaska, this year, and we're looking forward to hearing about their adventures.<br />
-Our financial adviser extraordinaire and good friend Mark Poitras and his family came for a visit. The obligatory visit to the Homosassa Wildlife Park was done and enjoyed by all.<br />
-All doctor and veterinarian visits were done and clean bills of health were obtained for another year!<br />
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There were many other things we did, but that's pretty much the highlights. The winter went so very fast, and before we knew it, April 2 arrived and it was time to head out on the road again!<br />
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Our first stop was in Concord, North Carolina, at Charlotte Motor Speedway. We were working the Auto Fair with Scootaround for that first week. The downside to this was that we needed to be there on April 2. Easter was April 1. So we drove all 540 miles in one day. I really don't like traveling that way. We did take a different route from what we did last year though, which was I-95 from Jacksonville to South Carolina. This year, we stayed on Highway 301 all the way from Gainesville, Florida, to Columbia, South Carolina. The drive was great. Good roads, light traffic, no stress.<br />
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The Auto Fair is interesting. It's neat to see the classic cars. For the most part, though, we don't stray too far from the area that our booth is in. It was pretty busy the first two days, and then the third day, it poured rain all day. The next day it was very cold! It was not fun to work that morning. I had all my cold weather clothes on and brought my electric heater to keep my feet warm in the booth. That was the last day anyway, and by the end of the day we had everything packed up on the trucks and we were ready to head out on the road, unencumbered by any jobs for the next month and cash in our pockets!<br />
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Our first "destination" stop was Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It's different from most of the national parks we've visited so far, in that it's not nature-related. Hot Springs is preserving the history of the "healing waters" of the natural springs found in the area. It became built up as a recreational area where people came to 'take the waters" in bathhouses.<br />
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Bathhouse Row, as you see it today, consists of eight bathhouses that were constructed between the years 1892 and 1923. This area, together with the Grand Promenade that runs behind them, was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1987. </div>
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We took a tour of the Fordyce Bathhouse, which has been extensively restored and now serves as the national park's visitor center. The next day, we went to the Buckstaff Bathhouse and immersed ourselves into the experience by having a full-service bath. It was nice. I don't think I would do it again, but it was interesting, and "when in Rome..." </div>
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There's also a lot of gangster history in Hot Springs -- yes, the gangsters came to Hot Springs to relax in the bathhouses -- so we visited the Gangster Museum of America. You just never know what you're going to find as you travel :-). </div>
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Baseball also has a history here. Spring training used to occur in the area as the hilly terrain made for good conditioning. They also liked the players to soak in the baths after carousing all night. The thinking was that the spring waters would help flush the alcohol out of their systems :-). </div>
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So it was a pleasant three days that we spent in Hot Springs, topped off with a few quality moments spent in the campground's bathhouse around 11:00 p.m. due to tornado warnings. Better safe than sorry, so we bugged out to a more secure spot than our RV for a while. Luckily, the bad storms were not anywhere too close.</div>
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That's probably enough words for now so I will end it here and hopefully, no promises, continue on in a day or two with our next stop, Bernalillo, New Mexico.</div>
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<br />Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-33085771536019934372017-11-26T17:43:00.001-05:002017-11-26T17:43:23.984-05:00Summer in WyomingWe really had intended to keep moving to different areas to work each summer; we really did! And that was our modus operandi for our first four years on the road. We worked, respectively, each summer in Michigan, Colorado, Maine, and Wyoming. However, the past four seasons, we have returned to Moran Wyoming, and we will be returning for a fifth season again in 2018. We truly believe that we have hit the trifecta of workamping jobs available. When you find terrific people to work for in a fabulous location that also has a respectable wage and perks package, you tend to hang on to it :-).<br />
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We arrived on schedule, May 12, and received a warm welcome from Brad and Joanne, the owners and our employers here at Luton's Teton Cabins.<br />
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We settled on our site for the summer. This is actually a picture from the summer before. It isn't that green in mid-May! One of our new coworkers, Melissa, was already here, and Dan and Jonell arrived a couple of days after us. A new couple, Erin and Shawn, arrived shortly thereafter, and returnees Ken and Jodi arrived last. Spring cleaning of the cabins started in earnest, and we were pretty well-booked right from the get-go for the season. </div>
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It was still early enough for snow, and we saw these herds of elk and bison on one of our first drives through the park.</div>
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It was a banner year for snowfall on the Teton Range, and the snow lingered in the mountains quite far into the summer. We also had a great season for moose sightings. We saw more moose this year than any other year.</div>
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We had a late-June snowfall, and on our drive up to Togwotee Pass to see how much snow fell up there, we had this handsome grizzly dash across the road in front of us. </div>
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An early season trip to Yellowstone showed a lot of snow in the higher elevations, a buffalo jam on the road in the Firehole Canyon, and really nice flow in the waterfalls.</div>
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The Heron Pond Swan Lake is a favorite hike of ours.</div>
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We visited the Cutthroat trout fish hatchery for the first time, and learned that the guys can actually go fishing on the property and catch one fish a day if they want! The trumpeter swans had the fishing lake staked out.</div>
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We did the hike to Phelps Lake, another favorite. Fortunately, just as we arrived there, we heard thunder rumbling in the distance. We picked up the pace considerably and made it back to the car just as all hell broke loose! I felt bad for all the hikers we had met going up to the lake as we were dashing back. You really need to pay attention to the weather in the mountains.</div>
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On the way there, we stopped at one of our favorite moose-viewing sites and spotted mama and baby. </div>
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Every summer, we need to take a ride over to Idaho Falls to the Quest Diagnostics lab for Al's semiannual bloodwork. Quest Labs is our network facility and the only place we can get the bloodwork done "in network," so it's over to Idaho we go. We made a day of it and visited Mesa Falls while over there.</div>
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The high snowfall this past winter caused very high rivers, which did cause a lot of localized flooding and road damage, but the wetness also created an awesome wildflower season. These pictures are from a forest road near the cabins that we like to drive. </div>
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String Lake is way up on my list of favorites, both hiking and kayaking.</div>
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We were supposed to go kayaking one day with Ken and Jodi, but the weather was rainy and cold, so we settled on an alternate plan. We drove east from Moran, a direction we really haven't explored yet. We found Brooks Falls after a short hike from a National Forest campground.</div>
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Continuing on to the town of Dubois (pronounced "Doo-boys"), we visited the Bighorn Sheep Visitor Museum. While there, we saw a brochure for a wildlife drive north of town and followed the road to the end. There's a trailhead there, and we took the short hike to the waterfalls. There are much longer ones and one that goes to a lake that we're going to investigate next summer. We just weren't prepared for a longer hike today. On the way back through Dubois, we stopped at the <a href="http://www.cowboycafewyo.com/">Cowboy Cafe</a> for a piece of pie and coffee, and it was totally worth the stop! We will be headed back there next summer for sure.</div>
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A highlight of the summer was the 2017 Solar Eclipse on August 21. The ranch was a mere 10 miles or so from the line of totality. I think we were something like 99.7% of totality. It was close enough! The actual line was through the Jackson Hole Airport. We had been booked at 100% occupancy for almost three years leading up to this event. It's not something that I would have gone out of my way to see, but I am so glad we were here for it. We had a large group of photographers, scientists, and researchers staying here, who brought all kinds of equipment for viewing and photographing the eclipse. This is the one group from The Great Outdoors L.A. </div>
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They had everything set up in the yard in front of the cabins for a few days, and they welcomed anyone to come over and check things out.</div>
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We organized a potluck dinner for everyone staying with us the night before the eclipse, and I do believe everyone came and had a great time. The dinner itself was well received by all, and we were told what a great thing it was and how nice it was to get to know everyone staying there. After all, they were all here for a common cause with common interests!</div>
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The night before, after the dinner, the Great Outdoors L.A. folks put on a slide show and lecture about a different eclipse they had gone to where they were on a ship in the Baltic Sea. It was very interesting and informative, telling us what was going to happen and the different things we should be watching for during the eclipse.</div>
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Ken and Jodi were ready with their special glasses.</div>
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At different phases of the eclipse, they would take pictures of the partial eclipse through this cutout. It was pretty cool.</div>
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I got one picture through one of the telescopes with my phone :-). If you're really interested in pictures, the group sent <a href="https://menardjaramillo.smugmug.com/2017-08-21-Total-Solar-Eclipse-Wyoming/n-bmtKf7">this </a>link, where all their pictures are. They are really good!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HWllKJgO8aOzJu7rQAQW9PhfZMOIMO-7REivwEYkKxCDkKdoMIRdcL1q7wIFP-riVYguEgl01SbZbTMVQO51pf-ipBDhZWVXQHBQHH_P4nu6I0jjoeHJJMws8FJ7h6IIywJPD3cZsEU/s1600/balloons+II+599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HWllKJgO8aOzJu7rQAQW9PhfZMOIMO-7REivwEYkKxCDkKdoMIRdcL1q7wIFP-riVYguEgl01SbZbTMVQO51pf-ipBDhZWVXQHBQHH_P4nu6I0jjoeHJJMws8FJ7h6IIywJPD3cZsEU/s400/balloons+II+599.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We did another hike to Inspiration Point with Dan and Jonell...</div>
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and we had some visitors this summer: Richard and Bonnie Waltman...</div>
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and Pat and Diana Brown all came at the end of August and we did a few things, including the hike to Emma Matilda Lake. John and Carol Herr, who were working for GTA, joined us as well. It's really awesome that we get to see folks all around the United States.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOl1w6GhC7P-WdSurOHJS-tOELavbFq9Td7RN4GYeUbAWfJXilqUqVKBWXiH5owIxXRArMQuLkDaJ_mmW-nXhzhSLxCdskQnyFDw3QQmxZ3sr4-8brayXql5vgaNU99jC0C9L7i4zbFY/s1600/balloons+II+625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOl1w6GhC7P-WdSurOHJS-tOELavbFq9Td7RN4GYeUbAWfJXilqUqVKBWXiH5owIxXRArMQuLkDaJ_mmW-nXhzhSLxCdskQnyFDw3QQmxZ3sr4-8brayXql5vgaNU99jC0C9L7i4zbFY/s400/balloons+II+625.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Al and Dan got a lot of fishing in this year. We brought our SeaEagle Runabout with us this year, and they got it set up for float fishing on the Buffalo Fork River. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EmIcgRQd_7NgOpAYhZ5xW4gnK4OgwkJFcAdVB0lTgOuyRAu9cgX-_wKcg937XA3QiTvyjibdrLeLPCY8tUL6rKF3nXeBnDaEa3AC-j7sXDl-di1vb36qjSdeKv5m7bOmlRKf3_o1RZQ/s1600/balloons+II+627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EmIcgRQd_7NgOpAYhZ5xW4gnK4OgwkJFcAdVB0lTgOuyRAu9cgX-_wKcg937XA3QiTvyjibdrLeLPCY8tUL6rKF3nXeBnDaEa3AC-j7sXDl-di1vb36qjSdeKv5m7bOmlRKf3_o1RZQ/s400/balloons+II+627.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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In September, we had the great fortune to see Grizzly 399 and her twin cubs just a couple of miles from the ranch. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me :-(, but Jonell came up and got some really nice shots. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbuNz37-XYH2rfm0Amzlf92NTfW8akqcuuWdS89OVhGmwHTFYPJbwQMPN3U-luTCqTUQvGqmUUlO7hyphenhyphenA8ZafJI2CzBkw_Nof6AD5ySxiCISzHyNh443t57swn1Da1UyRA00RqwjK3R_A/s1600/21752484_1527767150615689_2288426309934419900_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="800" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbuNz37-XYH2rfm0Amzlf92NTfW8akqcuuWdS89OVhGmwHTFYPJbwQMPN3U-luTCqTUQvGqmUUlO7hyphenhyphenA8ZafJI2CzBkw_Nof6AD5ySxiCISzHyNh443t57swn1Da1UyRA00RqwjK3R_A/s400/21752484_1527767150615689_2288426309934419900_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzdRMEU9xcizNUX-V-Qpw6AoJIma-4rXUlLbMvfdFPanv4oXNST2F9TzjsSVjWngVbPstBuUbB9Bagqi83mDuBlbvDFYzKmAdZ-wW-UEOHXmCNSLdlzw45qMFfcp6aHForkt7qxauAGg/s1600/21740246_1527767117282359_3818250047440704037_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="800" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzdRMEU9xcizNUX-V-Qpw6AoJIma-4rXUlLbMvfdFPanv4oXNST2F9TzjsSVjWngVbPstBuUbB9Bagqi83mDuBlbvDFYzKmAdZ-wW-UEOHXmCNSLdlzw45qMFfcp6aHForkt7qxauAGg/s400/21740246_1527767117282359_3818250047440704037_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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These are both Jonell's pictures.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHigy6ty7tgLTRluqo02iuTA7bdTnG6j3crQn4IwofBuNrNKrFeCj4yLt4_7G6X6tt8CwpwESEGF3kAbG2bBycN7syLv1DocE8ZOzqjYsIosIE72aSKZg-dzUzSaG7Uq7PxxNwFZW5_gg/s1600/399+cubs+Carol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="800" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHigy6ty7tgLTRluqo02iuTA7bdTnG6j3crQn4IwofBuNrNKrFeCj4yLt4_7G6X6tt8CwpwESEGF3kAbG2bBycN7syLv1DocE8ZOzqjYsIosIE72aSKZg-dzUzSaG7Uq7PxxNwFZW5_gg/s400/399+cubs+Carol.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Carol also got a beautiful picture of the three of them at a different time. 399 is like our rock star around here. She is 20 years old and has had several broods of cubs. She almost always hangs around areas of the park where she is visible, making it easy for people to see the cubs. There is a downside to that, though; last year, her cub Snowy was hit and killed by a car in early June. </div>
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As September wound down, we started the fall cleaning of the cabins to prepare for their October closing. We were still very busy, as it seems more and more people are discovering that September is a great month to visit the area....shh, don't tell anyone! We were also preparing for our October 1 departure. Saying goodbye to everyone is hard, but Dan, Jonell, Erin, and Shawn are returning next summer, and we will see Ken and Jodi in Florida this winter. Time to move on to new adventures....a bucket list item: the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta!</div>
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Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-8934078271002158872017-11-23T18:05:00.000-05:002017-11-23T18:05:13.637-05:00Big Bend National Park and Carlsbad CavernsLong time, no see! We are alive and well and currently back in Campbellsville, Kentucky, reprising our roles for Peak Season 2017 at Amazon.<br />
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Many of you know why I have been so lax about keeping up with this journal. Last year, I graduated from a course that taught me how to be a proofreader of court documents that are recorded and transcribed by court reporters. I have been in business now since the beginning of the year, and I am doing quite well with it. Unfortunately, between our regular work schedule, recreation time, and the proofreading work, I have little time for blogging. This particular entry will be about the second half of our trip west, then I will do a summer roundup of our adventures out in Wyoming, concluding with a "bucket list" item where we spent ten days in Albuquerque, New Mexico, attending Balloon Fiesta.<br />
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After leaving Alpine, TX, we drove 90 miles south to the town of Terlingua, TX, at the western entrance to Big Bend National Park. We stayed at Big Bend Resort and Adventures RV Park and Campground. It wasn't the best we've ever stayed at, but it was close to the entrance, had hookups, and we had a site with a tree for some shade. There's a small grocery store in town and a gas station in front of the motel. We didn't really need much else, anyway. We went into the park every day, but, I do have to say, I fully understand the concept of an afternoon siesta now. It was beastly hot! We would get up early and drive into the park, and we would be back at the rig by 1:00 P.M. The temperature in the truck was reading 109 degrees one afternoon. I don't do heat anymore, at least not like that!<br />
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The park is massive. It covers eight hundred thousand acres of land and preserves a broad area of the Chihuahua Desert including the tail end peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Our first drive in was just to get the lay of the land and to visit the Visitor Center. There are several Visitor Centers in the park, and the first one we stopped at was the Chisos Basin center. </div>
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We had a nice visit with the rangers there, and there was a small exhibit devoted to the wildlife of Big Bend. Several trailheads depart from this basin, and we took a short walk on the Window View Trail from the center.</div>
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There's a longer trail to the top of the Window pour-off, about six miles roundtrip, but we weren't prepared for a longer hike. It is so hot and dry that you really need to be prepared with plenty of drinking water whenever you set out. </div>
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The Chisos Mountains are pretty much the only relatively cool spot in Big Bend during the majority of the year. The mountain range is 20 miles long and is the only mountain range to be entirely within the boundaries of a national park. The highest peak is Emory Peak at 7825 feet above sea level. </div>
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Some of the sights on the drive up to the basin. A lot of the cacti was blooming while we were here.</div>
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We then drove to the main Visitor Center at Panther Junction, where we wandered the exhibits and watched the movie. We always try to watch any movies at the centers as they have a very good overview of the park. </div>
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The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive is the main driving tour through the park, running from the main road down to the bottom of the park, ending at Santa Elena Canyon. Along the way are several areas to stop and explore: Sam Neil Ranch, Homer Wilson Ranch, Sotol Vista, Mule Ears Overlook, and Tuff Canyon, among many other pull-offs. </div>
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It was very hazy, but the dark ridge in the picture is another diabase dike that we've seen other places, notably the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park and the top of Mount Moran in Grand Teton National Park.</div>
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Desert Scenery</div>
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Ocotillo blooming everywhere</div>
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Agave plants, also called century plants. The century part is an exaggeration, but they do grow for about 15-25 years, putting all their energy into one, single bloom, after which the plant dies.</div>
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Tuff Canyon, carved out by flash flooding which is common in the park. "Tuff" is a volcanic-rock material that resists erosion better than surrounding material.</div>
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The end of the Ross Maxwell Drive is the magnificent Santa Elena Canyon. The limestone walls tower 1500 feet over the river. The left side of this picture is the Mexican border.</div>
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The limestone cliffs tower over the Rio Grande, extending miles down the river.</div>
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Boquillas Canyon is another hike that we did. It's fairly short, about 2 miles, but was so pretty. The trail starts with a short climb up a ridge, then descends to a sandy path that you follow along the river to the mouth of the canyon.</div>
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There's even a "gift shop" along the trail! These little beaded ornaments are made by the children of Boquillas, a Mexican town across the river, and the money raised supports the school. There is a border crossing where you can go over and visit the village, but we did not do this.</div>
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The trail comes to an end as the walls close in on the side of the Rio Grande. It was a really nice walk.</div>
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Another short hike takes you past the historic buildings of Daniels Ranch to riverside hot springs.</div>
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The road going down to the trailhead had these interesting rockwall formations. It was unpaved, but not too rough.</div>
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The trail along the cliffs leading to the....</div>
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ruins of the hot springs tubs. There were people soaking in them, but I managed a shot that didn't have them in it.</div>
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He was really blending in with the background. I don't remember what he is; my birding friend Debi knows, but I can't remember.</div>
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Our last hike in Big Bend was the Grapevine Hills hike to a feature known as Balanced Rock. It follows a sandy wash through a boulder field.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lqzsMCYBtkv_9OViO6hgdZr4YWShqdZ_GWNP2eS_nKjNJkke0udk5p0ZKOf0Cp5i54InRMRkNi-K5rt2I0X3fS54dcbKpvlbGny6ayPTxNyEtE709OYdy4a6AQvR7Fv2ImwKrCvce5k/s1600/DSC_0070.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lqzsMCYBtkv_9OViO6hgdZr4YWShqdZ_GWNP2eS_nKjNJkke0udk5p0ZKOf0Cp5i54InRMRkNi-K5rt2I0X3fS54dcbKpvlbGny6ayPTxNyEtE709OYdy4a6AQvR7Fv2ImwKrCvce5k/s400/DSC_0070.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Definitely boulders all around. </div>
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Then it's a short and steep climb up to Balanced Rock.</div>
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And we arrived. After a rest and conversation with another group of hikers, it was time to descend and make the return trip.</div>
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Views on the way down</div>
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The drive out of Grapevine Hills, looking toward the Chisos Mountains.</div>
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Close-ups of an agave plant that was blooming.</div>
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While in Terlingua, we also had the new converter delivered to the post office there, using the general delivery service, and Al installed it and we were good to go! Full electric again :-). We drove to the Terlingua Ghost Town down the road one night and followed the road west to the town of Lajitas. There's supposed to be a nice campground there, but, t me, it wasn't worth staying out there and having an hour round-trip drive each day just to get to the park entrance. The town of Lajitas is basically just a big resort from what I can see. I also wanted to double-check the road, as I had been thinking about heading out that way after leaving and going up to Carlsbad, New Mexico. I had asked the gentleman at the desk when I checked in what he thought, and he said,"No way." He didn't recommend it for a rig our size due to the narrow, winding road and pretty good grades. Based on that, we decided to head back north towards Alpine and Fort Stockton, and then we just stayed on Hwy. 285 all the way to Carlsbad.</div>
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Carlsbad Caverns National Park was the last "touring" stop on our trek west last spring. We stayed right in town, at the Carlsbad RV Park and Campground. It was about a half hour drive to the park and was a nice place. We were also doing some grocery and supply stocking and meal prep for our push up to Wyoming, so it was convenient to be in town close to Walmart and Albertson's. I had booked a tour of the Caverns for the morning, the King's Palace guided tour. It was very interesting, and I am glad we took it, although the group was very large. </div>
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We've been in other caves, such as Mammoth Caves National Park, Howe Caverns in New York, and caves along the Skyline Drive in Virginia, but these are, by far, the largest caves we've been through. Very impressive, and well worth visiting.</div>
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Then it was time for our run up to Wyoming to report in for our summer jobs, once again at Luton's Teton Cabins in Moran. We took four days to do the roughly 1100 miles, stopping overnight in Las Vegas, N.M., Colorado Springs, CO., and Rawlins, WY. From Rawlins, it's only about a 3 1/2 hour run, so we arrived safe and sound in Moran right on schedule. </div>
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Thank you for your patience in waiting for this second half. We really enjoyed our trip west this spring, and we highly recommend a stop in Big Bend National Park for anyone loving beautiful scenery and hikes. The only sad part about our trip is that Hurricane Harvey pretty much destroyed the area in Rockport, Texas, where we had stayed. It's been very sad to see the pictures that have been posted of the devastation to the area. Goose Island State Park, where we had camped on the bay, sustained an enormous amount of damage and has not reopened at this point. They are hoping to reopen the first of the year. I hope they do, as it is a beautiful spot to camp. The good news was that the Big Tree, over 1000 years old, survived yet another serious hurricane and remains standing!</div>
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As soon as I can, I will get a post up about our summer activities. Happy Thanksgiving to all!</div>
Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764652192459490984.post-14857998721916816192017-07-14T23:23:00.001-04:002017-07-14T23:23:59.507-04:002017 Expedition West Part 126 days; 4 parks; 3 museums; 1 observatory; 1 fantastic dinner out!; 3200 miles later :-)<br />
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Our trip from Florida to Wyoming was a little shorter time period this year due to Easter being later in April and the Scootaround job that we had signed up for. But we still managed to pack in a fairly good amount of activities, plus I was able to read about 1200 pages of legal transcripts that my clients had sent me :-).<br />
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We left Florida on April 17 and spent five days traveling across the Southeast, arriving at our first destination, Goose Island State Park in Rockport, Texas.<br />
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We had a bayfront site, and I don't think we could have gotten closer to the water if we tried.</div>
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In fact, standing at the front of our living area looking back, I would have thought that we were actually on a boat, not in an RV :-).</div>
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We had beautiful sunsets each night, though. The downside was the wind. It was actually so windy the last two days we were there that I kept checking outside to make sure the water wasn't coming up high enough to cause us to float away! </div>
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A primary objective for us in coming here was to visit Padre Island National Seashore. It was about an hour's drive south of Rockport.</div>
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This park is best enjoyed by people who have jeeps or other high-clearance vehicles, but we did enjoy going down to the shore.</div>
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Honey especially enjoys the waves at the beach. She must have been taken to the beach a lot before we adopted her.</div>
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It sure was pretty there, although we suffered through an invasion of lovebugs, which are some of the nastiest bugs I've ever encountered :-(. We had to clean them off all our vehicles several times during the drive across the Southeast. Nasty!</div>
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Closer to Goose Island, we explored the town of Rockport. We really liked it. It bills itself the same way that our home fishing port of Montauk, NY, does: a cute little drinking town with a fishing problem!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFZ90VYF0D-v8InzkZzLaKsNeTE3J0hWcqIYFd_inEwY8f-ktylXIwQh03OyOnnN29wenqaNLuf_eOOC9zC_CCQur-oRTXpUiog2i-3bBXziUbyjdnZNE6840sPxo101R_gWbyq9tlYQ/s1600/4-25-2017+343.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFZ90VYF0D-v8InzkZzLaKsNeTE3J0hWcqIYFd_inEwY8f-ktylXIwQh03OyOnnN29wenqaNLuf_eOOC9zC_CCQur-oRTXpUiog2i-3bBXziUbyjdnZNE6840sPxo101R_gWbyq9tlYQ/s400/4-25-2017+343.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Notable local attractions included the aptly named "Big Tree."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysAsexIKO7tIJSBjd-pDazrtBq-Z8pOlG9sEouFImkfsKYDzUriSwEYG5dP7MY21CqMvNVf6NYElwBAxaCHPpLgooO390qMy61xaIGIv5RkZibmqIP3O2ocpkVW_A8UaBKK4IJziybFY/s1600/4-25-2017+345.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysAsexIKO7tIJSBjd-pDazrtBq-Z8pOlG9sEouFImkfsKYDzUriSwEYG5dP7MY21CqMvNVf6NYElwBAxaCHPpLgooO390qMy61xaIGIv5RkZibmqIP3O2ocpkVW_A8UaBKK4IJziybFY/s400/4-25-2017+345.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5D97yflQTh7xT4kxYzZKipCzwk-tExeG380jnCnB5h9NmJkGoFry0MkQD_ly5jPVBWe8FPv2zdYtc1CrYNDsJkcWJhAoCjrIr79SqDZCyFn9mZxnhJqVDcenuQ_pr14vrZt8kFOkXf28/s1600/4-25-2017+347.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5D97yflQTh7xT4kxYzZKipCzwk-tExeG380jnCnB5h9NmJkGoFry0MkQD_ly5jPVBWe8FPv2zdYtc1CrYNDsJkcWJhAoCjrIr79SqDZCyFn9mZxnhJqVDcenuQ_pr14vrZt8kFOkXf28/s400/4-25-2017+347.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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There was a nice selection of wildflowers around the Big Tree. In fact, there was a profusion of wildflowers blooming throughout Texas during our travels.</div>
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We had an enjoyable morning driving through Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Unfortunately, we were about two weeks too late to see any of the resident whooping cranes that winter there, but we saw other local wildlife.</div>
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Javelinas</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-P311nyxfqn08CE6QhRmcZ8HjRK6QNFXFyltL2IJpxzpMAO43Z30C0xXWWWUExqmnuk7aEp3HjJ9KXbh_WgYBmJndroY5pdiOEwS01YdyBDDCX8v4MQii7vMIQRTmHjwwNTqXWf64UxY/s1600/DSC_0069.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-P311nyxfqn08CE6QhRmcZ8HjRK6QNFXFyltL2IJpxzpMAO43Z30C0xXWWWUExqmnuk7aEp3HjJ9KXbh_WgYBmJndroY5pdiOEwS01YdyBDDCX8v4MQii7vMIQRTmHjwwNTqXWf64UxY/s400/DSC_0069.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Gators</div>
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We also spent an enjoyable morning touring the historic <a href="http://www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/fulton-mansion-state-historic-site">Fulton Mansion</a> State Historic Site. It was an interesting view into the life of a wealthy family living here on the coast in the late 1800s. We then rounded out our stay here in Rockport with a sampling from a local donut shop (what is it with Texas and donut shops?) and a lazy afternoon by the seashore. </div>
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From Rockport, we packed up and headed further west, back up to San Antonio and a brief, two-night stay in Fredericksburg, Texas. We so enjoyed our visit here a few years ago and the Pacific War Museum that we decided to stop and see the exhibits we had missed last time. I do not have much of an interest in war memorabilia, but I do enjoy learning more about our history, and this museum is an excellent venue for learning more about World War II, particularly the Pacific venue. It is quite sobering, and I pray the world never becomes embroiled in such a conflict again.</div>
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From Fredericksburg, we drove some back roads through stunningly beautiful wildflower fields. I finally saw the famous Texas bluebonnets :-). Then it was on to the never-ending I-10 interstate as we headed to our next destination, southwest to Alpine, Texas. </div>
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We stayed in Alpine for three nights, which ended up being two nights longer than I had originally anticipated, not because of problems but because we found there were enough sights for us to see to keep us busy! </div>
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We stayed at the Lost Alaskan RV Park just outside of town. It was a nice campground, and the pictures showing a generous sprinkling of trees throughout the campground was a prime draw for me! One does tire of the sun constantly beating down on you, especially when it was so hot. </div>
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Our first day there, we visited a very nice museum, the Museum of the Big Bend on the campus of the Sul Ross State University. I am always amazed at the great little museums we find in some of these small towns that are even free! It was a great exhibit that showcased the natural and cultural history of the entire Big Bend area. </div>
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Looking through TripAdvisor for Alpine, we saw the top-rated restaurant in town, the Reata, was known for its excellent chicken-fried steak. We couldn't resist and had a real treat for dinner. It was the best chicken-fried steak we've ever had, with a chocolate chunk bread pudding for dessert to die for. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5OLJ8-eTMw0XCvbxs6FdoFq0WVd2r5hGOOlP5LD4JY-Ipk64R_UsJjrpZjUeY57N4_efW7hfU0H9UzsqTSSOCU_5akoKT5moQ0LKZRPfsfITW37voItjpCR5pewCf_JrYYgkq1UVS5s/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5OLJ8-eTMw0XCvbxs6FdoFq0WVd2r5hGOOlP5LD4JY-Ipk64R_UsJjrpZjUeY57N4_efW7hfU0H9UzsqTSSOCU_5akoKT5moQ0LKZRPfsfITW37voItjpCR5pewCf_JrYYgkq1UVS5s/s400/DSC_0004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Fort Davis National Historic Site was in the area, and we spent a few hours on a self-guided tour of the site. Fort Davis was an Indian Wars' frontier military outpost from 1854-1891. Fort Davis is unique among frontier forts in that it became the Regimental Headquarters for all four Buffalo Soldier regiments that served during the last decades of the 19th century. Buffalo Soldiers were commissioned by Congress 1866 and were composed of six post-Civil War regiments of black enlisted men. This act marked the first inclusion of black men in the regular army. It was very interesting and informative as we toured the reconstructed buildings. It is a work in progress, with many other buildings awaiting work. </div>
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While in Alpine, we also attended a "star party" at the McDonald Observatory. Located on the top of Mount Locke, it's a prime viewing area for the cosmos due to the lack of lighting in the area and the clear air. This means that it is quite a ride through uninhabited land! There are two events, the Twilight Program and the Star Party. I wasn't able to get tickets to the Twilight Program, but we went early and put our names on a waiting list, and we were fortunate enough to get the last two seats :-). The Twilight Program was an hour and a half long, and that night's subject was the moon. The lecture speaker was very interesting, and we were glad to be able to attend. After that, we bundled up -- it happened to be a record cold night, of course -- and headed outside to the amphitheater for the Star Party. The first hour consisted of a discussion about the constellations, with the speaker using a laser pointer to pick out the different stars. We even saw two satellites cruising across the sky. After that, there were about a dozen telescopes set up around the area, pointing at different star groupings, galaxies, and planets. It was amazing, and we highly recommend doing this if you are in the area.</div>
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We did have a slight glitch in Alpine. Upon returning to the rig after touring Fort Davis, we found that our converter had died. What we initially noticed was that everything electrical was pretty much off, and by tracing back different scenarios, Al determined the converter was not working. It must have been down for a while because our batteries were extremely low as well. Of course, we are nowhere near any RV supply place, but we did find one over in the town of Marathon. Being Sunday, of course, there was no one there, so Al got up the next morning early and headed over there to be there at open. We were supposed to be leaving for Terlingua, but I was hesitant about going even further away from civilization without replacing it. In the meantime, we had looked on Amazon, and they did have what we needed. That was a fortunate thing because the shop in Marathon did not have the right size for our rig. So I ordered the converter from Amazon Prime and had it sent to general delivery to the post office in Terlingua. The battery charger had charged up the batteries sufficiently, so as long as we were careful with our usage, we would be fine until it arrived and Al could replace it. And we were! It's a good thing to have a handy person around :-).</div>
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So this is getting pretty long. I will stop at this point and resume with our adventures in Big Bend National Park and Carlsbad Caverns National Park in the next installment. In the meantime, we are doing fine here on the ranch. I'm just very busy with working here on the ranch and doing my proofreading as well as enjoying my time here in the Tetons! My friend Jonell has been doing much better at keeping her blog updated, and we have spent several days off together, so if you want to see what we've been doing, hop on over to <a href="https://liv2rv.com/">Liv2RV</a> and check out her last few blogs! We have a great crew working this year, which is a good thing as we are very busy. We also have the great solar eclipse to look forward to next month. Oh, boy!</div>
Al and Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02991509802471213755noreply@blogger.com5