Monday, August 30, 2010
Not Seeing the Forest for the Bears
In the evenings, we gather in the lounge before dinner and recap the day. People are encouraged to share their thoughts about the experience of the day. On the day we visited AnAn, one gentlemen said you can be so focused on the "big events"... the "tours" that you don't see the forest for the bears! They stayed in town and strolled around instead and chatted up the residents. One woman that they met winters in Minnesota! Apparently when you live in Alaska, Minnesota is the sun belt! Another gentleman grows roses that he proudly shares with visitors. You can take pleasure in your surroundings and slow down from the frantic pace of trying to fit in every optional tour, and simply enjoy life around you. Sometimes those small things are obscured.
The Boy at the Dock
When we exited at the dock, there was a young boy sitting at a table and advertising garnets for sale. Our guide had told us that the mine was the first one to be owned by two women, who later sold it to the Boyscouts to be used by children to further their education. This garnet mine has since been sold to a church for the same purpose. Only the children can dig garnets there. We were advised that it wasn't uncommon for the children to peddle their gems to pay for their college education, or to buy their first boat.
Lionel had a hand written sign introducing himself and informing us that he is saving for college. I had seen garnets for sale in shops in Juneau and thought they looked fake, perched on a piece of rock! And here was the same product. I asked, half joking, if he super-glued them onto the rocks, imagining this might be a form of Alaskan jackalope! But no, this is the way they emerge. I selected a $10 sample as a remembrance of this trip, and to honor this young entrepreneur.
Lionel had a hand written sign introducing himself and informing us that he is saving for college. I had seen garnets for sale in shops in Juneau and thought they looked fake, perched on a piece of rock! And here was the same product. I asked, half joking, if he super-glued them onto the rocks, imagining this might be a form of Alaskan jackalope! But no, this is the way they emerge. I selected a $10 sample as a remembrance of this trip, and to honor this young entrepreneur.
the Bears of AnAn
I would highly suggested you pre-book this optional tour; there are only 60 permits issued per day to allow people on AnAn and you don't want to miss it. I suggest sitting in the front of the boat if you want to be able to hear the Captain. We brought mosquito head nets but there were no bugs to be seen; apparently early in the season they are terrible so it's better to be prepared.
Our jet boat Captain, Brenda Schwartz is an artist. Her watercolor renditions of ships on navigational charts are used by Cruise West and hang in a gallery in Juneau. She and her husband are Stikine River Jet Boat Association members and she owns her own boat. Her husband takes out commercial fishing charters, staying true to the fact that everyone in Alaska seems to wear multiple "hats". I immediately decided she was special, as she owns a German Shepherd and even hunts ducks with him! I have a photo of my old patrol dog, Eros, concealed in corn on a goose hunt. Step back, labradors!
The sun peeked through and I learned the local term for it here is "cloud failure!" Wrangell is famous for shrimp and crab. We passed the buoys for shrimp pots and Brenda said everyone keeps a few pots to stock up for winter. Since her husband has a sport fisherman charter, they use his leftovers as bait. I noticed bare swaths on the hillsides and was told that they can clear-cut because the rain forest reclaims and re-seeds. In fact, if you leave your truck parked long enough it will have a tree growing out of it! Wrangell is an island and therefore the only access is boat or plane. All the businesses there are owned by residents, not cruise lines!
We saw Blake Island, named for the Russian explorer. It is made of marble and apparently for sale. Any buyers? I also noticed a power line, seemingly out in the middle of nowhere. As it turns out, in one of the fjords there is a hydro-electric plant producing clean energy because they have alot of water to use.
As we continued on the river we passed some surf scoters on the water. There were many auklets--- parakeet, cassin's and marbled-- because they require trees that over hang the water. They don't fledge, they fall out of the nest into the water and continue their development there! Once we arrived on AnAn, the white heads of eagles were everywhere in the trees. I've never seen so many eagles in one place!
Brenda commented that Cruise West passengers are more experienced travelers. They are generally dressed appropriately and have realistic expectations. I appreciated hearing that and saw evidence of this over and over throughout our trip, compared with passengers of other groups that we encountered. AnAn reminded me of the Denali experience. It is not a zoo. You must be grateful for whatever opportunities come your way and understand that the wildlife appears (or not) on their own schedule. There is plenty to appreciate in the splendor of your surroundings. Shut up and listen.
AnAn means "the place to sit and listen." Brenda told the story of escorting a blind woman to AnAn and wondering how she would appreciate the area, but the woman had so much to take in with her other senses that is sometimes lost when we only "see" with our eyes. There is an abundance of smells and sounds. The wet, organic smell, gulls calling and eagles shrieking in quite a girlish voice... decaying fish and splashes of the successful ones moving upstream. It sounds like the rain forest that it is.
It was incredible to see the salmon trying to get up stream. The wildlife managers had blown tiers out of the rock in an attempt to help the fish but found they were genetically altering them because the weaker fish were reproducing. They blocked it off again.
The locals have taken friends to see the bears there for years, but once professional photographers put the word out, people flocked to it and the forest service/wardens had to make rules. Why? Because people are idiots around wild animals. We had to make certain we weren't bringing in any food products. Tom needed a pat-down. He claimed he had nothing until I asked "gum? you have no gum" and he produced two packs that had to be left behind. They do not want the bears looking to the human visitors as a food resource.
Once we arrived at AnAn, Brenda added a rifle to her arsenal. She had a mega-can of bear spray on her waist and loaded the rifle when we hit shore. We received another bear safety talk. She talked as we proceeded along the boardwalk, partly to announce to the bears that humans were here. Someone raised the question of bear bells. I'm not sure if that came at this point in the trip, or earlier, but it begged the joke about how to tell grizzly poop... by the bear bells. I had seen hikers with bells and was told that they aren't a good idea as bears are curious and the bells are more apt to bring them in to see what that odd noise is; they know what a human voice is and tend to avoid that in most cases.
We observed from a raised deck and also signed up for short time in the "blind", which put us even nearer to the bears. We could poke our cameras out through zippered openings and I watched as a black bear fished for salmon. He would duck his head under the water, biting at fish. Finally, he would come up with one, shaking his head, the fish slapping the sides of his head. And then he feasted. Another bear wandered past the observation deck, mere feet from it and without acknowledging the row of paparazzi. During the time we were there, the bears appeared individually and while it wasn't a bear party, I was able to watch a handful of them climbing on the rocks and gathering dinner from the stream. It was a view previously only known via a television set.
Our jet boat Captain, Brenda Schwartz is an artist. Her watercolor renditions of ships on navigational charts are used by Cruise West and hang in a gallery in Juneau. She and her husband are Stikine River Jet Boat Association members and she owns her own boat. Her husband takes out commercial fishing charters, staying true to the fact that everyone in Alaska seems to wear multiple "hats". I immediately decided she was special, as she owns a German Shepherd and even hunts ducks with him! I have a photo of my old patrol dog, Eros, concealed in corn on a goose hunt. Step back, labradors!
The sun peeked through and I learned the local term for it here is "cloud failure!" Wrangell is famous for shrimp and crab. We passed the buoys for shrimp pots and Brenda said everyone keeps a few pots to stock up for winter. Since her husband has a sport fisherman charter, they use his leftovers as bait. I noticed bare swaths on the hillsides and was told that they can clear-cut because the rain forest reclaims and re-seeds. In fact, if you leave your truck parked long enough it will have a tree growing out of it! Wrangell is an island and therefore the only access is boat or plane. All the businesses there are owned by residents, not cruise lines!
We saw Blake Island, named for the Russian explorer. It is made of marble and apparently for sale. Any buyers? I also noticed a power line, seemingly out in the middle of nowhere. As it turns out, in one of the fjords there is a hydro-electric plant producing clean energy because they have alot of water to use.
As we continued on the river we passed some surf scoters on the water. There were many auklets--- parakeet, cassin's and marbled-- because they require trees that over hang the water. They don't fledge, they fall out of the nest into the water and continue their development there! Once we arrived on AnAn, the white heads of eagles were everywhere in the trees. I've never seen so many eagles in one place!
Brenda commented that Cruise West passengers are more experienced travelers. They are generally dressed appropriately and have realistic expectations. I appreciated hearing that and saw evidence of this over and over throughout our trip, compared with passengers of other groups that we encountered. AnAn reminded me of the Denali experience. It is not a zoo. You must be grateful for whatever opportunities come your way and understand that the wildlife appears (or not) on their own schedule. There is plenty to appreciate in the splendor of your surroundings. Shut up and listen.
AnAn means "the place to sit and listen." Brenda told the story of escorting a blind woman to AnAn and wondering how she would appreciate the area, but the woman had so much to take in with her other senses that is sometimes lost when we only "see" with our eyes. There is an abundance of smells and sounds. The wet, organic smell, gulls calling and eagles shrieking in quite a girlish voice... decaying fish and splashes of the successful ones moving upstream. It sounds like the rain forest that it is.
It was incredible to see the salmon trying to get up stream. The wildlife managers had blown tiers out of the rock in an attempt to help the fish but found they were genetically altering them because the weaker fish were reproducing. They blocked it off again.
The locals have taken friends to see the bears there for years, but once professional photographers put the word out, people flocked to it and the forest service/wardens had to make rules. Why? Because people are idiots around wild animals. We had to make certain we weren't bringing in any food products. Tom needed a pat-down. He claimed he had nothing until I asked "gum? you have no gum" and he produced two packs that had to be left behind. They do not want the bears looking to the human visitors as a food resource.
Once we arrived at AnAn, Brenda added a rifle to her arsenal. She had a mega-can of bear spray on her waist and loaded the rifle when we hit shore. We received another bear safety talk. She talked as we proceeded along the boardwalk, partly to announce to the bears that humans were here. Someone raised the question of bear bells. I'm not sure if that came at this point in the trip, or earlier, but it begged the joke about how to tell grizzly poop... by the bear bells. I had seen hikers with bells and was told that they aren't a good idea as bears are curious and the bells are more apt to bring them in to see what that odd noise is; they know what a human voice is and tend to avoid that in most cases.
We observed from a raised deck and also signed up for short time in the "blind", which put us even nearer to the bears. We could poke our cameras out through zippered openings and I watched as a black bear fished for salmon. He would duck his head under the water, biting at fish. Finally, he would come up with one, shaking his head, the fish slapping the sides of his head. And then he feasted. Another bear wandered past the observation deck, mere feet from it and without acknowledging the row of paparazzi. During the time we were there, the bears appeared individually and while it wasn't a bear party, I was able to watch a handful of them climbing on the rocks and gathering dinner from the stream. It was a view previously only known via a television set.
Hearing Nature
You have only to listen. The glaciers and whales spoke today.
At the glaciers, we heard the loud cracks as they were about to calve. Glaciers are very talkative! They grumble and creak like old men.
At dinner, I spotted whales and suddenly everyone evacuated to take photos! Of course, the staff are used to that, and sent up dessert. I didn't get any National Geographic shots, but the humpbacks were very close. I heard one of them screech! It was so incredible to watch them spout and then flip their fukes up as they dove.
The Orcas were a surprise to the staff. Orcas do what is called a "spy hop" where they poke their head up and look around.They apparently are not usually found that far up the fjord. By the way, rock cut by glaciers is a fjord; otherwise, it's just a gully! The ones we saw today were huge walls of granite.
We had a photography lesson tonight in the lounge. Sean O'Connor is the guest photographer. His company is called Freesolo Photography. He travels to all kinds of crazy places. He explained some photography basics and framing composition. It was probably far too simplistic for most of the people there. I think most were advanced of my skill level. His slide show didn't work and so most of the presentation was about his personal photography projects. I was still basking in the success of my venture into "S"land, so it was still interesting to me but I noted that he did not seem very organized in his presentation.
When Tom and I returned to our room there was a plate of chocolate bark with golden raisins on a plate that read "Happy Anniversary" written in chocolate, and a can of whipped cream wrapped in a white linen napkin. That was so sweet, and so special! Tom had told them that this was our anniversary trip.
At the glaciers, we heard the loud cracks as they were about to calve. Glaciers are very talkative! They grumble and creak like old men.
At dinner, I spotted whales and suddenly everyone evacuated to take photos! Of course, the staff are used to that, and sent up dessert. I didn't get any National Geographic shots, but the humpbacks were very close. I heard one of them screech! It was so incredible to watch them spout and then flip their fukes up as they dove.
The Orcas were a surprise to the staff. Orcas do what is called a "spy hop" where they poke their head up and look around.They apparently are not usually found that far up the fjord. By the way, rock cut by glaciers is a fjord; otherwise, it's just a gully! The ones we saw today were huge walls of granite.
We had a photography lesson tonight in the lounge. Sean O'Connor is the guest photographer. His company is called Freesolo Photography. He travels to all kinds of crazy places. He explained some photography basics and framing composition. It was probably far too simplistic for most of the people there. I think most were advanced of my skill level. His slide show didn't work and so most of the presentation was about his personal photography projects. I was still basking in the success of my venture into "S"
When Tom and I returned to our room there was a plate of chocolate bark with golden raisins on a plate that read "Happy Anniversary" written in chocolate, and a can of whipped cream wrapped in a white linen napkin. That was so sweet, and so special! Tom had told them that this was our anniversary trip.
The Lounge
I'm in the lounge now, finishing some cards. They said to treat it like our living room. My mother would probably tell you that in order to accurately capture that, there should be a trail of debris behind me filled with my latest projects. What a cool living room-- you can step outside and see the water, write cards to the hum of the engine. Coffee and tea are always available, and in the afternoon they bring out fruit and fresh cookies. There is a nice library filled with books about Tlingit culture, plants and animals we will see and the places we visit. You can also leave a book and take a book from popular selections, if you happened to finish a paperback during your travel. The postcards showing the Spirit of Endeavor-- along with postage!-- are free, so everyone is getting one!
DIB excursion
After a lunch involving an "Inside Passage Burger" which was stuffed with brie cheese and spicy scallion paste, with tiramisu for dessert, I made a DIB excursion with my camera. The DIB is an inflatable boat and we had the choice of going out with the photographer on board or the naturalist. There were so many of us who wanted the photography option that Tom graciously volunteered for the other. We were grouped according to name of different species; I was one of the Brown Bears and Tom was... a puffin! He made the most of it, though, and apparently created a little Puffin greeting. Later it morphed into "we are the Puffins! mighty, mighty puffins!" and surprisingly, another cruise-mate recognized the old high school cheer and joined in. Not surprisingly, however, we received some odd looks.
This cruise was billed as a photography cruise, and there was supposed to be a Pentax representative on board to give seminars and allow us to use his equipment. I'm not sure what happened to that, but we have a young photographer and his wife. No Pentax and no equipment to use, but he is giving us pointers. I think I was at the pre-dummy level! He had to show me how to set the ISO! There are some very serious photographers here with monster lenses. And then there is me. Miss Auto Focus. Actually, moving away from the "green zone"(auto focus) and venturing into "S" and "A" settings were the challenge. It was a big revelation to me and I got some cool pictures!
We weren't out long. We went to a waterfall and along the rock wall, and to a floating piece of ice. I'm not sure what qualifies as an iceberg. It doesn't seem to have a size requirement.
This cruise was billed as a photography cruise, and there was supposed to be a Pentax representative on board to give seminars and allow us to use his equipment. I'm not sure what happened to that, but we have a young photographer and his wife. No Pentax and no equipment to use, but he is giving us pointers. I think I was at the pre-dummy level! He had to show me how to set the ISO! There are some very serious photographers here with monster lenses. And then there is me. Miss Auto Focus. Actually, moving away from the "green zone"(auto focus) and venturing into "S" and "A" settings were the challenge. It was a big revelation to me and I got some cool pictures!
We weren't out long. We went to a waterfall and along the rock wall, and to a floating piece of ice. I'm not sure what qualifies as an iceberg. It doesn't seem to have a size requirement.
Elsa's Helpful Hints
There is a lady on this cruise, traveling with her son, who has been all over the world. She has advice for any traveling situation and shared these hints with me. Some of them are not geared to this particular trip, but they're interesting, nonetheless;
- shower caps can be used to shelter your camera AND they make good casserole covers, or containers for muddy shoes
- If two people are traveling together, each should pack half of the others stuff so if one bag gets lost, at least you each have half of your stuff
- always have your camera with you, even at breakfast. You never know when that perfect shot will appear
- bring a collapsible cooler. you can use it to keep sandwich fixings during the trip, and on the way home can use it to store breakables
- carry $1000 in cash, just in case you need to leave ASAP in an emergency; credit cards don't carry weight everywhere-- cash does
- if you have extra room in your suitcase, pack bubble wrap! It will keep clothes from slipping around, you can wrap things in it for the trip home, and it's cheap enough that you can just leave it behind if you don't need it.
- only bring 1 nightgown and 1 extra large t-shirt for sleepwear. You can wear the t-shirt when you rinse out the gown, and you have an extra shirt if you need it
- buy Purex packs and cut off the dryer sheet portion, cut the other part in half. Place sheet in a baggie with hot water, agitate it with your clothing and let it set, then rinse.
- if you spill dressing on your clothing use shampoo to wash it out. shampoo is used for things with an oily base
- a reusable canvas or fabric bag from a place that you travel to can make an excellent hostess gift and they can use it for other things
- if you put straps around your suitcases, put your name on the strap-- other people have straps, too!
- put your name and address inside all your bags
- if you do high altitude tours ask your doctor for high altitude pills
- carry your medication with you because you don't know if the medication by that name is exactly the same in other places you travel to, or whether it is "cut" with other ingredients
- there is a yellow tag you can purchase from Magellan that has written on it in different languages: "this is my itinerary", and you attach your itinerary so if a bag is lost, it doesn't get sent back home but can meet up with you
- Photocopy all important documents, both front and back, and have them accessible to someone at home in case yours are lost or stolen
- before you leave the house, take a photograph of your luggage. it beats the general "red soft-side" description
- leave a "permission to treat" form with the person caring for your pets, in case of emergency.
- wear cotton on the plane, no polyester. Polyester will melt onto your body in case of fire.
- if you go to a country like Africa, bring a unisex gift for the children. You can go to Walmart and buy bags of rings, etc, after Halloween with spiders and cool stuff that kids like. Do NOT give candy; they don't have good dental care so giving them sugar is careless
- if you go to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (and don't we all??) bring old T-shirts or shoes. The people there will trade them for handcrafted knick knacks.
- bring old clothes and just leave them behind instead of packing them back home. who is going to see you and care?
- if they take you to a school tour, carry a canvas bag with pencils and cheap books, things appropriate for young school children.
- okay, this one is mine, but I just had to add that my Mary Kay roll-up travel bag is working so well for this trip!
Orca!
We saw orca! Not terribly close but you could see them blow and then duck beneath the surface as they hugged the shoreline!
Tracy Arm, August 19
(from the Cruise West adventure update) "We will enter Tracy Arm, a steep-walled fjord more than 25 miles long with a shapr 90 degree bend forming an elbow to the arm. Headed by two active tidewater glaciers, Tracy Arm is not only know for it's sheer cliffs, averaging 2,500 feet but also for its rich Tlingit history and significant geological features."
I woke up at 5:30 to see high cliffs and aqua water. Shortly after that, around 6 or 6:30, the Captain announced that we were at the Wedding Cake Falls. Or at least, that's what I thought he said. Later I heard it called Bridal Veil Falls, so it's possibly my mind translated it differently! Either way, it was tiered all the way down the mountain.
A light breakfast was served in the lounge. I'm not sure if anyone pried themselves away from the view to go to the dining room downstairs. At the moment it is only 9:15 but it feels so much later because we were thrust into the day so dramatically.
We moved up Tracy Arm to the Sawyer Glacier, south arm. It is a mile wide. We can see the 350 feet above the water line but there is 900 feet hidden below. It has created a gorge. We were a mile from it and could still see the glacier calving! It's amazing to consider the size when you think that I can take a photo a mile away and see the details! Sea lions were lounging about. The naturalist called them "sausages on ice" because the whales snack on them. At first, in the distance, they looked like logs and debris on the ice.
The water appears more gray next to the glacier, due to the silt. Moving out the 27 miles back down Tracy Arm, the water is aqua again. The iceberg pieces that calve off are brilliant blue because they have been compressed with no air in the layers; their composition is such that all colors except blue are absorbed. Blue is reflected, so that's what we see. Once it is exposed to the air it starts to become white. The pieces of ice are potentially thousands of years old, or hundreds at least! When they melt enough they become lop-sided and tip over in the water and you see the blue part that has not been exposed yet. We have to travel slowly through the iceberg pieces.
Tracy Arm is a trip back in time. The glacier that moved through was a mile high and you can see the striations on the rock face. There is little vegetation, moss and lichen. And no shoreline. If there are trees, they are alder and Sitka spruce, made possible by the succession from nitrogen fixing vegetation that created soil.
I woke up at 5:30 to see high cliffs and aqua water. Shortly after that, around 6 or 6:30, the Captain announced that we were at the Wedding Cake Falls. Or at least, that's what I thought he said. Later I heard it called Bridal Veil Falls, so it's possibly my mind translated it differently! Either way, it was tiered all the way down the mountain.
A light breakfast was served in the lounge. I'm not sure if anyone pried themselves away from the view to go to the dining room downstairs. At the moment it is only 9:15 but it feels so much later because we were thrust into the day so dramatically.
We moved up Tracy Arm to the Sawyer Glacier, south arm. It is a mile wide. We can see the 350 feet above the water line but there is 900 feet hidden below. It has created a gorge. We were a mile from it and could still see the glacier calving! It's amazing to consider the size when you think that I can take a photo a mile away and see the details! Sea lions were lounging about. The naturalist called them "sausages on ice" because the whales snack on them. At first, in the distance, they looked like logs and debris on the ice.
The water appears more gray next to the glacier, due to the silt. Moving out the 27 miles back down Tracy Arm, the water is aqua again. The iceberg pieces that calve off are brilliant blue because they have been compressed with no air in the layers; their composition is such that all colors except blue are absorbed. Blue is reflected, so that's what we see. Once it is exposed to the air it starts to become white. The pieces of ice are potentially thousands of years old, or hundreds at least! When they melt enough they become lop-sided and tip over in the water and you see the blue part that has not been exposed yet. We have to travel slowly through the iceberg pieces.
Tracy Arm is a trip back in time. The glacier that moved through was a mile high and you can see the striations on the rock face. There is little vegetation, moss and lichen. And no shoreline. If there are trees, they are alder and Sitka spruce, made possible by the succession from nitrogen fixing vegetation that created soil.
Menu for our First Dinner, August 18
This may seem odd, but I just have to write about our first meal on-board. If this is any indication, we are in for a treat. Heck, I am eating things I not only have never heard of, but can't pronounce! Not only that, but there are so many choices. House bread and a specialty bread. Soup and a house salad or specialty salad. Something like five main course options including vegetarian. And there are wines suggested to compliment each one, which you can purchase by the glass in most cases, or by the bottle. This was my selection:
Fresh baked house bread
Fresh spinach salad, topped with aged gorgonzola cheese, brioche croutons and toasted oregon hazelnuts. Served with a Northwest blackberry vinagrette.
Capelli d/Angeli. Angel hair pasta tossed in a light garlic olive oil with dungeness crab, asparagus tips and artichoke hearts, fresh herbs and sweet peppers.
I forgot to write what we ate for dessert! I'm sure it was an elegant end, served as beautifully as the rest.
Although we had multiple courses, the portions were not so large that you would stuff yourself on one.
While we were eating, the humpbacked whales made an appearance! At first, I had difficulty making out the water spouts and Andrea, who works for Cruise West in Juneau and was taking the cruise so she was more familiar with the options (but had previously worked on the ship), patiently pointed them out. Finally I could spot them myself and they were everywhere! They first gave you a hint by blowing water through the spout, and when you zero in they dive and flip their tails as a final salute.
And one more addition to my "It's a Small World" list is the fact that the gal in charge of the dining room, Britany Duncan, is from APPLETON!! She graduated from high school and went off to culinary arts school. I know her father and her uncles!
Fresh baked house bread
Fresh spinach salad, topped with aged gorgonzola cheese, brioche croutons and toasted oregon hazelnuts. Served with a Northwest blackberry vinagrette.
Capelli d/Angeli. Angel hair pasta tossed in a light garlic olive oil with dungeness crab, asparagus tips and artichoke hearts, fresh herbs and sweet peppers.
I forgot to write what we ate for dessert! I'm sure it was an elegant end, served as beautifully as the rest.
Although we had multiple courses, the portions were not so large that you would stuff yourself on one.
While we were eating, the humpbacked whales made an appearance! At first, I had difficulty making out the water spouts and Andrea, who works for Cruise West in Juneau and was taking the cruise so she was more familiar with the options (but had previously worked on the ship), patiently pointed them out. Finally I could spot them myself and they were everywhere! They first gave you a hint by blowing water through the spout, and when you zero in they dive and flip their tails as a final salute.
And one more addition to my "It's a Small World" list is the fact that the gal in charge of the dining room, Britany Duncan, is from APPLETON!! She graduated from high school and went off to culinary arts school. I know her father and her uncles!
Underway, August 18
We boarded and got underway. Our ship looks like a life-boat next to the floating cities! The Spirit of Endeavor can carry 102 passengers and we have 97. Amazingly everyone fits in the dining room at one time! The hillsides look like velvet.
Our stateroom is incredible! It opens directly to the outside and we can see the water from our two windows! There is plenty of room; two beds, a desk, a decent sized bathroom and enough storage for us to be able to put all our stuff away and stow the suitcases under the beds. It isn't the size of a hotel room, but considering the time we'll be inside, it is cozy and perfectly wonderful. It is just so awesome to walk out our door and be right on the rail.
I have no internet connection out here, so although I can keep a journal, I can't keep the blog I intended. Drat!
Our stateroom is incredible! It opens directly to the outside and we can see the water from our two windows! There is plenty of room; two beds, a desk, a decent sized bathroom and enough storage for us to be able to put all our stuff away and stow the suitcases under the beds. It isn't the size of a hotel room, but considering the time we'll be inside, it is cozy and perfectly wonderful. It is just so awesome to walk out our door and be right on the rail.
I have no internet connection out here, so although I can keep a journal, I can't keep the blog I intended. Drat!
Cedar House, August 18
We were transported to watch a play called Cedar House at the Perseverance Theater. It was written and by Ishmael Hope and actors were Ishmael and Frank Katasse. The play is based on stories related by Robert Zuboff, Tlingit stories of the Raven. The stories are interesting and beginning to be more familiar to me in their context, although I admit they often don't neatly wrap up at the end like I am used to in our bedtime stories and tales, and I am left to wonder " is that IT?" The moral of the story isn't made as a summary. I especially enjoyed their dance. My mind wanders, and I think it could easily be transposed to a gangster rap concert sans crotch grab. The movements seem more akin to that, to tribal dances, than to, say, a polka. Dancing is universal.
They took questions afterwards and a man in the audience asked if they minded non-Natives adopting Native art forms. Ishmael said that culture isn't race, it's what we learn; you don't water each other down, you thicken the soup.
They took questions afterwards and a man in the audience asked if they minded non-Natives adopting Native art forms. Ishmael said that culture isn't race, it's what we learn; you don't water each other down, you thicken the soup.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Mendenhall Glacier
The Mendenhall Glacier is the first glacier we've been somewhat close to. It is part of the Tongass National Forest. We really didn't have much time and opted to take a walk along the boardwalk where there was the potential to see bears feeding on salmon. We then raced up to the visitors center where we watched a short film about the glacier and viewed some exhibits. There was a blue, or glacier colored black bear on display that was killed by a car in 1998. It noted that the unique Glacier Bear or blue morph is occasionally found in the St. Elias and Coast mountains of northern SE Alaska. However, I recall reading in the Museum of the North in Fairbanks that the color came about by genetic isolation. However it occurred, it is an interesting blue recessive-looking color. There was also an Alexander Archipelago Wolf on display and it is supposed to be a subspecies of the gray or timber wolf. The information said it is typically smaller and darker than wolves elsewhere in the state and is found in Southeast Alaska. There are reportedly about 900 of those wolves. Their color reminded me of the very dark sable German Shepherds.
I have to say the best part of the visit was the guided tour by our bus driver! He told us that when the McDonald's went in it was a huge deal. One pilot took orders back to Skagway where he was met by a marching band! Alaska was the last state that allows McDonald's (Vermont does not) to have one in their State capitol. You can't burn firewood in Juneau. That seems odd, as I think of Alaska as just the sort of place where you would have a wood stove fire. However, because Juneau is in a valley, the EPA said they were creating too much pollution. You can only have a pellet stove.
Lichen is algae + fungus, that "like" each other. Lichen lives on air, so if you see lichen growing you know the air is very clean.
There are only 48 miles of road in Juneau. You have to fly in or travel by water. We were warned that folks there don't know how to drive well because of the limited roadways, but we've found them to be very polite drivers, even stopping in the roadway to motion you across. Perhaps they've been cautioned that killing tourists is bad for business. There is no land available for purchase which is why the homes we saw advertised as so high priced. Many people just live on their boats.
They have very strict rules about handling garbage, after having to kill so many bears. You must use certain containers, cannot put the garbage out early and must clean out the cans to eliminate odors. It has apparently worked.
Our driver told a funny story about calling a business one day and the phone rang and rang and rang. Finally a person answered and said they were closed for holiday. "What holiday" he asked. The answer was "the sun is shining and the Governor called a Holiday!" Apparently, seeing the sun is so unusual there that the Governor has the option to make 3 days per year a holiday. On average there are 5 sunny days per month. We were told that, in Juneau, when you can see the blue sky peeking through it is called a "sucker hole"!
There was a cute poster hanging at the front of the bus and the caption was "How to Pass for a Local." One of the tips was to wear rubber boots, but I couldn't read the rest. We were told that everyone wears rubber boots. Even the girls who dress up to go out to the bar wear rubber boots! We saw women in skirts, apparently on their way to work, wearing rubber boots. And not cute ones, either; just the plain old green rubber boots. It's a Juneau thang.
I have to say the best part of the visit was the guided tour by our bus driver! He told us that when the McDonald's went in it was a huge deal. One pilot took orders back to Skagway where he was met by a marching band! Alaska was the last state that allows McDonald's (Vermont does not) to have one in their State capitol. You can't burn firewood in Juneau. That seems odd, as I think of Alaska as just the sort of place where you would have a wood stove fire. However, because Juneau is in a valley, the EPA said they were creating too much pollution. You can only have a pellet stove.
Lichen is algae + fungus, that "like" each other. Lichen lives on air, so if you see lichen growing you know the air is very clean.
There are only 48 miles of road in Juneau. You have to fly in or travel by water. We were warned that folks there don't know how to drive well because of the limited roadways, but we've found them to be very polite drivers, even stopping in the roadway to motion you across. Perhaps they've been cautioned that killing tourists is bad for business. There is no land available for purchase which is why the homes we saw advertised as so high priced. Many people just live on their boats.
They have very strict rules about handling garbage, after having to kill so many bears. You must use certain containers, cannot put the garbage out early and must clean out the cans to eliminate odors. It has apparently worked.
Our driver told a funny story about calling a business one day and the phone rang and rang and rang. Finally a person answered and said they were closed for holiday. "What holiday" he asked. The answer was "the sun is shining and the Governor called a Holiday!" Apparently, seeing the sun is so unusual there that the Governor has the option to make 3 days per year a holiday. On average there are 5 sunny days per month. We were told that, in Juneau, when you can see the blue sky peeking through it is called a "sucker hole"!
There was a cute poster hanging at the front of the bus and the caption was "How to Pass for a Local." One of the tips was to wear rubber boots, but I couldn't read the rest. We were told that everyone wears rubber boots. Even the girls who dress up to go out to the bar wear rubber boots! We saw women in skirts, apparently on their way to work, wearing rubber boots. And not cute ones, either; just the plain old green rubber boots. It's a Juneau thang.
Alaska State Museum, Juneau
With the limited time we have in museums, I try to pick out a few interesting facts at each. Here are my highlights from this visit:
- I saw a Prisoner of War tag on display and on the back it reads (in German, Italian and Japanese) "...each prisoner of war will be tagged (loop cord around neck) . Prisoners of war will be warned not to mutilate, destroy or lose their tags. NO TAG- NO FOOD. On the front you were to list the date of capture, place and unit making the capture.
- Governor John G. Brady was a neglected street urchin (according to the display!) in New York, was adopted and introduced to books and discipline. He graduated Yale, attended Union Theological Seminary and started a Presbyterian mission for Native boys in Sitka. As a former educator, Brady felt the establishment of educational institutions in Alaska was vital to provide intellectual stimulation for residents and help attract developers. Brady is a big reason why education is accessible in Alaska.
- In the mouths of bowhead, humpback and other baleen whales, baleen plates filter plankton and small fish from seawater for the whales to eat. Northern Eskimos, the "Inupiat" cut the baleen into strips and wove it into fishnets and lines. They also shaped small dishes and drinking cups from this flexible material. I thought the baskets (very expensive in museum shops) were made from grass until I read this!
- The samovar was a welcome reminder of home to those stationed at frontier outposts of Russian America. Burning charcoal placed inside, heated water for the beverage of choice,which was traditionally tea.
- On March 30, 1867, Russia sold Alaska for $7,200,000.00 to the United States. It was previously referred to as Russian America. The United States didn't pay up until almost a year later due to staunch opposition and preoccupation of the House of Representatives with impeachment proceedings against President Andrew Johnson.
- The actual receipt of purchase is on display in the museum. During the Clinton administration there was a challenge to the purchase launched by Russia, and they had to locate the receipt in the archives!
- In 1927, 13 year old Benny Benson was awarded 1st Place for his design of a territorial flag for Alaska. The American Legion sponsored the contest for Alaska school children. Benny was the son of a Swedish fisherman and an Aleut-Russian mother.
Waking up in Juneau, August 18
We're eating breakfast at the Paradise Bakery, another location recommended by our guide yesterday. We made certain to tell the gal there that we were there on that suggestion. Prices are high here, as they seem to be everywhere in Alaska. Tom had coffee and a breakfast sandwich and I had a strawberry-rhubarb scone, fresh out of the oven, and coffee for a grand total of $16. I got a kick out of the coffee pots; one says "Go Fast" and other " Pretend". Truth in advertising!
It is raining, as predicted. The cafe is really cute. Very eclectic, with unusual artwork and a western/cowboy theme running in the background. An old bicycle built for two hangs on one wall.
*****Uh-oh! Flight canceled due to weather! Will try to pick it up on the back end of the tour. Instead, we're going to walk around town and visit the Mendenhall Glacier later today. A globe-trotting woman who is part of our tour group, spoke very authoritatively on the fact that we did not want the helicopter tour in windy weather. She said people have gotten socked in up there for two weeks, and there is even a tent on top for that purpose! She cautioned against thinking I would find cheaper things in the villages since many shops are owned by the cruise lines but I will continue with my scouting mission.
It is raining, as predicted. The cafe is really cute. Very eclectic, with unusual artwork and a western/cowboy theme running in the background. An old bicycle built for two hangs on one wall.
*****Uh-oh! Flight canceled due to weather! Will try to pick it up on the back end of the tour. Instead, we're going to walk around town and visit the Mendenhall Glacier later today. A globe-trotting woman who is part of our tour group, spoke very authoritatively on the fact that we did not want the helicopter tour in windy weather. She said people have gotten socked in up there for two weeks, and there is even a tent on top for that purpose! She cautioned against thinking I would find cheaper things in the villages since many shops are owned by the cruise lines but I will continue with my scouting mission.
We Arrive in Juneau, August 17
I keep saying this, but everyone agrees that Cruise West does an incredible job of taking care of their people. Our bags miraculously appear in our rooms. Once again, we were met at the airport (which is very small, with handwritten signs on cardboard) and gave us a little city tour. Our guide told us that they suggested to locally owned businesses that they put a sign in their windows saying so, as Cruise West passengers have indicated that they prefer to buy local. She assured us that some of the gemstones, etc, found for sale there are not native to Alaska! I was surprised--- but yet not totally so-- to hear that the big cruise lines actually own a number of the tourist businesses in the ports they frequent. Being armed with this information is very important to me. I have no need to make Mr. Princess Lines more wealthy by purchasing trinkets manufactured in China and sold in Alaska. When I shopped, I looked for the locally owned signs.
The guide pointed out places that are fun to visit, like the Red Dog Saloon and others where the food is the the feature such as the Twisted Fish or The Hangar. We followed the advice and made a reservation at the Hangar and then wandered around and shopped until time to eat. Since I knew Tom and I would have an extra day in Juneau upon our return, I didn't purchase anything today but instead did comparison shopping and priced items I liked, in case I found them in other ports.
Downtown is very tourist-y. I'm sure that's because the floating cities (giant cruise ships) dock there. You do need to shop carefully; locally owned doesn't always mean locally made. I found lovely scarves... made in China. And the scrumptious looking chocolates in the ice cream shop? Imported from Belgium.
They're getting some of the 114 inches of precipitation today. We could see the glacier on the way in, and high, steep hillsides. There were bald eagles perched on stumps and sticks near the road, and on one side of the road was saltwater, the other side, freshwater. They also get a high tide, but not as extreme as in Anchorage. Still, it affects the timing of your boat traffic if you don't want to struggle against it.
Dinner at The Hangar was delicious. Prior to this trip, I would not claim to be a fish eater. It has much to do with growing up and having to pick through bones in my fish and I've never gotten past that. Friday night fish fries held no magic for me. I had a halibut basket with fries and brown malt vinegar and it made a fish lover of me.
We stopped for an ice cream after dinner. As is our habit, we struck up a conversation with the gal behind the counter and as it turns out, she is from Maple Grove, Mn! She's working here for the summer and living with an uncle. Real Estate is crazy expensive here. We picked up one of those local magazines and saw a lot with a driveway for $180,000. Such a deal! Our waitress suggested that people here don't need so much "stuff". I had my raincoat and hat, so the rain didn't bother me, but I don't think I would want to live here. As we travel, I am weighing which areas I would find attractive or interesting to live.
The guide pointed out places that are fun to visit, like the Red Dog Saloon and others where the food is the the feature such as the Twisted Fish or The Hangar. We followed the advice and made a reservation at the Hangar and then wandered around and shopped until time to eat. Since I knew Tom and I would have an extra day in Juneau upon our return, I didn't purchase anything today but instead did comparison shopping and priced items I liked, in case I found them in other ports.
Downtown is very tourist-y. I'm sure that's because the floating cities (giant cruise ships) dock there. You do need to shop carefully; locally owned doesn't always mean locally made. I found lovely scarves... made in China. And the scrumptious looking chocolates in the ice cream shop? Imported from Belgium.
They're getting some of the 114 inches of precipitation today. We could see the glacier on the way in, and high, steep hillsides. There were bald eagles perched on stumps and sticks near the road, and on one side of the road was saltwater, the other side, freshwater. They also get a high tide, but not as extreme as in Anchorage. Still, it affects the timing of your boat traffic if you don't want to struggle against it.
Dinner at The Hangar was delicious. Prior to this trip, I would not claim to be a fish eater. It has much to do with growing up and having to pick through bones in my fish and I've never gotten past that. Friday night fish fries held no magic for me. I had a halibut basket with fries and brown malt vinegar and it made a fish lover of me.
We stopped for an ice cream after dinner. As is our habit, we struck up a conversation with the gal behind the counter and as it turns out, she is from Maple Grove, Mn! She's working here for the summer and living with an uncle. Real Estate is crazy expensive here. We picked up one of those local magazines and saw a lot with a driveway for $180,000. Such a deal! Our waitress suggested that people here don't need so much "stuff". I had my raincoat and hat, so the rain didn't bother me, but I don't think I would want to live here. As we travel, I am weighing which areas I would find attractive or interesting to live.
Lanyards
Too late I thought of a brilliant idea! We are issued lanyards with our Cruise West name tags and I thought I should have collected pins to commemorate the places we've been and attached them to the lanyard, like we do at conferences I've been at where we exchange pins.
Threat Level Orange
We're on the plane. Squished in, most of us wearing clothes that are too warm for the proximity. Air planes are so horrid as a form of travel. They get smaller and smaller, the service poorer and the cost higher. This trip would be perfect if I didn't have to get on a plane.
I just paid $16 for lunch from Starbucks. A sandwich, chips, scone and water.
The loudspeaker announced that the threat level is orange; when we looked up at the television screen, the reason was apparent. Bret Favre is flying to Minnesota.
I just paid $16 for lunch from Starbucks. A sandwich, chips, scone and water.
The loudspeaker announced that the threat level is orange; when we looked up at the television screen, the reason was apparent. Bret Favre is flying to Minnesota.
Bridge to Nowhere
We went past Ship Creek. I'm sure at some time someone has said they were up it without a paddle. I saw the Bridge to Nowhere. One of them. And it really does lead nowhere. The area around it is very gray, with silt banks that are as quicksand. The tide comes in and fills that channel we saw.
Anchorage Museum
We had time in the morning to take in a couple hours at the Anchorage Museum. They had beautiful things in the gift shop, but I know how much more expensive museum gifts are and avoided them. The books were much more tempting to me! I found more books that I will need to put on my library list, Seth Kantner's "Shopping for Porcupine" and Heather Lende's "If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name." I particularly like that last name because it could easily be said about my hometown of Gordon, Wisconsin.
I looked at a Haida tunic of red wool applique on black wool cloth with a bear crest design outlined in shell buttons. Haida artists invented the applique dance blankets and tunics around 1850, after missionaries forbade them from raising totem poles. They became an elaborate way to show the clan crest.
I wandered around the museum and made notes about things I found interesting. Did you know that the Russians took Aleuts as slaves and made them hunt for fur? Their entire culture was almost lost when the village was burned. The Aluet made gut parkas; strong, waterproof parkas made from the intestines of sea lions, whales and bears. They worked yarn, and sometimes fur and beads into the seams for color. I wonder how difficult it is to stitch intestine?
They had a Smithsonian exhibit of displays of the various Native groups of Alaska that was phenomenal!It's called: Living Our Cultures, Sharing Our Heritage: The First Peoples of Alaska. There was just not enough time to spend there. Clothing, tools for hunting, jewelry and baskets. I could have stayed in that exhibit all day. The displays were aided by a wonderfully interactive touch screen. It displayed the same items as were in the display case. By touching one, it would tell you all about that item and you could select Overview, Archival Images, or Elder's Discussions. Each item was photographed and you could zoom in or move it around by the touch of your hand.
There was also a juried art exhibit that was stunning. There were wonderful visions of fiber and color, in the form of quilts, woodwork and paintings, with many expressing traditional art in non-traditional methods.
A statement that was part of the video presentation in the Smithsonian exhibit said it all:
Everything has Awareness,
All Things have Gratitude."
I looked at a Haida tunic of red wool applique on black wool cloth with a bear crest design outlined in shell buttons. Haida artists invented the applique dance blankets and tunics around 1850, after missionaries forbade them from raising totem poles. They became an elaborate way to show the clan crest.
I wandered around the museum and made notes about things I found interesting. Did you know that the Russians took Aleuts as slaves and made them hunt for fur? Their entire culture was almost lost when the village was burned. The Aluet made gut parkas; strong, waterproof parkas made from the intestines of sea lions, whales and bears. They worked yarn, and sometimes fur and beads into the seams for color. I wonder how difficult it is to stitch intestine?
They had a Smithsonian exhibit of displays of the various Native groups of Alaska that was phenomenal!It's called: Living Our Cultures, Sharing Our Heritage: The First Peoples of Alaska. There was just not enough time to spend there. Clothing, tools for hunting, jewelry and baskets. I could have stayed in that exhibit all day. The displays were aided by a wonderfully interactive touch screen. It displayed the same items as were in the display case. By touching one, it would tell you all about that item and you could select Overview, Archival Images, or Elder's Discussions. Each item was photographed and you could zoom in or move it around by the touch of your hand.
There was also a juried art exhibit that was stunning. There were wonderful visions of fiber and color, in the form of quilts, woodwork and paintings, with many expressing traditional art in non-traditional methods.
A statement that was part of the video presentation in the Smithsonian exhibit said it all:
Everything has Awareness,
All Things have Gratitude."
Up and At 'Em, it's August 17th
I am losing track of time! Without television or internet I have no idea what day it is. We were up early again and at breakfast by 6. I'm getting really tired of packing and unpacking. I could have done a better job of separating my clothing into Week 1, Week 2 and not having to dig through the whole lot and repack each time we move. Hindsight is a beautiful thing. The good part is that we don't have to lug our bags. All that is handled by the Cruise West folks. I could easily go back to sleep right now but we're waiting for our next transport. Apparently I'm attracting some attention with my constant journaling. Last night a woman saw me and said, "Oh, You're the one with the beautiful handwriting!" I should tell my mother thank you.
We arrive in Anchorage
We're in the hotel in Anchorage. Cruise West totally takes care of their guests! Our luggage is waiting in our rooms at each stop. Their representatives meet us immediately to transfer and give us new info packs and vouchers at each stop. We don't have to check in, register, to tote more than ourselves around. Before the trip we received a leather-bound book with our itinerary, packing suggestions and much more and as we arrive at each new destination we are given pages to insert in the binder with information about the place we are visiting and what the schedule will be.
I slept a good part of the train ride and when I was awake, was thoroughly entertained by Matt and Brian in front of us. I learned about such must-know items as Tosh.0, video redemption and uhyadude. I know the names of many of our fellow travelers, who are becoming like family. Except that I don't have to buy them Christmas presents.
We were instructed not to photograph or gawk as we passed the site of a C-17 crash outside Elmendorf Air Base, that killed four military men. It apparently happened right on the tracks and we honored them with our silence. The scene was still being investigated.
There is no laundry at this hotel. There was a laundermat but it was a long cab ride and already closed when we arrived. This is an important detail as I'm sure many people pack like we did, with the expectation that we can wash clothes at the mid-point. There was a laundry at Pike's Waterfront.
I slept a good part of the train ride and when I was awake, was thoroughly entertained by Matt and Brian in front of us. I learned about such must-know items as Tosh.0, video redemption and uhyadude. I know the names of many of our fellow travelers, who are becoming like family. Except that I don't have to buy them Christmas presents.
We were instructed not to photograph or gawk as we passed the site of a C-17 crash outside Elmendorf Air Base, that killed four military men. It apparently happened right on the tracks and we honored them with our silence. The scene was still being investigated.
There is no laundry at this hotel. There was a laundermat but it was a long cab ride and already closed when we arrived. This is an important detail as I'm sure many people pack like we did, with the expectation that we can wash clothes at the mid-point. There was a laundry at Pike's Waterfront.
awkward. ya.
I forgot to tell you about an exchange as we were riding in the van to a hike at Kantishna. A gal mentioned that she was told that teal were seen at Wonder Lake and wondered what they were? I answered, "duck." A professor-ish gentleman very formally disagreed saying, "well, not exactly"... to which I said simply "taste like duck." End of conversation.
The Plural of Moose
Kate asked "what is the plural of moose?" Her dear son answered with a straight face "Moosen. Like oxen."
Taking the train to Anchorage
This train has seats like an airplane, only much more spacious and large windows. The last train we were on was domed and we were seated at tables of four. Both have dining rooms downstairs and a bar in service throughout the ride. A guide narrates the trip. We learned that there are approximately 3 million lakes in Alaska 20 acres in size or greater. When Nancy Lake, which we passed, freezes in the winter they make a 9 hole golf course on it and play using fluorescent orange balls. You do what you gotta do.
We had a delicious lunch! Reindeer chili in a sourdough bread bowl, with berry pie made of raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, rhubarb and apple, for dessert. Man! was it ever yummy!
As we entered Wasilla, I noticed a sign on a storefront that just struck me funny:
"GUNS--- LOANS". Seems a natural combination.
We had a delicious lunch! Reindeer chili in a sourdough bread bowl, with berry pie made of raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, rhubarb and apple, for dessert. Man! was it ever yummy!
As we entered Wasilla, I noticed a sign on a storefront that just struck me funny:
"GUNS--- LOANS". Seems a natural combination.
Leaving Kantishna, August 16th
We left the Roadhouse today. Maddy and Charlie left yesterday amidst promises to send copies of my photos. I took photos of Maddy learning how to use the hoops with Hannah. Funny how two young girls can find a common denominator like that. Gary was our bus driver again. This time the trip took less time, but we still eked out enough time to take a few photos when we encountered Dall sheep (very close to the bus!), caribou and a grizzly with two cubs up on a hillside. I took more photos around the river at Toklat.
Now we're waiting for the train. It's colder here than up the mountain! We were blessed with unusually nice weather, but I have to put on my winter jacket here and while hiking at the Roadhouse it as t-shirt weather.
Are you familiar with the old Pink Panther bit where Clouseau says: "I thought you said your dog did not bite?" and the man responds, "eez not my dog!" While I went to use the bathroom, Tom waited at the train platform. Two well dressed women approached and stood in front of the bench a moment and one asked snootily "would you move those bags?" Tom replied "I don't think so". To which she sputtered "how rude!" Tom responded "they're not my bags" and they stomped away.
Now we're waiting for the train. It's colder here than up the mountain! We were blessed with unusually nice weather, but I have to put on my winter jacket here and while hiking at the Roadhouse it as t-shirt weather.
Are you familiar with the old Pink Panther bit where Clouseau says: "I thought you said your dog did not bite?" and the man responds, "eez not my dog!" While I went to use the bathroom, Tom waited at the train platform. Two well dressed women approached and stood in front of the bench a moment and one asked snootily "would you move those bags?" Tom replied "I don't think so". To which she sputtered "how rude!" Tom responded "they're not my bags" and they stomped away.
Son of the Yukon Fox
Emmitt Peters, Jr is the musher-in-residence at the Kantishna Roadhouse. He intends to put in another season and then leave for film school in California. The road there seems to be a very interesting one, indeed. As the son of the famous Iditarod winner, Emmitt Peter, Sr, known as "The Yukon Fox" he related the stories of his father as they wove themselves through his own lifetime.
Emmitt Jr grew up in Ruby, a former gold mining town with a population of 180. Ruby is on the Yukon River and the river is a mile wide there. In 1918, Ruby was bigger than Fairbanks. When they were building the railway, it was actually being built to go to Ruby but when gold was discovered in Fairbanks, it detoured. The only way in to Ruby is by river or bush plane. Four flights a day arrive in Ruby to serve the villages. Large goods come via the river. Because of this, food products are very expensive; soda costs $4, chips $11 and gas is $7 per gallon. Every 3-4 months, Emmitt's mother goes to Sam's Club and everything is then delivered to the airline to bring to Ruby.
Emmitt Jr is related to 30 out of the 180 residents. He grew up on a 20 x 25 foot single room cabin where he slept on the floor. He did not have a bed until he left for high school. His maternal grandmother was from Barrow and his grandfather was in WWII, stationed in Sitka for his Air Force duty. A flight to Sitka costs $100 more than a round trip ticket from Fairbanks to Seattle! Emmitt's paternal grandmother, Mary, was a medicine woman and unusual in the fact that she documented her knowledge. Junior attended the same High School as his father had, Mount Edgecumbe High School in Sitka. His Dad attended in 1960. Emmitt was pleased with the 3 girl to 1 boy ratio there! The school is named after a dormant volcano but in 1974 it was the subject of an elaborate April Fool's Day Hoax. A local businessman with a wicked sense of humor, flew in a bunch of tractor tires, dropped them in the rim and set them on fire! Some people were so frightened they move away and never returned!
Junior tells tales on his father and the love shines through, though there are is some question as to just how far below the dogs the children ranked! Mushing is very expensive and it sounds as if the family struggled for the sake of the father's dream. Junior does tell one humorous story about his first moose hunt with his father, unlce and friend of the family in which he was presented with a case of baby food to welcome him as a junior member of the group. On his last hunt with them he bought each one a walker!
Emmitt Jr has not raced the Iditarod, but he did race the Junior Iditarod and knows his way around a team of dogs. In fact, he didn't just race, he won. Would you expect anything less? He won the Junior Iditarod when he was 17 years old. He said the Rainy Pass, near Ruby, is the turn around spot for the Junior Iditarod and is his favorite part of the race. In the summer he runs a team of six dogs behind an ATV to demonstrate to visitors at Kantishna. The dogs are obtained from the local Humane Society. I was amazed to learn there is no selection test! They simply hand him six dogs. And they run! At the end of the season the dogs are put up for adoption. Last year, an 11 year old girl from Wasilla saw the demo and was inspired to try her hand at mushing. At the end of the season, she adopted the entire team, which she entered in the Junior Iditarod and won! This year she loaned her two leaders back to Emmitt to use in his summer program. He said admiringly that Reba, a small, light colored female wearing doggles (because she is a superstar!) is one of the best lead dogs he has worked.
By 1974 Emmitt Senior had won the two major sprint races and so he sought out the challenge of going the distance in the Iditarod. He approached it as a series of sprints. He would mush for 50 miles and then rest 2-4 hours, mush 50 miles, rest and repeat. His plan was to relay 24/7 like this until finished. He finished the race in 14 days, winning the race but losing 35 lbs in the process! He lives in Ruby and the Iditarod trail runs for a distance in both directions from RUby so his dogs are very familiar with the trail. That is why he decided to stop to rest in Ruby during one Iditarod. Unfortunately, his wife kept nagging that other mushers were passing him by so he left the house, bundled up on the sled and went to sleep, putting his dogs on auto-pilot! His dogs mushed 50 miles to the next checkpoint before Emmitt woke up, passing two other dog teams on the way! Imagine their surprise to see a musher-less team going about their business and passing!
They feed beaver meat to the dogs, as it is high in fat and the dogs digest it more easily so you don't have to wait an hour to run them as you do feeding beef based products. They are able to catch 50-200 fish in 8 hours using the fish wheel and the dogs love their salmon treats! Of course, using a fish wheel is not legal where I live. I'm not sure if it is only legal for Natives in Alaska or not. You must start the Iditarod with a maximum of 18 dogs, and a minimum of 12. The first year that Emmitt Senior ran the Iditarod he won, and he did it with 14 dogs. Being superstitious, he continued to run 14 dogs. Additionally, since there is a checklist of items you are required to carry and if you are missing something when you reach the check point you must go back and find it or you are disqualified, Emmitt Senior carried two of everything!
Emmitt Senior is an ingenious man. Since mushers spend so much time standing on the back of their sleds, he invented an fold-down chair attachment. With a coffee cup holder! Emmitt Junior worked on a prototype that I chose not to reveal because it sounds very viable, and meets Iditarod requirements. Hopefully he will press ahead with it. They make their own sleds out of white birch. I like that idea, rather than the slicked up, aircraft aluminum or whatnot. Long runners are for inexperienced teams because they are easier to turn but you only see the very short runners on competitive teams. The $5000 entry fee for the Iditarod is steep and you also need $25-50,000 in expenses, which almost requires sponsors. Through 20th place there are cash awards to ensure you make back your entry. The first dogs that Senior used were closer to Malamutes, but those were too slow so he crossed them with labrador. Huskies hate to get wet and he wanted a dog that didn't mind slogging through water. Next he added Irish setter because they will run and run. They are ADHD members of the dog world. However, they aren't too bright so he threw in border collie to the mix for intelligence. The dogs they use now in the races weigh 40-50 lbs and have a short coat, so they don't overheat. Wheel dogs are the big brutes of the team and females make the best leads. Females are the smartest. With a female in the lead, however, it does explain why it's so hard to stop a team!
After Susan Butcher won the Iditarod four times, she had a T-shirt made that read: "Alaska- Where Men are Men, and Women Win the Iditarod!" After her streak was finally broken by a man, he had a shirt made up that read: " Finally! Someone put the ROD back in IDITAROD!"
Ultimately, Emmitt Senior ran the Iditarod 13 times, finishing in the Top Ten 10 times. He came out of retirement so that he could race in each decade, beginning in the 70's. And although he has been retired now for ten years, PETA still calls their house to complain! Apparently there is a petition to include mushing as an Olympic sport if Alaska gets the bid for winter olympics. Keep your eye on Alaska
Emmitt Jr grew up in Ruby, a former gold mining town with a population of 180. Ruby is on the Yukon River and the river is a mile wide there. In 1918, Ruby was bigger than Fairbanks. When they were building the railway, it was actually being built to go to Ruby but when gold was discovered in Fairbanks, it detoured. The only way in to Ruby is by river or bush plane. Four flights a day arrive in Ruby to serve the villages. Large goods come via the river. Because of this, food products are very expensive; soda costs $4, chips $11 and gas is $7 per gallon. Every 3-4 months, Emmitt's mother goes to Sam's Club and everything is then delivered to the airline to bring to Ruby.
Emmitt Jr is related to 30 out of the 180 residents. He grew up on a 20 x 25 foot single room cabin where he slept on the floor. He did not have a bed until he left for high school. His maternal grandmother was from Barrow and his grandfather was in WWII, stationed in Sitka for his Air Force duty. A flight to Sitka costs $100 more than a round trip ticket from Fairbanks to Seattle! Emmitt's paternal grandmother, Mary, was a medicine woman and unusual in the fact that she documented her knowledge. Junior attended the same High School as his father had, Mount Edgecumbe High School in Sitka. His Dad attended in 1960. Emmitt was pleased with the 3 girl to 1 boy ratio there! The school is named after a dormant volcano but in 1974 it was the subject of an elaborate April Fool's Day Hoax. A local businessman with a wicked sense of humor, flew in a bunch of tractor tires, dropped them in the rim and set them on fire! Some people were so frightened they move away and never returned!
Junior tells tales on his father and the love shines through, though there are is some question as to just how far below the dogs the children ranked! Mushing is very expensive and it sounds as if the family struggled for the sake of the father's dream. Junior does tell one humorous story about his first moose hunt with his father, unlce and friend of the family in which he was presented with a case of baby food to welcome him as a junior member of the group. On his last hunt with them he bought each one a walker!
Emmitt Jr has not raced the Iditarod, but he did race the Junior Iditarod and knows his way around a team of dogs. In fact, he didn't just race, he won. Would you expect anything less? He won the Junior Iditarod when he was 17 years old. He said the Rainy Pass, near Ruby, is the turn around spot for the Junior Iditarod and is his favorite part of the race. In the summer he runs a team of six dogs behind an ATV to demonstrate to visitors at Kantishna. The dogs are obtained from the local Humane Society. I was amazed to learn there is no selection test! They simply hand him six dogs. And they run! At the end of the season the dogs are put up for adoption. Last year, an 11 year old girl from Wasilla saw the demo and was inspired to try her hand at mushing. At the end of the season, she adopted the entire team, which she entered in the Junior Iditarod and won! This year she loaned her two leaders back to Emmitt to use in his summer program. He said admiringly that Reba, a small, light colored female wearing doggles (because she is a superstar!) is one of the best lead dogs he has worked.
By 1974 Emmitt Senior had won the two major sprint races and so he sought out the challenge of going the distance in the Iditarod. He approached it as a series of sprints. He would mush for 50 miles and then rest 2-4 hours, mush 50 miles, rest and repeat. His plan was to relay 24/7 like this until finished. He finished the race in 14 days, winning the race but losing 35 lbs in the process! He lives in Ruby and the Iditarod trail runs for a distance in both directions from RUby so his dogs are very familiar with the trail. That is why he decided to stop to rest in Ruby during one Iditarod. Unfortunately, his wife kept nagging that other mushers were passing him by so he left the house, bundled up on the sled and went to sleep, putting his dogs on auto-pilot! His dogs mushed 50 miles to the next checkpoint before Emmitt woke up, passing two other dog teams on the way! Imagine their surprise to see a musher-less team going about their business and passing!
They feed beaver meat to the dogs, as it is high in fat and the dogs digest it more easily so you don't have to wait an hour to run them as you do feeding beef based products. They are able to catch 50-200 fish in 8 hours using the fish wheel and the dogs love their salmon treats! Of course, using a fish wheel is not legal where I live. I'm not sure if it is only legal for Natives in Alaska or not. You must start the Iditarod with a maximum of 18 dogs, and a minimum of 12. The first year that Emmitt Senior ran the Iditarod he won, and he did it with 14 dogs. Being superstitious, he continued to run 14 dogs. Additionally, since there is a checklist of items you are required to carry and if you are missing something when you reach the check point you must go back and find it or you are disqualified, Emmitt Senior carried two of everything!
Emmitt Senior is an ingenious man. Since mushers spend so much time standing on the back of their sleds, he invented an fold-down chair attachment. With a coffee cup holder! Emmitt Junior worked on a prototype that I chose not to reveal because it sounds very viable, and meets Iditarod requirements. Hopefully he will press ahead with it. They make their own sleds out of white birch. I like that idea, rather than the slicked up, aircraft aluminum or whatnot. Long runners are for inexperienced teams because they are easier to turn but you only see the very short runners on competitive teams. The $5000 entry fee for the Iditarod is steep and you also need $25-50,000 in expenses, which almost requires sponsors. Through 20th place there are cash awards to ensure you make back your entry. The first dogs that Senior used were closer to Malamutes, but those were too slow so he crossed them with labrador. Huskies hate to get wet and he wanted a dog that didn't mind slogging through water. Next he added Irish setter because they will run and run. They are ADHD members of the dog world. However, they aren't too bright so he threw in border collie to the mix for intelligence. The dogs they use now in the races weigh 40-50 lbs and have a short coat, so they don't overheat. Wheel dogs are the big brutes of the team and females make the best leads. Females are the smartest. With a female in the lead, however, it does explain why it's so hard to stop a team!
After Susan Butcher won the Iditarod four times, she had a T-shirt made that read: "Alaska- Where Men are Men, and Women Win the Iditarod!" After her streak was finally broken by a man, he had a shirt made up that read: " Finally! Someone put the ROD back in IDITAROD!"
Ultimately, Emmitt Senior ran the Iditarod 13 times, finishing in the Top Ten 10 times. He came out of retirement so that he could race in each decade, beginning in the 70's. And although he has been retired now for ten years, PETA still calls their house to complain! Apparently there is a petition to include mushing as an Olympic sport if Alaska gets the bid for winter olympics. Keep your eye on Alaska
Intermediate Hike, Kantishna Roadhouse August 15
Since we survived the basic hike, we decided to kick it up a notch and try the intermediate hike. Folks who had gone on that one the day before said it was a difficult hike up a very steep incline. However, the routes changed and the path we took was not vertically challenging. It was more of a hike than a nature walk today, though I did sneak in enough pauses for photographs. I was a little worried that running from behind would attract bears! Today our hike took us for a total of 6 miles, in to the McKinley River bar. Our guide today was Jenica. She pointed out alot of things as well, and I have found that all of the guides have been extremely knowledgable and so willing to share. I saw some new plants, considering we were in a different type of terrain but also saw quite a few now-familiar ones.
The rocks and soils of Alaska are the same as other parts of the world-- or should I say, many parts-- because the glaciers have left deposits of soils around the world that have been pushed there and left behind. We were again in the taiga, or "and of trees that have no leaves". The wind easily knocks over trees with their shallow root systems. On one small spruce there was a bare spot on the trunk from wind sheer; the branches down below would have been covered by snow. This area is actually high desert. They receive 11-14 inches of rain per year. After the glaciers, the lichen came in and then moss and then other vegetation took hold.
We saw wolf, moose and bear tracks in the mud of the trail but saw no animals. We crossed a stone field and areas where the permafrost melting had created ponds. We ate lunch on the McKinley River bar and it was so beautiful! Sitting among the rocks, watching the river and seeing Denali in the background was simply amazing. A peanut butter sandwich never tasted so good! One gal- Kate- had a good idea; her fanny pack came with an inflatable sitting mat, so she was able to sit comfortably on the ground while the rest of us balanced cheeks on rocks! I could easily have stretched out to nap there, except for the fresh bear tracks we noticed! Just on the other side of the little crossing was a thicket where moose had eaten down the willows, snapped of at browsing height.
Our guide for this hike, Jenica, is also a specialist in herbal medicine and sustaining gardens. I borrowed the book from the library that I mentioned before, and use it for reference.
[insert photos]
Horsetail can work as a pot and pan scrubber, due to the silica content. It is good for skin and nails and can be used also as decoration and added to liquid soap. Silica has little gritls so it exfoliates; if it cleans the outside, it cleans the inside! You can make horsetail tea. When they emerge in the spring as little fingers they can be eaten and the Natives call them "first berries." In the Amazon, the plants are as big as trees! It is apparently not good for horses to have in their hay, however, as the grits create problems.
I saw a plant called the Tundra Rose, whose name is Potentilla biflora and immediately recognized it as looking like the same potentilla we use in landscaping, including the yellow flowers.
The Sitka Burnet, a perennail, forms underground runners. It is edible raw when young. The flower is on a long stalk with pronounced deep pink stamen.
Labrador tea has needles like an evergreen and smells very good when you pick it. The flowers are small, white open bells and when it goes to seed you just see red pods. Not to be confused with Bog Rosemary, which is poisonous! The flowers are urn shaped and it has evergreen type needles, as well. The Prickly Rose, and rose hips, is good for jellies and jams. The petals are used for teas and jellies, too, and are very high in vitamin C.
I think I saw the leaves of the Frigid Shooting Star, which grows in meadows, wet tundra and alpine slopes. It looked like a Lily of the Valley leaf. The ones I saw had no flower, but they would be pink with a white center.
The Tall Fireweed has magenta flowers on a stalk.
We ate more bog blueberries and low bush cranberry, which are also known as lingonberries. I have lingonberry jelly at home! The lingonberries have a shiny green leaf with a vein in the middle. Dogwood is poisonous and has bigger, rust and green colored leaves, not glossy, but also have red fruit. It was said that plants in Alaska are either very useful or deadly; there doesn't seem to be much middle ground! The eskimo potato has a long stem, called a raceme, with small, narrow pink flowers. The vine looks like a pea-vine. We saw where a bear had been digging them. The poisonous wild sweet pea is easily mistaken for eskimo potato, apparently something that occurred in "Lost in the Wild". I haven't read the book myself but people commented on it now and then, and how ill prepared the young man was.
The Soapberry has little red clusters of berries that are bitter and inedible but a favorite of bears. I noted a large flowered wintergreen, whose leaves are much larger than the ones here but have the same uses. I saw a pretty white buttercup flower and was told that it is an anemone. I believe, consulting the book, that it was a narcissus flowered anemone.
We tasted alder catkins, which Jenica claimed tasted like grapenuts cereal. I'm not convinced. They tasted quite dry. Perhaps with a little milk and tasty berries...
I took a photo of "Old Man's Beard" hanging from the tree, and also where a bear had scratched and rubbed on a tree, leaving hair hanging from the bark. More wolf scat on the trail. Jenica pointed out spaghum moss in the bog and informed us that it was used in WWII to stop bleeding wounds because of it's highly absorbent qualities. When a Native girl was born, the young men in the clan were sent out to gather spaghum; whoever returned with the most, would be promised to marry the girl and subsequently became her protector as she grew up. Spaghum was used in the baby's diaper, to absorb liquid and odors.
So many senses were stimulated with these hikes. The smells, being observant for clues left by wild animals; odors of the plants and the tastes of their fruits; seeing the beauty of everything around us as potential photographic subjects... the only piece lacking was sound. Although we were told that the area under the permafrost is active and noisy, our hike was devoid of the common sounds you would expect in lower areas, such as birds.
The rocks and soils of Alaska are the same as other parts of the world-- or should I say, many parts-- because the glaciers have left deposits of soils around the world that have been pushed there and left behind. We were again in the taiga, or "and of trees that have no leaves". The wind easily knocks over trees with their shallow root systems. On one small spruce there was a bare spot on the trunk from wind sheer; the branches down below would have been covered by snow. This area is actually high desert. They receive 11-14 inches of rain per year. After the glaciers, the lichen came in and then moss and then other vegetation took hold.
We saw wolf, moose and bear tracks in the mud of the trail but saw no animals. We crossed a stone field and areas where the permafrost melting had created ponds. We ate lunch on the McKinley River bar and it was so beautiful! Sitting among the rocks, watching the river and seeing Denali in the background was simply amazing. A peanut butter sandwich never tasted so good! One gal- Kate- had a good idea; her fanny pack came with an inflatable sitting mat, so she was able to sit comfortably on the ground while the rest of us balanced cheeks on rocks! I could easily have stretched out to nap there, except for the fresh bear tracks we noticed! Just on the other side of the little crossing was a thicket where moose had eaten down the willows, snapped of at browsing height.
Our guide for this hike, Jenica, is also a specialist in herbal medicine and sustaining gardens. I borrowed the book from the library that I mentioned before, and use it for reference.
[insert photos]
Horsetail can work as a pot and pan scrubber, due to the silica content. It is good for skin and nails and can be used also as decoration and added to liquid soap. Silica has little gritls so it exfoliates; if it cleans the outside, it cleans the inside! You can make horsetail tea. When they emerge in the spring as little fingers they can be eaten and the Natives call them "first berries." In the Amazon, the plants are as big as trees! It is apparently not good for horses to have in their hay, however, as the grits create problems.
I saw a plant called the Tundra Rose, whose name is Potentilla biflora and immediately recognized it as looking like the same potentilla we use in landscaping, including the yellow flowers.
The Sitka Burnet, a perennail, forms underground runners. It is edible raw when young. The flower is on a long stalk with pronounced deep pink stamen.
Labrador tea has needles like an evergreen and smells very good when you pick it. The flowers are small, white open bells and when it goes to seed you just see red pods. Not to be confused with Bog Rosemary, which is poisonous! The flowers are urn shaped and it has evergreen type needles, as well. The Prickly Rose, and rose hips, is good for jellies and jams. The petals are used for teas and jellies, too, and are very high in vitamin C.
I think I saw the leaves of the Frigid Shooting Star, which grows in meadows, wet tundra and alpine slopes. It looked like a Lily of the Valley leaf. The ones I saw had no flower, but they would be pink with a white center.
The Tall Fireweed has magenta flowers on a stalk.
We ate more bog blueberries and low bush cranberry, which are also known as lingonberries. I have lingonberry jelly at home! The lingonberries have a shiny green leaf with a vein in the middle. Dogwood is poisonous and has bigger, rust and green colored leaves, not glossy, but also have red fruit. It was said that plants in Alaska are either very useful or deadly; there doesn't seem to be much middle ground! The eskimo potato has a long stem, called a raceme, with small, narrow pink flowers. The vine looks like a pea-vine. We saw where a bear had been digging them. The poisonous wild sweet pea is easily mistaken for eskimo potato, apparently something that occurred in "Lost in the Wild". I haven't read the book myself but people commented on it now and then, and how ill prepared the young man was.
The Soapberry has little red clusters of berries that are bitter and inedible but a favorite of bears. I noted a large flowered wintergreen, whose leaves are much larger than the ones here but have the same uses. I saw a pretty white buttercup flower and was told that it is an anemone. I believe, consulting the book, that it was a narcissus flowered anemone.
We tasted alder catkins, which Jenica claimed tasted like grapenuts cereal. I'm not convinced. They tasted quite dry. Perhaps with a little milk and tasty berries...
I took a photo of "Old Man's Beard" hanging from the tree, and also where a bear had scratched and rubbed on a tree, leaving hair hanging from the bark. More wolf scat on the trail. Jenica pointed out spaghum moss in the bog and informed us that it was used in WWII to stop bleeding wounds because of it's highly absorbent qualities. When a Native girl was born, the young men in the clan were sent out to gather spaghum; whoever returned with the most, would be promised to marry the girl and subsequently became her protector as she grew up. Spaghum was used in the baby's diaper, to absorb liquid and odors.
So many senses were stimulated with these hikes. The smells, being observant for clues left by wild animals; odors of the plants and the tastes of their fruits; seeing the beauty of everything around us as potential photographic subjects... the only piece lacking was sound. Although we were told that the area under the permafrost is active and noisy, our hike was devoid of the common sounds you would expect in lower areas, such as birds.
Evening Presentation by Ben Boyd, August 14
If you find yourself amazed that our day is continuing, you can understand how full the days were at Kantishna! If you participated in everything offered, you were running from sunrise to sundown. We hated to miss anything so we did it all! The evening presentation today was by Ben Boyd, who happens to be the husband of Mia, the gal from Tokyo who attended school in Appleton. Ben's cultural presentation was very interesting and one of the reasons we chose the Cruise West tour. We wanted to learn more about the land we were visiting and its people, not simply pass by on a floating city.
Ben is actually part Cherokee, from Bronson and a descendent of the Trail of Tears survivors. In Missouri, many Cherokee married and became Ozark Hillbillies, changing their names to that they wouldn't have to go to Oklahoma where they were supposed to be! Ben became the first half-breed in the Artic Village. Artic Village is 110 miles above the Artic Circle, the northmost Indian village in the world. The first contact came via Hudson Bay. They hold 1 1/2 million acres of tribal land and the tribal government uses their funds to promote and preserve the traditional way of life. No alchohol is allowed on tribal grounds and they can search everything coming in. Regional and Village corporations were formed when the pipeline went in. The Village corporations went belly-up becasue most of the people running them had never even balanced a checkbook. They called foodstamps the Indian checkbook! The Doyon corporation (which runs Kantishna) is made up of people who grew up in a cash economy.
All artic cultures are to some degree matriarchal. Women are the head of the family. This is not the same as being head of the household, but exists because someone needs to be in charge while the men are away, hunting and gathering. Whatever meat comes back goes to the women to dole out. Bachelors hunt for the tribe. They hunt to feed the village, which is why laws with bag limits and the like don't lend themselves to that culture. Elders get first choice of the meat and the entrails, which are rich in nutrients. Men own the traphline and the trapline cabins. Natives say they eat caribou down to the hooves. That saying has its roots in the fact that they will hang the feet and in hard times can eat them, after being there for years.
The Tlingit traded all the way down to Baha, California in ocean-going canoes. They were very prosperous people. Their corporation now is called SEALASKA and they are a Native owned company, the largest private landowner in Southeast Alaska. We are in Athabaskan territory here and they own the Kantishna. Doyon Corporation for Denali There are approximately 14,000 Athabaskans and 100 people in Artic Village. There are 11 groups, each with its own language and they have been found to be genetically related to the Apache and Navaho. The Native name for Athabaskan is Den a (long "a") and the Native name for Navaho is also Den a.
There never were any igloos. The natives made a foundation for subterranean houses and covered them with fur, sticks, etc. Polution is not new. The Indians were burning firewood and the valley filled with smoke, so they said that some needed to leave. They went south. They were highly migratory. In school, when you studied the land bridge across the Bering Sea, they made it sound like there was a One-Way sign, didn't they? The Natives all have the same story of creation. They came across from Asia. They would like you to think they've always been here! The Indians settled while the land bridge was still in place and the Eskimos came by ship later and settled. The Eskimos are a Mongolian people.
Ben joked that you used to be able to tell an Eskimo by the way they walked with a waddle, the better to stand firm on ice but nowdays you can't tell because the youngsters all walk like gangstas!
We were honored to be able to see Ben and his daughter, Hannah, perform the Hoop Dance. Once a year, when Hannah visits, they perform and so we were fortunate once again with our timing for this trip. The Hoop Dance stood for eternity and was a healing dance. Placing the hoops over the body was used to reinforce the belief in the cycle of life. If you were ill it was because your actions placed you on the outside; wrong thoughts, wrong ways. The hoops had a spiritual association much like a cross for a Christian. The Natives didn't have medical problems until the Europeans came with contagious diseases but traditional healing wouldn't work because the illnesses were not from being outside the cycle of life.
Hannah and Ben wore their traditional Native costumes and Hannah just shone like a little star. She has her own small hoops, made for her size. Watching her go from being a little girl, playing in puddles on the trail and making "moose antlers" behind my head to being such a talented and sparkling performer was joy itself.
Facebook page for Hoop Dancing
Ben Boyd communications
5 star log cabins, managed by Ben Boyd
Ben is actually part Cherokee, from Bronson and a descendent of the Trail of Tears survivors. In Missouri, many Cherokee married and became Ozark Hillbillies, changing their names to that they wouldn't have to go to Oklahoma where they were supposed to be! Ben became the first half-breed in the Artic Village. Artic Village is 110 miles above the Artic Circle, the northmost Indian village in the world. The first contact came via Hudson Bay. They hold 1 1/2 million acres of tribal land and the tribal government uses their funds to promote and preserve the traditional way of life. No alchohol is allowed on tribal grounds and they can search everything coming in. Regional and Village corporations were formed when the pipeline went in. The Village corporations went belly-up becasue most of the people running them had never even balanced a checkbook. They called foodstamps the Indian checkbook! The Doyon corporation (which runs Kantishna) is made up of people who grew up in a cash economy.
All artic cultures are to some degree matriarchal. Women are the head of the family. This is not the same as being head of the household, but exists because someone needs to be in charge while the men are away, hunting and gathering. Whatever meat comes back goes to the women to dole out. Bachelors hunt for the tribe. They hunt to feed the village, which is why laws with bag limits and the like don't lend themselves to that culture. Elders get first choice of the meat and the entrails, which are rich in nutrients. Men own the traphline and the trapline cabins. Natives say they eat caribou down to the hooves. That saying has its roots in the fact that they will hang the feet and in hard times can eat them, after being there for years.
The Tlingit traded all the way down to Baha, California in ocean-going canoes. They were very prosperous people. Their corporation now is called SEALASKA and they are a Native owned company, the largest private landowner in Southeast Alaska. We are in Athabaskan territory here and they own the Kantishna. Doyon Corporation for Denali There are approximately 14,000 Athabaskans and 100 people in Artic Village. There are 11 groups, each with its own language and they have been found to be genetically related to the Apache and Navaho. The Native name for Athabaskan is Den a (long "a") and the Native name for Navaho is also Den a.
There never were any igloos. The natives made a foundation for subterranean houses and covered them with fur, sticks, etc. Polution is not new. The Indians were burning firewood and the valley filled with smoke, so they said that some needed to leave. They went south. They were highly migratory. In school, when you studied the land bridge across the Bering Sea, they made it sound like there was a One-Way sign, didn't they? The Natives all have the same story of creation. They came across from Asia. They would like you to think they've always been here! The Indians settled while the land bridge was still in place and the Eskimos came by ship later and settled. The Eskimos are a Mongolian people.
Ben joked that you used to be able to tell an Eskimo by the way they walked with a waddle, the better to stand firm on ice but nowdays you can't tell because the youngsters all walk like gangstas!
We were honored to be able to see Ben and his daughter, Hannah, perform the Hoop Dance. Once a year, when Hannah visits, they perform and so we were fortunate once again with our timing for this trip. The Hoop Dance stood for eternity and was a healing dance. Placing the hoops over the body was used to reinforce the belief in the cycle of life. If you were ill it was because your actions placed you on the outside; wrong thoughts, wrong ways. The hoops had a spiritual association much like a cross for a Christian. The Natives didn't have medical problems until the Europeans came with contagious diseases but traditional healing wouldn't work because the illnesses were not from being outside the cycle of life.
Hannah and Ben wore their traditional Native costumes and Hannah just shone like a little star. She has her own small hoops, made for her size. Watching her go from being a little girl, playing in puddles on the trail and making "moose antlers" behind my head to being such a talented and sparkling performer was joy itself.
Facebook page for Hoop Dancing
Ben Boyd communications
5 star log cabins, managed by Ben Boyd
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Naked Chicken and Northern Grits
I discovered another reason why I like Charlie--- she lived in Embarrass, Wisconsin earlier in her life! Not only does she participate in schutzhund but she is a Wisconsin home girl! At dinner, both Maddy and I wanted our chicken without the mushroom sauce, so I asked for "naked chicken". It was served on polenta, which is corn meal mush, which had been formed into a pan and cut in squares. We termed that "northern grits". Our beautiful, flower decorated salad was served with a white wine vinagrette that was incredibly delicious. Along with our naked chicken and northern grits, it was a memorable first dinner for me.
Medicinal Wild Plants and Garden Tour, August 14
I referenced the photographs I took using "Wildflowers of Denali National Park" by Verna and Frank Pratt. As we hiked, Jenna explained the native uses of many of the plants we observed. Did you know that aspen has a natural sunscreen? It holds chlorophyl in the bark and photosynthesizes there; the white, powedery outer layer contains a natural sunscreen. Rub your hands against the bark and apply. Labrador tea has leadall and you can overdose from it, but it is also used for digestive issues, to clean wounds and for sore throats. The tea is very aromatic. Wormwood is used for parasites, as a poultice and as a tea for "women's issues". It was also used to slap the skin in the sweat lodge. The lovely blue delphiniums that were seen all throughout the camp have a poisonous variety, monkshood. All parts of monkshood are poisonous and was known as Wolfbane. (from the Pratt book) "It was once used as a spear or arrow poison because it contains a neurotoxin that would paralyze animals without affecting the meat."
Other usable wild plants include: {insert photos}
fireweed
bog blueberry
lowbush cranberry/lingonberry
soapberry
grass of parnassus
big dish mushroom/ holele
frog's back lichen
cauliflower lichen
Jen has traveled to other countries, teaching people how to be more self sufficient with their gardens and showing children how fun and easy it can be to garden in a small space. Children love to watch things grow. She began the garden tour by referencing the following:
Messages in Water
The Spirit of Ma'at interviews Dr. Masaru Emoto
Dr. Emoto study of water
In the study, Dr. Emoto argues that water respons to its environment and to our language and emotion. You are invited to ask how is the water being treated? Jenna studies permaculture, which is the combination of food, energy, water and community to create all the things you need to survive in that place. She subscribes to the "take it, make it and share it" philosophy. She starts seedlings in a circle and reminds us that natives used to give back their best of the crop in thanks. A garden can become an inviting place to sit and enjoy if you add benches and something of interest. Part of permaculture also involves seed saving.
At Kantishna, they now raise some of the vegetables they serve in the dining room but that was easier said than done! They were required to get special permits to actually serve fresh food to guests! We had lovely fresh salads each day, decorated with edible flowers. Jenna has one crazy bed that she can make an entire salad from without gathering from different beds; there are greens, flowers and herbs in a delightful concentration. That idea got my attention and now resides on my "list of things to do" for next year's garden!
Kale, in the brassica family, grows well in the cold and taste good, too! Knead it in lemon juice and sea salt. We grazed our way through the garden, tasting raw plants and appreciating the unique differences of their flavor. Bok choi is yummy; arugula spicy. Try lambs quarter, or mezzuna, a "spunky lettuce". The white flowers of arugula are also spicy to taste. The more accessible a garden is, the more attention it will get.
They can start growing in the greenhouse at the end of May. Because of the amount of light, plants with big leaves and lots of surface, go crazy. Or grow crazy! Root vegetables grow more slowly. Grow the Three Sisters of corn, beans and squash create a living mulch. All three are good companion plants.
Garden with many different varieties so that they are more pest resistant. As we taste-tested our way through the gardens, we also selected the flowers to add to our dinner salads. To have such a beautiful display in front of you at dinner makes it all the more enticing. We added pansies, calendula, nastursum and violets, to name a few. Just two leaves of the violet contain the daily requirement of Vitamin C. As one more use for these lovely flowers, I added that you can freeze them in ice cubes to add beauty to your beverages.
Other usable wild plants include: {insert photos}
fireweed
bog blueberry
lowbush cranberry/lingonberry
soapberry
grass of parnassus
big dish mushroom/ holele
frog's back lichen
cauliflower lichen
Jen has traveled to other countries, teaching people how to be more self sufficient with their gardens and showing children how fun and easy it can be to garden in a small space. Children love to watch things grow. She began the garden tour by referencing the following:
Messages in Water
The Spirit of Ma'at interviews Dr. Masaru Emoto
Dr. Emoto study of water
In the study, Dr. Emoto argues that water respons to its environment and to our language and emotion. You are invited to ask how is the water being treated? Jenna studies permaculture, which is the combination of food, energy, water and community to create all the things you need to survive in that place. She subscribes to the "take it, make it and share it" philosophy. She starts seedlings in a circle and reminds us that natives used to give back their best of the crop in thanks. A garden can become an inviting place to sit and enjoy if you add benches and something of interest. Part of permaculture also involves seed saving.
At Kantishna, they now raise some of the vegetables they serve in the dining room but that was easier said than done! They were required to get special permits to actually serve fresh food to guests! We had lovely fresh salads each day, decorated with edible flowers. Jenna has one crazy bed that she can make an entire salad from without gathering from different beds; there are greens, flowers and herbs in a delightful concentration. That idea got my attention and now resides on my "list of things to do" for next year's garden!
Kale, in the brassica family, grows well in the cold and taste good, too! Knead it in lemon juice and sea salt. We grazed our way through the garden, tasting raw plants and appreciating the unique differences of their flavor. Bok choi is yummy; arugula spicy. Try lambs quarter, or mezzuna, a "spunky lettuce". The white flowers of arugula are also spicy to taste. The more accessible a garden is, the more attention it will get.
They can start growing in the greenhouse at the end of May. Because of the amount of light, plants with big leaves and lots of surface, go crazy. Or grow crazy! Root vegetables grow more slowly. Grow the Three Sisters of corn, beans and squash create a living mulch. All three are good companion plants.
Garden with many different varieties so that they are more pest resistant. As we taste-tested our way through the gardens, we also selected the flowers to add to our dinner salads. To have such a beautiful display in front of you at dinner makes it all the more enticing. We added pansies, calendula, nastursum and violets, to name a few. Just two leaves of the violet contain the daily requirement of Vitamin C. As one more use for these lovely flowers, I added that you can freeze them in ice cubes to add beauty to your beverages.
The Story of the Three Trees
There are many stories of Raven, as the Creator and the clever trouble-maker. When one visitor asked if the natives ate the mushrooms, which seemed to be such a plentiful resource, Jenna told us that Raven did not want the people to become lazy and greedy and so he urinated on the mushrooms.
In another story we learn about the three most important trees of the land and how to tell them apart.
Raven was away from home and Minkman visited Raven's three wives in turn. Minkman was a schemer. First he visited the Spruce and told her that sadly, he had come to tell her that her husband, Raven, had died. He said, "Spruce, I will take care of you." But Spruce said "no, Minkman, I can take care of myself just fine" and seized her arm and pinched it until it scabbed and the ran with juices. You can tell a Spruce by the scabbed bark.
Next, Minkman visited Aspen and told her, "Aspen, I am so sorry to tell you that your husband, Raven, has perished. I will take care of you." Aspen replied, "No, Minkman, I can take care of myself." And with that she scratched her arm until the blood ran. The Aspen is known by its blood-red bark.
Finally, Minkman came to Poplar and told her, "Poplar, I must tell you with great sadness that your husband, Raven, is dead. I will take care of you." Poplar takes her arm and cuts it saying, "No thank you, Minkman, but I can take care of myself." Polar, also known as Balsam Poplar or Cottonwood, is recognizable by the cuts/splits at the trunk.
And this is how the three wives of Raven are known.
In another story we learn about the three most important trees of the land and how to tell them apart.
Raven was away from home and Minkman visited Raven's three wives in turn. Minkman was a schemer. First he visited the Spruce and told her that sadly, he had come to tell her that her husband, Raven, had died. He said, "Spruce, I will take care of you." But Spruce said "no, Minkman, I can take care of myself just fine" and seized her arm and pinched it until it scabbed and the ran with juices. You can tell a Spruce by the scabbed bark.
Next, Minkman visited Aspen and told her, "Aspen, I am so sorry to tell you that your husband, Raven, has perished. I will take care of you." Aspen replied, "No, Minkman, I can take care of myself." And with that she scratched her arm until the blood ran. The Aspen is known by its blood-red bark.
Finally, Minkman came to Poplar and told her, "Poplar, I must tell you with great sadness that your husband, Raven, is dead. I will take care of you." Poplar takes her arm and cuts it saying, "No thank you, Minkman, but I can take care of myself." Polar, also known as Balsam Poplar or Cottonwood, is recognizable by the cuts/splits at the trunk.
And this is how the three wives of Raven are known.
Take a Hike! August 14
After breakfast it was off to the Basic Hike! Hikes of various athletic levels are offered, in addition to other daily activities. Not knowing how basic "basic" was, we decided to start there. We found it was more of a nature walk than a hike, but that was good because I constantly dawdled over photo opportunities.
That is where we met Mie (pronounced as Mia) and her daugher, Hannah. Hannah is referred to as the "Kantishna Baby" because Mie's husband is an expeditor-- meaning he hauls supplies in and takes trash out once a week-- and Mie lives in Tokyo, so she and Hannah visit every year. But once again, there is more to the story! Mie noticed my Fox Valley Police & Schutzhund Club shirt and excitedly asked if that was Fox Valley of the Appleton/Kaukauna area. I quizzically replied, "yes", wondering how this Japanese woman from Tokyo knew my city? Turns out, she was a foreign exchange student and lived with the Richard Wanek family, attending Xavier High School during her Junior year!
Our guide for the hike was Jenna. Jenna attended Evergreen University in Washington in a cultural study with Native professors. She was extremely knowledgeable. This company has chosen its guides very well. They don't just hire summer help who can quote facts, these guides really know stuff. Jenna has also taught survival classes. When the hike began we were instructed how to react if we encountered a black bear, a grizzly bear or a moose. In the interior, the brown bears are referred to as grizzly bear. There, they struggle to find food and are smaller than the salmon-rich coastal bears. So, grizzly becomes a term that refers to a hungry bear with a bad attitude, found in the interior! They are recognizable by the large hump on the back over the extremely muscular front shoulders made for digging. For those bears you make yourself look big and strong, grouping together to look like a giant and standing your ground. If they attack, you drop to the ground and clasp your hands to the back of your neck to protect the spine. For black bears, the advice is the opposite. Black bears will play with dead food, so if they attack you fight for your life and never go to the ground. I heard an interesting quote on National Geographic: if a needle falls in the forest, the eagle will see it, the deer will hear it, but the bear will smell it! Moose is the most dangerous of all. Serpentine! Serpentine! We would hear this advice over and over throughout our trip.
As we walked, Jenna shared stories of the plants and animals of the area. Everything is on a miniature scale here with the cold and the short growing season. Plants need to be close to the earth to survive. The root systems are very shallow. The spruce trees are deceptive and the tree that barely reaches your knees may be a hundred years old. You can count the intersections of a spruce to tell its age.
The black spruce is very dark because it needs to absorb heat. People in Alaska know not to buy land with black spruce, as it is indicative of permafrost. The permafrost is very noisey and active underneath. Walking on the tundra feels squishy at first and comfortable, but quickly becomes difficult to navigate the larger clumps. We identified wolf scat by the wrapping; Jenna notes that canines "wrap" their poop so the bones are on the inside, whereas with a cat it is all together.
I am noticing some equipment that would be helpful to have, such as this harness for my camera. They also make harnesses for your binoculars, but I find myself with a slightly sore neck from the weight of the camera strap and so I cradle it for much of the walk. Add this to the list of "suggestions"!
camera harness
That is where we met Mie (pronounced as Mia) and her daugher, Hannah. Hannah is referred to as the "Kantishna Baby" because Mie's husband is an expeditor-- meaning he hauls supplies in and takes trash out once a week-- and Mie lives in Tokyo, so she and Hannah visit every year. But once again, there is more to the story! Mie noticed my Fox Valley Police & Schutzhund Club shirt and excitedly asked if that was Fox Valley of the Appleton/Kaukauna area. I quizzically replied, "yes", wondering how this Japanese woman from Tokyo knew my city? Turns out, she was a foreign exchange student and lived with the Richard Wanek family, attending Xavier High School during her Junior year!
Our guide for the hike was Jenna. Jenna attended Evergreen University in Washington in a cultural study with Native professors. She was extremely knowledgeable. This company has chosen its guides very well. They don't just hire summer help who can quote facts, these guides really know stuff. Jenna has also taught survival classes. When the hike began we were instructed how to react if we encountered a black bear, a grizzly bear or a moose. In the interior, the brown bears are referred to as grizzly bear. There, they struggle to find food and are smaller than the salmon-rich coastal bears. So, grizzly becomes a term that refers to a hungry bear with a bad attitude, found in the interior! They are recognizable by the large hump on the back over the extremely muscular front shoulders made for digging. For those bears you make yourself look big and strong, grouping together to look like a giant and standing your ground. If they attack, you drop to the ground and clasp your hands to the back of your neck to protect the spine. For black bears, the advice is the opposite. Black bears will play with dead food, so if they attack you fight for your life and never go to the ground. I heard an interesting quote on National Geographic: if a needle falls in the forest, the eagle will see it, the deer will hear it, but the bear will smell it! Moose is the most dangerous of all. Serpentine! Serpentine! We would hear this advice over and over throughout our trip.
As we walked, Jenna shared stories of the plants and animals of the area. Everything is on a miniature scale here with the cold and the short growing season. Plants need to be close to the earth to survive. The root systems are very shallow. The spruce trees are deceptive and the tree that barely reaches your knees may be a hundred years old. You can count the intersections of a spruce to tell its age.
The black spruce is very dark because it needs to absorb heat. People in Alaska know not to buy land with black spruce, as it is indicative of permafrost. The permafrost is very noisey and active underneath. Walking on the tundra feels squishy at first and comfortable, but quickly becomes difficult to navigate the larger clumps. We identified wolf scat by the wrapping; Jenna notes that canines "wrap" their poop so the bones are on the inside, whereas with a cat it is all together.
I am noticing some equipment that would be helpful to have, such as this harness for my camera. They also make harnesses for your binoculars, but I find myself with a slightly sore neck from the weight of the camera strap and so I cradle it for much of the walk. Add this to the list of "suggestions"!
camera harness
August 14th, Kantishna Roadhouse
Kantishna Roadhouse web site
Is this a beautiful place, or what? We are far into Denali Park, far away from the hotel chains and commercial outlets that crowd each other at the entrance to the park. We are in a place where few people go.
We were served dinner last night after arrival and being shown to our cabins. There is no television and no phone in the rooms. Also no internet available. Apparently they do provide it for the staff, as I found a wireless connection, but it wasn't open to guests. So no blogging. The cabins are beautiful! Pine interior and so cozy. It almost makes me wish it was colder so snuggling under the down comforter would be appreciated. Actually, the weather has cooperated beautifully! Apparently July was very wet but we have been lucky to have good weather. Denali (no longer referred to as Mt McKinley) has been visible in parts every day, which is also not common. For some guests, it is never revealed.
We were seated by lottery, so you meet new folks. We sat with "Charlie" and her granddaughter, Maddy ("my name is Madison, but I prefer Maddy.") and the Small World Concept was reinforced once again. As it turns out, Charlie has a schutzhund club back in Virginia and I have likely seen her at events throughout the years and just never knew her!
I wasn't able to stay long for dinner because suddenly I had a stabbing headache and felt nauseaus. I have no idea where that came from. I tried the clam chowder, but it wasn't sitting well. The waiter was such a dear, trying so hard... he brought out some fruit, but I had to excuse myself. I felt just fine this morning.
It rained around 5 this morning but I didn't hear it! By the time we got up, all that was left was damp grass and a freshness to the day. Breakfast was great, and afterwards people move to a buffet-style lunch preparation where you pack your lunches for the day. A man we spoke with at breakfast is from Anchorage and is showing visitors around; he has never been this far into the park before. In the winter months, he and his wife RV in the Lower 48. Many people vacate during the off-season. We also met more Wisconsinites who are part of our Cruise West family! This couple is from Mequon! Some folks, like Charlie and Maddy, had done the cruise portion first and others, like the folks from Mequon, would be with us for the entire journey. Still others were at the Roadhouse as as independent travelers or with other groups. Some of the Cruise West group elected to stay at North Face Lodge, which is also deep inside the park, several miles from Kantishna. We chose Kantishna as it appeared more rustic and less hotel-like.
Is this a beautiful place, or what? We are far into Denali Park, far away from the hotel chains and commercial outlets that crowd each other at the entrance to the park. We are in a place where few people go.
We were served dinner last night after arrival and being shown to our cabins. There is no television and no phone in the rooms. Also no internet available. Apparently they do provide it for the staff, as I found a wireless connection, but it wasn't open to guests. So no blogging. The cabins are beautiful! Pine interior and so cozy. It almost makes me wish it was colder so snuggling under the down comforter would be appreciated. Actually, the weather has cooperated beautifully! Apparently July was very wet but we have been lucky to have good weather. Denali (no longer referred to as Mt McKinley) has been visible in parts every day, which is also not common. For some guests, it is never revealed.
We were seated by lottery, so you meet new folks. We sat with "Charlie" and her granddaughter, Maddy ("my name is Madison, but I prefer Maddy.") and the Small World Concept was reinforced once again. As it turns out, Charlie has a schutzhund club back in Virginia and I have likely seen her at events throughout the years and just never knew her!
I wasn't able to stay long for dinner because suddenly I had a stabbing headache and felt nauseaus. I have no idea where that came from. I tried the clam chowder, but it wasn't sitting well. The waiter was such a dear, trying so hard... he brought out some fruit, but I had to excuse myself. I felt just fine this morning.
It rained around 5 this morning but I didn't hear it! By the time we got up, all that was left was damp grass and a freshness to the day. Breakfast was great, and afterwards people move to a buffet-style lunch preparation where you pack your lunches for the day. A man we spoke with at breakfast is from Anchorage and is showing visitors around; he has never been this far into the park before. In the winter months, he and his wife RV in the Lower 48. Many people vacate during the off-season. We also met more Wisconsinites who are part of our Cruise West family! This couple is from Mequon! Some folks, like Charlie and Maddy, had done the cruise portion first and others, like the folks from Mequon, would be with us for the entire journey. Still others were at the Roadhouse as as independent travelers or with other groups. Some of the Cruise West group elected to stay at North Face Lodge, which is also deep inside the park, several miles from Kantishna. We chose Kantishna as it appeared more rustic and less hotel-like.
A 6 hour bus ride into Denali
Our lodging, the Kantishna Roadhouse, is located 91 miles inside Denali. The bus trip in totals 6 hours; on the way out, only 4. Why? Because on the way up to Kantishna, the bus stops to observe wildlife. You cannot exit the bus, but can photograph from the windows so long as body parts don't extend out of them. The park rangers are very strict in their rules and permitting and the bus drivers are fined for infractions.
The bus driver, Gary Whittemore, is struggling with an end-of-the-season sore throat and spoke in a low, gravely voice, barely a whisper at times. It was effective, however, as you quieted to listen to him. He has driven bus there for 37 years. Gary is also an experienced musher, and ran the Iditarod 9 times beginning in 1991. He was the subject of an article about one of his experiences: link to article about Gary Whittemore in 1991 Iditarod. His son, Dusty, won the Junior Iditarod and actually had a book written about him called "Iditarod Dream: Dusty and His Sled Dogs Compete in Alaska's Jr. Iditarod" by Ted Wood. What I enjoyed about Gary is his reverance of the land around us, and his spoken respect for the people who live there.
On the ride in, we saw moose, grizzly, fox, wolf, caribou, Dall sheep and ground squirrel. This is quite amazing when you consider we are not in a zoo or wild animal park where animals are fed, restricted or coaxed into viewing areas. There are hundreds of thousands of acres that these animals could potentially be in, and yet we were fortunate enough to see them from our bus. Some were closer than others and required binoculars to view, while some were very nearby. We were instructed to be quiet and to do nothing to startle or interact with the animals for a better photo op. The wildlife is to be left WILD. We watched as the fox jumped into the bushes; a covy of ptarmigan was flushed and fox did not come out. We assumed the hunt was successful.
We made a number of rest stops, including one at a visitors center with a scenic overlook and walking paths. As I was bent over a lovely flower, taking a photograph a man walking past advised "that's monkshood." I appreciated knowing the name. Later I learned that lovely plant is highly poisonous, and was used to create a toxin to place on spear tips! Inside the center a local artist, Ree Nancarrow, had a quilt on display that was a work of art. It celebrated Alaska and was not only a huge wall covering, but had detailed applique work. Layout of the Alaska Quilt. If you google her you will also find other incredibly beautiful quilts celebrating Alaska.
The narrow road snaked along the side of the mountains, dropping into deep canyons. The bus drivers would alternately pull over to allow another to pass as two vehicles could not move side by side. They also used a set of hand signals to communicate what species was being viewed ahead, which was quite humorous to watch but very effective! Gary lectured us about Denali, "the Great One". He disagrees that it should be referred to as McKinley. President McKinley never set foot there. He convinced an entire busload of people to become Denali advocates!
The bus driver, Gary Whittemore, is struggling with an end-of-the-season sore throat and spoke in a low, gravely voice, barely a whisper at times. It was effective, however, as you quieted to listen to him. He has driven bus there for 37 years. Gary is also an experienced musher, and ran the Iditarod 9 times beginning in 1991. He was the subject of an article about one of his experiences: link to article about Gary Whittemore in 1991 Iditarod. His son, Dusty, won the Junior Iditarod and actually had a book written about him called "Iditarod Dream: Dusty and His Sled Dogs Compete in Alaska's Jr. Iditarod" by Ted Wood. What I enjoyed about Gary is his reverance of the land around us, and his spoken respect for the people who live there.
On the ride in, we saw moose, grizzly, fox, wolf, caribou, Dall sheep and ground squirrel. This is quite amazing when you consider we are not in a zoo or wild animal park where animals are fed, restricted or coaxed into viewing areas. There are hundreds of thousands of acres that these animals could potentially be in, and yet we were fortunate enough to see them from our bus. Some were closer than others and required binoculars to view, while some were very nearby. We were instructed to be quiet and to do nothing to startle or interact with the animals for a better photo op. The wildlife is to be left WILD. We watched as the fox jumped into the bushes; a covy of ptarmigan was flushed and fox did not come out. We assumed the hunt was successful.
We made a number of rest stops, including one at a visitors center with a scenic overlook and walking paths. As I was bent over a lovely flower, taking a photograph a man walking past advised "that's monkshood." I appreciated knowing the name. Later I learned that lovely plant is highly poisonous, and was used to create a toxin to place on spear tips! Inside the center a local artist, Ree Nancarrow, had a quilt on display that was a work of art. It celebrated Alaska and was not only a huge wall covering, but had detailed applique work. Layout of the Alaska Quilt. If you google her you will also find other incredibly beautiful quilts celebrating Alaska.
The narrow road snaked along the side of the mountains, dropping into deep canyons. The bus drivers would alternately pull over to allow another to pass as two vehicles could not move side by side. They also used a set of hand signals to communicate what species was being viewed ahead, which was quite humorous to watch but very effective! Gary lectured us about Denali, "the Great One". He disagrees that it should be referred to as McKinley. President McKinley never set foot there. He convinced an entire busload of people to become Denali advocates!
We meet more Wisconsinites
We got off the bus to Denali and had time to check out the bookstore/gift shop. In our Cruise West group is a man who originally came from Burlington, Wi and proudly wears his Packer hat. He therefore attracts other Packer fans and is likewise drawn to them, apparently! He pointed out another Wisconsin family in the bookstore so naturally I had to talk to them, as well; turns out, they drove up to Alaska, through Canada and Calgary. Their grandson plays Bayport Hockey... Green Bay! They also went to the fair in Fairbanks but somehow missed the hockey jersey. And guess what? One of the kids working behind the counter was a Vikings fan from MN. Too bad for him.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Ferry Moon
We traveled from Fairbanks to the entrance to Denali via a domed rail car with tables. During the trip, the guide would provide narratives about areas we were passing. One such story was about the conflicts of North Ferry and South Ferry. The residents could not visit the other side unless they had a boat, so when the railroad bridge went in, they rejoiced. They were able to drive across and were so happy! The Railroad discouraged this dangerous activity and put up signs warning them to stop. They did not. So the Railroad put down spikes. Ferry residents retaliated by putting down boards over the spikes! The Railroad took them to court and won.
But that wasn't the end of things. Oh, no. On July 4th, the decision came down and Ferry residents stood along the tracks and mooned the train. They did so every July 4. The Railroad asked the State Troopers to keep order; on one side was a stern fellow and everyone kept their pants on but on the other side, the trooper turned his back and there he had $100 on each side. And it has been a tradition ever since, called the Ferry Moon. It is the only full moon you will ever see there in July.
Whether true or not, the guide continued to tell us that last year an 80 year old man joined in the fun and when he bent over to display his buttocks, he threw his back out. His wife had to help him get his pants back on while all the passengers pretended not to notice. I'm surprised there isn't a YouTube video somewhere.
I wasn't sure if this was fact or fiction, but found this article:
Is a Full Moon Rising Over Ferry, Alaska?
But that wasn't the end of things. Oh, no. On July 4th, the decision came down and Ferry residents stood along the tracks and mooned the train. They did so every July 4. The Railroad asked the State Troopers to keep order; on one side was a stern fellow and everyone kept their pants on but on the other side, the trooper turned his back and there he had $100 on each side.
Whether true or not, the guide continued to tell us that last year an 80 year old man joined in the fun and when he bent over to display his buttocks, he threw his back out. His wife had to help him get his pants back on while all the passengers pretended not to notice. I'm surprised there isn't a YouTube video somewhere.
I wasn't sure if this was fact or fiction, but found this article:
Is a Full Moon Rising Over Ferry, Alaska?
Zip Line
Zip Line adventures are offered in several places on the trip. We didn't do this, but I mention it in case someone else is considering the option. In Juneau, it was a zip line across the top of the rain forest and our new friends, David and Kaye, gave it a go. It was too wet to take your own photos. It wasn't physically strenuous and they were well harnessed and safely handled, with multiple safety lines. One was never unclipped before the next one was secured. However, you had to handle the brake by reaching one hand behind your head and if you didn't grasp the correct line, it would snatch your shoulder backwards. Probably not a good idea for re-built shoulders, which is why we did not choose that event.
Wiseman, Alaska: the best part of the Artic Circle Tour
I saved the best part of the Artic Circle Tour for a separate entry. We drove by van to Wiseman, Alaska, population 15. Five of those are members of Jack Reakoff's family! Jack himself was the centerpiece of the Wiseman tour, showing us around his home and area and regaling us with information about life in very rural Alaska. Jack received his high school diploma by mail, is self-taught and brilliant. A quiet man, he speaks with authority and without apology. He grew up among nomadic natives, left and returned.
His sister runs a lovely gift shop there. You might wonder who in the world comes to this remote place to buy gifts? Jack operates Aurora Borealis tours and visitors from all across the world come to be in the most magical place to see the lights, at the top of the world. In addition to tours such as ours, Wiseman also attracts hunters. They have to come prepared to pack out what they shoot, though, as there is a 5 mile corridor from any highway where ATV use is prohibited. He told us that he and his wife can skin and quarter a moose in 45 minutes.
Jack sits on a Fish and Game Commission and when he got tired of those 14.4 downloads, he moved to high speed internet. It was rather humorous to see a Hughesnet dish on a log cabin. He said he did not agree with hunting wolves by airplane, as it upsets the balance of nature; likewise, he disagrees with the new 5 caribou limit which abuses the resources with trophy hunters.
The home is small and self-contained, with an entry way that feebly attempts to keep out the extreme cold. Jack said that there is often frost on the inside knob in winter. They have solar panels and store electricity in batteries, but also have a generator in addition the wood stove. It takes 20 days of cutting wood to provide for the winter. Jack hunts and runs a 130 mile trapline, which requires the services of a "skidoo". Feeding dogs would be too costly and they require too much maintenance. The northernmost garden in Alaska, next to Jack's home, is studied by the University for hardiness by cold weather varieties. He pointed out several plants that he was told could not survive there and noted that you just need to try it.
Surprisingly, his wife suffers from Seasonal Affective DIsorder and uses a light box. Heck, in our Wisconsin winters I know a number of people, including myself, who use artificial lights. They also mega-dose on Vitamin D, something like 10 or 12,000 units. I think the extended darkness would be extremely difficult.
The visit to Wiseman is a gem. The Post Office is seen sinking into the permafrost and there are few buildings, but the hardy residents not only survive but flourish. In the book "Yukon Quest" there is a story of musher Sepp Herrmann's dog team being attacked by a grizzly bear as he ran a trap line, and he hitchhiked to Wiseman where he "rounded up a posse of armed local residents". I would be quite certain Jack was among them.
His sister runs a lovely gift shop there. You might wonder who in the world comes to this remote place to buy gifts? Jack operates Aurora Borealis tours and visitors from all across the world come to be in the most magical place to see the lights, at the top of the world. In addition to tours such as ours, Wiseman also attracts hunters. They have to come prepared to pack out what they shoot, though, as there is a 5 mile corridor from any highway where ATV use is prohibited. He told us that he and his wife can skin and quarter a moose in 45 minutes.
Jack sits on a Fish and Game Commission and when he got tired of those 14.4 downloads, he moved to high speed internet. It was rather humorous to see a Hughesnet dish on a log cabin. He said he did not agree with hunting wolves by airplane, as it upsets the balance of nature; likewise, he disagrees with the new 5 caribou limit which abuses the resources with trophy hunters.
The home is small and self-contained, with an entry way that feebly attempts to keep out the extreme cold. Jack said that there is often frost on the inside knob in winter. They have solar panels and store electricity in batteries, but also have a generator in addition the wood stove. It takes 20 days of cutting wood to provide for the winter. Jack hunts and runs a 130 mile trapline, which requires the services of a "skidoo". Feeding dogs would be too costly and they require too much maintenance. The northernmost garden in Alaska, next to Jack's home, is studied by the University for hardiness by cold weather varieties. He pointed out several plants that he was told could not survive there and noted that you just need to try it.
Surprisingly, his wife suffers from Seasonal Affective DIsorder and uses a light box. Heck, in our Wisconsin winters I know a number of people, including myself, who use artificial lights. They also mega-dose on Vitamin D, something like 10 or 12,000 units. I think the extended darkness would be extremely difficult.
The visit to Wiseman is a gem. The Post Office is seen sinking into the permafrost and there are few buildings, but the hardy residents not only survive but flourish. In the book "Yukon Quest" there is a story of musher Sepp Herrmann's dog team being attacked by a grizzly bear as he ran a trap line, and he hitchhiked to Wiseman where he "rounded up a posse of armed local residents". I would be quite certain Jack was among them.
Artic Circle Tour *Recommended*
Another optional tour we took was the flight to the Artic Circle. When Tom initially proposed it, I questioned spending the money to get a souvenier T-shirt saying we crossed the Artic Circle. Since it is OUR trip of a lifetime, and Tom gets a vote (you saw it here first, my friends), we took the trip. I am so glad we did.
At the airport office, we met yet another Eberhardt family member. As instructed, we greeted her with "Hi Junebug!" and she responded appropriately "Cheeseheads!". It was Julie, Kory's sister. Julie joked with customers there that the way to her heart is with auto-start for her car and Bunny boots. Alaska girls gone wild, I guess. Julie was cute and so personable, just like the rest of her family. It was raining when we left Fairbanks. Julie was calmly explaining to a Canadien woman why their family couldn't be on the same plane due to the weight restrictions. We had to weigh our carry-ons, which had to be under 10 lbs. So, here I was, worried the entire flight because the travel agent took my weight from my driver's license!! For Pete's sake, don't they know women lie on their licenses? I was convinced I would be the reason for our certain death. But not worried enough to confess! Instead, I huddled in my seat near the front, listening to the engine noise and questioning the flashing lights of the control panel.
We flew in a Piper Navaho. We could see the pipeline parallel to the highway, then the Elliott highway. A visible curtain of rain, bumps as we skirted it. The pilot narrated our flight with points of interest, such as:
We exited the plane in Coldfoot. Coldfoot is little more than a gravel run-way and a truckstop, along the Dalton Highway. If you watch Ice Road Truckers you are familiar with the Dalton Highway. Our groups are broken up into several vans, and our guide is Sarah Rice, a 25 year old woman from Washington who has been up there 5 years. Sarah lived in a tent while attending University and "that appealed to her". She seems to love the Alaska experience, and leads rafting trips in her off time. She works at the truck stop and tells hilarious stories about the people who live and pass through. I'm quite certain they are unaware! She pointed out a small plane their mechanic had just bought and said he is one of those macho Alaskan guys, always showing off by landing on the highway! I guess in a state this big, even the manly displays are on a grand scale!
Cruise West provided box lunches. We were told that other groups are always jealous of the CW provisions... and they were. From the Fairbanks end, the others could order a lunch for $12, of sandwich components to build their own. We had huge sandwiches of turkey, lettuce and cheese on a heavy 12 grain bread, a bottle of water, apple, bag of chips and chocolate chip cookies. Another family on the van, from Boston, whined constantly and the adult son complained that he had to spread his own peanut butter on the sandwich. It's a good thing they weren't part of our Cruise West group, or we might have had to throw them overboard!
The sole purpose for the Dalton Highway is for the trucks to get to Prudhoe Bay. As everywhere else in the world, they are doing road construction now and the truckers are unhappy because they preferred gravel as they could scrape it smooth but paving it creates frost heaves. This is one of those stimulus package programs where the government insists they are going to spend money because it's there, and not because the project makes sense.
Coldfoot is a truck stop with 35 "residents", though no one can own property there. It is owned (the land) by Native Corporations and oil companies. The truckers actually built the truck stop themselves, out of shipping containers. There was no rest stop for hundreds of miles... so they made one! It even has a little post office now! When they added on to the original building they saw the pipes were held in place by duct tape! There are waitresses, mechanics; in the 5 years that Sarah has been there only 3 of the people she has worked with, are still there. They are the "residents" of Coldfoot.
At the end of the tour, despite all my weight restriction concerns, we picked up two summer workers and carried them out. They were young people, and they were split up onto separate planes, but it did alleviate some of my worries, that we had that much "wiggle room". It was so foggy on our return that I couldn't see past the nose of the plane, so I didn't worry myself about weight. I saw that the pilot had two Garmin devices directing him and recalled the time a friend of mine was shocked to have his Garmin device Isuddenly show him somewhere in the Indian Ocean, reporting, "No Road Found! No Road Found!" He seemed to know what he was doing, however, and I know he has made many of those trips. We were told that one in six people in Alaska have a pilots license and one in eight own their own plane.
I asked the female summer employee what she did and she said she found this summer job online. She said she would be leaving as soon as the frost hit and heading next to New Zealand. There are some very interesting wandering souls here.
Todd, one of the pilots, is a musher from Fairbanks. He has 18 dogs and his are spending the summer in Seward, running tourist trips. He was happy not to have to feed them over the summer and he gets them back in working condition. His boss, Chad, estimated that he spends $20,000 annually to feed his dogs. That is because the only he stays in Coldfoot and has to fly his dogfood in, and there is no salmon available for a cheap food source. Chad had a very unfortunate accident with his dogs when he had 5 of them attacked by a "winter bear" and 3 were killed. Todd said there is a Native belief that a winter bear cannot be killed. Todd said he looked at Chad's bear and it had been swimming, trying to catch fish, and then the water froze into icy armor and he understood how it could be quite impenetrable. A winter bear is one who wakes up out of hibernation and emerges in winter, hungry and cranky. They are extremely dangerous.
At the end of the tour, we were presented with certificates documenting that we did cross the Artic Circle. And yes, we have the T-shirt.
At the airport office, we met yet another Eberhardt family member. As instructed, we greeted her with "Hi Junebug!" and she responded appropriately "Cheeseheads!". It was Julie, Kory's sister. Julie joked with customers there that the way to her heart is with auto-start for her car and Bunny boots. Alaska girls gone wild, I guess. Julie was cute and so personable, just like the rest of her family. It was raining when we left Fairbanks. Julie was calmly explaining to a Canadien woman why their family couldn't be on the same plane due to the weight restrictions. We had to weigh our carry-ons, which had to be under 10 lbs. So, here I was, worried the entire flight because the travel agent took my weight from my driver's license!! For Pete's sake, don't they know women lie on their licenses? I was convinced I would be the reason for our certain death. But not worried enough to confess! Instead, I huddled in my seat near the front, listening to the engine noise and questioning the flashing lights of the control panel.
We flew in a Piper Navaho. We could see the pipeline parallel to the highway, then the Elliott highway. A visible curtain of rain, bumps as we skirted it. The pilot narrated our flight with points of interest, such as:
- Livengood (pronounced "lie ven good"). The boomtown of Livengood sprang up in 1914 following Jay Livengood and N.R. Hudson's discovery of gold on Liven Creek. There are seasonal cabins there now. A Canadien company mining there claims to have discovered the world's largest gold strike. In 1916 , 21 mines were in operation but a mere two years later, the boom was over.
- We saw smoke streaming yet from fires. The fires are allowed to burn themselves out as there is no effective way to fight them. Most are from lightning strikes. One burned over 250,000 acres, but like the jackpine, the black spruce requires fire to propogate. Some fires get into the peat and continue to burn under the snow, erupting again in the spring. Those are called "hold-over fires". The fire that we spotted had been burning since the first week in July and has burned over 30,000 acres so far. We flew over another one called the Dall City Fire, which has burned over 450,000 acres.
- The price of gasoline in Stevens Village is $7.50 per gallon. Stevens Village is one of the Athabascan villages along the Koyukuk adn central Yukon River valleys. The peak population is approximately 80 persons. It is only accessible by plane and is therefore very expensive to obtain goods.
- The Yukon River flows east to west and bisects Alaska; the only bridge to cross it is 2295 feet long. For seven months out of the year (mid-October to mid-May) the river is frozen and the only bridge spanning the Yukon is on the Dalton highway.
- The Artic Circle is an imaginary line scribed around the earth which marks, in theory, the southernmost point from which, at sea level, the sun's rays can be seen on the horizon at midnight on the longest day of the year (summer solstice)... and the southernmost point at which the sun's rays can be seen at noon on the shortest day of the year.
We exited the plane in Coldfoot. Coldfoot is little more than a gravel run-way and a truckstop, along the Dalton Highway. If you watch Ice Road Truckers you are familiar with the Dalton Highway. Our groups are broken up into several vans, and our guide is Sarah Rice, a 25 year old woman from Washington who has been up there 5 years. Sarah lived in a tent while attending University and "that appealed to her". She seems to love the Alaska experience, and leads rafting trips in her off time. She works at the truck stop and tells hilarious stories about the people who live and pass through. I'm quite certain they are unaware! She pointed out a small plane their mechanic had just bought and said he is one of those macho Alaskan guys, always showing off by landing on the highway! I guess in a state this big, even the manly displays are on a grand scale!
Cruise West provided box lunches. We were told that other groups are always jealous of the CW provisions... and they were. From the Fairbanks end, the others could order a lunch for $12, of sandwich components to build their own. We had huge sandwiches of turkey, lettuce and cheese on a heavy 12 grain bread, a bottle of water, apple, bag of chips and chocolate chip cookies. Another family on the van, from Boston, whined constantly and the adult son complained that he had to spread his own peanut butter on the sandwich. It's a good thing they weren't part of our Cruise West group, or we might have had to throw them overboard!
The sole purpose for the Dalton Highway is for the trucks to get to Prudhoe Bay. As everywhere else in the world, they are doing road construction now and the truckers are unhappy because they preferred gravel as they could scrape it smooth but paving it creates frost heaves. This is one of those stimulus package programs where the government insists they are going to spend money because it's there, and not because the project makes sense.
Coldfoot is a truck stop with 35 "residents", though no one can own property there. It is owned (the land) by Native Corporations and oil companies. The truckers actually built the truck stop themselves, out of shipping containers. There was no rest stop for hundreds of miles... so they made one! It even has a little post office now! When they added on to the original building they saw the pipes were held in place by duct tape! There are waitresses, mechanics; in the 5 years that Sarah has been there only 3 of the people she has worked with, are still there. They are the "residents" of Coldfoot.
At the end of the tour, despite all my weight restriction concerns, we picked up two summer workers and carried them out. They were young people, and they were split up onto separate planes, but it did alleviate some of my worries, that we had that much "wiggle room". It was so foggy on our return that I couldn't see past the nose of the plane, so I didn't worry myself about weight. I saw that the pilot had two Garmin devices directing him and recalled the time a friend of mine was shocked to have his Garmin device Isuddenly show him somewhere in the Indian Ocean, reporting, "No Road Found! No Road Found!" He seemed to know what he was doing, however, and I know he has made many of those trips. We were told that one in six people in Alaska have a pilots license and one in eight own their own plane.
I asked the female summer employee what she did and she said she found this summer job online. She said she would be leaving as soon as the frost hit and heading next to New Zealand. There are some very interesting wandering souls here.
Todd, one of the pilots, is a musher from Fairbanks. He has 18 dogs and his are spending the summer in Seward, running tourist trips. He was happy not to have to feed them over the summer and he gets them back in working condition. His boss, Chad, estimated that he spends $20,000 annually to feed his dogs. That is because the only he stays in Coldfoot and has to fly his dogfood in, and there is no salmon available for a cheap food source. Chad had a very unfortunate accident with his dogs when he had 5 of them attacked by a "winter bear" and 3 were killed. Todd said there is a Native belief that a winter bear cannot be killed. Todd said he looked at Chad's bear and it had been swimming, trying to catch fish, and then the water froze into icy armor and he understood how it could be quite impenetrable. A winter bear is one who wakes up out of hibernation and emerges in winter, hungry and cranky. They are extremely dangerous.
At the end of the tour, we were presented with certificates documenting that we did cross the Artic Circle. And yes, we have the T-shirt.
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