Sunday - 08-29-10 - continued....the attack on Mount McKinley

The jet boat ride was pleasant but I would have passed had I known what lay ahead.  A couple we met on the first day, Robert and Ann, were discussing their upcoming activity, flying around Mt. McKinley.  They are both pilots and had already researched the local aviation company and said that they were very reliable with No Fatalities.  Well, viewing that as a positive omen, Ron and I made a quick decision to take the flight.  We went up in a 1961 DeHavilland 10 seater plane.  The day was cloudy and we had only had a peak at a little of Mt. McKinley OVER the clouds prior to the flight.  That is how huge it is....the break in the clouds showed the top of the mountain which was striking.  I had no idea what it would be like to fly to the mountain. 

As we climbed through the clouds, McKinley's top was visible.  In the pictures, you have to remember that you are seeing only the top of the mountain.  It was one of the most spetacular sights I have ever expereinced.  It took our breath away.  The pilot took us between the other mountains and peaks of the Alaskan range.  Then, our plane went through the "747 pass."  This means that the pass is only large enough for the wing span of a 747.  It felt like we were going to scrape the mountain walls.  I really can't describe the beauty of the glaciers below.  I knew, even as I took pictures, that they were not going to capture the magnificence of what I was seeing.  I felt that way in Denali National Park but even more as we were flying to the summit of the largest mountain in North America.

Sunday 08/29/10 – Takin’ on the bear infested backwoods

Ron and I went ATV’ing in the woods of Alaska. The driver that transported us to the site is a year-long resident who regaled us with tales of the grizzly in the area that is getting too close to her home and rampant mooses and their young in the woods. We pulled up next to her friend on the highway and this sweet looking woman was shooting moose from her car. Apparently, she does it alone, skins the animal, field dresses the moose, puts it on a tarp in her SUV and loads it in her car alone because then she doesn’t have to share her meat with a helper. One moose could last up to two years. However, she bags at least one a year. I enjoyed many of her stories but realized that since she doesn’t see people for seven to nine months of the year, she has a lot of talking and catchin’ up to do. Yes, I am dropping the g’s and talkin’ like Palin already. My cousin Patty would LOVE it here…the demographics appear to be Republican all the way. If I see one more Palin book…..well, don’t go getting me all a-startin’.
Anyway, it was wonderful being in the woods in the 4-wheelers and although Ron and I were chomping on the bit to go faster, the trail was very challenging. He brought up the rear (so to speak) and I made sure that the bears didn’t snag him. We finally got to a beach and were able to go much faster.
Be back soon…we are going jet boating.

Denali National Park 08-28-10

I now understand why people come to Alaska.  We went to Denali National Park early in the morning and were there on the final days of their fall display.  It was a spectacular landscape. The view was incomparable to others that I have seen (although Ron said that Yellowstone was close).  The enormity of the park is 6.2 millon acres.  If you walk 1,000 acres a day it would take you 16 years to walk the park.  We did not see any bears or moose yet.  We saw caribou (reindeer) and Dall sheep in the distance.  This is a picture we took but you cannot even get a clear idea of the colors....will write more later.  We are on our way to Mount McKinley. Due to the weather, we will probably not get a good look at it because it is rainy and overcast but, hopefully, we will tomorrow.

Chena River 08-27-10

We boarded the Discovery II Riverboat this morning (Friday). It was a beautiful day, although brisk, enabling me to buy a cute jacket prior to the jaunt. The steamboat cruise was interesting. We went to a replica of a tribal community of the Athabascan tribe. The guides were college students that were raised in their tribal communities and were proud of their customs and methods of survival of their people. And they were charming. They described the intricate work on the clothing and the meaning behind the markings. We saw the training camp of a former Iditarod winner, Susan Butcher. The dogs were almost joyous as we watched a demonstration of the dogs pulling an improvised sled. A plane took off from the river next to us and landed, plants hid in the water as the boat passed, and we saw a contraption that the native people use to catch salmon. It is so effective that it can only be run at sanctioned times. Also, one of the guides, who is attending U of Alaska, said that although her parents do not have running water, they do have internet connection in their small cabin.

Ron wants to let you know that he had the best lasagna ever while we were in Fairbanks. The large coal burning energy source, Aurora Energy, pumps heat under the city because without it, pipes would burst electric wires freeze. The city has tubes that come out of the ground to discharge the heat. (They look like the tubes Olive Oyl would get stuck in on Bluto’s ship)…is that dated of a reference?
Everywhere you turn there are dead animals that are stuffed or bronzed. No live bears so far. The ride to Denali was beautiful. The hills and valleys are spectacular and vast. I mean, it just goes on and on and you don’t see many homes or towns. The leaves are just beginning to turn golden. Tomorrow (Saturday) we go into Denali Park to learn about the tundra (I wished I studied more in school). Also, we are meeting people my age now, but Ron still appears to be one of the youngest….poor fella.

I Ate Reindeer

Don't tell my grandson,Tyler, but there is going to be a change in Santa's line-up this year.  It was like a spicy kielbasa.  We are off to take a Steamboat trip up the river and then to Denali National Park.  Just so you know, Ron and I are the youngest people on their portion of the tour so far.  Truthfully, I am feeling pretty spry and Ron and I are always first in line.  Talk to you all soon.

Day 2- Mary Makes a Promise

So, I thought that leaving for the airport three hours before departure time was reasonable. I dislike spending hours in airports.  However, I did not anticipate getting stuck in stand-still traffic in Elgin.  As our delay increased, I became anxiety-ridden.  Did I create positive visualizations of making the flight?  No.  Did I provide myself with positive self-talk, calm myself with affirmations, or attempt to focus on the moment?  Hell no.  I freaked as I envisioned missing our trip due to my insistence that we not get to the airport so early.  In the mist of my panic, I promised Ron that he could always decide what time we leave for the airport.  We honed our bear-escaping techniques as we fast-stepped (I actually ran at one point) through the airport.  Apparently they had paged us.  We arrived at our flight 5 minutes before take off.......Ron did not find my comment, "at least we didn't have to wait for the flight" very amusing.  And, he is so excited about getting me to agree to departure times that I may have to change the duration of the commitment from forever to, maybe, 10 years.

I did hear, upon arrival, that moose are more dangerous than bears so I may have to readjust my focus.

We are sitting in the Anchorage airport looking at the spectacular mountains as we await our propeller plane.  As a note to my daughter and single nieces, I have to say, THERE ARE A MILLION MEN here.  I couldn't get to my camera in time to take a picture of plane loads of men here....just in case you were looking.

I may not be able to post for a few days as we are flying to Fairbanks tonight but will update the blog at our next opportunity.

PS Ron read this and the disappointment on his face when he realized he only gets a 10 year window to call departure date was a sad thing to see.

Pre trip thoughts

I am a little concerned about starting a blog for a few reasons...1)  I am not sure what a blog is, 2) although I am definitely self-absorbed, even I can't think that anyone would be that interested, 3) my spelling sucks, 4) I am unsure of my Internet access and 5) what can I saw about laying around, drinking, and looking for whales?  However, I am going to try it because I am afraid that if I don't learn new things, I will be calling my children to ask them how to program my DVR.

So, it is the night before our trip to Alaska.  We will be spending four days on land, beginning in Fairbanks and going to Denali National Park, then Mount McKinley.  We will then embark on the cruise for seven days.

I titled my blog "Alaska for wussies" because we are not even going to break a sweat in our explorations. I anticipate the most of my exertion will be in lugging my suitcases.  I am packing as if I was going on the Queen Mary.   I have a rolling trunk...62 linear inches at 49 pounds.  Oh, yeah, I am going to get over on "the man."  I am getting my money's worth for that luggage charge, baby. 

However, I am prepared to run from bears, or at least briskly walk.   I did not just pack heels and tap shoes.  With proper footwear, I should  be able to outwalk the bear for approximately 32 seconds.

So, with Ron already in bed, and me beading a bracelet cuff to take along, I bid you all goodnight.  I hope to keep up on my postings.