ALASKA ---- WOW

We are home again in South Dakota......got home on July 29 (we left on July 5).  It was a truly fantastic trip ---- a 3 week adventure.  We have so many memories that I am almost afraid that my brain won't remember them all....thus photos!!!!   Thank goodness for cameras  that capture what we want to remember.   Thankfully I bought a new camera just for this trip.....Gary carried our old one and took some great pictures also -- but that one totally died about half way through our 3 weeks.  We would have  been shopping for a camera and I'm thinking we wouldn't have gotten a good deal!!!

My hope is to get with Shutterfly and put together an album of this adventure -- but I know that many of you are looking forward to something on this blog.  There were so many things that we did --- so this will be a short, short version....and then you will just have to come and see the photo album with more pictures and probably more of the stories.

Here goes......

 This is our luggage coming down onto the Tender (or is that Tinder - don't know for sure)Boat...these are boats that the "real" fishing boats that you will see below - bring their fish for sale.  This boat would take us most of the way over to Ollie's fish camp.

 Here's a better picture of the Tender Boat.....

 Here is the "Viken" --- one of Ollie's boats picking us up to take us the remaining way to camp.  We would later go out fishing on this boat.

 Here is a view of the fishing camp.  This picture was taken after Gary and I and
Abigail went up on  the Tundra to pick Salmon and Crow berries...YUMMY jam!!

 We are now ready for fishing.....we are excited!!

 This is a picture of the nets that are strung out and the fish that get caught in them.....

The motor to make the wheel turn was in need of repair so it was a hard pull to get the nets into the boat in order to remove the fish and put them in the tubs.

 We walked the beach quite often and I was able to get some awesome pics of this bald eagle and...

this golden eagle.

 We took a day and went to a Sport Fishing Camp with another aquaintance and caught this bear on shore.  The fishing wasn't the greatest but we did catch some fish....I believe they were Char (salmon).  It was a beautiful ride ---- we were surrounded by amazing scenery!!!

This is wash day at Ollie's camp.  The only electricity was supplied by generators.  We did have running water --- thanks to a spring that came out of the hill behind us that Ollie had a pipe hooked up to.  

Time to leave ---- the tide is out....so we were delivered out to the boat via an Argo.  The tides are truly amazing!!!  You could walk on the mud down here on the Nushagak River....up in Anchorage -- you are advised not to--------quicksand!!!   The mud will suck you in and you can't get out....and then the tide comes in.  Guess what........ NOT GOOD!!!

We left the Nushagak River with Ollie, Hannelore, Abigail and their crew of young people......and flew back to Anchorage where we spent the night and then boarded the Wilderness Express for a train ride up to Denali Park.  The following are just a few photos of the gorgeous scenery we enjoyed.....

 Upon arrival at Denali Park we were picked up by a Shuttle bus and driven to the Denali Grande --- our home for 2 nights.  This photo is of the Lobby and Restaurant.....our actual building was behind this.

From here we went on some special adventures.  Don and Jeannie took a Bus Tour of the park and enjoyed some fantastic scenery with lots of wild life --- most not real close but enjoyable just the same.   Gary and I got talked into a "Flightseeing" trip -- right up to the face of Denali.  

This was the plane that took us on the tour of a lifetime.......anyway so far.

 We were up among the mountains for a total of 2 hours.  Sometimes we would "go higher" due to turbulence....sometimes we would go lower.  The pictures really never do justice to what we saw and experienced........

 Glaciers looked like frozen roads....they were HUGE!!   Some were very dirty - others had blue ice in them.

Probably the only reason we went on this "flightseeing" trip --- is because a young man came up to us as we came out of a grocery store.   "Is anyone interested in a flightseeing trip --- we have to fill the plane and you can go for almost half price."   We had talked about it a lot --- so why not.   It was still a bit of a steep price --- but life is short ----enjoy it!!!!

After our plane ride, we decided we needed some exercise --- there was a trail up to that peak that you see in the background....Healy Point....described as "strenuous"!!!!   Yup --- you guessed it.....that was Gary's choice----- and I being the good little wife....followed.  It was up and up all the way.  But with several stops -- we both made it (I made it!!!)  When we reached the top -- the wind was fierce and it started to rain and actually there was a little snow mixed in with it.   So we didn't linger long.

 Then it was a train ride back south to Anchorage........don't they look happy!!  :)  This is the couple (Don and Jeannie Schelhaas) we spent 3 weeks with and still remain friends   :)  :)  :)

Then with our rental car --- we drove down to Homer on the Kenai Peninsula.....a 5 hour drive. The scenery was grand!!

 We had a little trouble finding a place to stay ---- but once again God Is Good.....and we discovered the Fisherman's Resort.   A very nice spot --- and we stayed there for 3 nights.  One of our "goals" was to go Halibut fishing ----anyway it was my and Gary's goal.....Don and Jeannie - being good sports joined us.  We had rather rough seas.....about 8 foot swells!!!  Some of the people (16 on board) got sick and had to hang over the side of the boat for a while.   We were lucky and stayed in good shape.  The limit for halibut is 2 (4 for the year)......We got our 2 --- but then just for fun we could continue to fish.    Gary took in 8 (had to release all but his 2) -- I got 3 (and then decided to stop).  Those fish on the picture aren't necessarily ours----but very similar in size.

This is the boat we went out on.......

The scenery was beautiful.....

And we had a good time.........

These Sandhill Cranes were regulars at the Beluga Inn --- our stay for 2 nights.

 And these moose were just in the right spot at the right time......good photo stop.

We also went to the Sea Life Center where we saw some fascinating sea life.

We also hiked to a glacier -- what a beautiful sight -- with the icebergs floating in the water.....

And true to form ------Don and Jeannie joined us...

We left Homer and traveled around to the other side of the Kenai Peninsula to Seward.  Another stop at the Chamber of Commerce and we were directed to the Jo Doug Inn (a Bed and Breakfast).   What a blessing.   They had fallen in love with Alaska about 10 years ago....sold all their belongings and moved from the Madison, Wisc area to Alaska.......bought a fixer upper...and the rest is history. The guys hit it off right away....hunting and fishing stories!!  

JoAnn and Doug

Another hike up to a glacier.....Exit Glacier.  And yes - Don and Jeannie joined us in the rain....a short 1.5 miles up and then back down.

 Can't not stop at the old boat yard.   Everyone thought this lift was the best!!!!

 And Gary loved this huge prop.

We had to leave Seward ---- our trip was coming to an end......we had to get the rental car back (it was starting to run a little rough -so we were eager to get rid of it) and then catch our flight out on Thursday at 6:00 a.m.   

However, we had a day to kill in Anchorage-- so we went to a Museum and then to the Alaska Zoo.   Zoo animals just are NOT the same as animals in the wild ...... Jeannie and I thought these two were wild enough :)

Our first "selfie".....yes!! we were ready to come home to South Dakota!!!!

What a trip!   Some things didn't go as planned but it all worked out in the end.  We have some names of good places to stay if you are ever in the need to know.  Some places that we stopped in for a look see were pretty bad!!!  And the price was still high.  So I don't know just how I would dare to make reservations ahead.  We lucked out on our flightseeing trip and got it for almost  (almost) half price.....so somethings are good to wait on..

Did we fall in love with Alaska and plan on moving?......no - not yet.  The long long days were fine (except for sleeping)...but I can't imagine the long long dark winters!!!

Hope you have enjoyed our "travels".  Take time to smell the roses!!!!

Gary and Barb