The glaciers are calving

After escaping from the smiling bear, we went down to a lake and found that the icebergs calving off the glaciers and heading south. We wondered, what had those cows and glaciers been doing?

Grandma and Grandpa meet Yogi

Unfortunately, this picture is clear evidence of Grandparent abuse. Those who know Stuart and Thelma are well aware that only harsh measures could force them to poise with a fake bear. Grandpa may be smiling, but that's because Grandma has to sit with the bear.

Bear Poop

On the Kenai we found beautiful campgrounds near glaciers, lakes, and waterfalls; (the usual Alaska stuff). Although we've seen moose and black bear and Dall sheep and Stone sheep and Rocky Mountain big horn sheep and elk and bison and caribou, the wily brown bear has still escaped our inspection. That is why this pile of bear scat (shit) was very exciting. If you look carefully, bits of a plastic bag and vegetable matter are evident. These suggest that this enormous pile of scat comes from an enormous brown bear with a taste for sandwiches (heavy on the mustard) and berries. We loitered nearby with cheese and crackers, but again missed seeing the bear.

Fireweed

After two days in the wilderness, the showers and Laundromat stopped calling our names and began hollering. We left St. Elias and stayed for a night in an RV den to meet our basic hygiene needs, then returned to the road. Heading west and south for the Kenai peninsula, there were mountains, glaciers, and flowers everywhere. We wondered if the Alaska department of tourism had carefully arranged Fireweed to decorate every mountain vista.

The Nabesna Road

For several days the weather remained overcast and the clouds lay just over our heads, but such minor concerns never deter the adventuresome. After watching the Wrangell - St. Elias National Forest film twice (it was very good), we changed our plans. Instead of heading for a nice campground with showers, we bounced down a gravel road into the wilderness. We successfully forded two creek beds but turned back when the next one appeared to be deeper and boisterous. Here we are, about 28 miles down the Nabesna Road, the only ones in the clouds. Thanks to FSK for photo.

Where's Grandpa?

While we were in Valdez the clouds began rolling in, obscuring all the enormous mountains around us. As we crossed Thompson Pass, we stopped to look at the Alpine wild flowers and almost lost a few of our family members in the mist. People living in Alaska tell us that a normal sky is grey and cloudy. They call clear sky, "blue clouds".

How about those waterfalls

Since we've seen hundreds of waterfalls, have way too many boring waterfall photographs, and haven't abused you with any of them yet; the time has come. This is Horsetail Falls near Valdez. You are now absolved from any further waterfalls pictures, until we change our mind.

Nature and Man

Valdez, setting between the Chugach mountains and the sea, is a place of incredible natural beauty. It also carries clear evidence of human occupation.

Voyage of the Intrepid

We traveled south towards Valdez and set up camp in the beautiful Chugach mountains, near a ridge overlooking the entire world.

Sage of Johna Lake

A two day stay at the lake also gave us time to talk with the camp host, Denny who is a master of story telling and perhaps of the universe as well. He enlightened us with the news that moose are not carnivorous and that we should next travel to Valdez. So far, Denny has been proven right.

Reality

It was very relaxing to sit by the lake and watch a nest of peregrine chicks tear apart their meals. formerly known as ravens and rodents. When we tired of their blood thirsty mayhem, we watched the placid ducks and the lake. In the course of these peaceful meditations we learned that when you stare at the water too long it becomes difficult to tell which part is the reflection.

Wagons Ho

Unfortunately, we do not have any pictures of our trip across the Top of the World Highway. It was an exciting ride along the edge of a mountain ridge. Sixty miles of winding gravel road with no guard rails and a scenic view straight down. When we passed the highest point, a small building appeared. There we had the "how yuh doin - have a nice day" US Customs Inspection. Passing muster, we bounced down the road into Alaska and a beautiful camp site overlooking Johna Lake.

Road hog

After several days of fruitless watching for animals that never appeared, we became cynical and mildly hostile to the road signs warning us that there were moose behind the bushes and elk at every turn. When the "Watch for bison on road" sign rolled past we snorted, only to come around the turn and find BISON in our lane. They were in no hurry to yield. This big boy has just moved to block traffic in the other lane.

Cinnamon bun tour

Searching for wild life and soaking in hot springs were only pleasant distractions to our real mission; tracking down the notorious AlCan cinnamon roll. Reported to be delicious in excess, these highly prized specimens are reported to hide in their natural habitat of gas stations and road side stores. We found and tried three. This one was clearly the best. It was as wide as a dinner plate and as deep as a small cake. It fed 4 for lunch and three for breakfast. Now it is gone but still remembered fondly.

Hot Springs

We were fortunate and found lovely campsites in parks, avoiding the unpleasant civilization of RV lots. Liard Springs State Park was a wonderful place. A short hike from the campsite brought us to a trail through the marsh land. Further down the path were two hot springs in the woods. The water was remarkably blue and quite warm. There was some sulfur to it, but it seemed mild compared to the healing waters we enjoy at Riverside Boat yard.

Togetherness

The RV is plenty big for all of us, but when you put several photographers in one place, sometimes you just have to say no.

Yellow Fields of Alberta

After almost a week, we left the National Parks. With the mountains behind us, we took the AlCan highway and entered the flat plains of Canada. These brilliant yellow fields are planted in Canola.

Bears, wolves, and ...

Yearning for a glimpse of the great animals of the park, bear, moose, and elk, we stayed awake scanning the road side as we traveled. Our preoccupation made it difficult for the smaller, more humble animals to attract our attention. Hubert the ground squirrel was an exception. He ran up Vinnie's leg looking for snacks and then hung around, posing and chattering while we had lunch.

Surrounded by beauty

It was time to leave the Canadian Rockies and we spent our last night on the Snaring River. Near miraculous driving by Vinnie squeezed our lumbering beast into a tiny parking space at one of the premier spots on the river. Here we relax with snacks and a beer as we celebrate our good fortune. This photograph (Thanks FSK - Maria's dad) captures the glorious country surrounding us as we graze.

Maligne Canyon

Before leaving Jasper and the Canadian Rockies, we took a side trip to Maligne canyon and more glacier fed mountain lakes. We'll spare you the lakes. The canyon was wonderful and remarkable. Unfortunately, what makes it unique also challenges the photographer. Our pictures could not capture the canyon's unusual profile.  It is over 100 feet deep and only 6 to 8 feet across here.

Roadside Attractions

Eventually we became jaded to mountains and valleys and canyons and all. So, the sight of a real wild animal was the high point of a day. This big horn mountain sheep held his position in our lane of traffic early one morning until we broke out the cameras. Even after retreating to a superior hill side position, he maintained a regal manner.

Wilcox Pass Glacier

Wilcox Pass brought us to a great vantage point on the great Athabasca Glacier.

Wilcox Pass

Late one afternoon we decided to hike up to Wilcox Pass in some of our warmer boat people outfits. It was a steep ascent past the tree line and then into the snow. It was warm in the sun but quite cold and brisk in the wind at the pass. We had a great time and it was lovely, but those fancy windbreakers and backpacks were beginning to look like a pretty smart idea.

Canoes at Morraine Lake

The canoes really add something, don't they?

Outdoor Style

At the trail heads and observation points, we often join a crowd of stylishly dressed outdoors experts. We admire their great boots, trim parkas, walking sticks (sometimes two), special backpacks, and tailored rain gear. Looks like us boat people bring our own unique look.

Another Mountain and Lake

We've spent days wandering in mountains and lakes, taking picture after picture, and sure that family and friends back home will be thrilled with every one of them. This is Morraine Lake, one of our favorite stops.

Hiking the Lake

There is usually a short or long trail that takes you away from the crowds and off to some new vantage point. With a mob scene down on the observation deck, it was especially wonderful to wander off alone and leave the tour bus and its chattering patrons behind.

The Canadian Rockies

We drove through Montana, into Canada, and entered the spectacular Canadian Rockies, the land of beautiful lakes, dramatic waterfalls, awesome mountains, and loveliness all around. We have so many pictures that fatigue and tedium will attack anyone who looks at this blog. We will try to contain ourselves. This is one of our favorite places, Peyto Lake.

What's this?

Even the most enthusiastic long distance driver takes a break once in a while. This is a rare exception to the famous biblical passage: "The meek shall inherit the passenger seat."

Walmart Denizens

Some of you may not believe the ugly rumor that we have become Walmart campers, but this is proof. While running through familiar places to reach the wonderful and new, we have pulled in to participating Walmarts for our night's sleep. In Billings Montana an especially helpful security guard drove over to give us his favorite chicken  casserole recipe.

Little BigHorn Battlefield

A storm blew over us just as we arrived at the Little Bighorn. Lightning and high winds sent everyone inside, but it blew through rapidly and soon we were walking through the battlefield under dramatic skies. There are many military graveyards, but this is only one of two places in the world which has markers where the soldiers  fell in battle and died. Here are two markers along the prairie path. Soldiers from the "Indian Wars" to Vietnam are buried in the graveyard above the battlefield.

Devils Tower

Devil's Tower welcomed us back to Wyoming.

Badlands again

We had remembered the Badlands fondly from a distance. Once we returned, however, the brutal reality of the sun and oppressive heat stunned us into heartfelt respect.

Pipestone National Monument

After a morning at Jeffers, we spent the afternoon on the west shore of Minnesota in Pipestone National Monument. Trails through the prairie and woodlands took us to ancient and active quarries where Native Americans mine for the blood red pipestone. This soft rock is easily carved but mining it from the iron hard matrix is hot and miserable work. Quarries flood with water and have to be drained.  Only traditional tools are used to cut into the narrow veins of pipestone.

Petroglyphs in the fields

From the wonders of Iowa, we wended our way to Minnesota. After a visit with Thelma's brother, Don Mulder, we traveled across the state, watching the land change from the green farms of the mid west to the dry plains. At Jeffers we walked over rock outcroppings which were marked with Native American petroglyphs. Since we came with the sun high overhead, they were nearly invisible to the human eye. The site and its markings are sacred and Native peoples from across the country continue to come here to worship. The red rock is so full of iron that it attracts lightning and there images of lightning snakes and thunderbirds in many places on the rock.

Iowa Meadows

We left Atlanta on Monday, July 6 and pointed north. Our first stop was Iowa for a visit with Chiara, James, and the talented Baby Norah. After too many days of Atlanta summer, the wind blowing through the grassy prairies was a great relief.

Atlanta Favorites

It is great to be getting on the road, but we will miss our best niece and nephew in all of Atlanta. Katherine and Karl, have a great summer and see you soon.

Ready to go

Here's Bubba, packed and ready to go!
 On Monday the 9th of July, we'll be off to Alaska.
The road takes us across MN, through SD, into MT and up to Alberta. Once in Canada, we will take more time to see the sights.
Hope to get to Alaska around the beginning of August.
The trip back to Atlanta is not defined yet, but we will take as much time as we have and see as much as we can see.