On June 30 we set out for an epic three-week trip to Juneau and Kodiak, Alaska, with a brief stay in Bellingham, WA, on the way home. It was my 30-year high school reunion (Juneau), and also my father's 70th birthday (Kodiak), so the time seemed right for a proper, long vacation.
First up: Juneau!
July 1
Here's the view from my friend's back deck. It's nice to have a lovely place to stay while in Alaska (click on any photo to get a nice big version).
We toured the NOAA facility that day. If you're ever in Juneau, I recommend it. Super informative, even if every single poster on their walls had at least one typo (I can't help myself). Here's the view from NOAA's back deck, which is open to the public.
We then took in the Shrine of St. Therese, just a lovely area that's been there for ages and ages.
This is what 12:30am looks like in July in Juneau.
July 2
This was one of my favorite days: DOG MUSHING! We paid for the Super Extra Deluxe Package so we got to do way more than just get on a sled.
Here's a shot of one of my favorite mountains, taken just after breakfast and before we headed to the helicopter take-off area.
And then we were off!
The view on the helicopter ride to the ice field.
The leading edge of the Taku Glacier, where the dog camp is.
So, in case it's not clear, the dog camp is located on top of this glacier. They have to pull stakes and move further north every once in a while if the snow gets too slushy.
Dog camp! This is a permanent camp, from May to September. The dogs and guides stay there full time (although the guides get R&R in Juneau every so often). They use these mushing treks as training for real races later in the year. Several of the dogs have been in multiple Iditarods.
We got to put
booties on the dogs (my technique was not appreciated) and get our arms
pulled out of their sockets while taking them from their houses to the
line, then we removed the booties after the ride, gave them a snack, and
took them back to their houses.It was very clear that these are working dogs, not pets. They weren't particularly interested in being our friends, but they were VERY interested in doing their jobs, which was pulling.
The main sled had another sled trailing behind it, so one of us sat up front and took pictures and the other one got to stand in back and feel like a real musher. That's our guide standing behind me.
Those are booties, not poop!
We were perhaps a tiny bit happy.
Especially when we got to meet the PUPPIES.
After giving the dogs a snack, taking off their booties, and leading them back to their houses, we got a behind-the-scenes tour of the whole camp. Then it was time to head back.
Here's a little vid. It's misleading because it looks like it's a slow ride, which it definitely was not. You can see that this is not exactly hard work for these dogs. I think we went about 4 miles and it was a walk in the park for them.
Here's a link to a longer vid. No idea why it won't upload.
July 3
Because it stays light so late in the summer, in Juneau fireworks go off
at midnight on the third. I don't have any pictures because I was too
busy partying with my classmates. We did wander around town that day and do the tourist thing.
Some local art.
The major tourist section of downtown. Not a ton of tourists in that day, thankfully, so we were free to spend all our money in peace.
July 4
July 4 is when the parades happen and
there aren't too many cruise ships in town, so the locals are able to
enjoy the day.
It was the only rainy day we really had, so it was perfect for the parade.
For my rollergirl friend Rachael.
I love days like this.
July 5
This was another reunion night, but during the day, among other things, we went "out the road," which is a phrase you only really know if you're from Juneau. There's one road, and you go out it, and it has an end. But along the way are some gorgeous spots.
First stop, the Mendenhall Glacier, which was one mile from my house growing up. It has been receding for years and is a shadow of its former, mighty self.
Just for contrast, here's a picture of me and my sister from the early 70s. The glacier was huge back then. It also existed in Technicolor.
It's shrunk quite a bit ... the whole right side is gone now. In happier news, the Taku Glacier, where we did the dog mushing, is actually advancing.
We also headed to Auke Bay (and had milkshakes).
And we hit the arboretum, which is filled with strange fat little hummingbirds and which sits right on the edge of the water. This is my idea of a proper beach.
And Auke Lake. That's the glacier there in the middle, peaking out above the trees.
The reunion event that night was a dinner at the top of the tram, which takes you about a third of the way up Mt. Roberts and has viewing areas, a gift shop (of course), and a restaurant. Excellent views from the ride up.
I can't take credit for this photo. That belongs to classmate David Wyatt, who is one hell of a photographer. Clearly I was on the wrong side of the tram to get a good shot ... yeah, that's what happened.
July 6
On this day I fulfilled a dream. Literally. For several years I've had a dream where I run from the glacier to downtown, but in my dream I never made it. Well, with the help and support of a number of good friends, I did it. Longest run of my life: 12.13 miles. It was a GORGEOUS day. The sun came out and it must have soared into the 70s. I even got a bit of a tan on my legs.
We started at the glacier and ended at the high school. I couldn't feel my legs, but I had a tiara, was splashed with champagne, and drank chocolate milk at the end, so it was all good.
Not bad for a bunch of old ladies.
Then we went to the reunion picnic and I drank several rejuvenating beers. The picnic location:
The view from the beach across the channel. It doesn't look like it, but that mountain is HUGE (just to the left outside the shot is the tram, which goes a third of the way up).
We even had a classmate paraglide into the picnic from the mountain across the channel. I of course was oblivious and missed the whole thing.
And my final shot in Juneau. I just love this. It pretty much encapsulates Juneau for me.
July 7
So then we attempted to go to Kodiak. The flight from Juneau to Anchorage: no problem. But what should have been a 30-minute flight from Anchorage to Kodiak ended up being a two-day affair that included circling the island, flying back to Anchorage, hanging around all day in the Anchorage airport, spending the night at my cousin's apartment (all six of us), spending another morning at the airport, finally deciding to fly to another town, Homer, and then getting on a ferry for a 10-hour ride to Kodiak. We were supposed to arrive Monday afternoon; we finally arrived, stinky and cranky, Wednesday morning.
July 8
We took a hotel shuttle just to get the hell out of the airport. I was bored.
The teeny plane we took to Homer. We didn't even have to go through security!
At least Homer was pretty.
July 9
We got on the ferry (which is older than I am) at 10pm and arrived in Kodiak at 8am.
This is Brody the Norwegian Elk Hound, my new best canine friend.
After the birthday party we did a little pub crawl with the cousins. This is ... maybe 10pm.
July 10
We did a small tour of Kodiak, including the Alutiiq Museum and the local brewery (where, I might add, I had the single best IPA of my entire life...spruce tips are key).
I'd been wanting to head back to the Alutiiq Museum for a long time. I am in love with the petroglyphs that are found around the island, and in fact got myself a wrist tattoo of the museum's logo several years ago.
This guy thinking deep thoughts would also make a good tattoo.
And Jazz Hands here is my favorite part of the logo.
The guy at the museum who sold me this mug was so taken with my tattoo that he took pictures to put on the museum's Facebook page. Hee.
Awesome graffiti outside the museum.
Kodiak has a huge Russian influence.
Downtown Kodiak on a beautiful day!
July 11
Now, when Kodiak clears up, it is very, very beautiful. The last day we were there the clouds suddenly lifted so all the cousins decided to drive around to the other side of the island (I guess ... I'm geographically challenged) to have dinner and then go to where my favorite uncle's ashes were scattered after he died.
All in all, not a terrible final resting place, I think you'll agree.
I tried and mostly failed to get a good shot of the amazing Super Moon that appeared. This is close to 11:30pm.
July 12-16
And then we got on yet another plane to Anchorage. THANKFULLY, we were only in that damn airport for 20 minutes before heading to Seattle. We spent a couple of days in Bellingham (1.5 hours north of Seattle) where it was in the vicinity of 85 degrees the whole time. You might think, no big deal, but (1) we'd just had 2.5 weeks of 50-55 degrees, and (2) the Pacific Northwest is built for rain, so NO ONE has air conditioning. Still, it was awfully pretty.
Seattle: Maybe unclear on the concept of graffiti?
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