Don and Andi

After leaving Wrangell-Ellias National Park we headed south to Valdez on the eastern side of Prince William Sound. After a few days, we took the ferry to the western side of the sound ; and proceeded to Homer on the Kenai Peninsula.... read more

A fish wheel is a device for catching fish which operates much as a water-powered mill wheel. A wheel complete with baskets and paddles is attached to a floating dock. The wheel rotates due to the current of the stream it is placed into. The baskets on the wheel capture fish traveling upstream. The fish caught in the baskets fall into a holding tank. When the holding tank is full, the fish are removed. ... read more

We spent two wonderful days soaking in the Chena Hot Springs, which is 60 miles NE of Fairbanks. Chena Hot Springs became famous for curing crippled prospectors of their aches and pains as long ago as 1905. Many people visit the hot springs in the winter, because the Aurora Borealis is visible here. It would be especially nice sitting in the hot springs while viewing the "Northern Lights". Chena Hot Springs is the lowest temperature geothermal resource to be used for commercial power production in the world. The entire resort is powered by geothermal including their extensive greenhouses (growing tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce and herbs) year-round. Chena Hot Springs is working toward becoming a self-sustaining community, and an important part of making this vision a reality is to strive for greater independence in food production. Chena installed ... read more

We arrived in Haines on the Ferry from Juneau and headed up the Haines Highway to Haines Junction where the Alaskan Highway (Alcan) begins. We had been warned that the road was not very good through most of the Yukon. Don says: "This was the worst road on the earth." We had to drive 30 mph and often much slower. There were stretches where the highway is narrow and curvy, where it lacks center lines and ample shoulders. And then there were GIANT POTHOLES. We had to constantly watch out for sudden loose-gravel breaks where the pavement has failed or is under repair. Sometimes the gravel gaps are marked with little, orange flags; sometimes they aren’t. And that asphalt paving can ripple like a roller coaster track in places where “frost heaves” are caused by seasonal ... read more

We left the car and camper behind and traveled to Gustavus as a "foot passenger" aboard an Alaskan Ferry from Juneau for $30 each. We decided to stay at the Glacier Bay Lodge located within Glacier Bay National Park at Barlett Cove (the only lodging within the park). It is a beautiful place surrounded by spruce trees with a massive stone fireplace. Plus we will sleep in a bed and have our own shower!! The views of the water and the Fairweather Range is awesome. Tomorrow we will take a full-day boat tour of the park, which leaves from the Lodge. It is so exciting to see so many glaciers. We had wonderful weather and the Fairweather Mountain Range was visible. Some History: Glacier Bay was first surveyed in 1794 by a team from the H.M.S. ... read more