We loaded up the car and camper and sailed from Wrangell to Juneau on the M/V Taku last night. Now we are camping at Mendenhall Lake Campground, which is about 14 miles from downtown Juneau. We are very near the shore of Mendenhall Lake with views of the Mendenhall Glacier and flanked by the Mendenhall River. Because we had so much fun at Mendenhall Lake, we never made the drive into Juneau. Glaciers hold a special place in my heart, since I recall fond memories of family camping trips to Glacier National Park in Montanta. My father graduated from the University of Minnesota as a Chemical Engineer with a minor in Geology. He loved rocks and always carried a canvas bag for collection along with his pic axe. Much of what my father taught us went ... read more

As Captain Jim drove the boat through the bergs and floating ice of Le Conte Fjord getting closer and closer to Le Conte Glacier, the amount of seals increased with the density of ice. In another month many of the bergs disappear. The fjord boasts a large population of Harbor Seals and their pups. The waters are protected and serve as a breeding, birthing and rearing site for the seals. June is the best month to see seal pups on the icebergs. I have uploaded more photos than anyone would want to see, but I found the experience absolutely exciting and it is fun to share with you. In the age of digital cameras it is easy to shoot lots of photos. Can you believe I deleted over half of my seal photos? The harbor (or ... read more

We spent one full morning Halibut fishing near Guard Island with the camp hosts, Jim and Gerry. They lived in Alaska for 30 years and homesteaded 160 acres in Willow, Alaska. We hired a 20-foot boat, which included the rod, reel, tackle and bait (herring); and headed out to Guard Island. I caught and released an "Irish Lord", which is much like a bullhead. Gerry caught a very nice halibut, which we all enjoyed eating the next day. Guard Island is near the entrance to the Tongass Narrows, in Clarence Strait. On the island is a Lighthouse constructed in 1903. The wood used for the Light Station deteriorated in the harsh weather and was reconstructed in 1924. The station was automated by the Coast Guard in 1969. It is believed to be the largest light house ... read more

We spent one full week at Signal Creek Campground near Ketchican. This is a US forest campground next to Ward Lake which costs $5 per night. It is located in the Tongass National Forest, nearly 17 million acres in size and the largest National Forest in the US; and is the largest temperate rainforest in the world. There is a 1.3 mile nature walk around the Lake, which Don was able to master towards the end of the week. Several times we tried to trout fish in the lake, but did not have any luck. We could see the beautiful fish, but they just didn't want to make it into our fry pan. Blackie and the Black Bear Adventure: In June, Alaska has 21 hours of daylight. So Don and I would wake up earlier than ... read more

May 23 (Day 3): Three Forks, Montana Once again we hit alot of rain along the way. We camp at Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park near Three Forks, Montana. We are within the watershed valley system of both the Missouri and Mississippi rivers drainage basins — and is historically considered the birthplace or start of the Missouri River. The Yellowstone River also followed us for most of our journey from the North Dakota border. The town is called "Three Forks" because the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers converge to form the Missouri River — traditionally called the longest River in North America. Flooding was evident everywhere. It was fortunate the interstate stayed open. The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed here in 1805 never knowing the caverns (caves full of stalagmites, stalactites, colums, helicites, etc). 103 ... read more