Alaska, Canada and NYC Day 15

---

Arrive Juneau (capital of Alaska) early. Tied up when we wake up. Today we have our first onshore excursion (and a real big one - dog sledding on the Norris glacier by helicopter).

Breakfast and layer up with thermals, etc. Down to disembark and Geoffrey is waiting for us. Julie also got a late berth on this one so we have good company. About 10 others on the trip. On to the bus and fill out weights, waivers, etc. Hmm what weight do I use - gym weight or fully thermalled and layered.

Short bus trip trying to keep Geoffrey under control - he is like a kid in the candy store. Get to the helicopter base and have to do real weights, safety briefing and then get life jacket and special glacier booties (great look). Turns out my guessed weight was spot on..... All dressed and ready to go.

Works out the 4 of us are in the one helicopter. Julie gets the front seat on the way up and Chris on the way back. Get aboard with pilot Gerry (from Czech Republic). Turns out Gerry spent 12 months in Qld picking lettuces. Good guy. All in and away first (3 other choppers as well). We had been told heaps we had a good day for flying but once up they were right - clear skies and great visibility. Over the mountains and up and down with the valleys, etc.

Over the glaciers - one of which had just called between the last flight Gerry had done (30 mins ago) so great new chunk of the blue ice on show. Eventually spot the village (where the dogs and handlers live on the glacier). Huge sight as we land. Swap people (us out and others back in for return trip). Dogs everywhere and going berserk.

Introduced to sledders and some dogs. Obligatory photos by helicopter and then off to meet our musher - Allison and the dogs. Allison likes to have 11 dogs in her team. There is a 2 sweater sled, with a single sweater attached at the back. Allison drives the big sled and one of us gets to drive the back one (our main job is to put the brakes on when she stops). We all get a turn at this very important job. Even though you are attached to the main sled you get the idea of how it all works. The power of these dogs is huge. When given the instruction to go, hold on cause they jolt the sled backwards pretty hard.

We do a big loop out of the camp. Sights are spectacular, not cold either. We stop to rest the dogs and change drivers and who sits where in each sled so that we all get the front seat and driving, etc.

Get back and all of us are just pumped at this experience - think we all said awesome 3 or 4 times at least. Geoffrey didn't want to get out of the sled. We now get to pat the dogs - they are hot but still wanting to play with you. Beautiful animals and you can tell they are well treated - little blue booties while they run and when they poo, boy does it stink due to the high protein diet they are fed.

Eventually get dragged kicking and screaming back to the helicopter area (4 coming in in procession like they used to in MASH). Bugger, have to leave but Gerry is great and welcomes us with G'day Mate in pretty good strine....

Back we go and he takes us a different way over the mountains and glaciers. See mountain goats and a little dam with a curved wall. Coming back down near the airport and there is a US C130 (bloody big transport plane) doing touch and goes. All the way playing Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Ko (too hard to spell - big Hawaiian dude).

Chris asks the pilot if they spread ashes over the glaciers - sounds like a new funeral plan coming up here. Gets a vague response so then asks the ground crew - yes, they spread someone's ashes a week ago - looks like we have a plan..........

Land and lots of thank you's then into the office to get photo they take when you land. Chris is awe struck and keeps singing the song all the way back in the bus.

Geoffrey reckons he has died and gone to heaven (even better then lotto according to him).

Rest of the day spent walking the streets of Juneau. Do the skyway (cable car) up the mountain so great views of Juneau.

Still thinking of what we had just done in the morning. Wow, wow, extra special trip and now we reckon the cost was worth every dollar.

Download pics to iPad so we can free up the cards on the camera and also see them better - they are great but don't do justice to what we had actually just experienced.

Blah blah blah - you all need to do this one........ That way I can stop raving here.

Meant to be back on board by 1730 for an 1800 departure. All on and they take the gangway down, almost ready to do the ropes when a coupe arrive for the ship - oh dear, dramas. Radio calls, etc. and finally they bring back the gangway and on they come - sure they got a real talking to....

Eventually back out, then sit. Waiting waiting..... Advice comes over that there is a technical issue and we will wait where we are for a while. Turns out the technical issue is a bit bigger than expected - 5 hours bigger. Advised that safety is paramount so we aren't going anywhere.

Eventually get going at 2300 - we are sitting in the crows nest having a night cap when we get going.

Off to bed after a very busy but awesome day....

---