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JOHNNY'S JOURNEYS: VANCOUVER, ALASKA, ROCKIES, YELLOWSTONE '86
August 23, 1986 (Saturday)
I had a calm and relaxing flight from New Orleans to Denver, Colorado. Flying
above the clouds, we were bathed in plenty of sunshine. It is a joy to see the Rocky
Mountains just suddenly appear on the horizon. Looking at the flight schedule, I became
concerned about missing my connector flight to Great Falls, Montana. After inquiring
about this, the man sitting beside me asked if I had changed my watch to Mountain
Time. Yes, I felt a little foolish.
Arriving at the Great Falls airport, I was ecstatic to find that my luggage had made it
there. And it was good to see Joe, too. He was my college roommate at Auburn Univ. for
two years. He wanted to show me The Falls. This is where the city gets its name. I was
quite impressed with Black Eagle Falls. The Lewis and Clark Expedition portaged
through here in 1805. So much history, on the banks of the Missouri River. This Big Sky
Country is beautiful!
We drove around
the city for a little while, as he pointed out different areas to me. Joe
found some Arby's coupons... so, we had roast beef sandwiches for supper this evening.
We had a lot to talk about when we reached his apartment. Of course, I got to sleep on
the best sofa.
August 24, 1986 (Sunday)
We got a little bit of a late start, not leaving until 9:30. We drove through some vast,
wide open spaces of western Montana. We stopped so I could get a picture of a sign:
Record Cold Spot. On 01/20/1954 the temperature reading was 70 degrees below zero.
After that, we cross the state line and I'm in Idaho for the first time. I'm in awe of
the ruggedness of these mountains. I was hoping to see a Continental Divide sign, but
no such luck. There's a lake as we travel into Coeur d'Alene. It is just beautiful in this
area. It doesn't take long for us to travel through the northern part of the Gem State,
although I had always thought it was the Potato State.
This
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1986 World's Fair... Vancouver, British Columbia.is now my first time in the state of Washington. Hello Evergreen State. Near
Spokane, on a Sunday afternoon, we're able to listen to a Seattle Seahawks football
game. As we were winding towards the west, it seems like we crossed the Columbia
River a dozen times. We later see the lights of Seattle in the distance, but don't drive into
the Emerald City.
It is dark as we continue to drive north. Okay, pull out the passports as we leave the
U.S.A. Hello Canada! Well after midnight, we are almost there. We were escorted to our
apartment complex in the suburb of Surrey at 1:30 a.m. Surprise! The tour group had
over-booked the apartments.
The next order of business was to drive into downtown Vancouver and retrieve a key.
We'll stay at a different location. Not what we had planned, but sometimes you've got to
be flexible and go with the flow. It's been a long day. Finally in bed by 2:45 a.m.
August 25-27, 1986 (Monday - Wednesday)
Our big plan for this trip is to spend 3 or 4 days
at the World's Fair. Vancouver will
be celebrating its 100
th birthday with a 5.5 month long party. 1886 was also the year that
the first transcontinental train arrived. I was able to go to the 1982 World's Fair in Knox-
ville, TN. Two years later, I went to New Orleans, LA for the 1984 World's Fair. In two
years Brisbane Australia will host a Worlds Fair. I'll give that some consideration.
Joe and I will see as much as possible, staying 12+ hours each day. There are 65
pavilions to explore. That represents 54 nations and six continents. This years theme
was: Transportation and Communication. I had a photo taken by the world's largest beer
stein, from Germany. What a gorgeous setting for this Expo... with so much water
around. I picked up a souvenir newspaper with a headline “Expo's Royal Beginning”.
Queen Victoria started the Worlds Fair tradition in 1851 in London England.
There were several side shows to get your attention. We saw unicycle riders; the
largest watch in the world (a Swatch from Switzerland); a fire-eating juggler; a woman
dressed as the Queen of
England; a Conestoga wagon from the Oregon Trail; even two
Japanese ladies wearing traditional snow-shoes and playing harps. A volunteer from the
crowd? Joe was up there in a flash. And there is the largest hockey stick in the world,
measuring 203 feet in length!
I was quite impressed by the Thosakan statue from Thailand. 3,000 year old Egyptian
artifacts were on display in the Great Hall of Ramses II. I kept looking for Expo Ernie,
but never saw him. “Spirit Lodge” was an inspiring exhibit, which included holographs
to tell of First Nations legends. It was a treat to see the world's largest Canadian flag. It
was 39 feet x 79 feet. The flagpole itself was 282 feet in height. The U.S.A. Pavilion had
an Apollo capsule which read “we came in peace for all mankind”.
We had lunch one day at a floating McDonald's Restaurant. Several sharp-dressed
Royal Canadian Mounted Police were there. They seemed like good ambassadors as
they posed for photos.
Who wouldn't be impressed with The Gold of Peru museum? The Costa Rica exhibit
featured palm trees, blue water
and lush green rain-forest. Wow, I think I will have to
visit there in the future. We saw several terracotta statues in the China pavilion. Over
8,000 of these terracotta soldiers were buried with the first Emperor of China... more
than 2200 years ago. They were not discovered until 1974. Amazing! There were about
10 pavilions featuring Asia and Pacific countries. They all look so inviting.
We were able to visit 45 of the pavilions and exhibits. Plus there were rides on the
monorail and Sky Train. Most interesting to me was the Million Dollar Coin. This
display highlighted the historic importance of coins and currency around the world. The
giant coin measured over 36 inches in diameter and weighed about 255 pounds. It was
certified to contain over one million dollars worth of gold. And it is believed to be the
largest gold coin ever made. This has been my favorite of the past three Worlds Fairs.
August 28, 1986 (Thursday)
Joe wanted to go back a 4
th day and especially see the Canadian pavilion. I had seen
about all I needed
1438456665_58c676ff46_z
Swatch... from Switzerland. to. I drove him from our apartment down to the Expo 86 location. We
passed a billboard that touted “Vancouver's World's Fair: Don't Miss It For The World”.
He said I could drive his car for the day.
My first stop was the B.C. Ferries terminal. Joe and I are taking a ferry boat ride
tomorrow. I wanted to locate the place so I would not get lost. I then visited Stanley
Park. I was in love with all the totem poles. I drove past playgrounds and picnic tables
until reaching the beach. The 17 mile long Seawall was impressive. There are paths
marked for bicycles, joggers and walkers. There are hundreds of folks out today...
getting their exercise! 17 miles of trails through cedar, fir and hemlock trees makes me
want to visit here for a week, on my next trip. And I'm pleased to see one of my favorites
sights: a lighthouse.
I've picked up a brochure for the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park. Located just
north of Vancouver, it stands in a temperate rain forest. The Native name means
“beautiful river”. First built in
1889, the bridge is 230 feet above the Capilano River
below. First Nations tribes added their totem poles here in 1935. In fact, this park
houses North America's largest collection of totem (or story) poles. The bridge over the
river was rebuilt in 1956 and measures 450 feet in length. And just 5 minutes away was
the Cleveland Dam.
I saw a nearby sign about a hatchery. It was a short little walk. I went to see the
Capilano River Hatchery. It has been in operation since 1971 and stocks steelhead, coho
and chinook salmon for the Burrard Inlet region of British Columbia. Over one million
salmon are released each year! I now know more about salmon than I did yesterday.
I've been interested in lighthouses for a long time. Not far up the coast is Point
Atkinson Lighthouse. A wooden lighthouse was built on this site in 1874. It was
replaced in 1914 with a reinforced concrete structure. It stands at a height of 60 feet,
while the foghorn can be heard 10 miles away. There's a nice little hike in the woods
from the parking
IMG_7324
Thosakan statue. lot. It seemed like about half a mile. As the sun began to set in the
Pacific, I just sat on one of the large rocks. There was such a beautiful pink hue in the
western sky! It was gorgeous.
The moon was rising in the opposite direction. I was totally at peace, as I had time to
contemplate my upcoming marriage. With the sun totally out of view, it was pretty dark
as I headed back through the lonely woods.
I arrived at the Worlds Fair site and picked up Joe. We had to tell each other about the
fun stuff we saw and did.
August 29, 1986 (Friday)
We checked out of our apartment this morning and planned our next adventure. We
will visit Stanley Park. We parked and walked around. I was most interested in watching
two Native Indians working on and sculpting a new totem pole. What craftsman! The
totem symbols represent family lineage and often historical and mythical incidents. This
is such a lovely place... with the blue waters close by.
I give Joe good directions as we drive
to the B C Ferries site at Horseshoe Bay. Joe
has reservations for us to go to Vancouver Island. He drives the car aboard and we settle
in for a 30 nautical mile ferry boat ride. It took right at 100 minutes to dock in Nanaimo,
which is on Vancouver Island. Most of the passengers will drive south to Victoria. The
gorgeous Butchart Gardens just might be the most beautiful gardens in Canada. I made a
quick phone call to Mobile and talked to Janet.
It is time for me to drive and we will go north on Hwy. 19. After a lunch of salmon
in Campbell River, we're on our way again. There is not much traffic going north today.
We see several signs warning us about deer crossings. After dark, we slow down... being
cautious. And I did see two deer.
Right at 10 p.m. we reach Port Hardy. It is a fairly small town. There are about four
hotels / inns here. We had not made reservations in advance. And none of them have
vacancies. Where will we sleep tonight? There are not many options.
We had been
roommates while selling books as college students in Ohio and Indiana 10 years ago.
Okay, we will sleep in the car! It's not like we haven't done this before. It was after
midnight when we drove to the Ferry Terminal and got in line behind three other
automobiles. It was not a comfortable nights sleep in his Chevrolet, but we survived.
August 30, 1986 (Saturday)
At 6 a.m. We drive into the great underbelly of the boat called Queen of the North. It
can hold 750 passengers and 157 vehicles. The brochure touts: Sail the Magnificent
Inside Passage. We have booked a cabin for this 9-hour ferry boat ride. So, one car and
one cabin costs $70. After taking our luggage to the cabin, we go to the restaurant. This
is buffet style. Such a nice variety. And look at all that salmon! Large picture windows
lets us take in the wild and beautiful scenery! Next, its back to our cabin for several
hours of sleep.
The ferry boat will take us up the Canadian coastline. We pass by hundreds of islands
today. Most all are uninhabited. But we do see a few fishing / hunting cabins. Thousands
of years ago, the Ice Age sculpted and carved the Inside Passage. Mountainous wilder-
ness stretches steeply as far as the eye can see. Forests abound and we do see a few
waterfalls. 100+ lounge chairs are on the chilly deck... offering magnificent views!
About 5 p.m. we reach our destination, which is Prince Rupert. There is a sign which
reads: Prince Rupert – Where Canada's Wilderness Begins. We luck out and find a room
for the night, above a bar. It could be a long and loud night.
After World War II, the fishing industry and forestry became the city's major
industries. Prince Rupert is known as the Halibut Capital of the World. That made it easy
for my choice for supper tonight... halibut. I'm impressed by several murals on the
downtown buildings.
August 31, 1986 (Sunday)
We are ready to hit the road early this morning. We leave one of Canada's wettest
cities and drive away on Hwy. 16. It seemed like we followed
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Totem poles at Stanley Park in Vancouver, BC. by the Skeena River for a
few hours. As we turn onto Hwy. 37, by a small store is a sign: “North To Alaska...
Stewart, BC; Hyder, AK and Bear Glacier”. At Meziadin Junction we turn west towards
Stewart. This stretch of Hwy. 37-A is known as the Glacier Highway. We stop at Bear
Glacier Park. I'm so excited to see my first glacier!! This is a gleaming sapphire; one of
the few blue glaciers in the world with easy access. There are about 20 glaciers and ice-
fields on this stretch of road. These snow capped mountains are gorgeous! It was fun,
and oh so cool, to hold a chunk of ice that had broken off.
We enter Stewart, British Columbia. This is Canada's most northerly ice free port. It
began as a gold and silver mining town at the head of the Portland Canal. 10,000 people
lived here in 1910. Today, it is less than 500. The town was built on the backs of
pioneers and has retained much of its frontier history.
Hello Alaska! I have wanted to come here for 13 years. My father
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Queen of the North ferry boat ride through the inside passage from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert. went to Fairbanks
in 1973 for his 2-week Air National Guard summer camp. Joe and I enter Hyder. A Coast
Guard facility closed many years ago. And with a population of around 80 people, this is
known as the “Friendliest Ghost Town in Alaska”! Joe took a few pictures of me as I
stood on the border: one foot in Canada and the other in our 49
th state.
There are no roads going to other Alaskan towns or cities. Hyder is essentially a de
facto Canadian town. All the utilities come from Stewart. What surprised me the most
is that Canadian currency and $ is preferred over the American dollar bill. After lunch,
we bought some fudge to go. Did not stay long as there's just not a whole lot here
anymore.
We back-tracked on Hwy. 37-A and 37 until we reached Hwy. 16. The scenery along
the way was snow capped mountains, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and green forests. It was
stunning! That took us into the city of Prince George. Lots of miles on Joe's car today.
After we had checked into a hotel room, we
grabbed dinner. Yes, more delicious salmon.
September 1, 1986 (Monday)
After leaving this morning there is plenty of driving ahead of us. After 3+ hours, we
pass the entrance to Mount Robson Provincial Park. This has one of the highest points in
the Canadian Rockies, at close to 13,000 feet. The First Nations (Native) name for this
meant “striped mountain”. The snow capped summit is visible for miles. Awesome!!
The Rearguard Falls here mark the upper limit of the 800 mile migration of salmon from
the Pacific Ocean.
We leave Super Natural British Columbia and enter the province of Alberta – Wild
Rose Country. Up ahead is Jasper National Park. This is one of four National Parks and
three Provincial Parks that make up a U.N. World Heritage Site. How do you see every-
thing here? We will take the Sky Tram to the upper station. There's a cute wooden bear
holding a sign for us: “Jasper Tramway”. There's a narrated 7 minute ride where we
take in beautiful vista views. This was opened in 1964.
Now that we're here, we going to hike
to the summit. All we see is snow and rocks as
we continue our climb up, up and up. After reaching the top, we take a few pictures for
posterity. These 360 degree panoramic views are unforgettable! I can see for miles and
miles and miles. A small sign on a concrete marker reads “ Congratulations – you have
ascended the summit of The Whistlers, 7956 feet above sea level. Here you may record
your ascent – a tradition among mountaineers – both to mark your achievement and to
inform those who come after you”. We were proud of our success. Hiking back down to
the tram station, I was surprised to see a chipmunk.
As we leave Jasper, Joe tells me its anacronym: Just Another Small Place Extracting
Revenue. Thanks, Joe. Continuing south, we pass through the Columbia Icefields. This
is the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies. The area receives 23 feet of new snowfall
each year. Covering 89 square miles, it reaches a depth of 1200 feet.
We stop at Athabasca Falls with its 79 foot drop. It is a Class-5 waterfall on the
Athabasca River. The river and falls are fed with water flowing from the Columbia
Icefield glaciers, snowmelt from surrounding mountains and rainwater. Formed during
the last glaciation period, melting ice-water poured over the cliff and carved a path
through the softer limestone below. The shocking volume of water rushing over the falls
every second shapes the intriguing curves and lines of the canyon. It is such a powerful
and picturesque waterfall.
We continue along Icefields Parkway, which is almost parallel with the Continental
Divide. This is like driving on the backbone of the North American continent. This
stretch of road between Jasper and Lake Louise is dotted with more than 100 ancient
glaciers, cascading waterfalls, dramatic rock spires and emerald lakes set in sweeping
valleys of thick pine and larch forests.
Our next adventure will be a trip to the Athabasca Glacier. It is the most visited
glacier in North America. Across the road at the Discovery Center we purchase tickets.
In here are several very old photos from the 1800s showing this glacier. Now there are
small markers showing “The glacier was here in” 1908...
IMG_7319
My first trip to Alaska! 1925, etc The glacier is
retreating about 16 feet yearly. We'll take a snow coach (bus) ride up to the Ice Explorer.
These buses have huge tires, about 5-feet in height. This is helpful with the steep grade
of the gravel road. When the bus stops, us tourists go out upon a glacier!!! There are
plenty of red colored signs, with attached string, marking the area boundary. And that is
where tiny streams of melted snow and ice were washing downhill. Be very cautious as
there are dangerous crevices out here. Yes, hidden crevasses have led to the deaths of
many unprepared tourists.
When our glacier walk concluded, we drove across the road and parked. There is a
paved walking trail which took us to the “toe” of the glacier. The route was a little wet
and slushy... with lots of potholes. Water drains continuously. At the very edge, I ducked
under the ice... just a few feet off the ground. For a moment I was “under” the glacier!
What a thrill! Dangerous?? I did not think about that.
Our journey continues southward as we cross into
Banff National Park. The day
comes to a close as we reach Banff. Joe had another anacronym for Banff: Beware
Americans – Nothing For Free. Thanks, Joe. We found a hotel and walk one block to a
restaurant. It has been a wonderful day.
August 2, 1986 (Tuesday)
We're up early today and check out before 8 a.m. We will drive north on Highway 1,
known as Trans Canada Highway, until we reach Lake Louise. From the brochures I've
seen, this might be the most spectacular scenery in the Canadian Rockies. We park near
the Fairmont Chateau. Lake Louise is a glacial lake. Meltwaters from six glaciers at the
head of this valley feed the lake. The glaciers here grind the rock beneath them into a fine powder, called rock flour. Meltwaters wash this powder into the lake. The silty water
absorbs all colors of incoming light- except the striking turquoise and vivid blue. There
are several people on the lake in canoes.
Let's go hiking! There are several thousand beautiful flowers in these impressive
Chateau gardens. We shall take the Lakeshore Trail. The wide
path is literally right next
to the lake. It is almost flat, with only one slight incline. Benches along the route were a
nice touch. It is about 1.5 miles to the turn-around. We marvel at the majestic glacier
views. Awesome!!! Lake Louise is known as the hiking capital of the world. The
“reflections” photos are stunning.
We have a little time to visit the Fairmont Chateau. It was first opened to the public in
1888. With 768 rooms, it is called the Castle in the Rockies. We see a few souvenir shops
and grab a snack. Stepping out onto a back balcony, I see a moose in the woods. I do
walk to the edge of the woods, but the moose is now out of sight.
We're on the road again and drive back through Banff. On the outskirts of Calgary, we
see construction on the upcoming 1988 Winter Olympics site. Three different ski jumps
look mostly completed. In about 18 months, we'll be watching the Olympics.
We stop in the city of Lethbridge for a late lunch. There are signs directing people to
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo
Jump. That an interesting name. Maybe another time. We say
good-bye to Alberta as we reach the Montana state line. Driving on I-15 our destination
is in Great Falls. Arriving at Joe's apartment, bedtime comes early tonight.
September 3, 1986 (Wednesday)
It's time for an early start and we drive through the capital city of Helena. Later, in
southern Montana, we enter the Madison River Earthquake Area. A devastating 7.5
magnitude earthquake struck just outside Yellowstone on October 17, 1959. The
fractured mountainside generated an avalanche on unsuspecting campers. 28 people
lost their lives due to the chaos from tidal waves from the Madison River, debris from the
flooding, hurricane force winds, landslides and crashing boulders. A memorial plaque has
been placed on a huge dolomite boulder. This is the final resting place for 19 persons
who died in a landslide.
Now, we reach Yellowstone National Park. This was designated as the world's first
national park in 1872. Joe has made reservations for two nights. We are staying at the
Old Faithful Inn. Built in 1903 – 1904 with local logs and stone, this
inn is considered
the largest log structure in the world! In the lobby is a massive four-sided fireplace. I
loved the rustic architecture in the six-story high lobby.
After settling into our room, we went out to check the “schedule” for the next Old
Faithful eruption. Within 15 minutes we were thrilled to see the geyser shooting steam
and water 100+ feet into the air! We read that this cone geyser erupts, faithfully, every 35
to 120 minutes for roughly 2 – 4 minutes. And it reaches a height of 90 – 180 feet.
We head back inside the lodge for dinner. Then wander around the lobby area. There
is a balcony we need to explore. Lots of seats up here... just right for viewing another
Old Faithful geyser eruption. It has been a glorious day.
September 4, 1986 (Thursday)
With a 7:00 wake-up call, breakfast comes early today. There is a huge national park
out there and we're gonna see as much as we can. And why is northwestern Wyoming so
amazing? More than 10,000 hydrothermal features are found here! This includes
IMG_7316
We reached the summit. more
than 500 geysers. Whenever there is a scenic view pullout, we're going to stop. There's
Steamboat Geyser, Fountain Geyser, Beehive Geyser, mud-pots, vents, canyons, a pretty
bird called Clark's nutcracker, rivers, Beryl Spring, Emerald Spring, and my favorite:
Grand Prismatic Spring. Measuring 250 x 300 feet, this is the largest hot springs in the
country. The rainbow like colors are created by various bacteria that live in the mineral
rich waters.
In a sprawling meadow we are mesmerized by 3-4 dozen buffalo. Of course we have
to get close up to the Upper Falls and then the Lower Falls at Artist Point in the Grand
Canyon of Yellowstone. We marvel at the Dragon's Mouth Spring, hiking trails along-
side the Madison River, watching some fly-fishermen casting for trout, travertine terraces
at Mammoth Hot Springs, Liberty Cap, a few elk in the historic district, then a lunch
break.
We visit a Petrified Tree which has been there for about 50 million years. We pass a
Phantom Lake, and then finally see a black bear! Joe and I cross over the Continental
Divide. We stop to
see a huge glacial boulder and a couple of fumaroles. Driving around
Yellowstone Lake was such a visual treat, especially snow-capped mountain peaks in the
distance. I liked the name... West Thumb. It was a little thought provoking to know that
we are driving on / over a caldera or super-volcano. It will erupt again one day. But no
geologists know when. And it is dark as we return to Old Faithful Inn for dinner. What a
day!
September 5, 1986 (Friday)
After breakfast, we enjoy seeing the Old Faithful geyser erupt for the 6th time.
Surprise! It has snowed overnight. We exit the park into West Yellowstone, Montana
before driving north. Joe and I still have lots to talk about as we go through Helena and
eventually reach Great Falls. This wonderful trip was everything I hoped and thought it
would be. I'll be getting a good rest this evening.
September 6, 1986 (Saturday)
Joe drives me to the airport in Great Falls and we said good-bye. Yes, it is chilly
enough that I sure need my jacket... 42 degrees. Don't
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Columbia Icefields. know when I'll see my fraternity
“big brother” again. There is a short flight to Billings. A few passengers exit... and a few
passengers board. And we did not even leave the plane. Then we are flying down to
Denver. I love seeing the Rocky Mountains come into view.
Ninty minutes later and the flight leaves for New Orleans, LA. Janet is waiting for me
as I arrive in the Big Easy. Hot and humid!!! 94 degrees! I think I'm the only one here in
long sleeves and a jacket. Wow, I've got lots and lots to talk about. It was certainly an
amazing adventure but I'm glad to be back home. Life is good!
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