Coach journeys

Thank goodness, hurricane Ernesto lost strength and was downgraded on its way through Central FL to a tropical storm and then to a tropical depression when it neared us. It also went out to the Atlantic, south east of us.

We had several benefits from the storm. First, we got much needed rain. Second, I have my hurricane provisions up to date and did not have to use them yesterday - water, Gatoraid!, boxed milk, 3 days non perishable foods, ice, batteries, gas in the car!, etc. It was a scare, however, it provided an opportunity for a trial run for any future 2006 storms.

We are getting back to "real" life and remembering our awesome trip to Alaska, including the drive through history and America and Canada on the way up and back. I learned so much about Lewis and Clark, pioneers and settlements of the west and elsewhere along the way, gold and mining areas, wildlife, dinosaurs, geography, building the Alcan highway, northern lights.

We listened to a lot of audio books! We especially loved

Marley and me

. I would recommend this best seller to anyone interested in dogs, esp Labs. and how a dog fits into the family (or not in this case!!).

Another fabulous audio CD we enjoyed is my fellow Colby classmate, Doris Kearns Goodwin's,

Team of Rivals

. It is about the candidates for the primary event and the candidates running with Lincoln. It tells how the victorious (and unexpected winner) Lincoln incorporates them into his team. I learned a LOT about the Civil War in addition to Lincoln's presidency.

I also picked up the audio CD of

Undaunted Courage

by Stephen Ambrose. This is a favorite book of mine and the CD was available at Fort Mandan, ND (near Bismarck)where Lewis $ Clark spent their first winter. We were listening as we drove near the area they traversed that year.

The sled dogs patrol the park in the winter. In the summer they give demos 3 times a day.

Blue flowers everywhere! I seemed to have not posted most of the time in Skagway on June 12 and the next few days around Whitehorse, Yukon. Here I will post Skagway, Miles Canyon, and Frank Turner's Mukluk Kennel dogs. Still to come from here, Beringia museum, Carcross Crossing and Carcross Desert, the smallest desert in the world, and some Funky figures on the way to the hot springs outside of Whitehorse.
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SS Klondike, old steamship used to get to Goldrush in 1898. This is restored and part of the National Park in Whitehorse, YT
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Sheep, too!
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Musk Ox at McBride museum, Whitehorse, YT.
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Another photo of Miles Canyon, Whitehorse.
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A few of the float planes at Miles Canyon, Whitehorse, YT
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Elk at the McBride musem in Whitehorse.
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Sample of the drills rented by the Klondikers. Seen here at the McBride museum in Whitehorse, Yukon
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A sample cache used to store lots of things from the snow and animals or theives. The Klondikers would store their stuff in caches when they went back for more.
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Old photo of the tram around Miles Canyon. THis is from the McBride museum in whitehorse
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Miles Canyon in Whitehorse. This was a tough spot on the klondike gold rush path because of rapids. They have been controlled now, with a dam. You can see the foot path where portage was made around them.
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Mukluk kennels in Whitehorse, Yukon. Frank Turner's dogs. Frank has run in every Yukon Quest and this year 2006, after the race, he announced his retirement. Frank was out of town, but his wife Ann showed us the dogs and the kennel. The Yukon Quest is billed as the world's toughest sled dog race. It alternates years from Whitehorse to Fairbanks or the other way.
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Frank Turner's kennel and one of his Yukon Quest dogs. Whitehorse, Mukluk Kennels.
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Frank and Ann Turners dogs
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Mural is Skagway of a gold miner (Klondiker) panning for gold.
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Here is the WhitePass RR. These are some more Skagway pictures from our June 12, 2006 visit.
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Alias Soapy Smith, the notorius Skagway villian during the gold rush days.
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