Exit Glacier -- Seward, Alaska

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The BEST THING was getting to be so close to the glacier and getting to touch it. Part of why this was the best was you could feel how solid the glacier ice is. It's so hard that when I tried to throw a piece against a rock, it just bounced off!

At the end of the glacier there was a big area full of gravelly stuff (till) that had been left there when the glacier retreated. It had streams running through it from glacial melt. To get to the foot of the glacier, there wasn't a trail for the last quarter mile. We had to walk across the gravel and ford the streams--yes, our feet got wet!

Kenai Fjords Glacier Cruise -- Seward, Alaska

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If you're ever in Seward, Alaska, you should take one of the Glacier Cruises. When you're on the boat, ride for at least a little bit of the time at the front (bow) if you are allowed. I liked riding up front because it felt like you could see around better. You could also feel that the boat was moving--you didn't have to look around to see it. Some of the negatives of being up front are that the wind blows so hard it makes your hair go crazy and that when the boat hits waves you get drenched in spray!

While we were on the boat, we got to see some whales, both orcas and a humpback whale. The humpback whale was coming up, blowing a spurt of water in the air, then taking a breath and going back down. We saw the spray and then the tail as it dove. We saw the fins on the back of the orcas, and we also got to see them jump out of the water a couple of times!

The Signpost Forest -- Watson Lake, Yukon

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The sign post forest is a spot that all families should go to. Inside the info center there is a small museum about the building of the Alaska Highway and the Yukon. When we went into the museum we had a little fun looking at the things in there. These included a couple of dioramas, and a number of billboards with a bunch of information on the Yukon and the highway.

Another fun part was looking at the signs and seeing all the places people came from. We saw a lot of plates from Oregon and other spots. There were license plates, wooden boards with writing on them, and a number of city limit signs. There was a plastic bottle with a note inside, nailed to one of the signposts. There were a couple of toilet seats, two spots where we saw ONE boot (not related to each other!), a smooshed soccer ball and a couple of other weird things!

We put up our own signs for The ROCK (Middle Bass Island), a license plate from Denver, and a small thing about James. If you have a sign, you can go into the visitor's center and they will let you borrow a hammer and some nails.

Every family should come here and look at the signs!

The Signpost Forest -- Watson Lake, Yukon

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Of all the things that we did there, the BEST THING of all was thinking up our own signs. What made this the best was that even though we had help, we got to choose and stick up our own things for our signs.

I found that sitting around and staying so long was probably the MOST BORING. Part of why it was so boring was because there wasn't very much to do other than walk around and look at signs and play pretend which I don't always want to do.

FAMILIES should definitely come here and you have to bring and put up your own sign. If you don't have one, you can get wood from the hardware store to make one.

Canada Olympic Park (Calgary AB)

BEST: Seeing a real bobsled track, even though there was no-one on it.

WORST: Being there in between the seasons and not being able to do any of the activities.

(Plans) Alaskan Pipeline

Didja know my dad helped to design the oil pipeline which carries crude oil from northern alaska down to shipping in the south? So, I have two, count 'em TWO, generations of family who have involvement in Alaska!

We plan to learn more about the pipeline and take photos beside it (or under it!) There is a visitor center just outside of Fairbanks. http://fairbanks-alaska.com/trans-alaska-pipeline.htm

We can also tour Pump Station No. 9 near Delta Junction and see where the pipeline crosses the Tanana River just north of that town.

We'll let you know what we learn!

(Plans) Denali National Park, Alaska

We are HOPING for a clear view of Mt. McKinley while we are in the area. (Apparently that is somewhat rare in the summer because the mountain creates its own weather and is usually shrouded with clouds...)

We plan to spend a few days (July 3rd through 5th) here in this park. I'm hesitant to schedule a long-day tour bus trip through the park. So, we will just see what we can on the free shuttle buses which travel up to 15 miles into the park. We also plan to see a Dog Sled demonstration (maybe then my family will better understand my fascination with the Iditarod race??!!) While we are here, Anna will gather one more Junior Ranger badge.

For more information about this park which holds the highest mountain in North America: http://www.nps.gov/dena/

(Plans) Hurricane Turn Train -- Talkeetna AK

Didja know there is still a "flag-stop train" that makes regular runs? This is the only way trappers and people living in remote cabins in central Alaska can get to their homes. They take this train out of Talkeetna. When they want to catch it for a return to "civilization," they just flag the train down with a large square of white material!!

I loved some of the rules and regulations---which included that dogs (for sleds or hunting) must be caged for the trip and stipulated that all carcasses must be already butchered and wrapped up in a proper bag!! Yep! It's another "Toto, we aren't in Kansas anymore" experience!

We plan to take the 5 hour roundtrip train trip on July 2nd to see more of the remote areas of Alaska. It would be fun to get off the train and flag it down to get back to the start...but I'm not sure we are THAT adventuresome!! We'll let you know!

More information: http://www.akrr.com/arrc127.html

(Plans) Homer AK

We plan to be in Homer Alaska for a full week of R&R (June 9th through June 16th). There are many laid-back things to do here...and we plan to be as laid-back as possible! There is window-shopping at art galleries and boutiques along the "spit." There are fishermen to watch. There is fresh caught halibut to try...okay, maybe Randy and Nettie will try it! We can try clamming and exploring tide pools along the beach. We hope to have dinner and get to know Jill's cousin Amy better while we are here. If we get desperate for museums, there are two for us to check out:

The Pratt Museum has indoor and outdoor exhibits about life in the Homer area: www.prattmuseum.org

There is also a good place to learn more about the ocean and land environments of the area at the Islands and Oceans Visitor Center www.islandsandocean.org
They apparently have special programs for kids throughout the summer---maybe we will be organized enough to check these out as well?!

(Plans) Kenai Fjords Tours -- Seward AK

All of us are excited about this tour (scheduled for May 6th). It is the "splurge" of the summer. It's not cheap...but we hope it is well worth the price! (As always, we will let you know!) We will take a 5 hour tour along Resurrection Bay---with the hopes of seeing whales and of seeing glaciers "calve" off icebergs. This tour also includes a stop on shore for a park ranger talk and for an all-u-can-eat salmon & prime rib lunch!

For more information: www.kenaifjords.com (see the description of the "Resurrection Bay Tour")

(Plans) Glennallen AK

We will be staying 3 nights in Glennallen Alaska. It will be high time for a rest break by now! We won't have finished the entire length of the Alaskan Highway...but we will finish the last few 10s of miles when we leave Alaska from Fairbanks headed back to the lower 48 sometime in mid-July.

We will be staying at a campground with (supposed) stream-side RV sites, plus a short walk to its very own bubbling mudpot spring. (Maybe a small substitute for Yellowstone National Park which was still snowed in when we left Wyoming on May 1st!!)