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Traveling is great, but so is coming home. I am dirty inside and out. Too many bugs in Idaho and Utah. The drive went well, little traffic in most places, just wind, wind and more wind. Lots of flooding in Colorado, but the roads we needed were open.

Home Sweet Home

Sugar

Rawlins, WY

Don't get to excited. This KOA has nice showers etc but is right on the highway. But it is what we were expecting

Almost Home,

Sugar

Twin Falls, ID

Words for the day: WIND and construction. The wind was exhausting plus very little sleep last night. We went from using the heater in AK to not cooling off in Pendelton until 2 am or so.

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Pendelton, Oregon

We are in Pendelton, Oregon and at 5:00 it is 97. Feels to hot for sure. The good thing about this KOA is a Burger, Hot Dog BBQ tonight. Saves all of us from cooking when it is so warm.

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Leaving Alaska For Now

Sandy and Jim met their new friends from Juneau. Paula and Charles met us at the Rookery Coffee Shop. A great picture was taken. We liked the Rookery. It has been fun knowing someone from the area.

On another note, Sandy was out for a walk before getting on the ferry. The walk was near the downtown area. Sandy was asked were the Salvation Army store is located. Which was just a couple of blocks away. What made this question kinda neat was that the couple asking for directions thought Sandy looked like she lived in Juneau. When Jim and Sandy travel they always try to dress and behave like they are not traveling. They attempt to blend in with the local population when walking. That is impossible when driving with CO plates in AK. No cameras around the neck and no cheaply made plastic rain coats, after all this is a rain forest. They also try to pronounce words correctly. So success on that front.

I will be getting on the ferry soon,

Sugar

Getting Ready

Tomorrow is September 10 so we will be having a big chore day. The ferry leaves Juneau on September 11 around 4 pm for Bellingham, WA. On Saturday we will begin the drive from WA to CO. Hope there will be a blog entry tomorrow, but that depends on time. We have done so many things on this journey that began on May 8. A recap of the fun times will be done once we get home to CO. A great trip to begin the next journey of retirement or NO MORE WORK RESPONSIBILITIES for Jim and Sandy.

If you don't hear from us it is because we are traveling. Sometimes we won't have Internet connections.

Sugar

Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei Trail or the River Trail

September 9 - Jim and Sandy took their morning walk around the campground. Then they took their bikes to the hike planned for yesterday. It was pretty wet yesterday and lack of sleep kept this trail on the list to do. This trail goes from across from the campground on River Road to Egan Road at Brotherhood Bridge. This was a great hike and at the foot bridge Montana Creek entered the Mendenhall River.

A bear was sighted on this hike.

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More About Last Night and the Storm

This campground sits on the Mendenhall Lake which is fed by the glacier, with the Mendenhall River also cutting through. Luckily we are far camped far enough away from the water. The rain last night started after 10 pm and stopped about 2 am. The lake has risen at least 10 feet or more since yesterday. Jim saw a search and rescue boat bring someone in. This boat is almost at the road there should be a beach and some trail area that are now covered with water.

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Sunday Morning

I got drenched and Sandy and Jim got no sleep. Big rain and wind storm all night long. I am talking heavy rain and intense wind. Woke up this morning and it looks pretty calm now. The weather looks like more may be in its way.

Trying to Dry Out,

Sugar

A Bear

September 7 at about 7 pm a small black bear walked across the road just a few feet up from our site. No good pictures though as we did not want to follow him and due to his size we weren't sure if there was a mother bear in the area too.

So, those signs warning us of bears in the area are to be followed. Not to worry we keep our camp site clean at all times.

Fun,

Sugar

Walks in the Rain

September 6 and 7

Lots of walks in the rain. Today is Saturday we will do some chores and get a quick dinner out. Then back to the camp site until Tuesday morning. Then it will be a chore day again to get ready for the ferry trip on Wednesday. Our journey is coming to a close in just a few days. The weather is calling for a clearer day Monday so the plan is to drive out to the Shrine again.

Enjoying the rain,

Sugar

A Day of Exploring

Today Jim and Sandy took a bike ride around the different neighborhoods near this campground. The trail for tomorrow was found too. They had a good time. After their ride they packed me up and off we went exploring. First we drove down Mendenhall Peninsula on Engineer Cut Off and Fritz Cove Road. It was a pretty ride but the few places with public beach access were pretty overgrown, unmarked and had little or no parking. Next we drove to the Auk Lake Trail. This trail goes about 1 mile out and then back along the lake. It was a great hike and I got to park in the trees overlooking Auk Lake. Last we stopped at Nugget Mall. Very small one hallway of stores.

Enjoying Juneau,

Sugar

A Beautiful Rainy Day in the Tongass Rain Forest

Wednesday, September 4. We leave Alaska on the ferry in one week. Since it is a rainy day and we went out yesterday we have decided to stay around the camp site. Lots of walks in the rain are on the schedule for today.

More pictures of the glacier,

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Mendenhall Glacier

After Jim and Sandy took a morning bike ride I was packed up and got to park at the Glacier. I was able to hear the water fall and watch the cruisers wait for their shuttles back to their ships. Jim and Sandy took some great hikes and took lots of pictures.

Had a fun day,

Sugar

Mendenhall Campground

September 1 We moved to the campground. This is a great site with electric. Now that it is getting colder and the sun sets earlier it is nice to have. Plus a little heat in rainy days is nice too.
My view is of trees and heavy undergrowth. A beautiful place.

September 2 I hung out here at the camp site while first Jim and Sandy took a morning bike ride. In the afternoon they took the West Side of the glacier trail. Tomorrow is the visitor center and the trails around that side.

We have been soaking up the sunshine after a few days of rain,

Sugar

Shrine 3

The Shrine 2

more

The Shrine 1

Great place, very special.

The Shrine of St Therese - Friday to Sunday September 1

I hung out in the wooded lot while Sandy and Jim spent two nights at The Shrine. The lodging was at the Post Office Cabin. There is a lot of history behind how this was built, why and how it is currently maintained. The lodging is run somewhat like a hostel, in that the space must be left cleaned up and ready for the next guest. The doors are not locked and there is no checking in or out. Sandy had made the reservations previous to the visit.

Jim and Sandy spent this time reflecting, enjoying the quiet of nature and the extremely special place. It rained off and on while they were at the Shrine so the pictures show a typical Alaskan late summer.

Sunday was spent cleaning up the cabin and then attending Sunday Mass at the Shrine.

At a campground, Internet too slow for pictures,

Sugar

Friday August 30

While I hung out in the parking lot of the Marine Research Institute, Jim and Sandy had a good tour. This research is primarily about fish and marine life all over the country but primarily Alaska. It is all based on scientific experiments.

Slow Internet,

Sugar

Juneau August 30

After Jim and Sandy had a great bagel at Silver Bow we headed to the Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute for a tour. Then off to The Shrine of St Therese for a few nights stay. We may not have Internet for a few days, so pictures to come later.

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Juneau August 29

Today will be chore day in preparation for the last part of our journey. Here are a few pictures of Mendenhall Glacier taken on one of our feed trips to or from Juneau.

Enjoy
Sugar

More about Whittier

The ferry was to leave at 11:45 PM but left about 1 hour late. There was a lot of heavy construction equipment to move and semi trailers too. One of the construction vehicles was actually moved slowly due to people helping it move, it was obviously needing some repairs. it made for a long wait.

More pictures,

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Whittier to Juneau

After a one hour or so drive I again has the "pleasure" or thrill of going back through the Anton Memorial Tunnel. Whittier was enjoying a clear day and some great view pictures were taken by Sandy. Whittier is a smaller than small town with a haunted and spooky building that once housed the Army. It has been abounded for years because there is no way to get the old asbestos filled items out of the town. The only access is the tunnel or by boat.

Some pictures of Whittier,

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Fireweed

There are many wild flowers around, but this will be about fireweed. It blooms around mid June, depending on where you are. In August the flowers move to the top of the stem. When the flowers are gone summer is coming to an end. We stopped seeing the flowers about 1 week ago. Then the Fireweed begins to seed and gets fuzzy.

Pictures of Fireweed,

Sugar

Renfros

Today us our last full day on the Kenai Penninsula. The sun is shining but a bit like fall. A few more pictures.

Tomorrow we go back to Whittier and through the tunnel. Then on the ferry until Wednesday afternoon.

More travels,

Sugar

Renfros Lakeside Retreat

On August 23 until Monday August 26 we will be at Renfros RV Park. Just a few minutes walk to Kenai Lake. This lake is really big as we are about 60 minutes away and 20 miles from Seward.
We have all enjoyed two days of SUN. This means my insides finally dried out and Jim and Sandy are soaking up the sunlight.

On Monday we will be back on the ferry towards Juneau. Arriving in Juneau on August 28.

Caught up for now,

Sugar

Last full Day at Quartz Creek

August 22 - Rained heavy again most of the day. Since last week there has been 1 sunny day on Tuesday and the rest were pretty wet. That is Alaska.

Quartz Creek is one of many creeks that salmon go to spawn. After spawning they die.These salmon change from a silver color to red and green, with a hooked mouth. Both male and female go through this change.

Pictures of the spawning salmon,

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