It’s is always a hoot to fly around Alaska on the little planes. Two planes for me today. Did I ever show my ID? No. Did I have anything X-rayed or inspected? No. Did I have to wear a mask? No. Did anyone wear a mask? No. But they did weigh my stuff. (Still 15 pounds). The planes don’t leave on time. They leave when all the passengers arrive. And when the pilot wants to.
Not roaring overjoyed with Sitka at this instant. It is cold and rainy and bereft of places to eat. But my room over the saloon is fine. It has a microwave and fridge so I can always Lean Cuisine it if I don’t find a suitable place to eat.
This is the kinda town it is. But the flowers are fantastic
It is impossible to complain about the weather. Or anything for that matter. A piece of one of my teeth sort of flaked off this morning. But, I choose to believe, that it isn’t serious. Because, what can I do? It’s not like they have dentists up here. Will make an appointment to see the dentist when I return, eat carefully, and hope for the best. It’s not an age related problem. I have had teeth crap out all over the world for the last 50 years.
Went for a last stroll around Yukutania Point.Caught some rays at Pullen creek. In a month I could have caught a salmon.And, I checked out today’s FREE stuff.
leaving early tomorrow morning for Sitka by way of Juneau on a tiny plane. The question remains, am I going to go to the solstice party 2 miles outside of town or not? It’s the 2mile walk home after more than a couple of beers.
And why wouldn’t you put snowmobiles on top a shipping container?
The Little old lady traveler is taking the day off today. This is about the halfway point in my travels. And it is cool and cloudy today. An excellent day for lounging around and reading. and for doing a little laundry. So no big adventures today. No hikes. Just a little stroll around town.
My landlady‘s veggie garden. This is sort of the beginning of the growing season here in Skagway. By August everything will be huge.Some people have chickens. Chickens in very sturdy coops Because this is Alaska. There are bears. Foxes. Eagles. And this year lynx Everybody is really excited about the lynx and hopes that it sticks around. And find a mate. I have only seen videos of the lynx. Oh, and speaking of huge. This is a small rhubarb plant. But I selected it by the power pole so you have some idea how bag it really is. They are almost weeds. They have rhubarb everything here. Even rhubarb margaritas. I have not tried one. I like my rhubarb in pies thank you very much.This is from yesterday‘s hike. It is a marsh Marigold. It’s a little too early in the season for lots of wildflowers.Still all matter of free stuff on the curbsides. I stopped in on some very old friends this afternoon.
It is prime rib night at the restaurant that’s open tonight. But, I am thinking about a salad. Apparently they grow their own greens on the roof. Which if it is true is great. Bet the will not be any avocado in the salad.
Repeat after me. There’s nobody here. It’s wonderful.
Had a marvelous day today. I left my little old lady comfort zone and went for a real hike around Lower Dewey Lake.
I had cell coverage the entire way. And gps. I didn’t see any one after I started looping around the lake. It was great. When we get old we start thinking that we can’t do stuff. What if I fall, says the brain? Listen to your body says the yoga teacher. Be afraid. Be very afraid says the asylum. Well. Screw that shit. This little “moderate” hike was a DIY one day Outward Bound course.
And I got a couples of great lake shots.
Lower Dewey Lake
This is totally Skagway
DIY Dental repair kit and dental pain killers right at eye level in the grocery.
By 5pm I was more than ready for an unfashionably early dinner at the brewery, where I had great fish tacos and maybe one too many beers. All the while enjoying the end of a great day in Alaska in the summer.
Today’s so called hike was to Lower Reid Falls. It was splendid. You don’t really see it until you are right on it. It’s about two miles from where I am staying. Most of the hike was on the sidewalk. Which brings up today’s mystery.
Sidewalks
Why does Skagway have such great sidewalks? Guess it’s the same reason that Hawai’i has an Interstate highway. Three of them actually.
You can not get rid of stuff in Skagway. Anything. Cars, water heaters, washing machines, old clothes, building materials. Anything. So all manner of stuff ends up in yards.
I got a great sweater off one of these FREE piles years ago.
I should feel guilty about staying inside on a fine warm sunny summer evening. But, I am old. Cheese, crackers, dried cherries, and coffee for dinner and I will read a book until I fall asleep. Grateful that I can still travel albeit at a much slower pace.
I believe this raven lives in a big cedar across the street. He/she has a lot to say. The Tlingit people to whom this land belongs are from the Raven clan. The raven is responsible for the order of the universe. I would say we need more ravens to whip us humans into shape.
Cloudy, damp, cool day today but I needed some rest. So it’s all good. Zoom yoga today. And a small walk for lunch. Grilled cheese and a flat white at the Glacial Coffee House, a fine establishment.
Glacial Coffee House
And, I may even make it out for dinner tonight. But not at the coffee shop. It closes at 1:30. Dinner will have to be at a saloon. I can do that.
This house is seriously endangered by lilac bushes.Today’s Mountain View.Lots of interest in gardening.Too bad you can not grow your own avocado. That’s the price for one avocado.Recycling
These used to be stuck together and they were housing for summer workers. They have been sawed up and are going to be put on a barge and off the will go to become tiny houses. If they survive the process.
Big thanks to whoever parked the vintage red truck. Today was another glorious day. 65 and sunny. So I was out enjoying it. Tomorrow morning it could be damp and chilly. In fact it’s clouding up now. It’s 6:30.
Big event of the morning was breakfast after my easy hike. Basically the same hike as yesterday. I figure that “easy” is age appropriate for me.
Now that’s a lot of dogs.
I ran into this mess of dogs along the way. Wonder if they were visiting a friend in the “Pet Cemetery”? Skagway doesn’t seem like the kinda town that would have a dog walking service. But this lady had a dozen dogs. Well mannered dogs, I might add.
Since it was still nice this afternoon I headed out again. This time to the docks.
The railroad dock.
My phone keeps telling me about storms and flooding in falls church. Doesn’t it know that I am in Skagway.? That it is in Skagway? And that I live on the 11th floor when I am in falls church?
Carlton’s favorite Skagway sign.
Carlton said that this sign told him all he needed to know about when to get to Skagway and when to get out.
Lilac bushes are HUGE in Skagway.
Nothing open for dinner tonight so I had cheese, crackers, dried cherries for dinner. Planning on yogurt and cookies for a bedtime snack. Kinda my normal travel eating is to get most of my daily calories in at breakfast. Then snack my way through the rest of the day.
After 3 days arrived in a cold and windy Skagway yesterday afternoon. .
But, it’s Alaska. Why shouldn’t it be cold. I head out in quest of my lodgings. What if it’s not there? What if it’s awful? What’s Plan B? Plan B was to race back to the ferry. But no worries lodging was found and it’s great.
Skagway is almost a ghost town.
There are a lot more shops than there were 20 years ago. The park service has restored more buildings. But there’s no people.
Fund raising street party.
Well, there are some people. Enough to have a small town “go fund me” event for some deserving soul. It was sponsored by the local brewery. The barbecue and beers were good but I was cold. Back to my room and bed. By the way sunset is at about 10:30 and it comes up at about 3:30.
Ham Stack at The Sweet Tooth
After a modest 5,000 calorie breakfast, I head out on a little hike. Fortunately, I have trained on the Asylum Wilderness Trail!
Cemetery seems to be the theme here
I pick Cemetery. I run into a few people and dogs. I believe in the scheme of hikes, this would be considered easy. But it was enough for me.
We are still in Canadian waters and and there is a bit of cell service. And I have a great travel plan, so a little update
I seem to have been upgraded. I was expecting a tiny room with a port hole. I got a tiny room with 2 large picture windows. The crew walks around outside my windows. But I decided not to worry about them. Just to change clothes in the smallest bathroom on the planet.
Critter report as of 8am – 2 pods of dolphin and 1 small whale.
We hit open ocean in a couple of hours. Hoping for smooth seas. There’s 3 chunks of open ocean along the way. Thinking about that is what Carlton called “wreckage of the future”.
The ferry is running at 25 percent capacity which makes for a very fine experience. Capacity goes to 100 percent next week.
The Matanuska as seen from my hotel at the 7am today.
The elderly Blue Canoe arrived on schedule. It’s about 400 feet long by my guess. I plan on reading, people watching, critter watching and deck walking. Will be able to get off for a couple of hours on Friday evening. There are several patches of open ocean to contend with. I volunteered for this adventure. Pretty sure I’ll be happy to land on dry land in Skagway on Saturday afternoon.
The Village Inn is excellent. Comfy bed to sleep in. Sofa to nap on. And a chair to curl up in and look out the window. Plus adequate coffee and muffins in the morning.
A walk in the woods
Limited my walking to 3 miles today. And I chose a path away from the water. I will be having 3 days of nothing but water starting tomorrow afternoon.
I am guessing that this structure is some sort of salmon ladder.
another great weather day. Warm in the sun. Cool in the shade. Fluffy white clouds. Pretty near perfect.
Went to my regular Zoom Yoga class today That’s one of the good things from last year. Zoom yoga. Work from home. Virtual doctor visits.
Need to get organized for the transfer to the ferry. The ferry dock is about a mile away. Sailing at 6pm but boarding several hours earlier.
One more evening in Bellingham and one ice cream joint that I haven’t tried. Yet. I will fix that soon.
It has been a fine sunny day. I walked about 7.25 miles and am rather tired.
No critter sightings today except sea gulls and geese. Many of the shops and restaurants are closed on Monday and Tuesday. I find that rather charming. It’s not that there are no people in town. There seem to be as many people out and about as there were yesterday. I suppose that there is a McDonald’s and a Target out near the Interstate that’s open 7 days a week, but the locally owned businesses seem to be pretty much 5 days a week. And great pride seems to be taken in buying local.
Picture time.
I am trying hard to slow down. Stop with my Energizer Bunny approach to life.We need one of these next to The Asylum.It’s not all restored.I love alleywaysYou know I like wall art. And rocket ships.Yes, this guy was out for a swim.
I think I will go out now and get some ice cream and a hit of espresso.
