life in the old lane

Have wifi at ths instant, outside Savoy MT. So doing the blog. It takes all day to get across Montana.

Very seriously considering not going back to The Asylum. Got passport and plastic. The Asylum is chocked full of covid.

Just before “all aboard” time for train 8 to Chicago they announced the coach car was broken SO the we were leaving the coach passengers behind.

You never know about cell service, so, I will finish up while I still have bars.
 

This male sea lion weighs over 1,500 pounds. But the gulls were fearless about stealing fish out of his mouth.

Tomorrow morning I catch the bus to Seattle where I catch the train to Chicago where I catch the train to DC where I metro and bus it to the Asylum where a raging outbreak of Covid is underway. What’s wrong with this plan? Didn’t I catch Noro at the Asylum in February? Did I not learn anything?

I think that Japadog has actually turned into a franchise. But, this is the mothership.

Haven’t a clue what to do tomorrow. Nobody’s promised tomorrow. But if I win another day, I’ll figure out something to do with it.

It’s a gray and cloudy day. Good weather for a last day. Anthem of the Sea has over 4,000 passengers and it is scurrying back to Seattle for another load. 7 days. Seattle to Skagway and back.

A good time to reflect on my packing choices. I didn’t wear the gym shorts, yet. 2 short sleeve and 2 long sleeve shirts would have been enough. I had 3 of each. Didn’t miss gloves or anything thing warm-ish. As usual, I took too much stuff from the bathroom. Mostly for “just in case”. I have a quart plastic bag of “just in case”. Tooth brush, toothpaste, dental repair kit, comb, deodorant, 2 bandages. That’s enough. Oh yeah, and the prescription meds. I might do better next time but I doubt it.

Docking at 8am tomorrow. I am in the last off group, which is fine since I doubt that the YWCA has early check-in. But, you never know.

My zodiac departure time was 0705 hours. I wasn’t planning on going. But it was a postcard perfect morning. And old Carlton got into my head with shut up suit up show up.

My personal adventure today was slipping in a puddle and rather gracefully landing on my butt. I was taking my exercise laps on the top deck. I decided that I was exercised enough for one day. I took a nap instead of finishing up my laps.

Sea Day tomorrow. Also packing day. 2 sleeps on the ship. 2 sleeps in Vancouver. 3 sleeps on the train. Then back at the Asylum. The Asylum is having a Covid outbreak. Wreckage of the future.

This morning I tackled Mt. Dewey. Yes, tackled. At my age, a half-mile boardwalk/staircase trail is a mountain. The views from the top? Lovely. Trees, water, boats…

Feeling bold (and still upright), I even followed the spur trail. It climbs just a bit higher, but enough to remind you that knees don’t last forever. I didn’t see any mountain goats up there—just a few other hikers, none of whom congratulated me with a medal. (Rude.)

After a graceful descent (meaning: I didn’t fall), I turned my attention to Wrangell’s geological bling: garnets.

Seven miles north of town lies Garnet Ledge, home to Wrangell’s famous almandine garnets. These deep red stones were once mined by Alaska’s first all-women–owned mining company—seriously badass. Today, mining rights belong to the children of Wrangell, who sell the garnets as part summer job, part tradition, and part small-town magic.

I met one such young entrepreneur—a polite, well-informed kid with a bag of rocks. He showed me various garnets, explained the difference between “in the rock” and “busted out,” and sold me a nice round one.

In town, the garnets are quite literally underfoot. The sidewalks are speckled with garnet schist, making the streets twinkle if the sun cooperates. Locals call them Alaskan rubies. They won’t make you rich, but they’ll absolutely make you smile.

I find myself exhausted. 16,716 steps and 7.57 miles will do that to you  at 80+

Gratitude

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Damn grateful to be able to do 7.57 miles. I did take 3 ibuprofen with dinner!

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Since I am tired, I asked ChatGPT to retell one of my favorite Sitka stories.

Sitka, Alaska — Where Even the Volcano Has a Sense of Humor

Back in 1974, Sitka pulled off what might be the best April Fools’ prank in Alaska history—and possibly anywhere. Locals awoke to find black smoke pouring out of Mount Edgecumbe, the friendly dormant volcano that normally just sits there minding its own business across the water.

Naturally, people assumed it had decided to un-dormant itself.

Turns out, it wasn’t Mother Nature acting up—it was a guy named “Porky” Bickar, who chartered a helicopter, flew 70 old tires into the crater, and lit them on fire. He even spray-painted a giant “APRIL FOOL” in the snow, just in case anyone missed the punchline. The Coast Guard scrambled a chopper. The town held its breath. Porky? He just sat back and enjoyed the show.

No lava. No ash. Just a well-cooked joke with a side of rubber smoke. Welcome to Sitka, where the scenery is gorgeous and the pranks are legendary.

Oh yeah, I bought a pair of earrings. Gotta support the local economy.

Up and about early this morning because my zodiac time starts at 0830.

Next lunch. Then enjoy the rest of the sun.

It has been a glorious day.

 

I don’t think yesterday went as Hurtigruten had hoped. I suspect that two of the early days were for the SERIOUS bird people. And then there were two days for the land mammal people. We did see bears on tsunami day near Katmai. But yesterday was supposed to be Kodiak bears and moose.

Our zodiac group saw: one generic red fox. One sea otter. One deer. Another generic red fox and two eagles. A seal. Oh and a dead jellyfish. We were to last group out and our boat driver said we saw more than any of the earlier groups. I got everyone one our boat to get off talking about how many bears we saw.

Tomorrow we will be zodiacing around IcyBay. Which may or may not be icy. About 10 years ago, icy bay had a huge tsunami 300+ feet. No one was hurt. Nothing was damaged. No one even knew it happened until it registered on some device in Boston. Tsunamis love bays.

Saturday is IcyBay. Sunday is Sitka. I am pretty sure we can get off the boat there. I enjoyed Sitka greatly when I was there 3 years ago. But the voyage is winding down. All too soon it will be Wednesday and we’ll be heading to Vancouver.

I am sure that the captain woke more than a few folks up this morning at 7am when he came on the PA to announce the evacuation. It was rumored to be an appendix problem.

In good time we are underway to Uyak Bay, Kodiak Island. I hoped we would dock in exciting downtown Kodiak. But no. We are on the lee side of the island once again confined to the Zodiacs. My zodiac time is on hour from now.

Uyak Bay is not uninhabited. It seem to have some commercial fishing activity.

Tomorrow is a sea day. Then another zodiac only day. Then we will be in the south eastern Alaska normal tourist zone.

Like yesterday, today we have zodiac rides but no landings.

Unlike yesterday I decide that I must go on one of the trips. So, at 9am, I am bouncing along on Geographic Bay, Katmai NP.

Back on the ship, I am grateful to Patagonia because I am dry. Not everyone in the Zodiac was. I decided to pass on the late afternoon zodiac trek. Looking for bears.

But soon, the captain says there’s a tsunami alert and we must get to deeper waters asap.

Any how, apparently no significant tsunami action, so we are underway again. I think it’s Kodiak tomorrow. Maybe we can go ashore.