North! to Alaska

Last week we cruised Alaska's Inside Passage with my parents. We had been planning the trip since December, and it finally happened. We sailed on the Golden Princess, round trip from Seattle. My parents had a suite at the back of the ship, and we had a stateroom right next to theirs. Our balconies had a doorway between them, so we could move easily back and forth between the two rooms. Here are the highlights.

Day 1 - Seattle

Rick and I from Boise, Mom and Dad from Wichita, flew to Seattle and were on the ship around noon. From our balcony we had a very nice view of downtown Seattle.

Day 2 - At Sea

We were at sea all day. It was a day of exploring the ship, reading, eating, and sleeping. It was really REALLY windy.

That night was our first of two formal dinner nights. It was the first time my parents had seen Rick in a tie. He looked fantastic, we all agreed.

Day 3 - Juneau

We arrived in Juneau around noon. The mountains rise straight up from the water, so the town is crowded and the streets are steep. We would have ridden the Mt. Roberts Tramway for a view of the area, but it was overcast that day and raining a little. Instead we headed into town for some shopping.

We climbed five blocks up steep Franklin St. to find this Russian Orthodox Church.

Day 4 - Skagway

I had been planning the day in Skagway for several months. We had heard it's a good idea to rent a car here and drive into Canada. So I called ahead and rented a minivan from local Sourdough rental company. We had the entire day to spend here. It was a beautiful sunny day, hot by the afternoon. We picked up the van at 8am when the shop opened. Then we headed out of town in order to beat the tour buses. Just outside of town we started to climb up, up the Klondike Highway toward White Pass. At times we paralleled the scenic railroad. At all moments the scenes were spectacular. There was so much water - waterfalls, pools, lakes - everywhere! We crossed into British Columbia and then into the Yukon Territory. The landscape changed dramatically from lush rain forest at Skagway, to the strangest land I have ever seen - like another planet - near the Yukon border, to high and dry mountains at Carcross, Y.T.

I'm going to post a lot of photos now - this place was so beautiful.

A map of our journey: Skagway to Carcross. We drove on the yellow road. The black is the railroad track.

Tutshi Lake, B.C.

A lake at Carcross. We bought some great stuff here - really warm hats from the general store, and some earrings from a jewelry store run by a native woman. When I asked her to explain the meaning of the Inukshuk symbol, she told me it was the symbol of the 2010 winter Olympics. When I asked her what it meant before that, she said "Where are you from?" Clearly, I was not from the Yukon else I would know. She then handed me a card explaining the inukshuk is a stone, man-shaped figure built by ancient trackers to help guide people in the wilderness. Just north of Carcross we turned around after stopping for lunch at the Cinnamon Cache, where a sign instructed "Get Your Buns In Here." The cinnamon rolls were great, but the $7 soup was not.

The strangest, and most awesome, landscape.

Back in Skagway.

Leaving Skagway, the sunset seemed to last forever.

Day 5 - Tracy Arm Fjord

We were supposed to sail to the end of Tracy Arm Fjord to see a glacier. But the weather had been warm causing icebergs to calve off the glacier and fill our passage way with dangerous ice. So we didn't make it. Still, the fjord was pretty. The photos don't do the blue icebergs justice.

Day 6 - Ketchikan

Ketchikan was probably my favorite port town. I overheard someone talking about Creek Street, so I found it in my Alaska guide book. Just a few blocks from the pier, most of the cruise passengers did not find this place. We loved it.

That night we had our second formal dinner.

Day 7 - Victoria, B.C.

Our last stop was Victoria, British Columbia. We didn't arrive until 7pm, so we just had the evening to stroll around town. We grabbed a cab and headed for the Empress hotel, stopped for a drink in the Bengal Lounge, and then walked along Government Street. Quite a change of pace from the small Alaskan coastal villages.

We arrived back in Seattle early the next morning and were off the ship by 10am. Rick and I had an easy trip back to Boise, but my parents had a journey that took all day. It was hard on them, but they made it.

Once again, an adventure has been documented. This was a different kind of adventure, one filled with much relaxation and definitely too much eating. But the sights we saw were fantastic, and the time spent with family was, well of course, priceless.

Memorial Weekend Adventure

It started around 8:45 am on Saturday morning. Dan and Ellisea arrived with Banty (their Red Poodle), and a few minutes later Kurt arrived on his dual-purpose motorcycle. We were almost finished loading the truck. Dan and Rick had been planning this trip for weeks, talking about it for months - maybe even a year. We would ride the Idaho Centennial Trail into Jarbidge, NV.

According to Wikipedia, "The Idaho Centennial Trail (ICT) route is along existing trails and primitive roads. Hikers typically start at the southern trailhead near Murphy Hot Springs on the Idaho-Nevada border in early June when snow levels are starting to recede and travel northward through high desert with the goal of entering higher country before the heat of summer sets in. As thru-hikers approach the Sawtooth Mountains the snows have receded enough by mid-July to allow for easier and safer travel. The end of the trail at the Idaho-British Columbia border must then be reached before the snows of late September/early October."

We drove to Bruneau, ID, and then continued south and parked the truck at the East Fork Crossing, unloaded our bikes, set off on the road to Bruneau Canyon, and then found the Centennial. We rode about 70 miles to get to Jarbidge. Lisea drove the truck on the main (dirt) road.

It was NOT a sunny day. Ominous clouds threatened our path with thunder and lightening, and eventually we encountered rain. The black sky and green mountains with lingering snow caps along with the numerous lightening strikes provided a bold contrast.

The trail became very muddy. It was no problem for our 4-wheeler or Dan's dirt bike (other than being wet, cold, and muddy.) But Kurt's dual-purpose was struggling. At the very end with ~300 ft. to go before good road, he had to stop and dig the mud out because his wheel was locked up.



But it was a true adventure.

We found Elisea and Banty 2 miles south of Murphy Hot Springs at the Jarbidge Forks with beer and snacks - a welcomed company and feast. This is one of the most remote places in the lower 48.

The remaining 13 miles were spectacular. The road wound along side the Jarbidge River, remarkable rock formations on the hillsides above. I was in awe.

Around 4:30 we reached our "hotel" in Jarbidge - a barn with small rooms and a community bathroom. It was so good to take a hot shower and change into dry clothes. We filled up at the Sinclair and headed to The Outdoor Inn bar/restaurant for dinner - prime rib - and a live band afterward. The place was packed with locals and tourists, most of them filling the dance floor at every song.

According to Wikipedia, "Gold was discovered near Jarbidge in 1909, making it one of the last gold rush towns in the American West. The town's population swelled to around 1,200 in 1911, but afterwards began a slow decline. Mining operations ceased in the area in 1932. Recent estimates put the town's full-time population at less than 20. Today much of the Jarbidge's economy derives from its reputation as a rustic tourist destination. The name "Jarbidge" originates from the Nez Perce word "Jahabich," which means "devil." This was the Nez Perce name for the nearby mountains." A local lodge claims Jarbidge comes from the the Nez Perce word "Tsawhabitts" - a fearsome giant "they believed he stalked them with the same cunning they used to hunt their own game!"

The next morning we headed out after breakfast back at the Outdoor Inn (our only choice, but a good one.) Sunday was sunny, and I took the opportunity to photograph the rock formations. We took the main road back, and were at the truck in about 2 hours.

We said goodbye to Kurt, Ellisea, and Dan, and headed for part 2 of our adventure - the Bruneau Canyon. This is where Rick and I got engaged on September 16, 2006. It would be our first trip back. Ellisea outfitted us with a wine-picnic care package complete with opener, glasses, smoked salmon, cheese, crackers, and napkins! It was such a thoughtful gift, and it made for a delightful time in the tent when the thunderstorm came in late afternoon.

After the rain cleared, we spent the evening scouting for new places to camp. The Bruneau Canyon is a popular place, despite its remoteness, since it makes a good launch site for rafters. It also gets very hot and shade is scarce. Rick and I found a new place we'll camp next time. It's right near some cedars and has easy access to the river. Here we are on the bank. The next photo shows Rick surrounded by poison ivy. The third is the confluence of the Jarbidge and Bruneau rivers.

We headed out Monday morning and were home by mid-afternoon. Our gear was dustier than it has ever been. The dust penetrated the zippers on our bags and coated everything.

But it was a true adventure.

A Beagle in Boise

Mom and Dad came for a visit last weekend. Of course the beagle, little Susie Cute, came too. We were so happy to have them all here.

It turns out Susie has grown quite a bit since I first met her at Easter. And she is also quite a biter. All of us had bled by the end of the weekend. Rick decided it was better to wear heavy gloves when handling the beagle.

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Our friends Dan and Ellisea came for dinner on Friday night. I just love this photo of Dan and Susie.

On Saturday we drove to Leslie Gulch in search of the wild flowers that weren't there in April. Well they weren't there in May either. But the rock formations were still spectacular, and we enjoyed showing the area to my parents.

We spent a lot of time on the deck. It was the best place for smoking cigars, drinking gin, and for keeping Susie entertained. She loved watching the people and dogs passing by on the bike path behind our house.

We did manage to fit in 9 holes of golf. Rick beat us this time, but we all had fun.

I know it seems like the weekend was all about the beagle, and let's be honest - it was. But seriously, I absolutely love spending time with my parents, and I am so glad they are willing to drive all the way from Kansas to Idaho to see me.

Shuford-Black Wedding

On May 9 we were in Reno for my nephew Brian's wedding. He married Candi Black at the Peppermill casino. Rick and I drove to Reno on Friday for the wedding and spent the weekend with my sister, Linda, and her husband, Alex (aka Pepi).

The first highlight was seeing my new great nephew - Jenny and Tim's baby boy, Gavin Michael. Here is Gavin with his mom and grandma.

Of course the main event was the wedding. The chapel was decorated so nicely, the ceremony was short and very sweet, and the dinner/reception was fantastic.

We had so much fun at the reception. I caught Linda and Pepi taking pictures of themselves.

Candi's dress was beautiful. Here is the happy couple at the end of a long wedding day.

Grasmere

We probably should have gone to the Riggins Rodeo with Ben and Laura this weekend, but instead we headed south to check out our (hopefully) California Big Horn hunt area. It turned out to be too muddy, so we went over near Grasmere instead. This is a place we have camped before. We fondly refer to it as the "burning wood" place. This time we camped up on a high flat with an incredible view (and an incredible wind.) The red circle on the horizon is our camp. If you look closely you can see our white trailer.

The best part about camping here is the Sheep Cr. canyon. Here are views in both directions.

We also had fun checking out an old homestead. We found some old rusty farm equipment...and a marble.
We're getting pretty good at making moon pies. Ham and cheddar for dinner; apple pie for dessert.

Ben & Laura

Ben and Laura Lopez came for dinner Thursday night. I know Ben from when he worked at HP back in 2005. Now both he and his wife work at BP in Houston. We had a great time hearing their stories about their work industry, training, and international travel. It was so good to see them both again.