Mush Mush in Juneau

It was raining dogs and dogs in Juneau. No cats...this is truly dog country.

We headed to the Juneau Ice Fields where a summer dog camp is set up. These dogs are bred to run and they need 10 miles a day to stay fit and healthy. Rob and I are flying in to help cover some of those miles.

The dogs are led by voice commands only. They are smart, strong and love a cuddle AFTER they have had a run. Beforehand, they are just chomping at the bit to get going and they are full of beans.

Such a terrific experience in a beautiful place.

Approaching the dog camp

King of his Igloo...he's upset as he wasn't picked for mushing

Unless you are the lead dog, the view is the same for the next 10 miles!!

On the run

Eva and Jason...our next door neighbours on the boat

It's no Iditarod but it is fun...

Me in the driver's seat (err stand)

Heading back to Juneau - such beauty

Choppers ahead!!

Juneau - only accessible by sea or air.

Thanks to the folk at Era Helicopters for making it all happen X

Zipping through Skagway

This is a true case of 'what was I thinking'.

After arriving in Haines, Rob asks 'what tour are we booked on?'.

'Ziplining' I advise.

So off we trek to meet the guide. Haines is pretty but colder than I could have believed possible with a mighty wind roaring through. We hop onto a ferry to Skagway and choose to sit inside (unusual for us). At Skagway, three very nice young men from the Alaska Mountaineering Guides meet us. We are sheparded onto a school bus. The guides keep us amused with stories of the Klondike Gold Rush as we are on the Klondike Highway and only 20 miles from the Canadian border. We arrive at the place of torture.

So the nice young men kit us out (more hat hair) and off we go to do the rope course. I'm thinking 'rope course' like knot tying. Oh no. It's one of those extreme obstacle courses except it is amongst the tree tops.

I look at my nice young guide and ask him if he is on crack. He wants to cross a bridge missing half it's bearers, an indiana jones rope thing and a long plank. I'm like NO BLOODY WAY. He is very much "you can do it"

I want to push his smiling face off the perch. That would be murder so I decide to do it...that is only suicide and they cannot jail you for that. I get to the next tree top perch and am hugging the trunk shaking like a leaf. Rob follows me, looks at me and says "From now on, I am going to take more of an interest in the tours you book us on"

Rope course over, we make like mountain goats and climb the mountain so we can zip down.

After which, I told smiley guide to drop me in town as I needed two things...a pair of woollen socks and a beer.

The School Bus

Rob while he is still happy

Hat Hair!!!

Rob on the indiana jones torture device

Rob walking the plank

The one I considered tossing off the perch

It's OVER!!

Recovery drink at the Red Onion (originally a brothel)

Nice art

Eyes straight ahead!!

Port of Haines

Wiseman under the Midnight Sun

It’s easy to relax and just soak up the spectacular scenery in Alaska. It is easy to forget that this vast country is built on the sweat of men and women who are exceptionally skilled at survival. I wanted to try and see a piece of real Alaska.

So, we caught a plane to Coldfoot. Why Coldfoot? Because it is about 55 miles north of the Artic Circle (66 degrees 33 minutes north latitude). This is pretty much what Coldfoot looks like:

 

Notice the slushiness? That’s breakup. The water doesn’t soak in as it’s perma-frost. Mozzies breed like mad up there. I tried to catch a couple so I could put a saddle on them and have a ride but they can be elusive buggers.

We left Coldfoot air strip and caught a ride to visit Jack Reakoff in a small town called Wiseman. There are a half a dozen families living in Wiseman and a total of 3 kids including Jack’s daughter Suvi. Jack is everything I imagined a born and bred Alaskan would be…except better. He understands his country and lives in tune with the wilderness. He farms in the long summers and grows enough potatoes and turnips to get him through winter. He also grows a few zucchini and tomatoes for sport. In winter, he traps for fur. He hunts for meat. Yet he shows great respect and understanding of the native animals in the area. He’d rather face a grizzly than a moose…and he thinks little of visiting hunters who kill only for antlers and leave the meat to rot. He explained the hardship of the Alaskan winters and yet made it sound like a small piece of heaven. It’s all about being prepared.

There is nothing in Wiseman except the people and the land. No services like town water or power.  No school. No shops. No petrol station. No hospital. Nothing. But the skills of people like Jack and raw beauty.

Best thing I have done in Alaska…visiting Wiseman. And I will go back in winter as Jack assures me it is the best place to see the Aurora. Just got to get Rob used to the idea but hey, at least there won’t be any mozzies.

Jack Reakoff of Wiseman

Harry Leonard's cabin...he lived here until the age of 93.

Harry Leonard is the guy pictured.

One of the original huts in Wiseman. It's slowly sinking.

Inside Harry's hut...our boat has more room.

Imagine pooping in here at -80F

Our ride to Coldfoot...the State Trooper's plane is the blue one

Wiseman

The Trans Alaskan pipeline and bridge crossing the Yukon...the white buildings are one of the 11 pump stations along the pipeline that pressurise or de-pressurise the oil as it moves along the line

This is the pipeline which runs from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez...800 miles. It's elevated over the permafrost and as the oil is hot, the mounts have special gas cooling so as not to melt anything. If  the pipeline was underground, it would melt the permafrost and sink. Not to mention the damage to the environment. Quite an engineering feat.

Las Anchorage

I am not being rude...most Alaskans live in Anchorage and those that don't think that those that do are city slickers.

Not like any I have have seen. This is one weird city. But in a good way. Las Anchorage is totally unique.

First night, we arrive at the Captain Cook Hotel at 1am and it’s light. So we check in and head to a bar. The Pioneer Bar.

They check my I.D.

I am so in love with this place. I must look under 21. Rob’s very much into the why’s and wherefore’s and I am “Rob, I am 56 tomorrow and someone asked to check my ID!!!!!!!!!!”

My birthday. My rules. My interpretation.

The next day, I am not so good. But Rob has made bookings at the Crow’s Nest. Anchorage’s premier eating spot.

Oh so impressive. But weird. Starters are entrees, entrees are mains and you never have your salad with your entrée. 

Thank god for wine. Even if it is Californian.

View from Crow's Nest over Knik Arm over the Cook Inlet

Downtown Anchorage at about 10pm

Sheer Beauty. Full of Salmon

Mush

So...Rob and I want to go dog sledding....this is our practice run.

Who is driving??

Which is why I am a drinking...

Jamaica and the old Woman

I caught a bug in Anchorage and it laid me flat for a few days. Then I came good and Rob went down like a sack of spuds. We had booked an ATV tour of Stampede Ridge and whatnots so Rob decided to sleep it out whilst I went alone.

Up I trot to the main lodge and hop on the bus to Black Diamond. There were about 20 people and I thought “Goody, I won’t be on my lonesome ownsome on this ATV tour”.

We arrive at said destination and are greeted by three guides. A lovely young lady pops on board and asks all those going on the back country chuck wagon tour to please follow her. Half the bus leaves. Then a middle aged fit gent alights and asks those going on the side by side tour to please follow him. The other half of the bus leaves. So on pops Jamaica, young, very fit and cute guy…he looks at me and sighs. I can see him thinking “great, I am a stuck with da old woman.”

Off I trot after young Jamaica. He makes me sign my life away on a bunch of indemnity forms. I just sign and he cautions me. “Ma’am, you should be a readin’ those” he sings songs. I do my ‘Meh shoulder shrug ‘and brace myself for the inevitably boring safety video. You get the picture…DON’T DO DIS…DON’T DO DAT…but we want you to have a great time.

Finally we are ready. Jamaica hands me a pair of gloves. Fair enough. Then a pair of goggles. Well…OK. Then a bloody helmet.

“I am NOT wearing that!!” I assure him.

“But Ma’am” he says “you must. It is da rules.”

I give him a lecture on hat hair. Truly, he wants old woman, I am going to give it to him by the bucket load. We finally compromise. No photos of me in a helmet. It must be black to match my outfit and I want one of those half ones. NO FULL FACE.

Negotiations over and we head to the machines. I assure him I have never driven one of these, listen to his rules and regulations (follow me, follow me, follow me) and take off.

These things are FUN. So, he’s going like really slow…we head up and down a few little tracks and I spy a steep hill with a nice plateau. Up I go. I remembered to lean forward and blah blah blah. On the top…I sit and enjoy the view. After a few minutes, Jamaica follows me up the hill.

“Ma’am” he sing songs “you are meant to follow me.”

Ha ha ha ha ha. What a laugh. Who followed who?

I ended up dirty, dusty and I laughed and laughed. Poor Jamaica made sure he kept the ride interesting after that. And we made friends. He told me about his life in Jamaica as a student of Industrial Engineering. He comes to Alaska each summer to earn money for school and to have adventure (with old ladies). I noticed one of his shoes had a loose sole. And I really had an overwhelming feeling of being so blessed.

NO HELMET

So, if you ever venture into the wilds of Denali, go see Jamaica (Eavan) at Black Diamond. Tell him the old woman from PNG sent you.

Jamaica...cute huh??

Wolf prints in a river bed (so Jamaica says but it's probably just his pup)

Racing off to the ridge

Beauty everywhere...like New Zealand!!

The draft horses with the chuck wagon

Some guy built this cabin over one summer. No power...no water...no roads. Jamaica said it went up in one summer...built on perma-frost. This owner must love hunting or fishing coz that's it. Pretty flash for a cabin in the middle of nowhere.

Stoned Cabbie....

We have a full day to explore Ohau!! My must see's are Pearl Harbour, Scared Falls and a list of beach bars. How are we going to fit all that in? We take a helicopter. In PNG, they call them a 'mixmaster bilong Jesus'. 

Waikiki

It's a great way to travel...and the only way to see the Sacred Falls as no one is allowed to hike there anymore as some trampers got themselves killed. The country is rugged and really beautiful. 

The Arizona Memorial and the Missouri. Note the diesel still leaking out of the Arizona.

Sacred Falls

So after the sightseeing is complete, we wander to the Beach Bar at Waikiki. Great place to people watch for sure. Just watch out for the selfie sticks as they are everywhere!! We had a great time and ended up at Dukes. After which, we were a little too happy to face the walk home. No worries...we'll catch a cab.

Another selfie stick!!

Dukes on Waikiki Beach

I am absolutely sure the cab driver was stoned. He reminded me of Tommy Chong. He couldn't remember which Hotel we wanted to go to so he took us to the wrong one. Twice. Eventually, we got home and I nearly kissed the ground.

All in all, an excellent day.