Chapter 11,    2 Sept   2015.    Some may say "Where has he gone?  Others say "Oh No, He's back.
A lot of time has gone by very quickly and a lot has happened.
I left with us spending the night at the airport near Glenallen Ak. The next morning, 12th Aug, we are flying to Ellen's cousin's place in Wrangell-Elias National Park for a few days of roughing it smoothly on Fireweed Mountain.  Their summer place and guest house are "off the grid" but not to say without electricity.  Since our visit 3 years ago, they now have full time electricity with only 3 large solar panels.  Almost like home, except for the outhouse part.  We enjoyed the visit immensely especially the flight to a remote high mountain valley with lake for a day of picking wild blueberry's. The next day
 we had our first meal of wild Dall Sheep at Dorn's brother's camp, thanks to the successful hunt by Dorn's nephew and his friend.  Thank you Dorn and Roni for the hospitality.
Our time in Alaska was fast coming to a close.  We traveled to Tok and on to the Canada border.  The 250 miles down to Whitehorse then onto the Cassier highway south to Steward, BC and Hyder, Ak. We stayed in Steward and went to Hyder because there is a elevated boardwalk to see the bears catch the salmon in the stream.  The first day there were no bears to be seen.  The next morning we were there bright and early, but still no bears. Not easily discouraged we returned late afternoon and soon a black bear arrived but didn't stay very long.  An hour later a large female grizzly came and put on a wonderful show splashing up and down the creek catching salmon.
Leaving Steward early, we stopped for breakfast at a work camp kitchen.  After feeding all the residents, i.e., loggers, construction workers,  of the work camp, that live in temporary quarters on site, they open the eating area to the general public.  My pancakes were good but Ellen's eggs benedict left room for improvement.  Thinking about it, real loggers and construction men don't eat eggs benedict.
We stopped in Terrace BC because in that area the spirit bear might be seen.  We day tripped  to Kitimat but no spirit bear, just some huge Sitka spruce.  One was over 40 feet around and over 500 years old.  The next day we drove to see the huge lava field from a volcano that erupted 200 years ago. Some places the lava was 100 feet deep.  Still looking for the spirit bear, we drove toward Gingoix and Laxgatis'ap.  Where do they get the names for these towns?  En route,  at a Y in the road, we turned onto a dirt road and continued another 75 miles. At the end we turned around and came back and no spirit bears to be found, just a lot of dirt and mud on the truck.  I might add a spirit bear is a rare white bear having special powers to the native people and both parent bears must have the recessive white gene.  I think they should also be called phantom bears.
We went south from Prince George down the Cariboo Highway, an old gold mining trail and stopped in Quesnel for the night.  There we learn of  Barkerville, a productive gold mining town in 1865.  It has been reborn as a living history village of gold mining with people in period costumes.  We spent the day and didn't get to see it all but did get the better part done. Some interesting facts on China town of gold mine towns were they didn't want to associate with the Europeans or the other way around.  There was a funny skit at the abandoned gold mine looking for investors to reopen it.  All the audience were asked where they were from, to which the actor would embellish the big money from their hometown in 1865.  When he found some people from England, Germany and best of all Switzerland, obviously bankers were in attendance.  People actually had tears coming down their cheeks due to his carrying on. So if you are ever in Quesnel, go to Barkerville and spend the day in a real gold mine town.
Highway 97 in BC is a very scenic drive, lots of tall pines and many towns have wonderful flowers, especially their hanging baskets.  In fact all of BC is scenic with high mountains along TransCanada #1
and especially through Canada's Glacier National Park.  We had quite a lot of rain along that area so we didn't stop very often but we're not complaining because they certainly need it because of the fires.
We entered the U.S. at the farthest NorthWest crossing in Montana.  We stayed in the Kootenai National Forest along route 37 which runs along a huge lake and is one of the most scenic valleys we've ever driven through.  We are now staying in Libby, Mt and are exploring the area.  Tonight we saw about 50 mountain sheep, mostly ewes and kids but there were 3 huge rams.  We also saw lots of deer and turkeys too.
I'll sign off from Big Sky country, Libby, Montana, on route 2, the first major U.S. highway to go coast to coast, Maine to Washington.
Steve

View while flying into Dorn & Roni's summer place

Camp in sight and aligning up on runway

Guest house and main house with solar panels

Runway on remote valley in mountains

Landing with Ellen, Roni and Suka (the dog) on 2nd flight

Glacier near Steward, British Columbia

One of a kind U.S. Post Office, Hyder, Alaska

Black bear looking for salmon

Grizzly bear, needing her nails filed.

Sitka spruce 

Big equipment to handle big trees

Lava rocks 

Main street in Barkerville, B.C.

messed up and got it in there twice and don't know how to delete it.

Anglican church, built by priest, roof completed by his sons aged 5 & 7  when he become disabled.

Kootenai Falls near Libby, Montana

Kootenia Lake along Route 37 in Montana

A fine example of Big Horn Sheep.

Chapter 10                                                                                    9 Aug 2015

I asked the owner of the campground we were staying at how much he would want for storage of our camper to include electricity for the week we were in the Aleutians.  He said he charged $1.00 for boat storage and for anyone with a freezer he charged $2.00.  So $3.00 would should cover my storage.  I immediately said "OK".  After thinking it over, the next day I returned and paid him $5.00 for each day and knew I still was getting a great deal since it included a lot of security.   Now we were ready for the trip on the ferry.  We departed Homer at 10:30 pm on the 28th of July, we had a cabin with bunk beds and a lavatory.  I won't say it was the best accommodations but with a little rocking I know I got some sleep.  We arrived at Kodiak, on Kodiak Island at 8:15 the next morning.  We planned on renting a car to see the area since we were in port for 8 1/2 hours, but all were reserved earlier.  So we walked around town and had a leisurely lunch and sat by the beach.  We felt like the tourists that come to Portland on the cruise ships and walk around and say they saw Portland.  
We left Kodiak at 4:45pm and sailed for Chignik, a small village farther down the Alaska peninsula.  We spent a lot of time exploring the ship, talking with other passengers and looking at and for birds on the water.  Late that evening we retreated to our cabin for a little shut eye with an early rise to watch birds, scenery and have breakfast in the dining room. That morning a stop at Chignik was special because a lady there makes donuts, and when the ferry comes, she makes a lot more.  We arrive at 11:30 am and everyone leaves ship for the donut lady. We are met on the dock by all the residents heading for the ship for lunch of fresh hamburger and veggies, and fruit.  We didn't know where to go but a crewman said to follow the line.  At the head of the line was another crewman who knew the way.  She makes 4 or 5 dozen for the crew and the rest of us get whatever is left.  We got half a dozen and they were the best donuts we've ever had, and the price was $1.00 each for regular and $2.00 each for filled.  We ate some right away but saved half of them till next morning because they were so large.
We sailed on the rest of the day until 10:30 that night when we got to Sand Point. It was late so we stayed on board and arrived at King Cove at 6:30 am the 31st.  Time in port at these small villages was usually just over an hour or so because all they do is offload cargo and passengers.  Next was Cold Bay, basically a National Wildlife Preserve with its support personnel and a few local fishermen.  We stayed in port 3 hours and took a tour of the refuge.  It was disappointing because we didn't see any birds of animals.  They said our arrival was bad because we were between bird migrations.
On Friday Jul 31st we officially stopped on the Aleutians at False Pass.  We got off and bought our False Pass hat, a stocking type because the wind was whistling between the mountains and it was right off the Bearing Sea and cold.  We didn't know the Alaska Peninsula extended about 500 miles southwest from Homer and the mainland.  We spent a lot of time on deck watching birds, whales, and islands with no trees, and lots of mountains, many with volcanos, some of which are still active.
Akutan was the next island with a village by the same name.  We got to know a family onboard that was from Maine and going to Akutan as teachers for the school year. The school has 14 students which include their two children for grades 1 to 12.  If they thought northern Maine was isolated, they hadn't seen anything yet like Akutan, 4 days from the mainland and a ferry that comes twice a month.
Our destination was next, Unalaska or Dutch Harbor.  Home of the Deadliest Catch, approx 700+ miles and 3 days, 10 hours and 45 minutes by ferry from Homer, Alaska.  We had 8 hours in port and had arranged for a tour with Bobbie.  She drove us around to all the sights, including a museum of WWII with all the Japanese memorabilia from the attack on the island.  We visited a Russian Orthodox Church and did a little shopping.  After returning to the ferry port, everyone got out except Ellen & I and a man who was also a birder.  She took us up Mt Balleyhoo "not spelled correctly" where we found snow bunting and a rock ptarmigan.  The rock ptarmigan was a life bird for us.  There was a lot of military debris on the mountain with some bomb craters too. It was fogged in so we couldn't see the harbor but on a clear day she said it was beautiful.
The return trip was a reverse of the trip out except no donuts.  There were less people on the ship and not so many tents or people sleeping in chairs or on the floor in sleeping bags and on air mattresses.  The captain said it was the smoothest trip he had ever experienced on that route.  At times we could see reflections of mountains in the ocean. The mountains & hills were very green with ground cover, moss and grass, and snow in the higher elevations.  We saw some new birds like shearwaters, fulmars, and petrels, along with puffins, murres, guillemots and murrelets.  It was a lifetime trip and very enjoyable.  Back on the mainland, we stayed the night in Ninilchik and then drove to Steward.  A couple of nights at the harbor and a tour of Sea Life Center, containing  local birds and fish. We are back in Anchorage now for a couple of days before heading for Glenallen airport for our next adventure.
Wishing all a happy summer.    Steve

boat launch and retrieval at Ninilchik, Alaska

Tourists at Kodiak, 

Ferry Tustumena in dock at Chignik.  We have our donuts!!!

Cabin for two.  Ellen thinks a jail cell is larger.

Hold in ferry,  the other side contains more cars.

Some who didn't get a cabin.  Others slept on floor.

King Cove, Alaska.  Small fishing village.

Heliport at Chignik,  Alaska

One of many islands at sea.

King Cove, where everyone meets the ferry.

Sand Point  around 10:30 pm

Ferry at Cold Bay.  We took a short tour of Izembek National Refuge.

1 of many mountain islands.

False Pass, start of the Aleutian Islands. 

Local tourist at False Pass all-in-one mall.

Pill box on Unalaska Island/Dutch Harbor for defense against the Japanese bombers.

Russian Othodox Church at Dutch Harbor.

First Nation high school students performing local dance onboard ferry.

Akutan village on Akutan Island, about 100 residents.

Akutan showing boardwalk between all houses.

Welcome to Cold Bay, looks almost real.

Crab pots ready to catch the big ones.

More volcanos enroute.

Lots of spouts and a few tail wags.

One of many mountains.

Mountains near Seward, Alaska

At Exit Glacier near Seward, Alaska

Seward Harbor

Lucky Anglers at Seward.

Chapter 9                                                                                                                25 july 2015
We are staying in Ninilichik, just north of Homer, which is the end of the road on the Kenai peninsula.  We arrived a little early and are having some down time. Taking day trips around the area and looking for birds from here to Homer.  We've eaten out at the local restaurant (one) and the camp host told us of Freddies, up the road apiece.  So one afternoon we thought we'd give it a try.  About 3 miles up the road, the asphalt ends and gravel begins.  Now we follow it about 4 or 5 miles and there are only half a dozen shacks or camps along the road.  I said " If Freddie's is any farther, he won't have enough business or selection of food so I think we should turn around".  Which we did and went back to restaurant #1.  The next day, after lunch, we decided to go birding up the same road and maybe go to the end. This time it was a pleasure trip and after 12 miles, there gets to be a few more camps and a livable house now and then.  At mile 13 from camp, on the top of a high hill, we come to a small settlement with lots of new houses, solar panels and all with a view of the mountains and bay.  And what do we find, Freddie's, serving BBQ, hamburgers and such.  How someone expects to make a living out there in the wilds is beyond me but Freddie is giving it a try.  About another mile and the road did end in a large circular space with 4 or 5 driveways off to other houses or someplace.

I will backup here and talk a little more about Soldotna.  To clarify the part on dip netting for salmon, the resident head of household has a limit of 25 salmon and each additional member has a limit of 10 salmon each.  So a family of 4 can catch a total of 55 for the year.  The season is only 2 weeks and only on the Kenai river near Kenai and Soldotna.  That was why so many Alaskans from Anchorage and the surrounding area were in town.
While visiting Kenai, we met the head of the Audubon birding club and he gave us maps and directions to many sites to see birds in the area and down the road to Homer.  He said that a naturalist may be on board our ship on the ride out to Dutch Harbor.
Wednesday we day tripped it down to Homer to find out what we could on our trip and what to bring and where to park and so forth.  We stopped at the Wildlife refuge for other info and happened to mention our boat ride and asked about the naturalist.  The lady said the naturalist no longer went on the trip but he had made up an itinerary, which she gave us and said "Doug now works here but this is his day off."  "He will be in Thursday and Friday."  So we ate at Cap'n Pattie's and watched a few birds on the bay.  Friday, back we go to Homer to talk with Doug.  He was a wealth of information and said if we didn't take the tour with "Bobbie" at Dutch Harbor we would miss a lot since she took people to places they couldn't  get to go because she was a native and some places were off limits except to natives and, she was a birder too.  So we made our reservations with her and are looking forward to the trip.
The other interesting thing that happened that day was while we were walking down to a restaurant in old Homer, a man was showing this animal hide to a woman and teenager.  We said something like, "look at that".  He immediately says, "Would you like to buy a musk ox rug." From there the conversation went from where he got it to what was he going to do with it.  Apparently,  a friend wanted to get rid of it and gave it to him and he was showing it to his wife and son, when we walked by.  A musk ox rug would be a conversation piece but I'm not sure we needed it at our place.

I added some captions, if you can think of a more appropriate one, leave your comment.
I hope to have a lot to write and pictures, when we return from the Aleutian Islands. We leave Tuesday the 28th.
So as "Arnold of the Terminator" says,  "I'll Be Back.
Steve

"Missed an opportunity of of a lifetime."

"Old Boat's Home"?

 "We can squeeze you in""  or "Economy space for rent" or "Space is a little tight right now."

"Snakes won't get me up here"  or "Summer Igloo"

"Always room for one more"    Homer Harbor where mountains rise from the seas.

"First In, Last Out"   Ninilchik boat harbor

"Magnificent"   near Homer

"She said "I caught them all"    She was in a boat not from the shore.

"Man, this water is cold"

"Drinking water on four wheels"

"Camping in Paradise"

"Top of Hatcher Pass in Palmer"

"Glacier fed brook"