8-13-2011 I left my.....at Destruction Bay

Headed from Border City to Haines, AK.   Another banner day today.  Scenery was beautiful.  Rough road tho; not quite as bad as the road to Chicken,AK.  This was more like a washboard, lots and lots of frost heaves.  Driving along, we heard this crash and glass breaking.  My printer apparently came flying out of the cupboard in the bedroom and crashed to the floor.  Total wipeout!!!

Saw a black bear on the road.  He was afraid of us, and went up the side of the road about 15 feet.  Then he continued to walk parallel to the road, eating on his way.

8-12-2011 Valdez to Border City, AK

Travelled in and out of Canada today.  Bit of a problem with fuel today...due to fuel pump gauge.  If you remember, after the replacement of the fuel pump, the gauge was way way off.  So far, Al has done a great job keeping up with the mileage, etc. so we don't run out.  All of a sudden I hear Al say, we're gonna run out of fuel:(  We had thought we had enough to make it to Glennallen, but suddenly the gauge went really low.  Unhooked the car, I babysat the rig, Al drove looking for gas.  22 miles later, he found a station, but they didn't have a gas can.  A native in the store went home for her can and brought it back to Al  (people have been really helpful here in Alaska!!!! So great!).  The fuel in the can got us back to the station and we were able to fill up the main tank.  Proceeded on and stopped at Border City Campground about 3 miles from the Canadian border.

Bridal Viel Falls

More poles...if you enlarge the pix, you can see the difference between the vehicle and top of the poles.  Even with the poles to show me the way, don't think I'd want to be a snow plow driver here!!!

Glaciers galore on this trip, really beautiful.  Some of the black around the glaciers in the pictures are actual dirt covered glacier.  Sometimes hard to tell whether it's rock or glacier.

In the mid-bottom of this pix is a cabin tucked in the trees.  Again, enlarging the pix you really see it; however, it was the only home in the woods that we saw the whole day.

After an eventful day, this was really pretty.

8-11-2011 Canada here we come!

Heading into Canada tomorrow night, so won't be posting all the while in Canada.  Will save them for when we hit the states.  But, on our last evening here, the otters put on a display for us.

Dinnertime

More fish!!!

Maybe dessert!!

Don't know whether the white is a fish or teeth LOL

8-10-2011 Black Bears in Valdez

On our way to the Hatchery and town, cars were parked along the side of the road, and that's a really good sign!!!  At the side of the road was a short river to the bay.  The fish get up there, but can't get up the waterfall, so it's prime dinner area for the bears.  Of course, dinner was for several hoursLOL

8-10-2011 BriW and BriB...Salmon, or, "What's for dinner"LOL

Today we woke up to a lot of fog, couldn't see anything.   After lunch went to the Fish Hatchery.  Thousands of pink Salmon with no place to go.  Hatchery was taking a small % for eggs, processed fish would be used for dog treats.  Can't fish within a certain amount of feet of the hatchery.

8-9-2011 Sea Otters and Valdez

On the way to Valdez, this greeted us at the side of the road.  He got a little scared and bolted for the woods.   Hummm...afraid of us???

Arrived in the clouds and rain.  However, what we could see was beautiful.

Can see these beauties from the rig.  Love how the otters lay on their backs and just float along.  Can you imagine, float, fish, eat, float, fish, eat!!!

Valdez is the end terminal for the pipeline.  It travels through Valdez underground, to the end of the road pictured here.  We camped just around the corner from where you see the rig, and then a left corner and it's the end of the road.  No one allowed in there.  Across the water from us is the town, about 12 miles.

8-3-2011--Campers-- Awesome Motorhome

On a nice (clear not necessarily warm) day, these guys are out having fun!

This motorhome was on a lot near the docks.  The pictures in the front window show it burned to a crisp.  The owner bought it, and refurbished it.  Pictures don't do it justice.

8-3-2011 For Eagle Lovers

I have so many pix of eagles..luv them...it was so hard to choose which ones to post.  For their size, they are so graceful!

This guy landed on a motorhome close by...very unusual...

Have skipped some places, mainly Matanuska and Exit Glaciers as they were done before.  Homer has been done before, but different pictures.  Then we'll be in Valdez, which we haven't seen since 2004.

8-3-2011 Dry Docked Sea Otter and Homer Fishing

This little guy got caught in an inlet during low tide and was making his way to the ocean.

Fishing in the hole!

The only two fish caught in the Fishing Hole this year by the guys.

Charter Boat

The Charter Boats total catch.  BriB and Al never got to go out on a boat, weather was awful.  BriW and Al got to go out, but the skipper gave up on the cod fishing.  Good thing they went Thursday, as Friday no boats went out due to weather.

Like those socks Bri! LOL