A very foggy morning. After our Saturday walkabout of Evergreen Cemetery, I was inspired to continue my research that I have done over the years here and locate gravesites for those making requests on findagrave. I have communicated via email during these past years with the caretaker and today was able to finally meet him in person because there was a funeral in process this morning.
30 July 2023 Sunday - Juneau Alaska
And the sun just keeps on shining, although a bit of haze most likely due to fires in Canada! Morning neighborhood walkabout then to get much needed groceries now that I have fridge,
29 July 2023 Saturday - Juneau Alaska
Moved from the hotel to my friend's apartment on Douglas where I will stay until ferry departure in September. She and her daughter were having a garage sale so was fun to hang out and visit with several friends who had stopped by to shop. Drove back to downtown for local farmers/craft market where I met many more friends then to city museum for Evergreen Cemetery walking tour.
28 July 2023 Friday - Juneau Alaska
Grilled halibut sandwich at the SandBar then walkabout at the rebuilt harbor at Auke Bay. For years we would get fresh milkshakes at the Hot Bite, but no more. The cafe must have changed ownership because no more shakes and very poor service and food. Tried a shake at the Auke Bay Cafe but not the same. Visited the University library where I had great chat with Elise the Dean, very quiet now with school not in session. Then visit to used bookshop.
27 July 2023 Thursday - Juneau Alaska
Walkabout downtown to renew library card at city library then to visit new exhibit at the State Museum. This is exhibit of traditional indigenous clothing made from guts of animals. Then to city museum to view exhibit of Chilkat Regalia robes. My friend Michelle was just ending her volunteer time there so we walked up hill to her home for chat in her backyard with view of my former home, now newly painted (no longer Navajo red!).
26 July 2023 Wednesday - Juneau Alaska
Renewal of drivers license! Unfortunately the hotel has decided this was the week to tear up the parking lot and repave, heaps of noise and awful smells, oh well!
25 July 2023 Tuesday - Juneau Alaska
Fetch mail at the post office then visit with another friend at the Pioneers Home.
24 July 2023 Monday - arrived Juneau Alaska via ferry
Arrival 430am Juneau (very foggy) then drive about of Juneau and a look at our shrinking glacier. Downtown visit before all the cruise ships arrive. Visit with friend who has recently moved to the newly built Riverview Senior Living Center.
23 July 2023 Sunday - on the ferry Columbia
Morning stop at Ketchikan (6am) then afternoon stops at Wrangell (4pm) and Petersburg (7pm).
22 July 2023 Saturday - at sea on the Columbia
no ports today...
21 July 2023 Friday - Bellingham Washington
AMHS ferry Columbia to Juneau via Ketchikan, Petersburg, Wrangell scheduled departure 6pm but a bit late due to late arrival (appears that they had medevac incident at sea).
19 July 2023 Wednesday - Bellingham Washington
Washington state has the highest gas prices (even higher than Juneau), over $5 per gallon! Found Costco at $4.39 plus they have $7.99 car wash! So nice to be in Pacific Northwest, sunny with temps in the 70's.
18 July 2023 Tuesday - Seattle/Lynnwood to Bellingham Washington (80 miles)
Have driven about 8000 miles in last three months! and time to leave Seattle because this weekend there are two Taylor Swift concerts!
17 July 2023 Monday - Seattle/Lynnwood Washington
Rainy morning and much cooler day. Relaxing visit to the spa for a Korean body scrub, could not believe all the dead skin that was removed, so smooth now! Enjoyed the hydrotherapy baths (90-104 degrees) and heated rooms (salt, charcoal, sand, jade/mud). I had my first scrub when I worked in South Korea in 1997 and was so happy to find this spa a few years ago where the scrubs are almost as good as those in the home country.
16 July 2023 Sunday - Wenatchee to Seattle/Lynnwood Washington (126 miles)
Back to sea level! Drove the slow route 2 west over Stevens Pass at over 4000’
15 July 2023 Saturday - Spokane to Wenatchee Washington (172 miles)
Found that the slow route I had planned to drive via route 2 west was not possible due to recent mudslide near Coulee City which closed the road so drove the faster route I90W with beautiful rolling farmland. There are the crop names on signs on the fences, corn and potatoes and alfalfa and apples! Earlier arrival in Wenatchee than planned so while waiting for room, I walked the Apple Trail along the Columbia and Wenatchee rivers at the Confluence Park before it got too hot.
14 July 2023 Friday - Spokane Washington
Morning visit to The Grain Shed where a son of my Juneau hiking friend is the baker, he gave me a few tastings of their bread for the road.
Early departure on route 2 west with stop at the campground where I had stayed a few years back. Visited the Albion Falls Dam, which is no longer a falls due to the building of the dam on the Pend Oreille River. Mexican for lunch and a much needed car wash to get rid of the bugs.
Enjoying my balcony view on the Kootenai River.
11 July 2023 Tuesday - Bonners Ferry Idaho
Spent the day visiting my Juneau friend who spends part of her time in Idaho. We have not seen each other in two years so was fun to catch up!
10 July 2023 Monday - Kalispell Montana to Bonners Ferry Idaho (139 miles)
More roadworks on scenic route 2 west with walkabout at Kootenai Falls and the swinging suspension bridge which I looked at but did not cross due to my fear of heights.
9 July 2023 Sunday - Butte to Kalispell Montana (235 miles)
I90 west to exit 175 then on the beautiful backroads again via routes 12/141/200/83 (heaps of roadworks at Salmon Lake).
8 July 2023 Saturday - Idaho Falls Idaho to Butte Montana (211 miles)
Another day on the interstate north but just gorgeous driving through northern Idaho and southern Montana. Endless rolling colorful fields with mountains in the background and intermittent rock formations and river crossings and no traffic. I stopped at the rest area in the town of Lima where I visited the local cemetery and drove the one block of old buildings. There is a small log cabin with a sign about days gone by. These were ‘manned in summer by well-mannered and courteous college students duded up in western wear’ and distributed maps and information about the area (1936-1958). Crossed the Continental Divide again but at a much lower elevation of 5879’. On a hill above Butte is the Our Lady of the Rockies at 90 feet, the fourth tallest statue in the United States.
Interstate driving for next few days and not fun driving through Salt Lake City but less traffic in northern Utah and southern Idaho, plus fewer buildings and more beautiful scenery. A walkabout of the lava fields at the Blackfoot rest area. This area is known as Hells Half Acre although it is thousands of acres. Another walkabout on the River Walk along the Snake River in Idaho Falls (formerly known as Eagle Rock) and enjoyed views of the falls. Explored historic downtown, the library and the Japanese gardens on the river. So nice to be out of the heat and into the cooler weather for walking.
6 July 2023 Thursday - Moab to Salt Lake City Utah (242 miles)
A repeat drive of that of 14 May except today’s drive over Soldier Summit was sunshine instead of heavy rain and hydroplaning, what a difference! Highway 191N to I70W to highway 6N to I15N. Too many bugs covered my car though so stopped at Spanish Fork for car wash. When I had stayed at the hotel in Moab two months ago, they had overcharged me. I had told them that morning when I checked out and then emailed the General Manager but nothing was done. So when I arrived yesterday at the same hotel, I found that the GM was on holiday. The Assistant GM made good on the bill and comped me for last night’s stay, yippee!
More gorgeous multi-colored rock formations! Ship Rock (a volcanic plug/vent) is the most prominent landmark in northwestern New Mexico and featured in many films, now a National Natural Landmark. Highway 64W to 160W (Arizona) to 191N along the Trail of the Ancients/Navajo Code Talker Highway. Spent time in Bluff on San Juan River surrounded by red rock and the Twin Rocks formation (Navajo Twins). The town of Blanding further north is such a contrast at the higher elevation, so lush and green. Then continued on the same route that I drove 11 May from Cortez Colorado. The only unfortunate part was that I was so tired from all the noise from the night before. I thought that I had chosen a hotel on the outskirts of town that would be quiet, but no, the fireworks were on the bluff just across the highway. So I watched the performance from 930 until 10 but then the noise continued until midnight, unlike a year ago when I had a quiet cabin in the woods of Georgia.
4 July 2023 Tuesday - Farmington New Mexico
Happy Fourth of July!
Over 100 degrees here today so got out early for explore of downtown and walk along the Animas River and great chat with woman at the Nature Center.
3 July 2023 Monday - Los Alamos/White Rock to Farmington New Mexico (190 miles)
Happy full buck moon!
The challenge today was to decide which route to take west. The first option was the shortest but may take the longest in time via highway 126, a partial dirt road that I have since found is really fine dust and may be mud after yesterday’s rain, so not an option. The second option was a gorgeous route I had taken before via the Jemez Mountains and Valle Caldera National Preserve with many sites to see enroute (many that I had seen before). So chose the third route via highways 84/96 through the beautiful Georgia O’Keeffe country with the many impressive multi-colored rock formations. Spent time at the Abiquiu Lake/Dam area and the Coyote Ranger Station. Most of the time I was the only one on the road. Then on route 550 west which weaves through the San Juan Basin. There are heaps of drill rigs and fracking wells (known to emit methane). This is a big oil and natural gas development area. New Mexico is ranked second behind Texas in crude oil production. A hot and windy afternoon in Farmington so will explore tomorrow morning instead.
Thunderstorm with hail yet online weather states that it is sunny!
1 July 2023 Saturday - Los Alamos/White Rock New Mexico
Bandelier National Monument preserves the homes and territory of the Ancestral Puebloans. It is one of the oldest NPS sites (1916) with over 33,000 acres of designated wilderness and 70 miles of trails. Because of limited parking, summer visits require that you take the shuttle into the park with the Atomic City Transit bus between 9 and 3. You may drive in before 9 and after 3 and the park is open dawn til dusk. So I drove the ten miles to the park and arrived before 7am and had the trails to myself for a bit, so very quiet before the voices arrived. Hiked the Pueblo Loop trail in Frijoles Canyon climbing up and down the stone steps to visit these ancient homes/cliff dwellings then continued to Alcove House but gave a miss to climbing the steep ladders. So many beautiful wildflowers along the trail at the base of these wonderful rock formations. Returned to White Rock for views of the Rio Grande River at the Overlook. Then big afternoon rain storm.
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