Our days at Haines, Alaska
Wow...so much beauty here and really not enough words to
even describe it all! This is our first
Alaska stop, a cute old town settled between the fijord of Lynn Canal and the
Glaciers of tall jagged peaks. We pull
into town and get a discount price at the RV park in the far end of town
between two main roads and then call the Oceanside RV Park to find that their
rate is two dollars cheaper with a spectacular view of the bay and the towering
snow covered mountains. Not hard to
decide where we will stay. What a
view!
We meet a number of nice people here, some we've connected
with before at various places. We met
two former Marines traveling together who were NGG (not gay guys) and we've
enjoyed their company. While talking
with the older Marine about Quartzsite, I realized that I had met him before
there on Plomosa Road in Quartzsite when I stopped him to admire his
truck. He told me I could only look at
it if I sat in it. A few minutes later
he shared about his wife passing and I shared about my brother dying in Vietnam
and we were both crying. A year and a
half pass...and now he and his friend are traveling the same route as our group
in Alaska. Most likely we'll keep in
touch as we travel. It was a wonderful
reunion.
Here we celebrate our 39th anniversary. Mark and Wendy drove us yesterday to Chilkoot
Lake, the most beautiful sight we most likely will see in Alaska we've been
told. When we arrived the Marines had
already landed and were taking pictures and took some of us for us. We even have a printed copy of the four of us
together to remember our time here in Haines as we continue down the road. Later, we drive to the fish packing company and
buy fish for a fish fry. Everyone
pitches in for dinner, Marine beans and peas , green salad and roasted Yukon
potatoes.
On our trip to Skagway the other day we saw so many rhubarb
plants growing, even here in Haines they are everywhere. I really wanted some! While we were walking along, there was a
fellow who was trimming back the rhubarb in a garden and we asked if we could
have some. Help yourself was the answer! So, with our anniversary fish fry we added
some strawberries from the Marines and a crisp topping and had a wonderful
dessert!
While speaking of our time here in Alaska I'd be remiss to
not mention the new camp host here named Buffalo. He wears a tall top hat, has mutton chops,
goatee and suspenders and a twinkle in his eye to go along with his Texas
accent and his large frame. He has only
arrived a few days ago finding his way to Haines on his three wheeled Goldwing
and deciding to settle here when he got a job at the RV park. He is quite the character and can sure weave
a yarn. He'll do fine here. He even has buffalo leather gloves he rides
with. Tye liked them and want to nibble
and chew on them!
In the morning before we are scheduled to go to Juneau on
the Fjord Express I walk Tye to give him and myself a leg stretch. I head toward town with my headphones in and
working at waking up when I hear some loud talking and look up from under my
raincoat. There are two men at the top
of the hill in town yelling something about a phone. I realize it is me they are talking to and I
undo my earphones and ask them what they need.
In slurred voices they ask me if I can check the flower planters near
the bar for a cell phone. Sure I can and
sure enough I find the phone in a box. I
walk toward them and wonder if it is really his phone so I ask tell him there
is a name on the phone box and ask him what his name. Luck Dunbar he yells as he wobbles. I tell him he is in luck today because that
is the name on the box. It takes me
about ten minutes to continue my walk as I listen to them. At least they were funny drunks but really
needed sleep! But with light coming just after 3 am, when they left the bar at
4 it was already daylight.
Now, we head for Juneau for the day with Mark and Wendy and
one of the Marines, Dave...more later and thanks for stopping by.
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