Looking for Sarah Palin #4

Ketchikan!

Well, I wish I could have gotten to this entry earlier, but it’s been busy out my way, my apologies.  Next on the itinerary was Ketchikan. We arrived early, around 7 am, but didn’t have much time in the town. The ship was going to leave at 1 pm.  We had excursions to visit Totem Bight State Historical Park and see a Lumberjack show. 

 

Ketchikan is probably first “big” town in Alaska you’ll come to on the inside passage.  The inside passage is that arm of Alaska that reaches down into Canada on the coast. There’s a lot of islands and inlets. It’s considered the southernmost entrance of the inside passage. It’s also considered Alaska’s first city, as it’s the first one you’ll encounter as you come up from Puget Sound.  Ketchikan’s airport is on a separate island close to the coast, but once you land, you need to take a ferry to reach the city proper. 

 

On the day we visited, there was a light rain and mist. We rushed off the ship and found our line to visit Totem Bight State Park. It’s 33 acres and features vivid totem poles by the Tlingit and Haida Native American Indians. Not only that, there’s a Tlingit Clanhouse among the poles. Each totem pole told an amazing story (sadly, I don’t remember many) but what a rich culture. In the early 20^th Century, the area was abandoned by the native peoples, and in the 1930’s the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) was hired to restore the poles. They’ve done an amazing job. I would love to spend more time in this area. 

 

Here's a link for more info: https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/totembgh.htm

 

At the park this was this plant called a skunk plant. I remember it was a big plant with bit yellow blooms. I guess the native wildlife will eat it, but it’s a bit of laxative and it really loosens the bowels. We were cautioned not to eat it.

 

We must have been there around an hour and 15 mins. I would have enjoyed more time visiting the park, but we had to make the Lumberjack show. 

 

Who knew Lumberjacking was a thing? We went into Ketchikan proper and found the show. I learned there are colleges which offer courses in lumberjacking. Lumberjacks climb poles, spilt logs, throw axes, etc. It was a very excited show. The small seating area was spilt into 2 and our section was rooting for the Canadians who won. After that we rushed to boat and stopped at a tourist shop with just enough time to buy souvenir stickers! 

 

I fell in love with Ketchikan. It was so lush and green. Heck, it’s considered part of a National Forest! I wanted to bring an NHL Hockey team to Ketchikan. But I don’t know if that would be do-able.   Heck, I was looking on Zillow for summer homes in Ketchikan. 

 

I definitely wanted to spend more time in Ketchikan and learn more about the town and its history. I heard Ketchikan is called the salmon capital of the world, but I was so rushed, I didn’t have time to discover why. Maybe next time I’ll try the salmon. 

***

 

When Sarah Palin was running for governor, she supported a bridge be built between Ketchikan and Gavina Island, the home to the Ketchikan airport. As governor, she vetoed the legislation that would have provided it, citing fiscal responsibly. Sadly, this decision made the residents of Ketchikan a bit miffed, and boy do they hold a grudge. In 2022, the Republican party of Ketchikan voted to censor her to that decision she made back in 2007. 

 

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes by Sarah Palin:

 

“Buck up or stay in the truck.”

 

“America is looking for answers. She’s looking for a new direction; the world is looking for a light. That light can come from America’s great North Star; it can come from Alaska.”

 

“I love those Hockey moms. You know what they say is the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull is? Lipstick.” 

 

****

Re-released: Journey of the Heart - Can James help Rachel save her winery?

"The story is short enough to be enjoyed in one sitting whether you are at the beach or on your easy chair enjoying a glass of wine, making believe it is the Santori Chardonnay. In short, this is another happy, heart-warming tale of love from the experienced pen of Stephanie Burkhart." -- 5 Stars, Goodread Review, Joy Cagil 

Buy Journey of the Heart

Looking for Sarah Palin #3

Glaciers & North to Nature 

 

It was our day to cruise Glacier Bay. Heck, I didn’t know much about Glaciers, so I was ready to learn! Our first Glacier that day was coming up at 9 am. I got up early and went up to Deck 16 for a little breakfast before coming down to see the massive ice formations.  My husband and boys were already in the cabin, on the balcony, ready to check it out. Heck, they even ordered room service!

 

The earliest known writings/recordings of the Glacier Bay we know today, came in 1741 by 2 Russian explorers. They met the Tinglit tribe at that time. These native Americans still live there today and have been part of Alaska’s fabric since the land was formed. Then in 1794, the Brits showed up and laid claim to the area.  Big fight. The Russians were there first. A convention in 1825 settled in the Russian’s favor and they sold Alaska and this area to the USA in 1867.  The boundary with Canada was settled in 1903.

 

When the Brits visited in 1794, Joseph Whidbey, wrote that the glaciers were deep. Then in 1888, when John Muir visited, he noted how the glaciers had receded. 

 

Whidbey said it was 48 miles into the sea. Muir stated it had retreated 44 miles from the sea. Now, it’s retreated 65 miles from the sea. However, there is still one glacier that is growing into the sea. I believe it’s the John Hopkins glacier. These are tidewater glaciers that end at the sea, which is different from an artic glacier. Per accepted scientific data, tidewater glaciers go through centuries long periods of advancing and retreating and are LESS affected by climate change than other glaciers.   And I would argue, from what I saw, this is most definitely the case, but I’m not here to talk about climate change. I’m here to share my thoughts, observations, and pictures of the glaciers I saw in Glacier Bay national park. 

 

The park itself is 3.3 million acres. We saw the Margerie, Lamplugh, John Hopkins, and Reid Glaciers.  Per park rules only 2 cruise ships can enter the Inside Passage which contain the glaciers at a time. 

 

The area was very chilly, and we definitely had to bundle up as we cruised through the area.  The Margerie was considered stable, not growing, not retreating.  The front was very solid and ice blue.  When a glacier is so cold, the ice turns blue. We heard cracking and saw ice coming off the glacier.  I was able to get several photos of the ice in the water. 

 

John Hopkins looked the firmest, with a big glacial sheet of ice falling deep back into the mountain ranges. The mountains did seem not so tall to me, and there were several times, the clouds dusted the mountain tops.  My husband saw a lone goat on one of the mountains, but I couldn’t pick it out.  We saw a lot of sea otters (my favorite cutie water animal) and my son saw dolphins, but no bear or whale sightings. 

 

We sailed the inlet about 3-4 hours total, and left the area roughly, around 1 pm.  National Park Rangers joined us around 7 in the morning and were giving presentations all day.  We were told the ship slowed down, but did not stop for them so the Rangers had to come up alongside us, and climb a rope ladder to get onto the vessel.  The NPS rangers left us at around 2:30 pm. 

 

Seeing nature so alive in such in cold environment like that makes you see it in a different perspective. For me, it was quiet, calming, and amazing. To see the sea otters just floating on their backs enjoying life despite the harshness is a lesson we can strive to emulate in our own lives. 

 

Alaska’s nature was raw, beautiful, and poignant. Heck, I had already fallen in love with Alaska but seeing Glacier bay and it’s cool, raw beauty was the diamond ring. Alaska has everything I think of when I think of nature. It’s kind of nature I want to surround myself with. 

 

******

 

In 2010, Sarah Palin’s Alaska aired on TLC.  It only had 1 season and 8 episodes. I didn’t even know about it until now when I started poking around, so I’m definitely going to try to find these episodes and check them out.  I watched this clip about counting fish and could so relate after exploring Juneau on the Salmon bake and Skagway.  The water is incredibly clear the fish are abundant. Alaska is a place where you have to go it, but it will blow you away. North to the Future! 

 

 

Looking for Sarah Palin #2

The Rugged Outdoors

 

 

 

Skagway is a town near Glacier Bay. It’s in the southeast arm tucked in the Inside Passage.  It has a Gold Rush history. Prior to 1887, Native Americans (Tlingit tribe) lived in the area and established the Chilkoot trail. This was a steep trail which began at sea level and climbed several thousand feet into British Columbia. They used it as a trading route to Yukon. 

 

The Chilkoot trail was very steep and not recommended for animals. It was a 33 miles trail from Skagway, AK to Bennett, British Columbia. When Gold was discovered in the Yukon Territories, many a gold rusher would take this steep trail.  You can still hike this trail today. 

 

A less steep, trail, White’s Pass, was developed as thousands to gold rushers flooded the area seeking their fortune.  Soon, in the early 1900’s the White Pass and Yukon Railroad was built, making passage that much easier but the route is a narrow gage rail and there are many tight curves.  There’s no more gold rushers, but the railroad still takes tourists up the twisty and curvy route. 

 

Who knew? 

 

Well, I got up at 7 am and walked to my balcony and discovered the cruise ship was snuggled up against a granite cliff. We had the whole day in Skagway. 

 

We got off the ship early and walked on over to Skagway proper. There was a lot to do in the middle of the town/tourist area and it was swamped from 3 or 4 cruise ships.  There was no gang plank, so we had to take a shore boat to the docks.

 

The Klondike Gold Rush National Park was down there, but none of us realized it. We just followed the flow of the crowd. Soon we discovered the Red Onion Saloon. In 1897, it was brothel, but now it was just a place to eat and drink with a lot of ambience. We didn’t go in because the line was loooong. We continued to walk around town, and I found the Alaska Christmas store.  I just had to go in. Who doesn’t love Christmas?

 

Sorry, no pictures inside but they had some awesome ornaments, and I must have bought at least 4! 

 

After that, Andy and I found the Fry Dough place.  Again, another line out to the door, but it went fast, and we really wanted to try to the Fry Dough! It was delicious. Brent had some coffee from the local place next door. 

 

I got some sticker souvenirs, and we made our way back to the Train station. We must have waited for about 30 mins before it was time to get on the train.  We were going to ride the White Pass train to the Canadian border and then come back. It was a 2.5 hour ride. We learned how the railroad was built alongside White’s pass. The train went from sea level to 3,000 feet and there were lots of twists and turns. It was a nice ride.  The views were amazing and I’ll share a few here. 

 

We finished around 5 pm and got back on the ship. We had dinner at the Italian specialty dining place which just blew me away with its selection. I had veal cutlets. Afterwards I went to the cabin and relaxed. The sunset around 10 pm which was wild to me. 

 

I would definitely go back to Skagway again and spend a leisurely amount of time checking out the shops and the area . Believe it or not, when Sarah Palin was just a few months old, her family moved to Skagway and she spent a good amount of her childhood in Skagway before her family moved to Anchorage. After seeing the woods, the water, and the hills of Skagway, I can definitely see where Sarah Palin gets her “outdoorsyness” from.  I didn’t find her in Skagway, but there was time…

 

Next:  Glaciers. 

**************

My summer romance, Arrow Through the Heart is avail on Amazon Kindle. 

It's the 4th of July and Ella is in town for a tennis tournament. She meets a young man, Logan, and the sparks fly, but she is stalked, can Logan keep her safe? 

 Buy Arrow Through the Heart

 

Looking for Sarah Palin #1

My Cruise to Alaska

Expectations 

 

 

 

Honestly, I didn’t really know what to expect when I went to Alaska. Hubby and I talked about going on a cruise when the boys were older, and Alaska was a mutual destination. 

 

We booked the cruise and waited. This was our first cruise in 19 years. The first one we took Andy was 3, and it’s hard being on a cruise with a 3-year-old, trust me.

 

We submitted our paperwork, and everything was good to go. 

 

When the day came to go to Burbank and catch our flight to Seattle, wires got crossed and our ride went to Burbank instead of our house.  We adjusted, hopped in the car and we were off. Burbank was only a 30-minute drive. Thankfully we found parking in short term parking. (It was gonna’ cost us $30 a day but what can you do?) With comfortable time to spare we checked in our bags and thanks to TSA pre check we got through in no time.  Our plane was set to board in 20 minutes. 

Made it to Burkbank! 

 

We had a layover in San Jose, about an hour, and then we were off to Seattle. Everything went smooth. We flew Southwest. When we got to Seattle, our driver was there and took us to the hotel.  After staying a night, we were off to the cruise terminal on Pier 91. 

 

Embarkation went smooth. There were a lot of people, but they kept the line moving.  We had to show our Passport ID Cards and our medallions. (This Princess cruise used medallions).

 

The size of the ship blew us away. We’d never seen a vessel so big before. We got snacks on Deck 16 then went to our cabins. Our travel agent  left us some gifts – a cheese and wine tray for Brent and I, and a cake for the boys.  The boys had a separate cabin, an interior one, across from us.  At 3 pm, the ship pushed off and we were underway. 

 

We dropped the pilot off at 730 pm and then we hit the open sea enroute to Alaska.  The boat rocked a little, but no big deal. It was formal night,  so we took our pictures. Everything we did was an adventure. We took in a comedy show, a show with a singer, sat at the bar and drank good booze, and ate gelato.  I took in the presentation with the naturalist and learned a little about Alaska and what to expect. We went to the specialty dining room for dinner.  Every experience was 5 sensation course! We loved the experience of being on a cruise! 

 

Sunday we were at sea and at night we put the clock 1 hour behind as we transitioned into Alaska Daylight Time.   Monday morning we were cruising in the Inside Passage.  All the cities we visited were in the southeast “arm” of Alaska. Anchorage is more center in the state on the coast and Fairbanks is dead center in Alaska.

Inside Passage

 

As we traveled, land and mountains were all around us. The air was crisp. Clouds touched the tips of the mountains around us and danced.  We saw the tail of a whale and his blow hole as we made our way into Juneau.  

 

At noon, the ship docked in Juneau. Brent and Andy went on their kayaking adventure. Joey and I got off the ship and explored Juneau before going to our Salmon Bake.  One of the things that I saw when I got off was a memorial to a ship – the USS Juneau. I paused and let the moment sink in. I was in Alaska.

 

The air was fresh. And everything was green. Visually, it was stunning. 

 

There is a “tourist alley” with all kinds of shops that cater to tourists. There’s even a sky lift up to one of the local mountains. Joey and I avoided that and took a circular route around the city. We found the City Hall, the Arts and Cultural center,  the Russian orthodox church, the Federal building and finally the State building. Sarah Palin probably worked here when she was governor. 

 

And that’s when it hit me.  I had a name for my blog  that I was going to write when I got back – Looking for Sarah Palin.

 

Why Sarah Palin? I tried to make my posts on Instagram succinct. Who else do you know in Alaska? 

 

I’ve always admired Sarah Palin. It takes some guts to put yourself out there. At the time she was selected as John McCain’s vice-presidential candidate, she had a young family, and she had been governor for two years. 

 

I remember seeing a clip during that election cycle. A woman in Alaska said they loved Sarah and wanted Sarah to remain their governor.  

 

This is I know without a doubt:  Sarah Palin loves Alaska.

 

And as I walked around Juneau, off the beaten path, I fell in love with Alaska, too. 

 

Joey and I finished our walk around Juneau by going down the tourist district. It was mobbed. I was glad we walked around Juneau and saw more than just the tourist area.  We made our way back to the Salmon Bake bus and hopped on. 

 

The bus took about 15 minutes to get to the Salmon Bake area.  We got off and got in line.  Honestly, it was a backyard BBQ with Salmon.  There was salad, cornbread, ribs, beans, and salmon.  The line was long, and I waited in it as Joey explored. When it came time to get my piece of Salmon Joey walked up to me and said he wanted to try it. He’s 17 and never ate Salmon before. So I told her to give me a piece without sauce so he could try it.  As we sat down, Joey took his fork and started eating. He loved it! Honestly, it was a pretty tasty piece of fish.  After, we walked around the back and discovered a clear stream of water. Further on up was a waterfalls and a blocked off mining shaft. Again, the forest was incredibly vibrant, the water was clear, the air was fresh – everything was amazing. 

 

I knew then I wanted to come back to Alaska, and I had only been to Juneau. 

 

Joey and I got back to the bus which took us back to the boat.  I learned that Juneau can’t be accessed by land. You can only get to Juneau via boat or by air – and by air, I mean an airplane that can land on water or a helicopter. There’s no airport in Juneau. 

 

Back on the ship Joey and I met up with Brent and Andy who absolutely lover their kayaking adventure, though they were very sore. 

 

BTW – Sarah Palin still lives in Wasilla, AK.  It’s a town near Anchorage. 

 

Time to rest up.  Tomorrow was Skagway. 

*******

Check out my summer romance:  Arrow Through the Heart. 

Blurb: Ella visits Wolfboro, NH for a tennis tournament. Will her romance with Logan last the summer? 

Amazon Kindle: Arrow Through the Heart