ALASKA AT LAST!

Yes, I made it finally! I'm here! I'm sure (I know!), some of you are saying 'what the hell took so long?', and I say to you, well sir, there was too much cool stuff along the way to rush through. The roses were begging to be smelled. So I stopped.

Sorry for being incommunicado for a few days... I arrived in Juneau last night. The ferry from Prince Rupert took about 24 hours through the Inside Passage, and it was one of the hightlights of my trip so far. There were incredible views of forested and snow capped mountains, remote cabins, glaciers and best of all, whales. We passed this spot which is known for humpbacks and sure enough, they were there blow-holing, slapping the surface with their 16 foot fins, and even performed a few breaches, jumping almost completely out of the water and spanking back down. I also met some cool people on board, and now have some contacts in Haines, my next destination.

The ferry docked around midnight in Juneau, and I had a vague idea of where to go. The strange thing about Juneau (well, one strange thing), is that the ferry docks about 14 miles from town. Buses don't stop there and cabs don't hang out. If you're not prepared, you're screwed. But I was mobile in the Tacoma and after some mis-turns and minor panic, found the Mendenhall campgrounds. I picked a spot and passed out in the back of the truck. When I awoke, I crawled out and took a look around. Right behind my campsite was the Mendenhall Glacier. Yes, I had parked in one of the best spots to check out this gigantic field of blue ice carving out a huge valley. I was blown away.

So, now in Juneau, I'm sitting in the Silver Bow Bakery, trying to get my bearings. Four, count 'em, FOUR massive cruise ships pulled into town this AM, and the place is crawling with Touristas. They're looking at me like I'm part of the local flora and fauna. It's bizarre. I can't imagine how much money gets left here every time those ships dock.

Considering this is the State Capital, this is a tiny town. The locals are friendly, but in a gruff way. These are tough peeps.

Pics to come...

Mental High Five, Bill!