We didn't get to see it for ourselves but we were given this spectacular picture of Denali in Alpenglow on the cover of the Park Service's brochure
Day 15 plus
Epilogue
We didn't get to see it for ourselves but we were given this spectacular picture of Denali in Alpenglow on the cover of the Park Service's brochure
HTTP-Hypertext Transport Protocol, HTML-Hypertext Markup Language. So, where's the 'hyper' that will transport you to all these marvelous places? Although there were a lot of opportunities, I didn't want to take the time to do all the marking up. I was driven to get all this down ASAP, before I forgot it! But, I've included lots of proper names that you can look up as well as many places you can locate on maps if you are so inclined. I could put up a table of links but I think you would be better off searching on the names I've included rather than being limited to the links I choose.
Speaking of maps, in order of appearance, we saw: sounds, canals, straits, passages, narrows, entrances, coves, a bight, channels, inlets, bays, reaches, fjords and arms. All of these were extensions of salt water which had variously infiltrated the land mass. Helen, debating the Hood Canal's qualification as a canal in the common sense of the word, said she just refers to them all as bodies of water. Now I see why!
Everyone who's heard about a cruise knows about the near limitless food, recreation and entertainment so why repeat all that here? Besides, I viewed an Alaskan cruise as an opportunity to get unique vantage points for sightseeing. I've come away feeling that even the few generic cruise activities I participated in were too many as they drew me away from the uniqueness that is Alaska. If you want details of what life aboard a cruise ship was like, just ask and I'll tell you what I can.
Traveling with Mom is the best. She is energetic, inquisitive, open to new experiences and extremely positive. I've not mentioned much about our occasional brushes with those who would have been happier (if indeed they can be happy at all) not being bothered by all the damned nature which seemed to be everywhere we turned on this cruise. Mom and I discussed them and I came away appreciating even more how fortunate I was to be traveling with someone with such a sunny disposition and positive outlook!
I noticed an extreme understatement in the Tundra Wilderness Tour booklet from the Alaska Natural History Association. Talking about park pioneer Charles Sheldon, they say, "Sheldon visited again in 1907, wintering over in a cabin on the Toklat River. The time he spent here enhanced and expanded his ideas about wilderness." Just two sentences about 'wintering over' in Denali. This is where we got snow on the 4th of July! If you've ever read Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire" you know that even normally routine chores become life and death adventures in the harsh Yukon winter. Can you imagine the experience of 'wintering over' in Denali? I can't but I will venture an understatement of my own...
You can't see all of Alaska in two weeks. DUH! Still the Cruise/Tour seemed like a good way to cover much ground and sample many things in a relatively short period of time. As it turned out it was like anything you just sample, you end up coming away wanting more of something(s). Unlike a potluck dinner where you can easily go back for seconds of the things you like best, going back while on a cruise is not possible.
There were other regrets. I regret that I didn't see a whale. I'm convinced that if I'd gotten the ..Cruise Companion earlier, I could have gotten into a position to see whales. I regret that I didn't see Denali but I console myself with the Adolph Murie quote, "One need not see a wolf to benefit from his presence...It is enough to know that the wolf still makes his home in this beautiful wilderness...an emblem of unspoiled country." I regret that we couldn't hook up with Jason & Nancy but maybe now that I've had the overview I can go back and see the things I missed and do more of the things I liked best.
What did it feel like? I'm tempted to blame it on the Scop Patch but I often had an otherworldly feeling on this trip. I don't think it was so much the Scopolamine as my brain's way of dealing with so much input. Not only was the scenery raw and beautiful in the extreme but it kept coming at us! I don't think my little brain can truly comprehend the enormity of it all so I often felt like I was in a dream or on a fantastic alien world. My senses were quite overwhelmed on any number of occasions, this was a trip in all the senses of the word my generation has come to know. I don't think I've ever used so many superlatives or exclamation points as I have in this journal!
I thought I saw snow covered mountains in summer thunderheads for several weeks after my return. Maybe that was the Scop or jet lag or both!
Re-reading the above paragraph, I realize I've not said what it was like and I don't think I can. I'm reminded of episode #225 of Star Trek: The Next Generation ("The Inner Light" from the 5th season - June, 1992. Stardate 45944.1) where Capt. Picard finds himself living a totally different life on an alien planet. He eventually learns that this is the civilization's way of communicating its existence to those who come later. He awakes to the realization that he has lived an entire lifetime in just 20 mins! This civilization had a way of passing on experiences that far exceeds mere words or even audio-visual presentations. Until such a time as we are better able to communicate entire experiences the best I can do is allow you to see the effect this trip had on me. An Alaskan cruise is a trip I've wanted to make from the first time I heard of them and I was rewarded with a peak experience. I've noticed that the things that have the strongest (usually positive) effect on me inspire me to creativity. I'll offer this journal as testament to the effect this trip had on me. I can't recall ever having been inspired to pursue such an endeavor as this before!
I was thinking of putting a couple of sentences in here about recommendations but I think this journal as a whole stands as a recommendation. If you would like any more specific advice and/or recommendations feel free to ask. I would like to echo Mom's sentiment about the best things being associated with the National Parks. From my conservation minded perspective, these folks are spending our tax money well. If you've never been to a National park, drop what you are doing and go now! Seriously, do go at your earliest opportunity, you are paying for them after all. Then if you get discouraged about how the government is spending your money you can think back on your National Park experience. I'll bet if you lean towards conservation, it will have been a good one.
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Created on ... August 11, 2002