Alaska by Air - Tacoma by Sea

      Our ride south as we pull away from the dock in Anchorage.

I'm still not caught up on the blogposts from my five month trip touring the US but a quick trip up to Alaska in the meantime deserves a post.  After returning home in early August I had a couple of weeks of downtime before Tiffany and I were scheduled to fly to Alaska for a few days before boarding a cargo ship, M/V Northstar of Tote Lines, to get us back down to Tacoma.  Tiffany had won the trip last summer at a fund raising auction where the boys went to high school.    Tote donates passage to various charities but is not allowed to actually sell passage since they are a cargo vessel.  We were the only non-crew on the boat.  We boarded the boat in Anchorage on a Sunday around noon and arrived at the Port of Tacoma on Wednesday around 3 p.m.  It was a unique experience and one we were both glad we got the opportunity to do.  It's a no frills vessel, as it's a working ship, but we were provided a nice stateroom with a living area, attached separate bedroom, private crapper/shower and three square meals a day.   Had a TV with some DVD's, stocked fridge (sodas only as no alcohol is allowed on the ship) small library, games, etc.  The crew, which totaled 24 men, does nothing for you other than feed you, make sure you don't get in the way and provide a few tours of various sections of the boat.  You have access to the bridge, your stateroom, the galley and a couple of outside areas off the bridge.  Unless you're with one of the ships officer's that about covers it.  Ninety percent of the boat is set up to haul cargo so there's really no where to just roam around.  Very interesting as to how they load and unload the cargo.  It's what they call a RORO vessel.....Roll on, roll off.  All cargo is wheeled and the longshoremen can unload and load within 10 hours.  They dock according to the tide in Anchorage and only have the 10 hour window to get it done so the ship can get out on the next incoming tide. Cargo consists of semi trailers and vehicles.  Car/RV dealers and rental car companies transport their vehicles this way as well.   Pretty impressive watching them load the ship.  They're fast and they don't waste any space.  It's packed when they're done with it. The bridge is up top, our stateroom was one flight down and the galley right below that.  Not a whole lot of room to roam around in for almost four days.  I asked the Captain where in the hell the hot tub and pool were?  He stated they hadn't gotten around to installing those just yet. We're both glad we got to go but not sure I'd sign up again unless I had no other way to get back.  I've flown to Alaska, driven a truck to Alaska, motorcycled to Alaska, done the inland passage ferry from Alaska and taken a fancy cruise ship up once.  I'll opt for the drive, either truck or motorcycle any day over the other means. This was one of those experiences where once is probably enough.  I've heard of people going across the Pacific via cargo ship before.....trust me, that would be a long couple of weeks. 

Before boarding the ship we had a couple of days to kill in the Anchorage area so we booked an Air BnB in Anchorage for two nights and then one one night in Seward.  Friday was taken up with some hiking at the base of the Chugach Mountains along Lake Eklutna where we spotted two black bears and one sow grizzly with cubs.  All were at binocular range so.....no photos.

Lake Eklutna with the Chugach Range in the distance.

Break time.  We watched a black bear from here which was working his way along the shoreline on the other side of the lake.

Saturday we left Anchorage for the drive south on the Kenai Peninsula en-route to Seward with a stop at Bird Creek to watch some combat fishing.  I call it combat fishing because at times the fishermen are literally standing shoulder to shoulder.  I've done this and to be honest it's not a lot fun.  When you hook a fish it can get pretty hectic when it's really crowded. I've seen this place packed with fishermen before when the Salmon are really running.  I've also seen grizzly show up to fish.

I have hiked and camped out of Seward during some of my previous trips to Alaska and really wanted Tiffany to hike in and see the Harding Icefield if the weather would cooperate.  It's a strenous hike at about 10 miles roundtrip.  Distance is really nothing, it's the 3200 feet in elevation gain that first four miles that is the ass kicker.  Last time I hiked in here the weather was crap and you couldn't really see much of anything as I was in and out of the clouds.  This time, it was a perfect day for hiking.

Saw another black bear going in but as you can see, binoculars were in order again.  Would have been a good shot with the glacier in the background if I could have worked my way down to him and gotten close enough.  This is as close as we got and this was taken with a 600 MM lens.  Oh yea, black spot in grass on right side of picture in case you're asking.....what bear?  Told you we were a long way off.

 My hiking partner with the Exit Glacier in the background.

Exit Glacier coming off the Harding Icefield.

Tiffany likes to motor along when she hikes where I like to stop and doodle at every opportunity as evidenced by the distance between us in this picture.  As long as we were up high in the alpine zone I didn't mind her taking off but down lower in the thick stuff we stayed close as I was the one carrying the bear spray.  Since Tiffany had never done any hiking in Alaska I let her know that her normal head down, haul ass mode may end in her  becoming lunch for some surprised Grizzly.  She actually slowed down a little!

On the hike in observed these two on Exit Glacier.  Being there un-roped could end bad for someone.  I've done it, but it's not the smartest move I've ever made.

 Tiffany taking in the view.

Had to do the selfie thing overlooking the Harding Icefield.

Emergency shelter along the trail near the edge of the ice field.

After a great day of hiking we went back into Seward for a good meal, cold beer and a night in a motel that was 116 years old.  We don't think the place has seen much renovation in the past 116 years.  It was a cool spot with a lot of history but I was so tired I couldn't even think about the camera.  We ate and passed out.  Following morning we re-traced our drive and headed back into Anchorage to board the ship.

We were greeted by a representative of the ship and shown our stateroom.  From our windows we could watch the loading of the cargo.

First Engineer giving us a tour of the engine control room.

Cut out of the Northstar.  Ship was built in 2003 in San Diego for Tote Maritime and designed specifically for the run between Anchorage and Tacoma.

   Here we're standing on the stern of the ship with John, the Second Mate, who was a really nice guy.  He does six weeks on, twelve hours a day - seven days a week, and then has six weeks off wherein he starts it all over again.

 Tiffany headed down into the bowels of the ship.

 Anchor locker.

 On the upper deck this is the only way to get to the bow.  They leave just enough room along the side to walk.  They don't waste any space as they like to say......space is money on a ship.

Tiffany watching the pilot out of Anchorage leaving the dock.  We were told that we could come up on the bridge but were not to engage in conversation with any of the crew leaving port unless they engaged us first.  Well, the pilot pictured here did start talking with us and showing us what he was doing on the computer when the Captain cut that short.  He, the Captain,  took us off to the side and told us that when leaving the dock he wanted his crews full attention on their jobs as he had to get a 150 million dollar ship over some very shallow shoals.  The Captain later told me that that particular pilot loves to talk and he should have addressed it with him since we were on the bridge.  I thought maybe we were going to get booted off on the first day! He realized we didn't start the conversation and the pilot was at fault.  The ship has a pilot, who is not part of the crew, take the ship out of Port and the same happens when coming into Tacoma.  The pilots know the waters from years of doing it and comes on board specifically for that purpose.  Other than when leaving or entering port you could ask the crew or Captain anything and they were more than willing to show you what was going on.

The twin propeller shaft is over 145 ft in length.

Once leaving the Port of Anchorage you head out to open sea before turning south.  After about 6 or 7 hours you start losing sight of any land and are in open sea until arriving at the Strait of Juan De Fuca.  We had some bad weather the first couple of days with some rolling seas.  It wasn't real bad but you certainly knew you were on a ship.  The weather turned nice again as we entered the Strait so the camera came back out.

Pilot boat coming alongside near Port Angeles.

Pilot leaving the pilot boat and coming up the ladder.  A fall from here would be a long one.

 Seattle skyline.

 Port of Tacoma.

Tug coming alongside to get us lined up for the dock.

Trip complete.

Smoky Mountains & Little Bears

I'm no longer in the land of snowflakes.  The Seattle area disappeared in the rearview many days ago.   It has now been over a month since my last blog post and almost three since I left Tacoma....the days, sites, tradeshows and miles are beginning to blur.  I'm  having a hard time remembering where I've been and where I have to be next. Only certainty is that I've done a little over 9500 miles since leaving Tacoma and have had a great time.  I keep telling myself to keep a detailed written travel journal but I never get around to it.  This blog ends up being my journal and I've relived my travels numerous times over the past couple of years by going back over some of the posts.  Luckily, Tiffany reminds me where to be and on what date in regards to the work portion of the trip.  As long as I show up as scheduled, I can roam about anywhere in between.  It's the "in-between" that keeps me out here.  Work related, I've been to Collinsville Illinois, Akron Ohio, Novi Michigan, and Syracuse New York, since my last post.   Some areas have been better than others since the last blog post but the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia and The Upper Peninsula in Michigan certainly stand out.  I'm currently in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York where I've been for the past two nights.   Camping has been good as the place is deserted but that is expected to change come this Memorial Day Weekend. I've been boondock camping and have found plenty of it here so I should be able to avoid the crowds this weekend by steering clear of the campgrounds.  Locals tell me that you never can tell about Memorial Day Weekend up here.  May be crowded, or not, dependent on the weather and the black fly situation.  My guess is that the area will be a deserted wasteland as the friggin black flies will carry you away if you don't keep moving.  Went out exploring on the mountain bike two nights ago and thank god I didn't have a flat.  If I had of, I don't think I'd be alive to write this post. No question... I would have abandoned the stinking bike and sprinted back to the camper! I came across a lady today while out hiking that was covered in some kind of mosquito net outfit.  Pants, shirt, gloves, and headgear.....nothing was exposed.  She also smelled like she'd been soaking for days in a 50 gallon drum of  deet. Stated she lives to hike but has a severe reaction to any kind of bug bite.  Personally, I think she picked the wrong hobby but I guess as long as they keep producing deet and netting....what the hell.  I'm sitting there breathing in the damn things, trying to defend myself against the constant onslaught, while she was kicked back enjoying the day reeking of deet.    Not sure what she does out there if mother nature calls and she has to go see a man about a horse.  Maybe she had a diaper on? The mere thought of performing that act amongst those millions of biting hordes will make a grown man cry.   The bugs will be really bad in one area, but drive a mile an all is well.  Water everywhere here with the river and lakes so not sure why they'll be bad in one area and not the next.  I'm seriously thinking about getting a head net and will be ensuring I take care of business before leaving the camper. Without a net, you ingest a few every other breath.  This is not the place for a mouth breather. Of course, I've got a head net back in Tacoma....a lot of good it's doing me back there. 

To date, a highlight of this road trip has been the week I camped in Cades Cove located in the Smoky Mountains National Park.  I had been to the Smoky National Park numerous times over the years but this trip topped them all. It's a photographers dream spot.  Wildlife, fauna, and vistas.  I was lucky enough to meet and hang out with some talented photographers visiting the area.  All really nice people with a passion for wildlife photography. On a couple of these days we were able to photograph and observe a sow and her four cubs.  I took way too many pictures of the cubs and should get them all sorted within the next twenty years or so.  I need to familiarize myself with the delete button.  My first time of ever seeing four cubs with a sow.  I've seen up to three with a sow but never four.  Much more exciting shooting pictures of Grizzlies in Alaska but observing these cubs interact/nurse with the sow, and romp around with each other ranks right up there.  Weather wasn't the greatest, but the subject matter and hanging out with like minded people more than made up for the wet skies.

Deer, turkeys, bobcats, hawks, eagles can all be found here, but the bears are the prize.

Petey enjoying a nice wade one afternoon after a long walk.

A quiet spot next to an old cemetery Petey and I would go to midday.  Little reading, possible
napping, sorting pictures and a long walk for  Petey before the late evening routine of trying to locate more bears.

 Old Church in the Cove.

Spent a few hours at this great swimming hole.

Petey helping with the navigation duties.

Next post.....Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Land Between the Lakes

Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area, Kentucky

Petey and I have covered quite a bit of ground since our last work gig in Dallas so I'll try and get an update while I've finally got a decent internet connection. Since Texas, we've hit Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee. I try and take the most remote roads I can find when headed somewhere and I can assure you, there are still many spots in the good old USA that have crap for internet. I'm a major slacker taking notes as I travel and if I don't update this blog every so often I tend to forget stuff.  I'm currently in an actual campground (Townsend, Tn) just outside the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and unbelievably, they have decent internet.  I'm laying up here for a couple of days to resupply, take on propane, oil change, laundry, pay the govt some money (crooked bastards), etc. Once all this is taken care of I'll be heading into the park to camp in search of black bears to photograph.  I've got a full week before I need to leave the area and start working my way up to Akron, Ohio where I'll meet Tiffany for the next show.  Speaking of Tiffany, she was able to take some time and ride along with us after Dallas while we worked our way to the next stop in St. Louis. We headed up through Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas before rolling into Missouri.  We didn't really get to see or do much en-route as we had to be in St. Louis in four days. We also had a full day of some really hard rain along with high winds so spent one of those days just trying to get out of Texas.  I haven't seen it rain that hard since I sat through a typhoon in Japan. Of course, we found some dirt roads in the Ozarks in search of a waterfall we had been told about.  While having dinner at a little local restaurant with an all the sweet tea you can down along with all the fried food you can shove down your pie hole for $8.50, the waitress, who was very chatty, began telling us about this great waterfall after I inquired about what is the must see in the area.  She thought on it a while and narrowed it down between the biggest Bass Pro Shop in the US or a waterfall up in the mountains. She told us it was rated the second most beautiful waterfall in the country.  We were both silently questioning this prestigious rating as she ranted about its beauty. Her departing comment, with a heavy southern drawl, was "you can see it from the road". What she failed to mention was that "the road" was an unmarked dirt one about six miles off the nearest pavement.  If we hadn't of run into some horse riders camped in the area I doubt we would have found it. In the Ozarks, they tend to be a little short on signage.  Nice young girl, but she needs to put a couple of zeros after that 2 and brush up on directions. We ended up camping alongside "the road" right at the falls since it was almost dark once located. A little pasta and wine that night with the falls cascading in the background before leaving early the next morning. So it wasn't a total mileage grab getting to St. Louis.  A little adventure was found.

It was pretty, but number two?

 Came across an abandoned mercantile in Snowball, Arkansas.

After roaming around the Ozark's for a couple of days it was on to St. Louis where we had the best show to date.  Tiffany was headed back to Tacoma after St. Louis so Petey and I were back in the solo mode.  Once dropping Tiffany off for her flight, we headed southeast through Illinois to an area in eastern Kentucky called Land Between the Lakes.  Lots of areas to explore.  I swear there are more bass boats here than people. I think it's a state law that you own a boat and a pickup here because I saw plenty of each.

Illinois farm.

 Fishermen headed out early one morning.

 Drone shot from camp one evening.

 Dogwoods were starting to bloom in the area.

 Big Tom chasing hens near camp.

Campsite along Kentucky Lake.

Camping was good in the area so I moved camp almost every night during the week I stayed.  One night I simply camped at a remote boat launch about 5 miles down a dirt road which dead ended out on Lake Barkley.  Had it all to myself but the following day a pickup rolls up with a couple of guys in it.  I got to talking with them and they ended up inviting me out for the day to lay trot lines.  They were after catfish and soft-shelled turtles. James and Earl were the real deal.  Good ole boys who were born and raised in the area.  They have hunted and fished these woods since boys and had plenty of stories to share when they weren't talking trash to each other. I wish I had a nickel for every lie that has ever been told in that boat. Was a fun trip hearing all their stories and information about the area.  Encounters like this are why I seek out the more remote spots.  

Petey ensuring we're headed in the right direction.

Drone shot from camp at the boat ramp.

After almost a week in Kentucky, I dropped down into Tennessee headed for my current location in the Smoky Mountains.  En route I stopped at many Civil War sites, walked some battlefields and one of particular interest was Fort Donelson.  It was the first major win for the north and the battle which really launched Ulysses S. Grants military fame and eventually led to his Presidency.   

Gun placements along the Tennesse River at Fort Donelson.

While exiting the park I look off in a field and spot two women with lenses as long as my leg.  Both shooting away at something and moving across a large field.  I put the Chinook into a four-point power slide to get off the road, grab my camera and begin the trek to intrude on their party and find out what the hell is going on.  For those who like to take pictures of wildlife, you know that anytime you see someone with a big lens alongside the road it's like a magnet.  You've got to stop for fear of missing something. Turns out they were shooting a couple of eagles that had built a nest.  Not like I don't have any eagle pictures but one is always in search of that perfect shot so I hung out with them for a few hours shooting pictures and talking photography.  Still in search of that perfect shot but didn't leave empty handed.  Not a bad way to kill a few hours before moving on.