Today was all about my bucket list. We arrived in Juneau really early and worked out per usual. Even though we’ve been eating and drinking like Shrek, we’ve been working out every day (except one so far). And I’ve been getting in my 10,000 steps per day pretty easily. Still. Gaining. Weight.
Anyhow, back to Juneau, the state capital of Alaska. It’s a small town of about 30,000 and like many of the towns along the Inside Passage – or Alaska Marine Highway – that we’re traveling on this cruise, it’s landlocked. Only way in or out is boat or plane.
Per usual, we were one of several ships in town so lots of people descended upon Juneau today at the same time. We wandered off the ship just before noon and, after finding where our tour was to meet later, we walked down the boardwalk and had a very nice chat with a local. We have been learning about native culture here, and have discovered that there are three main tribes – Tligit,Haida and Tshimsian – and within each tribe there are two clans – Eagles and Ravens. Eagles can only marry Ravens, and vice versa. We have a lot of questions about this and people here are so proud of their culture and willing to share the information. From the gentleman today, we learned that when a man and woman marry, they become whatever the wife is – Eagle or Raven. Like many cultures around the world, this is a matriarchal one. (as it should be. Andy has not sanctioned this comment. Ha!)
On to the bucket list – mushing a dog sled! I was beyond excited to do this, and it did not disappoint. After a quick ride to the heliport, and getting a safety briefing and weird ice shoes, we got on the helicopter. 
A 15-minute helo ride later, we were standing on the Mendenhall Glacier. The scenery was beyond stunning. The dogs – about 150 of them – were barking and super excited to pull the sleds. These Alaskan Huskies are bred and trained expressly for this purpose. These dogs are all being trained for competitive mushing; many of them have or will run the Iditarod. We also met two men who are signed up to do the 2017 Iditarod. This is their summer training camp and part of how they are raising money for the race. We got their card and will definitely be following them next March as they make the grueling 1,000-mile run.
The four of us in our group all took turns steering the sled, which was pretty awesome. For me, the best part was the excitement of the dogs. When we stopped, they all strained at the harness and barked. They were excited to get moving. Like people, the dogs all have different personalities. Some are affectionate and friendly, and some are standoffish. But what they all have in common is a desire to GO.
After a way-too-quick ride – about a mile in total – across the glacier, we finished up by holding two sweet puppies, Simon and Eleanor. The beauty in the picture above is Eleanor. She fell asleep in my arms. Zoey would be so jealous.
Now we’re sitting in our favorite little cafe on the ship, downloading pics and writing the blog. Soon we’ll head to dinner and tonight’s show. We’ve settled pretty well into relaxation mode.
One other quick note about the beauty of the scenery in Alaska in general.
Last night, I took this gorgeous picture from our balcony. The colors here are amazing, but what I’ll come away with is a feeling of monochromatic sunsets. All shades of blue. Beautiful.
at Icy Strait Point. The natives here started a corporation for the sole purpose of showcasing their culture and opening to cruise ships. It’s a lovely, largely unspoiled and very small port. Everything is brand new.
out after lunch to explore the area. I was excited to put my fingers in the cold water,
so we walked along the beach trying very hard not to step on the thousands of mussels clinging to the rocks.
Alaskan towns have histories of salmon fishing and canning, as it was their main source of income for generations. We’ve seen many old and a few still functioning salmon fisheries and canneries. At Hoonah, we toured a small cannery museum, then decided to hike the nature trail. The minute we stepped under the canopy, the light took on a beautiful luminescent quality. It is actually considered a temperature rainforest. Reminded me of the Forest Moon of Endor, where the Ewoks lived. 
Our 4-hour train ride from Seattle to Vancouver was largely uneventful. We met two nice Kiwi couples whom we continue to run into on the ship. And we took lots of pictures of the pretty scenery as the train made its way north.
We have discovered our favorite area to sit. It’s a combination coffee/wine/dessert shop. Bonus! That’s where I’m typing this right now, enjoying a glass of champagne and the violin/cello duo that’s playing nearby. We spent much of our first day here. It rained most of yesterday, an “at sea” day, so it was a great day to curl up and read a book. Which I did lots of. We also ate and drank waaaay too much. So much for keeping to the diet.
It was a fun show, though. Then we did a tour of a nature preserve and got a demonstration of totem pole carving and storytelling. Interesting stuff. The city here is extraordinarily clean and really well suited for and welcoming of cruise ships. After all those stops in Mexico and the Caribbean, it’s refreshing to not be accosted the instant you step off the ship. Oh, and there are TONS of bald eagles here. They’re everywhere. The locals act blasé about it, but we thought it was very cool.
But we didn’t care one bit cause we were here to see our Jakey. After a quick stop at the hotel to drop off our bags and add another layer, we set out to meet up with him. His apartment is functional and in a secured building, but other than that it’s nothing to write home about. He’s a young man; it’s 10 weeks; he’ll be fine.
He walked us the route he takes to work every day and he showed us his favorite spots along the way.
Anyhow, this pizza was amazing, and the owner was a hoot. Thanks, Italian Family Pizza. If you’re ever in town, I highly recommend this place.
at Amazon this summer. Tomorrow morning, we’ll take the train to Vancouver where we’ll board our ship. We’re very excited and ready to feel that cool air and take in the beautiful scenery. Stay tuned …
The Biker's Wife 