Category: Historic Sites

Wyoming High Plains to Rocky Mountains in Colorado to Missouri

Posted in Colorado, Historic Sites, Kansas, Missouri, Wildlife, WyomingTagged , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Day 102: Sunday, August 25, 2013. Currently in Blue Springs Missouri.

Fort Caspar, Wyoming
Fort Caspar, Wyoming

After leaving Sheridan we drove through the high plains where we saw ranches, several herds of pronghorn antelope, and prairie dogs beside the road. We spent a night in Casper, Wyoming at Ft. Caspar RV Park where we visited Fort Caspar on the North Platte River.

Relaxing at our campsite by the Big Thompson River in Loveland, CO
Relaxing at our campsite by the Big Thompson River in Loveland, CO

Before heading into the plains of Kansas  we stopped for two nights at Riverview RV Park in Loveland, Colorado where we had a campsite right on the Big Thompson River. Kicking back and listening to the river was pure heaven.

The next day we drove about 30 miles to the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park to make the drive along Trail Ridge Road. On our visit to the park Memorial Day weekend in 2011 we attempted the drive but had to stop near the beginning of the road because of snow on the road. The drive was beautiful and we saw plenty of wildlife. We went over the highest point of the Trail Ridge Road. At 12,183 feet, it was the highest elevation we have been to on this entire trip.

Rocky Mountain National Park
Big Horn Sheep on Trail Ridge Road
Big Horn Sheep on Trail Ridge Road
Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park
A marmot basking in the sun on top of the rock
Wild Turkey in Rocky Mountain National Park

The drive from Loveland to our next stop at the Wakeeney KOA in Kansas took us through cattle country. We drove by stockyards with more cattle than I have ever seen. The winds were strong all day and Henry was fighting a strong headwind for much of the day. We passed by huge wind farms in Colorado and Kansas.  After driving almost 400 miles we stopped in Wakeeney, Kansas for the night to rest up before another long day of driving through Kansas.

The next morning we continued our trek east through Kansas where we continued to see cattle and fields of corn, wheat, and other grains. Wild sunflowers grew beside the highway. We started hitting city traffic in Topeka and drove through Kansas City, the biggest city in Missouri. Going through the city was a lot like going through downtown Atlanta – not fun. We spent the night in Blue Springs Campground, a nice, quiet county park in Blue Springs, Missouri. Our wildlife sighting of the day was two deer in the park.

Three nights in Palmer, Alaska

Posted in Alaska, Historic Sites, Tourist Attractions, WildlifeTagged , , , , , , , 3 Comments

I’m sure many of you are getting bored to tears with all my posts and photos so I will condense our three nights in Palmer into one post.

Day 60: Sunday, July 14, 2013. Talkeetna to Palmer, Alaska. Big Bear RV park, Site 56. 145 miles traveled. We are actually closer to Wasilla but the RV park has a Palmer address.

Moose cow and calf crossing the road
Moose cow and calf crossing the road

After all the excitement and fun we had in Talkeetna we hated to leave but there is still more of Alaska to see. The drive was uneventful except for seeing a moose cow and her calf cross the road in front of us.

Our first order of business after getting set up was to go to Walmart a mile down the road to get some much needed supplies. When we got back we met some fellow Titanium owners from Missouri who were parked in our row.

Day 61: Monday, July 15, 2013

Our plan for a drive on Hatcher Pass Road was shortened by fog but we enjoyed our drive as far as the Independence Mine

Henry and Blondie at the Little Susitna River
Wildflowers by the river
It was foggy all day
Marmot on top of one of the old buildings
Independence Mine State Historical Site
Old Mine Train
Henry and Blondie exploring the Independence Mine in Alaska
Wildflower
Independence Mine

Day 62: Tuesday, July 16, 2013

A trip to the Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska and then a shopping trip to Fred Meyer for our final grocery shopping before heading to the Kenai Peninsula.

At the Iditarod Trail Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska
Dog sled team running down the track
Two of the Alaskan Husky puppies
Iditerod dog team taking a break
Beth with one of the puppies

Day 48: Gold Fever in Fairbanks

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Day 48: Tuesday, July 2, 2013

To get up close and personal with the Alaska Pipeline we stopped at a park on our way to  tour the Gold Dredge 8.

At a section of the pipeline in Fairbanks
I can’t reach!

The tour started with a train ride with demonstrations of gold mining techniques and a stop to learn about the dredge before we got off the train to pan for gold. We got to keep our gold!

Gold Dredge 8
We got off the train here to pan for gold
There was old equipment from the mining days
Another large group panning for gold
Henry struck gold!
Henry’s gold. He got $12 worth, I only got $9.

As we were leaving the tour we stopped at a section of the pipeline to learn a few facts about it.

We passed under the pipeline as we finished the tour. You can see where it goes up the hill in the distance.
A cross section of the pipeline showing cleaners called pigs
Inside the pipe

Day 40: Gold Fever in Dawson City, Yukon

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Day 40: June 24, 2012 in Dawson City, Yukon

Blondie and I started the day with a walk along the Yukon River.

During the Klondike Gold Rush, prospectors traveled up the Yukon river to Dawson city by riverboat.
Another riverboat on the Yukon River
On the banks of the Yukon River
Downtown Dawson City
Old buckets from the gold mining dredges marked our campsite
The buckets were also used as planters

In Dawson City it’s all about the gold. To learn more about the gold rush history and see where gold was first discovered here we drove along Bonanza Creek Road to take a walk on the Discovery Claim trail. Descriptive signs and old gold mining equipment line the trail beside Bonanza Creek where gold was discovered in 1896.

We walked on a trail at the Discovery Claim where gold was first discovered
Bonanza Creek where gold was first discovered
Bonanza Creek
Old mining equipment along the trail
An old sluice used in gold mining
An area designated as a free claim area gives anyone access to pan for gold here. If you pan elsewhere you may be claim jumping.
These guys are panning in the free claim area
Dredge # 4
Historic Dredge
Old buckets lined up

What better way to celebrate my birthday than to pan for a little gold? I learned how to pan for gold from a very patient teacher at Claim 33.

Another old bucket used as a planter
Learing how to pan for gold at Claim 33
Almost finished
Gold!
I’m bringing this back home
Panning for gold in Dawson City, Yukon

A drive to the top of Dome Road for a view of the city and the Yukon River was our next adventure of the day. The road is steep and narrow with many sharp turns. Bicyclists were also making the trek up the hill. When we got to the top to look around, they went down the mountain on one of the narrow trails.

Dawson City and Yukon River from atop Midnight Dome
Yukon River from atop Midnight Dome
At the overlook on Midnight Dome
At the Robert Service Cabin. He wrote several books of poems including "The Cremation of Sam McGee"
At the Robert Service Cabin. He wrote several books of poems including “The Cremation of Sam McGee”

Next, a stop at the Robert Service Cabin was in order. Robert Service is a famous poet who lived for a time in the Yukon. My brother Joe gave us a book with a collection of his poems for Christmas and we have been reading it as we have been traveling. “The Cremation of Sam McGee” is one of our favorites. Click on the link to read the poem.

Jack London, author of “The Call of the Wild” also lived in Dawson City.

After visiting with our neighbors from BC in the campground for a little while, we had a birthday dinner at Sourdough Joe’s. Ice cream for dessert was perfect after a hard day of being a tourist so we walked next door to an ice cream shop. Henry had on a Tybee Island Pirate Fest t-shirt and as we were standing in line to order a young man behind us commented that he had been to Tybee Island. Of course we started talking to him and asked him where he was from. When he replied “Nova Scotia” we asked what brought him to Dawson City on the other side of the continent from his home. He told us he was working at a small gold mine in Dawson City. The idea that someone from Nova Scotia who was working in Dawson City had actually been to Tybee Island just blew me away.

Day 33: Another fun day in Skagway

Posted in Alaska, Entertainment, Historic Sites, Tourist AttractionsTagged , , , , , , 4 Comments

Day 33: Monday, June 18, 2013

While we slept, four cruise ships arrived in the harbor. Skagway was bustling with activity early in the morning as the trains, sightseeing buses, and stores prepared for the onslaught of cruise ship passengers.

The streets were still fairly quiet as I took my early morning stroll through town. I passed by two trains filled with passengers waiting to depart. Later in the day the streets were filled with people strolling along, taking pictures, and hitting the shops.

Pullen Creek RV Park, Skagway, Alaska
The White Pass train waiting to depart
The train across from the cruise ship dock
This train is waiting to hitch up more cars
Historical buildings in downtown Skagway
Downtown Skagway
Totems in downtown Skagway
Downtown Skagway
An advertisement painted on the side of the cliff
Downtown Skagway
This building is part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Inside is a replica of a saloon.
Strolling on the boardwalk is part of the fun

After another delicious breakfast at the Sweet Tooth we joined the throngs of shoppers browsing the shops. You can find anything from the typical made in China souvenirs to beautiful handcrafted, made in Alaska items. After drooling over all the beautifully crafted items I finally decided on a pair of jade whale tail earrings.

At 10:30 we went to the Days of ’98 Show at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles. The musical play tells the tale of Soapy Smith, Alaska’s most notorious outlaw. The show was entertaining and so much fun. The piano player, dance hall girls, ragtime music, and Soapy himself were all great. I highly recommend attending the show if you ever go to Skagway.

At the Days of 98 show at the Fraternal Order of Eagles
Soapy Smith and the three dance all girls
Beth with the Soapy Smith
Henry with the dance hall girls

Here is a video of the girls performing the can-can. If you are reading an email update and can’t watch the video, click Wandering Dawgs to go to the web page and scroll to the video to watch.

When we came out of the show the streets were filled with people. A drive along the Taiya Inlet to the former town of Dyea sounded perfect. Thousands of prospectors hoping to strike it rich during the Klondike Gold rush followed the Chilkoot trail which began in Dyea. The narrow, winding gravel road to the site of the once booming town of Dyea was beautiful. The trail to the town site takes you through woods and neither of us was prepared for the hike so we didn’t actually see where the town once was. At the end of the road were the Dyea Flats with wild iris and other wildflowers adding splashes of purple to the green.

Wild Iris in the Dyea Flats
Field of wildflowers at Dyea
Skagway Harbor from overlook on Dyea Raod
Dyea Flats

If you are interested in learning more about the history of the Klondike Gold Rush, visit The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Site to find out more.

Henry spent the rest of the afternoon washing the truck while I did some cleaning inside. Watching the cruise ship passengers pass by on their way back to their ship was a great way to relax after a hard day of being a tourist.

Dinner at the Red Onion Saloon was really fun. As I was enjoying my pizza and Henry his Reuben, we were pleasantly surprised to see a band setting up to play. With two fiddles, a bass, a mandolin, a guitar, and English Concertina we knew the Windy Valley Boys would be fun to listen to. Their first song was a foot tapping, buck dancing kind of song that reminded me of the jam session at the Floyd Country Store in Virginia. We ordered another beer and stayed for the entire first set. What a great ending to our day!

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