This week, Tina has asked us to show things that are All Wet.
As we traveled through Alaska in 2013 we saw wildlife almost every day and some the animals were all wet.
Sea Otters on Columbia Glacier tour from ValdezPuffins on the Columbia Glacier Cruise from ValdezMoose in a pond in Denali National ParkBlack Bear fishing for salmon in Hyder, Alaska
I can’t end this post without including our beloved yellow Labrador Retriever, Blondie. She was happiest when she was all wet. No matter where we were, if there was water around, she wanted to swim in it. She’s been in doggie heaven for over two years now and I still miss her every day.
Our Labrador Retriever loved to share her wetness with us
This week, Tina has challenged us to capture the spirit of a place that is vivid in you memory.
My husband and I have been fortunate to be able to travel to most of the United States, parts of Canada, and a few other foreign countries. The one place that I think of most often is the state of Alaska.
It’s been six years since we towed our fifth wheel over 14,000 miles to Alaska and back. There are so many things that make Alaska memorable. The people are friendly and proud of their state. The mountains and glaciers took my breath away every where we went. I was constantly on the lookout for wildlife and often saw bears or moose beside the road. Sometimes we would be the only vehicle on the road for miles.
One of our favorite towns was Haines. We loved all the great people, the Hammer Museum, eagles and bears, and fresh Dungeness Crab for dinner. Probably best of all was the waterfront view from the campground. We enjoyed our cocktail hour searching for whales and watching the ships go by.
View from our campground in Haines
As we traveled around Alaska we would sometimes drive for miles without seeing another car. I was constantly on the looking for bears and moose.
Gorgeous scenery every where we wentMoose cow and calf crossing the road
One of our most memorable days was the day we left the fifth wheel in the RV park in North Pole and drove north on the Dalton Highway. After stopping at the Arctic Circle we continued on to Coldfoot, the farthest north we have ever traveled. At Coldfoot we turned around and arrived back at the camper after 10:00 pm and it was still daylight.
Behind a motorcycle on the Dalton Highway
On a wildlife cruise from Seward, the captain turned off the engines so we could hear the ice calving at Aialik Glacier.
Ice calving on Aialik Glacier on the Kenai Fjords trip from Seward
One of my favorite things in Alaska was seeing wildlife.
I’ll never forget the Orcas cruising close by our boat on a wildlife cruise from Valdez.
A pair of Orcas on Columbia Glacier tour from Valdez
The mama bear was too busy finding fish for her cub to pay attention to us.
Mama bear looking for more fish near ValdezBlack Bear Cub
There were more bald eagles in Alaska than anywhere else I’ve ever been. As we rode close to the shoreline on one of the wildlife cruises there were too many eagles perched in the trees to count.
We spotted this pair of Bald Eagles as we cruised by on a wildlife and glacier cruise from ValdezEagle soaring over bluff at Russian Orthadox Church in Ninilchik
Riding on a train and a taking a plane ride to land on a glacier after seeing Mount Denali up close were two of our favorite excursions.
A ride on the Alaska Railroad to the Hurricane TurnMount Denali from the air
It’s been over six years since we were there. One day we will return…
I originally started the Wandering Dawgs blog as a way to keep friends and family updated as we traveled from Georgia to Alaska in 2013. Six years later, the blog is still going strong. We’re not traveling as much in our RV anymore so I thought it would be fun to relive some of our most memorable days from previous RV trips.
On this day six years ago, August 1, 2013, we were nearing the end of our stay in Alaska. That day, we drove from Glacier View, Alaska, to Valdez, our last major Alaska destination. I remember that drive was one of the most spectacular drives of our Alaska journey.
There were mountains and glaciers along the way.
On to drive to ValdezMantanuska Glacier on the Glenn HighwayWe could see Worthington Glacier from the highway about 30 miles from Valdez
We had lunch with a view.
We had lunch at Willow Lake with a view of Mount WrangellWelcome to Valdez
As we got close to Valdez we descended a long steep grade through Keystone Canyon and saw jaw dropping scenery as we drove by. We couldn’t stop while towing the fifth wheel so I took these waterfall phtotos the next day when we drove back up the highway for a closer look.
Bridal Veil Falls in Keystone CanyonHorsetail Falls waterfall in Keystone Canyon
Our four days in Valdez were a great way to end our Alaska adventure before we began our return trip to Georgia.
Five years ago we were wandering around Alaska in our RV. As we traveled I was always on the lookout for wildlife and we saw plenty of it.
Along with the many land and sea animals, I enjoyed seeing the birds. The Bald Eagles were my favorite and there were more Bald Eagles than I’ve ever seen anywhere else. We saw them perched in trees, soaring overhead, and even in a nest in front of the Homer Post office. The most unusual sighting was seeing one fly right beside the truck as we drove along the Homer Spit. I was so busy watching him keep up with us that I didn’t get a chance to take his picture!
Bald Eagle on Ninilchik BeachBald Eagle at Chilcoot Lake State Park, Haines, AKBald Eagle at Chilcoot Lake State Park, Haines, AKBald Eagle in the Lynn Canal between Haines and JuneauBald Eagle in tree beside Eldred Rock Lighthouse in the Lynn CanalMama and Baby Eagles in HomerEagle soaring over bluff at Russian Orthadox Church in NinilchikWe spotted this pair of Bald Eagles as we cruised by on a wildlife and glacier cruise from Valdez
Five years ago this week we were on the road to Alaska from Georgia. Once we crossed the border into Canada, I spent every day looking for wildlife. There were many “WOW” wildlife sightings in both Canada and Alaska.
I’ve been thinking about posting some of my favorite wildlife photos from the trip and today I finally got the boost I needed to put it all together. When my friend Ingrid at Live, Laugh RV posted that the theme for her very first Wednesday photo inspiration was wildlife, I immediately started going though the thousands of photos from the trip.
If you would like to participate or see other posts inspired by Ingrid, click on over to Ingrid’s post Wandering Wednesday.
Here are just a few of my favorite wildlife photos from our Canada and Alaska adventure.
Elk near our campsite in Jasper National Park, AlbertaSoon after entering British Columbia we were in Mount Robson Park and saw this grizzly beside the roadBear in British ColumbiaBison herd with calves near Liard River Hotsprings in British ColumbiaMoose in Denali National Park, AlaskaBlack Bear Cub in Valdez, AlaskaStellar Sea Lions on wildlife cruise from Haines to Juneau, AlaskaHumpback Whale on wildlife cruise from Haines to Juneau, AlaskaSea Otters on Columbia Glacier cruise from Valdez, AlaskaPod of Orcas with calf on Columbia Glacier cruise from Valdez, AlaskaEagle at Deep Creek Beach, AlaskaPair of Eagles on Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez, AlaskaPuffins on the Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez, Alaska
Wandering Dawgs 
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