Category Archives: The space between
What we’re doing when we’re not actively in the midst of a journey
Reflections of life in the Bay Area
Dallas and I decided to go to Durango, CO to visit with our friends and pet-sit for them and their friends over the holidays. In the month that we were living in the bay area, we were able to get by working random jobs found on craigslist. We also could not have stayed as long as we did without the hospitality of Dallas’s sister, Sherilyn, and step-mom, Sandra. We also were warmly welcomed by Dallas’s friend Linus and his family, his cousin Tommy and his girlfriend, and his Aunt Lisa (who makes excellent banana bread) and her husband John. I am very grateful for Dallas’s friends and family and so glad I could meet them!
Apparently, I have really nice feet. Who knew??
Dallas was lucky to find a part-time job as an assistant for a man who had just had foot surgery and needed help running errands, picking the kids up from school, and general help around the house. He was just able to start driving again the week we left California, so the timing worked out pretty well. I found gigs as a foot model for ankle jewelry being sold on Amazon, and spent another three days as a background runner for a Dick’s Sporting Goods commercial. Sandra also gave me some work, as she needed help tagging assets for one of the biotech companies that employs her as their facilities manager. For the amount of time we had in the area, we did pretty well. Living as a temporary resident of the bay area, I was able to observe and take note of a few unique characteristics.
Biking around downtown San Francisco, everyone is in a hurry. There are also lots of traffic lights (and tons of traffic). I got to practice my track stand and acceleration from a stop countless times on each commute, while other bike commuters rolled on through most of the lights. This never happened in Portland. I wonder if the difference is that there is more enforcement of traffic laws applied to cyclists in Portland, or if they are just better educated since there is a higher percentage of bike commuters there. San Francisco has more tourists, and many more people riding around on rental bikes, but it is clearly the commuters who were riding on city streets and disobeying traffic signals. I also noticed that the bike share program, which was recently initiated in the bay area and is expected to be one of the largest in the country after its planned expansions, is getting plenty of use in the city. In Redwood City, however, where there is a hub of bike share bikes, I didn’t notice anyone using them. It is definitely promising to see so many people commuting by bicycle, and so many bike lanes in the area, but it has a ways to go to catch up to Portland (which, doesn’t even have a bike share program, yet). Most of the bay area is accessible by bike, but (especially as you get further from the city) there are plenty of inconveniences and obstacles for cyclists to endure in order to avoid autocentric areas and unsafe roads, heavy with multiple lanes of fast-moving traffic.
Another noticeable thing about the bay area is the smog. We actually lucked out with pretty sunny weather every day that we were there, but some days you could see a tan haze hovering over the city. This is apparently normal, especially in the summertime. Every time I went outside, there were numerous planes in the air. Sometimes you could see ten or more planes in the sky around the airport, which wasn’t too far from where we stayed with Sandra. This, plus all of the traffic on the roads, probably leads to some pretty unhealthy air quality.
While I really enjoyed my time in the bay area, I’m glad that we didn’t stay long enough to get caught up in whatever the big hurry is around San Francisco. Everywhere we turned, everyone seemed so rushed and stressed out, and most drivers seemed angry. I’m sure it’s because the cost of living is so high, people have to work so much just to pay for their home, food and gym membership – they probably don’t have any time to spend at home, eat good food, or work out.
A view of the city from Coyote Point Park in San Mateo
On a positive note, San Francisco is one of the greatest cities in North America. There is literally anything you can imagine available at your fingertips. There are numerous selections of restaurants and markets for any kind of food you could want – plus, there are courier services that will deliver the food to you if you don’t want to leave your condo. Pretty much anywhere is accessible via public transit, and there are transportation options for everyone – trains, subways, buses, streetcars, electric trams, ferries, cars, and bikes. As for entertainment and recreation, there are museums and theaters that attracts all of the big names in art, music or acting and there are parks and gyms for any kind of activity you would ever want to do. For water sports, you can go swimming, sailing, kiteboarding, kayaking, rowing or windsurfing on the bay, along the Pacific coast or on one of the lagoons (we witnessed part of a rowing regatta in the lagoon behind Sandra’s house two days before we left). There is excellent road cycling and mountain biking just outside of the city. AND it seems there are job opportunities everywhere – San Francisco seems like the place to be if you want to start up a company or are involved with any kind of technology.
Dallas and I took a one way flight to Durango, but we left our bicycles behind so we do expect to be back in the bay area to pick up where we left off on our cycling adventures. Until then, we will definitely be borrowing mountain bikes and skis, and doing a lot of trail running with other people’s dogs!
Trying to be good travelers
What happened on Dallas’s last day of riding before he reached San Francisco remains a mystery for now, as I have given him ample time to update us and cannot wait any longer to update our readers on where we are and what we’re doing now! Not that it’s very exciting. We have paused our bicycle touring again to spend time with family in the bay area and to figure out our next move. We have been considering a variety of options, which I wasn’t going to reveal until we made a final decision, but maybe writing it all out and sharing the possibilities with everyone will help us come to a conclusion in a more timely manner. So, here they are:
Option 1: Go sailing!
We have been fortunate enough to meet up with David, a sailor who owns a hand built 40 foot catamaran sailboat and is looking for crew for some segments of his sail around the world. He is very much like us in that he has been traveling and working random jobs wherever he stops, literally going wherever the wind blows him. We started talking to him via e-mail after the website, findacrew.net, matched our profiles. He was in Alaska for the summer, but never made it far enough north to see us while we were in Skagway. We finally caught up to him in San Francisco where he is anchored while working on replacing the hatches, and we had the chance to go sailing with him around San Francisco Bay last week. I have to admit that sailing across the ocean would be my number one choice, since I started my journey two years ago with the hopes of combining bicycling and sailing, and still I have yet to actually sail anywhere. However, the boat is a work in progress, and David has not done an ocean crossing yet. I have no doubt that he is taking all the appropriate safety precautions and am confident in his sailing ability as a captain, but we are still not ready to trust our lives to a small sailboat that is untested on such a long journey. If David decides to head south first, to San Diego, before going west, we do want to join him. Hopefully we will know more about his plans by the end of November.
Option 2: Bike South
We can always hop back on our bikes, but it’s going to get a lot colder before it starts getting warmer. It only makes sense to go south. We could bike to San Diego, and potentially crew on a sailboat from there, or keep biking south. There are a completely different set of risks associated with this plan, but we would get to work on our Spanish. Dallas was hoping to have saved up some more money before getting into South America, since it may be hard to find legitimate work outside of the US. If we do go this route, we could spend the next year or two bicycling around South America.
Option 3: Work seasonally in Durango, CO
Out friends, Anna and Brendan, from Sockeye, live in Durango, Colorado. We really enjoyed getting to know them while we were all living in Skagway, and we even got to witness their wedding in July! They have extended an offer for us to live with them for the winter season. Durango Mountain Resort is hiring people for the ski and snowboard season, and it would be a good way for us to earn some extra income before leaving the country. It would also be cold, and would delay our departure from the US for a little bit longer. Although, we would get to be a little closer to friends and family for a little bit longer.
Option 4: House sit and work odd jobs through the holiday season, and then bike south or sail across the Pacific.
Thanksgiving is approaching quickly, and it would be nice to stay close and accessible to family throughout the holidays (and so I can attend my cousin’s wedding). While we’re already in the country, we may as well stay a little bit longer so we can afford to visit with family. House-sitting is a great way to stay somewhere, rent-free, and lots of people need house-sitters during the holidays (including our friends in Durango).
We recently discovered a very cool website that connects homeowners to trustworthy house-sitters while they are away for extended vacations or business trips. The website is called trustedhousesitters.com and we have just started exploring the possibilities of living in beautiful homes in all parts of the world, watching over the house and sometimes caring for pets and plants while the owners are away. There are several websites like this, but trustedhousesitters.com seems like the best so far. Membership is required in order to apply for house-sitting jobs, and there are ways for previous homeowners, employers, or others to leave references on the house-sitter’s character and caretaking abilities. There’s even a section for a police check, so you can show that you have no criminal record. We see the site as a great tool for helping us find places to stay without the commitment of a lease or the cost of rent, while also providing homeowners or pet owners a piece of mind, knowing their home will be in good hands. If we do land a gig through this site, I will update our readers with a more detailed review.
We have been entertaining all of these options, and are open to other wild and crazy suggestions that people may throw our way. Don’t hesitate to comment on this section! It may not affect our decision, but it’s good to hear what y’all think. While in the bay area, Dallas and I have been lucky enough to stay with his sister, Sherilyn, and her family, his friend, Linus, and his family, and his step-mom, Sandra. We are working temporary jobs until we move on to the next locale!
“A good traveler has no plans and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu
New (used) bikes for our next adventure
Back in Portland, Dallas and I spent a few days recovering from our travels from Alaska. We needed to get moving though, before the weather turned cold and rainy. It was apparently already too late to miss the rain, so after 2 rest days, we started to get serious about our next move. Dallas purchased an almost new Kona Honkytonk from our friend Alyssa, and I found an excellent deal on a GT Wheels 4 Life Peace tour bike on Craigslist. The former owner of my new steed had just finished riding across the US with it – you can see her blog here: www.missionusa2013.blogspot.com
On Friday, Dallas caught up with family in Oregon City while I ran with our friend Kelly in Forest Park. I spent that weekend testing my bike out on some of John Benenate’s team rides. It’s heavy compared to everyone’s road bikes, but it will definitely get me out of Portland. After spending Saturday and Sunday cycling in the rain, Dallas joined me for Tuesday and Wednesday evening group runs organized by other Skora ambassadors. There’s definitely enough resources to stay active all week in Portland.
My plan was to wait for a few sunny days in a row (which could be weeks here), and get as far south as possible before the rain hits again. We got lucky on Thursday afternoon when the sun came out (and we got to see our friend Kristina, from Sockeye, who had just arrived in Portland the night before).
Hoping to leave Friday, we hurried to get everything we needed together for another long bike tour. Halfway through the day, we decided we wouldn’t be ready and would leave on Saturday instead. Saturday morning came, and we still had a few last minute things to pack and adjust. By Saturday afternoon, we were still not quite ready. Hopefully we haven’t wasted our only two sunny days in Portland. We definitely plan on biking out Sunday morning!
The plan is to head south as far as Eugene together. Then, I may cut west to the coast and ride down the Pacific Coast Highway. Dallas is planning to continue towards Crater Lake (hopefully the National Park will be open again by the time he gets there) and south to visit his dad in Ashland before meeting up with me again in San Francisco. The goal is to get to San Francisco by October 19th. Keep checking back for more frequent updates along the way!
On the Road Again
Dallas and I were able to take advantage of a deal on a rental car to drive from Skagway to Anchorage, from where we found cheap flights to Seattle. Since it’s so hard to get to Alaska, we figured we should explore some more of the state before leaving entirely. We left Skagway on a Wednesday and made stops in Carcross and Whitehorse before heading Northwest on the ALCAN. Once over the White Pass summit and into Canada, we enjoyed clear skies and roads lined with trees of autumn colors, ranging from dark green to bright yellow and orange. The Yukon is SO beautiful, but that first night of camping was FREEZING!
We drove on through places with names like Destruction Bay and Beaver Creek, and then crossed back into Alaska on Thursday afternoon, stopping in Tok and North Pole en route to Fairbanks. We were never far from a picturesque view of mountains, most of which were topped with snow. It actually started snowing on us while passing through Tok. In Fairbanks, Dallas surprised me and splurged on a hotel so we could sleep well in a warm bed. I had offered numerous times to drive, but he insisted on staying behind the wheel.
We took off from Fairbanks relatively early on Friday morning. Both of us had developed an aversion to big cities after living in Skagway all summer, and we were eager to continue on through this one. The day was mainly cloudy, and the enormous mountains surrounding us were mostly invisible. We really wanted to see Denali, but the road is usually only open to personal vehicle for the first 15 miles. A few days ago, they had opened the road up as far as mile 30 (weather dependent). We were fortunate enough to drive twice as far than most tourists who visit during the height of the summer season. Adding to our good fortune, the sun started peaking out in the distance behind the mountains as we neared the 30-mile mark. We paused at this lookout spot to eat some crackers with tuna and avocado, and by the time we were ready to move on the whole sky had transformed to clear blue, and all of the clouds were gone. At every moment on the way up the road, we were both stopping constantly to take photos. On the way down it was even more awe-inspiring.
The sun came out!
The only thing both of us would change next time we visit Denali is our mode of transportation. It was warm and effortless to drive through, but it would have been so much better had we been on bicycles. Throughout our road trip we had to make frequent stops to get out and stretch our legs, run around scenic overlooks, do pushups, yoga, etc. On a bicycle we wouldn’t feel the need to stop to move our bodies, and we could take in all the beautiful scenery without a pane of glass separating us from all of this beauty and fresh air. Another benefit to being on a bike is that we would be permitted to ride the entire 92-mile road through Denali National Park, and not just 15 or 30 miles. The only other option to get that far into the park would be from the seat of a tan-colored school bus filled with other tourists.
Jumping around while out of the car
Continuing south from Denali as the sun disappeared behind the mountains, we saw two moose playing in one of the creeks off the highway. Eventually, we made our way to Talkeetna, a small town best known for being the launching spot for climbers wishing to summit Mt. McKinley. The only place that was open was the Fairview Inn – an historic pub with accommodations on the second floor. The room we were given was filled with nothing but a bed, dresser, and noise from the bar downstairs, but the price was right. Dallas and I each enjoyed a beer from the Denali Brewing Company (located next door to the Fairview Inn) before heading upstairs to our room and falling sound asleep before last call.
Posing in front of the historic Fairview Inn
On Saturday, we walked around Talkeetna, sampling coffee and baked goods from several cafes before heading towards Anchorage. We only stopped briefly in Anchorage to have sushi at Ronnie’s at the recommendation of Alex, a native Alaskan who I had worked with at Columbia in Portland. The rolls were so big, we took enough sushi with us for dinner later that night. Also at Alex’s suggestion, we continued on to Homer, instead of Seward, to where we had originally considered driving. Both towns are at the end of opposite roads on the Kenai Peninsula. Shortly after the sun went down it started drizzling, and we decided to stop and pitch our tent at a campground in Ninilchik. Our luck came through again when we woke up on Sunday morning to clear blue skies.
The drive out to Homer was beautiful, with mountain views on the other side of the bay. It was amazing how green the trees still were down here, while they were all yellow and orange up in Fairbanks and the Yukon. We were able to run 5 or 6 miles along the Homestead Trail after lounging at one of the only cafes still open for the winter season.
Dallas running along the Homestead Trail in Homer
To be honest, the Homestead Trail left for much to be desired. The parking area was across the street and a block away from where we entered the trail. No big deal, once we found the trail. However, we were running up to our eyeballs in a field of fireweed that had turned to cotton, getting white bits of the plant all over our black shirts. Still, not that much of a problem. But the long grass around the trail covered up the surface, which was muddy and full of divots. Not being able to see our footing, I feared that I would twist an ankle or slip in the mud. Our fears grew worse when we accidentally stumbled upon the bottom half of what appeared to be a horse’s front leg. It looked like the leg had been sawn clean off right below the first joint. In addition to all this, the trail was inconsistent and very ambiguous. There were forks, dead ends, clearings (one of which we interrupted a steamy rendezvous between two ATVers), and eventually we had to take a road for quite a distance to get back to the car. None of our issues with Homestead seemed to bother the two big dogs who took joy in chasing us down parts of the trail, romping carefree circles around us through the muck before disappearing amongst the fireweed.
Any chance we got to move around in between long hours of sitting in the car felt great, and the weather could not have been better for us this time. We had to return the car the next morning, so we couldn’t spend the night on the Kenai. As we drove back up to Anchorage, the setting sun lit the sky behind us with shades of pink and orange. It started raining and snowing as we drove North into the darkness.
We totalled over 1600 miles on our Alaskan road trip adventure, yet we still covered less than half of the state. We could have driven more than halfway across the continental US. Another thing I find interesting is that Rhode Island, being the smallest state in the US, has more residents than Alaska. It is such a vast and wild land, empty when it comes to people, but so full of wildlife, mountains, trees, plants, water, and beauty.
The Chilkoot Trail
Dallas and I take a break at the top of the Golden Staircase after summiting the Chilkoot Trail
The weekend before we left Skagway, we hiked the historic Chilkoot Trail. This is a 33 mile long trail that was an established trading route for Tlingit natives, but was famously used by thousands of stampeders during the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898-1900. We were lucky enough to get 3 days of dry weather for our hike – probably the only three days without rain for over a month. June and July had been unseasonably warm and dry for Southeast Alaska, but after the first week of August we had started experiencing the more typical mist, rain, fog and cool weather on a daily basis.
Bear prints in the mud near the beginning of the Chilkoot
The most challenging section of the Chilkoot is a short stretch called the golden staircase, which rises more than 1000 feet in less than half a mile. I was in no way prepared for how rugged the climb would be, and for a few terrifying moments, I thought the weight of my backpack would throw me off balance to my demise. Once over the summit, the Canadian side was beautiful with incredible views of deep blue and turquoise lakes.
Looking out over the Canadian side from the summit
My favorite section was hiking along the gorge between Deep Lake and Lindeman City.
The gorge between Deep Lake and Lindeman City
View from the cabin we stayed in at Lindeman City
On the third day, we made it to Lake Bennett, where the train picks up hikers during the summer season. Since the last train came at the end of August, we had to hike 8 miles along the tracks back to the Klondike Highway, where we tried hitchhiking from Log Cabin. After 20 minutes of waiting at Log Cabin and growing colder in the increasing winds, we started walking towards Fraser, where the Canadian Customs Office is located. Only three cars passed within an hour of walking, including Officer Brown (the strictest of the US Customs officers). The third truck picked us up, but only took us the remaining mile or two to Fraser, where we were able to use a phone and call our friends to pick us up.
Walking the tracks from Lake Bennett to Log Cabin
Last days in Skagway
Biking up Montana Mountain in Carcross, YT
Dallas and I decided to extend our stay in Skagway by two weeks, so we could run in the Klondike Road Relay, take advantage of an extra pay period, and of course spend a little more time with the wonderful friends we made while living there. Working as a bike guide could be terrifying at times – trusting cruise ship vacationers to navigate themselves down the White Pass on mountain bikes may be less physically demanding, but is much more stressful than pulling people around in a pedicab. If I work as a bike guide again, I hope the clientele are limited to experienced cyclists who are physically and mentally prepared to do multi-day bicycle touring. Still, this job was a worthwhile and enjoyable experience.
I have never lived with such close access to trails where I could lose myself in nature so easily. Just a 5 minute walk from home could take me to the Dewey Lake trail system, where there are miles of hiking trails. We were also just a 65 mile drive (or bike ride) from Carcross, in the Yukon, where it is always sunny and there are numerous mountain biking trails on Montana Mountain.
Homemade cottonwood oil and salve, bottled just a day after Skagway’s last farmer’s market of the season
From what we were able to forage locally, we made things like dandelion salad, fireweed syrup, blueberry crisp, cranberry-poppy seed muffins, rose water (which I used to make baklava), and cottonwood oil/salve. I only wish I could have finished bottling the cottonwood oil and salve before the last farmer’s market. Cottonwood oil has medicinal properties and can be used as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-microbial. As a massage oil, it can be used to ease sore muscles or joints, and it can also be used to heal chapped or scraped skin. If anyone would like to buy one, I will send you a 1oz bottle of oil for $12 or 2oz jar of salve for $15 – just e-mail me or leave a comment on this post.
Looking back at our time in Skagway, both of us are very glad that we decided to spend our summer there. We were able to make great new friends, occupy our free time with a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, running and mountain biking, and we learned so much about the environment and history of the area. Hopefully our friendships will continue far beyond this summer, and we will be able to carry what we learned to whatever awaits us in our next adventure.
The Rockeye Sockeye Robots team at the end of the 24 hours of light mountain bike relay race in Whitehorse
Me, Scott, Ryan, Dillon, Kristin and Zabeth climbed up to Goat Lake on the no-ship day in July
Klondike Road Relay
The Klondike Road Relay is a running race that runs from Skagway to Whitehorse during the first weekend of September. It started on a Friday evening, and our team ran all night up the Klondike Highway before crossing the finish line, 110 miles later, in downtown Whitehorse Saturday afternoon. Our friend Jaime connected us to the National Park Service team, where I ran leg 8 and Dallas ran leg 10 (the anchor leg). Each leg was anywhere from 7 or 8 miles to 16 miles long. The first two legs run up the White Pass (the reverse of our Sockeye Cycle Klondike bike tours), gaining 3292 feet of elevation in less than 15 miles. Dallas and I each ran between 12 and 13 miles for our respective legs. Our team was able to knock off more than forty minutes from their previous year’s time!
Guide Training
riding back from camping in Dyea
Training started on May 1st, and for the first week or so, all of us learned an incredible amount about Skagway, Coastal Temperate Rainforests, local flora and fauna, and glaciers, among other things. When we weren’t actively training to be bicycle tour guides, we were participating in other activities aimed at welcoming and orienting us for our first summer in Skagway. We went camping in Dyea, a town that began as a small summer fishing camp for the local Tlingits, boomed to about 20,000 people at the height of the gold rush, and then became a ghost town shortly after completion of construction of the railroad from Skagway to Dawson City. We hiked some of the Chilkoot Trail and rafted down the Taiya river with another tour company. We went on a bike ride through the Northwest sliver of British Columbia and into the Yukon Territory to Carcross. We were given an exam with 30 questions to answer in detail and return a week later. When possible, we ran and explored some of the nearby trails in an attempt to train for the upcoming Skagway Marathon. Most of the trails were still too icy or covered with snow. Dallas and I had very little time to relax, and practically no time to write or talk to friends and family back home.
Me, Zabeth, Kristina, Kelly and Kyle cycling into the Yukon Territory
Training has finally ceased, and all of us new guides have been slowly easing into the routine. Cruise ships are starting to dock regularly at one of the three docks. One amazing thing about this is that Skagway sits right at the end of the Lynn Canal, which is the deepest and longest fjord in North America. The mountains around here, which reach heights of 7000 feet, rise right up from the sea, and the 1800ft deep canal allows cruise ships to pull right up to the docks. In Newport, cruise ships would anchor in the middle of the bay and people would be shuttled to the shore on small boats called tenders. At the peak of tourism season, we will be getting 4-6 cruise ships in town daily, with fewer on the weekends. The town, which only has about 800 residents year-round and 2000 during the summer, increases 10-fold during the day while all the cruise ship tourists are walking about. While Dallas and I have mixed feelings about them, these cruise ships are vital to Skagway’s economy.
running in Dyea
One great thing about living here is the amount of outdoor activities and available hiking trails just out our back door. The local backcountry outfitter’s store has a summer trail challenge, and I’m excited to hike or run all 12 of the trails on the list. The most challenging will be the historic Chilkoot Trail, which in its entirety is 33 miles long and climbs 3500 feet in elevation. It was once a Tlingit trading route, where natives would hike to trade their fish (Hooligan) oils with the Tagish natives of the interior for furs to stay warm and red cedar to build kayaks. When gold was found outside of Dawson City in 1896, people flocked to Dyea to hike this same trail. The trail ends at Lake Bennett, where people would then have to build a boat to float another 500 miles up the Yukon River to where the gold was found.
hiking along the Chilkoot Trail with (top to bottom) Holly, Kelly, Zabeth, Dallas, Kristina and Kyle
Another great thing about this region is the air quality. Lichens grow in abundance here, which is a true testament to the cleanliness of the air since they receive their nutrients from the air and are so sensitive to air pollution. Also, bicycling is a very common form of transportation, probably because the town is only 5 blocks wide and 22 blocks long. For a school that has only 60-70 people (k-12), there are more bike racks than the train station in Providence. This certainly helps the air quality. Today, while driving up to the summit for the start of one of our tours, we passed a group of high school students from White Horse, who were cycling back. They were in the midst of a 15 mile uphill stretch along the Klondike Highway that climbs to 3292ft in elevation from sea level. I was impressed (and a little jealous).
from a trail high above, Dallas watches the departure of a cruise ship
The only negative thing I can say about living in SE Alaska is that because we are so isolated, our food is expensive. Once a week, a barge comes in with all of the town’s supplies for the week. Groceries are not only expensive, but by the end of the week there is really not much to choose from. Dallas and I ordered some dry goods from Amazon, but produce and dairy are tough to come by without a high cost. Because of shipping costs, pretty much everything is pricier by at least 25 cents per pound. I’m looking forward to June and July, when we start getting more edible plants in the forest. Since learning about all of these berries, mushrooms, spruce tips and other edibles, my roommates and I plan to forage as much as possible in the upcoming months.
Arriving in Skagway
View from the ferry between Juneau and Skagway
We were both so tired, Dallas and I didn’t talk to anyone on the ferry. I was hoping to check out Haines, since the ferry was stopping there for two hours and Christy had told us it was a nice town, but when the ferry docked, I read a road sign pointing 4 miles to Haines. With nothing of interest within walking distance during our short layover, I went back to sleep on the bench next to Dallas. Neither of us were fully awake to appreciate the grandeur view for more than a few minutes before drifting off again, and I didn’t fully wake up until we were a few minutes from landing in Skagway, our destination for the summer.
Scott, Dillon, Kristina, Kellee and Zabeth – some of our fellow guides and housemates for the summer
Dustin and Scott greeted us when we stepped off the boat, and 4 other new guides who had been on the same ferry joined us a few minutes later. We all managed to load our bags into the Sockeye Cycle Van, and Dustin drove our belongings to the house while Scott led the rest of us by foot. It was only a few blocks to the shop, and walking felt good after lounging around on the ferry for 7 hours (three of the other guides had boarded the ferry in Bellingham, and had been on board for 4 days).
View of Smugglers Cove from Yakutania Point
Although it was clear and sunny that day, the announcement of an avalanche having recently blocked the white passage to the Yukon (pretty much the only way out of Skagway by land) reminded us that it was still very much winter in Alaska. Scott, the shop manager who had previously been a mechanic for a tour company in Italy, provided us with numerous and entertaining stories. He had arrived three weeks earlier and told us about his first day and days leading up to now, when it seemed he was finally able to talk to some other people who were seeing Skagway for the first time. I think we all shared his wonder in what we’ve gotten ourselves into here.
Dallas, standing at Yakutania Point on the day of our arrival in Skagway
The owner of the company, Thom, greeted us when we arrived at our new summer home, the two stories above the Sockeye Cycle bike shop. Then he hurried off to drive to Whitehorse, the nearest city, to buy supplies for the house and our welcome barbecue. Because of the avalanche, he had to take an alternate route to Whitehorse, and it was uncertain if he would even make it back the next day for the barbecue.
Dallas and I will be sharing this space for the next four months with 10 other guides.
Juneau
Can you spot the mountain goats?
After an unexpected stop in Ketchikan to exchange a few passengers, our flight landed in Juneau about thirty minutes late on Saturday night. Couchsurfers Christy and Jason had offered to host us at their home on Douglas Island, and they picked us up at the airport in an old Subaru Outback (perfect for the conditions, which were wet and slushy at the time).
Dallas, me, Jason amd Christy in front of Mendenhall Glacier
We awoke on Sunday morning to snow, and an excellent view of mountains, which were surprisingly close and large, but invisible to us during the drive from the airport the previous night. Christy and Jason offered us a variety of options for activities for our day in Juneau, and we settled on going to check out an ice cave at the Mendenhall Glacier. Having both worked on the trails in Denali, our hosts were excellent guides for the hike up to and around the glacier. At some point, while scrambling up a rock wall, I had wished that I bought my med-evac insurance already. Fortunately, nobody fell into the glacier or off any cliffs. Also fortunate was the fact that we had stopped somewhere to buy waterproof rain boots on the way to the trail.
Looking out from inside the ice cave
The ice cave was cool (literally), but too dark inside to get any beautiful photos like the ones we had seen online before heading out there. We rested and snacked for a moment at the mouth of the cave (which is actually created by a stream that flows from the mountain into the glacier), and hiked back the long way along the shore of the fjord. The next morning, Christy and Jason drove us to the dock, where we boarded the Columbia, an enormous ferry that would take us to Haines and Skagway.
Having rushed to the ferry without having time to eat, we went straight to the snack bar on the upper level of Columbia, which didn’t have many appealing options for breakfast. Twelve dollars got us some barely edible broccoli salad, an egg salad sandwich and a waxy apple turnover. No sooner had we finished our food when the captain made an announcement that there was an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet in the dining room. Oh well.
Close-up of a mountain goat before disappearing behind the mountain
The view on the ferry was amazing for the duration of the trip, and I had aspirations of whale watching and bear-spotting from the deck – but Dallas and I couldn’t stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time to appreciate it.
Nomadic Cycling 