Tour Two 2005

Our leaders:  Spike, Chris & Chet             The group at the Kispiox Totem Polls         Now a lecture about the Poles of 'Ksan

We observed a special Totem Pole blessing and and joined in with the Natives        The ancient "Mountain Lion" Totem

We are in Hyder now and about to go to a Halibut dinner at Sealaska Inn. Tomorrow we head up the Cassier Hwy towards Dease Lake, BC and Watson Lake, Yukon. Next we arrive in Skagway, Alaska for the 4th of July and will have more photos and stories.

7/4 The trip out of Hyder was magnificent, plenty of bears and one Moose.  Two driving days then Skagway, Alaska Yea! A beautiful drive down through the Coastal Range past Whitepass and Chilcoot Pass and then we arrive to Skagway.  We are here for the 4th of July and have seen the Chilcoot Pass and even climbed up it a bit. We saw the Dance Follies and El Dorado Chet was pulled up on stage for a portion of the show.  Chuck won the bid to remove the garter belt from a Can Can Dancer.

We made it to camp "Run-a-Muck             Our visit to Salmon Glacier,  One step back, please.            At the Salmon Bake

Ok everyone, it's off to the Bear stand       On the way we met a huge Grizzly             Gambling at "Soapy Smith's Parlor"

Yes, it's Chuck's Birthday                             Courtney is our Can-Can kicker                    Yeeow! We just got hiderized, yuuck!

We did too!  And their still married               Ya see, it's knee-knee-kick-kick-knee              Gilles and Peggy sing O' Canada

Hey everyone this is Chris, the official hostess of the 2005 tours.  We have a great group with us and we are making lots of new friends and trying every adventure possible.  Like Spike had previously mentioned Hyder was more than we ever expected, the bears were in full effect.  Everyone walked out on the platform to watch the bears while others took a short car ride up to Salmon Glacier. 

After Hyder we were on our way to Skagway.  Two short overnight stays and down into Skagway we went.  The drive into Skagway was beautiful although most of the snow had melted since our last visit the temperatures were still cool.  It is amazing how the temperatures vary, when we left Hazelton we were all in shorts and tank-tops but as we moved along we began to bring out light jackets.  We spent four days in Skagway one of which was the fourth of July.  On the night of July third we attended the local block party and realized that there were a few party animals among us, later that night we watched the fireworks over the bay.  On the fourth there were a lot of events to attend.  The parade in the morning featured a division of the Yukon RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted  Police).  The RCMP marched to the tune of the Bagpipes and impressed us all with their superior formations.  Later that night we all rested for our charge into Whitehorse.

National Park Ranger & City Walking Tour       We have a Sunday Prayer Meeting with a Choir and a Band

enjoying the service                                         Then we climbed the Chilcoot trail                 and panned for gold

                                                                                                      Boys will be boys

Downtown Skagway on the 4th of July     The Mounties marched in from Whitehorse        Yea!!! Happy 4th

Michelle the "Yukon Quest" Musher talks         Yes, we now have new puppys                 Alex forgot his bug Sprey today

A 10 minute break at Emerald Lake        The dance follies & man with no yellow vest.        Chet wows the house

Helga gets some needed attention       George on the SS Klondike. How does thing work?          Rick hunts for dinner

Yesterday all went on the Yukon River Cruise up through Miles Canyon, where Jack London fought the rapids and saved many lives, on the rush for gold in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898.  The Frantic Follies and then a trip to the Beringia Center to learn about the Bering Land Bridge and how early man and animals came to the American soil from Asia over 12,000 years ago.

In Dawson City we took a Cruise on a river boat to Miles Canyon where Jack London was the Steerman for hire on many of the boats trying to get to the Klondike Goldfields.  We also visited a Gold Dredge and learned about that operation and then actually panned for gold on Bonanza Creek, just down from the Discovery Claim.

Off we go on a new adventure                      Panning for Gold on Bonanza Creek             Who has found some Gold?

Our Choir and Band is growing                    Visiting the "Red Dog Saloon"                  It's a big gold nugget

At Diamond tooth Gertie's Casino                 Refused to gambol, I mean Gamble        Gertie likes Chauncey

Doug has lipstick on his coller (and face)     We visited Santa at the North Pole       George has a day off, (wife is shopping)

Chuck is one of the normal ones                   Hides from camera, so-now!  Hah!         Yes, our pets still believe in Santa

We arrived in Anchorage and all went to every gift shop in town.  We saw the Wild Animal Park, Portage Glacier, Grizley Junction, Dusty Sourdough and the wildest Glacier Wildlife cruise ever.  We panned for gold at Crow Creek Mine and all found plenty.  We are now in Homer and twenty one went fishing for Halibut and all limited out with fish for all.  One free day then off to Kenai, Alaska and the end of the tour after visiting the Kenai Russian Orthodox Church.

Danny wants a pony                                     Ethel got a Beaver Scarf                               In Denali Park

Iditarod Museum dog sled rides by musher Rayme Reddington                                     Portage Glacier

Danny finds an ancient iceburg                 four birthdays at one time                You put your left foot out and shake it all about

Margaret is saved by Larry                          Danny & Mom (Lindy)                                   Jared spent the day like this

Jared rides the wild Salmon                         Looking out over Katchamet Bay               Kenai Elk at the wild animal park

We had the greatest time visiting the Kenai Peninsula.  Halibut fishing was a high point as all limited out. King Crab night was filling as was the ending potluck.  Please enjoy the remaining photos.  All are healthy and slowely returning home.

Roger shows off his King Crab                    We all had more that we could eat            Then the Electric slide on Keroke night

The ending potluck was a smash hit          Chuck sang for his supper                        The mighty fishermen did good

                Roger our RV tech says an Alaska Goodbye

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