Adventures with Yogi and Boone

 August 19th - 22nd

Bob's First Blog Post

Well, it only took 3 months on the road, but here I am - finally writing my first post for the blog.  I'll admit, there was a lot of pressure after the incredible job Sherry has been doing with all of her posts - and even Boone managed to set the bar high with his one entry.  Tough acts to follow! But since this part of the trip was such a unique experience, I thought it was about time I added my voice to the mix.  Oh, and also Sherry insisted I do at least one post!

We've just wrapped up the Inside Passage ferry trip, traveling from Haines all the way down to Bellingham, Washington. It was three days and three nights on the water, with stops in Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan along the way.

Juneau

There are three ways to get to Juneau: by boat, by plane...or the birth canal. and just like that, I was officially banned from local tour guides. 

Once in town, we headed out to the Mendenhall Glacier, which was absolutely worth the visit. We hiked around, watched salmon running in the creek nearby (it felt like walking into a National Geographic documentary), and just soaked it all in.  There were so many fish in that creek, I half expected one to jump into my backpack and hitch a ride. 

Food-wise, we treated ourselves to Indian food one evening, and grabbed lunch at Deckhand Dave's - both solid choices.

Time for Yogi to get his tires rotated

Thank You, Les Schwab Juneau

Sitka

From Juneau, the ferry carried us to Sitka. The natural setting there is gorgeous - mountains and ocean colliding in dramatic views. Our stop was only a few hours, so we didn't get to dive deep into the town itself. It was basically: walk fast, look around, snap a picture, and back to the ferry before they left us behind.  Not exactly a deep dive, but enough to get a taste.

Ketchikan

Next up was Ketchikan, and that was a really cool stop. We had almost four hours to run around, which was just enough to get a feel for the place. The colorful buildings, lively waterfront, and overall energy made it one of our favorite towns along the route. If I'd had more time, I might have signed a lease and called it home. But the ferry waits for no man......

                                            

Life on the Ferry

                                    Our home for the next 3 days

The ferry ride itself was something special. The scenery was beautiful-waterways lined with endless pines and rugged coastline. It was like watching an IMAX movie on repeat. By day two I started to feel like I was flipping through a wallpaper sample book: "And here we have....more pines!"

The staff on the ferry were amazing, they all just seemed happy and helpful.   The food was also a surprise, so good!

Boone had his own version of the ferry adventure. Potty breaks were only allowed every eight hours, which was a real adjustment for him. He's used to being able to go outside whenever he wants, and instead he had to wait until we could take him down below to the car deck. And instead of grass, well....he had to make do with the car deck. Not exactly his favorite part of the journey, but he handled it like the adventure dog he is. I think he's now drafting a petition for grass decks on all Alaska Ferries.

                                   Boone, patiently waiting for the "Car Deck is now open" announcement.

Wrapping Up

So that's the quick update from me, Bob. Sherry and Boone have been keeping the blog alive until now, but I figured (Sherry figured) it was time to for me to jump in and share my perspective. The Inside Passage was a memorable part of our Alaska journey, and now we are back on dry land and continuing the adventure southward. After a quick trip back in to Canada to explore Vancouver, Whistler and Vancouver Island.